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Rime Chronicles #2
Shadow & Flame
They call her the Wilder Queen. It’s a title given to Kate Brighton for her role in the war between the wilder rebellion and the Rimish empire. It’s a title that was hard earned: Kate may have saved her people, but many were lost in the conflict, immortalized in the tattoos of fire that grace her arms.
And it’s a title that Kate never wanted. The rebellion may have made a home for themselves in a country that wants to cast them out, but the peace will never be safe while Edwin, the illegitimate king of Rime, sits upon its throne. And for that, the Wilder Queen must keep hers.
Now war is brewing once again. Kate and her allies receive word of a threat to their ambassador in the Rimish capital; meanwhile, across the channel in Seva, an army is being assembled to conquer Rime—and a prisoner slave named Clash may hold the key to ending the conflict once and for all.
As enemies close in on Kate and Clash from all sides, they must choose where their loyalties lie—with their people, with their loved ones, or with themselves.
The epic story that began with Onyx & Ivory comes to a stunning conclusion as acclaimed author Mindee Arnett throws readers into a beautiful, terrifying world poised on a razor’s edge in its struggle for survival.
And it’s a title that Kate never wanted. The rebellion may have made a home for themselves in a country that wants to cast them out, but the peace will never be safe while Edwin, the illegitimate king of Rime, sits upon its throne. And for that, the Wilder Queen must keep hers.
Now war is brewing once again. Kate and her allies receive word of a threat to their ambassador in the Rimish capital; meanwhile, across the channel in Seva, an army is being assembled to conquer Rime—and a prisoner slave named Clash may hold the key to ending the conflict once and for all.
As enemies close in on Kate and Clash from all sides, they must choose where their loyalties lie—with their people, with their loved ones, or with themselves.
The epic story that began with Onyx & Ivory comes to a stunning conclusion as acclaimed author Mindee Arnett throws readers into a beautiful, terrifying world poised on a razor’s edge in its struggle for survival.
Kindle Edition
First published June 4, 2019
419 people are currently reading
9721 people want to read
About the author
Mindee Arnett
12 books1,453 followersYA Author of Onyx Ivory, Avalon, and the Arkwell Academy series. Represented by the fabulous Suzie Townsend of New Leaf Literary. Addicted to jumping horses and telling tales of magic, the macabre, and outer space.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 576 reviews
March 23, 2024
Reread- 2 Stars - Unhauled
**
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
**
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
June 16, 2022
Shadow and Flame is so much darker than the first novel and I tore through it. If I could say anything: I went into this series expecting it to be more about the messenger service and the horses. As much as I love these books I still have a large messenger-horse sized hole in my heart. Right next to Bonner's giant hole. Basically I have no heart right now.
Shadow and Flame branched a span of almost two years, and it was weird to have that kind of time go by from the prologue to the rest of the book. It was a much darker book but was generally interesting and kept me engaged thru the whole nearly 500 pages.
As the events filled themselves in between the prologue and the book, my heart just crumbled and only ever got put 2/3 of the way back together. It was sooooo wrong what Rendborne was orchestrating through Gavril. I think the characters that I liked all got good endings, and one of my favorite aspects was the black&white uror legend. That part of the storyline had a wonderful ending, and it made my day that the Uror horse had a role in the ending.
I developed an irrational hate for Signe's character though, how dare she withhold information that is vital to the resistance, then have the nerve to go off on a high horse at Kate? If she wasn't so valuable, I bet someone would have considered her treasonous. You don't get a choice when it comes to putting others in even greater danger. I didn't ship her romance at all either, and it seemed that a lot of her bitterness had rubbed off on Dal
Otherwise... I mean I would have liked to see more of the rebuild, but it seems like the world was left in an okay position. There is nothing wrong with a little happily ever after, and I like being able to feel reasonably satified at the end of a series. I would 100% recommend these if you like fantasy and magic and darkness😁
Shadow and Flame branched a span of almost two years, and it was weird to have that kind of time go by from the prologue to the rest of the book. It was a much darker book but was generally interesting and kept me engaged thru the whole nearly 500 pages.
As the events filled themselves in between the prologue and the book, my heart just crumbled and only ever got put 2/3 of the way back together. It was sooooo wrong what Rendborne was orchestrating through Gavril. I think the characters that I liked all got good endings, and one of my favorite aspects was the black&white uror legend. That part of the storyline had a wonderful ending, and it made my day that the Uror horse had a role in the ending.
I developed an irrational hate for Signe's character though, how dare she withhold information that is vital to the resistance, then have the nerve to go off on a high horse at Kate? If she wasn't so valuable, I bet someone would have considered her treasonous. You don't get a choice when it comes to putting others in even greater danger. I didn't ship her romance at all either, and it seemed that a lot of her bitterness had rubbed off on Dal
Otherwise... I mean I would have liked to see more of the rebuild, but it seems like the world was left in an okay position. There is nothing wrong with a little happily ever after, and I like being able to feel reasonably satified at the end of a series. I would 100% recommend these if you like fantasy and magic and darkness😁
February 1, 2020
Really enjoyed the sequel! It was darker then the first which felt like a Disney film in comparison.
Glad I read the sequel straight away. Does anyone else find this a lot? I am always preferring sequels to the first books.
Glad I read the sequel straight away. Does anyone else find this a lot? I am always preferring sequels to the first books.
June 18, 2019
I was so incredibly disappointed by this book. Which makes me very sad because I really really enjoyed Onyx and Ivory. In the first book I loved the characters. They were strong and lovely. They felt completely off in this book. I found it quite hard to keep reading and often I was rolling my eyes. I'm not quite Game of Thrones series finally disappointed, but still pretty disappointed :(
September 8, 2019
I don’t even know where to start. This book was such a huge disappointment.
This is one of the rare occasions where a series could have used a middle book. Seriously. The prologue starts 6 months after the ending of book one, then after the prologue, another WHOLE YEAR passed. We only get a few glimpses and brief descriptions about what happened during that time, but I really wanted to read about that time. Because SO MUCH happened. You really could have filled a whole book for that time span. And I’ve got to admit that I simply hate time jumps. Especially such huge ones.
