Reviews tagging 'Suicide'

Immortal Fire by Annette Marie

1 review

nuin_giliath's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional fast-paced
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

 3rd reading: Starting 2021 by rereading this series was one of the best decisions I've made in a while. These books have consistently brought me so much enjoyment in the past and they continued doing so this time too. Everything I said in my previous reviews is still 100% valid in expressing my immense love for this series. 💖💖

So why should YOU read this series? In case you've been sleeping on my other reviews and 25483 updates, there's…

• a female lead character who demonstrates unwavering determination, courage despite feeling afraid/incapable and a fierce dedication to her beliefs

• a swoon-worthy and forbidden romance with a teasing kitsune

• a wonderful group of secondary characters who develop believable alliances/friendships

• a villain whose motivations actually make sense and who isn't just evil for the sake of being evil

• incredible action scenes featuring elemental magic

• touching moments of emotion and vulnerability

• themes of identity, loneliness, sacrifice, strength in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds, and belief in one's self and choices

• a fascinating blending of urban fantasy with traditional Japanese elements

(Brief side note: As much as I do like the inclusion of certain aspects of Japanese culture, this really is more Japanese mythology fanfiction than an accurate retelling of traditional stories. There are definitely authentic components - such as food, dress, cultural practices - but a lot of liberty was taken with the various kami and yokai featured in the story.)

Of course, these books also have their flaws, but there's just so much that is done incredibly well here that I can easily overlook the low points. Every time I read this series, it takes me on an amazing journey and I love every moment of it. (Well… except for the demon spiders. 😖)

So what I'm trying to say is…

^And that's probably how most of you view me anyway. It's a fair depiction and I'm not mad about it. 😂 (Now, go read Red Winter!!!!)

---------------------------------------------
2nd reading: For the past 28 days, this series has been my life. I haven't visited or known any other literary world during that time. While I realize this has all been my own doing - including my decision to reread the entire series immediately after finishing - I am now in the same predicament as before. This book hangover is going to hurt so bad. 😭 (*Edited to add*: It DOES hurt. Like the fire from a thousand kitsunebi. 😭)

Thanks to a discounted three month trial, I spent my summer pouring through the Kindle Unlimited catalogue in search for a new book/series that would reawaken (or should that be rekindle?! Haha! 😂🤣 *ahem* I'll see myself out now.) my passion for reading. While I did discover several books that I enjoyed immensely, it was THIS series that brought back the heart-rending, nail-biting, gut-wrenching, gotta-stay-up-all-night-to-finish feeling that I've been missing for years now.

One aspect I really appreciated during the second reading of the entire series was the foreshadowing from the very start. So many lines that seemed innocent or appeared to merely provide additional background information ended up carrying significant weight later on. Bravo, Annette Marie. 10 gold stars for you! (Just as an aside: based on what I've read from other reviewers, I am clearly not very astute since I did not piece together some of this earlier on. You know what? I am okay with that because it makes this entire work all the more amazing to me. And that's what matters.)

Is this the most profound piece of literature? Eh, not really. Was it exactly what I wanted/needed at the time? Absolutely! Depending on your own preferences, this may not even be appealing to you. However, I feel the need to be extremely vocal about this series as it does NOT get the love or attention that it deserves. That is all. 💗


---------------------------------------------
Original Review: I just received an email from Goodreads with the title: “You finished Immortal Fire (Red Winter Trilogy, #3). What’s next?” ... What’s next?! What’s next is that I will slip quietly into the world beyond because I am emotionally spent and I don’t even know how to live anymore. I am going to need therapy after this.

THE FEELS ARE REAL. I admit that before I even started this series, I snickered a bit at all of these over-the-top “I’m dead” reviews. It is rare for me to experience external displays of emotion while reading, but with the Red Winter Trilogy, I squirmed (a LOT), chewed off my fingernails, and actually SOBBED on two different occasions. I can’t remember the last time (if ever) I cried over a book. That’s just not me. Oh, the feels are still there, but I hold them tightly to my heart and weep on the inside. This was NOT the case here. I physically hurt from the tension and emotional whiplash. I had to pause regularly just to recover from the intensity of it all.

Over the past week, I have known such beauty and heartache through this one trilogy. As I mentioned in my reviews of Red Winter and Dark Tempest, I loved the modern yet traditional setting and the integration of the Japanese mythology. (By the way, I have never read a book that covered SO MUCH of one culture over the course of approximately 1,000 pages - which seems like a lot, but it is NOT.) I ADORED EVERY SINGLE ONE of these characters with their unique desires, fears, strengths, weaknesses, and quirks. Even the villains had arguably honorable motives. I loved having this level of complexity present in so many of the characters. The prose was amazing; the dialogue realistic - even humorous at times. The action sequences were so vividly described that it felt like watching a movie instead of reading a book. The romance was a satisfying slow burn that was everything I didn’t even know I wanted. I don't want to comment on anything specific because I don't want to have to hide this review due to spoilers. Instead, I want your curiosity to force you to check this out for yourself. You're welcome. 😎

Since I haven’t mentioned it in my previous reviews, the artwork featured throughout is absolutely GORGEOUS. While I don’t need pictures in order to create my own detailed imagery, I loved having these scattered throughout and wish this type of art was included in more stories.

Finally, HOW IS THIS SERIES NOT MORE POPULAR?

 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings
More...