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Ariel Kimber #1
Brothers of the Flame
Ariel Kimber is a 17-year-old girl who, thanks to her mother, has had a life full of unpleasantness and abuse. And it’s about to get a whole lot worse.
After her mother meets a man online, Ariel is forced to move to a different state, leaving all that she has ever known behind. Any teenager’s nightmare. But Ariel isn’t like most teenagers, she’s different, and she has literally nothing to leave behind. No friends, no nothing. They move next door to a house that remains empty all summer long until the day before the first day of school. A school where the other kids treat Ariel like garbage because of who her mother is and the fact that she’s different from them, save for a few – her neighbors. Tyson, his mysterious Uncle, Quinton, and twins, Abel and Addison. They quickly become her only friends, but Ariel soon finds out they are hiding things from her, keeping secrets from her. And she wants answers. Surprisingly, they give them to her. What do you do when you find out you’re not who you always thought you were and your whole world gets flipped upside down?
Ariel Kimber stumbles into a world she didn’t know existed, a world of magic and nothing is as it seems. Thankfully, she has the guys to guide her, to hold her hand along the way and she is going to need a whole lot of hand holding.
-This is a Reverse Harem series.
- There is adult langue and some mature content so be warned of that.
After her mother meets a man online, Ariel is forced to move to a different state, leaving all that she has ever known behind. Any teenager’s nightmare. But Ariel isn’t like most teenagers, she’s different, and she has literally nothing to leave behind. No friends, no nothing. They move next door to a house that remains empty all summer long until the day before the first day of school. A school where the other kids treat Ariel like garbage because of who her mother is and the fact that she’s different from them, save for a few – her neighbors. Tyson, his mysterious Uncle, Quinton, and twins, Abel and Addison. They quickly become her only friends, but Ariel soon finds out they are hiding things from her, keeping secrets from her. And she wants answers. Surprisingly, they give them to her. What do you do when you find out you’re not who you always thought you were and your whole world gets flipped upside down?
Ariel Kimber stumbles into a world she didn’t know existed, a world of magic and nothing is as it seems. Thankfully, she has the guys to guide her, to hold her hand along the way and she is going to need a whole lot of hand holding.
-This is a Reverse Harem series.
- There is adult langue and some mature content so be warned of that.
332 pages, ebook
First published July 31, 2019
460 people are currently reading
1783 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 253 reviews
August 5, 2019
Ridiculous.
Utterly ridiculous.
Who in their right mind would like a book like this?
Well, it's good for me that my mind is not right because I loved it. Don't get me wrong, this is not great writing or deep literature but it entertained me and kept me happy. 3 stars for that factor.
Reading books like this is like eating cupcakes. No real substance and if you consume too many, you end up looking at your hands like they betrayed you for indulging so much. You know that if you go back for seconds, it is going to ruin the next real meal you have but you just can't help yourself.
Utterly ridiculous.
Who in their right mind would like a book like this?
Well, it's good for me that my mind is not right because I loved it. Don't get me wrong, this is not great writing or deep literature but it entertained me and kept me happy. 3 stars for that factor.
Reading books like this is like eating cupcakes. No real substance and if you consume too many, you end up looking at your hands like they betrayed you for indulging so much. You know that if you go back for seconds, it is going to ruin the next real meal you have but you just can't help yourself.
September 7, 2017
I imagine this is how people feel about Twilight.
The MC is pathetic. The whole school treats her badly on her first day(unrealistic, btw) b/c of the actions of one guy, and the second said guy apologizes everything's good. Why? B/c he's gorgeous, of course. . . yeah, it's one of those. You know, when the girl will stand for everything just b/c wow, pretty.
Ariel falls asleep with Tyson in her room when she knows pretty much next to nothing about him. I'm aghast at her utter stupidity and foolishness.
Her personality is nonexistent. Can you see the Bella parallels yet? No? How about this: the guys are domineering, she puts a token protest then let's it go b/c oh well, they've done this or that so the least she could do is be polite. Or they get too close and oops, train of thought what even is that?!
At least Bella had her curiosity going for her; Ariel is so superficial as a character that even that eludes her.
She has no problem telling complete strangers how badly her mother treats her but never went to the police? Didn't tell her practially step-father? Yeah, no.
If she loved her mother, I would've understood how it could've been difficult going to someone capable of solving her situation. But she didn't, so all that came across was that she had no guts whatsoever.
All in all, I should've DNF-d this 10 pages in.
The MC is pathetic. The whole school treats her badly on her first day(unrealistic, btw) b/c of the actions of one guy, and the second said guy apologizes everything's good. Why? B/c he's gorgeous, of course. . . yeah, it's one of those. You know, when the girl will stand for everything just b/c wow, pretty.
Ariel falls asleep with Tyson in her room when she knows pretty much next to nothing about him. I'm aghast at her utter stupidity and foolishness.
Her personality is nonexistent. Can you see the Bella parallels yet? No? How about this: the guys are domineering, she puts a token protest then let's it go b/c oh well, they've done this or that so the least she could do is be polite. Or they get too close and oops, train of thought what even is that?!
At least Bella had her curiosity going for her; Ariel is so superficial as a character that even that eludes her.
She has no problem telling complete strangers how badly her mother treats her but never went to the police? Didn't tell her practially step-father? Yeah, no.
If she loved her mother, I would've understood how it could've been difficult going to someone capable of solving her situation. But she didn't, so all that came across was that she had no guts whatsoever.
All in all, I should've DNF-d this 10 pages in.
