Into The Fire

by Ashelyn Drake

Seventeen-year-old Cara Tillman’s life is a perfectly normal one until Logan Schmidt moves to Ashlan Falls. Cara is inexplicably drawn to him, but she’s not exactly complaining. Logan’s like no boy she’s ever met, and he brings out a side of Cara that she isn’t used to. As the two get closer, everything is nearly perfect, and Cara looks forward to the future.

But Cara isn’t a normal girl. She’s a member of a small group of people descended from the mythical phoenix bird, and her time is running out. Rebirth is nearing, which means she’ll forget her life up to this point—she’ll forget Logan and everything they mean to one another.. But that may be the least of Cara’s problems.

A phoenix hunter is on the loose, and he’s determined to put an end to the lives of people like Cara and her family, once and for all.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Magic, Mythology, Paranormal, Mystery

257 pages, Paperback

First published September 9, 2014

About the author

Ashelyn Drake is a contemporary romance author. While it’s rare for her not to have either a book in hand or her fingers flying across a laptop, she also enjoys spending time with her family. She believes you are never too old to enjoy a good swing set and there’s never a bad time for some dark chocolate. She also writes speculative fiction as Kelly Hashway.

Reviews

[raf]

umm i like both the cover and the plot sounds really interesting
but...am i the only one that when i read the title i am reminded of elrond?
you know

CAST IT INTO THE FIRE!!!!

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

From my blog, The Paisley Reader.

When I saw the opportunity to review this book, I jumped at the chance. The premise sounded unique, being the first book I had come across that featured phoenixes in a major way.

Unlike what the synopsis might suggest in its opening, Cara Tillman’s life is not perfectly normal. Descended from the mythical phoenix bird, Cara is quickly approaching her first rebirth and she’ll forget everything about the first seventeen years of her life. When the book opens, Cara experiences her younger brother Jeremy go through the process and it’s heartbreaking to watch him be reborn and not remember who she is. I think this was a strong and very smart way to open the book. You witness a major loss to the main character that does not involve a death, and also fully understand just what is about to face the main character. It was such a hook for me and I just had to find out what would happen next.

The last thing Cara wants to do is meet someone new only to soon forget about him, but life has other things in store for her when she meets Logan, the new guy in the neighborhood. Add in a fun cast of characters including other phoenixes, as well as a hunter trying to track them down, and you have the makings of one great story.

Into the Fire is told from two POVs, that of Cara and that of Logan. Both are reasonable choices. First, Logan and Cara make a couple that I truly rooted for from the beginning. Second, it made for a great read as Logan has no idea about Cara being a Phoenix. It’s nice to see what is basically an insider’s and an outsider’s perspectives.

The pacing of Into the Fire is steady overall, but as Cara’s rebirth draws closer, the story picks up. Although I had an idea of where it was heading about two-thirds of the way through, I was extremely pleased with how it all fell together. I won’t go and say this was a cliffhanger, but I definitely look forward to seeing the fallout from the ending in the next book.

There’s still time until the end of the year, with plenty of books still to read, so I can’t say this will be on my favorites of 2014, but I would be surprised if it wasn’t.

*Thank you to Month9 Books for an Advanced Reading Copy of Into the Fire in exchange for an honest review.*

[Renae]

THIS SOUNDS SO WONDERFUL!
I NEED IT IN MY LIFE. NOW.

[Bittersweet · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book started out good. Cara is a Phoenix and in a month she'll turn to ash and be reborn. When the story starts her younger brother Jeremy is going through his rebirth. I liked this a lot it was something I hadn't read yet. And it started with a bang. However that was the highlight of the book. From then on it fizzles, as soon as cara meets Logan the plot goes up in smoke. The entire book is a romance and a cheesy one at that. Cara thinks of NOTHING but Logan, constantly, to the point where I felt bad for her. She didn't have an independent thought in her head. It was fine at first when they were getting to know each other, even cute at times, but then she "imprints" on him (which is really a lame excuse for instalove) and I'm not accepting it. Not this time! From then on it's Logan this Logan that Logan Logan Logan. God! I wanted to slap her. Everyone is telling her it's dangerous (she even tells herself this more than a few times) and yet she doesn't care. She puts everyone in danger because she has a crush. She really is TSTL. Then a Phoenix gets murdered and when she should be taking caution she's sneaking out and lying to everyone. Cara is selfish, immature, and honestly I think she's a brat. If she doesn't get her way she throws a huge fit until she does. Crying and whining until she gets her way. Her brother is going through something horrible trying to remember his life and all cara can think is "oh woe is me I can't take this anymore it's been a whole five minutes and if Jeremy doesn't get his shit together he's really going to piss me off! Screw this screw helping my brother screw being a selfless person I'm leaving and going swimming to feel pity for myself. Oh a hot boy! Jeremy who? OMG imprint! This is so horrible why me? Oh well I love Logan screw my family and friends I only care about Logan. So what if they're only trying to help me they won't keep me away from my super special snowflake love LOGAN!" God I was skimming by the end the love between these two was super forced and nauseating. They can't be away from each other for more than five minutes without rushing back to the other. Also it would have been nice to see a little more of cara before she met Logan because there's about one chapter and then she pretty much falls flat as a character. Same with Jeremy. Were told they were best friends and all this but we never see it, flashbacks really would have done this story good. I didn't feel anything for Jeremy or for cara losing her brother because I didn't know them before his rebirth. The secondary characters are cookie cutter and play their designated roles. Rachel is the annoying super hyper best friend who only shows up when it convenient for the MC and then she takes her leave on cue. The others I barely remember. They had no depth. They always said and did what they were supposed to. The dialogue was lacking. I have many close friends who are guys and I've never heard them talk the way Logan and his friend Anton talk. all they talk about is girls. Guys do actually have real conversations believe it or not about more than girls. There are other characters who are never seen on the page like logans dad. Were TOLD he's a crappy father but were never SHOWN it. All in all this could have been an awesome story with mystery romance action and suspense. But it wasn't. I say pass.

