Reviews with content warning for Blood - A Light in the Flame

Okay, the love for these characters that I have felt is insane. The characters are amazing, the plot is amazing, somehow I was hardly able to predict anything that happened in this book. Whether that be a good thing or a bad thing I did thoroughly enjoy it as it was always a surprise. These two books in the series so far have both made me need to put the book down and think about what I just read, made me kick my feet in the air and giggle when something sweet happens, and they've also made my hands tremble as I cry. Specifically this book!!! Now I will say, this book did not need to be 651 pages long. I swear there was a good 200 pages at least that could've been boiled down to 1 single chapter. I did get bored half way through and had to start another book but even while doing that, I still just wanted to continue reading about Sera and Ash. The characters are so wonderful and they have not left my mind since I picked up that first book 2 weeks ago. This book put me through a rollercoaster of emotions and so did the ending. I had to get up and take a walk to just digest it. Regardless, I love this series and you best believe I have that 3rd book preordered and no trick or treating will be happening for me this Halloween as I will be in Iliseeum <3

Content Warnings

cryosphinx's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

I thoroughly enjoyed both this and the previous book in the FAF series and find them to be more refined than the FBAA series (though I enjoy it immensely as well) and I did find this book to be better than the previous one. There's still the same issue will complain about, such as modern slang randomly inserted in, but it seems like JLA is better about the meandering thoughts in this book. I love the found family, the spice is still top notch, and that ending...I wouldn't say it's a cliffhanger but it definitely made me big mad that I have to wait for the next book.

The beginning was a bit slow and I was super confused and ended up having to stop and find a full synopsis of ASITE because I could not recall who is who and what happened. But once I got in to it, I enjoyed the ride as there's good pacing between action, story, world building, spice and plot.

I can't wait for the next book which will hopefully answer some more questions I have and how it'll tie back to FBAA.

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crinkledmochi's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional informative mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Yeah I’m ready for the next book right freaking now!!!

Content Warnings

embelle's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I’m really enjoying the Flesh and Fire series (I actually enjoy it more so than the original From Blood and Ash series!). While A Light in the Flame was a little bit slow in the middle section, the book was super entertaining and the plot twists kept coming. And the ending!!! Cannot wait until October when the last book is the trilogy is released, as I’m desperate to read more Sera & Nyktos

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trzcuit's review against another edition

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dark emotional fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

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plsnotanotherdamselindistress's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny mysterious

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75

I love this series.
This world is the one true escape. This book has made me feel every emotion I have. I felt it deeper than I thought I could feel a book story and I fear I am never going to find a book that gets to me as much as this devastatingly beautiful world did.

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readswithcat's review against another edition

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mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? N/A
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Well, I want to first say the star rating doesn’t reflect my true feelings. This book wasn’t for me, but that doesn’t mean I have to rate it super low. It just wasn’t my favorite and that’s ok.

To start, I have to admit really enjoyed Shadow in the Ember. It held a lot of parallels to the FBAA story and started to kind of fill in some gaps but ultimately when paired with this sequel, I’m further convinced that both series are being stretched and milked for all they’re worth for the sole purpose of publishing as many books as possible instead of telling a good story.

By the end of this book we finally have a plot that moved forward. I hesitate to say plot twist because it’s not - it’s literally obvious from the beginning where this was leading, there is just a lot of fluff in between. It could have been 200 pages max. This prequel series probably could have been 2 books I’m guessing. Most of this one could have been scrapped in my opinion. It was just the same circular conversations and repetitive inner monologue the whole time. Situations that just felt unnecessary and pointless…by the end, I was bored and exhausted by the redundancies.

I get that Sera is working through some intense things, but she seemed to lose the confidence and spark she had in book one and it felt more like I was in Poppy’s head again rather than this new separate character. I understand there’s a reason they are similar in some ways but as the reader I really don’t need to be beat over the head with it. She felt smarter and more astute in book one and in this one it just didn’t make sense that it took her so long to gain clarity in certain situations. In addition to this, this book’s banter and comic relief also felt tired and recycled. And it’s an on going issue I have with the author in general, but the modern phrases (“I noped right out of there” for example) feel so out of place and just don’t make sense. It’s so frustrating, but honestly not unexpected this far into the series. The number of times I rolled my eyes listening to this book is unprecedented.

The god/primal hierarchy and power system of this world becomes even more convoluted and borderline nonsensical in this sequel. Again this is just an opinion, but I think it could benefit from being a bit more simple. The checks and balances of power feel forced and contradictory not clever nor are they clear. It’s like there’s a new reason why one thing can’t happen because of course, this other random thing we just discovered (!) suddenly cancels it out. If I need a flow chart of a power system to understand what means what, I’m just no longer interested. And again, that’s just my preference for a book like this.

The prophesy also reads like word soup. It feels like catchy book titles were chosen and then shoehorned into the overly wordy prophesy that really doesn’t make a whole lot of sense or serve any other purpose than to, again, prolong the story and sell more more books.

I think that’s where my overall issue is with this book and where the two series in this universe are headed - everything feels forced or like it’s trying too hard to be something profound. It left me exhausted and disappointed.

I can’t fault an author for wanting to write more whether it’s to make money or because you don’t want to say goodbye to a world you’ve built - nothing inherently wrong with any of that. but stretching a series out for the sole purpose of prolonging the experience, only highlights that there’s a lack of substance. And this, to me, is a disservice to the readers and honestly the characters as well.

Positives!!! Because yes I do have them!

I love the drakens. Mainly the younglings. They’re so precious and pure and I love how every character cares for and protects them. The fate of Jadis is really what’s keeping me reading both of these series. I have grown attached to her and Reaver.
Overall, all the spicy scenes were wonderful and the most well written parts of the book. We love Daddy Nyktos.
I really love the way landscapes are described. The use of color and shapes that are familiar yet different….I think it’s the most unique aspect of this world and kinda wish some more effort had been put into those descriptions to truly paint the picture.

Overall, I want to give this at best 2 stars. I’m settling on 3 because I will continue to be invested in it no matter how I feel and I don’t think it deserves a lower rating simply because I didn’t like it. There are so many people who love it and it hits differently for them and I think that is wonderful! The author spent time on this and deserves to be recognized for the effort despite my feelings.

Content Warnings

sofi237b's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I just finished reading the from blood and ash series and the flesh and fire series. I read them in a particular order, so the stories got intertwined and i thoroughly enjoyed that, because the flesh and fire series explains a lot of what happens in the last book in from blood and ash.

I actually think i like Nyktos/Ash and Sera way more than Cas and Poppy. The romance is so good but so frustrating at the same time. Trying to explain the plot of either of the series to other people is rather difficult tho lmao.

The worst part is starting fantasy series that has yet to be finished, and the idea of waiting for a happy ending for both of the couples, breaks my heart a little :((

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