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Broken Flames
In a world divided by elemental abilities, four kingdoms have rarely known peace.Koraine always dreamed of seeing the world, and escaping the confines of Morwen, the water kingdom she grew up in. Finally that wish was coming true. Except at a price. She was being forced to marry the prince of their rival kingdom, Abelon the kingdom of fire.Bellamy always knew one day he would become king. He spent every day trying to prove himself as prince to a father with impossible expectations. Never once had he questioned the king's demands. Until his marriage was announced. Being forced to marry a nobleman's daughter from his rival kingdom had never been a part of his plan.With war on the horizon, the pair must first survive the months of traditions leading to their impending marriage. The more they resist and try to fight the inevitable, the harder they find it to deny the feelings buried deep in their hearts.
304 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2024
1724 people are currently reading
21561 people want to read
About the author
M.K. Ahearn
24 books384 followersMK Ahearn grew up in Massachusetts as one of three sisters. She now lives in Maryland with her husband and their three cats. She received her bachelor of arts in international relations and is now completing a master of professional studies in homeland security. When not writing or studying she can be found planning her next travel adventure.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,163 reviews
March 18, 2024
the zutara fanfics need to stop like i firmly believe u are all experiencing mass psychosis
February 6, 2024
my first ever ARC review! how exciting!! I'm really thankful for this opportunity.
For everyone who thought zuko and Katara should've ended up together. You had me at the dedication.
For those that are ATLA and Zutara shippers, you'll like this book!
This story has a lot of potential. I feel like the pacing, writing style, and some of the dialogue was a bit off, though. Something else I felt this book struggled with was "show, not tell."
*spoiler alert*
The Characters:
Koraine
So Koraine is our Katara-inspired FMC. Koraine is a water manipulator (super fun!) and is shipped off to be married to the Prince of Abelon, Bellamy, for political gain to create a truce between Abelon and Morwen...? I think that's the name of the water kingdom. Koraine's was a bit inconsistent to me. At times she'd be incredibly afraid and shy and other times she'd be very... reactive and aggressive. I didn't really get too emotionally connected to her despite how tragic her situation is that her father and country basically sold her off.
Bellamy
Tbh I found Bellamy a bit annoying. I get he's the broody, daddy issues-filled MMC, but there were times where his inner thoughts were so much less.. eloquent? And he felt very childish for being 23-years-old, but then from Koraine's POV he seemed much more well spoken (could be also just another character's pov). I didn't get too emotionally invested in him because he was all broody and then all of a sudden there was a 180 and he was very protective of Koraine. (will discuss more in the plot section)
Nyla
I liked Bellamy's sister a lot. We love some LGBTQ representation. I'm glad Koraine found a friend in her while at Abelon because she really didn't have anyone. Despite how much time Koraine and Nyla spent together, I didn't know too much about her but I enjoyed whenever her and Koraine were hanging out! I also think she's in denial about their father and/or the King ends up threatening her
(at the end).
Cyrus
So, I will note I was skeptical of this guy to the start. He's kind of the worst ? Like I felt that all his and Koraine's interactions were too.. calculated and when he tried to pressure Korraine it was a big no, no for me. I was kind of hoping for a love triangle (I know everyone hates them, but a little jealousy never hurt anybody!) with him, Koraine, and Bellamy. Plot twist: Make an actual love triangle w/ Bellamy x Cyrus enemies to lovers - that'd be WILD.
Mariam and Alaric?
I didn't know too much about them besides how they run the orphanage, but they seemed nice.
Ervin
I assume this is kind of the Iroh-like figure of the story. He was a very fun, kind chef.
King of Abelon
So, obviously he is truly the worst. He just manipulates around him, wants to maintain power, and kills off his wife for war! Just evil man things! I don't really have much to say about him because he truly has nothing to stand on.
Princess Asena
She was so rude. I did not like her.
Koraine's dad
So, I feel for him... kind of not really. I think it was implied something would happen to his family if Koraine didn't go off and marry Bellamy, but then he got mad at her when they came back. Like, if he listened to his daughter he'd know where she was coming from?? But he sold her off?? okay.
Talay and Imry
I really enjoy the different variations of creatures among the different kingdoms. I'm a huge fan of the sea serpents and dragons! I love them and they are so precious.
The Plot/Notable Quotes:
So, this plot was based of ATLA - Zuko and Katara and it very much reads so. It reminds me when people do retellings of fairytales, but this is a very recent TV show which is so interesting and nothing I've ever read about before!
My main three biggest critiques where I feel there is the most room for improving is the writing quality, pacing, and dialogue.
The book starts out quite quickly where we get very little information about Koraine, but then suddenly quite a bit about her family in an inconsistent pace. She's sent off to Abelon and tries to make the best of the situation.
My first question right off the bat is, why her? Like, she's a general's daughter and the princess of morwen is already betrothed to some other people, but was the general so high up there that his kid was shipped off next under royalty?
Koraine being introduced to Nyla - "I noticed something new flash behind Koraine's eyes...Was that annoyance? 'Introducing me to a woman you've been with isn't going to make me throw myself at you with jealousy,' she spat, scowling." Why was miss girl so quick to think the prince would do? This was just an example of where I was talking about before where she's a bit overly aggressive and sometimes it doesn't feel like she's 23-years-old. (same could be said about Bellamy)
So Koraine starts adjusting to Abelon life while visiting Talay and feeling at home. At one point she needs an outfit but doesn't have weapons to make once and procedes to break a glass to be able to use as scissors ???
"I threw the vase at the wall and watched as it shattered." Like, oh my gosh?? I know she wasn't in the most safe space, but we had to go throwing vases???
Life goes on, her and Bellamy like weirdly fight, don't talk, but then are attracted to each other. At one point they're having a little 1-on-1 din din and this little detail just irked me.
"As I placed the bottle down, it tipped. As it fell, wine splashed out, but before it oculd land on the table or floor, I stopped it. Manipulating the water within the liquid mixture, I urged it back into the bottle I'd picked back up." I know this was purposely so Koraine could show off her water powers, but I'm wondering how the wine bottle tipped so easily ?
As Cyrus and Koraine's friendship progresses he inevitably ruins it and tries to force himself onto her. Where he literally starts burning her and trying to be intimate with her. And he states, "I'm not taking no for an answer." wow! okay, cyrus, that is actually the opposite consent!!
Bellamy talking to Ervin - "'She was in the kitchen and you convinced her to sit down for that hot leaf juice you love?'" Is that a reference to Zuko calling tea "hot leaf juice" to Iroh??
The constant back-and-forth between Koraine and Bellamy felt a little exhausting to me. Like, they didn't really have any interest in each other besides physical attraction but then suddenly Bellamy is all like "we can't be together b/c of unknown reasons (i.e. see daddy issues)!" and then Koraine is pissed at him and then Bellamy gives her 'tude.
One quick note for the author, on page 337 the eBook there's an extra ' in the word "he'd."
So then Koraine and Cyrus have their little love moment where they like each other now before their wedding got pushed up. Koraine finds out Cyrus is a traitor but also that he is following the king's orders to manipulate the narrative for war? And then Bellamy figures out that his father killed his mother (I will note this not a plot twist I saw coming, I only guessed that Cyrus was the worst).
OKAY. This is nitpicky but as Koraine and Bellamy are running away and left Nyla b/c she's in denial... But then Bellamy's nickname is Koraine is "my moon" and ALL could think about is Zuko's ex-gf the princess who sacrificed her self for the koi fish and "turned into the moon."
Later Bellamy is in his head thinking about Koraine - "As I stood there, I realized this was everything I had ever wanted. I may be on the run from my father, and our lives may be at risk, but I had her. She was everything I wanted. Needed." I feel like they've only known each other for a couple months ???
And the book ending with Nyla leading a fleet to Morwen ?? And the princess beating up Korlaine and Bellamy and sticking them in a cell ??
The only other mistake I found was the wrong use of "your" on 394 of the eBook that should be "you're."
Overall, the pacing of the plot felt very inconsistent. There were parts that were incredibly fast-paced and then others where the "show, not tell" didn't come into play and it felt very repetitive and... Idk how to explain it but a lot of short sentences all close together? It didn't feel quite as smooth.
My critique about the dialogue is the MCs didn't feel like 23-year-olds, they sounded more like 16-year-olds.
The Book Cover: This book cover is stunning! I'm actually obsessed.
Overall, this story had a lot of potential! The writing was decent at some parts, the dialogue could use a little bit of work, and I think there could be less telling and more showing. I really appreciate the privilege of reading an ARC for this!
For everyone who thought zuko and Katara should've ended up together. You had me at the dedication.
For those that are ATLA and Zutara shippers, you'll like this book!
This story has a lot of potential. I feel like the pacing, writing style, and some of the dialogue was a bit off, though. Something else I felt this book struggled with was "show, not tell."
*spoiler alert*
The Characters:
Koraine
So Koraine is our Katara-inspired FMC. Koraine is a water manipulator (super fun!) and is shipped off to be married to the Prince of Abelon, Bellamy, for political gain to create a truce between Abelon and Morwen...? I think that's the name of the water kingdom. Koraine's was a bit inconsistent to me. At times she'd be incredibly afraid and shy and other times she'd be very... reactive and aggressive. I didn't really get too emotionally connected to her despite how tragic her situation is that her father and country basically sold her off.
Bellamy
Tbh I found Bellamy a bit annoying. I get he's the broody, daddy issues-filled MMC, but there were times where his inner thoughts were so much less.. eloquent? And he felt very childish for being 23-years-old, but then from Koraine's POV he seemed much more well spoken (could be also just another character's pov). I didn't get too emotionally invested in him because he was all broody and then all of a sudden there was a 180 and he was very protective of Koraine. (will discuss more in the plot section)
Nyla
I liked Bellamy's sister a lot. We love some LGBTQ representation. I'm glad Koraine found a friend in her while at Abelon because she really didn't have anyone. Despite how much time Koraine and Nyla spent together, I didn't know too much about her but I enjoyed whenever her and Koraine were hanging out! I also think she's in denial about their father and/or the King ends up threatening her
(at the end).
Cyrus
So, I will note I was skeptical of this guy to the start. He's kind of the worst ? Like I felt that all his and Koraine's interactions were too.. calculated and when he tried to pressure Korraine it was a big no, no for me. I was kind of hoping for a love triangle (I know everyone hates them, but a little jealousy never hurt anybody!) with him, Koraine, and Bellamy. Plot twist: Make an actual love triangle w/ Bellamy x Cyrus enemies to lovers - that'd be WILD.
