Beautifully Burned

The Dreamcaster Series #2

by C.J. Burright

One woman haunted by dreams. One man broken by his past. One destiny to decide...

After a tragic fire wrecked her family and destroyed her dreams, bartender Ella struggles to survive while pretending her nightmares are normal. She never imagined life could get worse until Daxen—sensual, snarly, and the supernatural force she’d been warned to avoid—shows up at her bar. When he drags her into a hidden society of shapeshifters and appoints himself her protector, Ella does what she does best: plots a way to escape her fate.

But the world Daxen belongs to holds answers to the mysterious power that burns inside Ella, and ignoring the sparks he enflames proves harder each day. While Daxen claims he can’t love, his touch fires her senses. His kiss calls her to trust him. Surrender could be so sweet … if not for the secrets that could crush them both.

When enemies kidnap Ella’s sister, Daxen and Ella must decide who and what to trust—and a wrong choice on either side may kill the love neither expected to find and plunge them both into a nightmare they can’t escape.

Beautifully Burned is the second in a new adult paranormal romance series, and while the Dreamcaster Series is best enjoyed in sequence, each book may be read as a stand alone. Each full-length story radiates with razor sharp tension, humor, banter, action and adventure, fated mates with hard-earned love, quirky goodness, beauty and hope in the darkness, shapeshifters with a nightmare twist, and a fresh and exciting take on the paranormal genre. If you like strong heroines who won’t stop until they’ve saved their hot but tortured heroes, you’ll love these magical romances. Discover the Dreamcaster world today!

Genres: Paranormal, Romance, Vampires, Fantasy

274 pages, Paperback

First published August 23, 2016

About the author

***Sign up for C.J.'s newsletter!***

Once upon a time, a girl with flat hobbit feet dreamed of adventures in the woods with an elven hero, fighting off orcs and saving magical rings. All grown up now, C.J. Burright resides in Oregon (at least she got the trees). While she faces her duties at the law office day job, she avoids writing legal thrillers and instead turns toward romance—contemporary (sometimes with a supernatural flair), paranormal or fantasy. With a 5th Dan Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do, it’s no surprise she prefers feisty heroines who aren’t afraid to jump into the fight. Her slivers of spare time are spent working out, gardening, playing the latest Assassin’s Creed, and rooting on the Seattle Mariners, always with music. She shares a house with her husband (not elven, alas, but a fine alternative) and a devoted cat herd while missing her daughter from afar. C. J. is represented by Brittany Booker of The Booker Albert Literary Agency. Find her on Facebook, Twitter (@CJBurright), Instagram, Bookbub, and Goodreads.

Reviews

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

C.J. Burright Celebrates the Release of 

Beautifully Burned with a GODIVA TRUFFLES Giveaway!

Click on Banner to Enter! - Ends September 6

He is everything she should run from, hide from and fear, but Dax is the man Ella has always dreamed of and longed for. As she works the bar she owns every night. How can life be so unfair? C.J. Burright’s latest addition to the Dreamcaster series is one beautifully chaotic ride.

Beautifully Burned is a tale of love, struggle and determination. When danger comes from a dark entity, Dax may be the only thing that keeps Ella alive and that is so not his normal MO.
Ella is a Dreamcaster and Dax must feed off nightmares, like a vampire feeds off humans, draining them of the precious liquid. Gruff, ill-tempered Dax has no time for emotions, but Ella’s need and compassion both erode his prickly façade. Can he learn to trust in Ella? Can he learn to let another into his life? His is a mess, but Ella is determined to show him the good lies within while hoping she can also claim a piece of his heart.

Fall into a dreamlike tale as C.J. Burright builds a world that straddles reality and a magical world few know of. From scene to scene, the growth and changes in some of the characters is remarkable as one outwardly tough woman and one outwardly standoffish man find a one in a lifetime relationship that dreams are made of. Beautifully written by C.J. Burright, wildly creative and unique, Beautifully Burned is a gem that sparkles bright!

I received an ARC edition from C.J. Burright in exchange for my honest review.