Another trope I am so over is the memory loss trope. At the end of the prologue, Cowin ‘dies’, but surprises, he is not dead. After he fell of a cliff, enemy soldiers discovered him and he was brought into the mines, where he pretended to be someone else, and slowly he himself forgot who he was. Yeah. ‘Nuff said.
Let’s jump straight into the change of theme in this book. This was so much darker than book one. Don’t get me wrong, I do like my dark and gritty books from time to time, but I want to know what I am getting myself into. And book one didn’t feel nearly as dark. There were so many unnecessary and pointless character deaths. The deaths didn’t even further the plot, they were just there to make things sad and very much felt like an afterthought. “Oh I can’t have everyone live and be happy,” *Draws card* “Lets kill x,y,z.”
What I loved about Onyx & Ivory was the friendships the MCs had with either of their best friends. I love well written friendships, that are also very important to the MC, in fiction. It’s sadly quite rare, because usually the focus is more on the romance, but the friends of the MCS were also super important to them. So, you will probably understand why I was so disappointed that the MCs had very little scenes with their BFFs in this book. I would have loved to see more of the side characters in general. They have grown so much on me.
After Corwin got his memory back, he is discovered by the enemy, the King of Seva, who has another Sway user working for him. They force Corwin via mind control to marry the Sevan princess, Eravis. Corwin doesn’t love her, Eravis doesn’t love him. Eventually Corwin manages to free himself of the mind control and goes back to Kate. Of course, Kate doesn’t like the fact that Corwin married another woman, but really that’s neither Corwins nor Eravis’s fault. Fast forward to the final battle, Eravis and Kate meet, and when Kate figures out who the woman is, she attacks.
What was the point of this? To make me dislike Kate???? Girl I get that you are hurt that your boyfriend married someone else, but you know that’s neither his nor her fault. And like you can be perfectly jealous in silence without charging with a sword at Eravis. She is trying to help, don’t kill the help.
I really, really wanted Signe and Dal to get their happy ending. Two people from messed up families, both not really believing in love because neither of them has truly experienced it before, then meeting and falling in love, that has strong OTP vibes. But of course, we can’t have nice things, so Dal had to die in such a pointless way and to add more drama to the final battle. Signe ends up heartbroken and leaving Rime, so in a way Kate and Corwin both lost their best friend. It’s really too much to ask for a happy ending for both main and side characters, is it?
This is one of the rare occasions where a series could have used a middle book. Seriously. The prologue starts 6 months after the ending of book one, then after the prologue, another WHOLE YEAR passed. We only get a few glimpses and brief descriptions about what happened during that time, but I really wanted to read about that time. Because SO MUCH happened. You really could have filled a whole book for that time span. And I’ve got to admit that I simply hate time jumps. Especially such huge ones.
Another trope I am so over is the memory loss trope. At the end of the prologue, Cowin ‘dies’, but surprises, he is not dead. After he fell of a cliff, enemy soldiers discovered him and he was brought into the mines, where he pretended to be someone else, and slowly he himself forgot who he was. Yeah. ‘Nuff said.
Let’s jump straight into the change of theme in this book. This was so much darker than book one. Don’t get me wrong, I do like my dark and gritty books from time to time, but I want to know what I am getting myself into. And book one didn’t feel nearly as dark. There were so many unnecessary and pointless character deaths. The deaths didn’t even further the plot, they were just there to make things sad and very much felt like an afterthought. “Oh I can’t have everyone live and be happy,” *Draws card* “Lets kill x,y,z.”
What I loved about Onyx & Ivory was the friendships the MCs had with either of their best friends. I love well written friendships, that are also very important to the MC, in fiction. It’s sadly quite rare, because usually the focus is more on the romance, but the friends of the MCS were also super important to them. So, you will probably understand why I was so disappointed that the MCs had very little scenes with their BFFs in this book. I would have loved to see more of the side characters in general. They have grown so much on me.
After Corwin got his memory back, he is discovered by the enemy, the King of Seva, who has another Sway user working for him. They force Corwin via mind control to marry the Sevan princess, Eravis. Corwin doesn’t love her, Eravis doesn’t love him. Eventually Corwin manages to free himself of the mind control and goes back to Kate. Of course, Kate doesn’t like the fact that Corwin married another woman, but really that’s neither Corwins nor Eravis’s fault. Fast forward to the final battle, Eravis and Kate meet, and when Kate figures out who the woman is, she attacks.
What was the point of this? To make me dislike Kate???? Girl I get that you are hurt that your boyfriend married someone else, but you know that’s neither his nor her fault. And like you can be perfectly jealous in silence without charging with a sword at Eravis. She is trying to help, don’t kill the help.
I really, really wanted Signe and Dal to get their happy ending. Two people from messed up families, both not really believing in love because neither of them has truly experienced it before, then meeting and falling in love, that has strong OTP vibes. But of course, we can’t have nice things, so Dal had to die in such a pointless way and to add more drama to the final battle. Signe ends up heartbroken and leaving Rime, so in a way Kate and Corwin both lost their best friend. It’s really too much to ask for a happy ending for both main and side characters, is it?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 2, 2024
✅ Darker atmosphere
✅ Action
✅ Plot and pace
✅🆗 Characters
🆗 Ending
🆗 Relationship / Romance
Shadow & Flame was darker than Onyx and Ivory. Gone are the adventures with the messengers and their horses. In this sequel, we are following Kate as she is leading a resistance (with the help of Raith and other characters) and ensuring that the Wilders can stay free and safe.
This book covers a lot of time. There is a gap of almost a year only between the prologue and the first chapters and as the story goes on we can see how the characters changed in the face of adversity, death, and war. I must admit that some of them were getting on my nerves (Signe mostly) and some of them, like Kate, impressed me. She has become more mature and strong. She tries to do what she thinks is best and safer for everyone, but she was also kind of getting on my nerves with her tendency to decide what should be done without talking to anyone else or despite what everyone else might think.
Overall it was a good sequel. The ending was not that satisfying, there is nothing wrong with a happily ever after, but it felt like they roughly patched the problem. They eliminate the big threat, but there are still so many things to deal with... But still, a very good book that I would recommend, especially if you enjoyed the first book of this series.