Mariam and Alaric?
I didn't know too much about them besides how they run the orphanage, but they seemed nice.
Ervin
I assume this is kind of the Iroh-like figure of the story. He was a very fun, kind chef.
King of Abelon
So, obviously he is truly the worst. He just manipulates around him, wants to maintain power, and kills off his wife for war! Just evil man things! I don't really have much to say about him because he truly has nothing to stand on.
Princess Asena
She was so rude. I did not like her.
Koraine's dad
So, I feel for him... kind of not really. I think it was implied something would happen to his family if Koraine didn't go off and marry Bellamy, but then he got mad at her when they came back. Like, if he listened to his daughter he'd know where she was coming from?? But he sold her off?? okay.
Talay and Imry
I really enjoy the different variations of creatures among the different kingdoms. I'm a huge fan of the sea serpents and dragons! I love them and they are so precious.
The Plot/Notable Quotes:
So, this plot was based of ATLA - Zuko and Katara and it very much reads so. It reminds me when people do retellings of fairytales, but this is a very recent TV show which is so interesting and nothing I've ever read about before!
My main three biggest critiques where I feel there is the most room for improving is the writing quality, pacing, and dialogue.
The book starts out quite quickly where we get very little information about Koraine, but then suddenly quite a bit about her family in an inconsistent pace. She's sent off to Abelon and tries to make the best of the situation.
My first question right off the bat is, why her? Like, she's a general's daughter and the princess of morwen is already betrothed to some other people, but was the general so high up there that his kid was shipped off next under royalty?
Koraine being introduced to Nyla - "I noticed something new flash behind Koraine's eyes...Was that annoyance? 'Introducing me to a woman you've been with isn't going to make me throw myself at you with jealousy,' she spat, scowling." Why was miss girl so quick to think the prince would do? This was just an example of where I was talking about before where she's a bit overly aggressive and sometimes it doesn't feel like she's 23-years-old. (same could be said about Bellamy)
So Koraine starts adjusting to Abelon life while visiting Talay and feeling at home. At one point she needs an outfit but doesn't have weapons to make once and procedes to break a glass to be able to use as scissors ???
"I threw the vase at the wall and watched as it shattered." Like, oh my gosh?? I know she wasn't in the most safe space, but we had to go throwing vases???
Life goes on, her and Bellamy like weirdly fight, don't talk, but then are attracted to each other. At one point they're having a little 1-on-1 din din and this little detail just irked me.
"As I placed the bottle down, it tipped. As it fell, wine splashed out, but before it oculd land on the table or floor, I stopped it. Manipulating the water within the liquid mixture, I urged it back into the bottle I'd picked back up." I know this was purposely so Koraine could show off her water powers, but I'm wondering how the wine bottle tipped so easily ?
As Cyrus and Koraine's friendship progresses he inevitably ruins it and tries to force himself onto her. Where he literally starts burning her and trying to be intimate with her. And he states, "I'm not taking no for an answer." wow! okay, cyrus, that is actually the opposite consent!!
Bellamy talking to Ervin - "'She was in the kitchen and you convinced her to sit down for that hot leaf juice you love?'" Is that a reference to Zuko calling tea "hot leaf juice" to Iroh??
The constant back-and-forth between Koraine and Bellamy felt a little exhausting to me. Like, they didn't really have any interest in each other besides physical attraction but then suddenly Bellamy is all like "we can't be together b/c of unknown reasons (i.e. see daddy issues)!" and then Koraine is pissed at him and then Bellamy gives her 'tude.
One quick note for the author, on page 337 the eBook there's an extra ' in the word "he'd."
So then Koraine and Cyrus have their little love moment where they like each other now before their wedding got pushed up. Koraine finds out Cyrus is a traitor but also that he is following the king's orders to manipulate the narrative for war? And then Bellamy figures out that his father killed his mother (I will note this not a plot twist I saw coming, I only guessed that Cyrus was the worst).
OKAY. This is nitpicky but as Koraine and Bellamy are running away and left Nyla b/c she's in denial... But then Bellamy's nickname is Koraine is "my moon" and ALL could think about is Zuko's ex-gf the princess who sacrificed her self for the koi fish and "turned into the moon."
Later Bellamy is in his head thinking about Koraine - "As I stood there, I realized this was everything I had ever wanted. I may be on the run from my father, and our lives may be at risk, but I had her. She was everything I wanted. Needed." I feel like they've only known each other for a couple months ???
And the book ending with Nyla leading a fleet to Morwen ?? And the princess beating up Korlaine and Bellamy and sticking them in a cell ??
The only other mistake I found was the wrong use of "your" on 394 of the eBook that should be "you're."
Overall, the pacing of the plot felt very inconsistent. There were parts that were incredibly fast-paced and then others where the "show, not tell" didn't come into play and it felt very repetitive and... Idk how to explain it but a lot of short sentences all close together? It didn't feel quite as smooth.
My critique about the dialogue is the MCs didn't feel like 23-year-olds, they sounded more like 16-year-olds.
The Book Cover: This book cover is stunning! I'm actually obsessed.
Overall, this story had a lot of potential! The writing was decent at some parts, the dialogue could use a little bit of work, and I think there could be less telling and more showing. I really appreciate the privilege of reading an ARC for this!
May 27, 2025
i really loved the idea behind this story for me i think the execution was just a bit off. the pacing and dialogue threw me a little and the push and pull between the main characters didn't entirely make sense to me at points. i did really enjoy the Avatar inspired world and magic system, it was super fun.
overall this has a lot of potential and this was a fun read so i would still recommend trying this book for yourself if you are looking for a quick and easy read with minimal world building.
overall this has a lot of potential and this was a fun read so i would still recommend trying this book for yourself if you are looking for a quick and easy read with minimal world building.
February 19, 2024
While I was super excited for the concept of this novel, as soon as I dove into it, it just fell flat.
I put it down at about 20% and after a few days, I had no inclination to pick it back up again..
The writing quality was by far the biggest issue.
This reads like a middle grade book where characters are more immature than they should be and are prone to rapid changes in emotions and thoughts. That is to say, overall, it had very simplistic storytelling with very little depth to explore. Koraine and Bellemy as the main characters exemplify this very well, having very shallow thoughts and are more reactionary, reading more like teenagers than young adults. Everything that they can observe about the world or other characters or even their own motivations, they make the observation, i.e "I could tell she was sizing me up" or "If I let this go, these people would never respect me." All of their thoughts and internal dialogue was conveyed as fact and was very grating.
With Koraine, she doesn't even act like a noble and honestly, it would be better to call her a general's daughter/war hero's daughter. I feel like the only reason she's called a "noble" is so that the plot will allow for her to be arranged in a marriage to a prince. Nothing about her, her family, or their estate is described other than being by the water and just being noblemen for her father's efforts in the war (which aren't even described). However, they have no attendants, no guards for the estate, and Koraine doesn't seem to know anything about noble society or expectations of her. And these are things I noticed within the first 2 chapters!!
Furthermore, when it comes to the arranged marriage, the reasoning for Koraine being chosen doesn't feel strong enough. Like, we don't even know what specifically her father did that would make her equal in value as the princess would be as a bride of Morwen. It's giving Mulan 2 vibes, but without her saving China and way less musical numbers..
Additionally, of the part that I read, 95% of the novel tells instead of shows; the world, characters' reactions, social/political climates, everything. Telling does have a use, but it was over used in this case. There was no subtly in the characters or their environment to allow the reader to interpret what was going on. It was just spoon fed to the reader with info dumps and characters explaining things on a very on the nose way.
The last thing was that there are too many things in here that makes it clearly a Zutara fanfiction and it doesn't know how to be anything else.
It doesn't have enough to separate itself from the original work to stand on its own legs. Constantly, I just kept referring to the characters as their Avatar inspirations and honestly, that made the story mildly more interesting and palatable because I know those characters. I know Zuko and Katara while Koraine and Bellemy just start the story with very little time to get to know them. Immediately, it falls into the drama and action of the plot while barely doing anything other than info dumping about the world. That type of storytelling only works in fanfiction because in any other type of story, you don't know the characters as you start reading and the reader needs to be given a reason or two to care about the characters.
Koraine is basically sold off in an arranged marriage less than 8% of the way into the book and you barely know what she looks like and that she can waterbend. I have very little reason to be invested in her reactions and feelings when we know nothing substantial about her that we can see. We barely know of her family only because it's info dumped on us. Having some sort of scene like a family dinner the night before would've helped to establish her connection and love for her family as well as her anxiety over going to the palace waaaay more than just being told that she's nervous and loves her family. Bellemy seems to have gotten a bit more work towards developing his chatacter, but overall just feels like a watered down Zuko.
I really wanted to be enjoying this story, I truly did, but it's not written well and it's not marketed right. It needs either a few more rounds of editing and beta readers/peer reviews or it needs to be cleaned up a bit to be marketed as a middle grade book because this is story is told so simplistically. Based on the trigger warnings, take out the swearing and sexually explicit scenes, age down the characters, tone down the violence, and boom--you'll have a decent middle grade book.
I had such high hopes, but not every fanfiction could or should be turned into it's own novel..
1/5 stars
I put it down at about 20% and after a few days, I had no inclination to pick it back up again..
The writing quality was by far the biggest issue.
This reads like a middle grade book where characters are more immature than they should be and are prone to rapid changes in emotions and thoughts. That is to say, overall, it had very simplistic storytelling with very little depth to explore. Koraine and Bellemy as the main characters exemplify this very well, having very shallow thoughts and are more reactionary, reading more like teenagers than young adults. Everything that they can observe about the world or other characters or even their own motivations, they make the observation, i.e "I could tell she was sizing me up" or "If I let this go, these people would never respect me." All of their thoughts and internal dialogue was conveyed as fact and was very grating.
With Koraine, she doesn't even act like a noble and honestly, it would be better to call her a general's daughter/war hero's daughter. I feel like the only reason she's called a "noble" is so that the plot will allow for her to be arranged in a marriage to a prince. Nothing about her, her family, or their estate is described other than being by the water and just being noblemen for her father's efforts in the war (which aren't even described). However, they have no attendants, no guards for the estate, and Koraine doesn't seem to know anything about noble society or expectations of her. And these are things I noticed within the first 2 chapters!!