[Anastasia · Rating 1 out of 5]

Очень, очень давно я приметила эту книгу, еще года полтора назад. Больше всего меня заинтересовала необычная тема – Фениксы. Единственная книга, где они упоминались, - «Гарри Поттер», да и то там была птичка, а не люди. Так что, решила я ее почитать, предвкушая отлично проведенный вечер. Щаз.
Итак, Фениксы. Начнем уж с них, раз заговорила. В этом плане книга совершенно не продуманна. Вот совершенно. А ляпов-то сколько…Сначала героиня говорит, что Фениксы перерождаются пять раз за свою жизнь. Потом выясняется, что у них пять жизней. Потом – что они живут чуть ли не по пятьсот лет. Но, простите, как они могут жить так долго, если первый раз перерождаются в 17, а потом несколько раз за эту жизнь? То ли автор этот момент плохо продумала и прописала, то ли я чего-то недопонимаю. Но опять же, в хорошей книге такой вопрос и стоять не должен, правда же?
Далее, сюжет. В предисловии автор говорит, что пишет под двумя именами: под одним – мистику, под вторым – романы. Но эта книга – смесь и того, и другого, так что, если отсюда убрать мистику, то получится роман, а если убрать романтику, то получится отличная мистика. А вот хрен на-ны вам. Где, блин, эта отличная мистика? Всю книгу мы читаем лишь слезливые сопли главной героини, которая ревет по поводу и без. Вся интрига книги… Да ее тут вообще нет. Ну умер там кто-то. Ну Охотники какие-то. Ну Охотник – это тот-то. И что? Где динамика, где переживания? Нет ничего этого. А тут еще и непродуманность самой мифологии книги. Кошмар, в общем.
Герои. Вот знаете, часто читаю романы и ничего особо не имею против быстро возникающего сексуального влечения. Но тут…три главы в книге, по сюжету это где-то час времени максимум, а героиня уже запечатлелась на главного героя, которого знала...10 минут? Не перебор ли это? А какие дальше сопли начались, ууу. Даже описывать не буду. Скажу лишь, что зубы сводило.
А вообще, герои на редкость плоские и скучные. Да и туповатые. Постоянно ревущая героиня, которая вечно вякает про то, что нужно очень осторожно себя вести и не выдать, что она – Феникс, но при этом лажающая так жестко, что туда уже не то что Охотники, а люди в белых халатах должны были явиться и ее под белы рученьки и в комнату с мягкими стенами. Главный герой – типа нью-йоркский сноб, у которого было нереально много девушек (парню 17 лет, на минуточку), но за 15 минут знакомства с главной героиней он стал проявлять очень уж явные признаки тряпочки. Ненормальная мамаша, которая надо и не надо орет на дочку. Лучшие друзья, которые после смерти жителя города, которого все они знали, решают устроить вечеринку. Мне продолжать или так все понятно?
В общем, книга оказалась сущим разочарованием, совершенно не оправдавшим надежд. Если бы продолжение имелось уже сейчас, я бы, может, его и пролистала, просто чтобы иметь представление о паре моментов, но сильно сомневаюсь, что открою книгу через такой огромный срок. А так…не думаю, что на это произведение стоит тратить время.

[Nay Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kelly Hashway aka Ashelyn Drake has created an impeccable story surrounded around mythology, romance, family and deceit. I was blown away by how this kept my hooked from the very first paragraph all the way until the end. The love story between Cara and Logan is perfect and balances out the mythology behind Cara being a Phoenix.

Cara is a very shy country-side girl with a huge secret, but so do a few of the people in Ashlan Falls. They are Phoenixes. Cara is a month away from her rebirth when she meets an attractive young man that happens to pull her in the most unexpected way. Logan is a bold city guy with a simple infatuation for Cara that is unexpected. He can't keep away from her and falls instantly in love with her. He is dragged into the word of Phoenixes and must figure out how things work.

The relationship between Cara and Logan is increasingly seamless. Granted it was instalove for them both, but I love how they tried to keep cool and get to know one another.

The fact that Cara was close to her rebirth was one struggle, but she had her brother Jeremy who just went through his rebirth, an overprotective mother, a strong love for Logan which makes her powers unstable and a Phoenix hunter on the loose.

Finding out who the Phoenix hunter was didn't really surprise me at all, but then again it did as well. I was shocked by how well the hunter was able to infiltrate the lives of Cara and Jeremy and pretend to be normal. The way in which he used his trust to lore Cara with him to the school and kill her was insane. I like how smart Cara was to dial Logan's number and leave a message with the hunter talking.

I still think Logan's dad is a hunter simply because he is always working late and barely pops up in the story and since there are murders in the next town over I just assume his dad is a Phoenix hunter and that there are multiple hunters in the area out to kill.

This was a perfect story and my first book introduction to the life and world of Phoenixes…PERFECTION! I read the sneak peak of Out of the Ashes, which I assume is book #2, and all I can say is -- I need it NOW!

[Nicky Peacock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, this is the second book about a Phoenix that I’ve read and I must admit that they are a fertile and interesting paranormal aspect. This is YA and definitely ticks all the boxes. I loved the extras added top this lore (I won’t go into them for fear of spoiling the book) and the whole thing was simply a pleasure to read.

From a writer’s perspective, it was written first person from both the girl and the boy’s POV, which usually I hate, but it really worked here and I actually found that it was more interesting this way. My only grips is that it had the whole ‘imprinted’ thing, which I always feel is a bit lazy, as it instantly makes a couple with a strong bond, rather than the reader going on this journey with the characters.

The front cover is beautiful, although the girl doesn’t overly look like Cara, she described as blond with red streaks? This is starting to become a pet peeve with me, when front cover artists don’t read the descriptions of the main characters. It’s a shame, just a change of hairstyle and this would be an amazing cover.

Overall, I’d give Into the Fire 5 out of 5 stars – nothing’s perfect, but this is nearest damn at – for both teen and adult readers.

[G. Cribbs · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been waiting for this book and this series for quite some time. I heard about it years ago, way before it was sold to Month9Books and back before Kelly took off as a published author with her first series, TOUCH OF DEATH. Needless to say, I had high expectations, and Kelly has delivered in flames of fire licking every page, scorching me with her characters of Cara and Logan, and singeing my fingertips as I turned each page. Okay, I lied. As I swiped each ePage. I read an eCopy of the book. You get the idea.

First of all, I loved that this book is written in alternating first person POV. It's not an easy feat to pull off. You have to know which character perspective to write from for each chapter, to best capture all of the tension for each point along the way. Kelly did an amazing job with this, and I was delighted to see her pull off a convincing male character in Logan, among others.

As I read, I got hooked and drawn into the story, and I didn't mind the excessive kissing all the time. I might have flinched like the boy in Princess Bride, whose grandfather comes over to read him the story, and he asks glibly: "Is this a kissing book?" The answer is: most definitely, YES.

I loved the concept of the race of beings who appear human, but are actually descendants of Phoenixes. I have a penchant for phoenixes, and dragons. In fact, I've got a tattoo on my right upper arm from my shoulder down to just above where my shirt sleeve ends above the elbow. Sure, a glimpse flashes here and there, and I've been asked about it more than once, but I love my tattoo of a dragon entwined with a phoenix, and the meaning. I hope book 2 and 3 will explore the Phoenix lore a bit more. While it was referenced well, throughout the book, I did want more, but I guess there wasn't much room because, you guessed it. Kissing. That's way more important, anyway.

I found the traits of a phoenix, before first rebirth and beyond, fascinating. Some traits are positives, like healing, and the shriek. Other traits are not so great, like forgetting everything from your former life, and the fact that there are Hunters bent on stealing the life force or essence from a phoenix to gain prolonged life and eventual immortality. This definitely raised the stakes when Phoenixes started "going up in flames" due to a Hunter on the loose.