Series: The Dreamcaster Series - Book 2
Publication Date: August 23, 2016
Publisher: C.J. Burright
ASIN: B01IX4GYAY
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Print Length: 241 pages
Available from: Amazon
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Georgia Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one the best books I’ve read in while. Different from my usual reads, and once I got into the story, the world building just sucked me in. Though this is the second book in the Dreamcaster series, (and my first read) all was explained well without me having to go back and search for explanations, so I loved that.

Oh man!! I just adore Dax!
He’s so awesome and heartbreakingly messed up. When he broke his link to Kalila and went all cold, (you have to read this to know what I mean) I was like nooooo, this can’t happen! Thank God for Ella. I didn't like what she did at one point, but then I understood why she did it, too. When you're caught between a rock and a hard place... yeah damn hard to make choices. And I was cheering when she went all out in the end for him.
A really great read!
Now I'm wondering who is next. Izzy? Or Zaire?
Oh man, love, love me some bad guys.

Received an ARC copy for a honest review.

[Ingrid Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 out ot 5 stars

Gripping, funny and with it’s I-want-to-throw-the-book-but-can't-really-let-it-go moments!

C.J Burright managed to weave dreams and reality again, chilling us with her nightmarish characters, but binding us with the love and strength of her characters.

Things just turned worse for the characters but it definitely turned for the better for us readers!!! We can even learn new words… like… Fanflippintabulous!!!!

WE HAVE A PAIR!!!

This is the second book in The dreamcaster series. And if you haven’t read the first one, it’s no deal breaker, but I strongly suggest you read the first one in order to really understand the subtleties and the characters that make this book great.
Here we have Ella, a young woman with the weight of the world on her shoulders. The owner of a bar, that is trying to stay afloat, and the care of her catatonic sister.

She tries real hard to keep up with everything and on top of that she has nightmares that won't let her have a restful sleep, reliving the inferno and death of her grandmother, and making her afraid of fire. Still she makes the better of what she has.


Except suddenly she is yanked from the life she knows and is being taken somewhere by a guy she doesn't even know, and really why trust him only because he stopped her heart when she first saw him? And there is this regular customer, a regular who suddenly morphed into a stranger, and apparently a deadly one.

With no one to trust, who can she turn to? She still has to take care of her sister, and the bar.



The Blue, a broken husk of a man, except for the bond with Kalila that brings him a little piece of peace, he is learning to live anew. But now he has to help and protect a dreamcaster that apparently is his. But to claim his dreamcaster, she has to claim him back, and to do so, he has to sever his bond with Kalila...sever the bond that brought him to life.. Will he be able to do it?

All the while he need to learn to control his feelings, which he didn’t know he was capable of having, and dodge an invisible assassin.

Can they find the courage to confide and trust that the other one will not betray them?

We see recurring characters like The Black, Kalilia, and Mel, and also The White and Alun , a character that brings a spark of fun and joy for this book.
I love that some of the character are not perfect, that Kalila still has her sourly disposition. That The Black is still a nightmarish guy, only tamed by his dreamcaster.

And now we have a hint of what is to come!! We have a new enemy but we also have a new story that I cannot wait to read!!

Definitely a series that I’ll keep reading!! And that I recommend!!

I was given this ARC via Netgalley in exchange of an honest review

For more of my reviews visit me at: www.isatho2000.wordpress.com

Previous book: Wonderfully Wicked
Author C.J. Burright

[Gwessie Tee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received in return for an honest review naughtiness 3*

Wow doesn't cover how much I loved this book and utterly love the Dreamcaster series so far, as I found with book one this book is utterly captivating has huge twists and turns that pull you in.
Without giving any spoilers I can Garuntee everything from the fear of Stephen king to the heartwarming fuzziness of a happy ever after with every emotion in between.

The hero and heroine I adore past friends included with some new ones, I defy anyone who loves paranormal romance to not adore this series as much as I do I think to my knowledge there is absolutely nothing like this series currently out there at this time if there is please feel free to let me know as I am 100 % hooked and most definitely Hooked on C J's Dreamcaster Series and cannot wait to read more thank you for giving me the honour to read the series so far 💖

[Pamela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rated 3.5

[Bridgett Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway.
Ella's a dreamcaster but she wears a stone which hides her abilities from others. When Dax walks into her bar, her body immediately responds to him. Is Dax the guy her gran warned her about? Can he be trusted? The Dreamcaster Series seems simple: vampires exist, but they don’t live on blood however, they feed on dreams. And then it gets a little complicated. They don’t just feed on regular human’s dreams, but on the special dreams of special humans named dreamcasters. They live through horrible nightmares each night, which makes them not only sleep bad, but also a danger to their surroundings since they have the ability to bring their nightmares to life.