1. Onyx and Ivory ⭐⭐⭐.5
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✅ Action
✅ Plot and pace
✅🆗 Characters
🆗 Ending
🆗 Relationship / Romance
Shadow & Flame was darker than Onyx and Ivory. Gone are the adventures with the messengers and their horses. In this sequel, we are following Kate as she is leading a resistance (with the help of Raith and other characters) and ensuring that the Wilders can stay free and safe.
This book covers a lot of time. There is a gap of almost a year only between the prologue and the first chapters and as the story goes on we can see how the characters changed in the face of adversity, death, and war. I must admit that some of them were getting on my nerves (Signe mostly) and some of them, like Kate, impressed me. She has become more mature and strong. She tries to do what she thinks is best and safer for everyone, but she was also kind of getting on my nerves with her tendency to decide what should be done without talking to anyone else or despite what everyone else might think.
Overall it was a good sequel. The ending was not that satisfying, there is nothing wrong with a happily ever after, but it felt like they roughly patched the problem. They eliminate the big threat, but there are still so many things to deal with... But still, a very good book that I would recommend, especially if you enjoyed the first book of this series.
1. Onyx and Ivory ⭐⭐⭐.5
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July 28, 2019
The ending made this book. My eyes watered (NO ONE IS SAFE!) at the end because ahhhhhhhhhhhhh. Also I thought the end was cool, for lack of a better word.
Loved the uror. I want to draw this horse now. Love, love, love, love.
Loved the line, “Her grief was like the tide—nothing could hold it back.”
***bit of a spoiler ahead, though you might not understand it if you haven’t started reading it.... but be warned****. One sticking point for me was I didn’t get why the smoke didn’t spread at the end. I think I must have missed something? I was terrified it might kill the uror, but at a minimum thought it would spread.
I would love another book and am hoping we will get one. I will definitely be reading it if one comes out and I will be keeping an eye out for future books from this author.
All in all I would recommend the series. I enjoyed it. It has horses, magic, romance, an interesting take on magic, and two great side characters (*Signe and Dal I’m looking at you*).
Loved the uror. I want to draw this horse now. Love, love, love, love.
Loved the line, “Her grief was like the tide—nothing could hold it back.”
***bit of a spoiler ahead, though you might not understand it if you haven’t started reading it.... but be warned****. One sticking point for me was I didn’t get why the smoke didn’t spread at the end. I think I must have missed something? I was terrified it might kill the uror, but at a minimum thought it would spread.
I would love another book and am hoping we will get one. I will definitely be reading it if one comes out and I will be keeping an eye out for future books from this author.
All in all I would recommend the series. I enjoyed it. It has horses, magic, romance, an interesting take on magic, and two great side characters (*Signe and Dal I’m looking at you*).
August 16, 2019
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book at no cost from the publisher/author. All opinions expressed in my review are my own.
I am so unbelievably impressed with this book and this series. This was such a brilliant finale to end this story. There are some bittersweet moments towards the end. I may not recover from this book hangover that is coming.
First of all, this book starts off with a bang, for certain. The prologue was just shocking and unexpected. The entire sequence of events, from the first book through the end of this book, are so expertly planned out. I loved the overall plot of the series. The foreshadowing from the first book is so clear now that I've read this book. All the loose ends are tied up nicely and the ending is so satisfying.
The world-building in this book really surpasses that of the last book. I loved the vivid details about this world and this book only expands on them. We get to experience life in Seva as well as Rime. There is so much more lore and backstory ingrained in this book. So many surprising details about this world are revealed.
The characters in this series become such a part of you as you read this story. I adored the characters in the first book but they grow so much in this book. They go through heartbreaking ordeals after the events of the first book. The characters go on some very personal journeys through their grief and trials. The character growth is wonderful. I have grown very attached to these characters and I am sad that this journey with them has come to an end. Kate has a personal journey in this book. She has to come to terms with her power and how she uses it. She finds that there is a fine line between right and wrong and she has to find a balance within herself to be the best person she can be. Corwin's journey is a sad and emotional one. He endures so much in this second installment and I think that I felt the most for his character in particular. His character development in this book really wowed me. The cast of secondary characters in this series is magnificent. Sometimes when I read a book I find myself not caring as much about the secondary characters but that definitely is not the case with this book series. These characters, both the good and the bad, are ones that evoke emotion in the reader. I felt connected to each and every one of them in one way or another. They are built and executed perfectly. I found myself caring just as much about their character development and their character arcs as I did for the two main characters. This is definitely an ensemble cast of characters.
I love how the romance was wrapped up in this. The struggles that both Kate and Corwin go through before reuniting affects their relationship. I also liked how Kate's power and her use of it became a conflict between them after reuniting. It was especially emotional because of how Corwin had been tortured with that same power while he was being held captive in Seva. I liked the resolution between them also came from them growing individually. All in all, I really enjoyed their love story. They are well suited for each other and they really do complete each other and bring out the best parts of each other.
I found the author's writing style incredibly addictive. The writing is so smooth and eloquent. It is absolutely top-notch quality writing.
Overall, I couldn't have been more pleased with the finale to this incredible book series! I am so sad that this was only a duology because I loved it so much and I just want more. I can't recommend this book and this series enough! You will not be disappointed with it. If you want to read a fantasy that will consume your thoughts then pick this one up!
More reviews on my blog: Novel Nerd Faction
I am so unbelievably impressed with this book and this series. This was such a brilliant finale to end this story. There are some bittersweet moments towards the end. I may not recover from this book hangover that is coming.
First of all, this book starts off with a bang, for certain. The prologue was just shocking and unexpected. The entire sequence of events, from the first book through the end of this book, are so expertly planned out. I loved the overall plot of the series. The foreshadowing from the first book is so clear now that I've read this book. All the loose ends are tied up nicely and the ending is so satisfying.
The world-building in this book really surpasses that of the last book. I loved the vivid details about this world and this book only expands on them. We get to experience life in Seva as well as Rime. There is so much more lore and backstory ingrained in this book. So many surprising details about this world are revealed.