At the center of the story is Cara, who must face her first rebirth just when her life finally delivered the boy of her dreams, and she's convinced the premonition dream she keeps having holds the key to finding a way to avoid forgetting about the boy she can't stop kissing.

The climax was horrific, and brought me right to the end, with a cliffhanger that left me begging for more, despite the elevated heat scorching me with every flickering page. This is a must read series for male and female readers alike. I thoroughly enjoyed Kelly's characters and how her chapters are riddled with plot twists and huge stakes. I have a few ideas where I think the next book will go, but I'll wait to discuss until after you've all read your copies and told all your friends to get copies as well.

4 out of 5 stars, or shrieking phoenixes, because, you know, phoenixes.

Highly, highly recommended. A must read.

[Jillyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three and a half stars.

I was really excited when I learned about this book, because I have never read a book that offers such a being as human phoenixes. I'm a sucker for all things that are mythology related, and knew this was one that I needed to read. Overall, it was a solid story that I would definitely recommend to fans of YA fantasy/mythology stories.

The book follows Cara, a girl who is approaching "the change", the point where she will be reborn and forget almost everything about who she was in order to start anew, as well as Logan, a city boy who has just moved to the falls and definitely does not want to be a part of the small town scene. The book effectively alternates between both of their POVs to give a better, more rounded sense of the story. Each voice was different to reflect the different characters, which is a huge plus since not all writers are able to differentiate their characters well. That being said, I never really felt attached to these characters. They weren't badly written, but they weren't characters that I adored either. It made the rest of the book just a little bit cloudy for me, since I wasn't super involved with their shenanigans.

I also wasn't a huge fan of this whole "imprint" thing. I know that it's a fairly common trope, and to be fair this book has one of the best uses of this insta-love tool, integrating it with the mythology of the phoenixes. It's just something that I personally don't enjoy reading about much, at no real fault of the author.

Now, I did love the phoenix aspects of this book. How terrifying would that be, to be able to count down the days until your body is consumed with fire and you forget everything that makes you who you are? Your friends, your memories, just gone. I think it was a really unique spin on the classic phoenix mythology to make it humans who undergo all of these ordeals. My only comment would be that I wish there was more detail and background on this "race" of people. Other than that, I loved this idea.

This book is a quick read that's well paced. From the beginning few pages, it sucks you in and it only gets more intense as the plot thickens. It's full of drama, but in a really good way. There was never really a dull moment. Even though I wasn't the biggest fan of the characters themselves, I was interested in seeing how everything pushed forward, and eventually concluded, in this book because there was so much happening that I needed to see how it tied up at the end.

Though I had a few small issues with this book, it is one that I would still recommend. It has a unique spin to it that is sure to please fans of YA romance, fantasy, or myth. This was my first experience reading this author's work, and based on this book I would definitely pick up another one of her books. Thanks so much to Chapter by Chapter & Month9Books for my copy in exchange for my honest review.This review can also be found on my new blog, Bitches n Prose.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net** 

Into the Fire is the first in a new young adult paranormal romance series written by Kelly Hashway writing as Ashelyn Drake. Kelly wrote a really nice note at the start of the book explaining that that because Into the Fire is equal parts paranormal and romance she is using both her paranormal writing name as well as her romance writing name. Seeing as I love both paranormal and romance books, her foreword made me even more excited for Into the Fire. I have not yet experienced a book where the main character is a phoenix. Basically, the only phoenix I was familiar with before was Fawkes.

I think they are fascinating creatures and Ashelyn Drake did a great job making them her own in this book. Her Phoenixes get 5 lives, but the most important transition by far is between the first and second life for them. That is when they become a full phoenix and that is also the life where they forget everything about their first life. I am not quite sure why this is the only like they forget about, but I am guessing that it has something to do with the fact that they weren't a full phoenix before this first transition. But that isn't really something covered by the book.

The book starts out with Cara's brother going through the transition and everyone takes it pretty hard. I suppose it would be tough to watch someone you are so close with forget all about you. But this story is more about Cara and the new guy in town, Logan. Logan is beyond adorable. He is so cute with Cara. I loved that the book really was very evenly split between their romance and "imprint" and the phoenix history. I will say that I called the hunter right off the bat. I didn't want it to be who it was, but I was not surprised at the reveal towards the end.

You learn a lot of phoenixes and phoenix hunters in this book. I do wish we got a little bit more hunter history though. I think that would have been interesting. Either way, Into the Fire is a great read. The book flows along at a brisk pace and it is so easy to get swept up in the story. I read this book in one sitting and I enjoyed myself the whole time- right up until that humdinger of an ending! It was not what I wanted to happen at all! The second book had better do some damage control for that because it looked pretty serious left where it was. I can't wait to see what the author is going to do. I am going to continue this series for sure. If you are a fan of paranormal romance books and you are looking for a new creature to discover and fall in love with, check out Into the Fire and the Birth of the Phoenix series. I love finding series about unique paranormals, and Ashelyn Drake did a really good job with this one.

 This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

[J. Ford · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to say, I love covers and this one really drew me in, but it was the blurb that made me want to read this book. I found the entire concept super cool - people who are descendants of the mythical phoenix. I was intrigued to see how the author wove this story. I was not disappointed.

The story opens with Cara's brother going through 'the change' and Cara wondering what it will be like for her, in one month's time, when she must do the same. It is heartbreaking for Cara to watch because she and her brother were very close, but he won't remember her after he is reborn the first time. The thought of "losing" her brother and of losing her own memories is too much for her to deal with, so she resorts to 'escape' mode, retreating to her favorite place where she can think and come to terms with what is happening to her and her brother. There's just one problem. There's a new guy named Logan invading her safe zone, and he's got a chip on his shoulder. Neither Cara or Logan want to be attracted to each other, but the phoenix 'imprint' is strong, and before we know it, Cara and Logan are so far involved with each other, that nothing can tear them apart - except for maybe the Hunter who wants to kill her and steal her essence. Though I suspected the ending about 2/3 of the way through the book, I still enjoyed the way the author pulled it all together, and I LOVED the last line of the book!

INTO THE FIRE is told from both Cara's and Logan's POV. This is great because I got to understand Logan and Cara from both in an insider's and outsider's perspective. Understanding both of them and their motives made it very easy to fall in love with them as a couple and continue to root for them through the entire story.

I did have some minor issues that kept me from giving the story five stars. I really wanted to understand more about these human phoenixes and how Cara and her kind came into existence. I would have liked to have seen some interaction between Logan and his father instead of being told what the relationship was. A scene here, a scene there would have done wonders for increasing tension and really feeling Logan's suffering. There also was the whole 'imprint' thing. I understand what was going on, but every time I hear that term, I think of the #Twilight series. I hate reading a book only to roll my eyes and say to myself "Seriously?" I really do believe it's time for authors to come up with a different term that doesn't make their readers jump out of that book and think of another.

Overall, INTO THE FIRE was a quick, exciting read and I highly recommend it to those who love young adult urban romances. I will definitely be standing by to read the next book in the series.

