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Shadow #4
Fire Kissed
It is Kaye Brand's power to wield. But outcast from her kind, she's been selling herself to the higest bidder - money for her survival in exchange for a magic glimpse into the flames of the future.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2012
15 people are currently reading
747 people want to read
About the author
Erin Kellison
54 books704 followersErin Kellison is the bestselling author of the Indulgence series, the Dragons of Bloodfire series, the Reveler series, and the Shadow series. She writes urban fantasy, paranormal romance, and fantasy. She loves other worlds and visits them as often as possible via movies and books and her kids' imaginations. When not daydreaming or writing, she's goofing off with her family in sunny Arizona.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
July 19, 2012
Kaye Brand is a mage with a dark past. At age fifteen she was to marry another mage to help her house. That didn’t happen, instead her house ended up burning down. With the house went her family. She now makes a living showing rich people ten seconds of their future. When angel Jack Bastian discovers places in major cities where wraiths are not attacking people he thinks it has something to do with the mage houses. He contacts Kaye, who has no contact with the mage world to help him find out what is going on for the Order.
This is the fourth book in the shadow series. It is also the kind of paranormal romance that follows different couples with each book, so you don’t have to read the ones before it. Characters from past books do make appearances, but they are not at all that central to the story. This story takes place around the mages and their great houses, especially Ferro Grey’s house. I really enjoyed how this book expanded the world showing the mage politics. Not a lot in the books had been said about the mages until this point. Jack talks Kaye into helping him, and sends her back into the mage world. He stays by her side as protection.
The story first sets out with Kaye seeing an angel for the first time. She finds him instantly attractive. So when she meets Jack we already know she has a soft spot for angelic kind, but she also knows that angels kill mages. Jack is attracted to her, but doesn’t trust her. There isn’t an instant love, but as events unfold Jack starts to hate that he brought her to the mages. In turn Kaye is later forced to do things that made me wonder how Jack stayed by her side. Maybe it is that divine forgiveness? The steamy scenes between them are only so-so as far as most paranormal romances go.
What I have loved about the series so far is the writing, the world, and the set-up. As far as the writing goes I think the last book was a lot stronger, but it still has dark and romantic tones that have been the series winning point. The story is coming to ahead. Humankind now knows of wraiths plaguing the streets, and twilight (where the fae are) seems to be crossing more and more into our world. The mages and their part gave the overall experience I nice touch. It reminded me of how I needed to go back and read the first two.
I finished this book in two days. Both times I sat down to read were single sittings. So it is a quick easy read. It has the romance, the world and a nice story. The only problem I see is that it didn’t top the last book, mainly because Jack was not as attractive to me as the last hero. The story also carried a false sense of alarm. The characters were worried, but I wasn’t. Despite that it was a good book in the series, a series I plan to keep reading.
- Beth
This is the fourth book in the shadow series. It is also the kind of paranormal romance that follows different couples with each book, so you don’t have to read the ones before it. Characters from past books do make appearances, but they are not at all that central to the story. This story takes place around the mages and their great houses, especially Ferro Grey’s house. I really enjoyed how this book expanded the world showing the mage politics. Not a lot in the books had been said about the mages until this point. Jack talks Kaye into helping him, and sends her back into the mage world. He stays by her side as protection.
The story first sets out with Kaye seeing an angel for the first time. She finds him instantly attractive. So when she meets Jack we already know she has a soft spot for angelic kind, but she also knows that angels kill mages. Jack is attracted to her, but doesn’t trust her. There isn’t an instant love, but as events unfold Jack starts to hate that he brought her to the mages. In turn Kaye is later forced to do things that made me wonder how Jack stayed by her side. Maybe it is that divine forgiveness? The steamy scenes between them are only so-so as far as most paranormal romances go.
What I have loved about the series so far is the writing, the world, and the set-up. As far as the writing goes I think the last book was a lot stronger, but it still has dark and romantic tones that have been the series winning point. The story is coming to ahead. Humankind now knows of wraiths plaguing the streets, and twilight (where the fae are) seems to be crossing more and more into our world. The mages and their part gave the overall experience I nice touch. It reminded me of how I needed to go back and read the first two.
I finished this book in two days. Both times I sat down to read were single sittings. So it is a quick easy read. It has the romance, the world and a nice story. The only problem I see is that it didn’t top the last book, mainly because Jack was not as attractive to me as the last hero. The story also carried a false sense of alarm. The characters were worried, but I wasn’t. Despite that it was a good book in the series, a series I plan to keep reading.
- Beth
June 29, 2012
Erin Kellison does such a great job balancing romance and fantasy, I always have a hard time choosing between an “urban fantasy” or a “paranormal romance” classification for her books. Kellison’s Shadow series sits next to Thea Harrison’s Elder Races and Eileen Wilks's World of the Lupi for the purest blend of my favorite things: romance and magic.
With all the new structures introduced in FIRE KISSED (mage Houses and their connection to wraiths), it was a while before I could shake the feeling that I’d missed a key novella or prior book. Kellison soon seduced me past that feeling with her characters. I adore Kaye, in all her damaged glory. If I wrote reviews on a character by character basis, she is a 5bat leading lady all the way. Nuanced, interesting, and powerful, Kaye takes risks that break the mold of a typical romance heroine (and tests the boundaries of even urban fantasy). Her love interest, Jack Bastion, is a little more proscribed in his role, but the classic Kellison chemistry still smokes off the page. The angels and the mages keep conducting murky background politics, with Kaye burning hot and fierce in the foreground.
Despite a few moments of confusion, FIRE KISSED rates 4bats for a memorable romance and a continually developing world. Above and beyond weaving smoking hot chemistry into ever book, Kellison continues to develop her nuanced and complicated mythology as the series progresses. While there are “good guys” and “bad guys” in the Shadow series, FIRE KISSED makes it clear that no matter who wins the war, the world will never be the same again.
Sexual Content: Sex scenes.
With all the new structures introduced in FIRE KISSED (mage Houses and their connection to wraiths), it was a while before I could shake the feeling that I’d missed a key novella or prior book. Kellison soon seduced me past that feeling with her characters. I adore Kaye, in all her damaged glory. If I wrote reviews on a character by character basis, she is a 5bat leading lady all the way. Nuanced, interesting, and powerful, Kaye takes risks that break the mold of a typical romance heroine (and tests the boundaries of even urban fantasy). Her love interest, Jack Bastion, is a little more proscribed in his role, but the classic Kellison chemistry still smokes off the page. The angels and the mages keep conducting murky background politics, with Kaye burning hot and fierce in the foreground.
Despite a few moments of confusion, FIRE KISSED rates 4bats for a memorable romance and a continually developing world. Above and beyond weaving smoking hot chemistry into ever book, Kellison continues to develop her nuanced and complicated mythology as the series progresses. While there are “good guys” and “bad guys” in the Shadow series, FIRE KISSED makes it clear that no matter who wins the war, the world will never be the same again.
Sexual Content: Sex scenes.
March 19, 2024
I think with this addition to the series it’s made abundantly clear that Shadow is in its ascendant and the world is definitely changing. Clearly those who dwell within Mage Houses want to take control but The Order still have hope to save humanity. To that aim Jack a powerful warrior Angel recruits Kaye to help him infiltrate Mage hierarchy but with her tortured past Kaye is no shrinking violet but a powerhouse of fiery Shadow ! Kaye has never forgotten how her fellow Mages treated her and is fiercely independent but for a million dollars and the chance to reclaim her heritage yes she will play along but trust me this woman does things on her own terms !
This author always gives readers wholly unique urban fantasy and this world she has created is no different. It’s an older series and I do feel there has been a lot of growth in this authors writing and yet I found myself very much engaged by these new characters. I think what stops me rating higher is the romance because for me it was absent and felt much more about lust and possession. Jack just wasn’t my type of hero and I struggled to warm to him although it’s impossible not to be absolutely gobsmacked by Kaye as she’s very much her own woman. I enjoyed the twists towards the end with deceit and treachery making their mark. I do feel this series should be read in order though as to just start here might be a little confusing to new readers.
This voluntary take is of an advanced copy and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair
This author always gives readers wholly unique urban fantasy and this world she has created is no different. It’s an older series and I do feel there has been a lot of growth in this authors writing and yet I found myself very much engaged by these new characters. I think what stops me rating higher is the romance because for me it was absent and felt much more about lust and possession. Jack just wasn’t my type of hero and I struggled to warm to him although it’s impossible not to be absolutely gobsmacked by Kaye as she’s very much her own woman. I enjoyed the twists towards the end with deceit and treachery making their mark. I do feel this series should be read in order though as to just start here might be a little confusing to new readers.
This voluntary take is of an advanced copy and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair
March 8, 2024
What an intriguing tale is Shadow. So many twists and betrayals. Such fierce loyalties and love. I loved it.
June 28, 2012
I received this ARC from the author for review
Erin Kellison's Fire Kissed is another beautifully written novel in her Shadow series! I truly love love love this series! It's got Dark Fantasy written all over it! There is a good handful of fairy tale elements mixed in, you just have to know what to look for! And in this case, it's said for us, The Little Match Girl was a reoccurring theme in this one! It's been years since I read that one, but Erin so nicely sums it up for us as she writes the book as well.
Kaye has been an outsider for years. Ever since she was 15 and ran away from home, after refusing to marry some old guy and burning said house down with her powers, she's kept herself distanced from the mages. But she still uses her abilities to make some money and survive. With her talents with fire, she lets people see their futures, and it is up to them to change it if they do not like what they see.
She soon finds herself in a different kind of employ though. With the Order and one Jack Bastian. They want to her to "investigate" what her former fiance--the old guy, who apparently is magically young again somehow--is up to. Angels have been going missing, and they believe Ferrol Grey may be behind it all.
Ferrol is definitely a creepy dude. For one, he is much younger than he should be--and we learn how later--and plus he just reeks of creepiness! We do get some insight from him when the chapter goes to his perspective and he really is the dastardly villain of fairy tales, wanting "the fair maiden" for himself.
Now onto a much better subject, Bastian, as Kaye calls him. There's definitely a lot of tension between these two. Kaye wasn't really willing to work with him and the Order, but after they matched her price for her services, she decided to go ahead with the job. And thus the tension between the two begins. Which makes things even more complicated when she is trying to assert herself back into the mage world and take her rightful place with the council, in the Brand seat. And in order to do that, she must be willingly seduced by the enemy--her former fiance.
That is when the sexual tension gets really thick, Bastian--for I like using this name as well--starts to not like Grey for a multitude of reasons. The main one being that he is touching Kaye. And when the fire finally sparks between these two, it practically blazes!! It was no insta-love here, but once they realized their feelings for one another, the love just took off! And it was sweet, in the hot and heavy kind of way! ;)
Kaye soon realizes how deep she's in with the mages and all their dark secrets. Grey has a plan, a big plan and she has to do everything she can to stop him. Even if it means accepting a very binding offer.
Kaye is not without her own plan though. She is just as cunning and ruthless--when necessary--as Grey. She fights fire with, well fire! ;) Yes, a bad pun but I couldn't resist!
