Shadow & Flame audiobook

Shadow and Flame is so much darker than the first novel and I tore through it. If I could say anything: I went into this series expecting it to be more about the messenger service and the horses. As much as I love these books I still have a large messenger-horse sized hole in my heart. Right next to Bonner's giant hole. Basically I have no heart right now. Shadow and Flame branched a span of almost two years, and it was weird to have that kind of time go by from the prologue to the rest of the book. It was a much darker book but was generally interesting and kept me engaged thru the whole nearly 500 pages.As the events filled themselves in between the prologue and the book, my heart just crumbled and only ever got put 2/3 of the way back together. It was sooooo wrong what Rendborne was orchestrating through Gavril. I think the characters that I liked all got good endings, and one of my favorite aspects was the black&white uror legend. That part of the storyline had a wonderful ending, and it made my day that the Uror horse had a role in the ending.I developed an irrational hate for Signe's character though, how dare she withhold information that is vital to the resistance, then have the nerve to go off on a high horse at Kate? If she wasn't so valuable, I bet someone would have considered her treasonous. You don't get a choice when it comes to putting others in even greater danger. I didn't ship her romance at all either, and it seemed that a lot of her bitterness had rubbed off on DalOtherwise... I mean I would have liked to see more of the rebuild, but it seems like the world was left in an okay position. There is nothing wrong with a little happily ever after, and I like being able to feel reasonably satified at the end of a series. I would 100% recommend these if you like fantasy and magic and darkness😁

Really enjoyed the sequel! It was darker then the first which felt like a Disney film in comparison. Glad I read the sequel straight away. Does anyone else find this a lot? I am always preferring sequels to the first books.

The ending made this book. My eyes watered (NO ONE IS SAFE!) at the end because ahhhhhhhhhhhhh. Also I thought the end was cool, for lack of a better word. Loved the uror. I want to draw this horse now. Love, love, love, love.Loved the line, “Her grief was like the tide—nothing could hold it back.” ***bit of a spoiler ahead, though you might not understand it if you haven’t started reading it.... but be warned****. One sticking point for me was I didn’t get why the smoke didn’t spread at the end. I think I must have missed something? I was terrified it might kill the uror, but at a minimum thought it would spread. I would love another book and am hoping we will get one. I will definitely be reading it if one comes out and I will be keeping an eye out for future books from this author. All in all I would recommend the series. I enjoyed it. It has horses, magic, romance, an interesting take on magic, and two great side characters (*Signe and Dal I’m looking at you*).

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book at no cost from the publisher/author. All opinions expressed in my review are my own. I am so unbelievably impressed with this book and this series. This was such a brilliant finale to end this story. There are some bittersweet moments towards the end. I may not recover from this book hangover that is coming. First of all, this book starts off with a bang, for certain. The prologue was just shocking and unexpected. The entire sequence of events, from the first book through the end of this book, are so expertly planned out. I loved the overall plot of the series. The foreshadowing from the first book is so clear now that I've read this book. All the loose ends are tied up nicely and the ending is so satisfying. The world-building in this book really surpasses that of the last book. I loved the vivid details about this world and this book only expands on them. We get to experience life in Seva as well as Rime. There is so much more lore and backstory ingrained in this book. So many surprising details about this world are revealed. The characters in this series become such a part of you as you read this story. I adored the characters in the first book but they grow so much in this book. They go through heartbreaking ordeals after the events of the first book. The characters go on some very personal journeys through their grief and trials. The character growth is wonderful. I have grown very attached to these characters and I am sad that this journey with them has come to an end. Kate has a personal journey in this book. She has to come to terms with her power and how she uses it. She finds that there is a fine line between right and wrong and she has to find a balance within herself to be the best person she can be. Corwin's journey is a sad and emotional one. He endures so much in this second installment and I think that I felt the most for his character in particular. His character development in this book really wowed me. The cast of secondary characters in this series is magnificent. Sometimes when I read a book I find myself not caring as much about the secondary characters but that definitely is not the case with this book series. These characters, both the good and the bad, are ones that evoke emotion in the reader. I felt connected to each and every one of them in one way or another. They are built and executed perfectly. I found myself caring just as much about their character development and their character arcs as I did for the two main characters. This is definitely an ensemble cast of characters. I love how the romance was wrapped up in this. The struggles that both Kate and Corwin go through before reuniting affects their relationship. I also liked how Kate's power and her use of it became a conflict between them after reuniting. It was especially emotional because of how Corwin had been tortured with that same power while he was being held captive in Seva. I liked the resolution between them also came from them growing individually. All in all, I really enjoyed their love story. They are well suited for each other and they really do complete each other and bring out the best parts of each other. I found the author's writing style incredibly addictive. The writing is so smooth and eloquent. It is absolutely top-notch quality writing. Overall, I couldn't have been more pleased with the finale to this incredible book series! I am so sad that this was only a duology because I loved it so much and I just want more. I can't recommend this book and this series enough! You will not be disappointed with it. If you want to read a fantasy that will consume your thoughts then pick this one up!More reviews on my blog: Novel Nerd Faction