April 19, 2018
Rating : 3 stars
Reread with the publication of book 3~
- the characters are batshit crazy ;
- if i were to ever meet Uncle Quinton in real life i would have an orgasm and run for my life ;
- the writing is redundant and it bothered me during my last read ;
- the book is both brilliant and messed up but more than everything else: completely addictive.
Reread with the publication of book 3~
These boys were sweet but annoying.
- the characters are batshit crazy ;
- if i were to ever meet Uncle Quinton in real life i would have an orgasm and run for my life ;
- the writing is redundant and it bothered me during my last read ;
- the book is both brilliant and messed up but more than everything else: completely addictive.
February 12, 2024
This book was childish af. It took a long-ass time for the book to finally "reveal" itself as a Fantasy read and not contemporary.
The male characters are so basic, there are two twins who call each other "twin". Wtf, are you a 12-year-old Berverlly Hills bitch?
One of the other male characters is the UNCLE to another male character - both of them being romantic interests to the main character. Look, if there's an uncle in the story, I sure as hell can only envision a bald, round-bellied man, and if he likes underage girl, that can only mean something to me: pervert pedophile. Even if he is 21, it doesn't matter, he is the UNCLE to another romantic interest. If I ever had to be in a polyamorous relationship, I sure as fuck wouldn't want to share my bae with my fucking aunt.
The male characters are so basic, there are two twins who call each other "twin". Wtf, are you a 12-year-old Berverlly Hills bitch?
One of the other male characters is the UNCLE to another male character - both of them being romantic interests to the main character. Look, if there's an uncle in the story, I sure as hell can only envision a bald, round-bellied man, and if he likes underage girl, that can only mean something to me: pervert pedophile. Even if he is 21, it doesn't matter, he is the UNCLE to another romantic interest. If I ever had to be in a polyamorous relationship, I sure as fuck wouldn't want to share my bae with my fucking aunt.
August 12, 2017
3.75 stars!
August 1, 2017
I think this was a fairly good intro into the series. I thought that the story progressed to quickl though - I think the book covered two weeks at most. However, there is def potential.
The heroine...she was a little difficult to like sometimes with her attitude. I get that she has a messed up past and I completely understand her reasonings BUT the hardness needs to balanced with the soft and due to the quickness of the progress in this story we didn't get to see a substantial amount of softness to counteract her hardness.
I'm mixed on the Heros because their words and their actions are contradictory. ALL the guys are aware of who she is to them and her importance yet Tyson is an ass to her the first day and two others refuse to give up a girlfriend and the ONS. The twins are totally in but are rather weird.
I'll continue the series as I find it interesting but all the characters have a long way to win me over.
The heroine...she was a little difficult to like sometimes with her attitude. I get that she has a messed up past and I completely understand her reasonings BUT the hardness needs to balanced with the soft and due to the quickness of the progress in this story we didn't get to see a substantial amount of softness to counteract her hardness.
I'm mixed on the Heros because their words and their actions are contradictory. ALL the guys are aware of who she is to them and her importance yet Tyson is an ass to her the first day and two others refuse to give up a girlfriend and the ONS. The twins are totally in but are rather weird.
I'll continue the series as I find it interesting but all the characters have a long way to win me over.
August 5, 2019
SO. MANY. FUCKED. UP. THINGS.
MY GOD. There are so many fucked up things going on here. It's a complete and utter train wreck and I could not look away.
I am only sorta ashamed.
So, this one is real-deal HS self-fulfillment fantasy in its finest. The heroine is "goth" and pierced but still incredibly "pretty." She's the new kid in school - cause she's SEVENTEEN (god help me) - and somehow is being chased by the hottest guy in school by day 2. Day three has her paired up with Hot guy #1, #2, and #3 - all who live next door to her and are related. And who are only supervised by a 21 y/o. Who is also super hot. And has the hots for our TEENAGE heroine. And he's super protective of our teenage heroine - who he has known for all of 5 mins.
She also has a mother who (as Brittain puts it) "is a basket case caught in a train wreck wrapped up in poor life choices." (I thought that was a super nice way to put it).
MY GOD. There are so many fucked up things going on here. It's a complete and utter train wreck and I could not look away.
I am only sorta ashamed.
So, this one is real-deal HS self-fulfillment fantasy in its finest. The heroine is "goth" and pierced but still incredibly "pretty." She's the new kid in school - cause she's SEVENTEEN (god help me) - and somehow is being chased by the hottest guy in school by day 2. Day three has her paired up with Hot guy #1, #2, and #3 - all who live next door to her and are related. And who are only supervised by a 21 y/o. Who is also super hot. And has the hots for our TEENAGE heroine. And he's super protective of our teenage heroine - who he has known for all of 5 mins.
She also has a mother who (as Brittain puts it) "is a basket case caught in a train wreck wrapped up in poor life choices." (I thought that was a super nice way to put it).
September 11, 2017
Brotherly Love
I can promise you that one of the things I hate in a series is a lack of any indication of when to expect the next book. Surely the perfect example of this is the numbers of reduced readers shown in stats for each successive novel. So, let's times that by three, which appears to be how many series this author seems to be in the process of writing at once. To finish off I'll point out that I would like to read the next book but it's not going in my calendar for obvious reasons and has thus already fallen off my radar.
I can promise you that one of the things I hate in a series is a lack of any indication of when to expect the next book. Surely the perfect example of this is the numbers of reduced readers shown in stats for each successive novel. So, let's times that by three, which appears to be how many series this author seems to be in the process of writing at once. To finish off I'll point out that I would like to read the next book but it's not going in my calendar for obvious reasons and has thus already fallen off my radar.