Furthermore, when it comes to the arranged marriage, the reasoning for Koraine being chosen doesn't feel strong enough. Like, we don't even know what specifically her father did that would make her equal in value as the princess would be as a bride of Morwen. It's giving Mulan 2 vibes, but without her saving China and way less musical numbers..
Additionally, of the part that I read, 95% of the novel tells instead of shows; the world, characters' reactions, social/political climates, everything. Telling does have a use, but it was over used in this case. There was no subtly in the characters or their environment to allow the reader to interpret what was going on. It was just spoon fed to the reader with info dumps and characters explaining things on a very on the nose way.
The last thing was that there are too many things in here that makes it clearly a Zutara fanfiction and it doesn't know how to be anything else.
It doesn't have enough to separate itself from the original work to stand on its own legs. Constantly, I just kept referring to the characters as their Avatar inspirations and honestly, that made the story mildly more interesting and palatable because I know those characters. I know Zuko and Katara while Koraine and Bellemy just start the story with very little time to get to know them. Immediately, it falls into the drama and action of the plot while barely doing anything other than info dumping about the world. That type of storytelling only works in fanfiction because in any other type of story, you don't know the characters as you start reading and the reader needs to be given a reason or two to care about the characters.
Koraine is basically sold off in an arranged marriage less than 8% of the way into the book and you barely know what she looks like and that she can waterbend. I have very little reason to be invested in her reactions and feelings when we know nothing substantial about her that we can see. We barely know of her family only because it's info dumped on us. Having some sort of scene like a family dinner the night before would've helped to establish her connection and love for her family as well as her anxiety over going to the palace waaaay more than just being told that she's nervous and loves her family. Bellemy seems to have gotten a bit more work towards developing his chatacter, but overall just feels like a watered down Zuko.
I really wanted to be enjoying this story, I truly did, but it's not written well and it's not marketed right. It needs either a few more rounds of editing and beta readers/peer reviews or it needs to be cleaned up a bit to be marketed as a middle grade book because this is story is told so simplistically. Based on the trigger warnings, take out the swearing and sexually explicit scenes, age down the characters, tone down the violence, and boom--you'll have a decent middle grade book.
I had such high hopes, but not every fanfiction could or should be turned into it's own novel..
1/5 stars
February 4, 2024
a great alternate reality to characters that deserved better. marketing this as a zutara spin to pull people in was really smart and while reading i definitely saw that inspiration but i really appreciated how the plot developed in its own way and didn't rely too heavily on that. i don't read first person pov super often but this was done well and the internal monologue/stream of consciousness sold this novel for me. so much of it is character-driven to see the growth of koraine and bellamy which helped me connect and get invested into the story. my only critique (comment) is that it feels too fast-paced for my taste. this is only 300 pages and making it longer to fill in some time gaps/explore the progression of koraine and bellamy's relationship would have been welcome. i got that towards the end but seeing more of it throughout the novel would have helped. i think i just like longer books. aside from the main characters, there is surprising depth to the side characters that i didn't anticipate but solidified a lot of relationships and motivations. the only one i need more on is nyla and Abelon's king because it felt surface level and is relevant to the plot.
overall: super fun read, twist at the end was lovely and i'm excited for book 2! slower plot advancements would have been nice
overall: super fun read, twist at the end was lovely and i'm excited for book 2! slower plot advancements would have been nice
April 3, 2024
me: I want a zutara fanfic!
mom: we have zutara fanfics at home 🙄
mom: we have zutara fanfics at home 🙄
March 7, 2024
maybe 1.5 since i'm feeling generous and ended up finishing it after all
let's set the scene:
a train ride, a spotty wifi connection and this book as the only one i had downloaded and not yet read
sooo...
the dedication is a joke. this kind of BS is why fanfic gets a bad rap, ATLA is a masterpiece of characterisation and storytelling, this book, to put it bluntly, is very much not.
the characters and their motivations fell flat and (just like the world building) only made sense in the context of ATLA. (like excuse me you can't have what is essentially lesbian ty lee as bellamy's sister only to have her end up as azula on the last page??? how did we even end up like this? and don't come for me with an "oh it's only inspired by not actual fanfic" bc this still counts, her character made absolutely no sense, she was aware of the shit going on in her kingdom and their king being a manipulative liar of an AH, why would she not believe her brother and her friend over this dickbag?)
the writing itself was a mess. too much telling and not enough showing, cringy lines that made no sense in the context of characterisation and so on.
the plot was....basically nonexistent. since this seems to be the first book in a series i'm willing to ignore some of that but we could have had those 300+ pages filled with a little more action and less descriptions of dresses and dances which helped move NOTHING along (no character development, anything). the little plot i was able to find was, sadly, predictable. i mean it kinda was to be expected with the heavy-handedness of ATLA references as a whole but a little originality would have been nice (and no, the bonded animals (while appreciated) do not count).
the romance fell flat as well imo. the switch from enemies to lovers happened way too quickly and there was little to no chemistry until like the last quarter of the book. i see where the author wanted to go with little touches and so on but there was just not enough fire (ha) and reluctant pining for an enemies to lovers focused story.
overall, i felt like the author had specific scenes in mind when writing this book (like aforementioned touches, dances, specific tropes (the unmentionable one bed, tending to each others' wounds)) and tried to connect those to a coherent plot.
i feel like with a few rounds of editing and (shocker i'm going to say this since i'm usually advocating for removing pages) a few more pages spent on PASSIVE characterisation and world building (no wistful or on the nose infodumping), this could actually be decent. maybe the next one will be able to fix some of those issues, i probably won't be reading it though.
let's set the scene:
a train ride, a spotty wifi connection and this book as the only one i had downloaded and not yet read
sooo...
the dedication is a joke. this kind of BS is why fanfic gets a bad rap, ATLA is a masterpiece of characterisation and storytelling, this book, to put it bluntly, is very much not.
the characters and their motivations fell flat and (just like the world building) only made sense in the context of ATLA. (like excuse me you can't have what is essentially lesbian ty lee as bellamy's sister only to have her end up as azula on the last page??? how did we even end up like this? and don't come for me with an "oh it's only inspired by not actual fanfic" bc this still counts, her character made absolutely no sense, she was aware of the shit going on in her kingdom and their king being a manipulative liar of an AH, why would she not believe her brother and her friend over this dickbag?)
the writing itself was a mess. too much telling and not enough showing, cringy lines that made no sense in the context of characterisation and so on.
the plot was....basically nonexistent. since this seems to be the first book in a series i'm willing to ignore some of that but we could have had those 300+ pages filled with a little more action and less descriptions of dresses and dances which helped move NOTHING along (no character development, anything). the little plot i was able to find was, sadly, predictable. i mean it kinda was to be expected with the heavy-handedness of ATLA references as a whole but a little originality would have been nice (and no, the bonded animals (while appreciated) do not count).
the romance fell flat as well imo. the switch from enemies to lovers happened way too quickly and there was little to no chemistry until like the last quarter of the book. i see where the author wanted to go with little touches and so on but there was just not enough fire (ha) and reluctant pining for an enemies to lovers focused story.
overall, i felt like the author had specific scenes in mind when writing this book (like aforementioned touches, dances, specific tropes (the unmentionable one bed, tending to each others' wounds)) and tried to connect those to a coherent plot.
i feel like with a few rounds of editing and (shocker i'm going to say this since i'm usually advocating for removing pages) a few more pages spent on PASSIVE characterisation and world building (no wistful or on the nose infodumping), this could actually be decent. maybe the next one will be able to fix some of those issues, i probably won't be reading it though.
February 7, 2024
When I was offered an opportunity to read an Advanced Copy of this book I was beyond excited. The dedication is for “those who wanted Zuko and Katara to end up together”, which hello, of course I did!
With the Ememies to Lovers trope in mind, I was really looking forward to how this storyline would play along. There was not a lot of world building in this book, which if I’m being honest, after reading 16 books of a very immersed universe, I was more than relieved. After a while, I did feel like it was not just the world building that wasn’t the only thing missing.
The FMC, while she had some similarities to ATLA Katara, I feel as though she was missing a lot of the maturity the character showed in the show. The stubbornness was there, but it was definitely not used in a way that would be most beneficial to the circumstances. The MMC also seemed to be a more tamed version of Zuko. He ran away from any conversation and situation of confrontation.
By the time the two character decide to express emotion towards each other, it seemed almost unlikely they had any desire for the other considering they had maybe one whole conversation in the weeks they were together. The pacing in the first 3/4 of the book made it feel very unlikely they would progress their relationship. There was lots of missed opportunity with this arranged marriage trope/enemies to lovers trope.
Aside from the main characters and pacing, this storyline shows lots of promise. I’m intrigued to see how it improves and falls together with the two kingdoms. This story almost reads like a prequel, and I would definitely give the sequel a chance.
With the Ememies to Lovers trope in mind, I was really looking forward to how this storyline would play along. There was not a lot of world building in this book, which if I’m being honest, after reading 16 books of a very immersed universe, I was more than relieved. After a while, I did feel like it was not just the world building that wasn’t the only thing missing.
The FMC, while she had some similarities to ATLA Katara, I feel as though she was missing a lot of the maturity the character showed in the show. The stubbornness was there, but it was definitely not used in a way that would be most beneficial to the circumstances. The MMC also seemed to be a more tamed version of Zuko. He ran away from any conversation and situation of confrontation.
By the time the two character decide to express emotion towards each other, it seemed almost unlikely they had any desire for the other considering they had maybe one whole conversation in the weeks they were together. The pacing in the first 3/4 of the book made it feel very unlikely they would progress their relationship. There was lots of missed opportunity with this arranged marriage trope/enemies to lovers trope.
Aside from the main characters and pacing, this storyline shows lots of promise. I’m intrigued to see how it improves and falls together with the two kingdoms. This story almost reads like a prequel, and I would definitely give the sequel a chance.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 7, 2024
I loved the idea behind this book, but for me it could’ve used a few more rounds of editing.
The reader never gets the chance to learn about the world through the character’s interactions and natural meetings. Instead, massive amounts of information are simply told-another reviewer encompassed it perfectly with “show, not tell”.
The interactions between Bellamy and Koraine are, to me, not the interactions of two 23-year-olds. They are so hot and cold, and sometimes for no apparent reason at all. So much felt forced, and so many high tension chapters that could’ve been big moments just fell flat. You’re telling me Bellamy is highly secretive about his scars, wears long sleeves during the blazing hot summer, and refuses to answer Koraine’s question during truth or drink, and then just-comes out of their shared bathroom shirtless? Makes no sense.