Thank you Month9Books for an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Mikaela · Rating 2 out of 5]

You can find my other reviews at The Titan's Tomb

Seventeen-year-old Cara Tillman's life is perfectly normal until Logan Schmidt moves to Ashlan Falls. Cara is drawn to him, though she's not exactly complaining. As the two grow closer, everything is near perfect, except for one tiny little detail. Cara isn't a normal high school girl. She's part of a small group of special people who are descended from the mythical phoenix, and her time with Logan is running out. Her first rebirth is nearing where she will be consumed by fire, but reborn from her own ashes, the only problem is that she will forget her previous life, and everyone in it. Cara will forget Logan and everything they mean to each other, but that may not be the last of her worries. A phoenix hunter is on the loose, and he's determined to put an end to the lives of people like Cara and her family.

Arg the blurb for the book sounded so promising and interesting and something I could really get into, but alas, all my dreams went up in a burst of flame (ha get it? phoenix's). It started off really great and had me believing that this was the perfect young adult story about phoenix's, but by the time that Logan came and in a couple short days they were already desperately in love, I just found it ridiculous. (maybe I'm just getting more mature? Nah) The characters just didn't do anything for me, I felt that the author really didn't put much thought behind some of their personalities, especially Logan, she gave him a sad backstory, wrapped an obviously symbolic leather jacket on him and sent him off. Don't get me started on Cara either, she is an annoying girl who blushes way too much and had to have other minor characters tell the reader that she is the most caring person ever to get her traits across. The writing didn't engage me much either, I was honestly bored most of the book until the last ten pages where stuff actually happened, and I was admittedly cheering for the bad guy. I don't think I will bother with the next book in the series, it just didn't hold my attention and draw me into the story. I guess I have to keep looking for that perfect Phoenix book.

[Cassandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Thoughts - 3.5 out of 5 Unicorns - I more than liked it!!!
***Received the ebook from Month9Books for an honest review

The cover is awesome. I’m not sure what it is about fire that just makes the cover pop, but I love it!!

This is a very different and unique book which I love. This is the first book in a new series, and for me it did have slow parts which usually happens in a new series when building a new world and introducing everything. I think this series will continue to get better with each book. That being said, for those who have problems with cliffhanger endings, this book does have that kind of ending. For me the ending happened unexpectedly and abruptly, but this is just my opinion. Every author has their own unique style, and this is my first time reading Ashelyn’s work. Ashelyn definitely is very descriptive, and I could picture what was happening while I was reading which is always a good thing :) I will definitely be watching for book 2 because I want to see what happens next :)

Cara is an interesting girl. She tries to be confident, but she has so much going on like many high school students. She is very quick witted which I love and tries to think through anything that life throws at her.

Logan is sort of a jock who is used to girls throwing themselves at him. I didn’t like him much at first, but he changed and grew in a good way throughout the book.

If you like a good YA teen romance, I think you will enjoy this book.

[Ivey Byrd · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked Into the Fire! It was so interesting. Into the Fire isn't like any paranormal book I've ever read before. I've never read a book about Phoenixes and this book makes me want more! The story starts off with an emotional scene that sucks you in, and I couldn't stop reading from that point on. That's probably why I read it in one sitting! I will admit that the story was a little slow for me in the beginning, but it really picked up after the first few chapters and I was left wanting more in the end! The amount of romance in the book was perfect, and the mystery of who the Phoenix hunter is was enough to keep you guessing until the end. Cara and Logan are so perfect for each other and the way this book ended had my heart aching for them both. It also had me on the edge of my seat. This book really hits you in the feels, guys. I cannot wait for the second book! I'm so excited to see what happens next and I can tell that the next book will be faster paced and full of action! I highly recommend this book to any fantasy and mythical creature lovers like me because this book would be prefect for you.

[Kayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall Review:
General:
I have to say that I was a little disappointed with Into the Fire. While I expected there to be a lot of romance involved in the story, I wasn't expecting it to take up practically the entire thing. And I really mean that it took up the entire story. There was no world building, no character development (save for some development of Cara and Logan), no background information, and no real plot. To me, it seemed like we were given this cheesy romance with bits and pieces of another story thrown in just to add extra flare to it, pun intended. Into the Fire is suppose to be about phoenixes but we know practically nothing about them. I can count on one hand the information about phoenixes we're given in this book and that's pretty bad. We know and learn practically nothing about any of the secondary characters and no one besides Cara and Logan seem to have any real purpose to them, even though there are several times when you think otherwise.

I was really fascinated by the concept behind the phoenixes, what little information we did get on the concept behind them anyway. Drake had a lot of potential with her story, she still does, but I wish we got more of an actual story and plot than what we got. Into the Fire was adorable and addicting to read, though sometimes worthy of a good eye-roll, but I was expecting something more from it.

I simply adore Into the Fire's cover! It's so pretty and eye-catching! It's definitely the first thing that drew me in and it continues to draw me in each time I look at it!
Character(s):
While I liked Cara a lot, I was definitely confused by her personality and I had a hard time figuring out exactly the kind of person she was. Everyone who knew her told one story, but her attitude and actions told a completely different story. Everyone constantly talked about how she was one of the nicest, sweetest people you'd ever meet. She was a little on the weird side but she had a kind heart and couldn't say a mean thing about anyone. She was awkward, but people liked her anyway. I didn't really see any of that except for the weird part. I'm not trying to say she wasn't nice, because she was, but she never did or said anything that would make me believe she was, "One of the nicest girls you'll ever have the pleasure of meeting." She mostly kept to herself, for good reason of course, and the few friends she did have she hardly hung out with or if she did it was because everyone else was. While she wasn't one to flat out insult someone, she definitely wasn't some perfect angel who didn't have a mean bone in her body. She was a likable person and I understood her fears, her strengths, and her weaknesses and even commended her for trying to be strong when she had every reason to give in and be weak for a moment; I just feel like we were lied to about who she was as a person.

Logan was impossible to like at first. He was a spoiled, selfish, greedy, jerkish player and I couldn't stand him because he would constantly show his awfulness to people. He was living the good life back in New York and it definitely showed, and changed him for the bad. Up until he met Cara and actually got used to life in Ashlan Falls. He held a lot of inner pain inside of him and I feel like in a way, that was the reason he lashed out and was a jerk. It doesn't excuse his behavior but it explains it up until Cara showed him the error of his ways. He began to see that he can't keep his emotions bottled up the way he did nor could he just expect life to give him everything he wanted on a silver platter. While he was just a tad bit obsessed with Cara and she practically consumed his entire life, since he didn't know anyone else and didn't want to know anyone else, Cara inadvertently made him become a better person. A kind, understanding, and strong person who wasn't afraid to admit he was wrong or made mistakes. He matured and grew so much in Into the Fire, I just wish that he hadn't done it for Cara but for himself.
Romance:
I had a lot of mixed feelings for the romance between Cara and Logan. For one thing, I feel like it sparked way too quickly. I know that there's a technical explanation for it that is explained in the book but I still felt things went way too fast, especially when it came to their feelings for each other. All it took was half a conversation and then they were both freaking obsessed with each other and it was kind of creepy. The obsession never got any better as the Into the Fire went on, in fact it got worse the more time they spent together. They couldn't take a minute apart from each other, if they were separated even for a little while one of them or both of them would freak out to the point that it was downright embarrassing. It almost seemed like they couldn't not hang out with each other. There was literally a part where they were together but Logan had to go home because Cara had some family issues to deal with, not ten minutes after he left Cara decides to call him to spend time with him and the whole time acting like they hadn't seen each other in forever. I was so embarrassed for the both of them.

