Review: A Light in the Flame by Jennifer L Armentrout

Name: A Light in the Flame
Series: Flesh and Fire #2
Author: Jennifer L Armentrout
Publisher: Blue Box Press
Format: Kindle
Genres: New Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Paranormal
Noted Tropes: Arranged Marriage, Prophecy
Steam or Spice: Both

Rating:

Synopsis: Goodreads
The only one who can save Sera now is the one she spent her life planning to kill.
The truth about Sera’s plan is out, shattering the fragile trust forged between her and Nyktos. Surrounded by those distrustful of her, all Sera has is her duty. She will do anything to end Kolis, the false King of Gods, and his tyrannical rule of Iliseeum, thus stopping the threat he poses to the mortal realm.
Nyktos has a plan, though, and as they work together, the last thing they need is the undeniable, scorching passion that continues to ignite between them. Sera cannot afford to fall for the tortured Primal, not when a life no longer bound to a destiny she never wanted is more attainable than ever. But memories of their shared pleasure and unrivaled desire are a siren’s call impossible to resist.
And as Sera begins to realize that she wants to be more than a Consort in name only, the danger surrounding them intensifies. The attacks on the Shadowlands are increasing, and when Kolis summons them to Court, a whole new risk becomes apparent. The Primal power of Life is growing inside her, pushing her closer to the end of her Culling. And without Nyktos’s love—an emotion he’s incapable of feeling—she won’t survive her Ascension. That is if she even makes it to her Ascension and Kolis doesn’t get to her first. Because time is running out. For both her and the realms.

Review:

This is book 2 in the series, therefore it stands to reason spoilers for book 1 may be included in the below. Additionally, I struggled to write this review without spoilers for this book, so spoiler free: great book, hard/dark moments, steam and spicy scenes, cliffhanger!

After the end of A Shadow in the Ember, I had no idea where this relationship would go. I mean, of course we have an idea because this is afterall a prequel series, but just because we know how it ends up doesn’t mean we know how it gets there. And that was something I was concerned about in A Light in the Flame! Nyktos now knows that Sera was planning to kill him – talk about a punch in the gut. But that isn’t all, because they also realise that the Embers of Life are killing Sera. Nyktos has to get over his discovery and figure out a way of saving Sera, and if it was that simple then it wouldn’t be a JLA book would it?

Time is running out for these two, Sera’s acension draws ever nearing and they are no closer to figuring out a way of saving her through it, added complications are… well complicated. That doesn’t prevent JLA from giving us steam and spice (and everything nice!) in between because ultimately regardless of whether Nyktos can love, he can certainly want and boy do these two want each other.

But for all the joy that brings us, JLA throws some darkness into the mix here too. We learn a bit more about Sera’s past and her future (remember the whole ‘Embers of Life are killing Sera’ thing? Yeah…). Honestly having to read the darker stuff in this book was… hard. A mix of Nyktos and Veses causing Sera to lose control, to Sera revealing she’d tried to end her life before, to having to accept that the only way they could save Sera is not an option… Man it was just a rollercoaster of emotions.

Then to make matters worse, we’re left on a cliffhanger!! Luckily for anyone that wants to pick up the series, the first 3 (soon to be 4) books are out and available! But be warned, you will want to devour these books.

One final thing to add – much like most other people you speak to about this series, I have to referance Nektas! This guy! I love every time he pops up. I also adore how he is just always the voice of reason – and yet also scary! More Nektas please 🙂 Also the baby drakens! Reaver and Jadis provide much needed comic relief and have their fair share of heart warming moments. Clearly I’m a sucker for dragons and drakens aren’t excluded from my love.

I never wanted to love. Not until you, liessa. – Nyktos / Ash

Reading With Tyler