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My Review:Title: Fanning the Flames
Author: Chris Cannon
Series: Going Down in Flames #4
Published by: Entangled: Teen
Release Date: March 6, 2017
Format: eARC
Pages: 340
Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Paranormal Romance
Source: NetGalley
Reading Challenges: Lenoreo's 2019 Beat the Backlist Challenge, Lenoreo's 2019 Netgalley and Edelweiss Challenge, Lenoreo's Can You Read a Series 2019
Find it: Goodreads ✩ Amazon ✩ B&N ✩ Google ✩ Kobo ✩ iBooks ✩ IndieBound ✩ Book Depository
My rating:
Blurb:Bryn McKenna has it all, including her smoking-hot knight turned live-in boyfriend, Valmont. Even though she’s a hybrid dragon, she’s finally fitting into the new shape-shifting dragon world that’s become her own. But her grandparents want to ruin everything by making Bryn’s nightmare of an arranged marriage to Jaxon Westgate a reality. It doesn’t help that Jaxon’s father is on a witch hunt for Rebel sympathizers and Bryn finds herself in his line of fire.
If she doesn’t say, “ I do,” she’ll lose everything. Good-bye flying. Good-bye best friends. Good-bye magic. But if she bends to her grandparents’ will and agrees to marry Jaxon, she’ll lose the love of her life—her knight.
The Going Down in Flames series is best enjoyed in order.
Reading Order:
Book #1 - Going Down in FlamesBook #2 - Bridges BurnedBook #3 - Trial by FireBook #4 - Fanning the Flames
I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.
4 stars — OK, the WEIRDEST thing has happened. I thought I had only read the first 3 books in this series and had the last 2 to finally finish it. But as I was rereading the first 3, and particularly Trial by Fire, I was so confused because I was like “wait, didn’t *this* and *this* and *this* happen?” And then I started this book, and it was like deja vu. I’ve READ this book. But there is no review, and Goodreads doesn’t say I read it, so I have NO IDEA what’s going on. I NEVER read books without updating Goodreads. I feel like I’m in the Twilight Zone, and it’s seriously bothering me.
That aside, I really enjoyed this one. I felt like the plot had better pacing, with action and mystery sprinkled in to keep me desperate to read more and more. It helped that while there was still some back and forth with Bryn and Valmont’s relationship, it wasn’t the major plot line. And we got some moments of happiness with them. I will admit that I still didn’t feel secure in their relationship, and I’m a bit sad about that. If you’re a traditional romance lover, I think this series is going to be frustrating for you (as it was for me…I enjoy investing in a couple). It’s making me gunshy of any future developments, and it has prevented me from being fully invested in Bryn & Valmont.
BUT! All the other stuff happening in the world has been fun and intriguing! Love all the weird stuff they’re finding in the vaults, and the new things they’re learning about dragon society…information that had been lost, or that wasn’t well known. And there were so many other developments besides all that! I loved the side plot about the “walking wounded”, and the things Garret gets up to in this one.
I also love all the relationships that continue to develop and grow for Bryn, particularly with her grandparents. I loved seeing them both loosen up and really show their love and concern for Bryn. But at the same time, my heart hurt for how Bryn continues to feel she must be someone else in order to fit in…I feel like she’s capitulating often, and as a result losing a bit of her spunk. I get it, but I’m saddened by it.
I do love that Bryn seems to temper everyone she meets. She bridges gaps between people, and opens their eyes to alternative ways of thought. She loosens everyone up and encourages them to be themselves. It’s one of her greatest strengths.
I also love that there is such a great cast of secondary characters in this story, from her friends Ivy & Clint, Garret, and Rhianna…to the few adults she interacts with a lot: Mr. Stanton, Ms. Enid, & Medic Williams. And then there’s Jaxon. I kind of love the weird way their relationship is evolving. I appreciate that it’s slow and steady, and that she’s opening his eyes and he seems to be growing, but that he still maintains that base of elitism and snobbery…basically he’s still a dick, just a dick that she can respect and who respects her.
The ending made me cry multiple times. In a weird way I vaguely knew what was going to happen, but that didn’t mean I didn’t feel the full force of emotions. And I will admit I’m concerned with where the story is going…I think I might have even finished the final book already, because I have some guesses that seem like more than guesses, but they worry me. Time to buckle down and face all those truths I may not want to!
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