A few random things that bugged me-
Koraine instantly befriending the captain of the guard and allowing him to escort her alone even though her internal monologue is “trust no one!”
Koraine wearing intentionally revealing clothes but being insecure about her body? Also the random note before fall solstice about “no longer being the weak girl from Morwen and filling out my womanly curves” when her whole thing was having a father as a general and training ALL THE TIME with her brothers
Bellamy openly flirting with Koraine and then two lines later hating her guts
Dragons and sea serpents-so cool!! But we hardly get any real background on them or see their relationships on page.
The reader never gets the chance to learn about the world through the character’s interactions and natural meetings. Instead, massive amounts of information are simply told-another reviewer encompassed it perfectly with “show, not tell”.
The interactions between Bellamy and Koraine are, to me, not the interactions of two 23-year-olds. They are so hot and cold, and sometimes for no apparent reason at all. So much felt forced, and so many high tension chapters that could’ve been big moments just fell flat. You’re telling me Bellamy is highly secretive about his scars, wears long sleeves during the blazing hot summer, and refuses to answer Koraine’s question during truth or drink, and then just-comes out of their shared bathroom shirtless? Makes no sense.
A few random things that bugged me-
Koraine instantly befriending the captain of the guard and allowing him to escort her alone even though her internal monologue is “trust no one!”
Koraine wearing intentionally revealing clothes but being insecure about her body? Also the random note before fall solstice about “no longer being the weak girl from Morwen and filling out my womanly curves” when her whole thing was having a father as a general and training ALL THE TIME with her brothers
Bellamy openly flirting with Koraine and then two lines later hating her guts
Dragons and sea serpents-so cool!! But we hardly get any real background on them or see their relationships on page.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 20, 2024
they deserve each other (derogatory)
April 5, 2025
Great idea, poor execution. I don’t want to come for the book super hard but it just was not able to make me feel a connection with either of the characters.
April 6, 2024
☆ 4/ 4,5 ☆
Oh myyyy ik heb echt genoten van dit Avatar the Last Airbender geïnspireerde fantasy verhaal!
De dedication wekte al gelijk mijn interesse, want dit boek is namelijk vooral gericht op de Zutara shippers.
Ook al houuuu ik van Aang en Katara samen, ik blijf een enemies to lovers girly en ik heb al zo lang ik me kan herinneren een dikke crush op Zuko.
Was daarom ook geen verassing dat ik direct een zwak had voor Bellamy.
Vergeet Koraine, ik offer me graag op.
De romance was geweldig, de tension haast om te snijden!
Het verhaal pakt gelijk goed op, en sleurt je zo mee in deze wereld met elemental magic.
Boeken met elemental magic zijn bij mij sowieso al een pluspunt, maar hier zitten ook nog eens draken en sea serpents in, yes please!
Ik zag alles goed voor me, ook omdat ik de tekenserie al zo vaak heb gekeken wat hier uiteraard goed bij hielp.
De kleine ATLA references vond ik erg leuk, die brachten een glimlach op mijn gezicht!
Enigste wat ik miste was nog een klein beetje worldbuilding, maar ik neem aan dat we in deel twee meer van de andere rijken/ deze wereld krijgen te zien.
Maar dit einde? Halloooo, dat was BRUUT!!! Wat een cliffhanger, ik wil meer.
Ik ben fan en kijk nu al uit naar het vervolg!!
Oh myyyy ik heb echt genoten van dit Avatar the Last Airbender geïnspireerde fantasy verhaal!
De dedication wekte al gelijk mijn interesse, want dit boek is namelijk vooral gericht op de Zutara shippers.
Ook al houuuu ik van Aang en Katara samen, ik blijf een enemies to lovers girly en ik heb al zo lang ik me kan herinneren een dikke crush op Zuko.
Was daarom ook geen verassing dat ik direct een zwak had voor Bellamy.
Vergeet Koraine, ik offer me graag op.
De romance was geweldig, de tension haast om te snijden!
Het verhaal pakt gelijk goed op, en sleurt je zo mee in deze wereld met elemental magic.
Boeken met elemental magic zijn bij mij sowieso al een pluspunt, maar hier zitten ook nog eens draken en sea serpents in, yes please!
Ik zag alles goed voor me, ook omdat ik de tekenserie al zo vaak heb gekeken wat hier uiteraard goed bij hielp.
De kleine ATLA references vond ik erg leuk, die brachten een glimlach op mijn gezicht!
Enigste wat ik miste was nog een klein beetje worldbuilding, maar ik neem aan dat we in deel twee meer van de andere rijken/ deze wereld krijgen te zien.
Maar dit einde? Halloooo, dat was BRUUT!!! Wat een cliffhanger, ik wil meer.
Ik ben fan en kijk nu al uit naar het vervolg!!
February 21, 2024
So this was my first ARC and it was good the only reason it was rated so low is I expected more plot and it was centred around romance when so much more could have been done.
The romance also felt rushed a forced there was little chemistry between the characters. I get they got married because they had to (marriage of convenience) but there could have been a natural progression and this book should have ended with them as “friends” but the next book is when they should have been together so that there would be less of a romcom vibe and actual fantasy in the end. Also the fact that the characters “do it” so soon after admitting their feeling is disgusting there was no progression of PDA it legit went from “I hate you” to that.
On top of everything Korrain the female MC was very one dimensional she had very little crisis about her dad basically selling her off. She didn’t think about her family as much as I would have hoped. She was obsessed with water which I get but she should have had flashbacks thinking about her father teaching her or something like that.
The romance also felt rushed a forced there was little chemistry between the characters. I get they got married because they had to (marriage of convenience) but there could have been a natural progression and this book should have ended with them as “friends” but the next book is when they should have been together so that there would be less of a romcom vibe and actual fantasy in the end. Also the fact that the characters “do it” so soon after admitting their feeling is disgusting there was no progression of PDA it legit went from “I hate you” to that.
On top of everything Korrain the female MC was very one dimensional she had very little crisis about her dad basically selling her off. She didn’t think about her family as much as I would have hoped. She was obsessed with water which I get but she should have had flashbacks thinking about her father teaching her or something like that.
April 20, 2024
MY ZUTARA DREAMS CAME TRUE!!😍🔥😭I haven't read much fantasy, but I breezed through this book and loved it so much!! The whole fire and water combo has always appealed to me, and Bellamy has my heart ❤️🔥 I love that man, and he must be protected at all costs, and I'm 100% here for a man who'll burn the world for me😏. The banter between him and Korina was so enjoyable. I can't believe I have to wait for the next book😭😭 I need it NOW!! Please and thank you🥺
February 8, 2024
I received this ARC from the author via BookFunnel.
**Disclaimer: earlier today I received news on an up- to-date version of the book that fixed grammatical errors and added/tweaked scenes based on reader feedback. The review below is based on the version before said revisions.
Before reading this book, I was informed that even though this story was inspired by Zutara, these characters were not them. I am indifferent towards the Zutara ship so I only expected an enemies to lovers relationship based in a fantasy world of four elemental kingdoms. I barely got that. The story did take place in a fantasy world made up of four elemental kingdoms (with a focus on water and fire, specifically the latter) but it did not deliver on the enemies to lovers relationship. There were so many missed opportunities for the leads to bond in an organic way, but instead the characters learned things about each other from side characters who are bonding with the leads instead. (One of the worst offenses was when Bellamy was punished by his father with burns and Koraine wasn’t given the opportunity to heal him. She should have)
The writing needed to go through more rounds of developmental editing because there were glaring character inconsistencies, poor sentence structure, and pacing issues. So many things did not make sense. I have over 200 notes on my kindle for this book and each one represents every single time my immersion was interrupted by poor writing. Sometimes I wondered if I was reading a wikipedia page because of how matter of fact the sentences were. Sometimes it felt like I was reading diary entries of events that have come to pass and I was just getting a play by play of information. There was no sentence length variety, no rhythm, no eloquence to support the steamy romance that I was supposed to be rooting for!
(I was so caught off guard when the spicy scenes finally happened because the lack of chemistry between the main characters was lukewarm, not steamy.)
I asked so many questions while reading. Here are a few:
Why was Koraine offered to the fire kingdom as a bride? If it was for the sake of the kingdom, the princess should have been the one to go. You really expect me to believe her betroval to the earth prince would hinder that alliance enough when pissing off the fire kingdom could incite more war? Why does Koraine get away with saying “You can’t be fucking serious?” to the king? Korain was a daughter of a nobleman and she had not received any teaching on etiquette and how to behave with nobility? Why did Nyla befriend Koraine so quickly when Koraine’s people killed her mother? Koraine went shopping for clothing because she didn’t have anything to wear only to not wear any of the clothes from a recent shopping trip? Why was Koraine portrayed as a femme fatale esque character but then later she’s anxious and uncertain? The man in charge of the orphanage tells Bellamy he hates the royal family but when he is sent off unwillingly to the air kingdom invasion attempt, he says he will stay and fight for the king and his country; why the change of heart? What is the fire kingdom fighting for? How does one ride a water serpent? What was it like to have an animal companion? Why was Ronan introduced? Why was Iza introduced at all? Goddesses; what is the belief system and why were the goddesses unnamed? Are we going to learn about the dragons/sea serpent at all or are they just mascots? There were few mentions of palace staff but Korain didn’t have a personal attendant despite her being the future queen?? Why are the descriptions for interiors a wall color and type of floor tile? Why do these characters say fuck so much? My list of questions is very long and I’m tired of scrolling through my kindle to find them.
This book had several claims/promises.
One such claim stated how the first book focused on the relationship while the next book would have more worldbuilding. Why do readers have to wait for the next one to have world building when there was ample opportunity to build it and weave it into this story. And the next book is going to include the other kingdoms too? I’m not reading the next book to find out.
This book was intended to be read in one sitting; it took me several attempts. Several times I wanted to DNF this read. Why did I keep reading? I kept reading on because I could see the potential. There were so many bits and pieces I picked up along the way that, if the story was approached differently, it could have been great. That’s the most frustrating thing about this story.
The spicy scenes weren’t even fun to read because everything leading up to it was a chore to get through.