The characters in this series become such a part of you as you read this story. I adored the characters in the first book but they grow so much in this book. They go through heartbreaking ordeals after the events of the first book. The characters go on some very personal journeys through their grief and trials. The character growth is wonderful. I have grown very attached to these characters and I am sad that this journey with them has come to an end. Kate has a personal journey in this book. She has to come to terms with her power and how she uses it. She finds that there is a fine line between right and wrong and she has to find a balance within herself to be the best person she can be. Corwin's journey is a sad and emotional one. He endures so much in this second installment and I think that I felt the most for his character in particular. His character development in this book really wowed me. The cast of secondary characters in this series is magnificent. Sometimes when I read a book I find myself not caring as much about the secondary characters but that definitely is not the case with this book series. These characters, both the good and the bad, are ones that evoke emotion in the reader. I felt connected to each and every one of them in one way or another. They are built and executed perfectly. I found myself caring just as much about their character development and their character arcs as I did for the two main characters. This is definitely an ensemble cast of characters.
I love how the romance was wrapped up in this. The struggles that both Kate and Corwin go through before reuniting affects their relationship. I also liked how Kate's power and her use of it became a conflict between them after reuniting. It was especially emotional because of how Corwin had been tortured with that same power while he was being held captive in Seva. I liked the resolution between them also came from them growing individually. All in all, I really enjoyed their love story. They are well suited for each other and they really do complete each other and bring out the best parts of each other.
I found the author's writing style incredibly addictive. The writing is so smooth and eloquent. It is absolutely top-notch quality writing.
Overall, I couldn't have been more pleased with the finale to this incredible book series! I am so sad that this was only a duology because I loved it so much and I just want more. I can't recommend this book and this series enough! You will not be disappointed with it. If you want to read a fantasy that will consume your thoughts then pick this one up!
More reviews on my blog: Novel Nerd Faction
August 5, 2019
So, if you’re like me and hate small talk worse than putting your finger into a meat grinder you’ll get what I’m about to say: this book was like being stuck making small talk with no means of escape.
I loved ONYX AND IVORY. I loved it so much that I rated it up there with some of my fav fantasies of all time. Which is why I’m so disappointed in this sequel.
The characters felt off. In the first book, they had heart. They had depth. I cared for them as I would my own. They didn’t reel me in this time around. Nor the story which was slow and glossed over in some parts. It was a rollercoaster with a shotty arm bar. Will I die of boredom or won’t I?
Mostly, I’m sad. Sequels, especially in duologies are rarely ever amazing. But I had high hopes with this one. Alas...
I loved ONYX AND IVORY. I loved it so much that I rated it up there with some of my fav fantasies of all time. Which is why I’m so disappointed in this sequel.
The characters felt off. In the first book, they had heart. They had depth. I cared for them as I would my own. They didn’t reel me in this time around. Nor the story which was slow and glossed over in some parts. It was a rollercoaster with a shotty arm bar. Will I die of boredom or won’t I?
Mostly, I’m sad. Sequels, especially in duologies are rarely ever amazing. But I had high hopes with this one. Alas...
July 11, 2023
*2020 A-Z Cover Challenge: Roots*
TL;DR (Spoiler-free): Kate, who we rooted for in Onyx and Ivory, is now a tyrant who doesn't hesitate to force even her closest friends and allies to do what she wants them to do because she feels that she always knows what's best for them. Most of the book consists of the other characters being disgusted by her actions and her refusal to let go of her power. She's Harry Potter if he decided to use the imperius curse on all of his allies and closest friends just because they have a common goal.
---
4/25/20
Initial thoughts, from reading just the prologue and first few pages of Chapter 1: NO. NOOO. NOOOOOOOOO. (Michael Scott-style, of course).
I was excited for this book since it's the conclusion to the series, especially since Corwin and Kate finally shed all their lies and secrets, and it was time for them to continue working together as a team to fix the state of the kingdom. I figured, it's the last book, there's NO way that the book would have time to separate them again, right?
Wrong. Consider this a spoiler if something revealed in the first couple of pages of the book is a spoiler, but the fact that Kate believes everyone she loves has died is not what I signed up for. Our heroes have finally gotten past their grudges and misunderstandings, it should be time to throw them new challenges that maybe aren't strictly tied to them longing for one another the whole time.
Sure, I know Corwin must have survived since the table of contents clearly shows the alternating points-of-view (Kate, Corwin, Kate, Corwin, etc), but the fact that they're clearly not going to be with each other or know what's going on with one another for at least a large chunk of the book is just a face-palm for me. It's literally a gimmick to try to shake things up, done so abruptly, randomly, and illogically that it seems like something that comes out of second-book syndrome in a trilogy or longer series.
I turned the page after this debacle of a prologue, saw that a year had passed and that Kate now has a huge sleeve of flame tattoos on her arms as suits her new persona as the tough new "Saint Kate" and "Wilder Queen" who delves into everyone's minds mercilessly (no more qualms, RIP Kate from Onyx and Ivory) and I had to stop myself from strangling my kindle.
Sigh. And I only have a few more days to try to finish this book before returning it becomes ineligible in the event that I Really Can't.
---
Update, 4/26/20:
Have read up to Chapter 3, and it's everything I find irritating in a book.
1. Memory Loss. Fantastic. Corwin doesn't know who he is or who Kate or anyone else is. He's just a prisoner being forced to mine.
2. Kate kills anyone without hesitation if they have any threatening or rebellious thoughts. As in, any trace of thoughts, even out of someone young and afraid who was probably never going to act on that thought. One specific example that comes up a few times:
Not looking forward to reading more.
---
Update, 4/27/20
AND NOW THE LOVE TRIANGLE HAS ARRIVED. Not a fake one, but a real one since one of them starts having feelings for another person. This begins in Chapter 6, just a couple of chapters into Corwin's POV, but I'm going to mark it as a spoiler since the quote I'm using will come from around the 50% mark.
Kate, STOP trying to sway everyone you meet, and get out of people's minds when they ask you too. It's cool that you have awesome powers, but there's no need to use them ruthlessly and mercilessly.
I need Eravis or Signe to take over the role of female protagonist here.