August 24, 2019
I agree with most of the other reviews, this could use a serious edit...I did skip over a TON of internal monologue, but the story was interesting enough for me to move on to the next book.
May 30, 2019
Okay, I like this book so far... but as I've learned with the last 4 books I've read just recently not to get my hopes up to high...
Treading very lightly with this series on giving it any praises... here's hoping this isn't just another dud!
Overall rating:
4* ~ A Good Read (so far)!
Treading very lightly with this series on giving it any praises... here's hoping this isn't just another dud!
Overall rating:
4* ~ A Good Read (so far)!
May 31, 2019
For those who care... this series will include M/M action. I know the author doesn't say it, so there you go.
I don't know what I expected from this book, but it definitely wasn't what I got. At all.
I LOVED it!! Like seriously loved it. Even more than The Academy series by C.L. Stone, and I didn't think that was possible.
This is a must read for all the reverse harem lovers.
And let's not start with the guys. They're HOT.
I really need to read the next one now!
I don't know what I expected from this book, but it definitely wasn't what I got. At all.
I LOVED it!! Like seriously loved it. Even more than The Academy series by C.L. Stone, and I didn't think that was possible.
This is a must read for all the reverse harem lovers.
And let's not start with the guys. They're HOT.
I really need to read the next one now!
August 2, 2017
Truly an excellent RH book!
There have been more and more RH books coming out, and while I enjoy RH a lot, I don't like that most of the books coming out are poorly written and ill conceived. Not so with Brothers of the flame. This is a truly engaging, fast paced, character driven, plot centric novel that just happens to have the RH incorporated! And that is one of the reasons it succeeds so well. The author clearly cared about creating a believable world even though there are magical elements, the WORLD feels real, and honest, you can relate to the environment AND the characters! The RH is part of the plot but NOT the focus of the plot, and thus you are given a great story first and foremost and not rushed into any hurried sexual situations. You are introduced to Ariel Kimber, our 17 year old heroine, a feisty but subdued girl who wants to get through her last year of HS in a new town in a new school under the radar. Ariel has lived a hard life, her mother is an abusive drunk that has hurt her daughter her entire life. She moves Ariel to a new small town to live with a virtual stranger she met online. School is torturous for Ariel and just when she thinks life is going to just get worse she captures and holds the attention of Tyson, one of the cutest but anti social boys in school, he also happens to live next door to Ariel. Tyson lives with his uncle Quinton who is handsome dark and dangerous, and friends who are twins, Abel and Addison. They also are close with three other boys, Julian, Damien and Dash. It soon becomes clear that all these boys are drawn to Ariel for reasons she doesn't understand. And what begins in tentative friendship quickly escalates in circumstances that become seductive, scary and mysterious. As I mentioned earlier, this book works because the characters and plot are the focus and the RH aspect is worked into the plot organically, it's not forced...there is no jumping into bed within the first 20 pages, in fact there isn't instant love/lust like so many RH books try to incorporate these days. Actually several of the boys DISLIKE Ariel intensely, and resent their connection to her, it'll be fascinating to see how and if she can bring them around in book 2. Brothers of the flame is a fabulous first book in a series in the RH genre, and my only disappointment is that I have to wait for the second book...and I'm not known for my patience! :)
There have been more and more RH books coming out, and while I enjoy RH a lot, I don't like that most of the books coming out are poorly written and ill conceived. Not so with Brothers of the flame. This is a truly engaging, fast paced, character driven, plot centric novel that just happens to have the RH incorporated! And that is one of the reasons it succeeds so well. The author clearly cared about creating a believable world even though there are magical elements, the WORLD feels real, and honest, you can relate to the environment AND the characters! The RH is part of the plot but NOT the focus of the plot, and thus you are given a great story first and foremost and not rushed into any hurried sexual situations. You are introduced to Ariel Kimber, our 17 year old heroine, a feisty but subdued girl who wants to get through her last year of HS in a new town in a new school under the radar. Ariel has lived a hard life, her mother is an abusive drunk that has hurt her daughter her entire life. She moves Ariel to a new small town to live with a virtual stranger she met online. School is torturous for Ariel and just when she thinks life is going to just get worse she captures and holds the attention of Tyson, one of the cutest but anti social boys in school, he also happens to live next door to Ariel. Tyson lives with his uncle Quinton who is handsome dark and dangerous, and friends who are twins, Abel and Addison. They also are close with three other boys, Julian, Damien and Dash. It soon becomes clear that all these boys are drawn to Ariel for reasons she doesn't understand. And what begins in tentative friendship quickly escalates in circumstances that become seductive, scary and mysterious. As I mentioned earlier, this book works because the characters and plot are the focus and the RH aspect is worked into the plot organically, it's not forced...there is no jumping into bed within the first 20 pages, in fact there isn't instant love/lust like so many RH books try to incorporate these days. Actually several of the boys DISLIKE Ariel intensely, and resent their connection to her, it'll be fascinating to see how and if she can bring them around in book 2. Brothers of the flame is a fabulous first book in a series in the RH genre, and my only disappointment is that I have to wait for the second book...and I'm not known for my patience! :)
September 30, 2018
Theoretically this series should be on my 'slow-burn'shelf. For that to happen there would have needed to be some chemistry between the characters. For there to be chemistry the MC, Ariel Kimber would have to stop talking about herself long enough to connect with the others. Mind you the boys here don't seem like such a great catch. Read that as total psychopaths (mostly Quinton in this book, but the others as well in the later books) who will lay vicious curses on normal people just for looking at them wrong. I kid you not. Ariel gets bullied and tripped by Chucky and suddenly he's spewing blood everywhere and when she finds out and seems upset by it Quinton uses a love spell on Chucky after. I mean, over reaction much?
