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Flight & Glory #4
Hallowed Ground
There are some debts you can’t repay.
Josh Walker is loyal, reckless, and every girl’s dream. But he only has eyes for December Howard, the girl he's craved since his high school hockey days. Together they have survived grief, the military, distance, and time as they’ve fought for stolen weekends between his post at Ft. Rucker and her college at Vanderbilt. Now that Josh is a medevac pilot and Ember is headed toward graduation, they’re moving on—and in—together.
Ember never wanted the Army life, but loving Josh means accepting whatever the army dictates—even when that means saying goodbye as Josh heads to Afghanistan, a country that nearly killed him once before and that took her father. But filling their last days together with love, passion, and plans for their future doesn’t temper Ember’s fear, and if there’s one thing she’s learned from her father’s death, it’s that there are some obstacles even love can’t conquer.
Flight school is over.
This is war.
Josh Walker is loyal, reckless, and every girl’s dream. But he only has eyes for December Howard, the girl he's craved since his high school hockey days. Together they have survived grief, the military, distance, and time as they’ve fought for stolen weekends between his post at Ft. Rucker and her college at Vanderbilt. Now that Josh is a medevac pilot and Ember is headed toward graduation, they’re moving on—and in—together.
Ember never wanted the Army life, but loving Josh means accepting whatever the army dictates—even when that means saying goodbye as Josh heads to Afghanistan, a country that nearly killed him once before and that took her father. But filling their last days together with love, passion, and plans for their future doesn’t temper Ember’s fear, and if there’s one thing she’s learned from her father’s death, it’s that there are some obstacles even love can’t conquer.
Flight school is over.
This is war.
410 pages, Paperback
First published January 25, 2016
4517 people are currently reading
25449 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca Yarros
67 books194k followersRebecca Yarros is a hopeless romantic and coffee addict. She is the New York Times bestselling author of over twenty novels, including Fourth Wing, The Last Letter and The Things We Leave Unfinished. She’s also the recipient of the Colorado Romance Writer’s Award of Excellence for Eyes Turned Skyward. Rebecca loves military heroes and has been blissfully married to hers for over twenty years. A mother of six, she is currently surviving the teenage years with all four of her hockey-playing sons.
Want to know about Rebecca’s next release? Check her out online at www.rebeccayarros.com.
Want to know about Rebecca’s next release? Check her out online at www.rebeccayarros.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,887 reviews
February 1, 2016
4 ~ 4.25 STARS
”How do we build a future if we don’t agree on one?”
I expected and/or wished that this story included all POVS of the couples of this series. Especially at the time of the “big tragic scene” I think that would have been chilling and unforgettable. I liked that the story centered-around Josh and Ember but at times it felt monotonous being in Josh’s head. Josh and Ember's relationship was tested and shaken.
”We stood on the edge of something I couldn’t fathom, and I had no clue how to bring us back. Not without him fighting for us equally as hard.”
Offsetting Josh’s train of thought with the other men and the goings on in their lives would have given me full closure on this great series as well as a break of the same string of thoughts. I really expected to have epilogues on all the couples sadly I'll learn to be happy with just one.
Regardless, Rebecca Yarros sure knows how to deliver a military story and I recommend friends giving this series a go and meeting not only Josh and Ember but Sam & Grayson and Paisley & Jagger as well!
”How do we build a future if we don’t agree on one?”
I expected and/or wished that this story included all POVS of the couples of this series. Especially at the time of the “big tragic scene” I think that would have been chilling and unforgettable. I liked that the story centered-around Josh and Ember but at times it felt monotonous being in Josh’s head. Josh and Ember's relationship was tested and shaken.
”We stood on the edge of something I couldn’t fathom, and I had no clue how to bring us back. Not without him fighting for us equally as hard.”
Offsetting Josh’s train of thought with the other men and the goings on in their lives would have given me full closure on this great series as well as a break of the same string of thoughts. I really expected to have epilogues on all the couples sadly I'll learn to be happy with just one.
Regardless, Rebecca Yarros sure knows how to deliver a military story and I recommend friends giving this series a go and meeting not only Josh and Ember but Sam & Grayson and Paisley & Jagger as well!
January 18, 2016
The conclusion of the Flight & Glory series, takes us back to Josh and Ember from Full Measures. These two have been through a lot, and after 2 years together, battling distance, and Josh's military career, it seems Josh and Ember are finally on the same page, moving forward, and in together. Josh is now a medevac pilot, and graduation is around the corner for Ember.
But it's not all smooth sailing. Military life is not easy, and when Josh is deployed, Ember is reminded of some harsh realities. Josh, Ember and their relationship will be tested in ways they never prepared for. It's always been, "You and me against the world," but the world sure does throw these two some curve balls.
"I don't care how you come home. I don't care what parts of you are broken, or bleeding, or... anything, just as long as you come home. As long as your heart is beating, I will want you, do you understand me? I don't care what happens there as long as you come home."
Hallowed Ground was an emotional read, heartbreaking, and hopeful. I felt for these characters, the fear, the uncertainty. Rebecca did a wonderful job creating a realistic military romance. My main compliant is that, my patience started wearing a little thin as the story progressed, it seemed like they kept having the same argument over and over. Overall, this was a healing journey, full of ups and downs, with a wonderful cast of characters.
*ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review*
January 21, 2016
I fell into this series on accident, but from the first book I read I have been hooked. I love this group of pilots and their girls. This is one of those series I am always happy to read more of, but I won’t lie anytime an author creates another book for a couple that is already happy in my mind I get scared. See we first met Josh and Ember in Full Measure and I immediately fell in love with Josh.
Josh and Ember went to high school together. But Josh was the older, hot bad boy and Ember was the quite girl with a crush. So they didn’t really know each other then, but they definitely knew of each other. So in Full Measure we read about them falling in love and it’s emotional, beautiful and completely captivating.
So you can imagine where my fear is coming from, these two are my favorite couple. The two people who have survived a long distance relationship, heartache and growing up. They have made it past all of this, so Hallowed Ground terrified me!
I had a good reason to be nervous/scared/terrified, this book absolutely broke me. I was on the edge of my seat and reading at a super fast pace, eager to see what would happen next. Then, I was an emotional wreck. This book had me balling my eyes out. I am not even sure if this is rationale, well no I know it’s not. Regardless, after I looked for a friend to talk to who had read the book and messaged her, while waiting for her response I thought about messaging Rebecca on Facebook. Yes, like a psycho! The good news is, my friend responded quickly enough I talked myself off the ledge.
As you can imagine I stayed up and finished this book in one night and I didn’t love all the parts of the story. Some parts were hard to swallow, some parts broke my heart, and some parts made me wish I could have lived in my fairytale HEA I had created in my mind. That shouldn’t surprise anyone, I am such a baby.
So when I was deciding how to rate this book I had to think about all the parts. I had to think about how true to real life Rebecca’s stories are and how I love how I can feel all the emotions as I read the story. I had to consider how real life isn’t always pretty. I grew up with a father in the military, moving constantly, always knowing I wouldn’t be at a school or city/state for very long. When I consider how this story completely captured what I know of a military life and knowing how Josh and Ember will move forward I have to give credit where it’s due.
If you have read this entire review, which I appreciate because it’s long and rambling, but if you did you know this book deserves at least 5 stars. It’s an original, heart wrenching, emotional and beautiful story about true love. Unconditional, sacrificing, true love!
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
Josh and Ember went to high school together. But Josh was the older, hot bad boy and Ember was the quite girl with a crush. So they didn’t really know each other then, but they definitely knew of each other. So in Full Measure we read about them falling in love and it’s emotional, beautiful and completely captivating.
I cannot imagine a future where you’re not mine, because I’m yours in every sense of the word.
So you can imagine where my fear is coming from, these two are my favorite couple. The two people who have survived a long distance relationship, heartache and growing up. They have made it past all of this, so Hallowed Ground terrified me!
I had a good reason to be nervous/scared/terrified, this book absolutely broke me. I was on the edge of my seat and reading at a super fast pace, eager to see what would happen next. Then, I was an emotional wreck. This book had me balling my eyes out. I am not even sure if this is rationale, well no I know it’s not. Regardless, after I looked for a friend to talk to who had read the book and messaged her, while waiting for her response I thought about messaging Rebecca on Facebook. Yes, like a psycho! The good news is, my friend responded quickly enough I talked myself off the ledge.