The ending was spectacular too! There's really no other way to describe it. It is possible that Kaye's story isn't quite finished, but it's finished enough. Most of Erin's books end on a light note, but you can almost feel the bigger storm brewing, it's on the horizon and it's coming. The Twilight world is ever affecting the real world which we live in. Wraiths are proof of that. Who knows what the next adventure in this thrilling series will take us or its characters! Fire Kissed was simply magical!
Overall rating 4.5/5 stars
Fire Kissed releases July 1, 2012
Erin Kellison's Fire Kissed is another beautifully written novel in her Shadow series! I truly love love love this series! It's got Dark Fantasy written all over it! There is a good handful of fairy tale elements mixed in, you just have to know what to look for! And in this case, it's said for us, The Little Match Girl was a reoccurring theme in this one! It's been years since I read that one, but Erin so nicely sums it up for us as she writes the book as well.
Kaye has been an outsider for years. Ever since she was 15 and ran away from home, after refusing to marry some old guy and burning said house down with her powers, she's kept herself distanced from the mages. But she still uses her abilities to make some money and survive. With her talents with fire, she lets people see their futures, and it is up to them to change it if they do not like what they see.
She soon finds herself in a different kind of employ though. With the Order and one Jack Bastian. They want to her to "investigate" what her former fiance--the old guy, who apparently is magically young again somehow--is up to. Angels have been going missing, and they believe Ferrol Grey may be behind it all.
Ferrol is definitely a creepy dude. For one, he is much younger than he should be--and we learn how later--and plus he just reeks of creepiness! We do get some insight from him when the chapter goes to his perspective and he really is the dastardly villain of fairy tales, wanting "the fair maiden" for himself.
Now onto a much better subject, Bastian, as Kaye calls him. There's definitely a lot of tension between these two. Kaye wasn't really willing to work with him and the Order, but after they matched her price for her services, she decided to go ahead with the job. And thus the tension between the two begins. Which makes things even more complicated when she is trying to assert herself back into the mage world and take her rightful place with the council, in the Brand seat. And in order to do that, she must be willingly seduced by the enemy--her former fiance.
That is when the sexual tension gets really thick, Bastian--for I like using this name as well--starts to not like Grey for a multitude of reasons. The main one being that he is touching Kaye. And when the fire finally sparks between these two, it practically blazes!! It was no insta-love here, but once they realized their feelings for one another, the love just took off! And it was sweet, in the hot and heavy kind of way! ;)
Kaye soon realizes how deep she's in with the mages and all their dark secrets. Grey has a plan, a big plan and she has to do everything she can to stop him. Even if it means accepting a very binding offer.
Kaye is not without her own plan though. She is just as cunning and ruthless--when necessary--as Grey. She fights fire with, well fire! ;) Yes, a bad pun but I couldn't resist!
The ending was spectacular too! There's really no other way to describe it. It is possible that Kaye's story isn't quite finished, but it's finished enough. Most of Erin's books end on a light note, but you can almost feel the bigger storm brewing, it's on the horizon and it's coming. The Twilight world is ever affecting the real world which we live in. Wraiths are proof of that. Who knows what the next adventure in this thrilling series will take us or its characters! Fire Kissed was simply magical!
Overall rating 4.5/5 stars
Fire Kissed releases July 1, 2012
July 13, 2012
10 years ago, Kaye barely survived a wraith attack. She was only 15, not yet in control of her power to wield fire. She had just broken off an arranged marriage to an ancient powerful mage lord, but what choice did she have once she discovered a nearly dead angel, chained in the basement? She wanted to save that beautiful being. She couldn't, but he knew her intentions and called his brethren to save her in her moment of need.
Now Kaye uses her fire to make a living, selling glimpses of the future in her flames. But everything changes when she is approached by an angel named Bastion. He wants her to help the angelic order infiltrate the Mage Council to find out how they're aligned with the soul-sucking wraiths. And he offers to pay her handsomely for the job. The money is a good incentive, but even more, Kaye sees a chance to rebuild her own house in the mage world and perhaps even get revenge on Ferro, her betrothed from all those years ago.
I was very intrigued by the world building here. It's dark and very cool. The mages and angels are enemies but the line between good and evil isn't as obvious as you would think. There is a fantastic cast of supporting characters, which serve to enrich the story. The writing is good and the plot pulled me in from the very beginning. Even though this story is set within the Shadow series, it's the first of the Shadow Kissed spinoff books, and it's very accessible to new readers.
But. I also had some problems. First of all, the development of the relationship between Bastion and Kaye was erratic. It went from an unspoken attraction, to *BAM* sex, and then *BAM* love. It was jerky and abrupt. And when the love was declared, I felt like I had whiplash. Too fast and too unexpected. Problem number two: Kaye's actions in the second half of the book. I don't want to spoil too much, but she essentially sacrifices her relationship for the greater good. The wrongs she commits against Bastion are egregious. Yet, they are glossed over more than I would have liked. Frankly, I hated her actions on principle, but if they were going to happen, I feel like it should have been laid out in all its sordid glory instead of mentioned after the fact. Then, there should have been more repercussions.
Other than those issues, I did like it. The very best things going for it are the world building and character development. I felt completely submersed in the world of the Order and the Mages. And I felt like Kaye, Bastion and even Ferro were fleshed out with motivations that made sense, even if I didn't always like how it all played out.
Rating: B-
*ARC Provided by NetGalley
Now Kaye uses her fire to make a living, selling glimpses of the future in her flames. But everything changes when she is approached by an angel named Bastion. He wants her to help the angelic order infiltrate the Mage Council to find out how they're aligned with the soul-sucking wraiths. And he offers to pay her handsomely for the job. The money is a good incentive, but even more, Kaye sees a chance to rebuild her own house in the mage world and perhaps even get revenge on Ferro, her betrothed from all those years ago.
I was very intrigued by the world building here. It's dark and very cool. The mages and angels are enemies but the line between good and evil isn't as obvious as you would think. There is a fantastic cast of supporting characters, which serve to enrich the story. The writing is good and the plot pulled me in from the very beginning. Even though this story is set within the Shadow series, it's the first of the Shadow Kissed spinoff books, and it's very accessible to new readers.
But. I also had some problems. First of all, the development of the relationship between Bastion and Kaye was erratic. It went from an unspoken attraction, to *BAM* sex, and then *BAM* love. It was jerky and abrupt. And when the love was declared, I felt like I had whiplash. Too fast and too unexpected. Problem number two: Kaye's actions in the second half of the book. I don't want to spoil too much, but she essentially sacrifices her relationship for the greater good. The wrongs she commits against Bastion are egregious. Yet, they are glossed over more than I would have liked. Frankly, I hated her actions on principle, but if they were going to happen, I feel like it should have been laid out in all its sordid glory instead of mentioned after the fact. Then, there should have been more repercussions.
Other than those issues, I did like it. The very best things going for it are the world building and character development. I felt completely submersed in the world of the Order and the Mages. And I felt like Kaye, Bastion and even Ferro were fleshed out with motivations that made sense, even if I didn't always like how it all played out.
Rating: B-
*ARC Provided by NetGalley
November 5, 2013
There is a situation with Fire Kissed by Erin Kellison that I have never had to face before. How in the world do you review a book that you really like, from a series that you have enjoyed thoroughly since book one, when if it were any other book you'd toss it across the room - because the heroine cheats on the hero?
Kaye didn't want to cheat on Bastion. She did it to save someone else from peril, and in so doing, endangered her own life. She didn't enjoy it, hated the other guy, felt dirty and disgusted afterward. And Bastion put her in that situation in the first place! But I digress...
Fire Kissed by Erin Kellison is ostensibly the first in the Shadow Kissed series, but should never have been marketed that way. If I hadn't read the first three books in the series there is no way I would have comprehended half of what went on in "book four". Perhaps it was supposed to be a way to illustrate that the story was going to be told from the mage (or enemy) point of view, but that didn't work out too well, because the mage in question started working for the Order almost out the gate. Again I digress...
For the full review, please go to http://www.thewindowseat13.com/2013/1...
Kaye didn't want to cheat on Bastion. She did it to save someone else from peril, and in so doing, endangered her own life. She didn't enjoy it, hated the other guy, felt dirty and disgusted afterward. And Bastion put her in that situation in the first place! But I digress...
Fire Kissed by Erin Kellison is ostensibly the first in the Shadow Kissed series, but should never have been marketed that way. If I hadn't read the first three books in the series there is no way I would have comprehended half of what went on in "book four". Perhaps it was supposed to be a way to illustrate that the story was going to be told from the mage (or enemy) point of view, but that didn't work out too well, because the mage in question started working for the Order almost out the gate. Again I digress...
For the full review, please go to http://www.thewindowseat13.com/2013/1...
June 29, 2016
This started out strong, I liked the world building and the unique take on a PNR series - not your normal vampires or werewolfs. The romance took a while to build up, and then when it did it went from 0 to 60 immediately - the first kiss turns into sex and a few pages later they are in a relationship. But what really lost me was *spoilers* when the heroine "does what needs to be done" and abandons her man and sleeps with the enemy. They way it was written was not to my liking, the reasons weren't really explained and I didn't *feel* her conflicting emotions - the writer just tells us about them. I put it to my DNF pile at that point.
April 28, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. I have come to love heroines who are not perfectly demure, virginal archetypes. I got her reasons for each action and though many were really tough to handle, I loved her tenacity and no nonsense attitude. I also loved how she was able to work well as an "alpha" female with an alpha male for a mate. More of this couple please!
March 10, 2024
“What power did angels have anyway? Or did they just stand there and pretty you to death?
Terrifying.”
While you can read this as a standalone, there is a bombshell reveal if you have read the other parts of this series! Plus, the world has expanded phenomenally since the beginning, where I was afraid the world simply included undead and demons.
First, the evil villain:
Ferro Grey is a vampire of fae magic. He steals it for temporary boosts to his power, and over time that has caused him to look younger. He probably is the only fae-powered being who can withstand iron, and he uses it to dominate. What I love about him is his adorable interest in learning the current teen pop culture and adopting their mannerisms. All other mages are his subjects.
“there was no turning down Ferro Grey. What he wanted he took”
Somehow the Wraiths are controlled by his clan, and any mage complex is free of wraith attacks. The Order wants to investigate, sending only one angel, Jack Bastian.
Jack: the Guardian angel who saved her once, is back to bargain with her to spy on her own people. As one of the fighting angels, he can hold his own. But as an angel, he is also cold, controlled, and organized.
This doesn’t sit well with Kaye Brand. She reminds me of the boozy and overprivileged wife whose husband runs around behind her back. Surviving a wraith attack damaged her, and I love a flawed hero. Suddenly Jack asks her to do something with her life, and she is faced with her own insecurities.
Once Kaye stops running and starts taking control of her life, even Grey has trouble containing her. She manages to resurrect her house and her reputation over his attempts to subjugate her, and it is a glorious climb. The mage houses are uneasy allies. The angels are motivated to interfere, and Kaye has discovered secrets that disgust her.
The romance:
Angels may be damaged by Mage shadow [magic] but that doesn’t stop Bastian and Kaye’s attraction.
“I didn’t think you owned sensible shoes,” he said in a bid for levity. And she was in head-to-toe black, another first.