Ariel, who btw refers to herself always as Ariel Kimber in her head, is a completely unlikable character. And not just because she's whiny (oh dear lord the inner monologues!!!), she's supposedly a witch (and uber special witch because she's female and has all the other special-ness that oozes out her pores) but apart from learning a little magic once she finds out she's a witch she does literally nothing else with her powers. She doesn't learn anything in 4 books apart from how to light candles and throw a shoe at a wall then set it on fire with her magic. That's all. In four books. That is all the magic she does. By the fourth book she becomes this scared weirdo who would rather throw a flashlight at a stranger (without magic this time) than use her magic to defend herself.
Now granted in four books all she does is talk about herself and her feelings and the guys and stops going to school after the first week and does nothing apart from the aforementioned talking. So that's probably why it was impossible to like her or relate to her character, or relate to any of the other cardboard males in her future harem because all I read about was the above nonsense along with detailed descriptions of what she was wearing every single time she changed and the whole process of changing. And this fabulous-ness wasn't just confined to her either. Nope. The guys clothes were also described in detail each time she saw them. Did I mention there are 7 guys?
I can't even with this series. I can't recommend it and I won't be reading any book after these first four.
Ariel, who btw refers to herself always as Ariel Kimber in her head, is a completely unlikable character. And not just because she's whiny (oh dear lord the inner monologues!!!), she's supposedly a witch (and uber special witch because she's female and has all the other special-ness that oozes out her pores) but apart from learning a little magic once she finds out she's a witch she does literally nothing else with her powers. She doesn't learn anything in 4 books apart from how to light candles and throw a shoe at a wall then set it on fire with her magic. That's all. In four books. That is all the magic she does. By the fourth book she becomes this scared weirdo who would rather throw a flashlight at a stranger (without magic this time) than use her magic to defend herself.
Now granted in four books all she does is talk about herself and her feelings and the guys and stops going to school after the first week and does nothing apart from the aforementioned talking. So that's probably why it was impossible to like her or relate to her character, or relate to any of the other cardboard males in her future harem because all I read about was the above nonsense along with detailed descriptions of what she was wearing every single time she changed and the whole process of changing. And this fabulous-ness wasn't just confined to her either. Nope. The guys clothes were also described in detail each time she saw them. Did I mention there are 7 guys?
I can't even with this series. I can't recommend it and I won't be reading any book after these first four.
March 22, 2020
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I received this book from the author for an honest review.
GAH!!! This book. I had no clue its paranormal and so when the elements hit I was like WHAT!! How did I miss it? #SlowBrain
Our girl Ariel has had a bad life. A drunk, stripper for a mom who only cares for Ariel if she can get something from another or pour her another drink. Honestly Ariel is more of an annoyance then anything. When her mother moves her and Ariel to a new town to be a live in “Companion” she is forced to adjust to a small town where everyone knows your business. The towns people are not too thrilled with her mom sooo the kids in High School are not too friendly with Ariel.
On her first day, she runs smack in to the town hottie with an attitude named Tyson. The two are thrust into each other’s path all day long. She leaves and is pretty much hating life. One day two everything changes and Mr. Rude becomes Mr. Friendly. The two form a strange friendship. Their friendship is now joined by a pair of twins who happen to live with Tyson and his brooding uncle Quint. Oh yeah and they happen to be Ariel’s neighbors.
As the story unfolds there is more to Ariel then just a pretty girl next door and her new friends are keeping some big, crazy secrets from her. The guys attraction to Ariel is off the carts and so is hers to them but that isn’t normal, right? I mean you can’t be attracted to them ALL can you? Then there is the brooding and cranky uncle who is not that much older than her who keeps checking her out and her him…so as you can tell…LOTS OF CHEMISTRY!!!
This book was sooooo good. I didn’t stop once I started. The beginning of the story keeps you invested because you feel for Ariel but then as the story unfold, DUDE YOU CAN’T STOP!!!!!!!!
www.Twinsietalk.com
www.Facebook.com/Twinsietalk
www.Twitter.com/Twinsietalk
www.Tsu.co/Twinsietalk
Newsletter : http://eepurl.com/brwkPv
I received this book from the author for an honest review.
GAH!!! This book. I had no clue its paranormal and so when the elements hit I was like WHAT!! How did I miss it? #SlowBrain
Our girl Ariel has had a bad life. A drunk, stripper for a mom who only cares for Ariel if she can get something from another or pour her another drink. Honestly Ariel is more of an annoyance then anything. When her mother moves her and Ariel to a new town to be a live in “Companion” she is forced to adjust to a small town where everyone knows your business. The towns people are not too thrilled with her mom sooo the kids in High School are not too friendly with Ariel.
On her first day, she runs smack in to the town hottie with an attitude named Tyson. The two are thrust into each other’s path all day long. She leaves and is pretty much hating life. One day two everything changes and Mr. Rude becomes Mr. Friendly. The two form a strange friendship. Their friendship is now joined by a pair of twins who happen to live with Tyson and his brooding uncle Quint. Oh yeah and they happen to be Ariel’s neighbors.