As you can imagine I stayed up and finished this book in one night and I didn’t love all the parts of the story. Some parts were hard to swallow, some parts broke my heart, and some parts made me wish I could have lived in my fairytale HEA I had created in my mind. That shouldn’t surprise anyone, I am such a baby.
You change me every day, make me want to be a better man for you.
So when I was deciding how to rate this book I had to think about all the parts. I had to think about how true to real life Rebecca’s stories are and how I love how I can feel all the emotions as I read the story. I had to consider how real life isn’t always pretty. I grew up with a father in the military, moving constantly, always knowing I wouldn’t be at a school or city/state for very long. When I consider how this story completely captured what I know of a military life and knowing how Josh and Ember will move forward I have to give credit where it’s due.
If you have read this entire review, which I appreciate because it’s long and rambling, but if you did you know this book deserves at least 5 stars. It’s an original, heart wrenching, emotional and beautiful story about true love. Unconditional, sacrificing, true love!
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
February 4, 2016
5 Emotional Stars.
This book follows the story of Josh and Ember two years after the beginning of their relationship.
Flight school is over, their long-distance relationship is over and they are now living together and getting ready for Josh’s second deployment in Afghanistan.
But war changes people, not only the ones that go but also those who stay. And when war breaks you from the inside, could you fall in love with the pieces all over again?
Full measures is still one of my favorites books, so it’s safe to say that since I’ve know this book was being written I was anxiously waiting for it. It was emotional, gut-wrenching at times and made me feel frustrated (at Josh mostly) several times… and I loved every freaking moment of it.
I know that some people will not like the drama after the HEA but for me it was necessary, not only to see their growth since the first book, but to finally see their happy ending when the army and the war wasn’t lurking over their heads. I loved how their story wrapped up and I feel like I could read several more books about them without getting tired. Rebecca Yarros definitely have a gift for telling and her own life as an army wife definitely made this book feel very very real. Definitely, a book not to miss.
Rating: 5 Stars.
Characters Development: I really liked Ember in this one, how she stood her ground and didn’t stop fighting. In fact, there were moments where I almost wished she stopped being so understanding and kick Josh in the ass, because believe me, there were moments where he deserved it. I really loved Josh, but God, there was moments where I just wanted to beat him. It was easy to understand where he was coming from and why he was pushing so much, but still, he deserved to be in the doghouse and had to do a little more groveling with his stupid decisions.
Steam: Hot.
Sensible Subjects:
Love Triangle:
Cheating:
HEA:
This book follows the story of Josh and Ember two years after the beginning of their relationship.
Flight school is over, their long-distance relationship is over and they are now living together and getting ready for Josh’s second deployment in Afghanistan.
But war changes people, not only the ones that go but also those who stay. And when war breaks you from the inside, could you fall in love with the pieces all over again?
Full measures is still one of my favorites books, so it’s safe to say that since I’ve know this book was being written I was anxiously waiting for it. It was emotional, gut-wrenching at times and made me feel frustrated (at Josh mostly) several times… and I loved every freaking moment of it.
I know that some people will not like the drama after the HEA but for me it was necessary, not only to see their growth since the first book, but to finally see their happy ending when the army and the war wasn’t lurking over their heads. I loved how their story wrapped up and I feel like I could read several more books about them without getting tired. Rebecca Yarros definitely have a gift for telling and her own life as an army wife definitely made this book feel very very real. Definitely, a book not to miss.
Rating: 5 Stars.
Characters Development: I really liked Ember in this one, how she stood her ground and didn’t stop fighting. In fact, there were moments where I almost wished she stopped being so understanding and kick Josh in the ass, because believe me, there were moments where he deserved it. I really loved Josh, but God, there was moments where I just wanted to beat him. It was easy to understand where he was coming from and why he was pushing so much, but still, he deserved to be in the doghouse and had to do a little more groveling with his stupid decisions.
Steam: Hot.
Sensible Subjects:
Love Triangle:
Cheating:
HEA:
January 14, 2017
Good lord. This book. Ohmigod.
Keeping this short
My Ember:
My Josh:
Now, this story is a continuation of this entire series but is solely Josh & Embers story.
Time and time again I was like:
Then it seemed I immediately went into feeling:
Then instantly I was like:
My heart broke, literally broke for this couple. God the struggles they had, the heartbreak, the tragedy. Ughhhhh it just wouldn't stop. My heart hurt yet at the end my heart completely melted for this couple. I hated this story yet I absolutely loved it. It's real life, it's life as so many people have it these days with military deployments. Hands down a book I would recommend, I am just so mad at myself for waiting so long to finish this beautiful series.
Keeping this short
My Ember:
My Josh:
Now, this story is a continuation of this entire series but is solely Josh & Embers story.
Time and time again I was like:
Then it seemed I immediately went into feeling:
Then instantly I was like:
My heart broke, literally broke for this couple. God the struggles they had, the heartbreak, the tragedy. Ughhhhh it just wouldn't stop. My heart hurt yet at the end my heart completely melted for this couple. I hated this story yet I absolutely loved it. It's real life, it's life as so many people have it these days with military deployments. Hands down a book I would recommend, I am just so mad at myself for waiting so long to finish this beautiful series.
February 4, 2016
4 - Live well. Love hard. Stars!
Josh and Embers story continues in Hallowed Ground, the fourth book in Rebecca Yarros’ Flight & Glory series. This is a couple I have a massive soft spot for as the story of their meeting and everything that happened after in Full Measures was probably one of my most emotional and enjoyable reads of 2014.
I will be honest and say I was a little nervous to start this one, having such strong emotions about Josh and Ember, means I really wanted the continuation of their story to be the absolute best it could be… And after my experience with the last book in the series I wasn’t 100% certain Rebecca could pull it off.
Hallowed Ground, was as much of an emotional roller-coaster as Full Measures was, but I think the main thing you pull from the story is just how far Josh & Ember have come as a couple over the last two or so years, and the depth of their feelings and the strength of their relationship because of it.
"Sometimes the littlest catalysts cause the biggest impacts."
Expect tears, I cried loads, expect heartbreak, you’ll witness loads, prepare yourself for drama, shocks and more surprises than you would think capable for an author to weave into one book, but Rebecca did, and she did it well. Josh and Embers continuation isn’t an easy read, but then I didn’t really expect it to be.
"When it comes to you, to how much I love you… I have no morals.
No honor.
I would lie, cheat, murder, steal, dishonor everything I hold dear if it meant spending my life with you.
No measure of duty, or God, or country could ever make up for losing you…"
I cannot recommend this book, or for the most part the whole series enough. Considering the epilogue, I wonder if this may be the last time we spend with the crew that we have met and fallen in love with over the course of the four books, I hope that isn’t the case as I would like to see how and where everyone ends up in a few years’ time.
"No more good-byes."
ARC generously provided via Netgalley, and it was my absolute pleasure to provide the above honest review.
Josh and Embers story continues in Hallowed Ground, the fourth book in Rebecca Yarros’ Flight & Glory series. This is a couple I have a massive soft spot for as the story of their meeting and everything that happened after in Full Measures was probably one of my most emotional and enjoyable reads of 2014.
I will be honest and say I was a little nervous to start this one, having such strong emotions about Josh and Ember, means I really wanted the continuation of their story to be the absolute best it could be… And after my experience with the last book in the series I wasn’t 100% certain Rebecca could pull it off.
Hallowed Ground, was as much of an emotional roller-coaster as Full Measures was, but I think the main thing you pull from the story is just how far Josh & Ember have come as a couple over the last two or so years, and the depth of their feelings and the strength of their relationship because of it.
"Sometimes the littlest catalysts cause the biggest impacts."
Expect tears, I cried loads, expect heartbreak, you’ll witness loads, prepare yourself for drama, shocks and more surprises than you would think capable for an author to weave into one book, but Rebecca did, and she did it well. Josh and Embers continuation isn’t an easy read, but then I didn’t really expect it to be.
"When it comes to you, to how much I love you… I have no morals.
No honor.
I would lie, cheat, murder, steal, dishonor everything I hold dear if it meant spending my life with you.