---
Final update, 4/29/20
I officially hate Kate, to the point where I wanted her to fail until the very end. I'm just going to quote directly from the book from this point on because I'm tired of ranting about her. Hidden for spoilers!
Sigh.
TL;DR (Spoiler-free): Kate, who we rooted for in Onyx and Ivory, is now a tyrant who doesn't hesitate to force even her closest friends and allies to do what she wants them to do because she feels that she always knows what's best for them. Most of the book consists of the other characters being disgusted by her actions and her refusal to let go of her power. She's Harry Potter if he decided to use the imperius curse on all of his allies and closest friends just because they have a common goal.
---
4/25/20
Initial thoughts, from reading just the prologue and first few pages of Chapter 1: NO. NOOO. NOOOOOOOOO. (Michael Scott-style, of course).
I was excited for this book since it's the conclusion to the series, especially since Corwin and Kate finally shed all their lies and secrets, and it was time for them to continue working together as a team to fix the state of the kingdom. I figured, it's the last book, there's NO way that the book would have time to separate them again, right?
Wrong. Consider this a spoiler if something revealed in the first couple of pages of the book is a spoiler, but the fact that Kate believes everyone she loves has died is not what I signed up for. Our heroes have finally gotten past their grudges and misunderstandings, it should be time to throw them new challenges that maybe aren't strictly tied to them longing for one another the whole time.
Sure, I know Corwin must have survived since the table of contents clearly shows the alternating points-of-view (Kate, Corwin, Kate, Corwin, etc), but the fact that they're clearly not going to be with each other or know what's going on with one another for at least a large chunk of the book is just a face-palm for me. It's literally a gimmick to try to shake things up, done so abruptly, randomly, and illogically that it seems like something that comes out of second-book syndrome in a trilogy or longer series.
I turned the page after this debacle of a prologue, saw that a year had passed and that Kate now has a huge sleeve of flame tattoos on her arms as suits her new persona as the tough new "Saint Kate" and "Wilder Queen" who delves into everyone's minds mercilessly (no more qualms, RIP Kate from Onyx and Ivory) and I had to stop myself from strangling my kindle.
Sigh. And I only have a few more days to try to finish this book before returning it becomes ineligible in the event that I Really Can't.
---
Update, 4/26/20:
Have read up to Chapter 3, and it's everything I find irritating in a book.
1. Memory Loss. Fantastic. Corwin doesn't know who he is or who Kate or anyone else is. He's just a prisoner being forced to mine.
2. Kate kills anyone without hesitation if they have any threatening or rebellious thoughts. As in, any trace of thoughts, even out of someone young and afraid who was probably never going to act on that thought. One specific example that comes up a few times:
Signe made her sound like a tyrant, a ruthless dictator. And maybe it was true - she was willing to do whatever it took to protect her loved ones - but was she really so bad? Unbidden, the face of Jonathan Bailey rose in her mind, the way he had looked in those few seconds before she'd executed him, the fear rising off him like heat from a fever. She'd pulled the trigger with no hesitation. It had been easy.
Not looking forward to reading more.
---
Update, 4/27/20
AND NOW THE LOVE TRIANGLE HAS ARRIVED. Not a fake one, but a real one since one of them starts having feelings for another person. This begins in Chapter 6, just a couple of chapters into Corwin's POV, but I'm going to mark it as a spoiler since the quote I'm using will come from around the 50% mark.
Kate, STOP trying to sway everyone you meet, and get out of people's minds when they ask you too. It's cool that you have awesome powers, but there's no need to use them ruthlessly and mercilessly.
I need Eravis or Signe to take over the role of female protagonist here.
---
Final update, 4/29/20
I officially hate Kate, to the point where I wanted her to fail until the very end. I'm just going to quote directly from the book from this point on because I'm tired of ranting about her. Hidden for spoilers!
Sigh.
February 3, 2021
Shadow & Flame is a fulfilling and well crafted conclusion to this duology! It dives deeply into the world and magic system of the kingdoms of Rime and I greatly enjoyed being transported back to this world.
While I wish we would have gotten a little more of the Relay in this sequel, I also appreciate the path Arnett takes this story down. It’s definitely darker than the first book, but that made it all the more realistic and truly upped the stakes for the characters involved.
I’d say my biggest complaint in this is how impulsive and irrational Kate behaves at times. I know she’s scared and desperate, but it takes quite some time for her to truly listen to those around her (such as Signe) and consider that perhaps there is another way. That said, I was still slightly peeved with her about how she reacts to and treats a character near the end (while she is blinded by jealousy), but I’m also glad to see a character with complex emotions and growth represented in a story with some well used (but loved!) tropes.
This book explores a number of themes, such as found families and holding onto hope, but perhaps most potent was that of free will, consent and freedom of choice. I enjoyed the number of ways this particular message was woven into the story and how the theme was tied to the magic system – particularly those with the ability to sway.
Needless to say, I have greatly enjoyed this duology and I think most fans of fantasy would feel the same, particularly those that enjoy YA fantasy. It does have many of the typical themes of the genre, but I also feel as though it brings enough of a spin to YA fantasy that most will enjoy it as something fresh to enjoy!
While I wish we would have gotten a little more of the Relay in this sequel, I also appreciate the path Arnett takes this story down. It’s definitely darker than the first book, but that made it all the more realistic and truly upped the stakes for the characters involved.
I’d say my biggest complaint in this is how impulsive and irrational Kate behaves at times. I know she’s scared and desperate, but it takes quite some time for her to truly listen to those around her (such as Signe) and consider that perhaps there is another way. That said, I was still slightly peeved with her about how she reacts to and treats a character near the end (while she is blinded by jealousy), but I’m also glad to see a character with complex emotions and growth represented in a story with some well used (but loved!) tropes.
This book explores a number of themes, such as found families and holding onto hope, but perhaps most potent was that of free will, consent and freedom of choice. I enjoyed the number of ways this particular message was woven into the story and how the theme was tied to the magic system – particularly those with the ability to sway.
Needless to say, I have greatly enjoyed this duology and I think most fans of fantasy would feel the same, particularly those that enjoy YA fantasy. It does have many of the typical themes of the genre, but I also feel as though it brings enough of a spin to YA fantasy that most will enjoy it as something fresh to enjoy!