“Yeah, well, this body that you like to look at so much requires maintenance.”
But attraction is a problem in a working relationship, and Jack has to maintain his bodyguard role while FMC woos the villain, Ferro Gray.
I think I liked this book so much because the heroes are so heroic. Kaye and Bastian admit their love halfway through the novel. Yet later Kaye, hired by the angels to find the connection between the wraiths and mages, must agree to marry Grey. It’s heart-rendering.
I could say a lot more. The first book was good. The second one was better. But I think this one has got to be the best, and how many series can you count that improve with every book?
⁃ multiple POV
⁃ M/F slow-burn and spicy (2 instances of adult behavior. Not for teens!)
⁃ Rats! Ick.
⁃ Angel/witch romance
⁃ Cameos
- Beautiful prose
Terrifying.”
While you can read this as a standalone, there is a bombshell reveal if you have read the other parts of this series! Plus, the world has expanded phenomenally since the beginning, where I was afraid the world simply included undead and demons.
First, the evil villain:
Ferro Grey is a vampire of fae magic. He steals it for temporary boosts to his power, and over time that has caused him to look younger. He probably is the only fae-powered being who can withstand iron, and he uses it to dominate. What I love about him is his adorable interest in learning the current teen pop culture and adopting their mannerisms. All other mages are his subjects.
“there was no turning down Ferro Grey. What he wanted he took”
Somehow the Wraiths are controlled by his clan, and any mage complex is free of wraith attacks. The Order wants to investigate, sending only one angel, Jack Bastian.
Jack: the Guardian angel who saved her once, is back to bargain with her to spy on her own people. As one of the fighting angels, he can hold his own. But as an angel, he is also cold, controlled, and organized.
This doesn’t sit well with Kaye Brand. She reminds me of the boozy and overprivileged wife whose husband runs around behind her back. Surviving a wraith attack damaged her, and I love a flawed hero. Suddenly Jack asks her to do something with her life, and she is faced with her own insecurities.
Once Kaye stops running and starts taking control of her life, even Grey has trouble containing her. She manages to resurrect her house and her reputation over his attempts to subjugate her, and it is a glorious climb. The mage houses are uneasy allies. The angels are motivated to interfere, and Kaye has discovered secrets that disgust her.
The romance:
Angels may be damaged by Mage shadow [magic] but that doesn’t stop Bastian and Kaye’s attraction.
“I didn’t think you owned sensible shoes,” he said in a bid for levity. And she was in head-to-toe black, another first.
“Yeah, well, this body that you like to look at so much requires maintenance.”
But attraction is a problem in a working relationship, and Jack has to maintain his bodyguard role while FMC woos the villain, Ferro Gray.
I think I liked this book so much because the heroes are so heroic. Kaye and Bastian admit their love halfway through the novel. Yet later Kaye, hired by the angels to find the connection between the wraiths and mages, must agree to marry Grey. It’s heart-rendering.
I could say a lot more. The first book was good. The second one was better. But I think this one has got to be the best, and how many series can you count that improve with every book?
⁃ multiple POV
⁃ M/F slow-burn and spicy (2 instances of adult behavior. Not for teens!)
⁃ Rats! Ick.
⁃ Angel/witch romance
⁃ Cameos
- Beautiful prose
March 20, 2024
We're back in a world where Shadow is starting to spread over everything and danger is lurking around every corner. Practically. This time around we have an outcast mage and an angel who's not nearly as uptight as some of the other angels. Actually, it might be more like Jack is just...tired? Maybe? He's seen a lot in his long centuries and he now he sees war against the mages as inevitable. As it turns out, Kaye might be the only way the Order can gain an edge on the mages and he's planning on using her to do just that.
HA. Yeah. Kaye isn't great at letting people use her. She survived something that would have killed most anyone else and it shaped her in ways Jack and the rest of the Order don't understand. Well, Jack comes to understand it, but only after he sees the side of Kaye she usually keeps hidden from everyone.
Let's just say these two are complicated even after they figure out what they mean to one another and leave it at that. No wait. I can't leave it. These two...they have steam and sparks and all those other things, but they're in a precarious position and circumstances force them both to make difficult choices.
MEANWHILE...more and more Shadow is leaking into the world, Kaye and Jack uncover how more wraiths are being made even though the source has been cut off, things are chaotic and tense all over, and someone has to figure out how to make everything work as the world is crumbling around them. There's a lot going on and YESSSSS. So good.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
HA. Yeah. Kaye isn't great at letting people use her. She survived something that would have killed most anyone else and it shaped her in ways Jack and the rest of the Order don't understand. Well, Jack comes to understand it, but only after he sees the side of Kaye she usually keeps hidden from everyone.
Let's just say these two are complicated even after they figure out what they mean to one another and leave it at that. No wait. I can't leave it. These two...they have steam and sparks and all those other things, but they're in a precarious position and circumstances force them both to make difficult choices.
MEANWHILE...more and more Shadow is leaking into the world, Kaye and Jack uncover how more wraiths are being made even though the source has been cut off, things are chaotic and tense all over, and someone has to figure out how to make everything work as the world is crumbling around them. There's a lot going on and YESSSSS. So good.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
March 4, 2024
In the world of shadow the Mages are growing stronger with their puppet like wraiths doing their bidding they want to destroy the Angels drain them of their power and take over mankind and make there presence known to all and it all starts with the power hungry Ferro Grey the old man wants a young bride to continue his legacy and has chosen 15yr old Kaye from the house of Brand this marriage will be a contract making Kaye his wife to produce heirs before he can drain her of the power and strength she holds within as Ferro has a condition that drains the victim but makes him stronger in many ways.
What makes Kaye resolute that this arrangement will not go ahead is finding the gift in the basement of her family home an Angel who is bound, tortured, drained and close to death this spurred Kaye forward to try to cancel everything and somehow set the Angel free if that was even possible for a 15year old with no visible power or control over anything.
This is just the start of her journey to becoming one of the most powerful mage’s ever however a lot has to happen before the full extent of her power is made known and the allies she makes along the way and to the possibility of forever love will the choices she makes be the ones that save her or those that doom her!!
What makes Kaye resolute that this arrangement will not go ahead is finding the gift in the basement of her family home an Angel who is bound, tortured, drained and close to death this spurred Kaye forward to try to cancel everything and somehow set the Angel free if that was even possible for a 15year old with no visible power or control over anything.
This is just the start of her journey to becoming one of the most powerful mage’s ever however a lot has to happen before the full extent of her power is made known and the allies she makes along the way and to the possibility of forever love will the choices she makes be the ones that save her or those that doom her!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 11, 2012
Review available on Mina's Bookshelf http://minadecaro.blogpost.com
Angels (otherworldly beings placed on Earth by The Order to guard and preserve the humankind) and Mages (soulless creatures endowed with magical powers) are arch enemies. The Angels began hunting down the Mages when they realized that some of the Mage Houses were feeding on angels to enhance their powers and were planning to take over the world with the aid of soul-eater monsters called Wraiths. The Brands and the Greys are mage families . The arranged marriage between the fifteen years old Kaye Brand and the much older Ferro Grey will seal the alliance between these two families during a time of internal struggles between Houses. When Kaye finds out that an angel, tortured and held captive in the cellar of her house, is being offered by her father to her soon-to-be husband as a wedding gift , she braves up and refuses to marry Ferro. Infuriated by her rejection, the Greys unleash a wraith against her: Kaye will defend herself from the vicious attack using her Fire Shadow , the ability to create and manipulate fire. With the aid of the Angels she will also manage to survive the fire that, fatefully caused by her pyrokinetic power, destroys her family and her home. Ten years later, Kaye is an independent beautiful woman with few scars left on her face as a reminder of that horrible night. She sustains herself selling her ability to call fire and see the future in the flames. Alarmed by the escalating wraith attacks against humans, the same angel who rescued her (Jack Bastian) contacts her with a proposal: counting on her desire of revenge and mercenary spirit, the Order would infiltrate Kaye among her kind in order to expose the Mages’s schemes and put an end to their ambitions.
Fire Kissed, installment #4 in the Shadow series, is a compelling, tightly-plotted urban fantasy with a significant references to the folkloristic mythology. With its intensity and rich content, it completely engaged me, from the prologue through each and every breath-taking, action packed chapter. But it also left me initially overwhelmed and blindsided because of my limited knowledge of Mages Council vs. Angels Order, Shadow magic/Twilight set up and world building. Fire Kissed can be enjoyed as a stand-alone, but I would highly recommend to do some introductory reading: Erin Kellison’s previous books in the Shadow series will certainly help you understand the highly imaginative storyline and some of the secondary characters’s backstories.
I found Kaye’s character particularly likable despite the apparent ruthlessness and gritty personality. I am normally not a huge fan of over-confident, spunky heroines with a snappy tongue and a know-it-all attitude, but her traumatic past and her background of loss and grief made her more vulnerable than she would ever admit to herself and for this reason more endearing and interesting. Left alone to fend for herself since she was a teen, she is a resourceful survivor, constantly on her guard, but her independent lifestyle comes with a price. She’s emotionally drained and physically exhausted: she desperately needs to lean on a strong and protective shoulder, she needs a guardian angel, and love. I admire this complex heroine, the way she faces dangers and personal demons head-on, taking huge risks despite the fear that shakes her physically and emotionally. Her methods and the compromises she is willing to make may be questionable, but her motivations are absolutely honorable. Jack Bastian believes her to be simply a spoiled, unreliable woman, mercenary enough to betray her own kind for the right sum of money. Like Jack, some readers may find it difficult to like this character right away and won’t initially understand how lonely, vulnerable, generous and protective she really is underneath her reckless appearance. Her behavior poses a challenge even to a romantic involvement with Jack. Neither it seems to me that the author wants to use their love story as main focus of the narration, like it would happen in a conventional paranormal romance novel. In the first half of the book, the chemistry between Kaye and Jack is barely discernible, but I don’t see that as a flaw in the narration, despite my personal taste for a heavier dose of romance. The author focuses instead on providing a solid ground for the escalation of events that will lead the readers through unpredictable twist-and-turns and amazing revelations.
Halfway into the book I finally began to feel absolutely comfortable with the storyline and the world structure: the main characters are fully nuanced, the dynamics between them are more clear and my interest grows when the romantic interest and emotional connection between Jake and Kaye (lacking in the first part of the novel) grows too, initially as a protective instinct, regret for involving her in a dangerous mission, finally as mutual attraction and palpable sexual tension. When Jack and Kaye finally let their guards down, I felt like the author was suddenly shifting gear and increasing speed from zero to one hundred miles per hour without wasting ink on building romantic tension: no matter how abruptly the emotional pace changes, it is quite gratifying all the same. This is also the point in the narration where the charming and ambiguous character of Ferro Grey steps up to the plate, shaking things up (literally and figuratively) with his evil ambitions and love interest for Kaye.
I found this novel riveting, full of content, highly imaginative, well-plotted, with a good characterization, and a wealth of interesting secondary cast. I really appreciate Erin Kellison’s ability to make Kaye shine through her flaws as a unique, trustworthy, selfless heroine, just like the fire element that she controls, beautiful and dangerous at the same time. Hard to put down , Fire Kissed kept me on the edge of my seat till the last page. Because of the heroine's spunky personality and visual impact of the narration, it would work beautifully as an illustrated graphic novel.
