The only one who can save Sera now is the one she spent her life planning to kill.

A Light in the Flame, the much-anticipated second installment of the captivating Flesh and Fire series from #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout, is now available!

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Blurb

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.

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Review

5 awe-filled stars

Wow. After multiple nights of reading into the wee hours of the morning, I finished this marathon of a read three days ago and I’m still gobsmacked by it all. Dramatic, emotional, fun, sexy, romantic, playful, action-packed and intriguing, it’s an intense read in a fabulously developed fantasy world, and I loved it!

This is the second book in the Flesh and Fire series. This series is a spin-off from the Blood and Ash series, and is a prequel of sorts. You don’t have to have read Blood and Ash to enjoy this one, however the two series are set in the same world and are very closely intertwined (even though they are set centuries apart), so you’ll definitely get more out of them if you read them both. Be aware that the book order does intermingle a bit, so check out our suggested reading order.

This book begins right where the last one left off, with world-shifting reveals changing everything sor Sera and Nyktos. Sera is adjusting to her truths about herself, the life that she will be living in the Shadowlands, and the part that she has to play in an ancient prophecy. She is also coming to realise that she may have the opportunity to live a life that she never thought she would. She is feeling free for the very first time, and she absolutely blossoms.

For the first time in my life, I felt like I was more than a destiny I’d never agreed to. More than the embers I carried within me.
I felt like…more.

But she’s got another battle on her hands – earning back the trust of Nyktos and his inner circle after her plans to betray him were revealed. Nobody believes she means any harm to the powerful Primal, but there is still a lot of relationship rebuilding to do, especially with Nyktos himself.

The shifting dynamic between Sera and Nyktos is a huge part of this story, and JLA writes feisty, chemistry-filled interplay so brilliantly. From arguing to playful banter, heart-filled conversations, flirting, teasing and lusty swordplay (yes, really), I was feeling it all, and the sexual tension steadily builds through all of it, forming the basis for a fabulously passion-filled love story.

“Fuck,” Nyktos growled, his breath hot against my cheek. “You will be the death of me.”

Sera and Nyktos are figuring out their relationship and what they mean to each other, and they’re doing it in all the ways. It’s fun and full of chemistry, with a wonderful sense of anticipation. JLA has us hanging on every little moment, desperate for a look, a clenched jaw, a half-grin, an eyebrow raise, or a brush of the hand, and I revelled in every bit of it!

“I can sense your need. Feel it. Taste it. You’re drowning in it.” His eyes slammed shut. “I’m fucking drowning in it.”
A sharp dart of desire sliced through me. “Then drown with me.”

All of that build-up is worth it when the sexy time comes, because there is so much between these two. The sex is just a reflection of the tumultuous chemistry and depth of feelings between them, and it’s all so freaking intense!

He felt…gods, my head fell back. He felt like we were made for each other.

But there’s still so much to their relationship that has to be resolved, and it’s a beautifully emotional journey as they do that. I loved Sera’s strength, courage and sass, and her determination to embrace her new life and all that she’s feeling. And we learn so much more about Nyktos in this book, and every little thing just made me love him more! He’s a total badass of course, but he’s a tortured soul and has his vulnerabilities, and Sera coming into his life has him feeling things he’s never experienced before. I loved watching him experience the wonder of it all, and loved how he accepts her and all of the changes that she brings into his world.

“What I feel is the closest thing to peace I’ve ever experienced.”

While that’s going on, things are developing in the world of Primals and Gods. There’s a lot that goes on in this book and the complexity of the worlds, and how cleverly the storylines between the two series are woven together, blows my mind. JLA must have one massive plotting board in her house to keep everything straight and track the story. The intricacies of it all are so well developed.

With Sera’s arrival bringing such big changes, the situation is tense, and there’s a lot of fantastic action. The battles are intense and exciting, and I could see the fight scenes play out like a movie in front of me as I read. Some of them are pure entertainment, others had me on the edge of my seat.

The rest of the Shadowlands crew play a big part. I loved getting to know these fabulous characters even more, and there are several characters in particular who just shine, and the friendly snark and teasing is so freaking entertaining as they grow closer.

“Are you feeling unwell?” Rhain blurted out.
“I feel quite fine,” I told him. “And I know why everyone keeps asking me that.”
“Keeps?” Nyktos questioned.
“Orphine asked if I was fine about two dozen times,” I said, exaggerating.
“Probably because you’re being…” Rhain frowned. “Polite.”
My expression mirrored his. “I don’t know why that would make anyone think I’m unwell.”
“Have you met yourself?” Rhain countered.

There are so many people to love, so many people to hate, and everything in between. I loved being wrapped up in in this world and I didn’t want to leave. And then JLA drops a cliffhanger that left me reeling in more ways than one! The emotional punches in those final chapters had my heart pounding, and I am desperate to continue the story.

“I would have loved you if I could have. There would’ve been no stopping me.”

This is such a fantastic read. I laughed, I cried, I gasped and swooned, and I cherished all of it, reading several parts of the story multiple times just to take it all in.

This world is an all-time fave, if you haven’t started these books now, you are missing out. I cannot get enough, and I absolutely loved this one!

5 fantastic stars!

An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Flesh and Fire

Find Blood and Ash / Flesh and Fire reading order here

About the Author

#1 New York Times and #1 International Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true.  When she’s not hard at work writing. She spends her time reading, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, hanging out with her husband and her Border Jack Apollo. In early 2015, Jennifer was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a group of rare genetic disorders that involve a breakdown and death of cells in the retina, eventually resulting in loss of vision, among other complications. Due to this diagnosis, educating people on the varying degrees of blindness has become of passion of hers, right alongside writing, which she plans to do as long as she can.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Tor, HarperCollins Avon and William Morrow, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her Wicked Series has been optioned by PassionFlix. Jennifer has won numerous awards, including the 2013 Reviewers Choice Award for Wait for You, the 2015 Editor’s Pick for Fall With Me, and the 2014/2015 Moerser-Jugendbuch- Jury award for Obsidian. Her young adult romantic suspense novel DON’T LOOK BACK was a 2014 nominated Best in Young Adult Fiction by YALSA. Her adult romantic suspense novel TILL DEATH was a Amazon Editor’s Pick and iBook Book of the Month. Her young adult contemporary THE PROBLEM WITH FOREVER is a 2017 RITA Award Winner in Young Adult Fiction. She also writes Adult and New Adult contemporary and paranormal romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

She is the owner of ApollyCon and The Origin Event, the successful annual events that features over a hundred bestselling authors in Young Adult, New Adult, and Adult Fiction, panels, parties, and more.

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