October 18, 2023
Shadow and Flame was a satisfying conclusion to the captivating series. While there were elements of the book that left me conflicted, overall, it was an enjoyable read.
What I liked the most about the book was its commitment to character development and the intricate world-building. I enjoyed Kate and Corwin's journey through a new world rife with war and danger. where they seek allies in the midst of adversity. It was an action packed story of power, love, and the fight for freedom among wilders, mages, and non mages.
However, my main gripe with the book was the extended focus on the antagonists and their influence, which seemed to dominate a significant portion of the story. It was frustrating to see the strong characters from the first book pushed around like puppets for so long. Yet, this adversity ultimately paves the way for a triumphant comeback, albeit not without significant losses and heavy costs.
In the end, "Shadow and Flame" proves to be a rollercoaster ride of action, emotion, and intrigue. Loved it. 3.5 stars.
What I liked the most about the book was its commitment to character development and the intricate world-building. I enjoyed Kate and Corwin's journey through a new world rife with war and danger. where they seek allies in the midst of adversity. It was an action packed story of power, love, and the fight for freedom among wilders, mages, and non mages.
However, my main gripe with the book was the extended focus on the antagonists and their influence, which seemed to dominate a significant portion of the story. It was frustrating to see the strong characters from the first book pushed around like puppets for so long. Yet, this adversity ultimately paves the way for a triumphant comeback, albeit not without significant losses and heavy costs.
In the end, "Shadow and Flame" proves to be a rollercoaster ride of action, emotion, and intrigue. Loved it. 3.5 stars.
January 8, 2023
3 Stars ✨
“Just because something could be done didn’t make doing so right. Sometimes the opposite was true—not doing something that could be done was what made it right.“
I really enjoyed Onyx and Ivory and looked forward to this sequel so much. It had its ups and downs though, what I liked the most about the first book was the depth and personalities of the characters. Shadow and Flame was much darker and I felt they lost their spark. Everyone just seemed miserable most of the time and while I did enjoy a big chunk of the book, I felt it was too drawn out and I just missed everyone being happy and together.
“Just because something could be done didn’t make doing so right. Sometimes the opposite was true—not doing something that could be done was what made it right.“
I really enjoyed Onyx and Ivory and looked forward to this sequel so much. It had its ups and downs though, what I liked the most about the first book was the depth and personalities of the characters. Shadow and Flame was much darker and I felt they lost their spark. Everyone just seemed miserable most of the time and while I did enjoy a big chunk of the book, I felt it was too drawn out and I just missed everyone being happy and together.
July 22, 2019
4 🌟
Enjoyable read. Continuing from part 1.
The Wilders are slaves in the pit. Edwin is king. Where's Corwin. Kate is queen of then Wilders. Making sure to keep peace.
But when Dal life is threaten she most go save him. But finding out more about Corwin and a wilder just like her.
The author isn't afraid to kill off characters ugh but hey that's the jest of it all. To fall for characters but not sure if they'll make it to the end. I enjoyed this series.
Enjoyable read. Continuing from part 1.
The Wilders are slaves in the pit. Edwin is king. Where's Corwin. Kate is queen of then Wilders. Making sure to keep peace.
But when Dal life is threaten she most go save him. But finding out more about Corwin and a wilder just like her.
The author isn't afraid to kill off characters ugh but hey that's the jest of it all. To fall for characters but not sure if they'll make it to the end. I enjoyed this series.
Want to read
February 22, 2019How did I
not
already have this added?! I've only been craving it since October!! 😵
June 22, 2020
4.5 stars
"No great things can be accomplished without great sacrifices."
Shadow & Flame was really a great sequel. Actually, it was even better than the first book. What I enjoyed most was the unpredictability of the events. In each chapter and until the very end, you couldn't guess what would have happened next (at least I didn't). The atmosphere was darker and the worldbuildg as detailed as in Onyx & Ivory. I also grew attached to the characters and I my heart broke when some of them died. The ending was really satisfing and wrapped up perfectly all the events. All in all, I totally recommend this duology.
"No great things can be accomplished without great sacrifices."
Shadow & Flame was really a great sequel. Actually, it was even better than the first book. What I enjoyed most was the unpredictability of the events. In each chapter and until the very end, you couldn't guess what would have happened next (at least I didn't). The atmosphere was darker and the worldbuildg as detailed as in Onyx & Ivory. I also grew attached to the characters and I my heart broke when some of them died. The ending was really satisfing and wrapped up perfectly all the events. All in all, I totally recommend this duology.
October 31, 2022
It may be closer to 4.5 than a full 5 stars but I'm still processing my emotions. It made me cry at least twice.
I'm sad there's no more books set in this world. I want to follow Signe's story after the events of this book.
June 15, 2022
Całkiem dobra, ale większość śmierci bohaterów wydawała mi się zbyt przyspieszona bądź wręcz wymuszona, aby jak najszybciej pozbyć się tych postaci z fabuły (i faktycznie z niej znikali).
June 6, 2019
I received an e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Review and blog tour can be found on *Milky Way of Books*
Prepare yourselves for more action, politics, and mystery in the sequel of Ony & Ivory! Leaving the gorgeous new cover behind I have to stand by my amazement of how Mindee kept me glued to the page chapter after chapter AFTER giving me THAT prologue! (you can read it on my blog tour stop)
Kate and gang have to deal with a new upcoming threat that will be a great threat to every wilder as also to the ones Kate loves most. And I couldn't help but love every time horses appeared in the chapters! You will not be disappointed by the romance and the friendship either!
Prepare yourselves for more action, politics, and mystery in the sequel of Ony & Ivory! Leaving the gorgeous new cover behind I have to stand by my amazement of how Mindee kept me glued to the page chapter after chapter AFTER giving me THAT prologue! (you can read it on my blog tour stop)
Kate and gang have to deal with a new upcoming threat that will be a great threat to every wilder as also to the ones Kate loves most. And I couldn't help but love every time horses appeared in the chapters! You will not be disappointed by the romance and the friendship either!