No measure of duty, or God, or country could ever make up for losing you…"
I cannot recommend this book, or for the most part the whole series enough. Considering the epilogue, I wonder if this may be the last time we spend with the crew that we have met and fallen in love with over the course of the four books, I hope that isn’t the case as I would like to see how and where everyone ends up in a few years’ time.
"No more good-byes."
ARC generously provided via Netgalley, and it was my absolute pleasure to provide the above honest review.
January 13, 2024
To be honest, this book made me like Josh a lot less. He was a selfish a-hole for most of the book & claimed to love Ember, but was doing everything he could to tear them apart. Why Ember stayed with him through all of that blew my mind. I think she sacrificed way too much for their relationship. Even with the explanations of how he was acting, I truly feel that Josh and Ember are just not that compatible.
With all that said, I still enjoyed the book and it is still a good book. It is heartbreaking at points, frustrating, happy, sad, and everything in between.
I was very happy to have both Paisley and Jagger in this book and watch their relationship too. I honestly wish the book focused more on their relationship, because I actually like them better than Josh & Ember.
The ending definitely made up for the crazy ride it took to get there & I was very happy with the ending.
This book should NOT be read as a standalone. This series needs to be read in order.
With all that said, I still enjoyed the book and it is still a good book. It is heartbreaking at points, frustrating, happy, sad, and everything in between.
I was very happy to have both Paisley and Jagger in this book and watch their relationship too. I honestly wish the book focused more on their relationship, because I actually like them better than Josh & Ember.
The ending definitely made up for the crazy ride it took to get there & I was very happy with the ending.
This book should NOT be read as a standalone. This series needs to be read in order.
February 2, 2016
This book is about probably the most selfish H I've encountered in NA and the doormat he calls his true love.
It's basically a story about how if you talk endlessly about how undeserving you are of the love of your spouse, that justifies you doing whatever the hell YOU want, while torpedoing everything she would want out of life. Because what is marriage really if not grounds to drag your loved one through hell constantly, hmm?
Here's an idea Josh sweetie: if the problem is choosing between you not living out your life exactly the way you want it, and your true love living through hell for the next 20/30 years, unless you're the biggest prick in the solar system you'll choose option A.
P.S. Constantly fucking her and martyring yourself doesn't make up for the fact that you're essentially ruining her entire life with your hero bullshit. You know how to be a good husband and father? Be there. All the time. You giant fuckwit.
It's basically a story about how if you talk endlessly about how undeserving you are of the love of your spouse, that justifies you doing whatever the hell YOU want, while torpedoing everything she would want out of life. Because what is marriage really if not grounds to drag your loved one through hell constantly, hmm?
Here's an idea Josh sweetie: if the problem is choosing between you not living out your life exactly the way you want it, and your true love living through hell for the next 20/30 years, unless you're the biggest prick in the solar system you'll choose option A.
P.S. Constantly fucking her and martyring yourself doesn't make up for the fact that you're essentially ruining her entire life with your hero bullshit. You know how to be a good husband and father? Be there. All the time. You giant fuckwit.
January 24, 2016
5+++ stars
Hallowed Ground was such an emotional, heartfelt and memorable read.
I laugh, I cried, I swooned, then sobbed and cried some more, sooooo many feels!
LOVED!!!
Review to come, I need time to let all the feels settle.
*My review, posted Jan 24th, 2015**
OK, I've had a few weeks now to sort out my feelings and I can honestly say that everytime I think about Hallowed Ground I still get choked up.
So time has taken nothing away from what I first felt after I finished Hallowed Ground.
I've been thinking about my review, a lot. I've struggled with what I was going to say.
How was I going to capture my feelings without talking about certain scenes and certain people and not spoiling it for you? Seriously I don't think I've ever had this problem before, this is howgood no slash that, how brilliant this book was.
Every page will make you feel, every person will touch your heart, and believe me when I say this you will be touched.
Hallowed Ground is the final installment in the Flight & Glory series and while it can be read as a standalone I highly/strongly recommend you take the time out to read the other books.
Going into this book after reading Josh & Embers story in Full Measures will add to your experience. And having formed a relationship with Josh, Ember and all the gang when a certain something happens it will be so much more emotional.
And there I go again, here come the tears....
Hallowed Ground will make you laugh, smile, cry, swoon and cry some more.
And that epilogue? *Perfection*
You will not be disappointed to have picked this book/series up, this was a heartfelt & emotional ending to a brilliant series.
It's no secret I'm a HUGE fan of Rebecca Yarros & her work. She gives her readers believable and memorable characters with storylines that touch your soul.
You can tell this talented author writes with heart and I cannot wait to see/read what she has planned for us next!
A big thank you to Entangled Embrace via NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Hallowed Ground was such an emotional, heartfelt and memorable read.
I laugh, I cried, I swooned, then sobbed and cried some more, sooooo many feels!
LOVED!!!
Review to come, I need time to let all the feels settle.
*My review, posted Jan 24th, 2015**
OK, I've had a few weeks now to sort out my feelings and I can honestly say that everytime I think about Hallowed Ground I still get choked up.
So time has taken nothing away from what I first felt after I finished Hallowed Ground.
I've been thinking about my review, a lot. I've struggled with what I was going to say.
How was I going to capture my feelings without talking about certain scenes and certain people and not spoiling it for you? Seriously I don't think I've ever had this problem before, this is how
Every page will make you feel, every person will touch your heart, and believe me when I say this you will be touched.
Hallowed Ground is the final installment in the Flight & Glory series and while it can be read as a standalone I highly/strongly recommend you take the time out to read the other books.
Going into this book after reading Josh & Embers story in Full Measures will add to your experience. And having formed a relationship with Josh, Ember and all the gang when a certain something happens it will be so much more emotional.
And there I go again, here come the tears....
Hallowed Ground will make you laugh, smile, cry, swoon and cry some more.
And that epilogue? *Perfection*
You will not be disappointed to have picked this book/series up, this was a heartfelt & emotional ending to a brilliant series.
It's no secret I'm a HUGE fan of Rebecca Yarros & her work. She gives her readers believable and memorable characters with storylines that touch your soul.
You can tell this talented author writes with heart and I cannot wait to see/read what she has planned for us next!
A big thank you to Entangled Embrace via NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
December 22, 2015
Wow! This was fantastic! Josh and December are one of my very favorite book couples ever and I honestly was really nervous when I saw this book was coming out. I was worried that there would be stupid and unnecessary drama because I was happy with how Full Measures ended and I couldn't imagine how their story could continue. I was wrong - there was no silly drama and there was a lot more to Ember and Josh's story that needed to be told. This was angsty, emotional, heart breaking, romantic, sweet and even had a little suspense. It was everything I could've possibly wanted in a book! I LOVED this so much! I loved what this author did with this story. It was incredibly emotional and I cried a lot but it was such a beautiful conclusion to this series. I can't wait to read whatever this author writes next!
**ARC provided in exchange for an honest review**
**ARC provided in exchange for an honest review**
January 27, 2016
5 Big “You Own My Soul” Stars
I might be a little all over the place with this review so bear with me. There is so much I want to say about this book, about this series, about these characters and about this author that I truly don’t know where to begin. This is half a review and half an ode to the Flight and Glory Series and Rebecca Yarros.
Rebecca Yarros writing is so beautiful, and so raw and so real. There’s no way you can read one of her books and not by affected by the writing. Rebecca is one of the reasons we blog. We believe in certain authors wholeheartedly, we believe people should know about certain books and certain books should be promoted above others because they are simply beautiful books with quality writing amongst a sea of overhyped poorly written books. Hallowed Ground is one of those memorable books. The entire Flight and Glory Series is in that memorable category.
I discovered Rebecca Yarros in 2014 when I read Full Measures , the first book in the Flight and Glory series That book was the perfect combination of all the things I love in romance books (and in life), military themed, sports themed, HOCKEY themed, the most perfect hero ever written in Josh Walker and one of the bravest and strongest heroines I’ve ever met in December Howard. That book is still one of my favorite books ever and I became a Rebecca fan for life. When I found out there would be more books in the series, I did a happy dance. I love those flyboys.
