Hello everyone!!
How has your fall been so far?
I’ve been reading some amazing books, and the third installment of the Flesh and Fire series is one of them.
I’m writing this review literally minutes after finishing this book and let me tell you, this book can only be described as… heartbreaking and soul-wrenching and incredibly amazing. If you don’t read anything past this point, just know that this book will have you craving every single word that comes after the one you just read.
In short, one of the best books I’ve read this year.
Also, I must tell you I received an EARC in exchange for an honest review of this amazing book!
But, before I keep talking about this book, let’s read what this installment is all about:
The only thing that can save the realms now is the one thing more powerful than the Fates.
After a startling betrayal ends with both Sera and the dangerously seductive ruler of the Shadowlands she has fallen madly in love with being held captive by the false King of the Gods, there is only one thing that can free Nyktos and prevent the forces of the Shadowlands from invading Dalos and igniting a War of Primals.
Convincing Kolis won’t be easy, though – not even with a lifetime of training. While his most favored Revenant is insistent that she is nothing more than a lie, Kolis’s erratic nature and twisted sense of honor leave her shaken to the core, and nothing could’ve prepared her for the cruelty of his Court or the shocking truths revealed. The revelations not only upend what she has understood about her duty and the very creation of the realms but also draw into question exactly what the true threat is. However, surviving Kolis is only one part of the battle. The Ascension is upon her, and Sera is out of time.
But Nyktos will do anything to keep Sera alive and give her the life she deserves. He’ll even risk the utter destruction of the realms, and that’s exactly what will happen if he doesn’t Ascend as the Primal of Life. Yet despite his desperate determination, their destinies may be out of their hands.
But there is that foreseen unexpected thread—the unpredictable, unknown, and unwritten. The only thing more powerful than the Fates…
**
Let’s begin this review by me making one thing abundantly clear. I. Hate. Kolis. I hate him. Have that very clear, and since this book is book number three I must inform you that even though I wish to give you all the details, all the information I now have and all the reasonings I have to hate Kolis, I cannot. This will be a mostly spoiler free review, there will be a few things that might be spoilerish, but not full on spoilers.
With that being said, I need to tell you that the third installment of Flesh and Fire is a 5 out of 5 blue stars in the Then There Were Books review book.
A Fire in the Flesh made me cry. Yes cry. It made me laugh. It gave me anguish, but most of all, it made me despise one character like I hadn’t despise one in a long while.
As you might remember per the previous book A Light in the Flame, Sera is not only holding the Embers of Life in her (which is bringing her closer to death every single day,) she also has Sotoria’s soul with her.
Let me tell you, it shocked us all to read that, but also left us with one of the best cliffhangers. We got to read about our dear, dear Nyktos’ wonderful wolf and the lengths he would go to keep Sera safe.
A Fire in the Flesh begins seconds after the ending of A Light in the Flame, with Ash trying to rescue Sera from the grasp of Kolis and he almost does it, but it wouldn’t have been a wonderful heartbreaking story if he had succeeded.
This is a bit spoilery, but you need to know, Sera is trapped. Ash’s attempt of freeing her only resulted in him getting captured and Sera extending her life a little longer thanks to Kolis but at the expense of others and she hatted him even more for it.
We know Sera has accepted the fact that she is to die. That removing the Embers of Life will bring on her demise, she hopes that Ash has found a way to not kill her because it finally seems like their relationship is on the right path to being the most real thing they both had, but she is not holding her breath.
While in captivity we get to learn the true intentions of Kolis, we get to sort of see his side of things, and even though we hate him and we will forever hate him, I cannot help but feel a little bad for the guy.
I know, I know this is not something you expected me to say, but we see his pain, and it is very pitiful what he has become, the level of devotion he has for Sotoria. Of course, this level of devotion and love has made him mad, but at least we sort of see where he is coming from.
He is still the most vile and despicable character I’ve read and I have to give props to Armentrout for writing such character, the level of hate I feel for this character is palpable. He does all these things in the name of “love” and “caring” and all this BS for Sotoria, but they are twisted and always full of trades and these backhanded “agreements,” I truly just hate him.
And I know Sera tries very hard to pretend to be his Sotoria, and use all the knowledge she gained when she thought she was supposed to kill Nyktos, but deep down we know she isn’t really fooling anyone, Kolis has plans and even though he might be a little bit blinded by who Sera is supposed to be, he isn’t one hundred percent sure of her identity, because she obviously doesn’t act like her or look that much like her.
But his love for her is a bit blinding so even though he doubts, he still gives her some leeway and when she doesn’t behave as he deeps acceptable she gets punished.
He really is the freaking worst.
Don’t get me wrong, she is one of the strongest and fully rounded characters I’ve read and her growth is so wonderful, I cannot wait to see how she will be now that she is what she is by the end of the book, but she is still Seraphena. She still has her doubts, the mortal part of her still takes over and leads her to take decisions she shouldn’t.
I wish I could tell you more about all the horrors she lived while with Kolis.
I wish I could tell you what Ash does for Sera.
I wish I could tell you so much more, but I can’t.
There isn’t much I can tell you without spoiling the rest of the book, just know this book will make you want to grab Kolis by the hairs and just slam his head against a wall.
What I can tell you is we get to learn a few more things that have already come up in the Blood and Ash series and now they make a bit more sense, and that Ash is the most perfect, Sera is amazing and the word, “Love,” comes up, in the most pure way!
All in all, we get the most passionate, nerve wracking, heart wrenching, funny and filled with love book of the series yet. Ash is just the most perfect character and my gosh the words he tells our dear Sera, are enough to melt your heart, break it and put it back together, who knew words could make us feel that way right?
I cannot wait to see what book 4 (Born of Blood and Ash) will bring and how it will all connect with Blood and Ash, I am weary of how this series will end, but I cannot wait to see what is next for Sera and Ash.
Please let me know what you all think of this book, I just love it so much and I want everyone to read it now!!
A Fire in the Flesh is now available anywhere you buy your books, including, but not limited to:
Then There Were Books 