While I had a lot of issues with the romance, which stinks since Into the Fire is almost entirely made up of romance, I do have to admit that Cara and Logan were adorable together. That is when they weren't freaking out over having to leave each other or professing deep emotions for the other after a day of being together. Their relationship together changed both of them, in good and bad ways. Cara learned not to let fear dictate her life, she finally threw caution to the wind and went for something that she really wanted but knew that it was safer not to have. Of course, that came with her being very possessive and acting like a spoiled, cliche teenager at times, but the change was still good for her. Logan went from a spoiled, self-centered man-whore to a guy who genuinely cared about doing what was right, he cared about other people when before he couldn't stand the sight of anyone. He wasn't trying to get into Cara's pants and brag to his buddies about his latest conquest, he really cared about Cara and was done trying to be some a-hole player. I felt like his life shouldn't have revolved so much around Cara, that he needed to go out there and get some other friends and be more independent, but he changed a lot from the guy I couldn't stand in the beginning.

If their relationship wasn't so eye-roll worthy, I'd be in love with Cara and Logan together all the way.

 
Overall Rating:
 I give Into the Fire a 3.5 out of 5 star rating. I really liked reading it and it was super addicting, I easily finished it in a day, but I had quite a few issues with it. It wasn't as good as it could've been. Into the Fire and Drake both have so much potential and I hope that Drake is able to take this series where it really needs to go in the next book. I would hesitantly recommend, more so to people who love romances more so than to people who are interested in the paranormal, phoenix aspect of it. Despite my issues with Into the Fire, I'm still very much looking forward to the sequel! Thanks for reading!

 

~Kayla~

[Xena Elektra · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'll start right off with saying that this book promised equal parts romance and paranormal. That was not my impression ... at all.

This is a romance. A very sickening, mushy, insta-love dressed up as different by slapping a new name on it, romance.

I'll also say, to be fair, that I do not like romance. My idea of romance is not what is normally found in romance novels and if I'd known this was basically a romance with a hint of paranormal ... I would've ran ... fast.

The book starts off pretty interesting. The FMC is a Phoenix and her kind have to hide from "the hunters"(can we not come up with a name for the people that hunt mystical beings in our world besides hunters?). At the start she's a bit shaken up, reasonably so, about her brother's recent rebirth. Now I don't quite understand why the first of a possible 5-6 rebirths results in a complete memory loss but the rest don't, but I went along with it.

Then enters Logan and from that point the book was just ... it was bad. First off we have Cara who seems promising, but quickly falls into the soppy, mopey, love-lorn teenager that spurns her family and says screw everyone because "I've imprinted on this total stranger".

Imprinting is the Phoenix term for insta-love, but hey it's all good because they can't help it! So that makes it okay, right? No ... just no.

Why would she imprint on a total stranger that she knows nothing about but a name and that he's new in town? If imprints are so random why hasn't she imprinted before? Please don't say destiny.

Cara totally ditches her brother, Jeremy, who's struggling to fit into a life and a world that he doesn't remember. She could care less about Jeremy. In fact, what was the point of Jeremy? Just to show the readers that the memory loss is total and complete? We see about 2 pages of him before his memory loss, so no way to connect with him and all we see of him for the rest of the book is him confused, angry, frustrated, trying to find his way, and still trying to keep Cara from losing her mind over a stranger.

It's impossible to connect with him because all we see is what Cara and Logan see(two pov characters) and neither one of them cares two figs about Jeremy. Cara either drags him along to use as an excuse to see Logan or is running out when he's struggling.

Then Cara's supposed to be one of those sweet, innocent, summer dress type girls(who wears skimpy bikinis we're told). Everyone's like, don't hurt Cara and treat Cara righ, she's not like other girls, she's a good girl.

The good girl that falls for the bad boy. Yeah ... it's that kind of love story. Logan's all dark and mysterious with his leather jacket. A new york kid who is the perfect picture of a player.

How are we supposed to like this guy? He's a jerk, a man-whore. He's all whining about having to move and this crummy little town, but hey there's a hot girl ... *starts slobbering*. His friend Anton and him talk about how awful the country is and how they date girls, no wait ... it's not dating because they only hang 3-4 times get their funk on and then move on. This guy just likes to have a fling with a girl and then get on to the next one. But we're supposed to want sweet, innocent Cara to hook up with him?

But he's got a leather jacket that reminds him of his dead mother! Aww, how sweet, you're right that totally excuses everything.

Oh, but Cara is different. Yeah she is, she imprinted on you buddy and now you're stuck being attracted to her. So the only reason Logan actually wants a legit relationship with Cara and cares about her is because of a Phoenix quirk that he has no control over. I'm seeing a player who got suckered with a magic spell and now is desperately in love and "becoming a better person"(though he doesn't regret the dozens of other girls he hooked up with because they led him to where he is today) through no choice of his own.

And then there's the lame best friend of Cara's who says(and I think this summed up why people might be drooling over this romance), "You've done what every girl wants. Reformed the bad boy and made him settle down for just you."

Is that really why this is romantic? Do people really want to get that bad boy and be like, "I was so amazing and wonderful that I above all the other girls he's slept with made him stay." What kind of freaking ego trip is that? And what does that say about women that we get some sort of rush out of romanticizing such a notion.

As for the plot ... well until about ohh 3/4's of the way thorough(can't remember exactly when) nothing is happening but this corny romance. It's all about them and their love and how they will defy everything and everyone to be together.

Finally someone dies and you'd think maybe we could ... oh I don't know, get to that "other half" that was promised. (The writer says in the beginning that she could eliminate the romance and have a solid paranormal story or eliminate the paranormal and have a complete romance. That says equal parts to me, but without the romance there would be nothing to this book! Shortest book ever.)

Nope, now we have a killer on the loose but Cara is still more worried about Logan and their love and doesn't even consider that him or his father could be the hunter, or that she's in danger.

Things escalate a bit at the end as Cara finds out who the killer is, tells Logan the truth, and then has her rebirth. The book ends in a cliffhanger, but ... I don't care.

I am so glad to be done with this and won't be coming anywhere near the other two books.

I can't get into a story that's nothing but a romance between two characters that the only good thing that can be said is ... they deserve each other!