Angels (otherworldly beings placed on Earth by The Order to guard and preserve the humankind) and Mages (soulless creatures endowed with magical powers) are arch enemies. The Angels began hunting down the Mages when they realized that some of the Mage Houses were feeding on angels to enhance their powers and were planning to take over the world with the aid of soul-eater monsters called Wraiths. The Brands and the Greys are mage families . The arranged marriage between the fifteen years old Kaye Brand and the much older Ferro Grey will seal the alliance between these two families during a time of internal struggles between Houses. When Kaye finds out that an angel, tortured and held captive in the cellar of her house, is being offered by her father to her soon-to-be husband as a wedding gift , she braves up and refuses to marry Ferro. Infuriated by her rejection, the Greys unleash a wraith against her: Kaye will defend herself from the vicious attack using her Fire Shadow , the ability to create and manipulate fire. With the aid of the Angels she will also manage to survive the fire that, fatefully caused by her pyrokinetic power, destroys her family and her home. Ten years later, Kaye is an independent beautiful woman with few scars left on her face as a reminder of that horrible night. She sustains herself selling her ability to call fire and see the future in the flames. Alarmed by the escalating wraith attacks against humans, the same angel who rescued her (Jack Bastian) contacts her with a proposal: counting on her desire of revenge and mercenary spirit, the Order would infiltrate Kaye among her kind in order to expose the Mages’s schemes and put an end to their ambitions.
Fire Kissed, installment #4 in the Shadow series, is a compelling, tightly-plotted urban fantasy with a significant references to the folkloristic mythology. With its intensity and rich content, it completely engaged me, from the prologue through each and every breath-taking, action packed chapter. But it also left me initially overwhelmed and blindsided because of my limited knowledge of Mages Council vs. Angels Order, Shadow magic/Twilight set up and world building. Fire Kissed can be enjoyed as a stand-alone, but I would highly recommend to do some introductory reading: Erin Kellison’s previous books in the Shadow series will certainly help you understand the highly imaginative storyline and some of the secondary characters’s backstories.
I found Kaye’s character particularly likable despite the apparent ruthlessness and gritty personality. I am normally not a huge fan of over-confident, spunky heroines with a snappy tongue and a know-it-all attitude, but her traumatic past and her background of loss and grief made her more vulnerable than she would ever admit to herself and for this reason more endearing and interesting. Left alone to fend for herself since she was a teen, she is a resourceful survivor, constantly on her guard, but her independent lifestyle comes with a price. She’s emotionally drained and physically exhausted: she desperately needs to lean on a strong and protective shoulder, she needs a guardian angel, and love. I admire this complex heroine, the way she faces dangers and personal demons head-on, taking huge risks despite the fear that shakes her physically and emotionally. Her methods and the compromises she is willing to make may be questionable, but her motivations are absolutely honorable. Jack Bastian believes her to be simply a spoiled, unreliable woman, mercenary enough to betray her own kind for the right sum of money. Like Jack, some readers may find it difficult to like this character right away and won’t initially understand how lonely, vulnerable, generous and protective she really is underneath her reckless appearance. Her behavior poses a challenge even to a romantic involvement with Jack. Neither it seems to me that the author wants to use their love story as main focus of the narration, like it would happen in a conventional paranormal romance novel. In the first half of the book, the chemistry between Kaye and Jack is barely discernible, but I don’t see that as a flaw in the narration, despite my personal taste for a heavier dose of romance. The author focuses instead on providing a solid ground for the escalation of events that will lead the readers through unpredictable twist-and-turns and amazing revelations.
Halfway into the book I finally began to feel absolutely comfortable with the storyline and the world structure: the main characters are fully nuanced, the dynamics between them are more clear and my interest grows when the romantic interest and emotional connection between Jake and Kaye (lacking in the first part of the novel) grows too, initially as a protective instinct, regret for involving her in a dangerous mission, finally as mutual attraction and palpable sexual tension. When Jack and Kaye finally let their guards down, I felt like the author was suddenly shifting gear and increasing speed from zero to one hundred miles per hour without wasting ink on building romantic tension: no matter how abruptly the emotional pace changes, it is quite gratifying all the same. This is also the point in the narration where the charming and ambiguous character of Ferro Grey steps up to the plate, shaking things up (literally and figuratively) with his evil ambitions and love interest for Kaye.
I found this novel riveting, full of content, highly imaginative, well-plotted, with a good characterization, and a wealth of interesting secondary cast. I really appreciate Erin Kellison’s ability to make Kaye shine through her flaws as a unique, trustworthy, selfless heroine, just like the fire element that she controls, beautiful and dangerous at the same time. Hard to put down , Fire Kissed kept me on the edge of my seat till the last page. Because of the heroine's spunky personality and visual impact of the narration, it would work beautifully as an illustrated graphic novel.
March 6, 2024
FIRE KISSED is the fourth book in the Shadow series with all the familiar characters, plus new and shiny ones!
Kaye Brand is a fire mage, making her living by selling her ability. Jack Bastian is an angel charged with finding out what's going on between the magekind and humans. This puts Kaye firmly in the middle.
It was a slow start to this one but it found its rhythm. I found it moved quite abruptly between Jack and Kaye. One minute, they tolerate each other. The next, they're declaring their love. It did work for them though. There is a lot of backstory to this one too, with political power plays, betrayal, plus a little thing called the end of the world! Okay, maybe not totally, but as we poor ignorant humans know it.
Thoroughly enjoyable and a great addition to the series. Definitely recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Mar 5, 2024
Kaye Brand is a fire mage, making her living by selling her ability. Jack Bastian is an angel charged with finding out what's going on between the magekind and humans. This puts Kaye firmly in the middle.
It was a slow start to this one but it found its rhythm. I found it moved quite abruptly between Jack and Kaye. One minute, they tolerate each other. The next, they're declaring their love. It did work for them though. There is a lot of backstory to this one too, with political power plays, betrayal, plus a little thing called the end of the world! Okay, maybe not totally, but as we poor ignorant humans know it.
Thoroughly enjoyable and a great addition to the series. Definitely recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Mar 5, 2024
March 12, 2024
Just when I think this series could not become anymore compelling Kaye Brand, Jack Bastian and the mage are introduced in Fire Kissed book four of the Shadow by Erin Kellison. This story, Fire Kissed, brings to light the past wars between Mages and angels, the present dilemmas happening in the book’s present world and the desire to change the future from repeating the past. Kaye’s and Jack’s story intwines the problems of the past books with the problems of the present, family dynamics, an evil power, deception, greed, and a love that defies all.
Fire Kissed stands on its own in this series. However, I do love how characters from previous books are part of the story and part of the solutions often times. Be aware this highly addictive series will make you want to read each and every book in the series.
The publisher/author gave me a complimentary ARC of the book which I voluntarily chose to read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Fire Kissed stands on its own in this series. However, I do love how characters from previous books are part of the story and part of the solutions often times. Be aware this highly addictive series will make you want to read each and every book in the series.
The publisher/author gave me a complimentary ARC of the book which I voluntarily chose to read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
March 15, 2024
The ultimate frenemy romance
Mages are soulless magic wielding mortals. Angels are beings of soul and light who belong to the hereafter. Neither can enter Shadow, the realm of the fae. Those were the old rules. The new rules are in flux, with angels and mages in conflict over the mortal world, and the fae on the loose. Angel Jack Bastian finds himself embroiled in the life of mage Kaye Brand, and against all odds, they fall in love. But she's a spy whose loyalty is suspect. She's a target for the ruler of the mages. She's a wild card, a potential doomsday weapon if war breaks out between angels and mages. How can he love her? How can he not? This is one heck of a chilling spy thriller, a doomed romance that refuses to die, and the best book yet in Erin Kellison's eerie, otherworldly Shadow Series. I hung on every word, glued to every twist and turn, right up to the seemingly impossible ending. This is an incredible story, according to me, your independent and voluntary ARC reviewer.
Mages are soulless magic wielding mortals. Angels are beings of soul and light who belong to the hereafter. Neither can enter Shadow, the realm of the fae. Those were the old rules. The new rules are in flux, with angels and mages in conflict over the mortal world, and the fae on the loose. Angel Jack Bastian finds himself embroiled in the life of mage Kaye Brand, and against all odds, they fall in love. But she's a spy whose loyalty is suspect. She's a target for the ruler of the mages. She's a wild card, a potential doomsday weapon if war breaks out between angels and mages. How can he love her? How can he not? This is one heck of a chilling spy thriller, a doomed romance that refuses to die, and the best book yet in Erin Kellison's eerie, otherworldly Shadow Series. I hung on every word, glued to every twist and turn, right up to the seemingly impossible ending. This is an incredible story, according to me, your independent and voluntary ARC reviewer.
December 4, 2012
Three and a half stars: An exciting story with great world building.
The night Kaye Brand was to marry the older Ferrol Grey was the night her world went up in flames. At fifteen, Kaye had yet to exhibit her true fire power that was her birthright as a Brande. Before she was to wed, Grey's sister, the stand in proxy, Kaye made a terrible discovery in her father's basement. A discovery that changed her life's path and gave her the courage to use her voice against her father and refuse the marriage. That terrible decision cost her dearly and now as an adult she is trying to find her way in this deadly world. Humanity stands at the brink of a great catastrophic war. A war fought for centuries between the Angels and Mage, light vs. dark. Kaye is in the center, a mage outcast who ends up making an alliance with the enemy. An alliance that just might forge a harmony between light and shadow and perhaps prevent a war. Can Kaye stave off the impending war and time of darkness?
What I Liked:
*This book opens with a riveting and terrifying scene that provides the history that shapes Kaye as an adult. The opening pages sucked me into this dark world of mage, shadows, fae and angels and left me hungry for me.
*I enjoyed Kaye's character. In the beginning, Kaye is a weak young lady unable to tap into her fire power, but after the life altering events she becomes this strong, angry, capable and very deadly woman, determined to find her place among the mage and answer to no one. She wields a deadly shadow fire that can stop soul sucking wraiths and permit glances into the future. She is fierce and headstrong and bent on reclaiming the Brand legacy. What she doesn't count on is a contract formed with the mages' enemy, an angel, Jack Bastian, and that changes everything.
*I liked that this book incorporates many paranormal entities such as angels, fae, wraiths, mages and half breeds. The mage were something a bit different in the paranormal genre and I am always excited to read something unique. Mage are part fae and human. They have magical capabilities and they wield their power by using the shadows which are inherent to the fae world. Anytime the fae are involved you can expect danger and excitement.
*This has a sizzling romance. One that explodes from the collision of two natural born enemies. Drawn together to help prevent a war and what results is electric fire hot chemistry. No insta love this was starts out as a business situation, hesitant and untrusting and over time it ignites into a fiery romance. Definitely some adult scenes in this one.