Once I read I book I love I tend to gush about it, a lot. So, I recommended Full Measures to my fellow sister bloggers because they had to read this awesome book. Beatriz was first, she accused me of spoiling all guys for eternity because once you meet Josh Walker, you only want a Josh Walker. Christina was next and she was hooked. Then it was Angie’s turn and we all virtually held her hand while she cried reading it. Needless to say, the Sister Wives are Flygirls and we were so looking forward to Hallowed Ground. When that ARC popped on our Kindle right before Christmas we had one of our epic Buddy Reads.
On to Hallowed Ground. Hallowed Ground is book 4 in the Flight and Glory series and the conclusion of the series. It is not a stand-alone so you must read Full Measures (Book 1) and I would also suggest reading Eyes Turned Skyward (Book 2) as well to get the full picture. Beyond What Is Given is Book 3 in the series, and although is not essential that you read it before Hallowed Ground since Sam and Grayson are not prominently featured here, it is a good read (even though I wanted to murder Grayson most of the book) since all these characters are interconnected and best friends.
Hallowed Ground starts after the gang graduates from flight school and begin their official assignments post-graduation. Josh and Jagger are stationed in the same base and so they are neighbors. Ember moves in with Josh and is in the process of applying to her PhD program. Everything changes when the boys get their orders to be deployed to Afghanistan. This is though for all of them, but mainly for Ember since Afghanistan is where she lost her father and where Josh almost lost his life years before. What happens next is a true roller coaster of emotions, the perception that you are running out of time and you want to make the most of these moments is so emotional and later the aftermath of an ugly, ugly war will shake you to the core. Since I’m trying to keep this as spoiler free as possible there isn’t much I want to reveal about what happens in the book but I will share a few of my favorite quotes before I continue:
“We glanced around the fire at the family we’d made, and I felt it—one of those moments you can’t forget, the kind that stay with you when it’s long past, so you try to memorize everything. It was a deep peace, a contentment laced with the silent knowledge that we wouldn’t be together again for far too long.”
“You are my dream now, December Howard. You are everything to me. My heart beats for you, my soul is only whole when you’re near. You’re my home, my shelter, my wildest fantasy, and I cannot imagine a future where you’re not mine, because I’m yours in every sense of the word.”
“We sat there, our arms locked around each other, our heartbeats counting down the moments until he’d be called away. They were the best and worst minutes, flying too quickly. I had never loved him more than I did in that moment. I had never been as scared.”
“I don’t care how you come home. I don’t care what parts of you are broken, or bleeding, or…anything, just as long as you come home. As long as your heart is beating, I will want you, do you understand me? I don’t care what happens there as long as you come home. Please? You have to, because I’ve built my world around you, our future, and I don’t know if I could survive losing you, Josh. And I know that’s selfish, and unfair, but I need you!”
“Holding her was so easy when the world around us got too complicated. Everything else slipped away until I was left with the simple, incorruptible truth that I would always love December Howard.”
This book is not light, there are some funny moments here and there, but this is a heavy book. It brings all the feels, ALL OF THEM. This book is real and raw, WAR is real and raw and this book deals with war, the aftermath, PTSD and survivor’s guilt in one of the most accurate ways I’ve ever read about it in a book. As a former DoD civilian I saw a lot of PTSD first hand, as a fed I still do every day. You feel for Josh, you feel for Ember. There are moments when Josh will frustrated you to no end and you will like to give up on him. Yep, our Josh goes “full stupid” for a bit but we will give him a pass. If Full Measures was Ember’s book then Hallowed Ground is Josh’s book and the roles reverse a bit, with Ember being the one holding it together. Although there are moments when you just want Ember to stand up for herself. There’s a lot of sadness and a lot of happiness. There is the possibility that you will cry…A LOT. And you might even want to walk away for a bit (like I did) because the writing is so intense you feel like you’re living these situations and having these experiences right along the characters. In the end, I trusted that Rebecca would do these characters justice and the epilogue is everything I wanted, and more, simply PERFECTION. However, there are still parts of the book all four of us are trying to recover from and as Angie says, there are things we still “don’t wanna taco bout it” and we might never will (pun intended).
Overall we loved this book to pieces. We loved Josh, Ember, Jagger, Paisley, Sam, Grayson, the story, the writing and that gorgeous epilogue. We absolutely loved that this was written in dual POV because being in Josh Walker’s head is an amazing experience. We could’ve done without some of Josh’s decisions towards the end but we still feel the epilogue overcomes most of that. Beatriz is still a little mad at Josh even though she loves him to pieces. All of these feelings are a testament to Rebecca’s awesome writing. Needless to say, the military stuff is always so accurate and on point. When it comes to military books, and I’ve read a lot of them, Rebecca is the absolute best, her knowledge is incredible. We will miss this series so much, we will always remember our flyboys fondly and we still hope for some extra scenes here and there in the future . We can’t wait for the new things Rebecca has in store for the future. The Sisterhood wholeheartedly recommends, this book, this series and anything by Rebecca Yarros!
PS: I usually like to post a few quotes here and there but I highlighted so many of them and was so hard to choose that I’m posting some more J
“I was done being her boyfriend. I wanted to be her forever.”
“Heaven. She tasted like heaven, and home, and just…December.”
“She braced her hands on my shoulders, and her laugh healed another broken line in me, stitched it together with love and the promise of our future.”
“ I couldn’t help but wonder if we’d just paved the way for closure, or ripped the scabs off anew. One thing I’d learned about grief—it was almost impossible to tell the difference between the two. They both hurt like hell.”
“When it comes to you, to how much I love you, Josh, I have no morals. No honor. I would lie, cheat, murder, steal, dishonor everything I hold dear if it meant spending my life with you. No measure of duty, or God, or country could ever make up for losing you.”
“Her soul bathed me in love, her kiss intoxicated every sense, and the movement of her hips, the glide of me deep within her began to bury my demons. Here was my salvation. December was my saving grace.”
“It’s better to have tried, right? How can we ever know just how beautiful something was, how important, how epic, if we don’t at least try to put it back together when it breaks? Even if some of the pieces are in the wrong place, at least it’s standing.”
“We weren’t in high school, or even college, but one thing remained the same—I was head over heels in love with December Walker. And I always would be.”
*An ARC was provided by the author and Entangled Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.”
I might be a little all over the place with this review so bear with me. There is so much I want to say about this book, about this series, about these characters and about this author that I truly don’t know where to begin. This is half a review and half an ode to the Flight and Glory Series and Rebecca Yarros.
Rebecca Yarros writing is so beautiful, and so raw and so real. There’s no way you can read one of her books and not by affected by the writing. Rebecca is one of the reasons we blog. We believe in certain authors wholeheartedly, we believe people should know about certain books and certain books should be promoted above others because they are simply beautiful books with quality writing amongst a sea of overhyped poorly written books. Hallowed Ground is one of those memorable books. The entire Flight and Glory Series is in that memorable category.
I discovered Rebecca Yarros in 2014 when I read Full Measures , the first book in the Flight and Glory series That book was the perfect combination of all the things I love in romance books (and in life), military themed, sports themed, HOCKEY themed, the most perfect hero ever written in Josh Walker and one of the bravest and strongest heroines I’ve ever met in December Howard. That book is still one of my favorite books ever and I became a Rebecca fan for life. When I found out there would be more books in the series, I did a happy dance. I love those flyboys.
Once I read I book I love I tend to gush about it, a lot. So, I recommended Full Measures to my fellow sister bloggers because they had to read this awesome book. Beatriz was first, she accused me of spoiling all guys for eternity because once you meet Josh Walker, you only want a Josh Walker. Christina was next and she was hooked. Then it was Angie’s turn and we all virtually held her hand while she cried reading it. Needless to say, the Sister Wives are Flygirls and we were so looking forward to Hallowed Ground. When that ARC popped on our Kindle right before Christmas we had one of our epic Buddy Reads.
On to Hallowed Ground. Hallowed Ground is book 4 in the Flight and Glory series and the conclusion of the series. It is not a stand-alone so you must read Full Measures (Book 1) and I would also suggest reading Eyes Turned Skyward (Book 2) as well to get the full picture. Beyond What Is Given is Book 3 in the series, and although is not essential that you read it before Hallowed Ground since Sam and Grayson are not prominently featured here, it is a good read (even though I wanted to murder Grayson most of the book) since all these characters are interconnected and best friends.