[Stephanie Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

'Into the Fire' is a young adult fantasy novel that puts a new spin on the myth of the phoenix bird. In the book, there is a small group of people, including Cara and her family, who are descended from the phoenix. Among other things, this means that they must go through the rebirth - where they catch on fire and then are reborn from the ashes. Cara's rebirth is coming in about a month, which will mark her as a full Phoenix. Not only is the rebirth scary - but it also wipes the person's memories. After Cara is reborn, she'll forget all of her friends, her memories, and the majority of her life until the rebirth. Since meeting the hot new guy in town, Logan, things have been going perfectly for Cara. Their relationship is growing and she's finally excited to think about what the future might hold. The only bad thing is that she'll forget Logan and what he means to her after her rebirth. As if that isn't enough, there's a phoenix hunter in town who's mission is to kill the rest of the phoenix descendents - including Cara and her family.

I've been enjoying the recent surge of retellings and mythology popping up in YA fiction lately - and I haven't heard of one dealing with the phoenix yet. I was immediately fascinated by the subject and what the author would do with the mythology behind it. There were lots of details about their history and origin, how they live, and the rebirth they must go through. I loved learning everything I could about this myth and ate up everything the author gave me. The main character of the story is Cara - who is one of the descendents of the phoenix. Her rebirth is coming soon and she's scared - especially after falling for Logan, the new guy who moves to town. She's a good main character - smart, devoted to her family and friends, and brave. The rest of the characters - and even Cara herself at times - felt pretty flat to me. There weren't any real characteristics or traits that made them unique or stand out from the others. That held me back from fully getting into the book, along with the sometimes cliched dialogue and predictable plot line. The writing was well done with a quick and easy pace, so I read the entire book in a matter of hours. The story is told from alternating viewpoints - those of Cara and Logan. I think this was a great way to present the story because we get to see a closer side of each of the characters - their inner thoughts and emotions - than we would with a different point of view. Aside from the issues I had with the story, I thought that the twist on the myth of the phoenix was fantastic and wholly original. I wish the author included more about it in the story though - more of the history, mythology, anything - because I found it really intriguing. Overall, this was a quick and interesting novel with mediocre characters and a kind of cookie-cutter plot with some variations thrown in. It was a fun read and something that fans of mythology and fantasy novels will enjoy.

Disclosure: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

[Kelsey Ketch · Rating 4 out of 5]

If Into the Fire hadn’t kept triggering some hard memories and emotions, I would have swallowed this novel whole. It was that good! Full of suspense and romantic tension.

I could really relate to both Cara and Logan, as you could tell from my earlier comments. I had similar situations, some even recently. Practically when it came to family hardships and what was referred to by Cara and her family as “imprinting.” Those strong emotions. That strong attraction. How hard it is to stay away. Their story truly coincided with my actual life, only better results.

Though the inner thought was amazing in most of this novel, there were other things I didn’t like about the style. It didn’t feel the same as other works by Ashelyn Drake or Kelly Hashway; such as the settings. With The Monster Within and Campus Crush I could get at least a basic lay out of the town, campus, and houses. But in Into the Fire, I felt the description lacked. I couldn’t even get a feel of Cara’s or Logan’s bedrooms, which makes it difficult to picture the characters.

Also, a lot of the beginning and even some of ending dialogue was continuous and untagged, as if most of the interweaved action was cut from the text. I couldn’t place what the character was doing, what emotions they were feeling, or how the conversation was affecting them at the time. It was just pure conversation.

But, OMG, what an intense, heart wrenching ending! Forget the first chapter in the back of the book; this novel will make you want the sequel, Out of the Ashes, now!

Other recommendations:

The Monster Within by Kelly Hashway
Darkness Becomes Her by Kelly Keaton
Daughter of Isis by Kelsey Ketch

[S.A. Larsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's plenty to like about this story. The opening chapters effectively pull the reader into both lead character's worlds - one that has sadness clinging to it, while the other is just a bit different. That last part is an understatement. Picture frying to death every-so-often to undergo your rebirth. Actually, it isn't as horrific as it sounds. There's no pain at all. Of course, waking back up at the same age of your rebirth, looking the same, but with absolutely no memory of anything kind of stinks. But hey, you're alive again, right?

That concept is my favorite part of this story. The author explained it with lots of fluency, showing not telling the reader. The story's plausible twist complicates matters when Cara meets Logan and believes she accidentally imprinted on him. Meaning her Phoenix-self claimed him as her own, impressing a romantic relationship between the two. This pull is very teen, that lost desperate emotion where one can't live without the other.

New to town Logan has an authentic male voice slash testosterone filled teen edge. He's tough and knows he has looks, but a sensibility and sensitivity that softens his persona.

Tension mingles as Cara nears her rebirth, unable to resist Logan. He, in turn, reciprocates her attraction, scaring Cara's mother who knows this innocent and sweet tug between the teens will only end badly because Cara's assured memory loss once reborn. But is Logan's attraction due to the imprint or to true emotions? Haha! Wouldn't you like to know...

Then there's the complication of another Phoenix being murdered and the remaining Phoenixes suspect Logan and his dad because they're new to town. The desperation this causes Cara and Logan, thinking they'll be kept apart ups the ante and turns this tale into a page turner.

My only misgiving is that I would have like a little more information about Phoenix powers earlier on. I kept wondering why a Phoenix was so important and why someone would be after them. I wasn't invested enough yet to care. But I kept reading, and I'm glad I did.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

What's not to love! First love, first kisses, and steamy screens. Really steamy-because Cara is a Phoenix. The idea is original and new. I've not read anything about a mythical bird/human hybrid ever. I love Cara and Logan's chemistry and the way they are drawn to each other, like real teens. Everything seems realistic and I'm drawn into the small town of Ashlan Falls.

The bad guy is hinted at towards the center of the story and is a surprise when you figure it out. It's a twist that I thoroughly enjoyed and it worked great. There is no love triangle, and in mind that is a good thing. Cara knows her heart. She's a strong female character who makes you understand each moves she makes.

The only issue I have is that it ends on a bit of a cliff hanger and I have to wait for the next book.

[Nat · Rating 1 out of 5]

This interpretation of phoenixes was fascinating.it is a shame it is on back burner to a preposterous romance.Logan is such a cliche and kara was insensitive. I was suprized who the hunter was because I fell for the whole the nice guy everyone likes can't be a suspect. I thought hunter was Logans dad who is never around. But no it was one guy everyone likes who is tragically not close to his parents who are never around because there actually dead and the guy is 60

[Kasey Cocoa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a quick and easy read, great for a younger reader. For those who prefer character development, world building and background to explain everything, you might want to pass this one up. The writing is good, written simply, edited well. The idea for the plot isn't wholly unique but it is something the younger generation tends to enjoy. An evaluation copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

[Cassie Rowan Worshipper · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is excellent, I could not stop reading it!

[Rebekah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm still considering on picking up the second book

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well-written, creative, interesting, cute, funny, and romantic! A pleasant surprise to read!