*I especially enjoyed the villain, Ferrol Gray. He is dark, depraved and always seemingly a step ahead of everyone else. He is able to siphon off the powers of all the other mages and use them for his own perverse enterprises. He is wicked and cruel and dark seduction all in one. He is scary, yet he draws you in and you want more. Part of me wanted to like him, yet he frightened me with his cunning and calculating ways. I love a good villain and Gray does not disappoint.
And The Not So Much:
*I picked this one up with the understanding that it was a spinoff series, but the listing on Goodreads has it as book four of The Shadow Series, but my book says it is Book one of The Shadow Kissed Series. For the most part, I didn't feel like I was lost and this book seems to be a spinoff, but there were times when I felt like I was missing something. Especially when it came to Kahn. He is a powerful figure who is the fae incarnation of death, and I knew there was a back story and I am guessing the The Shadow Series is his story. He doesn't have a big role in this book, so it truly isn't an issue, but I know that having read the other books this would have been a better read. Don't let that put you off from reading this, again you can dive in without problems.
*I mentioned that I admired the villain, Gray. He oozed power and was a formidable opponent so I was a bit stunned with how things played out regarding him. I thought it was a bit anti climatic. I guess I was expecting that there would be more of a confrontation and fight.
*I never felt like I had a complete grasp of the mage and exactly how all their powers worked, what exactly are the shadows and how they enabled the magic and where the Mage descended from. Again, I think that this is due to my not having read the other series.
After the first exciting scene the pacing slows a bit and drags for the first quarter of the book while everything is being established and there is a lot of information to absorb, but things do pick up dramatically and by the second half all the pieces fall into place and the ending is fast.
*One thing I didn't like was often times things would get glossed over, the story would jump ahead and events skipped and they were mentioned in passing or alluded to and the reader has to infer exactly what happened. Kaye's escape from the Gray house at the end was also a bit confusing.
Fire Kissed is a strong beginning to a spin off series. Kellison fans will certainly enjoy this new addition. I like that it presents a complex story line, with strong, creative world building. Ms. Kellison is a talented story teller and I look forward to going back and checking out the The Shadow Series.
Favorite Quotations:
"Foolish: a scorpion a scorpion could not stop being a scorpion. Eventually she would sting."
"Truth had power. Lies got awkward quickly."
"Kaye said as she took a sip of coffee. Dark Goodness. She was sure coffee originated in the the Twilight which was why the world was so mad about it. Funny it was Bastian who made such a mean cup of something so seductive."
I won a copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted @Rainy Day Ramblings.
March 8, 2024
This is the 4th book in the shadow series revolving around Kaye, a fire mage and Jack, an angel with the order. The story starts with Jack wanting Kaye to work “under cover” with the mages. These two barely tolerate each other as their kind are enemies. It went a bit too quick from barely tolerating to love for me. There was no in between to get from one to the other so it seemed a bit abrupt (reason for 4 stars instead of 5).
Lots of new characters plus a some of our favorites from the prior books. All in all, I really enjoyed this book from the mage perspective. There was a lot of action, a few twists and definitely some betrayal. I can’t wait to see what comes next in this series.
Lots of new characters plus a some of our favorites from the prior books. All in all, I really enjoyed this book from the mage perspective. There was a lot of action, a few twists and definitely some betrayal. I can’t wait to see what comes next in this series.
July 12, 2021
Wow. I didn't think it was possible, but EK's storytelling is at PEAK performance in this one. As far as the world construction goes, this is her best Shadow book yet. (One criticism: I love to see new characters as well as old, but seriously where is Annabella at?) Despite her absence from the last two books, the series thrives, and I was totally blown away. There's another one for me to read, right???
November 26, 2019
I loved this book, what a ride. Ups and downs and drama and adventure and tough romance.
Erin Kellison is a master at taking traditional fairy tale concepts (in this case the Little Match girl) and making them into modern gripping dark paranormal romance books.
Erin Kellison is a master at taking traditional fairy tale concepts (in this case the Little Match girl) and making them into modern gripping dark paranormal romance books.
March 16, 2024
Loved this continuation of the series! Wonderful to meet new characters and catch up with old friends as well!
July 7, 2012
Dark, enchanting,passionate, and magical are the words I would use to describe Erin’s world ofShadow.
I will tell you ahead of time I am a Kellison fangirl. I love her writing and the dark magical world she created in her Shadow series. Shadow is the magic that is slowly seeping out of Twilight, the boundary between life and death where the Fae live, into the human realm and bringing along with it monsters. In her Shadow series (Shadow Bound, Shadow Fall, Shadowman ) we are introduced to the Segue Institute run by humans who are trying to understand Shadow and Twilight because the walls are falling and magic is once again affecting our world. The Order is the angelic host that lives on the other side of Twilight (Heaven) and tries to protect humans from Shadow. This series is a mixture of romance, suspense and magic. Fire Kissed is the first book in Kellison’s new Shadow Kissed series, which is set in the Shadow world and introduces us to Mages.
Mages are descended from Fae. They live in the human world and have some Shadow inside them that they can use like magic, but they can’t cross into Twilight or Heaven because they have no soul and, like the Fae, Mages have always defied Heaven. Thousands of years ago the mages tried to take over the human world and The Order (angels) fought a vicious battle to stop them and even now kill them on sight. But with Shadow leaking back into the world, the Mages who have stayed hidden are becoming stronger and Ferrol Grey is raising an army to take the world back from humans. Earth is about to be plunged back into a war between the Order and Mages, but becoming allies might be the only way for mage, human, and angel to survive the return of the Fae and Shadow.
What I love about Erin’s stories are the characters; they are complex, smart and have emotional depth and you are able to slip flawlessly into the dark world she has created. The forbidden romance between Bastian, an angel, and Kaye, a fire mage, rocked my world. They are both strong, passionate and bound by duty to their causes. My heart breaks right along with theirs as they make choices for the good the world instead of each other. They are now one of my favorite romance couples.
In romances, even urban fantasy, the villain is usually just a vehicle to bring conflict into the couple’s story. Ferrol Grey is so much more than that. He one of the most well developed villains I’ve read and weaves a spell of his own on the reader. You understand his motives and find yourself sympathetic and horrified at his actions. Grey's plan revolves around the fact that he has found a way to regenerate the soul sucking wraiths and make himself more powerful in the process.
The whole mythos Erin has created pushes every one of my buttons: The Fae, magic, darkness, and forbidden love. One of the things I enjoy about urban fantasy is watching the clashing or blending of multiple worlds (in this case human, Fae, Angel, Mage) and the struggles between good and evil, love and hate. Erin’s world of Shadow is all that and more. You don’t need to read her Shadow Series to enjoy Fire Kissed, Erin does a great job of filling in information you need. But I think after reading Fire Kissed you will want to find out more about Shadowman (swoon), Segue and The Order. There is also a series of novellas, which bridges her two series (reviews: Shadow Touch, Shadow Play).
Some of my favorite snippets:
“Ferro Grey laughed as the doors were shut in Jack’s face. And all Jack knew was that a bright light, not so different from a soul, had been swallowed by Shadow. He knew on every level of his being that her presence in the Grey House was wrong, the kind of wrong he’d dedicated his existence to fighting. And he knew that he’d been the one to put her up to it.”
“His beauty was beyond human, beyond her race even. There was something old and frightening in his eyes, but she couldn't help the way she needed him. She was greedy, desperate to lose herself, to be consumed by him, her enemy, her lover, dangers ignored for lust. Magekind would kill her if they knew. And yet, there were a lot of ways to die. She figured riding Bastian into blind ecstasy was as good a way as any.”
“Pages 154-160” (OMGHOT!)
5 “angel loving” sheep
http://ismellsheep.blogspot.com/2012/...
I will tell you ahead of time I am a Kellison fangirl. I love her writing and the dark magical world she created in her Shadow series. Shadow is the magic that is slowly seeping out of Twilight, the boundary between life and death where the Fae live, into the human realm and bringing along with it monsters. In her Shadow series (Shadow Bound, Shadow Fall, Shadowman ) we are introduced to the Segue Institute run by humans who are trying to understand Shadow and Twilight because the walls are falling and magic is once again affecting our world. The Order is the angelic host that lives on the other side of Twilight (Heaven) and tries to protect humans from Shadow. This series is a mixture of romance, suspense and magic. Fire Kissed is the first book in Kellison’s new Shadow Kissed series, which is set in the Shadow world and introduces us to Mages.
Mages are descended from Fae. They live in the human world and have some Shadow inside them that they can use like magic, but they can’t cross into Twilight or Heaven because they have no soul and, like the Fae, Mages have always defied Heaven. Thousands of years ago the mages tried to take over the human world and The Order (angels) fought a vicious battle to stop them and even now kill them on sight. But with Shadow leaking back into the world, the Mages who have stayed hidden are becoming stronger and Ferrol Grey is raising an army to take the world back from humans. Earth is about to be plunged back into a war between the Order and Mages, but becoming allies might be the only way for mage, human, and angel to survive the return of the Fae and Shadow.
What I love about Erin’s stories are the characters; they are complex, smart and have emotional depth and you are able to slip flawlessly into the dark world she has created. The forbidden romance between Bastian, an angel, and Kaye, a fire mage, rocked my world. They are both strong, passionate and bound by duty to their causes. My heart breaks right along with theirs as they make choices for the good the world instead of each other. They are now one of my favorite romance couples.
In romances, even urban fantasy, the villain is usually just a vehicle to bring conflict into the couple’s story. Ferrol Grey is so much more than that. He one of the most well developed villains I’ve read and weaves a spell of his own on the reader. You understand his motives and find yourself sympathetic and horrified at his actions. Grey's plan revolves around the fact that he has found a way to regenerate the soul sucking wraiths and make himself more powerful in the process.
The whole mythos Erin has created pushes every one of my buttons: The Fae, magic, darkness, and forbidden love. One of the things I enjoy about urban fantasy is watching the clashing or blending of multiple worlds (in this case human, Fae, Angel, Mage) and the struggles between good and evil, love and hate. Erin’s world of Shadow is all that and more. You don’t need to read her Shadow Series to enjoy Fire Kissed, Erin does a great job of filling in information you need. But I think after reading Fire Kissed you will want to find out more about Shadowman (swoon), Segue and The Order. There is also a series of novellas, which bridges her two series (reviews: Shadow Touch, Shadow Play).
Some of my favorite snippets:
“Ferro Grey laughed as the doors were shut in Jack’s face. And all Jack knew was that a bright light, not so different from a soul, had been swallowed by Shadow. He knew on every level of his being that her presence in the Grey House was wrong, the kind of wrong he’d dedicated his existence to fighting. And he knew that he’d been the one to put her up to it.”
“His beauty was beyond human, beyond her race even. There was something old and frightening in his eyes, but she couldn't help the way she needed him. She was greedy, desperate to lose herself, to be consumed by him, her enemy, her lover, dangers ignored for lust. Magekind would kill her if they knew. And yet, there were a lot of ways to die. She figured riding Bastian into blind ecstasy was as good a way as any.”
“Pages 154-160” (OMGHOT!)
5 “angel loving” sheep
http://ismellsheep.blogspot.com/2012/...
September 20, 2015
This is the first book in the Shadow Kissed series. I loved it!