[S · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book because it was all about Dax and his dreamcaster, Dany. I like how it was about them but also included Lydon and Kalila! I really loved how vulnerable Dax was with Dany and how comfortable they were with each other. Overall, it was a really good, vulnerable and touching read! I can't wait to see what happens with Alun and Ginny in the next book though!

[Lauri McNabb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story

Ella and Daxen found each other despite all their doubts. Doubts about each other and themselves. A great fantasy ride.

[A Klue · Rating 4 out of 5]

If the synopsis of Beautifully Burned by C.J. Burright has you burning to pick it up and jump right in, well, here’s some friendly advice, don’t do it just yet. Though technically a stand-alone, as it centers around a different main couple, you are missing out on a lot, mainly an in-depth perspective, if you skip the first book. Plus, Lydon and Kalila’s story is pretty darn intense. Dax, the hero in book 2, comes across as a teddy bear compared to dark, brooding, thinks with his fists and asks questions later Lydon. The author did, however, do a good job of hitting enough of the bare bones/highlights at the appropriate times here so you won’t feel completely lost if that isn’t an option for you.

What else do you need to know? Well, the “V” in “V’alkara has absolutely nothing to do with vampires, folks. It is a creature that lucky for us seems to always come in a sexy, handsome, manly form who survives off the nightmares of dreamcasters. They can enter dreams and absorb/become any aspect of the dream, control it, and even conjure it up later outside the dream. I guess you could compare the latter aspect to a squirrel gathering nuts. Unlucky for them is the fact they’ve been brutally victimized/beaten all in the name of creating/controlling/preserving their species, which is now divided into two opposing, warring sides. The handsome heroes here, of course, are on the good guy side. They want to put a stop to the rogue V’alkara who indiscriminately kill anyone they see fit, namely dreamcasters/other V’alkara they don’t approve of.

Dreamcasters appear to be gifted with an overabundance of non-stop nightmares and need a V’alkara to alleviate their suffering. If called by name, a V’alkara has no choice but to enter the dreamcaster’s nightmare. Once officially claimed by each other, they have a strong, invisible bond that pretty much helps/protects them both. Oh, it also seems to come with a version of OnStar since it allows them to find each other if separated.

Dax himself is one complicated creature. He thinks he is not good enough for Ella, the heroine. Love and affection are as foreign to him as an alien from outer space. He’s also struggling with watching Kalilia and OTT alpha, possessive Lydon live out their HEA, as he wanted her for himself in book 1. Yeah, like I said, it’s complicated, folks. They are all working together now, but I’m not going to explain any more since I will likely say too much.

Ella seems to be perpetually stuck between a rock and a hard place. She’s a dreamcaster, of course, and dearly departed grand mama warned her about V’alkaras. Unfortunately, she didn’t get all her facts straight before dishing out those details. Ella also has a totally defenseless loved one to keep safe and keeps getting torn between her feelings for Dax and saving her sister, while trying to stay a couple of steps ahead of the bad guys, who are after her.

It’s a lot to keep track of, my fellow romance book-loving friends. The romance here kind of takes a backseat at times to the complex drama, but it still keeps a lingering presence at all times. Here’s to hoping my review has been helpful in some way in helping you decide if this one might be a good fit for your next romantic read.

Romance Safety Gang: Dax is still not completely over Kalilia. In fact, it is pretty clear he would sacrifice Ella if it meant protecting Kalilia, which he would do at all cost, at least in the beginning. Eventually, of course, that changes.