[Cassidie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Geek Girl Obsess - YA Reviews, Movie & TV Show Reviews, Video Games

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange of an honest review. Thank you! (I was not compensated in any way.)

I was so excited when I got the mail with Into the Fire in it because it features phoenixes which are creatures I had never read before. And if you've been reading my blog for a while, you might know how much I love reading about new things. Also, it was hyped, which always boosts one's enthusiasm. In the end though, it didn't live up to my - quite high - expectations, but not even to the lower ones.

In the basics, there were two big problems with Into the Fire:

1) It was over-dramatized big time. Like, even the most subtle predicaments were made to look like world-ending disasters and there were tears and melancholy and something death wish-ish thing even at a time. To make matters worse, it looked outright funny next to how strong the protagonist wanted to look like. She was described as so feisty and the whole text visibly wanted us to consider her really bad-ass. But how on Earth do you expect me to do that when she's constantly crying and fretting? Seriously.

2) Over-dramatizing is one thing. It's happened many times in the history of books and in some cases these books still gained a fairly extended fan base. In Into the Fire, however, it did not work at all. At all, I mean. I was thinking a lot about why at the time and after a while It just struck me: the book is almost completely lacking emotions. It doesn't tell you how the characters feel or how an external or internal force makes them feel. Occasionally they toss a "It made me angry.", but even that's just telling not showing hence it didn't come through. None of it did. I simply didn't believe it, didn't feel it, which is a major enjoyment-robbing factor, especially in a book that intended to be so emotionally packed.

Now, let's go into some details.


I though it was a fantasy book?


When I went into Into the Fire, I was sure it was going to be a fantasy. Based on the synopsis, I deducted that deduction. (It doesn't make much sense, but I did anyway. :D) However, it turned out to be a book with tons of romance and hardly any fantasy elements. Ms Drake had a few cool ideas on the Phoenixes, such as raised body temperature, dreaming your rebirth, or forgetting your previous life, but it was all drained in the first couple of chapters and then nothing until the very end, when Cara was reborn.



Cheesy (non)romance


I already mentioned that the emotions was missing from the book for the most part as well as I expressed my surprise when I realized out of romance and fantasy, it was a lot more romance than fantasy. Both play a role why the romance was just awful.

It was insta-love, however, I reluctantly came to terms with it, having learned that the Phoenixes can "imprint" on somebody, like in Twilight. They both will be drawn to each other, especially the Phoenix person. What I considered the bigger problem was that they went on and on and on about loving each other to no end and rather dying than being apart and being depressed when they don't see each other for a day and nada nada nada. But I just rolled my eyes and by the end of the book I was close to being sick of it. This was another thing I wondered why and it wound me up at the same point: they can tell me they love each other, but if it's only told not showed, I will be like "Uh-huh. Sure. I'll believe it when I see it." And in a romance centered book that's more than a mortal wound. Moreover, I imagine there was some depth to the characters, but I don't know as it felt like they only talked about love all. The. Freaking. Time. Cara and Logan and Cara's bestie, love, love, love. And more love. I'm drowning in love...



Dual Story Telling - Distinct Voices


I was starting to get exasperated that it will be a completely negative review. I rated it two books and it does feel like that, but according to my review it hardly reaches one. Yays for dual POV! I am saved.

The story was told from two POVs,Cara's and Logan's. Even if it didn't help convey emotions for both of them, it was good for one thing; it was necessary to put the pieces of the puzzle together. Okay, necessary is a mild exaggeration. I figured out at halfway through the book, but that's not the point. My real point is that I knew who was speaking without looking at the name, because both Cara and Logan had distinct voices. Logan's is a bit more boyish, tougher and Cara's is a more delicate one.

[Tessi · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are books that start off slow but turn out to be a real page-turner, and there are books like Into the Fire that start off with a BANG and still manage to keep you engrossed throughout the story.
Cara’s rebirth is getting closer which means she cannot afford to let new people into her life, especially boys like Logan. See her brother, Jeremy, who has just undergone his own rebirth — within minutes he has forgotten all about their close relationship. The pain that not only Cara, but also her family felt was almost seizable and it was seriously gut-wrenching seeing her helplessly watching her brother re-navigating in life again. Actually, the worst thing she could do is imprinting on a boy — but it happens and I really felt the cruelty and irony in falling heads over heels in love.
I’m usually not into those stories where a girl is torn between duty to her family and love, but in this book, each emotion is real, true to the MC’s life and background, both raw and edgy. I did not just know what emotions Cara felt, I lived them. I was able to empathize with her anger as well as her confusion although her relationship toher mother could have been better developed for my taste: I clearly saw that her mother meant well but some passages just felt too overblown — I mean I sometimes just wanted to jump up and tell them to speak with each other instead of avoiding confrontations. Nonetheless, Ashelyn Drake managed to bring the characters to life in a way that left me thinking about them long after I have finished the book.

Also, the book is told from dual POV which I really did not expect, namely Cara’s and Logan’s POVs. Both voices were so refreshing to read although I do have to say I enjoyed Logan’s voice slightly better. There is just something about the sarcasm and bluntness in the way he thinks and speaks. Cara’s voice has a sadder and more melancholy shade which clearly fits the plot, and it was so much fun seeing her loosen up in front of Logan. You just feel the chemistry between them, why they can’t keep their hands off from each other, and adding Drake’s casual writing style to that it was just the perfect love story I needed to read.

I do, however, have to say that the book’s focus is more on the romance than on the mythical phoenix aspect which was a little bit disappointing for a mythology geek like me. The thing is, the book felt more like a contemporary book for me and is strongly based on the characters’ development whereas the world building somewhat lacked in detail and originality. I know it sounds a little bit contradictive to what I have said before, and to do the book justice, I really did not feel bored for a second while I was reading the book, nor did I feel the urge to skip some pages. Nonetheless, I really would have liked to learn more about the phoenix mythology although we do get to know the “basics”, aka reincarnation etc..
That being said, I do have to say I really enjoyed the way the author embraced the mythology by creating the hunter theme and thus increasing the tension in the book: There are phoenix hunters who are on the prowl to kill people like Cara’s family to “steal” their life times.

The pacing in the last few pages was seriously mind-blowing and as unpredictable as a rollercoaster ride. I wished the same fast-paced action had happened earlier since I felt almost overwhelmed by the huge number of twists in the last few chapters as well as the ENORMOUS cliffhanger, but I did enjoy reading the ending though. Nonetheless, I really would not have minded it if there would have been a clearer answer to Cara’s phoenix conflict, especially since many actions at the end of the book felt a little bit too rashed and pressed, leaving many questions unanswered. The ending does however perfectly reflect the wonderfully developed dynamics of Cara and Logan’s relationship and I was surprised how Ashelyn stayed true to Logan’s sarcastic voice despite the dramatic situation.

Ashelyn Drake’s writing is commanding and stunning — I could not pull myself away from the book’s hypnotic grasp. While I would not exactly call the book’s plot “innovative”, the book is a unique twist on the phoenix theme though, making Into the Fire an exhilarating and refreshing novel and ultimately, an unforgettable read!