Kaye Brand is a fascinating character. I liked her a lot, though at first she didn't enamor herself to me. She comes across as a bitter and sarcastic drunk, but as I got to know her better, I grew to like her, though I wanted to slap her on occasion for the way she treated Jack. She has not had an easy childhood and this affects her behavior and attitude. She is a fire mage, and wielder of shadows. Selling her talent to the highest bidder in order to survive, she finds herself facing a past she would rather forget when she meets Jack Bastian, a man who is meant to be her enemy.
Jack Bastian is a wonderful character. He may be an angel, but he has his own share of secrets. I enjoyed getting to know this warrior better. He can be a little arrogant at times, but this is part of his charm. When he hires Kaye to help him, he knows he could get burnt, but there's something about her that draws him to her.
This is one of the books I have been wanting to read for some time. When it was first released, I added it to my wish list and bought a copy as soon as I could. Unfortunately, due to my rather large reading list, it has taken me a while to get to read it. I feel rather bad about the delay, because as soon as I started reading, I didn't put it down until I finished it.
I must admit that when I first started to read this book, I felt like I was reading from a book in the middle of a series rather than the beginning of one. This turns out to be partially correct. There is a series prior to this one called "Shadow Series" which, although I haven't read them, has many of the other characters in them. However, when I first bought this book, I didn't realise it at the time. So when I began reading this book, I had a feeling I was missing something. Some of the characters, especially those like Jack and Adam Thorne, have a history and their interactions gave me the impression that they were continuing a conversation they were having from previous visits. This is not a bad thing, though it did make me curious as to how the two met. Nevertheless, this story hooked my attention from the first page and didn't let me go until the last.
The story is told from both Kaye's and Jack's points of view, which I liked. This gives the reader an insight into both their thoughts and feelings.
There are several twists and turns in this story too; just when I thought I knew where the story was going, something would occur that completely threw me. I was expecting a romance story, but it is so much more than that. There is an undeniable spark between the two main characters and their chemistry is hot! They compliment each other quite well; perhaps it is good that Jack is ice to Kaye's fire, because they could definitely set something on fire with the amount of heat they generate! However, it is the intrigue and danger of Kaye's mission regarding her former fiance, Ferrol Grey, that sent shivers down my back. I took an instant dislike to this man. It may be a little unfair of me to hate him instantly, but I have never liked what I call "snake charmer salesmen". You know the type of person - so smooth and charming, though undeniably evil, it turns your stomach - that you shudder at the thought of them? Well, that was my reaction to Ferrol. I love the way the story took me on an amazing roller coaster ride of emotion, so when I reached the end I felt quite sad; I felt I was leaving some new friends. Though this story doesn't end in a cliffhanger, I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series as soon as I can.
Erin Kellison has written a fantastic paranormal romance. I love her fast paced writing style and the flow was wonderful. She has created a fascinating, believable world where fae and angels live amongst humans, though hidden by spells and enchantments for the most part. Her characters come alive on the page and I could picture the scenes in the book quite clearly. I would definitely consider reading more of this author's work in the future.
Due to the heat level, I do not recommend this book to younger readers. However, I highly recommend this book if you love older YA or erotic paranormal romances. - Lynn Worton
Kaye Brand is a fascinating character. I liked her a lot, though at first she didn't enamor herself to me. She comes across as a bitter and sarcastic drunk, but as I got to know her better, I grew to like her, though I wanted to slap her on occasion for the way she treated Jack. She has not had an easy childhood and this affects her behavior and attitude. She is a fire mage, and wielder of shadows. Selling her talent to the highest bidder in order to survive, she finds herself facing a past she would rather forget when she meets Jack Bastian, a man who is meant to be her enemy.
Jack Bastian is a wonderful character. He may be an angel, but he has his own share of secrets. I enjoyed getting to know this warrior better. He can be a little arrogant at times, but this is part of his charm. When he hires Kaye to help him, he knows he could get burnt, but there's something about her that draws him to her.
This is one of the books I have been wanting to read for some time. When it was first released, I added it to my wish list and bought a copy as soon as I could. Unfortunately, due to my rather large reading list, it has taken me a while to get to read it. I feel rather bad about the delay, because as soon as I started reading, I didn't put it down until I finished it.
I must admit that when I first started to read this book, I felt like I was reading from a book in the middle of a series rather than the beginning of one. This turns out to be partially correct. There is a series prior to this one called "Shadow Series" which, although I haven't read them, has many of the other characters in them. However, when I first bought this book, I didn't realise it at the time. So when I began reading this book, I had a feeling I was missing something. Some of the characters, especially those like Jack and Adam Thorne, have a history and their interactions gave me the impression that they were continuing a conversation they were having from previous visits. This is not a bad thing, though it did make me curious as to how the two met. Nevertheless, this story hooked my attention from the first page and didn't let me go until the last.
The story is told from both Kaye's and Jack's points of view, which I liked. This gives the reader an insight into both their thoughts and feelings.
There are several twists and turns in this story too; just when I thought I knew where the story was going, something would occur that completely threw me. I was expecting a romance story, but it is so much more than that. There is an undeniable spark between the two main characters and their chemistry is hot! They compliment each other quite well; perhaps it is good that Jack is ice to Kaye's fire, because they could definitely set something on fire with the amount of heat they generate! However, it is the intrigue and danger of Kaye's mission regarding her former fiance, Ferrol Grey, that sent shivers down my back. I took an instant dislike to this man. It may be a little unfair of me to hate him instantly, but I have never liked what I call "snake charmer salesmen". You know the type of person - so smooth and charming, though undeniably evil, it turns your stomach - that you shudder at the thought of them? Well, that was my reaction to Ferrol. I love the way the story took me on an amazing roller coaster ride of emotion, so when I reached the end I felt quite sad; I felt I was leaving some new friends. Though this story doesn't end in a cliffhanger, I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series as soon as I can.
Erin Kellison has written a fantastic paranormal romance. I love her fast paced writing style and the flow was wonderful. She has created a fascinating, believable world where fae and angels live amongst humans, though hidden by spells and enchantments for the most part. Her characters come alive on the page and I could picture the scenes in the book quite clearly. I would definitely consider reading more of this author's work in the future.
Due to the heat level, I do not recommend this book to younger readers. However, I highly recommend this book if you love older YA or erotic paranormal romances. - Lynn Worton
February 11, 2025
When she refused to marry a much older man at just 15 years, her House was attacked by wraiths and after she herself was badly wounded, she set her House on fire in defense. Now, she is the last of the Brand family name and has distanced herself from Mage kind. She knows she is breaking the rules by using her magic on humans for money but she can make 10 thousand dollars in 10 seconds showing people a glimpse of their future in her fire. Perhaps she got a bit too sure of herself, perhaps the place she felt safe in was not entirely safe any longer.
One night she wakes up to find an angel at the foot of her bed. The man is not what one would typically call an angel but rather a warrior for the Order and an enemy to all mage kind. But he comes with an offer. He saved her when she was about to be kidnapped and now makes her an offer to see revenge taken for the death of her family and the scars on her face. She hesitates for only a moment and then accepts....the million dollars the come with this offer are too shabby either.
The hero needs a mage and he'll never get one unless it's this red headed fire welding outcast. The order has come to be aware of a dangerous plot a group of mages are hatching with the humans to end the world as they know it. The mages, being a secretive and silent species, will not help him, especially as he's an angel. He was the one that found the heroine all those years ago and carried her savaged body from the ashes, now she's all grown up and sexy as hell. He knows it's against his better judgement to fall for this strong and stubborn female but almost from the start of their partnership, he finds himself caring deeply for her.
The idea she has of rekindling a betrothal with her ex fiancé makes his skin crawl and a powerful sense of jealousy take root in his stomach. But he must stop the end of the world and it's clear that this once old man now young is using powerful and unnatural magic to succeed. Still, the hero is possessive and a man in love now watching his woman kiss, tease and even sleep with this other man. At one point she even convinces him that she means to marry the enemy and her acting is so good that the hero actually believes she has turned her back on him.
The heroine however has a plan. She wants to rebuild her House and in order to achieve this goal, she needs influence and she needs the council behind her. She is intelligent and driven and her powers over fire are next to unheard of expect in pureblooded Mages. She alone has the strength to unite Fae, Angels and Mage together to save the future of death and destruction she saw in the flames.
This author is a great storyteller and her characters are always rich and deep. The heroine was a marvelous character who showed very little vulnerability (only to the hero) and the rest of the time stood proud with an air of strength and power. She could play the game but she played it with dignity and a lack of cruelty that was shown by other powerful Mages. At first she wanted nothing to do with Mages after the tragedy of her family but after she was approached by the heroine she saw her chance to restore her family name and she took it. Even though she knew the hero hated this because it meant reuniting herself with her older fiancé. But the man is obviously casting evil magic into himself to look so young and she has to get to the bottom of it.
With the hero she was soft and womanly but with everyone else she had a demeanor of- not coldness because she always burned hot- but distance. The hero was a marvelous character. His sudden and devoted love for a woman who knew her own mind and therefore didn't always play by the rules was hard and not always pleasant. He too was powerful but he was not powerful enough to watch his love fuck and marry another man even though he struggled to tell himself it was all a ruse.
Together they had a fiery passion but that romance was bumpy because of the mission they had. The plot was interesting and the villain even had moments of less than evil intentions, still he was a bad man.
Like I said this author has a gift of storytelling and it's always a pleasure to read.
One night she wakes up to find an angel at the foot of her bed. The man is not what one would typically call an angel but rather a warrior for the Order and an enemy to all mage kind. But he comes with an offer. He saved her when she was about to be kidnapped and now makes her an offer to see revenge taken for the death of her family and the scars on her face. She hesitates for only a moment and then accepts....the million dollars the come with this offer are too shabby either.
The hero needs a mage and he'll never get one unless it's this red headed fire welding outcast. The order has come to be aware of a dangerous plot a group of mages are hatching with the humans to end the world as they know it. The mages, being a secretive and silent species, will not help him, especially as he's an angel. He was the one that found the heroine all those years ago and carried her savaged body from the ashes, now she's all grown up and sexy as hell. He knows it's against his better judgement to fall for this strong and stubborn female but almost from the start of their partnership, he finds himself caring deeply for her.
The idea she has of rekindling a betrothal with her ex fiancé makes his skin crawl and a powerful sense of jealousy take root in his stomach. But he must stop the end of the world and it's clear that this once old man now young is using powerful and unnatural magic to succeed. Still, the hero is possessive and a man in love now watching his woman kiss, tease and even sleep with this other man. At one point she even convinces him that she means to marry the enemy and her acting is so good that the hero actually believes she has turned her back on him.
The heroine however has a plan. She wants to rebuild her House and in order to achieve this goal, she needs influence and she needs the council behind her. She is intelligent and driven and her powers over fire are next to unheard of expect in pureblooded Mages. She alone has the strength to unite Fae, Angels and Mage together to save the future of death and destruction she saw in the flames.