Hallowed Ground starts after the gang graduates from flight school and begin their official assignments post-graduation. Josh and Jagger are stationed in the same base and so they are neighbors. Ember moves in with Josh and is in the process of applying to her PhD program. Everything changes when the boys get their orders to be deployed to Afghanistan. This is though for all of them, but mainly for Ember since Afghanistan is where she lost her father and where Josh almost lost his life years before. What happens next is a true roller coaster of emotions, the perception that you are running out of time and you want to make the most of these moments is so emotional and later the aftermath of an ugly, ugly war will shake you to the core. Since I’m trying to keep this as spoiler free as possible there isn’t much I want to reveal about what happens in the book but I will share a few of my favorite quotes before I continue:
“We glanced around the fire at the family we’d made, and I felt it—one of those moments you can’t forget, the kind that stay with you when it’s long past, so you try to memorize everything. It was a deep peace, a contentment laced with the silent knowledge that we wouldn’t be together again for far too long.”
“You are my dream now, December Howard. You are everything to me. My heart beats for you, my soul is only whole when you’re near. You’re my home, my shelter, my wildest fantasy, and I cannot imagine a future where you’re not mine, because I’m yours in every sense of the word.”
“We sat there, our arms locked around each other, our heartbeats counting down the moments until he’d be called away. They were the best and worst minutes, flying too quickly. I had never loved him more than I did in that moment. I had never been as scared.”
“I don’t care how you come home. I don’t care what parts of you are broken, or bleeding, or…anything, just as long as you come home. As long as your heart is beating, I will want you, do you understand me? I don’t care what happens there as long as you come home. Please? You have to, because I’ve built my world around you, our future, and I don’t know if I could survive losing you, Josh. And I know that’s selfish, and unfair, but I need you!”
“Holding her was so easy when the world around us got too complicated. Everything else slipped away until I was left with the simple, incorruptible truth that I would always love December Howard.”
This book is not light, there are some funny moments here and there, but this is a heavy book. It brings all the feels, ALL OF THEM. This book is real and raw, WAR is real and raw and this book deals with war, the aftermath, PTSD and survivor’s guilt in one of the most accurate ways I’ve ever read about it in a book. As a former DoD civilian I saw a lot of PTSD first hand, as a fed I still do every day. You feel for Josh, you feel for Ember. There are moments when Josh will frustrated you to no end and you will like to give up on him. Yep, our Josh goes “full stupid” for a bit but we will give him a pass. If Full Measures was Ember’s book then Hallowed Ground is Josh’s book and the roles reverse a bit, with Ember being the one holding it together. Although there are moments when you just want Ember to stand up for herself. There’s a lot of sadness and a lot of happiness. There is the possibility that you will cry…A LOT. And you might even want to walk away for a bit (like I did) because the writing is so intense you feel like you’re living these situations and having these experiences right along the characters. In the end, I trusted that Rebecca would do these characters justice and the epilogue is everything I wanted, and more, simply PERFECTION. However, there are still parts of the book all four of us are trying to recover from and as Angie says, there are things we still “don’t wanna taco bout it” and we might never will (pun intended).
Overall we loved this book to pieces. We loved Josh, Ember, Jagger, Paisley, Sam, Grayson, the story, the writing and that gorgeous epilogue. We absolutely loved that this was written in dual POV because being in Josh Walker’s head is an amazing experience. We could’ve done without some of Josh’s decisions towards the end but we still feel the epilogue overcomes most of that. Beatriz is still a little mad at Josh even though she loves him to pieces. All of these feelings are a testament to Rebecca’s awesome writing. Needless to say, the military stuff is always so accurate and on point. When it comes to military books, and I’ve read a lot of them, Rebecca is the absolute best, her knowledge is incredible. We will miss this series so much, we will always remember our flyboys fondly and we still hope for some extra scenes here and there in the future . We can’t wait for the new things Rebecca has in store for the future. The Sisterhood wholeheartedly recommends, this book, this series and anything by Rebecca Yarros!
PS: I usually like to post a few quotes here and there but I highlighted so many of them and was so hard to choose that I’m posting some more J
“I was done being her boyfriend. I wanted to be her forever.”
“Heaven. She tasted like heaven, and home, and just…December.”
“She braced her hands on my shoulders, and her laugh healed another broken line in me, stitched it together with love and the promise of our future.”
“ I couldn’t help but wonder if we’d just paved the way for closure, or ripped the scabs off anew. One thing I’d learned about grief—it was almost impossible to tell the difference between the two. They both hurt like hell.”
“When it comes to you, to how much I love you, Josh, I have no morals. No honor. I would lie, cheat, murder, steal, dishonor everything I hold dear if it meant spending my life with you. No measure of duty, or God, or country could ever make up for losing you.”
“Her soul bathed me in love, her kiss intoxicated every sense, and the movement of her hips, the glide of me deep within her began to bury my demons. Here was my salvation. December was my saving grace.”
“It’s better to have tried, right? How can we ever know just how beautiful something was, how important, how epic, if we don’t at least try to put it back together when it breaks? Even if some of the pieces are in the wrong place, at least it’s standing.”
“We weren’t in high school, or even college, but one thing remained the same—I was head over heels in love with December Walker. And I always would be.”
*An ARC was provided by the author and Entangled Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.”
March 21, 2016
Hallowed Ground by Rebecca Yarros is one of the most deeply emotional, phenomenally written, and utterly enrapturing books that I have ever read. As I sit here writing this review, I’m not sure if I’ll even come close to capturing what it was like to read this incredibly written book, what it was like to experience it’s varied and superbly captured emotion and feeling, or what it was like to read Josh and Ember’s unforgettable, all-feeling, and breathtakingly beautiful love story. I probably won’t even come close to capturing an ounce of the amazingness that is this book, but I am sure going to give it my all to tell you about why you need to read Hallowed Ground this very instant because this book, this story, and this author’s serious talent deserves that.
Seriously. You need Hallowed Ground in your life. You need Josh and Ember, and you surely need their heartfelt and consuming love story to wrap you up in its welcoming arms. You need this story in your heart, and in your mind, and in your very soul, because trust me when I say this book and everything within its wondrous pages will take root in all three of those places.
You need them, and you need it. What you get in this book, what it allows you to experience through every breath and feeling and thought of these characters, and what it so authentically and viscerally gives you is not to be missed. The journey it takes you on with Josh and Ember is extraordinary in every way, and you will feel it, and live it, and experience every ounce of it with everything you have because Rebecca Yarros’s exceptional writing gives you that.
Hallowed Ground is the continuation of Josh and Ember’s enrapturing love story that began in Full Measures. (*major sigh* because I loved that book something fierce…) They have been through quite a bit those two. From flight school and college, to loss and healing, to a long distance relationship they are more than ready to see come to an end, as they finally move in together and start their lives together as one solid unit. They’re ready and excited and hopeful, and then life throws something their way…a deployment.
Hallowed Ground follows Josh and Ember as they face that deployment, its ramifications, and the life altering things it throws their way. Now while I won’t reveal what happens in this book, because spoilers ain’t cool, what I will say is that the events of Hallowed Ground test Josh and Ember in ways they never even imagined. It pushes them both to their limits. Past their limits even. It makes them question their choices, it makes them fight with all that they have because of what comes their way, and it forces them to face many hard truths about themselves, their relationship, and what’s to come.
The events of this book are not easy. They will pull at every single emotion, feeling, reaction, thought, choice, connection, and breath that both Josh and Ember have. And in turn it’ll pull at all of that for you too because when I say you are in this story, you are in this story. Living it. Word for word with these characters. You’re in it all, and that will connect you to everything that’s happening in the most authentic, all-feeling, and intense way.
The events of Hallowed Ground will awe you, and they might even break you a bit (or a lot) too, but all I can say is keep reading. Keep experiencing its literal amazingness. Keep going through it all with Josh and Ember because it is a story, an experience, and a heartfelt emotional journey you will absolutely never forget.
I don’t know if I have ever felt a book as much as this one. When I tell you I felt this book with everything that I had, I am not exaggerating one bit. This book made me laugh, and smile, and feel happiness like it ain’t even funny. It filled me with so much good, so much love and hope, and there were so many moments that had my cheeks hurting because I was smiling and feeling so much.