As the story unfolds there is more to Ariel then just a pretty girl next door and her new friends are keeping some big, crazy secrets from her. The guys attraction to Ariel is off the carts and so is hers to them but that isn’t normal, right? I mean you can’t be attracted to them ALL can you? Then there is the brooding and cranky uncle who is not that much older than her who keeps checking her out and her him…so as you can tell…LOTS OF CHEMISTRY!!!
This book was sooooo good. I didn’t stop once I started. The beginning of the story keeps you invested because you feel for Ariel but then as the story unfold, DUDE YOU CAN’T STOP!!!!!!!!
August 6, 2017
I would not normally spend more than .99 cents on a book, but my Facebook group kept talking about it, so how could I resist. I also hate to torture myself for waiting on books so I tend to wait for a few to come out, but I dove in any way. I am excited about this book and can't wait to see Ariel fully come into her powers. She will be a force to be reckoned with. I do hate in a way how she is starting to change at the end, but who can blame her with her life. Looking forward to book two. It sure will be interesting to see what happens next.
May 20, 2020
Nice start to a series.
Ariel, the heroine, suffers abuse from her mother.
Ariel's mother, Vivian, makes them move in with a rich man looking for affection after his wife dies.
Ariel meets Tyson on the first day at her new high school. He is the broody boy that all the girls want, but he shows no interest in them. Tyson is rude to Ariel on the first day even though Ariel has no idea why. Ariel experiences bullying from the other students and from a football player, Chucky.
The issue that bothered me in the story is that Tyson made a switch in his personality within 24 hours towards Ariel and I am not sure I understood why. One day he is a jerk to her and the next day he is nice to her. He said later that he was having a bad day and that was why. One day is rude to her, the next day he is nice. I originally thought this book was going to be a bully reverse harem story, but it is not AT ALL. Tyson changes his tone pretty quickly.
There are also the twins, Abel and Addison, also referred to as the Salt and Pepper twins. They are sweet from the start.
The writing is wordy and I think a lot of it could be eliminated.
Ariel learns that there is more to her next neighbors and to her. There are a lot of secrets that are uncovered in this series. Not only about the guys, but about Ariel, Vivian, and Mr. Cole.
Ariel, the heroine, suffers abuse from her mother.
Ariel's mother, Vivian, makes them move in with a rich man looking for affection after his wife dies.
Ariel meets Tyson on the first day at her new high school. He is the broody boy that all the girls want, but he shows no interest in them. Tyson is rude to Ariel on the first day even though Ariel has no idea why. Ariel experiences bullying from the other students and from a football player, Chucky.
The issue that bothered me in the story is that Tyson made a switch in his personality within 24 hours towards Ariel and I am not sure I understood why. One day he is a jerk to her and the next day he is nice to her. He said later that he was having a bad day and that was why. One day is rude to her, the next day he is nice. I originally thought this book was going to be a bully reverse harem story, but it is not AT ALL. Tyson changes his tone pretty quickly.
There are also the twins, Abel and Addison, also referred to as the Salt and Pepper twins. They are sweet from the start.
The writing is wordy and I think a lot of it could be eliminated.
Ariel learns that there is more to her next neighbors and to her. There are a lot of secrets that are uncovered in this series. Not only about the guys, but about Ariel, Vivian, and Mr. Cole.
October 11, 2017
Maybe I read a different book that everyone else. I wanted to like this book. The summary grabbed my attention, but it was a poorly executed story.
The characters are not really likable. I didn't feel anything for them one way or the other, honestly. Their feelings seem to jump around so much that there is no way that they could even possibly feel genuine to the reader. They also lack depth. The only character that I liked in the whole book was the stepfather. He was the only one who seemed to be a little real.
The story is so jumpy. It goes from one thing to the next with no apparent connection. It goes from school, to home, to dreams; all with poor flow. It makes for very choppy storytelling. I did finish the book, but I almost didn't.
There were some editing issues with this story as well, but they were actually the least concerning things in the story. I really don't like to leave negative reviews, but with all the amazing reviews this one got I though it was only fair to give my honest thoughts. I will definitely not be picking up another book by this author. Not even to see what happens next.
The characters are not really likable. I didn't feel anything for them one way or the other, honestly. Their feelings seem to jump around so much that there is no way that they could even possibly feel genuine to the reader. They also lack depth. The only character that I liked in the whole book was the stepfather. He was the only one who seemed to be a little real.
The story is so jumpy. It goes from one thing to the next with no apparent connection. It goes from school, to home, to dreams; all with poor flow. It makes for very choppy storytelling. I did finish the book, but I almost didn't.
There were some editing issues with this story as well, but they were actually the least concerning things in the story. I really don't like to leave negative reviews, but with all the amazing reviews this one got I though it was only fair to give my honest thoughts. I will definitely not be picking up another book by this author. Not even to see what happens next.
August 25, 2017
Brothers of the Flame: An Ariel Kimber Novel is phenomenal!
This was my first time reading Mary Martel's writing and I didn't want to put it down.
This storyline has both intrigue, passion, love, loss, and the possibility of hope.
Although this ends in a cliffhanger, it's one you'll want to grab and devour.
4.5 Stars!!!
This was my first time reading Mary Martel's writing and I didn't want to put it down.
This storyline has both intrigue, passion, love, loss, and the possibility of hope.
Although this ends in a cliffhanger, it's one you'll want to grab and devour.