Shadow & Flame is a fulfilling and well crafted conclusion to this duology! It dives deeply into the world and magic system of the kingdoms of Rime and I greatly enjoyed being transported back to this world.While I wish we would have gotten a little more of the Relay in this sequel, I also appreciate the path Arnett takes this story down. It’s definitely darker than the first book, but that made it all the more realistic and truly upped the stakes for the characters involved.I’d say my biggest complaint in this is how impulsive and irrational Kate behaves at times. I know she’s scared and desperate, but it takes quite some time for her to truly listen to those around her (such as Signe) and consider that perhaps there is another way. That said, I was still slightly peeved with her about how she reacts to and treats a character near the end (while she is blinded by jealousy), but I’m also glad to see a character with complex emotions and growth represented in a story with some well used (but loved!) tropes.This book explores a number of themes, such as found families and holding onto hope, but perhaps most potent was that of free will, consent and freedom of choice. I enjoyed the number of ways this particular message was woven into the story and how the theme was tied to the magic system – particularly those with the ability to sway.Needless to say, I have greatly enjoyed this duology and I think most fans of fantasy would feel the same, particularly those that enjoy YA fantasy. It does have many of the typical themes of the genre, but I also feel as though it brings enough of a spin to YA fantasy that most will enjoy it as something fresh to enjoy!

4 🌟Enjoyable read. Continuing from part 1.The Wilders are slaves in the pit. Edwin is king. Where's Corwin. Kate is queen of then Wilders. Making sure to keep peace.But when Dal life is threaten she most go save him. But finding out more about Corwin and a wilder just like her.The author isn't afraid to kill off characters ugh but hey that's the jest of it all. To fall for characters but not sure if they'll make it to the end. I enjoyed this series.

It may be closer to 4.5 than a full 5 stars but I'm still processing my emotions. It made me cry at least twice. I'm sad there's no more books set in this world. I want to follow Signe's story after the events of this book.

4.5 stars"No great things can be accomplished without great sacrifices."Shadow & Flame was really a great sequel. Actually, it was even better than the first book. What I enjoyed most was the unpredictability of the events. In each chapter and until the very end, you couldn't guess what would have happened next (at least I didn't). The atmosphere was darker and the worldbuildg as detailed as in Onyx & Ivory. I also grew attached to the characters and I my heart broke when some of them died. The ending was really satisfing and wrapped up perfectly all the events. All in all, I totally recommend this duology.

I enjoyed Onyx and Ivory, but I LOVED Shadow and Flame. From the outset, Arnett’s writing is gripping. The stakes are high and the losses is heartbreaking. This Duology is thoroughly original with an endearing and complicated cast of characters and a amazingly developed world. And man, does Arnett have a talent for forbidden and complicated romance. This sequel is exciting and electrifying, building on the foundation set in the first book. In conclusion, this book both thrilled and devastated me. I absolutely recommend this series. So amazing!

When I first started reading Shadow & Flame, I was a bit confused by the time gap. After all, an entire revolution had taken place since the events of Onyx & Ivory. However, Arnett did a great job of filling in the gaps. It was also interesting to see how the main characters had changed since the events of both the previous book and the war that occurred between books. Shadow & Flame is told in the POV of both Kate and Corwin. I enjoyed seeing how they both grew into their roles and fought for what they loved. However, the secondary characters that so captured my heart in the first book (Signe, Dal, Bonner, and Kiran) played very minor roles in this book. Additionally, I wasn't as big a fan of Kate and Corwin's romance in this book. There were some rather serious things in their relationship that they never dealt with. The ending also felt a tad abrupt, particularly for the last book in a series.Overall, Shadow & Flame was an entertaining novel and a good sequel to Onyx & Ivory. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a spin-off novel or series featuring Signe because she was such a fascinating character!*Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Definitely enjoyable, if a little bit heart breaking. It did feel a little rushed. Some parts of the story were pushed too hard, not letting the readers wrap their heads around things. Some characters appeared and then disappeared almost immediately.Plus there is a definite further story, at least a Novella that needs to follow one particular character.