Every time I considered DNFing Broken Flames, I would remember how Koraine and Bellamy are inspired by some of the most interesting and complex characters from one of the best animated tv shows. They became characters so separate from their inspirations if the inspirations were stripped of what made them deep, well rounded, and motivated characters worth rooting for.
**Before writing this review I received the email mentioned in the disclaimer and I got so angry because the thought that there were additional/tweaked scenes that could have altered my review made me not want to write this up at all. I would have appreciated a list of the specific changes in the email because it made me feel like my pre-revision review was pointless since I don’t know what changed. Even though it's not required of me, the thought of going through and finding those changes (or reading the bonus scene that was added in the revision) makes me apprehensive. So I won’t be doing that.
**Disclaimer: earlier today I received news on an up- to-date version of the book that fixed grammatical errors and added/tweaked scenes based on reader feedback. The review below is based on the version before said revisions.
Before reading this book, I was informed that even though this story was inspired by Zutara, these characters were not them. I am indifferent towards the Zutara ship so I only expected an enemies to lovers relationship based in a fantasy world of four elemental kingdoms. I barely got that. The story did take place in a fantasy world made up of four elemental kingdoms (with a focus on water and fire, specifically the latter) but it did not deliver on the enemies to lovers relationship. There were so many missed opportunities for the leads to bond in an organic way, but instead the characters learned things about each other from side characters who are bonding with the leads instead. (One of the worst offenses was when Bellamy was punished by his father with burns and Koraine wasn’t given the opportunity to heal him. She should have)
The writing needed to go through more rounds of developmental editing because there were glaring character inconsistencies, poor sentence structure, and pacing issues. So many things did not make sense. I have over 200 notes on my kindle for this book and each one represents every single time my immersion was interrupted by poor writing. Sometimes I wondered if I was reading a wikipedia page because of how matter of fact the sentences were. Sometimes it felt like I was reading diary entries of events that have come to pass and I was just getting a play by play of information. There was no sentence length variety, no rhythm, no eloquence to support the steamy romance that I was supposed to be rooting for!
(I was so caught off guard when the spicy scenes finally happened because the lack of chemistry between the main characters was lukewarm, not steamy.)
I asked so many questions while reading. Here are a few:
Why was Koraine offered to the fire kingdom as a bride? If it was for the sake of the kingdom, the princess should have been the one to go. You really expect me to believe her betroval to the earth prince would hinder that alliance enough when pissing off the fire kingdom could incite more war? Why does Koraine get away with saying “You can’t be fucking serious?” to the king? Korain was a daughter of a nobleman and she had not received any teaching on etiquette and how to behave with nobility? Why did Nyla befriend Koraine so quickly when Koraine’s people killed her mother? Koraine went shopping for clothing because she didn’t have anything to wear only to not wear any of the clothes from a recent shopping trip? Why was Koraine portrayed as a femme fatale esque character but then later she’s anxious and uncertain? The man in charge of the orphanage tells Bellamy he hates the royal family but when he is sent off unwillingly to the air kingdom invasion attempt, he says he will stay and fight for the king and his country; why the change of heart? What is the fire kingdom fighting for? How does one ride a water serpent? What was it like to have an animal companion? Why was Ronan introduced? Why was Iza introduced at all? Goddesses; what is the belief system and why were the goddesses unnamed? Are we going to learn about the dragons/sea serpent at all or are they just mascots? There were few mentions of palace staff but Korain didn’t have a personal attendant despite her being the future queen?? Why are the descriptions for interiors a wall color and type of floor tile? Why do these characters say fuck so much? My list of questions is very long and I’m tired of scrolling through my kindle to find them.
This book had several claims/promises.
One such claim stated how the first book focused on the relationship while the next book would have more worldbuilding. Why do readers have to wait for the next one to have world building when there was ample opportunity to build it and weave it into this story. And the next book is going to include the other kingdoms too? I’m not reading the next book to find out.
This book was intended to be read in one sitting; it took me several attempts. Several times I wanted to DNF this read. Why did I keep reading? I kept reading on because I could see the potential. There were so many bits and pieces I picked up along the way that, if the story was approached differently, it could have been great. That’s the most frustrating thing about this story.
The spicy scenes weren’t even fun to read because everything leading up to it was a chore to get through.
Every time I considered DNFing Broken Flames, I would remember how Koraine and Bellamy are inspired by some of the most interesting and complex characters from one of the best animated tv shows. They became characters so separate from their inspirations if the inspirations were stripped of what made them deep, well rounded, and motivated characters worth rooting for.
**Before writing this review I received the email mentioned in the disclaimer and I got so angry because the thought that there were additional/tweaked scenes that could have altered my review made me not want to write this up at all. I would have appreciated a list of the specific changes in the email because it made me feel like my pre-revision review was pointless since I don’t know what changed. Even though it's not required of me, the thought of going through and finding those changes (or reading the bonus scene that was added in the revision) makes me apprehensive. So I won’t be doing that.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 15, 2024
3.75⭐️
since the dedication is what prompted me to sign up for the arc, I figured I’d share it first:
“for everyone who thought Zuko and Katara should’ve ended up together”
that being said, while it’s inspired by Zuko and Katara being from fire and water nations, this book is not some type of like ATLA fanfic or something. the story is its own, and has me vv invested… like please I need book two now pleaseeee noooooo you can’t leave me like thisss😭😭💔but yeah. I’ll admit it was a kinda slow start, but this is the first book in a romantasy series so that’s to be expected. things pick up in the last half with action and some revelations (that I did see coming but were still good) that are setting up a very interesting story; I can’t wait to continue!! next book now pls!! please?! NOW. PLEASEEEE😭
*thank you so much MK Ahearn for the ARC in exchange for an honest review🥰as an arc reader, I figured I should point out my main critique; the magic system. Koraine explains only being able to manipulate water that’s already there, while Bellamy describes creating fire himself. this could just be how their powers work, but it seems a bit inconsistent for one to control an existing element while another can produce the element. also my arc copy had some writing errors (grammar/formatting) but I don’t doubt they’ll be corrected before the release. just my thoughts, still an enjoyable read!!!🔥💦
since the dedication is what prompted me to sign up for the arc, I figured I’d share it first:
“for everyone who thought Zuko and Katara should’ve ended up together”
that being said, while it’s inspired by Zuko and Katara being from fire and water nations, this book is not some type of like ATLA fanfic or something. the story is its own, and has me vv invested… like please I need book two now pleaseeee noooooo you can’t leave me like thisss😭😭💔but yeah. I’ll admit it was a kinda slow start, but this is the first book in a romantasy series so that’s to be expected. things pick up in the last half with action and some revelations (that I did see coming but were still good) that are setting up a very interesting story; I can’t wait to continue!! next book now pls!! please?! NOW. PLEASEEEE😭
*thank you so much MK Ahearn for the ARC in exchange for an honest review🥰as an arc reader, I figured I should point out my main critique; the magic system. Koraine explains only being able to manipulate water that’s already there, while Bellamy describes creating fire himself. this could just be how their powers work, but it seems a bit inconsistent for one to control an existing element while another can produce the element. also my arc copy had some writing errors (grammar/formatting) but I don’t doubt they’ll be corrected before the release. just my thoughts, still an enjoyable read!!!🔥💦
July 4, 2024
3.75 ⭐️
I am really grateful to have received this book as my first ARC review. All thoughts and options are mine.
The good: I do like the authors writing style and thought there was a ton of potential for this storyline and plot.
Slight spoilers so stop reading if you haven’t read this yet!
I really liked the magic element, gave very much avatar vibes (last air bender not blue alien). I’ve never watched the anime or live actions of avatar so I went in blind on who the characters were inspired by. The elemental magic is really fun, and how it was wielded was enjoyable to read about. I also liked the dragons and sea dragons element but wished we got more of both them and their relationships with their riders.
The main issue I have is with the character relationships and back stories. We got very little back story on any of the characters within the book. The enemies to lovers trope is great and I do love it, but this stretched that a bit far. Our FMC and MMC spent 70% of the book ignoring each other for weeks at a time and interacting very little, like a small conversation, if that. So the “slow burn” is more slow less burn, and didn’t make me fully fall into their potential love story. This being said the book was also very fast paced and could have been stretched out into two books before the two main characters even got together.
I wanted more backstory on the whole thing! Why were the kingdoms at war? Why was Bellamy’s dad such a dick?? Why Koraine? Why didn’t any of her family write to her, at all? More about Nyla? What is the deal with Cyrus and Bellamy? More background about the other sub characters that I would have loved more on! So many more questions!
The dialogue of the characters read more as 16-18 year olds than 23 year told adults, that alone altered my connection with them all as it came across as slightly immature.
All in all I did enjoy the read and am interested to see what the next installment is like!
I am really grateful to have received this book as my first ARC review. All thoughts and options are mine.
The good: I do like the authors writing style and thought there was a ton of potential for this storyline and plot.
Slight spoilers so stop reading if you haven’t read this yet!
I really liked the magic element, gave very much avatar vibes (last air bender not blue alien). I’ve never watched the anime or live actions of avatar so I went in blind on who the characters were inspired by. The elemental magic is really fun, and how it was wielded was enjoyable to read about. I also liked the dragons and sea dragons element but wished we got more of both them and their relationships with their riders.
The main issue I have is with the character relationships and back stories. We got very little back story on any of the characters within the book. The enemies to lovers trope is great and I do love it, but this stretched that a bit far. Our FMC and MMC spent 70% of the book ignoring each other for weeks at a time and interacting very little, like a small conversation, if that. So the “slow burn” is more slow less burn, and didn’t make me fully fall into their potential love story. This being said the book was also very fast paced and could have been stretched out into two books before the two main characters even got together.
I wanted more backstory on the whole thing! Why were the kingdoms at war? Why was Bellamy’s dad such a dick?? Why Koraine? Why didn’t any of her family write to her, at all? More about Nyla? What is the deal with Cyrus and Bellamy? More background about the other sub characters that I would have loved more on! So many more questions!
The dialogue of the characters read more as 16-18 year olds than 23 year told adults, that alone altered my connection with them all as it came across as slightly immature.
All in all I did enjoy the read and am interested to see what the next installment is like!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 16, 2024
Overall? Meh.
February 27, 2024
Heavy spoilers in this review. I do not give warning before a spoiler pops up. This whole review is a spoiler.
