They were gods able to see what was hidden to others—their truths—both past and future,” Penellaphe explained. “They called Mount Lotho home and served in Embris’s Court. The oracles would speak to them, and they were the only gods truly welcomed by the Arae.” I love his steady, quiet, and reassuring presence, his maturity, his hidden sense of humor, and, let’s be honest, his powerful Dilf vibe. 😅 Also, my other issue with this book is that it seemed the plot was going in circles sometimes and unlike book one, this was more repetitive. And similar to the world-building issue, I'm trying to word this correctly, but there shouldn't be as many new reveals especially as we're heading towards the end of Flesh and Fire and Blood and Ash series because I'm trying to connect the dots and I'm struggling.

Kolis can be unpredictable, but he’s no fool,” Nyktos said. “If he can enter the Shadowlands and comes to the coronation, he won’t try something in front of the other Primals and gods. He believes he’s the fair and rightful King of Gods, and he likes to keep up the façade, even though the Primals know better.” They provided comic relief and heart-melting moments, and seeing Nyktos and Nektas interact with them was just swoon-worthy (I mean, who doesn’t like a sexy man with a caring daddy vibe?). I really hope that there will be more of Reaver-butt and Jadis in the next book because I cannot get enough of them. The irony of it all made me want to laugh, except I was going to die. Likely in less than five months and before I turned twenty-one, taking the last true embers of life with me. The mortal realm would be hit first and the hardest. Eventually, the Rot would spread beyond the Shadowlands to all of Iliseeum. He wishes he never had his kardia removed. He wants to love her and hates himself for being her damnation. Honestly, this entire book is one big painfest. I love them so much, I seriously do. It's nice to know that in the present time (FBAA timeline) these two are together and she ascended, are madly in love and had two children. I know it gets all messed up because of reasons we do not know yet but it's always good to know they will get their happy ending.

Flesh and Fire - Recommended Reading Order

Maia,” he said, speaking of the Primal of Love, Beauty, and Fertility. “I had her remove my kardia.” He’s likely cautious right now,” Penellaphe said. “And I imagine he’s also very curious, considering exactly what could be hidden away in the Shadowlands, how it could be possible for embers of life to exist, and how he could make use of whatever this source of power is.”

No.” His voice had dropped, but it still somehow thundered through me. “It was not.” “Then don’t do it,” I snapped. “It’s rude.” Luego está, lo de que Kolis los reuniera para dar su visto bueno sobre la coronación, sí que tiene todo el sentido al final pero la verdad también esperaba algo más… Either way, I will not play the I-don’t-want-you-but-no-one-else-can-have-you game. With you or anyone.” Romance- The chemistry between Sera and Nyktos is off the charts. It's so easy to root for them. Romance is one thing that kept me interested and reading, instead of just skimming through this book. Trust me y'all will love it. Also, I admit that they're the superior couple.

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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. We had a lot of new revelations and twists, more adventure and characters from other courts. 𝐀 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐬𝐡. Some new allies and of course new enemies. The story was as Compelling as the first if not more. There were even more 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐬, 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬, 𝐆𝐨𝐝𝐬, 𝐅𝐞𝐚𝐫, 𝐑𝐚𝐠𝐞, 𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐧, 𝐒𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬, 𝐅𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐃𝐮𝐭𝐲, 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐫𝐞, 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞, 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐀 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠.

You are a warrior, Seraphena,” Holland had said. “ You always have been. Just like she learned to become.” More seriously though, he was such a big help to Sera in this book, even though he was not always there with her. He seemed to always know what to say, or how to act to make her question herself or to reassure her about her worth and importance.

I sat on the edge of the dais, fighting the pressure as it threatened to return to my chest. “I saw Kolis not that long ago.” I don’t know what Sotoria originally looked like,” Holland said after a few moments. “I didn’t follow her threads of fate until after Eythos had come to ask what—if anything—could be done about his brother’s betrayal. All that I do know is that she didn’t appear the same with each rebirth. But it’s possible that Kolis sensed traces of eather in you and believed you were a child of a mortal and a god—a godling or a god entering their Culling.” I’d thought the stories of the mortal girl who’d been so frightened upon seeing a being from Iliseeum that she had fallen from the Cliffs of Sorrow were just some bizarre legend. But she’d been real. And Kolis had been the one who’d scared her so badly.

The balance here demands that the life taken is then restored to serve as a reminder to the gods that their inability to control themselves has consequences. Maintaining balance isn’t always as simple to understand as it is when, say, the Primal of Life restores a mortal’s life.” His eyes fixed on mine. Hard. All-seeing. “Another’s life must be forsaken in their place.” Folks, straight up no words came to my mind beyond WOW and MASTERPIECE as I finished ALITF at 2:36 am. My mind was blown, and I was in awe of what I just read. Immediately time sped up, and my mind started buzzing with a hundred revelations, and endless ideas. I started frantically writing notes and questions. The fun didn’t end when the book did, it just kept on going in my mind! This was such a fantastic moment because I absolutely love when a book is closed, and then the theories and OMG moments take center stage in your brain. I still feel that joyful continuation of all the excitement, and hype leading up to it, and I’ll be pestering everyone I know to tell me when they finish because I MUST DISCUSS!! It wouldn’t be easy, and it would end in the kind of death even I would have a hard time imagining,” Nyktos said. “He would be left to rule over a kingdom of bones.” plus, the smut was so much hotter in this book. i love how our inexperienced lil primal started getting confident— Aún así como os digo, la autora crea unos finales épicos y con muchas ganas de seguir leyendo sus historias, así que estoy deseando que salga el siguiente.

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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.