Then there were moments that completely broke me, hurt me, and had me trying to pick up the pieces that were left of my emotions and heart. Moments that made me cry and cry and cry some more because of what these characters go through. Moments that had me practically sobbing because of what I was reading and whole heartedly experiencing. There were so many moments that had me wondering how in the world everything would work out for Josh and Ember, moments that brought every lick of emotion to my throat, and literally had my breath catching and my heart throbbing because of what I was reading.
And that was all just in the first 35% percent of this book…don’t even get me started on the other 65% and what that continued to make me feel.
I have pretty much come to the conclusion that Rebecca Yarros was bound and determined to give me all the feels and emotions, and she succeeded in that respect immensely. Probably more than any other book or author has in a long time. Her and her bucket of all-feeling feels had me in this book as much as I possibly could be, investing me emotionally, physically, and mentally in it all. And I loved that. Boy did I love that, and I relished in every second of it.
Now please don’t let me saying all that scare you, because at the end of the day this is a love story, and let me tell you, Rebecca Yarros gives you one helluva romantic love story. Hallowed Ground is full of romance and heat and more connection than you can shake a stick at. Many moments will have you feeling and basking in all of that love. Others will have your cheeks turning a wonderful shade of pink too. This book will melt you, it will fill you with love in ways you never knew possible, and in the end you’ll be a swooning emotional mess wishing that you had your very own Joshua Walker to come home to.
One of my very favorite aspects of Hallowed Ground was the evolution I got to see and experience in Josh and Ember’s characters, as well as in their relationship. Like I said, the events of this book push them both in ways neither of them were prepared for. That forces them to make some very hard choices, to really examine their lives, and to dig down deep, underneath all the bs and nonsense, and see what they wanted, what they needed, and what they couldn’t live without.
There were so many moments while reading when I saw and felt how far they’d come. I felt that change, and I saw the amazing things it could bring them. There were also many times when I wanted to shake them silly because of what they were doing or saying or thinking, but even in those moments I completely understood where it all was coming from. I got it and I got them, and that is all a testament to the exceptionally crafted story and characters Rebecca Yarros created.
Experiencing Josh and Ember’s evolution as characters, how their relationship grows and evolves into something that was even more real, more mesmerizing, and more all-feeling, and being with them through every emotional up and down they go through was everything. It truly was everything.
Hallowed Ground gives you a world of experiences to live and feel and love through from beginning to end. It allows you to experience first love, and the tenacity it has when two people truly find their match and their reason for being. It lets you experience what it means to truly have family, friends, and people who support and love you with everything they have.
It also allows you to experience a glimpse of what it’s like to be in the military and to be a military spouse. This is something I myself have never personally experienced, yet through what Rebecca Yarros gave me in this book, in this entire series really, I feel like I have such a better understanding and appreciation of what it means to be in the military or with someone who is. She allowed me to see what it means to make those kind of sacrifices and difficult choices, what it’s like to feel that hope and that fear in your very core, what it’s like to worry and to pray with all you have, and the unimaginable and life changing things that can come your way.
She also showed me the power, the meaning, and the devastating beauty of all-consuming, enamoring love. And for that, all I can say is thank you because it gave me a story I will absolutely never forget.
Hallowed Ground is a book about a lot of things. It’s about war and sacrifice and life changing choices. It’s about growing up, evolving, and seeing where life can take you. It’s about friendship and family, and the amazing experiences both of those things bring to your life. It’s about risks and rewards and everything life has to offer in between.
It’s also about love. What it can bring you, how it can upend your life something fierce, how it can leave you breathless a time or two, and in the end, how it can fulfill you on every single level possible, if you only allow yourself to have it.
So please, I am literally begging you as I write this…read this book, this entire series, and you’ll get all of this and more. When you reach the end I am promising that you’ll have had one of the most fulfilling reading experiences of your life. Trust me because I’m there right now, and it's everything.
Seriously. You need Hallowed Ground in your life. You need Josh and Ember, and you surely need their heartfelt and consuming love story to wrap you up in its welcoming arms. You need this story in your heart, and in your mind, and in your very soul, because trust me when I say this book and everything within its wondrous pages will take root in all three of those places.
You need them, and you need it. What you get in this book, what it allows you to experience through every breath and feeling and thought of these characters, and what it so authentically and viscerally gives you is not to be missed. The journey it takes you on with Josh and Ember is extraordinary in every way, and you will feel it, and live it, and experience every ounce of it with everything you have because Rebecca Yarros’s exceptional writing gives you that.
Hallowed Ground is the continuation of Josh and Ember’s enrapturing love story that began in Full Measures. (*major sigh* because I loved that book something fierce…) They have been through quite a bit those two. From flight school and college, to loss and healing, to a long distance relationship they are more than ready to see come to an end, as they finally move in together and start their lives together as one solid unit. They’re ready and excited and hopeful, and then life throws something their way…a deployment.
Hallowed Ground follows Josh and Ember as they face that deployment, its ramifications, and the life altering things it throws their way. Now while I won’t reveal what happens in this book, because spoilers ain’t cool, what I will say is that the events of Hallowed Ground test Josh and Ember in ways they never even imagined. It pushes them both to their limits. Past their limits even. It makes them question their choices, it makes them fight with all that they have because of what comes their way, and it forces them to face many hard truths about themselves, their relationship, and what’s to come.
The events of this book are not easy. They will pull at every single emotion, feeling, reaction, thought, choice, connection, and breath that both Josh and Ember have. And in turn it’ll pull at all of that for you too because when I say you are in this story, you are in this story. Living it. Word for word with these characters. You’re in it all, and that will connect you to everything that’s happening in the most authentic, all-feeling, and intense way.
The events of Hallowed Ground will awe you, and they might even break you a bit (or a lot) too, but all I can say is keep reading. Keep experiencing its literal amazingness. Keep going through it all with Josh and Ember because it is a story, an experience, and a heartfelt emotional journey you will absolutely never forget.
I don’t know if I have ever felt a book as much as this one. When I tell you I felt this book with everything that I had, I am not exaggerating one bit. This book made me laugh, and smile, and feel happiness like it ain’t even funny. It filled me with so much good, so much love and hope, and there were so many moments that had my cheeks hurting because I was smiling and feeling so much.
Then there were moments that completely broke me, hurt me, and had me trying to pick up the pieces that were left of my emotions and heart. Moments that made me cry and cry and cry some more because of what these characters go through. Moments that had me practically sobbing because of what I was reading and whole heartedly experiencing. There were so many moments that had me wondering how in the world everything would work out for Josh and Ember, moments that brought every lick of emotion to my throat, and literally had my breath catching and my heart throbbing because of what I was reading.
And that was all just in the first 35% percent of this book…don’t even get me started on the other 65% and what that continued to make me feel.
I have pretty much come to the conclusion that Rebecca Yarros was bound and determined to give me all the feels and emotions, and she succeeded in that respect immensely. Probably more than any other book or author has in a long time. Her and her bucket of all-feeling feels had me in this book as much as I possibly could be, investing me emotionally, physically, and mentally in it all. And I loved that. Boy did I love that, and I relished in every second of it.
Now please don’t let me saying all that scare you, because at the end of the day this is a love story, and let me tell you, Rebecca Yarros gives you one helluva romantic love story. Hallowed Ground is full of romance and heat and more connection than you can shake a stick at. Many moments will have you feeling and basking in all of that love. Others will have your cheeks turning a wonderful shade of pink too. This book will melt you, it will fill you with love in ways you never knew possible, and in the end you’ll be a swooning emotional mess wishing that you had your very own Joshua Walker to come home to.
One of my very favorite aspects of Hallowed Ground was the evolution I got to see and experience in Josh and Ember’s characters, as well as in their relationship. Like I said, the events of this book push them both in ways neither of them were prepared for. That forces them to make some very hard choices, to really examine their lives, and to dig down deep, underneath all the bs and nonsense, and see what they wanted, what they needed, and what they couldn’t live without.
There were so many moments while reading when I saw and felt how far they’d come. I felt that change, and I saw the amazing things it could bring them. There were also many times when I wanted to shake them silly because of what they were doing or saying or thinking, but even in those moments I completely understood where it all was coming from. I got it and I got them, and that is all a testament to the exceptionally crafted story and characters Rebecca Yarros created.
