A review by reader_rachael
Crown of Fire by Linsey Hall

3.0

Great concept- fated mates, one trying to sacrifice the other to save his people, the other trying to kill him before he kills her, neither able to live long after their mate dies. A seemingly no-win situation that, obviously, doesn't turn out that way. Overall I found it to be a very meh book- great chemisty between the characters if a little 'love at first sight'--then again they are fated mates, but the plot was weak and predictable- obviously neither sacrifices the other, Claire defeats the big bad but comes away from the battle with something taken from her

her magic, which I guess is kinda like a soul?

but instead of staying with her mate who, for all intents and purposes she seems to actually like and be attracted to throughout the entire book, she runs away from him. I guess to set up a plot for the next two books? Definitely a set up for the 'I want him, but can't be with him for yada yada reasons' overused and worn out arc whose sole purpose is to force romance readers into reading a series just to see the happy ending. It feels insincere and it's used to drag the book's lifeless, conflictless, streched out into more books than it should be, storyline. Sadly, I will not be continuing to read this series.
So overall good piece of light reading if you're into fantasy, fated mates, predictability, and that whole 'will they won't they' (which imo seems moot b/c of the whole fated mate thing).. but not a life changer and you won't really be missing anything if you skip this read.