4.5 Stars!!!
April 5, 2018
just as good as I remember:)
August 6, 2017
Loved it
I love this book so much. I instantly liked Ariel. She's dealt with such a hard situation in the best way she could. She's kind and thoughtful and just trying to survive. The guys are mysterious and intriguing and make you want to know everything. Im hooked into this one and I can't wait for the next one!!
I love this book so much. I instantly liked Ariel. She's dealt with such a hard situation in the best way she could. She's kind and thoughtful and just trying to survive. The guys are mysterious and intriguing and make you want to know everything. Im hooked into this one and I can't wait for the next one!!
October 4, 2021
It’s really weird. I’m not completely comfortable with the harem dynamic. Also the heroine does this thing where she overshares her trauma. I don’t like that. The heroine in general is too passive.
The ending was very strange too.
The ending was very strange too.
August 18, 2018
4.5 Stars
MAJOR SPOILERS THROUGHOUT:
I really liked this book. It constantly had my attention and I did not want to put it down. I loved the high school setting and I was hooked from the very first chapter. I found the whole premise of this book intriguing and I had a lot of fun while reading it.
What really made this book great for me was the characters. Ariel was so interesting and I bonded with her character really quickly. I felt so bad for her and the situation she had found herself in. By the end of the book, I only wanted her to succeed and be happy.
The guys: I didn't know what to think of Tyson at first. He was really mean to Ariel and I didn't like the way he treated her. That soon changed and I started to really like his character.
I loved the twins, Addison and Abel. They were so hilarious and when they teamed up to play around with Ariel, my heart got all warm and fuzzy.
Julian completely came out of nowhere. I went into this book expecting Ariel to have only four men in her harem (because the synopsis on Goodreads only mentions four) and I was completely shocked when he showed up. He stayed in the background for the most of the book so I didn't know what to think of him. I really want to know more about him though.
The jury is still out on Damian and Dash. I understand where they are coming from, I really do. They both have lives and with Ariel just showing up out of nowhere, I can see why it would be hard to drop everything and devote their lives to her. That doesn't mean that they had the right to treat her the way they did though. Their attitudes in general just pissed me off. I hope that they come to their senses in the later books.
When Quinton first showed up, I thought that he would play an older man/mentor role (sort of like Mr. Blackbourne from The Ghost Bird series). I expected him to be more of a role model for Ariel and someone that would keep the peace. I was SO wrong on that one. Quinton turned out to be a dangerous, borderline crazy, person. Some of the things he did in this book to protect Ariel shocked me to my core. I can see where someone would hate his character but I found him intriguing and refreshing. He has this dark side to him that is ruthless and he is not sorry for it. He would do whatever it took to keep Ariel safe and he isn't going to let anyone's delicate sensibilities get in the way of that.
SIDE NOTE: I am dying to find out what Tyson wrote on that paper that he turned in for a class assignment. I sincerely hope it comes up later in the series.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I will be continuing the series and I hope that I enjoy the next installment just as much as I did this one. I can't wait to read the next book, Love Potion.
MAJOR SPOILERS THROUGHOUT:
I really liked this book. It constantly had my attention and I did not want to put it down. I loved the high school setting and I was hooked from the very first chapter. I found the whole premise of this book intriguing and I had a lot of fun while reading it.
What really made this book great for me was the characters. Ariel was so interesting and I bonded with her character really quickly. I felt so bad for her and the situation she had found herself in. By the end of the book, I only wanted her to succeed and be happy.
The guys: I didn't know what to think of Tyson at first. He was really mean to Ariel and I didn't like the way he treated her. That soon changed and I started to really like his character.
I loved the twins, Addison and Abel. They were so hilarious and when they teamed up to play around with Ariel, my heart got all warm and fuzzy.
Julian completely came out of nowhere. I went into this book expecting Ariel to have only four men in her harem (because the synopsis on Goodreads only mentions four) and I was completely shocked when he showed up. He stayed in the background for the most of the book so I didn't know what to think of him. I really want to know more about him though.
The jury is still out on Damian and Dash. I understand where they are coming from, I really do. They both have lives and with Ariel just showing up out of nowhere, I can see why it would be hard to drop everything and devote their lives to her. That doesn't mean that they had the right to treat her the way they did though. Their attitudes in general just pissed me off. I hope that they come to their senses in the later books.
When Quinton first showed up, I thought that he would play an older man/mentor role (sort of like Mr. Blackbourne from The Ghost Bird series). I expected him to be more of a role model for Ariel and someone that would keep the peace. I was SO wrong on that one. Quinton turned out to be a dangerous, borderline crazy, person. Some of the things he did in this book to protect Ariel shocked me to my core. I can see where someone would hate his character but I found him intriguing and refreshing. He has this dark side to him that is ruthless and he is not sorry for it. He would do whatever it took to keep Ariel safe and he isn't going to let anyone's delicate sensibilities get in the way of that.
SIDE NOTE: I am dying to find out what Tyson wrote on that paper that he turned in for a class assignment. I sincerely hope it comes up later in the series.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I will be continuing the series and I hope that I enjoy the next installment just as much as I did this one. I can't wait to read the next book, Love Potion.