Title: Beautifully Burned, Series: The Dreamcaster Series (Book 2), Author: C.J. Burright, Pages: 274, Pub. Date: 8/23/16, VIRGIN HERO, non-virgin heroine, stand-alone but should read book 1 first to better understand storyline/characters, loyal good guy hero who needs his own dreamcaster, no cheating but hero still has feelings/strong connection to 1st book’s heroine & would do anything for her, no OM drama, some graphic violence/abuse (not rape).

Book 1 - Wonderfully Wicked, 10/27/15, Pages: 263 (Kalilia & Lydon)
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Book 2 - Beautifully Burned, 8/23/16, Pages: 274 (Ella & Dax)

(This review is based on free advanced reader copy provided via NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased, fair review. No type of compensation was given to the reviewer. There is no relationship/affiliation between the reviewer and the author/publisher.)

[Joyffree · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging, detailed and enchanting - will pull you to the edge of your seat and keep you there
Daxen had me torn between loving and hating him - as did our demon - not telling you -be prepared for betrayal and twists that you never see coming - definitely kept me spellbound from beginning to end!
This is an extremely detail oriented read - there is a great depth to the characters and their needs- a lot of hidden suggestions and tones within the scenes that you gradually pick up on as the story progresses.
I read a complimentary copy which brought me in on this series with this novel- It works as a stand-alone with no problem -

[Elle Schroder · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting new kind of supernatural. Ella, the heroine, is a dreamcaster. Daxen, the hero, is a V’alkara. These two different species (?) need each other, as they develop a symbiotic relationship. A dreamcaster has uncontrollable nightmares. Uncontrollable, that is, except by a V’alkara. A V’alkara can manipulate nightmares and therefore turn a nightmare into something less disturbing. In turn, the nightmare sustains the V’alkara. Without nightmares, the V’alkara will slowly go mad. And so too would a dreamcaster, caught in a never ending cycle of nightmares. So they need each other.

Ella has been warned that V’alkara are the bad guys, so she doesn’t want anything to do with them. She’s struggling to survive a relatively normal life while enduring horrific nightmares every night. Her only remaining family, after a house fire, is her sister who is in a mental institute.

Daxon is currently using Kalila and her nightmares to sustain him, but Kalila is already bonded to Lydon, and Lydon does NOT like sharing.

When Ella is targeted, Daxon is one of those who goes to help her. Ella eventually learns more about the V’alkara, and Daxon shows her how he can help her nightmares and how they can work together to control her dreams. But they won’t defeat their enemies easily, and when their enemies target Ella’s sister, things get even worse.

I found this story quite fascinating. It’s such a unique concept. It’s not just about the dreams sustaining Daxon, but he can use facets of the dreams in real life, to fight their enemies, etc. It’s both disturbing (in a nightmare-come-true kind of way) and intriguing.

I didn’t read the first book in the series, but it didn’t seem to affect my enjoyment of the book. I found Daxon to be easily likeable, and all the characters were multi-dimensional. Within the first chapter we’re already introduced to the fact that Lydon is both capable of murdering in cold blood and loving to the point of desperation, and he’s just a secondary character (although he’s the hero of the first book in the series). Ella is the one we relate to, being more like a regular human, living a regular life but dealing with all the terrible things life throws at us.

The book is well written and easy to read. Definitely worth checking out.

[Merissa (Archaeolibrarian) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully Burned is the second book in The Dreamcaster series, and we reunite with Dax. He still has his bond with Kalila but is fed up with Black's attempts to kill him and get rid of the bond. Mel has a vision which sends him to Ella's side, but he is confused as he doesn't think she is a Dreamcaster at all. Of course, he doesn't know about the adder stones gifted to her by her grandmother.

There is a slight twist to this one, as Izzy is one of her regular customers. He shows his 'normal' side when Kalila shows up, reminding the reader of just how dangerous he can be.

Dax and Ella have a hard path to tread, and it doesn't look good for them to begin with. With more nightmares and situations to deal with, this book will have you gripped to the pages. It is a fresh and exciting take on the paranormal genre, and I am loving everything. I can't wait to read more about Zaire, but then I also really want Izzy and Mel to get together!

This is a fantastic series so far, and this book is also of the highest quality - with no editing or grammatical errors to disrupt my reading flow. The pacing was smooth, and the action was enough to make you catch your breath. Absolutely recommended by me.