June 10, 2019
I enjoyed Onyx and Ivory, but I LOVED Shadow and Flame. From the outset, Arnett’s writing is gripping. The stakes are high and the losses is heartbreaking. This Duology is thoroughly original with an endearing and complicated cast of characters and a amazingly developed world. And man, does Arnett have a talent for forbidden and complicated romance. This sequel is exciting and electrifying, building on the foundation set in the first book. In conclusion, this book both thrilled and devastated me. I absolutely recommend this series. So amazing!
September 17, 2019
I found this so disappointing. I really enjoyed the first book but this seemed to drag on. Plus I found Kate fairly annoying. I honestly couldn’t tell you why I didn’t enjoy it as much - it just felt a bit samey after a while. The bad guys all felt two dimensional and replaceable with each other.
I did enjoy the interaction between Corwin and Eravis, and getting to see a little more on the uror though.
2.5 stars.
I did enjoy the interaction between Corwin and Eravis, and getting to see a little more on the uror though.
2.5 stars.
June 21, 2020
DNF
I thought the first book in this duology was pretty good. It wasn't a favorite, but I liked it enough to want to see what happened next. Unfortunately this book has been hard to get into. It feels completely different from the first book and is kind of depressing. After trying to get interested in this and not succeeding, I've decided to give up on it.
I thought the first book in this duology was pretty good. It wasn't a favorite, but I liked it enough to want to see what happened next. Unfortunately this book has been hard to get into. It feels completely different from the first book and is kind of depressing. After trying to get interested in this and not succeeding, I've decided to give up on it.
February 21, 2024
4.5/5
I was very passionate about this book - I was shook, irritated, and tearing up because this was such an emotional read. It had again all the elements I enjoy reading in a fantasy book. But saying that, this felt so different from book one. I didn't realize the first book would feel so innocent compared.
I also felt a bit cheated because of the time jump from the last book to the prologue of this one. I wanted to read a sequel where Kate, Corwin, and friends fought and traveled together to save all the captured Wilders from book one, and fight in a larger battle for equality. Instead, we get more separation and a lot of confusion because of the separation. The one thing I love about Kate and Corwin, is when they are together, talking, they can solve anything. But when you separate then, there is so much room for self-doubt and being good enough to save their kingdom, of defeating the bad guy, and being a good enough person to be with the other. But I felt that Corwin and Kate switched places with that compared to the first book. Kate had this confidence in book one, where Corwin felt that all he was doing was fucking up... while in this book, Kate felt like a monster not being the leader her people need and the person to support Corwin, while Corwin found this strength and confidence.
I honestly felt bad for Kate though in this installment - I felt that after the events at the end of the prologue, she felt responsible for a lot of death because of the decision she made. And while she was fighting and trying to ignore all this self hate, the people around her that were supposed to support her, simply weren't. I enjoyed Signe in book one, but HATED her in this book. I felt that she lacked so much compassion for her friend, and whenever she got angry, she would tell Kate that she was just like the people they were fighting. She would "regret" everything she said after, but then kept saying the same thing and went through these cycles throughout the book. She even managed to turn Dal against Kate, which hurt my heart because Dal was my favorite character.
I felt irritated because it wasn't until 85% into the book, that we got a real moment, where someone who wasn't there for all the aftermath of the prologue, but knew she was plagued with horrible thoughts of self-hatred, where Kate was finally comforted and shown a little bit of compassion that her friends should have given her over the last few years. And they didn't need to be there to understand Kate's character and how she would only use her powers to protect the people she loved.
It almost made me not care about Cigne and Dal and the events that happened in their story. If there was a spin-off series with them, I wouldn't read it.
But this book kept me on my toes...and I had to force myself to take breathers because I was feeling all the feels. There was so much death to important characters in book one that it almost felt like the author just killed them off because the final battle wouldn't have been hard if they were still alive. I knocked my rating down half a star because I felt that it was such a sad waste to kill off all the characters they did.
I was very passionate about this book - I was shook, irritated, and tearing up because this was such an emotional read. It had again all the elements I enjoy reading in a fantasy book. But saying that, this felt so different from book one. I didn't realize the first book would feel so innocent compared.
I also felt a bit cheated because of the time jump from the last book to the prologue of this one. I wanted to read a sequel where Kate, Corwin, and friends fought and traveled together to save all the captured Wilders from book one, and fight in a larger battle for equality. Instead, we get more separation and a lot of confusion because of the separation. The one thing I love about Kate and Corwin, is when they are together, talking, they can solve anything. But when you separate then, there is so much room for self-doubt and being good enough to save their kingdom, of defeating the bad guy, and being a good enough person to be with the other. But I felt that Corwin and Kate switched places with that compared to the first book. Kate had this confidence in book one, where Corwin felt that all he was doing was fucking up... while in this book, Kate felt like a monster not being the leader her people need and the person to support Corwin, while Corwin found this strength and confidence.
I honestly felt bad for Kate though in this installment - I felt that after the events at the end of the prologue, she felt responsible for a lot of death because of the decision she made. And while she was fighting and trying to ignore all this self hate, the people around her that were supposed to support her, simply weren't. I enjoyed Signe in book one, but HATED her in this book. I felt that she lacked so much compassion for her friend, and whenever she got angry, she would tell Kate that she was just like the people they were fighting. She would "regret" everything she said after, but then kept saying the same thing and went through these cycles throughout the book. She even managed to turn Dal against Kate, which hurt my heart because Dal was my favorite character.
I felt irritated because it wasn't until 85% into the book, that we got a real moment, where someone who wasn't there for all the aftermath of the prologue, but knew she was plagued with horrible thoughts of self-hatred, where Kate was finally comforted and shown a little bit of compassion that her friends should have given her over the last few years. And they didn't need to be there to understand Kate's character and how she would only use her powers to protect the people she loved.
It almost made me not care about Cigne and Dal and the events that happened in their story. If there was a spin-off series with them, I wouldn't read it.
But this book kept me on my toes...and I had to force myself to take breathers because I was feeling all the feels. There was so much death to important characters in book one that it almost felt like the author just killed them off because the final battle wouldn't have been hard if they were still alive. I knocked my rating down half a star because I felt that it was such a sad waste to kill off all the characters they did.