Experiencing Josh and Ember’s evolution as characters, how their relationship grows and evolves into something that was even more real, more mesmerizing, and more all-feeling, and being with them through every emotional up and down they go through was everything. It truly was everything.
Hallowed Ground gives you a world of experiences to live and feel and love through from beginning to end. It allows you to experience first love, and the tenacity it has when two people truly find their match and their reason for being. It lets you experience what it means to truly have family, friends, and people who support and love you with everything they have.
It also allows you to experience a glimpse of what it’s like to be in the military and to be a military spouse. This is something I myself have never personally experienced, yet through what Rebecca Yarros gave me in this book, in this entire series really, I feel like I have such a better understanding and appreciation of what it means to be in the military or with someone who is. She allowed me to see what it means to make those kind of sacrifices and difficult choices, what it’s like to feel that hope and that fear in your very core, what it’s like to worry and to pray with all you have, and the unimaginable and life changing things that can come your way.
She also showed me the power, the meaning, and the devastating beauty of all-consuming, enamoring love. And for that, all I can say is thank you because it gave me a story I will absolutely never forget.
Hallowed Ground is a book about a lot of things. It’s about war and sacrifice and life changing choices. It’s about growing up, evolving, and seeing where life can take you. It’s about friendship and family, and the amazing experiences both of those things bring to your life. It’s about risks and rewards and everything life has to offer in between.
It’s also about love. What it can bring you, how it can upend your life something fierce, how it can leave you breathless a time or two, and in the end, how it can fulfill you on every single level possible, if you only allow yourself to have it.
So please, I am literally begging you as I write this…read this book, this entire series, and you’ll get all of this and more. When you reach the end I am promising that you’ll have had one of the most fulfilling reading experiences of your life. Trust me because I’m there right now, and it's everything.
September 9, 2025
▹TL;DR Review: A continuation of Josh and Ember’s emotional journey that dives deep into the realities of military relationships—but the constant back-and-forth left me questioning their foundation. While I appreciated the raw portrayal of trauma and sacrifice, the emotional whiplash wore me out. A must-read if you're already invested in the series, but not the strongest installment for me. (This is book 4 of 5 in the series | Book 1 Review | Book 2 Review | Book 3 Review | Book 5 Review)
▹My ⭐ Rating: ★★★.5 out of 5
▹Format: 📱 eReader / 🎧Audiobook (Dual narration rating: 10/5 [Teddy Hamilton])
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○★○ What to Expect from This Book: ○★○
– About: Revisiting Josh and Ember’s love story (couple from book 1) as they navigate the fallout of war, trauma, and what it means to hold onto each other when everything feels like it’s falling apart.
– FMC: Ember. Determined, emotional, and deeply loyal, but often sacrifices her boundaries for love.
– MMC: Josh. A 25-year-old soldier struggling with survivor’s guilt, identity, and the pull of duty over desire, which leads to increasingly erratic behavior.
– Location: Primarily US (Tennessee, Arizona), Turkey and Afghanistan
– POV: Dual first-person
– Spice: 7-9 open-door scenes
– Tropes: Second chance romance, military romance, angst, emotional trauma, long-distance love
– Triggers: PTSD/nightmares, war violence, trauma, mental health struggles, loss, emotional manipulation, grief, seeing someone die
– Representation: Military life, PTSD
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↻ ◁ || ▷ ↺ 1:00 ──ㅇ────── 4:12
Now Playing: Let Her Go by Passenger
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★○ If You Like the Following, You Might Like This Book ○★
➼ Military romances with emotional depth, especially those that deal with PTSD and trauma
➼ On-again, off-again couples with complex history and certifiable reasons to let go AND to stay together
─────────────────────────
⍟»This or That«⍟
Character Driven———✧————————Plot Driven
Insta Love/Lust————✧———————Slow Burn
Sweet————————✧———Spicy
Light/Fluffy————————✧———Heavy/Emotional
─────────────────────────
🎯 My Thoughts:
I wanted to love this as much as I did the others, especially since it brought us back to Josh and Ember—but their dynamic in this book felt exhausting. The emotional back-and-forth and lack of real communication made me question if they were truly meant to be. I admire Rebecca Yarros for tackling the hard stuff—military trauma, mental health, and the weight of loving someone who’s constantly torn between two worlds.
But I wish we’d gotten more insight into Josh’s “why.” Why go back? Why not open up? And why did Ember keep accepting behavior that veered into unhealthy territory? Still, I won’t even begin to imagine the mental mindcluck that Josh must have gone through.
Would I recommend this series?: Absolutely. And for fans of the series, this book is a necessary bridge that closes the loop on Ember and Josh’s story.
▹My ⭐ Rating: ★★★.5 out of 5
▹Format: 📱 eReader / 🎧Audiobook (Dual narration rating: 10/5 [Teddy Hamilton])
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○★○ What to Expect from This Book: ○★○
– About: Revisiting Josh and Ember’s love story (couple from book 1) as they navigate the fallout of war, trauma, and what it means to hold onto each other when everything feels like it’s falling apart.
– FMC: Ember. Determined, emotional, and deeply loyal, but often sacrifices her boundaries for love.
– MMC: Josh. A 25-year-old soldier struggling with survivor’s guilt, identity, and the pull of duty over desire, which leads to increasingly erratic behavior.
– Location: Primarily US (Tennessee, Arizona), Turkey and Afghanistan
– POV: Dual first-person
– Spice: 7-9 open-door scenes
– Tropes: Second chance romance, military romance, angst, emotional trauma, long-distance love
– Triggers: PTSD/nightmares, war violence, trauma, mental health struggles, loss, emotional manipulation, grief, seeing someone die
– Representation: Military life, PTSD
─────────────────────────
↻ ◁ || ▷ ↺ 1:00 ──ㅇ────── 4:12
Now Playing: Let Her Go by Passenger
╰┈➤ ❝Well, you only need the light when it's burning low; Only miss the sun when it starts to snow; Only know you love her when you let her go. Only know you've been high when you're feeling low; Only hate the road when you're missing home❞
─────────────────────────
★○ If You Like the Following, You Might Like This Book ○★
➼ Military romances with emotional depth, especially those that deal with PTSD and trauma
➼ On-again, off-again couples with complex history and certifiable reasons to let go AND to stay together
─────────────────────────
⍟»This or That«⍟
Character Driven———✧————————Plot Driven
Insta Love/Lust————✧———————Slow Burn
Sweet————————✧———Spicy
Light/Fluffy————————✧———Heavy/Emotional
─────────────────────────
🎯 My Thoughts:
I wanted to love this as much as I did the others, especially since it brought us back to Josh and Ember—but their dynamic in this book felt exhausting. The emotional back-and-forth and lack of real communication made me question if they were truly meant to be. I admire Rebecca Yarros for tackling the hard stuff—military trauma, mental health, and the weight of loving someone who’s constantly torn between two worlds.
But I wish we’d gotten more insight into Josh’s “why.” Why go back? Why not open up? And why did Ember keep accepting behavior that veered into unhealthy territory? Still, I won’t even begin to imagine the mental mindcluck that Josh must have gone through.
Would I recommend this series?: Absolutely. And for fans of the series, this book is a necessary bridge that closes the loop on Ember and Josh’s story.
November 2, 2024
In almost every Rebecca Yarros book, there is DEFINITELY at least one death that will rip my heart in two. In this book, the realization of Will’s death slowly creeps up and hits me, especially towards the end of the story. And his love for peyton was sort of amplified in this one 🥲😭🥺 i absolutely hate reading how he never had a chance to be with her. So fucking depressing, and makes me think of the other books (The things we leave unfinished & The last letter) that wrecked my heart.
May 17, 2017
Hallowed Ground es el cuarto y ultimo libro * llora en silencio * de la serie Flight & Glory de la autora Rebecca Yarros y vuelve a tener como protagonistas a Josh y Ember, protagonistas del primer libro.
Mis expectativas con esta historia estaban por las nubes, sabia que seria una lectura impresionante pero aun asi fue muchisimo mejor de lo que esperaba.