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 19, 2018

[P Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from net gallery for an honest review.

Dax shares a bond with Kalilia but he longs to have the emotional and physical connection too.

Ella's a dreamcaster but she wears a stone which hides her abilities from others. When Dax walks into her bar, her body immediately responds to him. Is Dax the guy her gran warned her about? Can he be trusted?

Dax thinks Lydon is trying to kill him to break his bond with Kalila but is he mistaken?

My heart broke for Dax throughout, he's haunted by his past and his partial bonding to Kalilla makes him crave what he can't have from her. I liked how his demeanour changed around Ella: it was funny yet surprisingly sexy. When Ella guided him to climb into the cage, my heart literally shattered. There were times I struggled to connect with Ella. She tries to save one person she loves by sacrificing the other, by luring Dax into his worst nightmare. Her betrayal and selfishness didn't sit well with me.

This was a good read but had too many similarities to Wonderfully Wicked. I wanted more originality and creativeness. The women in both books were too alike.

I'm hoping the author is going to write a book about Varun / Ginny and Mel / Izzy, but I'm more intrigued by the latter.

Good read and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.

[Chloe (Forever Fictional) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a strong sequel and continued nicely from where we left of in Wonderfully Wicked. Though it follows different characters, familiar faces frequently pop up (Kalila, Lydon, Alun etc.) which was nice to read. Some say that this can be read as a standalone but I personally disagree. Sure, you can read it by itself and it'll make sense but I think that reading Wonderfully Wicked first would give you a much better insight on the world instead of reading it by itself. This book doesn't have as much explanation of Dreamcasters and the V'alkara because it's assumed that the reader already has a basic understanding of this world.
Just saying. *shrug*
This book was very good and, as a whole, I can safely say that I preferred it to the first book. I would definitely recommend it for paranormal romance lovers- it's right up your street.

Full Review: https://forever-fictional.blogspot.co...

[The Book Junkie Reads . . . · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daxon and Ella pulled me in to their world and in to their lives, past and present. I was enthralled by the dynamics of the world that the Dreamcaster Series was taking place in. I was immediately captivated by the similarities and the differences between Dax and Ella. I was intrigued by the secondary characters including Lydon and Kalila. The bonds, deceit, fears, triggers, betrayal, connections to Wonderfully Wicked.

There were similarities to the first read of the series but it did not detract from the two characters building their story here. Ella had many moments when I was just not sure about her. She keep me wondering what was she thinking. How could she do that? Dax had a few moments of me wanting to slap him hard. The connection that he had with Kalila and the paranoia he had about Lydon.

This read fits right into the frame of things for the Dreamcaster Series.
**This ARC was provided via Bewitching Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.**

[Gabby (What's Beyond Forks?) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full Review at: What's Beyond Forks?

Daxon and Ella are the main characters this time around, but don't worry Lydon and Kalila are still very prominent(and adorable) throughout the book. Dax and Ella are similar, in that they both have overcome or are overcoming pains from their past.

This is such a unique world, and I like that we're getting different main characters with each book. It keeps things fresh, and gives us different perspectives. This is definitely a favorite series for me!

The ARC of Beautifully Burned was kindly provided to me by the author for review. The opinions are my own.

[Kayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMAZING!!!!! This series brought me out of my book slump. It was the best cure for my PNR addiction! This series makes me think of The Lords of the Underworld series! If you’re a fan of it, then this series is definitely for you! I couldn't stop reading!

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a book. The author is superb at weaving reality and dreams together It’s a definite impossible to stop reading.

[Speed · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the world that Burright introduced me to in her first book, Wonderfully Wicked and after introducing us to Dax, I could not wait to get my hands on his book. Poor Dax he had to separate from Kalila and it left Dax embittered and cold. The world building is short of amazing. I love how Burright makes me feel a part of their dream-casting world. This books weaves reality and magic seamlessly. Ella is a bit frightened of Daxen, she knows what he is and somehow cannot fight off the attraction. I really loved their story. I like when bad boys are featured with a good guy veneer underneath all that gruff. Lol. Another awesome read by this great author. 4.5 stars!