[G. Cribbs · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been waiting for this book and this series for quite some time. I heard about it years ago, way before it was sold to Month9Books and back before Kelly took off as a published author with her first series, TOUCH OF DEATH. Needless to say, I had high expectations, and Kelly has delivered in flames of fire licking every page, scorching me with her characters of Cara and Logan, and singeing my fingertips as I turned each page. Okay, I lied. As I swiped each ePage. I read an eCopy of the book. You get the idea.



First of all, I loved that this book is written in alternating first person POV. It's not an easy feat to pull off. You have to know which character perspective to write from for each chapter, to best capture all of the tension for each point along the way. Kelly did an amazing job with this, and I was delighted to see her pull off a convincing male character in Logan, among others.



As I read, I got hooked and drawn into the story, and I didn't mind the excessive kissing all the time. I might have flinched like the boy in Princess Bride, whose grandfather comes over to read him the story, and he asks glibly: "Is this a kissing book?" The answer is: most definitely, YES.



I loved the concept of the race of beings who appear human, but are actually descendants of Phoenixes. I have a penchant for phoenixes, and dragons. In fact, I've got a tattoo on my right upper arm from my shoulder down to just above where my shirt sleeve ends above the elbow. Sure, a glimpse flashes here and there, and I've been asked about it more than once, but I love my tattoo of a dragon entwined with a phoenix, and the meaning. I hope book 2 and 3 will explore the Phoenix lore a bit more. While it was referenced well, throughout the book, I did want more, but I guess there wasn't much room because, you guessed it. Kissing. That's way more important, anyway.



I found the traits of a phoenix, before first rebirth and beyond, fascinating. Some traits are positives, like healing, and the shriek. Other traits are not so great, like forgetting everything from your former life, and the fact that there are Hunters bent on stealing the life force or essence from a phoenix to gain prolonged life and eventual immortality. This definitely raised the stakes when Phoenixes started "going up in flames" due to a Hunter on the loose.



At the center of the story is Cara, who must face her first rebirth just when her life finally delivered the boy of her dreams, and she's convinced the premonition dream she keeps having holds the key to finding a way to avoid forgetting about the boy she can't stop kissing.



The climax was horrific, and brought me right to the end, with a cliffhanger that left me begging for more, despite the elevated heat scorching me with every flickering page. This is a must read series for male and female readers alike. I thoroughly enjoyed Kelly's characters and how her chapters are riddled with plot twists and huge stakes. I have a few ideas where I think the next book will go, but I'll wait to discuss until after you've all read your copies and told all your friends to get copies as well. Plus, you can win your very own copy via the widget below.



4 out of 5 stars, or shrieking phoenixes, because, you know, phoenixes.



Highly, highly recommended. A must read.

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Alright, so this novel was not what I expected it to be whatsoever. First off, I was led to believe that this was a stand-alone novel. Secondly, I was mistaken into thinking that this was an actual novel. Which it wasn't because novels are longer and has better plots to them. Originally this novel held some promise, which is why I chose to read it. However, after actually reading the whole novel I came to realize that it honestly has nothing going for it. I found it a little boring and it made me more than a little uninterested. I actually had to force myself to finish reading it, that's how boring it was.

In this novel we meet Cara and Logan. Cara is one of the many phoenixes that are in hiding. She's been trying to hide away from the hunters, because of what she can become. Cara isn't yet a true phoenix, and she won't be until her first rebirth. Which isn't too far away if her growing heat is anything to judge by. But until that time she has to help her younger brother Jeremy, who just went through his rebirth. After a rebirth they don't remember anything, not even their own family. So to help them after the process one phoenix is always around until they're ready to rejoin the world again. After witnessing Jeremy go through his rebirth Cara is an emotional wreck, so she drives out to the falls. Where she then meets a mysteriously good-looking Logan. Logan and his father had just moved to town and Logan already hates it. He's upset with his father for moving after his mother died, because it was her dream to move. So to get rid of some of his anger he decides to go to the falls. When he meets Cara there his whole perspective on things changes. He decides to give the rinky-dink town a chance, if only for her. However, this could either be a good thing or bad thing. Because the thing is that Cara accidentally imprinted on Logan. Which isn't a good thing since the rest of her family thinks he's a hunter.

As far as I can tell this is supposed to be a young adult/urban fantasy novel. While it does have all of those aspects it fails in one. That one being the plot itself. There really wasn't a plot for this novel at all. If there was I would gladly let someone point it out to me, because as of right now it's non-existent. So since I couldn't find one I'd say that this makes a very poorly thought-out novel. I feel that the author could have done better if she had only planned it out better. However, with all of this being said I will say that the cover of this novel was quite excellent. It catches the eye and draws you in for a peek. But by no means does this change my review, because I highly recommend that you don't read this novel. There are better novels out there that deserve your time, because this one certainly doesn't.

*Read on February 24th, 2016

[Wendy C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Into the Fire (Birth of the Phoenix #1) by Ashelyn Drake

Into the Fire (Birth of the Phoenix #1) by Ashelyn Drake is a story about Cara who in about a months’ time is going to die and be reborn. Cara and her family are Phoenixes. One problem about when a Phoenix dies, the only people they remember are other Phoenixes. Cara watches her brother go through his first time of dying and rebirth. She also helps him relearn things he has forgotten by using a memory book they made before he died.

Cara is having a hard time adjusting with what is happening with her brother so she leaves to go to a local hot spot, Ashlan Falls to take a break from everything that is happening. It is there where she meets the new guy, Logan that just moved to town. Cara goes swimming with him at the falls and later discovers that she has imprinted on Logan.

Cara’s mother does not want her to hang around Logan at all. Cara of course disobeys her mother and sees Logan. The pull to him is so strong because of the imprint. One of the local Phoenixes, Henry is killed by a Hunter and everyone goes on high alert.

Cara just wants to be with Logan since her rebirth is just around the corner. She wants to enjoy what little time they have left together before she forgets him. Cara wants to tell Logan but she is forbidden to say anything. However, she does tell him she is not like him, that she is different.

Cara is then captured by the Hunter but is able to secretly call Logan. Logan tries to save Cara but ends up watching Cara burst into flames and die. Stunned by what he has just witnessed, he waits for her to be reborn. When Cara wakes up she does not remember Logan at all.

Into the Fire (Birth of the Phoenix #1) the characters are well developed and the author does an excellent job giving each person a different voice. The alternating perspective allows the reader a better understanding of that characters thoughts and actions.

The author weaves a wonderful story that is paced well and there is never a dull moment. The story has a great setting which makes the story all the more enjoyable. Without question, the narrative keeps the reader captivated throughout the story. You definitely don’t want to put the book down.
Definite must read!

4 Stars

*I won this book through Goodreads First Reads giveaway. In no way has this influenced my rating or opinion of this book.*