November 30, 2020
Ariel Kimber is not a girl to be jealous of! Her mother is a walking nightmare, abusive, embarrassing, trashy drunk. Ariel is a loner; she struggles with her confidence because of her mother's abuse. Now as she starts her senior year her mother has moved her to a new town to be the companion of a kindly, wealthy respected widower that she met on-line. From the moment she enters her new school, the other students look down upon her, judging her because of her mother. Ariel is used to being on her own, friendless, so this isn't anything she hasn't lived through before. This time there's a difference though. Mr Cole, her mother's boyfriend is a truly kind man that is more of a parent to Ariel in a short period of time than her own mother has ever been. There are also the next door neighbors, Quinton and his nephew Tyson and their houseguests, twins Abel and Addison. Tyson and the twins quickly embrace Ariel into their lives in an almost smothering manner. Quinton has a dangerous need to protect her as well. Add in their other two friends Dash and Damien who seem to have a bit of a grudge against Ariel's presence in their lives and her life is turned upside-down. This group of guys also have a huge secret, one that includes Ariel. They are Brothers of the Flame. They introduce her to a new world. It's overwhelming and enthralling all at once.
I am intrigued by these characters. None of the guys are cookie-cutter heroes. Quinton is intense and dangerous. Tyson has a demanding attitude with a temper. The twins are hysterical; more one person than two. Dash and Damien are mostly unknowns at this point and not very likable. None of the guys have been shown in a great light consistently. There's no reason for Ariel to trust them or to even want to be near a couple of them. Ariel is not a sweet little kitten herself. She's prickly and stand-offish, yet her internal monologues and her verbal vomitting is endearing. I have the feeling if she's ever exposed to lasting love, she's going to be fabulous.
I liked the concept or the book. I look forward to finding out more about their abilities. I'm interested to see how they gain Ariel's trust and affection. This is a reverse harem, so in theory she will end up with all of the guys, but with their conflicted feelings and the in-fighting, I wouldn't be shocked to lose a character. I can't wait until the next book. Ariel has so many feelings to work through, her future is uncertain, and the guys are uncertainties right now. What they want or don't want will be less important than what Ariel decides. This series has great potential.
I am intrigued by these characters. None of the guys are cookie-cutter heroes. Quinton is intense and dangerous. Tyson has a demanding attitude with a temper. The twins are hysterical; more one person than two. Dash and Damien are mostly unknowns at this point and not very likable. None of the guys have been shown in a great light consistently. There's no reason for Ariel to trust them or to even want to be near a couple of them. Ariel is not a sweet little kitten herself. She's prickly and stand-offish, yet her internal monologues and her verbal vomitting is endearing. I have the feeling if she's ever exposed to lasting love, she's going to be fabulous.
I liked the concept or the book. I look forward to finding out more about their abilities. I'm interested to see how they gain Ariel's trust and affection. This is a reverse harem, so in theory she will end up with all of the guys, but with their conflicted feelings and the in-fighting, I wouldn't be shocked to lose a character. I can't wait until the next book. Ariel has so many feelings to work through, her future is uncertain, and the guys are uncertainties right now. What they want or don't want will be less important than what Ariel decides. This series has great potential.
September 23, 2017
I really liked this book and it's so much different than other Mary Martel books. And it's only good thing. Book is about 17 year old Ariel and what she goes through. She had to move to new city because of her mum and it also means new school for her. Her first day of school don't go that well. Everything will change when she meet Tyson and his uncle Quinton. Also she meet twins Abel and Addison. I really can't wait for next book.
*ARC for honest review*
*ARC for honest review*
September 18, 2019
It was very mediocre. Maybe book two will be better but at the same time I'm not sure I want to take the time and read it.
The story was quick and rushed and the characters were dull and lifeless. I like the concept, I've never read a book where there were male witches but I enjoyed that aspect.
Gonna give book 2 a try and if it's still mediocre I'm moving on.
The story was quick and rushed and the characters were dull and lifeless. I like the concept, I've never read a book where there were male witches but I enjoyed that aspect.
Gonna give book 2 a try and if it's still mediocre I'm moving on.
January 27, 2024
wow! this was absolutely amazing I loved every bit of this book from the very beginning to the very end. The perfect mix in the harem and the characters were well developed! Cannot wait to read more in this series the perfect book to cure a book hangover!
July 29, 2018
This had so much promise but fell utterly flat. I'm still continuing with the series because apparently I hate myself.
November 9, 2017
I was introduced to Mary Martel and her Ariel Kimber series in a FB group I am a part of. I am always on the lookout for a good reverse harem story, so when this went on sale for 99 cents, I grabbed it!
Ariel Kimber has had a crappy life thanks to her abusive mother. When Ariel's mom moves them in with her new, wealthy boyfriend, Ariel is forced into a new school. The students are horrible to her. Then she starts having strange interactions with her new neighbors.
I really liked Tyson, Addison, and Abel. These are the 3 guys she spends the most time with and that we, as the reader, get to know the best. These 3 are Ariel's age and go to school with her. They also happen to have magical powers, and, as it turns out, so does Ariel. She is not really sure what the hell is going on and it was the most I have agreed with a character in a long time!! So often the heroine just sort of accepts the weirdness while I am like "WTF?!?!". So, I was glad to see Ariel not embrace everything right away.
I am also not sure about her harem. Tyson, Addison, and Abel are okay for the most part. A bit...much at times, but overall okay. However, Quinton, Damien and Dash are straight up not okay. They are rude, bossy, and Quinton is so inappropriate with Ariel. We only get a small amount of interaction with Julian, but his actions at the end of the book were good and I started to warm up to him a bit.