***ARC provided thru Netgalley in exchange for an honest review***

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wanting more

White, black, blue, dreamcasters. I hope their ate many more books to follow. So not ready to crash back into reality. A wonderfully written story with lots of action and romance. Just the right blend to keep you drawn in and want to turn the page. I have favorite arthurs for different types of books. But these books stand in their own category. The best part is it is clean enough to feel comfortable letting my teenager read.

[Bunny · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent continuation of the first book "wonderfully wicked", the plot is well written the characters are enjoyable and ensnare you in their story. The lead is dark yet fragile as his counterpart is equally as fragile but ever so kind. I was hooked throughout and can't wait till the next story in the series.

I received a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review.

[lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great series I cannot wait for the next book to come out

[Loes M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

These are the kinds of series that I really like to read if I don’t want to think and just relax: a romance novel with a fantasy edge to it, especially if they intersect the fantastical with our real world. The premise of The Dreamcaster Series seems simple: vampires exist, but they don’t live on blood however, they feed on dreams. And then it gets a little complicated. They don’t just feed on regular human’s dreams, but on the special dreams of special humans named “dreamcasters”. Basically, these dreamcasters live through horrible nightmares each night, which makes them not only sleep bad, but also a danger to their surroundings since they have the ability to bring their nightmares to live (literally). The vampires are called V’alkara and they live in another dimension where they exist in a brutal brotherhood under the rule of “the White”. They are basically dying, and can only survive thanks to the White’s healing powers, and the dreams of dreamcasters. So they have taken to finding the dreamcasters in the human world, kidnapping them to their home where they proceed to sucking out their dreams until what remains is a hollow, drained shell that will eventually go crazy and die.

In the second book of the series, we meet Daxen (who played a minor role in Kalila’s story) who is about to find his own little dreamcaster, Ella. In the last book, “The White” was defeated and replaced by a new “White”, who is a good friend of Kalila and Lydon and who also wants to change things (most importantly, stop hunting down and killing the dreamcasters). He sends out Daxen to find and protect Ella from other V’alkara (some have split off the brotherhood and have formed bands of their own, continuing to do evil). This story is a little different in the fact that Ella didn’t expect Daxen (like Kalila already expected Lydon) and that Daxen isn’t convinced that Ella is his (as Lydon was sure of Kalila). Dax doesn’t like to be touched and does everything he can to keep away from Ella. Of course, in vain, or it would not be a very good romance novel.

The world-building was not great, but it was good. You can read both books separately, reading the first is not required to understand the second. The author does not break up the story to start explaining the rules of her world, but it becomes clear through the actions and conversations of her characters. It evolves slowly and we learn about the V’alkara together with the female character, and catch glimpses of it through the male lead characters as well. The characters are well-built and act and react in believable matters. Their relationship develops slowly throughout the book, stumbling here and there.

I would classify this book as a romance novel with fantasy elements (and not the other way around), since the focus is mostly around the relationship between the two main characters. If you like romantic stories with a twist, then this is a series for you!

More in-depth reviews on: www.owlishbooks.com

[Melanie S · Rating 3 out of 5]

*NOTICE: I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. This review is my independent opinion* After reading the first book of the series, I looked forward to this one, but I'm a little disappointed. The writing is good, and the plot moves along nicely. The main characters, Danyella Foster, the dream caster, and Daxen V'al Solanis, the Blue V'alkara, are well-drawn and face interesting personal and relationship challenges. The large supporting cast, Lydon, Kalila, et al, are familiar from the first book, and are an integral part of this one, as opposed to merely being mentioned in recapping past events. Therein lies the first of my three disappointments. This book doesn't work as a stand-alone. Author C. J. Burright makes very little effort to explain the presence of so many minor characters, who really require an extensive recap to understand who and what they are. Had I not read the first novel, the involvement of so many secondary characters would be chaotic and confusing. (Then again, explanation and back-story were not Burright's forte in the first book, either.) The second disappointment I had was the strange decision Ella made regarding keeping Ginny a secret. Given the situation she faced it seemed counter-productive, if not stupid, and I thought it was out of character for her. My third disappointment is that I thought the story was a bit “cookie-cutter.” After reading Lydon and Kalila's tale, I found the course of true love for Ella and Dax to be too predictable. Fans who want sequels with more of the same will not object to this, but I wanted something more inventive and imaginative.