A huge thank you to MK Ahearn and Azala Press for allowing me a chance to read the ARC for this book. I saw the TikToks and was completely sold on the association to Zutara. As a huge ATLA fan and a Zutara shipper, I will gladly read anything that resembles them. And I think it fulfilled that, but as a whole I was not impressed.
I really wanted to like this book. I want to preface this review by saying I read the initial version of the ARC when it was sent out. Then a few days later I read the edited ARC two more times.
I gave this a lot of thought because my initial reaction was that I disliked it. But by my third read, I could see that some of my criticisms were due to bias and the expectation that it needed to parallel Avatar The Last Airbender more closely than it did. By the third time I read it, I was able to appreciate it for what it was, for the things that make it stand on its own as a story. That is to say, I enjoyed parts of this book. However, my overall opinion of it is poor.
To put it plainly, my main gripe with the book is the writing quality and plot feels empty in terms of what actually happens.
When it comes to setting a scene, I tend to overlook whether there is proper grammar when it comes to indie books— things like spelling or punctuation errors. I know that for self-published authors it’s expensive to invest in editing. But I think this book would really benefit from developmental editing more. There are no instances where the writing is show and not tell. I felt like all the information was spoon-fed to me from the setting, to actions and also the internal thoughts of both POVs. Not to mention the short sentences and straightforward vocabulary, those internal thoughts felt very juvenile. All the characters felt a few years younger than they actually are. I would be more convinced this was on the younger side of a YA book if it weren’t for the swear words and sex scenes sprinkled in. Which made it very uncomfortable to read spicy scenes.
Example from very early on in the book that I still can’t stop thinking about:
"Settling on my horse, I nudged her forward to follow my father off of our property. She was a beautiful, all white, thoroughbred. I’d affectionately named her Milly, but no one else called her that. All of our horses had secret names I’d given them. I gave up trying to convince my father to name them. He’d called it a waste of time when I had told him about Milly years ago. With every new horse brought to our home, I’d quietly named them, keeping them a secret only I knew."
This scene, and very first scene where she has snuck away from home is an attempt to tell the reader that Korraine has a rebellious nature. However this isn’t followed up on because of the characterization, which is my other main issue with the story.
Korraine’s personality does not match up with her actions. She is at times opinionated, stubborn, has compassion and a bit of an adventurous spirit. Most of her internal commentary centers around duty and the loyalty towards her family. She resolves to survive her time in Abelon and possibly gain intelligence to send back home. (The fact that she— a nobeman’s daughter— barely knows the political situation within her own kingdom is also concerning). However, once she gets there what she actually does for the most part is wander around the palace and surrounding city aimlessly, get drunk, spend time with her sea dragon and shop with Nyla. Amidst all this, she comes to see that her fiancé isn’t all that bad and so the attraction grows between them. There’s a disconnect between her thoughts and her actions, and also other people’s perceptions of her. There’s a moment in the book where just before they are about to be intimate, Bellamy thinks about how powerful and strong she, when in fact he has only seen her manipulate water a few times on a small scale.
Emotionally, I would consider Korraine to be strong. She is noblewoman that is being used as a bartering tool. She’s in the enemy’s kingdom, living in the royal palace, surrounded by people that have had a hand in the suffering of people from her homeland. That is an intensely highly stressful situation and I have to give her credit for at least trying to adapt. I just wish the book had taken it one step further where she actively tries to sleuth around the castle, maybe connect with a spy in Abelon who’s working for Morwen. Literally anything because according to Bellamy, “You’re the future queen. You have the freedom to go anywhere in this palace and city with little exceptions.”
Another question: WHY?
Either the king of Abelon is confident Korraine isn’t a threat or the people of this kingdom are lax about national security. They don’t trust her or the people’s response to her enough to have the wedding happen right away, but they’ll give her free rein to do whatever she wants.
And she doesn’t even take advantage of that. In all, I know it’s harsh but I feel like she’s very much a doormat. If anything if we are to make parallels to characters in ATLA, she does not remind me of Katara. She’s more like Princess Yue, in personality and appearance (which by the way was weird, because I kept imaging Zuko/Yue in my head while reading).
But again, this book is a romance, not a political fantasy. I probably don’t have enough grounds to complain about it, but if these elements are going to be there, I would hope they make enough sense that there aren’t questions of how or why.
Bellamy as a character is only slightly a step up from Korraine. He’s moody, brash and hyper focused on supporting this orphanage in the city. He deeply cares about his kingdom, his sister and the approval of his father. I could see strong parallels to Zuko, as was the inspiration of his character. But I do want to point out that his trauma is very downplayed. There’s a scene where he’s being physically abused by his father that turns into an excuse for Korraine to nurse him to health. It felt like that scene was less about his development as a character and more of a way to forge intimacy between the two leads. As much as his backstory was intriguing, I felt like he was directionless until he learned the truth of his mother’s death.
As for the worldbuilding, I am a high fantasy reader so my expectations are unrealistically high in that aspect. This is mainly a romance but I was left wanting for more details on some things.
Examples:
“Long ago the goddesses had shaped our kingdoms and blessed us with the abilities to control the elements.”
Who are the goddesses? How did they give the abilities to humans? How did the first elemental users learn the arts? What is the history behind this?
“The goddesses want a balance of power, and this marriage gives us the best chance at that. Whether you follow through or not is up to you.”
So if the goddesses want a balance of power, and are known to interact with humans (i.e. giving them abilities) why have they done nothing about the war?
How are the dragons interacting with their humans? How are the sea dragons able to interact as well. There’s this quote in the beginning of the book about the sea dragons, but I don’t feel like this is fully explained. Is the bond really only sensing one another? And if so, why doesn’t Talay come when Korraine is being kidnapped by pirates? How does the bond work? Can it it be shut off at all? Does the bond only work because they are elemental users?
“Most of the warriors in our kingdom had their own sea serpent, raised and bred in a special cove controlled by the palace. The only reason I’d been gifted one was because the king gifted my father’s children each with their own as a sign of his gratitude following the war.”
This insinuates that non elemental users can also bond, so then how does that magic work?
Again, this might all be very nitpicky. Not everyone needs that kind of worldbuilding, but for me it wasn’t enough.
I do find the concept of warring nations intriguing and was excited to see how an arranged marriage would mitigate the conflict. Given that this is a fantasy world, I expect a certain amount worldbuilding that feels immersive. I wasn’t pulled in like I wanted to be.
When it comes to the plot, not much happens other than:
-Korraine exploring, going to parties/getting drunk and befriending a guardsman that tries to assault her
-Bellamy is either training or visiting his favorite orphanage
-Bellamy gets sent to a battle and gets punished for letting his men die/his scars cause the sexual tension to turn into a romantic moment -Bellamy finding out his father had his mother killed
-They run away to Morwen, leaving his sister behind
-Get married and then get captured
Which by the way was really weird, because Nyla and Bellamy have a really good relationship. A loving one, with trust and loyalty and genuine friendship. The fact that she doesn’t really hear him out when he’s trying to tell her that their father isn’t who they think he is was bizarre. She didn’t really give a good argument as to why she stayed behind. It’s even more bizarre that she’s hunting them down at the end of the book.
I do want to say this book has the elements of Zutara if that is why you’re reading this. Broody prince that’s secretly a dork at heart meets a headstrong girl that loves her family. Although I cannot agree that Korraine parallels Katara in any way, you could easily find things to relate back to that dynamic.
Would I recommend this book to anyone? Probably not. I think it’s a good start though. If this were polished a bit more, with what the author was intending to do with this story it could be something much greater.
A huge thank you to MK Ahearn and Azala Press for allowing me a chance to read the ARC for this book. I saw the TikToks and was completely sold on the association to Zutara. As a huge ATLA fan and a Zutara shipper, I will gladly read anything that resembles them. And I think it fulfilled that, but as a whole I was not impressed.
I really wanted to like this book. I want to preface this review by saying I read the initial version of the ARC when it was sent out. Then a few days later I read the edited ARC two more times.
I gave this a lot of thought because my initial reaction was that I disliked it. But by my third read, I could see that some of my criticisms were due to bias and the expectation that it needed to parallel Avatar The Last Airbender more closely than it did. By the third time I read it, I was able to appreciate it for what it was, for the things that make it stand on its own as a story. That is to say, I enjoyed parts of this book. However, my overall opinion of it is poor.
To put it plainly, my main gripe with the book is the writing quality and plot feels empty in terms of what actually happens.
When it comes to setting a scene, I tend to overlook whether there is proper grammar when it comes to indie books— things like spelling or punctuation errors. I know that for self-published authors it’s expensive to invest in editing. But I think this book would really benefit from developmental editing more. There are no instances where the writing is show and not tell. I felt like all the information was spoon-fed to me from the setting, to actions and also the internal thoughts of both POVs. Not to mention the short sentences and straightforward vocabulary, those internal thoughts felt very juvenile. All the characters felt a few years younger than they actually are. I would be more convinced this was on the younger side of a YA book if it weren’t for the swear words and sex scenes sprinkled in. Which made it very uncomfortable to read spicy scenes.
Example from very early on in the book that I still can’t stop thinking about:
"Settling on my horse, I nudged her forward to follow my father off of our property. She was a beautiful, all white, thoroughbred. I’d affectionately named her Milly, but no one else called her that. All of our horses had secret names I’d given them. I gave up trying to convince my father to name them. He’d called it a waste of time when I had told him about Milly years ago. With every new horse brought to our home, I’d quietly named them, keeping them a secret only I knew."
This scene, and very first scene where she has snuck away from home is an attempt to tell the reader that Korraine has a rebellious nature. However this isn’t followed up on because of the characterization, which is my other main issue with the story.
Korraine’s personality does not match up with her actions. She is at times opinionated, stubborn, has compassion and a bit of an adventurous spirit. Most of her internal commentary centers around duty and the loyalty towards her family. She resolves to survive her time in Abelon and possibly gain intelligence to send back home. (The fact that she— a nobeman’s daughter— barely knows the political situation within her own kingdom is also concerning). However, once she gets there what she actually does for the most part is wander around the palace and surrounding city aimlessly, get drunk, spend time with her sea dragon and shop with Nyla. Amidst all this, she comes to see that her fiancé isn’t all that bad and so the attraction grows between them. There’s a disconnect between her thoughts and her actions, and also other people’s perceptions of her. There’s a moment in the book where just before they are about to be intimate, Bellamy thinks about how powerful and strong she, when in fact he has only seen her manipulate water a few times on a small scale.