This author is a great storyteller and her characters are always rich and deep. The heroine was a marvelous character who showed very little vulnerability (only to the hero) and the rest of the time stood proud with an air of strength and power. She could play the game but she played it with dignity and a lack of cruelty that was shown by other powerful Mages. At first she wanted nothing to do with Mages after the tragedy of her family but after she was approached by the heroine she saw her chance to restore her family name and she took it. Even though she knew the hero hated this because it meant reuniting herself with her older fiancé. But the man is obviously casting evil magic into himself to look so young and she has to get to the bottom of it.
With the hero she was soft and womanly but with everyone else she had a demeanor of- not coldness because she always burned hot- but distance. The hero was a marvelous character. His sudden and devoted love for a woman who knew her own mind and therefore didn't always play by the rules was hard and not always pleasant. He too was powerful but he was not powerful enough to watch his love fuck and marry another man even though he struggled to tell himself it was all a ruse.
Together they had a fiery passion but that romance was bumpy because of the mission they had. The plot was interesting and the villain even had moments of less than evil intentions, still he was a bad man.
Like I said this author has a gift of storytelling and it's always a pleasure to read.
March 16, 2024
Oh my gosh, I absolutely read.this book in one sitting. It is just that good! Loved seeing old characters again! Would have loved to know more about what's going on after this book but I believe the original amount of books was 4 plus the 2 novellas. Really enjoyed the 2 main characters in this novel and the entire storyline. However, that being said I do recommend reading this series from the beginning so you, the reader, is not lost on the overall story arc.
December 12, 2022
Fire Kissed is the first in a new series by Erin Kellison. The world of the Shadow series extends to this one, with the addition of some new supernatural entities that make wraiths look like puppy dogs.
Kaye Brand is our scarred heroine. Literally. At the age of fifteen, she was sold to another House by her father. Not being too keen on becoming property, Kaye refused her husband-to-be and set the course for a seismic upheaval in the status quo. Think of it this way – each House, or family, of mages and their staff have a particular power. The Brands summon Shadowfire. The Mayas work with illusion. The Greys, to which Kaye is being sold, are said to work with iron. By saying no to her husband, Kaye set her house against his. The Brand house gets burned to the ground, Kaye’s face scarred by a wraith, and her father assumed dead, all because of one, tiny, two-letter word — no.
Kaye’s adult life is built on that tiny word. She set off on her own and sells her ability to summon Shadowfire to those rich enough to pay her price. She’s the perfect pawn to use as a gateway into the mage houses, and the angelic Order uses her as such. They send Jack Bastian, a jaded angel who reminds me so very much of Cary Grant, to convince her to infiltrate the world of the mages and hopefully stop the war between light and Shadow that all sides see coming. Romance blossoms, evil-doers plot, and the fae watch from the darkened corners, waiting to pick up the pieces of the defeated.
I loved the similarities – whether they be on purpose or accidental – to Notorious. No, I’m not talking about the movie about the rapper; I’m talking about the Hitchcock movie starring Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant. In it, Bergman’s German character is approached by Grant to spy on her former lover for the American government, much like Jack approached Kaye to spy on her own people. Jealousy is inevitable, and it morphs into negative feelings and assumptions of a return to the woman’s old, “loose” way of life. I loved it! There was even a reference to laying off the booze, just like in Notorious. It was like reading a paranormal version of one of my favorite movies. Again, this may have been purely accidental, but it added a new layer of enjoyment to the story.
For readers who aren’t giant movie nerds: I’ve adored every novel Erin Kellison has written. I devoured her Shadow series, became enamored with the Shadow Touch novellas, and couldn’t wait to return this world with the new Shadow Kissed series. Enough description about the world is given to entice, but not confuse, new readers without becoming repetitive. The characters are strong-willed, but not bullies, and they tactfully avoid those “Too Stupid To Live” moments we often see in the genre. My favorite part, though, was the chemistry between Jack and Kaye. There were several times when a convenient misunderstanding would have turned this into An Affair to Remember, but the bond between these two characters was so strong that they refused to be separated even when it seemed as though their love was doomed. How can you not love a story with magic, violence, and a little light to guide you through the Shadows?
Kaye Brand is our scarred heroine. Literally. At the age of fifteen, she was sold to another House by her father. Not being too keen on becoming property, Kaye refused her husband-to-be and set the course for a seismic upheaval in the status quo. Think of it this way – each House, or family, of mages and their staff have a particular power. The Brands summon Shadowfire. The Mayas work with illusion. The Greys, to which Kaye is being sold, are said to work with iron. By saying no to her husband, Kaye set her house against his. The Brand house gets burned to the ground, Kaye’s face scarred by a wraith, and her father assumed dead, all because of one, tiny, two-letter word — no.
Kaye’s adult life is built on that tiny word. She set off on her own and sells her ability to summon Shadowfire to those rich enough to pay her price. She’s the perfect pawn to use as a gateway into the mage houses, and the angelic Order uses her as such. They send Jack Bastian, a jaded angel who reminds me so very much of Cary Grant, to convince her to infiltrate the world of the mages and hopefully stop the war between light and Shadow that all sides see coming. Romance blossoms, evil-doers plot, and the fae watch from the darkened corners, waiting to pick up the pieces of the defeated.
I loved the similarities – whether they be on purpose or accidental – to Notorious. No, I’m not talking about the movie about the rapper; I’m talking about the Hitchcock movie starring Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant. In it, Bergman’s German character is approached by Grant to spy on her former lover for the American government, much like Jack approached Kaye to spy on her own people. Jealousy is inevitable, and it morphs into negative feelings and assumptions of a return to the woman’s old, “loose” way of life. I loved it! There was even a reference to laying off the booze, just like in Notorious. It was like reading a paranormal version of one of my favorite movies. Again, this may have been purely accidental, but it added a new layer of enjoyment to the story.
For readers who aren’t giant movie nerds: I’ve adored every novel Erin Kellison has written. I devoured her Shadow series, became enamored with the Shadow Touch novellas, and couldn’t wait to return this world with the new Shadow Kissed series. Enough description about the world is given to entice, but not confuse, new readers without becoming repetitive. The characters are strong-willed, but not bullies, and they tactfully avoid those “Too Stupid To Live” moments we often see in the genre. My favorite part, though, was the chemistry between Jack and Kaye. There were several times when a convenient misunderstanding would have turned this into An Affair to Remember, but the bond between these two characters was so strong that they refused to be separated even when it seemed as though their love was doomed. How can you not love a story with magic, violence, and a little light to guide you through the Shadows?
October 24, 2012
Fire Kissed by Erin Kellison
Grade: B-
“The wet night misted around her, like steam to her fire. She was doing her goddess thing, above it all, untouchable.”
When Kaye Brand was just fifteen years old she was supposed to marry Ferrol Grey, a mage from the most powerful house of the Mage Council and because she herself had no power yet she had no choice in the matter. All things changed after Kaye discovered “her” wedding gift to her fiance in her father’s basement and refused to go through with the marriage. Kaye’s firepower made itself known at this point and she burnt down her house while fighting off a wraith. Kaye has spent the last ten years on the run from other mages and selling her gift of firepower to earn a living but her skills are needed by a group who are actually mage’s enemies and without her help mankind is in for a dark age.
Jack Bastian is an angel and works for The Order, a group whose sole purpose is to bring down mages and their dark power. Jack does not trust Kaye or want her help but times have gotten worse in the war between the two groups and his superiors believe she is the only hope they have. Being an angel Jack hasn’t felt real feelings since he was a man over a thousand years ago but Kaye awakens something in him and soon she becomes more important than his mission or the Order.
With the blurb on the back cover and on Goodreads being very short and vague I wasn’t sure what to expect from Fire Kissed, especially since it’s the fourth book in a series and I had no idea what genre it was. I came to find out the it’s mostly urban fantasy, with some paranormal romance squeezed in and the story is amazing. I read this book of a flight from Denver to Chicago and was so enamored by it I couldn’t put it down the entire flight not even to ask for a beverage. The writing is amazing and will keep you hooked until the very last page.
Fire Kissed does not follow the normal romance rules which makes it so interesting. Kaye is out for revenge and even though she loves Jack she doesn’t let that love get in the way of what she has to do to bring down her former fiance. Kaye is a very strong character and she grows a lot in this book, all for the better. Her relationship with Jack is great but my only problem with the whole book is that on minute they have all this chemistry but jack refuses to even like Kaye and then the next minute he’s professing his love for her. I felt like I missed something important in their relationship and it bothered me a lot.
There are a lot of characters from the previous books but I had no trouble reading Fire Kissed as a stand alone. I really enjoyed the world that Mrs. Kellison created and am very interested to see what happens next. The mages and the Order have a long war ahead of them and I plan on being front row for all future battles and power plays.
Grade: B-
“The wet night misted around her, like steam to her fire. She was doing her goddess thing, above it all, untouchable.”
When Kaye Brand was just fifteen years old she was supposed to marry Ferrol Grey, a mage from the most powerful house of the Mage Council and because she herself had no power yet she had no choice in the matter. All things changed after Kaye discovered “her” wedding gift to her fiance in her father’s basement and refused to go through with the marriage. Kaye’s firepower made itself known at this point and she burnt down her house while fighting off a wraith. Kaye has spent the last ten years on the run from other mages and selling her gift of firepower to earn a living but her skills are needed by a group who are actually mage’s enemies and without her help mankind is in for a dark age.
Jack Bastian is an angel and works for The Order, a group whose sole purpose is to bring down mages and their dark power. Jack does not trust Kaye or want her help but times have gotten worse in the war between the two groups and his superiors believe she is the only hope they have. Being an angel Jack hasn’t felt real feelings since he was a man over a thousand years ago but Kaye awakens something in him and soon she becomes more important than his mission or the Order.
With the blurb on the back cover and on Goodreads being very short and vague I wasn’t sure what to expect from Fire Kissed, especially since it’s the fourth book in a series and I had no idea what genre it was. I came to find out the it’s mostly urban fantasy, with some paranormal romance squeezed in and the story is amazing. I read this book of a flight from Denver to Chicago and was so enamored by it I couldn’t put it down the entire flight not even to ask for a beverage. The writing is amazing and will keep you hooked until the very last page.
Fire Kissed does not follow the normal romance rules which makes it so interesting. Kaye is out for revenge and even though she loves Jack she doesn’t let that love get in the way of what she has to do to bring down her former fiance. Kaye is a very strong character and she grows a lot in this book, all for the better. Her relationship with Jack is great but my only problem with the whole book is that on minute they have all this chemistry but jack refuses to even like Kaye and then the next minute he’s professing his love for her. I felt like I missed something important in their relationship and it bothered me a lot.
There are a lot of characters from the previous books but I had no trouble reading Fire Kissed as a stand alone. I really enjoyed the world that Mrs. Kellison created and am very interested to see what happens next. The mages and the Order have a long war ahead of them and I plan on being front row for all future battles and power plays.
August 18, 2012
3.5 Stars
This review was posted at Under the Covers
Some of the things that stand out in my mind when I think of this book:
a) The storyline was full of action and intrigue. There's a bigger picture battle between basically good and evil but there's also a smaller scale conflict of what happened to the heroine as a teenager and how that is reflecting on her present.
b) The world was amazing and unique, full of magic and angels that can disguise themselves and seem human.
c) The hero is sexy as hell. Jack Bastian can light my fire anyday.
d) He actually lights the heroines' fire. Her power is so cool. Among other things, like seeing the future with a touch, she controls fire. She can burn with a touch.
