There are
pre-order incentives if you order Beyond Ember & Hope now, and
this book one is on sale for only $0.99 until release day when the
trilogy is complete!
Through Fire and Ruin is the first book in authors Jennifer
Becker’s and Alice Karpiel’s new adult fantasy romance series.
This book is a slow-burn romance novel with multiple POVs throughout
the storyline. You’re going to meet some interesting characters and others who will try your patience, but this is just the
beginning of this series.
Through Fire and
Ruin has an interesting beginning that draws readers in rather
quickly. Fae are known to humans, but thanks to a treaty there can be
no crossing over of the two into the other’s world. Fae are
“locked” into their world and humans are “locked” into Earth.
There is a portal that bridges both worlds, but crossing over is
something that no one survives. Well, those who belong to their
specific worlds. But what if you were something more?
This division of the
worlds seemed like a good thing, especially when you reflect on the
fact that humans were enslaved to the fae in Liraen. However, when a
plague begins killing humans and no cure in sight through the human
scientists what if their very salvation lies in the land of the fae?
Only one way to find out, and it won’t be an easy journey.
Lora is one of the
characters that will be focused on in this book. She’s been living
her life as best that she can with the fear of the plague running
rampant. No one knows how it spreads, but if you’re expecting
extreme precautions to be utilized you’ll be disappointed. It’s
nice that there aren’t any extreme precautions being taken because
it would definitely throw a kink in the story.
Lora is written as
an “average human.” When we say this we mean that she’s living
her life, helping out here and there at home. The plague is there in
the back of her mind, but until it strikes close to home, she has
little interest in pursuing a path of finding some form of help. But
with a family member coming down with the sickness she’s prompted
to take action. Not necessarily for the greater good of the world as
a whole, but primarily for the family member in need.
One interesting
aspect of this book is that Lora is part fae and she’s aware of
this fact. In most fantasy novels you’ll find that the character
has no idea of this other part of themselves, but Lora knows about it
and will use it to her advantage. Which is a good thing otherwise
this would be a rather short story. LOL!
While we have Lora
on Earth and about to cross over into Liraen, the authors introduce
readers to Amira who is a princess in one of the kingdoms of Liraen.
Amira is the exact opposite of Lora. As you read this book you’ll
learn that Lora seems to be a moderately tempered young woman, but
the more you learn about her the more you’ll see that she is a
rather temperamental individual.
Not saying it’s
necessarily a bad thing, but for this reader...she pushed more than a
few buttons. The constant demands for answers, refusing to have any
ounce of trust in Eyden, the fae trader she meets, and leans towards
being highly argumentative. You’d think that in a world where you
have to hide what you are, you’d exercise more caution than she
does. We get it, she wants a cure to help her family, but 1) getting
caught and captured and 2) alienating one of few people willing to
take a risk to help you...aren’t smart.
Amira falls on the
opposite end of the spectrum of Lora. Amira reads almost like a human
version of Fluttershy. LOL! (I’ve been watching a lot of MLP with
my daughter, and it feels like it fits her perfectly.) Amira is yet
another challenging character who gets placed in the spotlight of
this book and series. Amira has experienced trauma in her life, and
the deeper the story goes the more you will learn about her and what
she’s been through.
Readers should be
forewarned that there are some abuse elements in this book and
potentially the series as we celebrate the release of Beyond Ember and
Hope which will be available September 14th. Amira has a
rather unhealthy relationship with her brother, and we all breathe a
sigh of relief when he exits the story here and there. Don’t hope
for or expect Amira to ever really stand up to him. Can’t say for
sure she’s done so in the past and paid the cost, but it doesn’t
seem like something she’ll ever do. We just wish that she wasn’t
such a frail character. It gets exhausting to read how “sensitive”
she is to so many things.
When it comes to the
pacing of this novel you’ll find that it’s slow to moderate at
best. Through Fire and Ruin is told through third person perspective
throughout this book. The majority of the story goes back and forth
between Lora and Amira as they both struggle to stay out of danger.
It’s no easy thing for either woman.
There are
interesting plot twists scattered throughout the novel, but we
recommend patience as the personality of the characters seems to be
the dominant focus of it all. You’ll learn about a king, looking to
be high king, who will potentially be the downfall of all if he wins
the upcoming contest. We would have liked to focus more on that, but
it’s not viewed as a primary element of the storyline.
Hate cliffhangers?
Well, it’s okay, because books two and three are available or will
soon be! So, while you’re waiting for book three, you can grab book
two and find out what happens next. It’s a mild cliffhanger
honestly, so even those who hate cliffhangers shouldn’t complain
too much. LOL! But it will be one that honestly makes sense in how
book one comes to a close.
The romance is
slow-burn, and the drama is also more on the slow-burn side, but Through
Fire and Ruin does have some good elements. We just wanted the two
FMCs to be more tempered, and more balanced. As they are written it’s
one extreme to the other almost. It will be interesting to see where
things go from here, and how long certain secrets will remain locked
away.
Be sure to grab your
copy of book three on September 14th and find out how it
all ends for Lora, Amira and those they have come to care about!
4 out of 5 stars
Through Fire And Ruin
Publication
Date: May 2022
Genre: NA
Fantasy Romance
Some lies are
ruin
For centuries,
humans have been at the mercy of the fae. With the border between
Earth and Liraen spelled shut, humans have no desire to entangle
themselves with the fae world again. But what if they are humanity's
only hope?
LORA has been
warned of the fae her entire life. Yet when a deadly virus sweeps
Earth, Lora risks everything to find a cure. Spinning the perfect
lie, she makes a deal with Eyden, a mysterious fae trader. As Lora
struggles to keep the promises she has made to both her family and
Eyden, she is forced to dig deeper into the twisted world of Liraen -
her web of lies unravelling.
AMIRA has spent
years trapped by her brother in her childhood palace. Her engagement
to the soon-to-be High King of Liraen is her only hope for the
freedom she has been longing for. As the future Queen, she seeks to
finally leave her painful past behind. But she soon discovers that
the palace holds dark secrets - bringing up memories Amira had long
since tried to erase.
As power games
are woven, promises are broken, and desperate lies are revealed, Lora
and Amira both find themselves at crossroads. Will they risk it all
and face ruin?
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