Emotionally, I would consider Korraine to be strong. She is noblewoman that is being used as a bartering tool. She’s in the enemy’s kingdom, living in the royal palace, surrounded by people that have had a hand in the suffering of people from her homeland. That is an intensely highly stressful situation and I have to give her credit for at least trying to adapt. I just wish the book had taken it one step further where she actively tries to sleuth around the castle, maybe connect with a spy in Abelon who’s working for Morwen. Literally anything because according to Bellamy, “You’re the future queen. You have the freedom to go anywhere in this palace and city with little exceptions.”
Another question: WHY?
Either the king of Abelon is confident Korraine isn’t a threat or the people of this kingdom are lax about national security. They don’t trust her or the people’s response to her enough to have the wedding happen right away, but they’ll give her free rein to do whatever she wants.
And she doesn’t even take advantage of that. In all, I know it’s harsh but I feel like she’s very much a doormat. If anything if we are to make parallels to characters in ATLA, she does not remind me of Katara. She’s more like Princess Yue, in personality and appearance (which by the way was weird, because I kept imaging Zuko/Yue in my head while reading).
But again, this book is a romance, not a political fantasy. I probably don’t have enough grounds to complain about it, but if these elements are going to be there, I would hope they make enough sense that there aren’t questions of how or why.
Bellamy as a character is only slightly a step up from Korraine. He’s moody, brash and hyper focused on supporting this orphanage in the city. He deeply cares about his kingdom, his sister and the approval of his father. I could see strong parallels to Zuko, as was the inspiration of his character. But I do want to point out that his trauma is very downplayed. There’s a scene where he’s being physically abused by his father that turns into an excuse for Korraine to nurse him to health. It felt like that scene was less about his development as a character and more of a way to forge intimacy between the two leads. As much as his backstory was intriguing, I felt like he was directionless until he learned the truth of his mother’s death.
As for the worldbuilding, I am a high fantasy reader so my expectations are unrealistically high in that aspect. This is mainly a romance but I was left wanting for more details on some things.
Examples:
“Long ago the goddesses had shaped our kingdoms and blessed us with the abilities to control the elements.”
Who are the goddesses? How did they give the abilities to humans? How did the first elemental users learn the arts? What is the history behind this?
“The goddesses want a balance of power, and this marriage gives us the best chance at that. Whether you follow through or not is up to you.”
So if the goddesses want a balance of power, and are known to interact with humans (i.e. giving them abilities) why have they done nothing about the war?
How are the dragons interacting with their humans? How are the sea dragons able to interact as well. There’s this quote in the beginning of the book about the sea dragons, but I don’t feel like this is fully explained. Is the bond really only sensing one another? And if so, why doesn’t Talay come when Korraine is being kidnapped by pirates? How does the bond work? Can it it be shut off at all? Does the bond only work because they are elemental users?
“Most of the warriors in our kingdom had their own sea serpent, raised and bred in a special cove controlled by the palace. The only reason I’d been gifted one was because the king gifted my father’s children each with their own as a sign of his gratitude following the war.”
This insinuates that non elemental users can also bond, so then how does that magic work?
Again, this might all be very nitpicky. Not everyone needs that kind of worldbuilding, but for me it wasn’t enough.
I do find the concept of warring nations intriguing and was excited to see how an arranged marriage would mitigate the conflict. Given that this is a fantasy world, I expect a certain amount worldbuilding that feels immersive. I wasn’t pulled in like I wanted to be.
When it comes to the plot, not much happens other than:
-Korraine exploring, going to parties/getting drunk and befriending a guardsman that tries to assault her
-Bellamy is either training or visiting his favorite orphanage
-Bellamy gets sent to a battle and gets punished for letting his men die/his scars cause the sexual tension to turn into a romantic moment -Bellamy finding out his father had his mother killed
-They run away to Morwen, leaving his sister behind
-Get married and then get captured
Which by the way was really weird, because Nyla and Bellamy have a really good relationship. A loving one, with trust and loyalty and genuine friendship. The fact that she doesn’t really hear him out when he’s trying to tell her that their father isn’t who they think he is was bizarre. She didn’t really give a good argument as to why she stayed behind. It’s even more bizarre that she’s hunting them down at the end of the book.
I do want to say this book has the elements of Zutara if that is why you’re reading this. Broody prince that’s secretly a dork at heart meets a headstrong girl that loves her family. Although I cannot agree that Korraine parallels Katara in any way, you could easily find things to relate back to that dynamic.
Would I recommend this book to anyone? Probably not. I think it’s a good start though. If this were polished a bit more, with what the author was intending to do with this story it could be something much greater.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 11, 2024
I received an updated ARC of this book from the author via BookFunnel. While the premise of the story sounded interesting, (the Zuko and Katara dedication honestly sold me on wanting to read it) unfortunately the execution wasn’t working for me. The overall quality of writing and pacing were big issues in my opinion. Also the fact that the main characters feel so juvenile but are supposed to be around 23 years old. It just felt like I was reading a very rough draft and that it could have used more rounds of developing/editing. I hate to rate someone’s hard work so low, but I honestly would have DNF’d this if I hadn’t received it in exchange for a review.
May 19, 2024
Rounding up, a solid 4.5stars
This was such an easy book to get into, the drama starts almost instantly and there is little let up. I found the world build quick and easy, the elemental magic something we are all familiar with so it wasn't over explained or drawn out.
The slow burn, enemies to lovers is a trope, well loved by many, I am no different.
Who doesn't enjoy dragons and sea serpents? Well I sure do!
A perfect first book, perfectly lining your interest and suspense up for an amazing series to follow. Loved it!
This was such an easy book to get into, the drama starts almost instantly and there is little let up. I found the world build quick and easy, the elemental magic something we are all familiar with so it wasn't over explained or drawn out.
The slow burn, enemies to lovers is a trope, well loved by many, I am no different.
Who doesn't enjoy dragons and sea serpents? Well I sure do!
A perfect first book, perfectly lining your interest and suspense up for an amazing series to follow. Loved it!
dnf
March 10, 2024DNF at 7%. I tried so hard to like this book. I saw it on Instagram and it was marketed as being inspired by Zutara so I grabbed this so fast when I saw it was on Kindle Unlimited. Unfortunately this one needed a lot more editing; the constant errors affected my ability to even read through it
March 2, 2025
Koraine has always wanted to explore the kingdoms outside of her own, but when her freedom comes with the price of marrying the prince of her enemy kingdom she no longer wants it. But her duty to keep her kingdom safe comes first, and she is now whisked off to Abelon, the kingdom of fire wielders.
Bellamy would rather torch his own skin than marry a Morwenian. Fire and water have never mixed, so why does his father insist on marrying this woman. He's not blind, Koraine is a sight to look at, but he would never marry or love a Morwenian.
The more Bellamy and Koraine try to resist one another, the more they realize how much they need each other. But war is on the horizon, and their love was never meant to fix it.
If you've been following my updates on this book, you'll know the first 60 pages (out of 284) were not my favorite. The author compares this to Zutara (Katara and Zuko from the Avatar the Last Airbender [ATLA] franchise), and takes inspiration from those characters. I agree that it starts off pretty on the nose, an angry, scarred, and misunderstood MMC who wields fire, and a water wielder FMC who grows into a warrior as the series goes on, and an evil tyrant of a father. However, if I didn't know any of this, and the author didn't comp-title it to ATLA I wouldn't have really made that connection. I think this book gets too much flack for being a 'carbon copy'.
I ended up binging the rest of this book last night and lost sleep over it. 2 am is definitely not my bedtime, but I had to keep reading. Their love story was quick; I can't expect a slowburn in a less than 300 page book, but one of my only complaints is how I wish their attraction and devotion took a little longer to simmer before they really admitted their feelings to themselves and each other.
The plot in itself is pretty predictable, and the author makes it so there isn't any miscommunication between the two MCs. I enjoyed the lack of angst but also found it to be too convenient at times. this was an easy book to binge that I really recommend. As stated, I didn't LOVE the first 60 pages, but after that I was hooked.
I think this series has a lot of potential and could definitely benefit from an editor, and if it were 100 pages longer. Overall, I've already jumped into book two, the conclusion to Bellamy and Koraine's story, and I look forward to reading more tonight!
Bellamy would rather torch his own skin than marry a Morwenian. Fire and water have never mixed, so why does his father insist on marrying this woman. He's not blind, Koraine is a sight to look at, but he would never marry or love a Morwenian.
The more Bellamy and Koraine try to resist one another, the more they realize how much they need each other. But war is on the horizon, and their love was never meant to fix it.
If you've been following my updates on this book, you'll know the first 60 pages (out of 284) were not my favorite. The author compares this to Zutara (Katara and Zuko from the Avatar the Last Airbender [ATLA] franchise), and takes inspiration from those characters. I agree that it starts off pretty on the nose, an angry, scarred, and misunderstood MMC who wields fire, and a water wielder FMC who grows into a warrior as the series goes on, and an evil tyrant of a father. However, if I didn't know any of this, and the author didn't comp-title it to ATLA I wouldn't have really made that connection. I think this book gets too much flack for being a 'carbon copy'.
I ended up binging the rest of this book last night and lost sleep over it. 2 am is definitely not my bedtime, but I had to keep reading. Their love story was quick; I can't expect a slowburn in a less than 300 page book, but one of my only complaints is how I wish their attraction and devotion took a little longer to simmer before they really admitted their feelings to themselves and each other.
The plot in itself is pretty predictable, and the author makes it so there isn't any miscommunication between the two MCs. I enjoyed the lack of angst but also found it to be too convenient at times. this was an easy book to binge that I really recommend. As stated, I didn't LOVE the first 60 pages, but after that I was hooked.
I think this series has a lot of potential and could definitely benefit from an editor, and if it were 100 pages longer. Overall, I've already jumped into book two, the conclusion to Bellamy and Koraine's story, and I look forward to reading more tonight!
February 9, 2024
As soon as I finished this book, I ran to my computer to write a review that I think is suitable for how I am feeling right now. But before I dive deep into the in's and out's of Broken Flames. I would like to thank the author, M.K., Ahearn for allowing me the opportunity to read this ARC. It was my first one ever and I was pleasantly surprised with how much I was invested regardless of my three star rating.