March 15, 2020
this was definitely darker than the first book but i’m not complaining. dal and signe annoyed me a little too much, but i tore through this. seriously, people are sleeping on this series.
→ 4.5 stars
→ 4.5 stars
June 30, 2020
I’m sorry. I was surprised by things. I was okay with some things. But one thing was BULLSHIT. THAT CHARACTER DIDNT HAVE TO DIE. like seriously. What’s the point? Ugh
You don’t fucking kill your best friend. So you can save the girl but not the BEST FUCKING FRIEND. I’m mad over here
You don’t fucking kill your best friend. So you can save the girl but not the BEST FUCKING FRIEND. I’m mad over here
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 28, 2019
When I first started reading Shadow & Flame, I was a bit confused by the time gap. After all, an entire revolution had taken place since the events of Onyx & Ivory. However, Arnett did a great job of filling in the gaps. It was also interesting to see how the main characters had changed since the events of both the previous book and the war that occurred between books.
Shadow & Flame is told in the POV of both Kate and Corwin. I enjoyed seeing how they both grew into their roles and fought for what they loved. However, the secondary characters that so captured my heart in the first book (Signe, Dal, Bonner, and Kiran) played very minor roles in this book. Additionally, I wasn't as big a fan of Kate and Corwin's romance in this book. There were some rather serious things in their relationship that they never dealt with. The ending also felt a tad abrupt, particularly for the last book in a series.
Overall, Shadow & Flame was an entertaining novel and a good sequel to Onyx & Ivory. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a spin-off novel or series featuring Signe because she was such a fascinating character!
*Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Shadow & Flame is told in the POV of both Kate and Corwin. I enjoyed seeing how they both grew into their roles and fought for what they loved. However, the secondary characters that so captured my heart in the first book (Signe, Dal, Bonner, and Kiran) played very minor roles in this book. Additionally, I wasn't as big a fan of Kate and Corwin's romance in this book. There were some rather serious things in their relationship that they never dealt with. The ending also felt a tad abrupt, particularly for the last book in a series.
Overall, Shadow & Flame was an entertaining novel and a good sequel to Onyx & Ivory. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a spin-off novel or series featuring Signe because she was such a fascinating character!
*Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
July 7, 2019
I felt that a lot of really weird decisions went into the plot of this story. For one, the part I was interested in (the journey out of Rime, discovering where the wilders are being kept captive, the planning of the rescue mission) are all completely skipped over and the prologue jumps right into the rescue mission. It all goes wrong, and the aftermath of that is also skipped. There’s a whole war between the citizens of Rime (under Edwin) and the Wilders, resulting in the Wilders taking the city of Farhold as their base, that’s also skipped over. So many important events that aren’t even really touched on.
When the story does get going, I found it to be slow and it really wasn’t managing to hold my attention very well. Something of the spark that made the first book interesting was missing here. It didn’t help that I didn’t like where the characters were going. Kate’s struggle with her choices and motivations was boring because despite said struggles she didn’t actually change her actions at all. She kept doing the same thing over and over despite knowing it was morally questionable.
I didn’t like Corwin much either. I appreciated that he didn’t entirely capitulate to the desires of others, but I found his sections boring throughout most of the story. The romance between Kate and Corwin left a lot to be desired, which meant I didn’t care much about the outcome of their relationship. This is frustrating as I was rooting for them to overcome the obstacles in their way in the first book.
The supporting characters also lost their spark. They were such an important park of the book. In this second book they didn’t play so much of a role, and when they were present they just weren’t as interesting.
Going back to important events being completely skipped over, there we’re at least three deaths of important players in the plot that were skipped and only mentioned later in either dialogue or part of a self-reflective narrative. Why?!
I enjoyed the first book enough that I immediately placed this one of preorder. Unfortunately, it utterly failed to meet expectations.
When the story does get going, I found it to be slow and it really wasn’t managing to hold my attention very well. Something of the spark that made the first book interesting was missing here. It didn’t help that I didn’t like where the characters were going. Kate’s struggle with her choices and motivations was boring because despite said struggles she didn’t actually change her actions at all. She kept doing the same thing over and over despite knowing it was morally questionable.
I didn’t like Corwin much either. I appreciated that he didn’t entirely capitulate to the desires of others, but I found his sections boring throughout most of the story. The romance between Kate and Corwin left a lot to be desired, which meant I didn’t care much about the outcome of their relationship. This is frustrating as I was rooting for them to overcome the obstacles in their way in the first book.
The supporting characters also lost their spark. They were such an important park of the book. In this second book they didn’t play so much of a role, and when they were present they just weren’t as interesting.
Going back to important events being completely skipped over, there we’re at least three deaths of important players in the plot that were skipped and only mentioned later in either dialogue or part of a self-reflective narrative. Why?!
I enjoyed the first book enough that I immediately placed this one of preorder. Unfortunately, it utterly failed to meet expectations.
Want to read
July 14, 2025❧ audiobook review
FINALLY GETTING TO THIS ONE, YAY!
Circling back to this one because I have such a good attention span lmfao.
I require good things and joy for Kate, Corwin, Bonner, Signe, Raith, Dal and Kiran in this book and I just know I'm going to cry whatever happens.
My review of Onyx & Ivory is here.
☆ Book Reviews | Bluesky | Twitter | Threads ☆
Circling back to this one because I have such a good attention span lmfao.
I require good things and joy for Kate, Corwin, Bonner, Signe, Raith, Dal and Kiran in this book and I just know I'm going to cry whatever happens.
My review of Onyx & Ivory is here.
☆ Book Reviews | Bluesky | Twitter | Threads ☆
February 13, 2021
I really wanted to love this sequel, but unfortunately for me the characters just felt very alien after the year long gap between books. I couldn’t manage to sink back into the story like I’d hoped. A lot of people seem to love this more than the original so maybe someday I’ll attempt to read it again.
December 21, 2019
Don't read it. Read the first one (which is actually good with a creative plot) but this sequel kind of just desists into the stereotypical over-confusing fantasy book mold that gives the genre a bad name. I know, I'm mean. Thank my friends.
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