Yo this shit was wild. I feel like I've come out of a 5 or 6 book series, rather than just a duology. However slow the first book was, this one made up for it in spades. This is just about everything I expect and want in a good fantasy series. I got a little bit frustrated with the romance in the second half of this... but other than that, absolutely deserving of 5 stars.Reader's Notes: Chapter 1: I'm so glad to see Kate in a leadership role. It suits her. Sucks it came at the price of (view spoiler)[Kiran's death (hide spoiler)] though.Chapter 6: The worldbuilding. I don't think I mentioned this in book 1... but it's superb.Chapter 8: I'm gonna vomit. As much as I absolutely loathe Corwin's circumstances, I love that the story is going there. It's all too often in these sorts of books that our hero/ine gets into some deep trouble and then gets out right away... Corwin's going through some shit and is now bound to someone he doesn't want to be bound to. Like this has huge ramifications, and consequences that could take a while to resolve. I'm glad to see an author isn't shy about making the situation as bad as it can be before giving us the relief of overcoming the situation. Chapter 13: The passage of time being off page time skips is somewhat jarring. Even if it means that the events make more sense. It's just strange casual mention of "for the next 3 weeks" or "two months passed" that makes my head spin.Chapter 14: This story about the cat feels eerily familiar. I've heard or read this somewhere before... Oh! It happened to the character in The Last House on Needless Street. Almost verbatim. Chapter 21: I'm not complaining... this book has been high-stakes and pretty fast-paced story-wise from the Prologue, but oh my fucking god it is taking FOREVER to get through this book as a whole. I really thought I'd be further along, but it's legitimately taken me hours and hours of reading to get this far, and I'm only about 63% of the way through.Chapter 25: The loss of her magic would be the best thing to happen to Kate. It's twisting her and making everyone hate her.Chapter 26: I mean, of course, but Kate's not exactly proven herself worthy....Chapter 27: Why does Kate keep thinking about Corwin with the Sevan princess? She acts like he didn't straight up admit to her that their marriage wasn't consummated ever. I think maybe the author was trying to play up the drama between them... but it just comes off like Kate's an idiot.Chapter 28: That's twice now that Corwin's told Kate in no uncertain terms that he loves her, and doesn't love the Sevan Princess. And both times, Kate turns into a fucking statue, not reacting, not even acknowledging that she heard him. Honestly she's beginning to piss me off. Chapter 30: The girl-fight in the stables is stupid. And just more proof that Kate's kind of a bitch. She's not fighting Eravis because she's Sevan, she's trying to kill her because she dared to get forced into a marriage with Corwin. Jealousy ain't a good look, sis. Also, why does it take the woman telling Kate that Corwin's not a cheating scumbag for her to realize Corwin's not a cheating scumbag? He's told her no less than TWICE in no uncertain terms and she might as well have been a comatose Helen Keller for all she acknowledged. But the instant Eravis mentions that Corwin talked about her, admitted that he loved her... Kate's all teary-eyed?Trust your man or kick rocks.Chapter 31: Jesus, you can't say this book isn't high-stakes. Nobody gets out unscathed. Life isn't certain, even for main characters. I was not expecting (view spoiler)[ Dal to die and Kate to be skewered through the neck with the trident. (hide spoiler)]Chapter 32-33: This is the most blatant deus ex machina I have ever seen.["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>

Man oh man was that better than I expected.Have you ever picked up a sequel and thought, “Well, I know where this is going.” I most certainly have and was most certainly WRONG with this installment. Mindee Arnett blew me out of the water with this sequel. It’s dark, and gritty and never lets go of the social justice threads woven in this book. In a word? I thought this book was “wondrous.” My goodness was this book superior to Oynx and Ivory in my humble opinion. This book picks up months after the events of Onyx & Ivory. You are thrust into a high stakes rescue immediately, and the book never really slows down. Rime is currently in the middle of a treaty after the rising. With everyone on thin ice and Rendbourne still on the loose the realm is still treading softly. I thought the character growth and examination was well thought out. We have Kate who has the same magic as Rebourne who used his to bring an entire land to its knees. How is Kate any different when she uses her sway? We’re also confronted with many character losses that pull at your heart. Mindee Arnett went there and I’m going to need chocolate to recover. I loved this book, but I wish it dove more into the world. I found myself wanting to know more about the Seva realm and Rime. I also would have liked to find out more about the Uror. Overall, I think this book is amazing. It’s high stakes, political, dark, and has a romance subplot that I really enjoyed. If you are looking for a classic fantasy, but for a modern read I highly suggest you pick this up. Mindee Arnett knows how to build a magic system and how to write a character driven story. She asks the reader to think about morality, justice, and how much would you sacrifice to save your land.

Grrrr I hate when you write up a review only for it to disappear? I thought I had reviewed this days ago and instead noticed my stats weren't matching up...anyway.I read this directly after finishing the first book. The first was just such an engaging story, that I had to continue the story immediately and I actually broke my kindle buying rules and spent far more on this than I intended. It was worth every cent though, because this was just as good as the first book! At first I wasn't sure anything would be resolved, especially after the starting chapters. How can everything become right after such events? I did feel as if some characters got a little forgotten, especially after being so important in the first book. I continued though, and I ended up loving the way everything was resolved in this book. I loved both Kate and Corwin, and their respective struggles. Kate has to learn the line of when someone goes too far with power, and Corwin is just a love. Together they are perfect! I wish there was more to this series, but now I'll read anything this author writes. This was one of those series I'd heard of but for some reason never started, and I'm glad I took the plunge. Five stars!

Immediate thoughts:This ending was not everything I hoped for, but I did really like this series. There was so much death in this conclusion. Overall, it just felt...so dark. The characters, who were very strong in book one, were lacking here for me. There just wasn’t a good balance between plot and characters. That said, I read it in basically one day and this series is so well paced and enjoyable. I look forward to whatever comes next from this author!