**SPOILERS AHEAD** I didn't want to hide the entire review, my bad lol.
I was going to give this book less than two stars but then the second half of the book led me to believe it deserved three. The reason for the initial two stars was because the first half of the book was extremely awkward and slow. I felt as if the author was telling us more than showing us certain details. I understand world building is hard and it could be something that is improved on in future books of the series. However, it was so awkward, I contemplated DNF'ing. There were minor grammar mistakes even after the final draft was given. For example, the first Bellamy P.O.V, he said "woman" instead of "women." It was completely minor but it definitely caught my attention. Also, I was bothered by the usage of cuss words. Not that I am opposed to them, but I couldn't grasp that a world with kings, queens, princes, and princesses would use the word, "bitch" and "fuck." Aside from the first half, the second half had me on the edge of my seat. I was more intrigued when the author started showing rather than telling. I started to get a feel for the characters and how they showed interest in on another and how they were going to approach the emerging conflict.
Now onto the characters.
Koraine was insufferable, I had no idea where her head was at half the time. She kept saying that she will follow orders to protect herself and her kingdom, but disobeyed the prince every chance she got. Also, I felt as if her feelings for Bellamy came out of left field. It felt random that she had strong feelings after seeing him at the orphanage. I would have liked to see her progress her feelings differently. Possibly see the prince as more of a friend or even ally first before saying she was attracted to him. I think it was easier to follow why Bellamy was attracted to Koraine because it was clear he thought she was beautiful and even admired her for her strong will. Anyways, Koraine pissed me off. But like ATLA, Katara pissed me off too so I'm not really surprised that I found Koraine to be annoying.
Bellamy. What a man. I love him. I think he has a very interesting backstory especially after finding out what REALLY happened to his mom at the end. I think he has so much potential to be an even stronger character and possibly even dethrone his father. Honestly, no complaints about Bellamy. I've always been a Zuko stan so I was not even slightly surprised that I immediately took a liking to him.
Anyways, this was my first romance fantasy in years. What initially brought me in was the marketing that it was going to be basically a Zutara fanfiction. However, I was pleasantly surprised to read that it was not just that. I ended up loving Bellamy and...Koraine as a couple without Zutara attached to them. Will I be picking up the next book based off of my review? Yeah because what the fuck was that ending? THE KING DEFINITELY BRAINWASHED NYLA. Y'all can't tell me otherwise.
**SPOILERS AHEAD** I didn't want to hide the entire review, my bad lol.
I was going to give this book less than two stars but then the second half of the book led me to believe it deserved three. The reason for the initial two stars was because the first half of the book was extremely awkward and slow. I felt as if the author was telling us more than showing us certain details. I understand world building is hard and it could be something that is improved on in future books of the series. However, it was so awkward, I contemplated DNF'ing. There were minor grammar mistakes even after the final draft was given. For example, the first Bellamy P.O.V, he said "woman" instead of "women." It was completely minor but it definitely caught my attention. Also, I was bothered by the usage of cuss words. Not that I am opposed to them, but I couldn't grasp that a world with kings, queens, princes, and princesses would use the word, "bitch" and "fuck." Aside from the first half, the second half had me on the edge of my seat. I was more intrigued when the author started showing rather than telling. I started to get a feel for the characters and how they showed interest in on another and how they were going to approach the emerging conflict.
Now onto the characters.
Koraine was insufferable, I had no idea where her head was at half the time. She kept saying that she will follow orders to protect herself and her kingdom, but disobeyed the prince every chance she got. Also, I felt as if her feelings for Bellamy came out of left field. It felt random that she had strong feelings after seeing him at the orphanage. I would have liked to see her progress her feelings differently. Possibly see the prince as more of a friend or even ally first before saying she was attracted to him. I think it was easier to follow why Bellamy was attracted to Koraine because it was clear he thought she was beautiful and even admired her for her strong will. Anyways, Koraine pissed me off. But like ATLA, Katara pissed me off too so I'm not really surprised that I found Koraine to be annoying.
Bellamy. What a man. I love him. I think he has a very interesting backstory especially after finding out what REALLY happened to his mom at the end. I think he has so much potential to be an even stronger character and possibly even dethrone his father. Honestly, no complaints about Bellamy. I've always been a Zuko stan so I was not even slightly surprised that I immediately took a liking to him.
Anyways, this was my first romance fantasy in years. What initially brought me in was the marketing that it was going to be basically a Zutara fanfiction. However, I was pleasantly surprised to read that it was not just that. I ended up loving Bellamy and...Koraine as a couple without Zutara attached to them. Will I be picking up the next book based off of my review? Yeah because what the fuck was that ending? THE KING DEFINITELY BRAINWASHED NYLA. Y'all can't tell me otherwise.
March 3, 2025
Shoutout to M.K. Ahearn for making Zutara a thing!
I loved how she adapted ATLA into her own world with a unique story. I was drawn in from page one! My favorite part of this story was the bending. Each element and action sequence was described so vividly that I felt like I was watching a show! I’ve already added book two to my tbr and I can’t wait for it to be released!
I loved how she adapted ATLA into her own world with a unique story. I was drawn in from page one! My favorite part of this story was the bending. Each element and action sequence was described so vividly that I felt like I was watching a show! I’ve already added book two to my tbr and I can’t wait for it to be released!
February 6, 2024
I found this book while mindlessly scrolling tiktok. The idea of an Avatar inspired Katara and Zuko romance immediately had me interested. But I was skeptical as I often get tricked into ready less than enjoyable books thanks to booktok.
I thought it was great. It was fun to read, I enjoyed that it didn't feel like a direct Avatar retelling. You could definitely pick up on moments that felt very inspired by the show but still felt new and unique.
Additionally, I thought the main characters were very likable. I personally enjoyed Bellamy a bit more than Koraine, but probably cuz I'm a sucker for the touch her and die trope.
I received an ARC of this book, with the understanding that it was in final editing. Overall, there were very few moments where I felt it could have been edited better (a couple of repetative scentences or moments of dialogue that felt odd to me personally). But overall, I enjoyed reading this book and was glad booktok didn't do me dirty.
I thought it was great. It was fun to read, I enjoyed that it didn't feel like a direct Avatar retelling. You could definitely pick up on moments that felt very inspired by the show but still felt new and unique.
Additionally, I thought the main characters were very likable. I personally enjoyed Bellamy a bit more than Koraine, but probably cuz I'm a sucker for the touch her and die trope.
I received an ARC of this book, with the understanding that it was in final editing. Overall, there were very few moments where I felt it could have been edited better (a couple of repetative scentences or moments of dialogue that felt odd to me personally). But overall, I enjoyed reading this book and was glad booktok didn't do me dirty.
March 29, 2024
「 ✦ “𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘸𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘢𝘯, 𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘪𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘵. 𝘐𝘯 𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘴, 𝘒𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘰𝘯.”✦ 」
𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀:
I wanna say marketing this book as a Zutara book was genius! I really felt both characters embodied Zuko and Katara while also not making that the entire point of the story or feeling like ATLA fan fiction… it was its own story!
While we didn’t get much of the earth kingdom, Morwen and Abelon were developed nicely. After everything with Luheo, I am hoping we get to see some more of that kingdom and that they are incorporated into the story some more after everything that happened at the end. Onto the plot, I felt it needed some more buildup. I did see many, not all, of the plot twists coming (but still was surprised!) and everything felt a tad bit rushed.
I absolutely LOVED the inclusion of all the side characters. This was honestly one of my favorite parts of the book. Nyla was so lovable and I adored her character. The other side characters also had so much personality that really added to the storyline and development of the other characters. The main characters won my heart. Korraine and Bellamy had beautiful growth as characters and in their relationship!
𝗞𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲:
Korraine was a beautiful and amazing character. I loved her strength, both physically and mentally, that she displayed many times during the book. She did annoy me many times, but I still adored her so I guess I can’t really judge.
𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗺𝘆:
Bellamy, my love, my light. Bellamy won my heart. I also couldn’t stop picturing him as Dallas Liu (this is what I get for reading this right after the live action ATLA). I loved his character and am so excited to continue learning more about him and watching him grow.
𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀:
I LOVED this book so much. That ending, I CANNOT! I am so looking forward to book 2 and can’t wait! This really cured my Zutara heart. For those who love ATLA and want more of a similar world but not the same world, I highly recommend!
𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀:
I wanna say marketing this book as a Zutara book was genius! I really felt both characters embodied Zuko and Katara while also not making that the entire point of the story or feeling like ATLA fan fiction… it was its own story!
While we didn’t get much of the earth kingdom, Morwen and Abelon were developed nicely. After everything with Luheo, I am hoping we get to see some more of that kingdom and that they are incorporated into the story some more after everything that happened at the end. Onto the plot, I felt it needed some more buildup. I did see many, not all, of the plot twists coming (but still was surprised!) and everything felt a tad bit rushed.
I absolutely LOVED the inclusion of all the side characters. This was honestly one of my favorite parts of the book. Nyla was so lovable and I adored her character. The other side characters also had so much personality that really added to the storyline and development of the other characters. The main characters won my heart. Korraine and Bellamy had beautiful growth as characters and in their relationship!
𝗞𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲:
Korraine was a beautiful and amazing character. I loved her strength, both physically and mentally, that she displayed many times during the book. She did annoy me many times, but I still adored her so I guess I can’t really judge.
𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗺𝘆:
Bellamy, my love, my light. Bellamy won my heart. I also couldn’t stop picturing him as Dallas Liu (this is what I get for reading this right after the live action ATLA). I loved his character and am so excited to continue learning more about him and watching him grow.
𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀:
I LOVED this book so much. That ending, I CANNOT! I am so looking forward to book 2 and can’t wait! This really cured my Zutara heart. For those who love ATLA and want more of a similar world but not the same world, I highly recommend!
February 6, 2024
I loved the Avatar vibes this book gave me! I would have liked to see a bit more world building, but maybe we will get more of that in book two. I didn't see the twist coming at the end, and I now regret reading this so quickly because I now have to wait for the second book. I'm so excited for book two!
November 3, 2024
found this on Booktok and I loved it so much! The main character is very Zuko coded and honestly I’m team Zutara so this was a great way to give the people what they want. COME ON BOOK TWO!!!!
July 9, 2025
čekala sam da postane dobro ali nije postalo dobro tako da dnf na 90%
ni jedan lik nema ličnost, dijalog je sranje, scene ne vode nigde.
zutara for the win!
ni jedan lik nema ličnost, dijalog je sranje, scene ne vode nigde.
zutara for the win!
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