Now, I will say this book kept me up so late I only got a few hours of sleep before I had to go to work! Between Ariel's crazy mom, the weird relationship with Mr. Hale (mom's boyfriend who is very kind to Ariel), the overwhelming behavior of the guys, and the magic....the story has a LOT going for it! I am hoping that as the story continues, I will be more accepting of some of the heroes. Thankfully, this is a slow burn harem since Ariel is still in high school. Her hesitance and the slow building of the romance makes me more willing to give the guys a chance.
The end felt VERY abrupt to me! I am glad book 2 is already out because I was sure my kindle was broken or something. There is no way it could just....end like that!?
POV: 1st (Ariel)
Tears: no
Trope: high school, reverse harem, witches
Triggers:
Series/Standalone: series
Cliffhanger:
HEA:
The Ghost Bird Series, the Veil Diaries series...then you will probably like Brothers of the Flame!
Brother of the Flame
June 13, 2024
Non ho la minima idea di quando io abbia scaricato questo libro, non me lo ricordavo assolutamente, e non sono neanche sicura se quando l'ho preso mi rendessi conto di quello che era, perché l'ho trovato spulciando tra i paranormal e non tra i RH.
Detto questo, sono molto contenta di averlo letto, mi è piaciuto molto, mi ha dato un pò le vibrazioni di un romanzo post twilight, non so se avete presente, quando ogni libro parlava di una ragazza timida e tranquilla che si trasferiva in una nuova scuola ed attirava le attenzioni del cupo e misterioso compagno di classe.
Mi sono un pò preoccupata quando ho scoperto che questa serie è formata da ben 9 libri più qualche novella, ma spero che siano tutti come questo e cioè super scorrevoli ed interessanti.
Questo libro tra l'altro è più un' introduzione alla storia e ai personaggi.
Abbiamo Ariel, la protagonista e ben 7 ragazzi, tutti membri della congrega, certo 7 ragazzi sembrano un pò troppi per Ariel che è ancora molto acerba e abbastanza infantile, ma spero in una sua maturazione in seguito.
Leggerò anche il secondo.
AGGIORNAMENTO DOPO AVER LETTO IL TERZO LIBRO:
Penso che in origine questa fosse una dilogia o una striminzita trilogia.
Quello che ha fatto la scrittrice è stato suddividere la storia in 9 libri da 200 pagine circa, e diluire ognuno di questi libri con ogni amenità che le sia venuta in mente.
Non c'è altra spiegazione!
Ogni libro è pieno di:
- Monologhi interiori e pensieri farfuglianti di una protagonista che non ha bisogno di un Harem di uomini, ma bensì di una madre e di uno strizzacervelli.
- Descrizioni dettagliate di ogni cosa, dall'abbigliamento all'arredamento e descrizioni altrettanto dettagliate dei ragazzi... in ogni maledetto libro.
- Riepilogo dei capitoli precedenti, ogni volta, sempre più spesso ci tocca ripercorrere i fatti accaduti nei libri precedenti
- Capitoli in cui non si parla assolutamente di nulla, infarciti di dialoghi al limite grottesco e pensieri idioti della protagonista.
Adesso, se da ogni libro si tagliasse il 60/70% totalmente inutile e fastidioso, forse, e dico forse, ne verrebbe fuori qualcosa di discreto, ma non ho nè il tempo, nè soprattutto la voglia di farlo. e non voglio neanche avvallare simili porcherie puramente commerciali.
Per me finisce quì.
Detto questo, sono molto contenta di averlo letto, mi è piaciuto molto, mi ha dato un pò le vibrazioni di un romanzo post twilight, non so se avete presente, quando ogni libro parlava di una ragazza timida e tranquilla che si trasferiva in una nuova scuola ed attirava le attenzioni del cupo e misterioso compagno di classe.
Mi sono un pò preoccupata quando ho scoperto che questa serie è formata da ben 9 libri più qualche novella, ma spero che siano tutti come questo e cioè super scorrevoli ed interessanti.
Questo libro tra l'altro è più un' introduzione alla storia e ai personaggi.
Abbiamo Ariel, la protagonista e ben 7 ragazzi, tutti membri della congrega, certo 7 ragazzi sembrano un pò troppi per Ariel che è ancora molto acerba e abbastanza infantile, ma spero in una sua maturazione in seguito.
Leggerò anche il secondo.
AGGIORNAMENTO DOPO AVER LETTO IL TERZO LIBRO:
Penso che in origine questa fosse una dilogia o una striminzita trilogia.
Quello che ha fatto la scrittrice è stato suddividere la storia in 9 libri da 200 pagine circa, e diluire ognuno di questi libri con ogni amenità che le sia venuta in mente.
Non c'è altra spiegazione!
Ogni libro è pieno di:
- Monologhi interiori e pensieri farfuglianti di una protagonista che non ha bisogno di un Harem di uomini, ma bensì di una madre e di uno strizzacervelli.
- Descrizioni dettagliate di ogni cosa, dall'abbigliamento all'arredamento e descrizioni altrettanto dettagliate dei ragazzi... in ogni maledetto libro.
- Riepilogo dei capitoli precedenti, ogni volta, sempre più spesso ci tocca ripercorrere i fatti accaduti nei libri precedenti
- Capitoli in cui non si parla assolutamente di nulla, infarciti di dialoghi al limite grottesco e pensieri idioti della protagonista.
Adesso, se da ogni libro si tagliasse il 60/70% totalmente inutile e fastidioso, forse, e dico forse, ne verrebbe fuori qualcosa di discreto, ma non ho nè il tempo, nè soprattutto la voglia di farlo. e non voglio neanche avvallare simili porcherie puramente commerciali.
Per me finisce quì.
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