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A review by booksalacarte
Freedom and Fire by Courtney Thorne
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Flame and Fire- 3.25⭐️ 3🌶️
Fantasy Romance
New Adult
Self Discovery
Magic
Dreams
Intrigue
Mystery
Politics
Slow Burn
Yay! A map!!!
Falling back into the story after a year was a little harder to do. The epilogue helped, but I was still grasping at details from book one up until chapter 7, and even then it was because I remembered, not because the writing reminded me. I wish there had been a little more heavy reminders of what happened in the last book before the FMC left her castle.
Seeing the FMC care so deeply about her citizens through watching how a different kingdom treats their people was a great focal point as a new ruler… but the freedom from book one’s events wasn’t felt as acutely as I would have expected before we dive headfirst into a plot where she keeps her power and freedom a secret. Past that some of the characters act super suspicious and the FMC brushes it off! plot was fairly predictable, unfortunately. And it felt like she was willfully ignorant throughout. The surprise ending happens and it feels like a disconnected twist with absolutely no explanation of why it was happening beyond a verbal shoulder shrug. The twist ending could have been given a little more foreshadowing. Instead it just happened and took care of a glaring problem, that could have been an interesting dynamic change in the next book, like it was nothing.
The characters were interesting. The characters outside of the love triangle definitely took a hit in this installment. I’m their complete absence I wondered if they were necessary at all. Once we had them back, so little was given in their development.
The FMC felt so emotionally/romantically immature (but I gave her the benefit of the doubt due to being raised locked in a tower). The worry she had about what her indecision and choices would look like to everyone else… well, it’s exactly what it looked like. All of the autonomy the FMC fought for was basically gone by going on this trip that didn’t make a lot of sense. The badass from the end of book one was COMPLETELY missing.
The world-building was decent. There was a little growth from book one… little thought put forward about the kingdoms past what we already knew… almost like the MC’s were ignoring the fact the the FMC knew next to nothing about the land she lived in or the land politics/history. She read a lot about it, but only when she was forced to deal with something political. Again with the willful ignorance. But seeing what the plot of the next book do with the twist will better help what is or is not going on.
As for the magic, I wish there had been a little more. Instead we got another book where she is suppressing her powers instead of growing into them.
Over all, I still really liked the premise of the story and I’m interested in the possibilities! I just wanted the momentum from book one to keep going for book two, instead of feeling like a stutter step.
Thank you Courtney Thorne for this Advanced eReader Copy in exchange for an honest review. All of the opinions are my own.
Fantasy Romance
New Adult
Self Discovery
Magic
Dreams
Intrigue
Mystery
Politics
Slow Burn
Yay! A map!!!
Falling back into the story after a year was a little harder to do. The epilogue helped, but I was still grasping at details from book one up until chapter 7, and even then it was because I remembered, not because the writing reminded me. I wish there had been a little more heavy reminders of what happened in the last book before the FMC left her castle.
Seeing the FMC care so deeply about her citizens through watching how a different kingdom treats their people was a great focal point as a new ruler… but the freedom from book one’s events wasn’t felt as acutely as I would have expected before we dive headfirst into a plot where she keeps her power and freedom a secret. Past that some of the characters act super suspicious and the FMC brushes it off! plot was fairly predictable, unfortunately. And it felt like she was willfully ignorant throughout. The surprise ending happens and it feels like a disconnected twist with absolutely no explanation of why it was happening beyond a verbal shoulder shrug. The twist ending could have been given a little more foreshadowing. Instead it just happened and took care of a glaring problem, that could have been an interesting dynamic change in the next book, like it was nothing.
The characters were interesting. The characters outside of the love triangle definitely took a hit in this installment. I’m their complete absence I wondered if they were necessary at all. Once we had them back, so little was given in their development.
The FMC felt so emotionally/romantically immature (but I gave her the benefit of the doubt due to being raised locked in a tower). The worry she had about what her indecision and choices would look like to everyone else… well, it’s exactly what it looked like. All of the autonomy the FMC fought for was basically gone by going on this trip that didn’t make a lot of sense. The badass from the end of book one was COMPLETELY missing.
The world-building was decent. There was a little growth from book one… little thought put forward about the kingdoms past what we already knew… almost like the MC’s were ignoring the fact the the FMC knew next to nothing about the land she lived in or the land politics/history. She read a lot about it, but only when she was forced to deal with something political. Again with the willful ignorance. But seeing what the plot of the next book do with the twist will better help what is or is not going on.
As for the magic, I wish there had been a little more. Instead we got another book where she is suppressing her powers instead of growing into them.
Over all, I still really liked the premise of the story and I’m interested in the possibilities! I just wanted the momentum from book one to keep going for book two, instead of feeling like a stutter step.
Thank you Courtney Thorne for this Advanced eReader Copy in exchange for an honest review. All of the opinions are my own.