Those are the things I liked the most about this story. But then I also thought that there was at times a big info dump which could've been done, maybe, in a bit more concise fashion. For a reader like me, coming in n book 4 of the series, this was helpful so that I could understand the dynamics of this world, the different supernaturals, their powers and their conflicts. But even I felt that at times it was over-explained and analyzed and I can see how if you've been reading the series, maybe some of those things would get repetitive.
Another thing that I enjoyed about this book was that it rides a fine line between urban fantasy and paranormal romance. I actually had a hard time choosing how to classify it. In the end I'm going with paranormal romance because there is a couple, and although their love is not the focus of the story by any means, their attraction does play a role that I find gives it more romance than I would expect from a UF. Do I think that they are a good match? Probably not. I think she may be a little too damaged where she's at in her life to get her to fall in love and be able to stay in a relationship. And in keeping with a more UF theme, the hero and heroine are not neat little characters that can do no wrong. They do have depth and neither of them are perfect.
The heroine has to survive a lot in her past and has been living up to now in a way that is not entirely sane. She is capable of doing wrong, of using her power for personal gain. But she is also essentially good and wants to help people even at a high cost to herself and her happiness. So even though I can't say that Kaye Brand will ever be a favorite heroine of mine, I do like her strength to push through.
A little slow to start but once this book got going, I did enjoy the story and went full speed ahead and couldn't stop reading pretty much until I finished it. It was in essence a captivating and very unique story.
*ARC provided by publisher
This review was posted at Under the Covers
Some of the things that stand out in my mind when I think of this book:
a) The storyline was full of action and intrigue. There's a bigger picture battle between basically good and evil but there's also a smaller scale conflict of what happened to the heroine as a teenager and how that is reflecting on her present.
b) The world was amazing and unique, full of magic and angels that can disguise themselves and seem human.
c) The hero is sexy as hell. Jack Bastian can light my fire anyday.
d) He actually lights the heroines' fire. Her power is so cool. Among other things, like seeing the future with a touch, she controls fire. She can burn with a touch.
Those are the things I liked the most about this story. But then I also thought that there was at times a big info dump which could've been done, maybe, in a bit more concise fashion. For a reader like me, coming in n book 4 of the series, this was helpful so that I could understand the dynamics of this world, the different supernaturals, their powers and their conflicts. But even I felt that at times it was over-explained and analyzed and I can see how if you've been reading the series, maybe some of those things would get repetitive.
Another thing that I enjoyed about this book was that it rides a fine line between urban fantasy and paranormal romance. I actually had a hard time choosing how to classify it. In the end I'm going with paranormal romance because there is a couple, and although their love is not the focus of the story by any means, their attraction does play a role that I find gives it more romance than I would expect from a UF. Do I think that they are a good match? Probably not. I think she may be a little too damaged where she's at in her life to get her to fall in love and be able to stay in a relationship. And in keeping with a more UF theme, the hero and heroine are not neat little characters that can do no wrong. They do have depth and neither of them are perfect.
The heroine has to survive a lot in her past and has been living up to now in a way that is not entirely sane. She is capable of doing wrong, of using her power for personal gain. But she is also essentially good and wants to help people even at a high cost to herself and her happiness. So even though I can't say that Kaye Brand will ever be a favorite heroine of mine, I do like her strength to push through.
A little slow to start but once this book got going, I did enjoy the story and went full speed ahead and couldn't stop reading pretty much until I finished it. It was in essence a captivating and very unique story.
*ARC provided by publisher
July 21, 2012
Kaye Brand is a mage with a dark past. At age fifteen she was to marry another mage to help her house. That didn’t happen, instead her house ended up burning down. With the house went her family. She now makes a living showing rich people ten seconds of their future. When angel Jack Bastian discovers places in major cities where wraiths are not attacking people he thinks it has something to do with the mage houses. He contacts Kaye, who has no contact with the mage world to help him find out what is going on for the Order.
This is the fourth book in the shadow series. It is also the kind of paranormal romance that follows different couples with each book, so you don’t have to read the ones before it. Characters from past books do make appearances, but they are not at all that central to the story. This story takes place around the mages and their great houses, especially Ferro Grey’s house. I really enjoyed how this book expanded the world showing the mage politics. Not a lot in the books had been said about the mages until this point. Jack talks Kaye into helping him, and sends her back into the mage world. He stays by her side as protection.
The story first sets out with Kaye seeing an angel for the first time. She finds him instantly attractive. So when she meets Jack we already know she has a soft spot for angelic kind, but she also knows that angels kill mages. Jack is attracted to her, but doesn’t trust her. There isn’t an instant love, but as events unfold Jack starts to hate that he brought her to the mages. In turn Kaye is later forced to do things that made me wonder how Jack stayed by her side. Maybe it is that divine forgiveness? The steamy scenes between them are only so-so as far as most paranormal romances go.
What I have loved about the series so far is the writing, the world, and the set-up. As far as the writing goes I think the last book was a lot stronger, but it still has dark and romantic tones that have been the series winning point. The story is coming to ahead. Humankind now knows of wraiths plaguing the streets, and twilight (where the fae are) seems to be crossing more and more into our world. The mages and their part gave the overall experience I nice touch. It reminded me of how I needed to go back and read the first two.
I finished this book in two days. Both times I sat down to read were single sittings. So it is a quick easy read. It has the romance, the world and a nice story. The only problem I see is that it didn’t top the last book, mainly because Jack was not as attractive to me as the last hero. The story also carried a false sense of alarm. The characters were worried, but I wasn’t. Despite that it was a good book in the series, a series I plan to keep reading.
This is the fourth book in the shadow series. It is also the kind of paranormal romance that follows different couples with each book, so you don’t have to read the ones before it. Characters from past books do make appearances, but they are not at all that central to the story. This story takes place around the mages and their great houses, especially Ferro Grey’s house. I really enjoyed how this book expanded the world showing the mage politics. Not a lot in the books had been said about the mages until this point. Jack talks Kaye into helping him, and sends her back into the mage world. He stays by her side as protection.
The story first sets out with Kaye seeing an angel for the first time. She finds him instantly attractive. So when she meets Jack we already know she has a soft spot for angelic kind, but she also knows that angels kill mages. Jack is attracted to her, but doesn’t trust her. There isn’t an instant love, but as events unfold Jack starts to hate that he brought her to the mages. In turn Kaye is later forced to do things that made me wonder how Jack stayed by her side. Maybe it is that divine forgiveness? The steamy scenes between them are only so-so as far as most paranormal romances go.
What I have loved about the series so far is the writing, the world, and the set-up. As far as the writing goes I think the last book was a lot stronger, but it still has dark and romantic tones that have been the series winning point. The story is coming to ahead. Humankind now knows of wraiths plaguing the streets, and twilight (where the fae are) seems to be crossing more and more into our world. The mages and their part gave the overall experience I nice touch. It reminded me of how I needed to go back and read the first two.
I finished this book in two days. Both times I sat down to read were single sittings. So it is a quick easy read. It has the romance, the world and a nice story. The only problem I see is that it didn’t top the last book, mainly because Jack was not as attractive to me as the last hero. The story also carried a false sense of alarm. The characters were worried, but I wasn’t. Despite that it was a good book in the series, a series I plan to keep reading.
July 3, 2012
Although Fire Kissed is technically the fourth novel in the series, it is completely a stand alone book. There are hints of previous novels for earlier fans, but Erin Kellison keeps it from feeling like an information dump.
There are three main POVs in this novel: Kaye, Jack, and Grey. Kaye is a shadowmage, who was brought up thinking that angels will kill her. So imagine her surprise when she finds an angel in her basement who saves her life instead of kill her. His dying wish is for the other angels in the Order to protect her. Jack is chosen to recruit Kaye to betray her own kind and help the angels. He disregards his attraction to Kaye, as a side effect to her temptress nature. He fights against his feelings for much of the novel. Actually, most of the men are spellbound by Kaye, especially Grey. Normally I’d consider this a turn-off, but Kaye has so many obvious personality faults that this perk fits. Above all else, Kaye is selfish and driven. She will manipulate anyone to achieve her goals. Her faults, for me, made her all the more real and loveable.
I’m also a sucker for a well-developed villain and the added bonus of being able to know the world from Ferrol Grey’s side made me giddy. Although he is evil, I couldn’t help but secretly wish through parts of the novel that things would turn out well for him. Kaye absolutely tortures and exploits Grey. She manipulate him for her own goals and at parts I wonder who is in fact the evil one.
I did have some issue with some of the minor POV characters. Some parts are shown from the perspective of humans who see the effects of Kaye, Jack, and Grey’s actions. It confused me because I had no connection with these humans and I still don’t know which humans were related to who and by the time they appeared again, I’d forgotten what happened the first time.
The pacing of the novel was spot on and with the constant switching of POVs, I wasn’t prepared for many of the plot twists. By the last page I truly wasn’t sure what would happen. And then the novel ended, and I wanted way more. I hate cliffhanger novels and this book leaves quite a bit open for future novels. A little too much in my opinion, but I suppose technically much of the main plot in the novel was resolved. Reminding myself that this in part of series, the ending was fine…as in OMG Snape killed Dumbledore, what the hell happens in the next book…fine. I will be reading the next book when it comes out.
There are three main POVs in this novel: Kaye, Jack, and Grey. Kaye is a shadowmage, who was brought up thinking that angels will kill her. So imagine her surprise when she finds an angel in her basement who saves her life instead of kill her. His dying wish is for the other angels in the Order to protect her. Jack is chosen to recruit Kaye to betray her own kind and help the angels. He disregards his attraction to Kaye, as a side effect to her temptress nature. He fights against his feelings for much of the novel. Actually, most of the men are spellbound by Kaye, especially Grey. Normally I’d consider this a turn-off, but Kaye has so many obvious personality faults that this perk fits. Above all else, Kaye is selfish and driven. She will manipulate anyone to achieve her goals. Her faults, for me, made her all the more real and loveable.
I’m also a sucker for a well-developed villain and the added bonus of being able to know the world from Ferrol Grey’s side made me giddy. Although he is evil, I couldn’t help but secretly wish through parts of the novel that things would turn out well for him. Kaye absolutely tortures and exploits Grey. She manipulate him for her own goals and at parts I wonder who is in fact the evil one.
I did have some issue with some of the minor POV characters. Some parts are shown from the perspective of humans who see the effects of Kaye, Jack, and Grey’s actions. It confused me because I had no connection with these humans and I still don’t know which humans were related to who and by the time they appeared again, I’d forgotten what happened the first time.
The pacing of the novel was spot on and with the constant switching of POVs, I wasn’t prepared for many of the plot twists. By the last page I truly wasn’t sure what would happen. And then the novel ended, and I wanted way more. I hate cliffhanger novels and this book leaves quite a bit open for future novels. A little too much in my opinion, but I suppose technically much of the main plot in the novel was resolved. Reminding myself that this in part of series, the ending was fine…as in OMG Snape killed Dumbledore, what the hell happens in the next book…fine. I will be reading the next book when it comes out.
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