[Lene Blackthorn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Original, stunning concept put in the dreamy realm with an action-packed plot line guarantees a worthy reading experience.
Ella lost her parents, saw her home burnt down and now was kidnapped by V'alkara away from her old life. Dax offered to protect her in return for her saving his life twice, but his grumpy, annoying nature irritates Ella and she needs to learn how to get on with him without fight. Considering the threats for Dax's life from the anonymous assassin, enough suspense and tension is a sure thing.
The unique creatures V'alkara are, sort of a dream vampires feeding off nightmares in order to avoid madness, caught firmly my attention and I grew to love them. The opposite side of the balance, the Dreamcasters, are cursed by nightmares but might be seen as blessed by the bond with V'alkara.
Relationship between Ella and Dax is dynamic, volatile and complex, with equally bright and dark times. They are obviously a great match, made for each other, but the path to each other is thorny and difficult and full of obstacles they face and fight to win the love of their lives. I loved both their characters, strong individualities made up in a believable manner with both pronounced strengths and weaknesses and noticeable development over time.
This book is certainly worth your time, if you love fantasy at its best. I received a copy from eBook Discovery and volunteered to review the book honestly.

[Nicki Markus · Rating 3 out of 5]

I came to Beautifully Burned straight after reading the first book in the series. In some ways I liked this one more because Dax is a far pleasanter character than Lydon, so I felt a greater connection to his story and his motivations. However, the whole claiming/mine/insta-love idea still permeated, and that always grates on me. One other thing that made me twitch in this one was the excessive use of epithets. They were in the last book a bit too, but here they littered the prose on nearly every page. When we know a character's name, why not use it? Or a pronoun. The constant "the dreamcaster", "the boy", "the teenager" etc. is truly awful and pulled me out of the story every time since it made my inner editor want to reach for a red pen.

That said, the idea for this series is still original and fresh, which is why it gets three stars from me despite the problems with the prose and all the insta-love; and if you like your men to be real alpha-types, then you'll probably enjoy these books.

One final thought to finish: why do the cover models (the women in particular) look nothing like the characters as described in the books?

I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley.

[Olivia · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Beautifully Burned" is a continuation of the series about V'alkara and dreamcasters- this time with Daxen (or Dax) and Ella as the main characters. Your favorites still appear in this book (Alun, Lydon, Kalila, and Mel all make appearances), but the characters are new and could function as a stand-alone. I think I would have liked it better as a stand-alone.

It felt very, very similar to the first book in that there's denied attraction between the two and some struggles for safety/fighting the bond. The characters felt pretty similar too. I think I would have liked it if they were different- maybe a story about Mel finding love and her powers as a prophetess. It would have felt more departed from the first book and branched out.

That being said, I still enjoyed Dax and Ella's journey and their path to love/bonding. Please note that I received an ARC through netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

[Fawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the chance to read this book. Even though it is book two I didn't feel like I had to read the first story to know what was going on. There were no references to the first book to make you feel as if you were left out and not invited to the party last night. Dax and Ella are easy to understand characters. They move at their own speeds while they try to learn to trust each other. The story really pulls you in and you can't wait to see what is going to happen next. The paranormal side has a different story idea than the ones out there so far. They have won the battle, but not the war. I look forward to the next book and would even be interested in going backwards to read the first one too. I was given this story for an honest review and this is mine.

[Kerry Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book from ebook discovery in exchange for an honest review.
I was thrilled to be able to dive into this world again. The author captures you and makes you understand where the characters are coming from. It was also lovely to 'catch up' with old friends from the first book and learn more about them.
The story shows that even positive change can cause a falling out and, to my mind, this will probably be further shown in book three. The main Dax and Ella are well written and the story is a good mix of
suspense, humour and learning to trust.

[Celeste · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. The back story for each of them, the build of the characters, the unknowns for Ella, the hard issues for Blue had me intrigued. I'm still trying to grasp the full picture of this series but I would definitely read more.