Una de las miles de cosas que me gustan de esta serie es la forma en la que esta escrita, hacia mucho tiempo que no encontraba unas historias tan bien escritas y desarrolladas como estas, definitivamente la autora es una de las mejores, tiene un don.
La realidad es que no se muy bien como escribir una reseña que este a la altura del libro, Hallowed Ground te produce tantos sentimientos : alegria, tristeza, preocupacion, dolor ... he leido libros que me han hecho llorar de tristeza o reir a carcajadas, pero no recuerdo leer un libro tan real como este, a falta de una palabra mejor para describirlo.
Desgraciadamente creo que una gran mayoria de autoras se inclina a escribir algo facil, facil de desarrollar y que luego al final puedan " resolver " sin muchos problemas, en cambio este libro trasmite sentimiento y realidad en cada palabra, no se si se deba a que la autora vivio una situacion parecida a la que viven Ember y Josh y por eso la historia parece tan distinta o si simplemente es porque el libro tiene situaciones mas adultas, nada de drama adolescente o trama absurda que tan harta me tiene ultimamente, la historia de Josh y Ember es realista, adulta y llena de momentos hermosos. La clase de relacion que la mayoria de personas busca toda su vida, una relacion en la que debes luchar cada dia y no de vez en cuando.
Otro aspecto que me encanto de la lectura fue lo claro que se ve el desarrollo de los personajes, todos son mucho mas adultos y maduros, me encanto leer como Ember pasaba de ser una adolescente que tuvo que madurar a la fuerza a convertirse en una mujer fuerte que luchaba por su relacion con el amor de su vida. Ella se ha convertido en una de mis protagonistas favoritas, simplemente la admire durante toda la historia.
Josh en algunas ocasiones me enfadaba con sus decisiones, pero si que es cierto que no creo que nadie que no haya vivido lo que el vivio pueda juzgarlo, por lo que aun sigue siendo uno de los miles de Book-Boyfriends que tengo en mi lista xDD.
Lo recomiendo a todo el mundo, es una de las mejores lecturas del año!
Como me gusta decir, desgarradoramente hemosa!
Cuando encontrare a mi Josh particular?? * suspiro *
5 Estrellas! Pero si hubiera mas, mas le daria.
December 28, 2016
Josh Walker...the first and the best of Yarros's Flyboys! He fell hard and fast for December. He put her her back together when her father lost his life...a casualty of an ugly war. On the ice and in her head he healed her heart and made her strong. So strong...she chose to love a soldier. Knowing the consequences and accepting his life she stands tall and proud. Now it will be her turn to put the pieces of a heart back together when once again war rips the best of lives apart. Friendships willl be tested and emotions will run high as the latest casualties of war haunt the man who December vowed to love...FULL MEASURE!
There is no other flyboy that will have you swooning...panting...crying. This story is Yarros's best since first meeting Josh and Ember. Each scene is palpably raw and the words read so poignant. Cheers for the boys who protect the freedoms of the world but even more to those women who stand behind them with unwavering love, trust and support! This read was so much more than a good book...it was eye opening and gut checking. It was a brutally beautiful romance for the ages♡
There is no other flyboy that will have you swooning...panting...crying. This story is Yarros's best since first meeting Josh and Ember. Each scene is palpably raw and the words read so poignant. Cheers for the boys who protect the freedoms of the world but even more to those women who stand behind them with unwavering love, trust and support! This read was so much more than a good book...it was eye opening and gut checking. It was a brutally beautiful romance for the ages♡
September 11, 2016
To be honest, I kinda hated this book.
February 1, 2016
I liked the first three books in this series and I remember really liking the first one, Josh and Ember's original story. This one was well-written like the others, and I suppose it was even a good book in some objective way. But did I enjoy reading it? N-O. It made me kind of angry. I guess I don't like so much reality to intrude on my fiction romance reads because, in the other books I could buy the HFN ending for each couple, but here you have to think about how that would actually work with the reality of the guys being in the military and the women basically having to bend themselves around that life.
I hated seeing Ember willing to give up so much for Josh and I hated watching Josh try to not just self-destruct but to also destroy their relationship, even given his circumstances. I skimmed most of the sex scenes since I felt like a lot of them were totally out of sync with what was going on in the story and between Josh and Ember. I get that they are a *special couple with a special epic love* but even so, there was a lot of hormone-fueled sex in the middle of serious arguments. Also, after two or three years in a relationship, I don't buy Ember drooling over Josh's chest at the same time she is so angry with him (and for good reason!).
This might have ended with 2 stars but I lost it at the thing - Josh is a freaking idiot acting like an idiot 17 year old and Ember basically lets him get away with it. They both lost my respect at that point and I finished the book just to see what was going to happen. And the rest of it wrapped up fine, whatever, but I totally didn't believe that they fixed their problems and were going to have their HEA. So, yeah, rant over.
I hated seeing Ember willing to give up so much for Josh and I hated watching Josh try to not just self-destruct but to also destroy their relationship, even given his circumstances. I skimmed most of the sex scenes since I felt like a lot of them were totally out of sync with what was going on in the story and between Josh and Ember. I get that they are a *special couple with a special epic love* but even so, there was a lot of hormone-fueled sex in the middle of serious arguments. Also, after two or three years in a relationship, I don't buy Ember drooling over Josh's chest at the same time she is so angry with him (and for good reason!).
This might have ended with 2 stars but I lost it at the thing - Josh is a freaking idiot acting like an idiot 17 year old and Ember basically lets him get away with it. They both lost my respect at that point and I finished the book just to see what was going to happen. And the rest of it wrapped up fine, whatever, but I totally didn't believe that they fixed their problems and were going to have their HEA. So, yeah, rant over.
June 20, 2019
4'5. Con esta cuarta entrega de la saga Flight & Glory, la autora entra de lleno a narrar, de forma muy realista y convincente, cómo es formar parte de uno de los ejércitos más activos del mundo, el de Estados Unidos, tanto para sus miembros como para sus familiares.
Volvemos a encontrarnos con Josh y Ember, protagonistas de la primera entrega, y vivimos con ellos cómo afecta un despliegue y una tragedia no sólo a cada uno de ellos por separado sino a su vida conjunta, a su nosotros. Mucho más adulta que las anteriores, dura -en esta entrega se llora y mucho- y tierna, la historia es un sentido relato de cómo el amor verdadero y sincero siempre es suficiente si tenemos el coraje de estar ahí para el otro pase lo que pase y enfrentar nuestros peores temores y dejar entrar a la persona amada. ¡¡Lo recomiendo!!
Volvemos a encontrarnos con Josh y Ember, protagonistas de la primera entrega, y vivimos con ellos cómo afecta un despliegue y una tragedia no sólo a cada uno de ellos por separado sino a su vida conjunta, a su nosotros. Mucho más adulta que las anteriores, dura -en esta entrega se llora y mucho- y tierna, la historia es un sentido relato de cómo el amor verdadero y sincero siempre es suficiente si tenemos el coraje de estar ahí para el otro pase lo que pase y enfrentar nuestros peores temores y dejar entrar a la persona amada. ¡¡Lo recomiendo!!
January 15, 2016
The last book in the Flight & Glory series, Hallowed Ground takes us back to Josh and Ember, who we first met in Full Measures. These two have been through a lot in the two years since they first got together—and now they’re beyond excited to finally have the chance to experience their relationship in the same state, under the same roof, like a “normal” couple.
Only, the course of true love never did run smooth for these two, and their plans for a “normal” relationship are yanked out from under them almost immediately. When distance—and war—separate them, their relationship is tested in ways neither could ever have imagined. They always thought their love was strong enough to conquer anything that was thrown at them, but the world appears to be hell bent on proving them wrong.
I approached this book with a fair amount of trepidation. I knew it would be the last in one of my all-time favorite series, and I knew it was going to gut me. There was no way I was coming out of this unscathed. So, I can't say that I was surprised when the first 30% played out something like this:
3% in – “Oh, God. This is going to hurt.”
12% in – “Okay. I think I have this figured out. It’s going to hurt like a bitch, but I think I can take it.”
27% in – “Shit. Shit. Shit. Fuck. I was wrong. I don’t think I’m going to survive this…”
30% in – “Oh God. My heart. *tears*”
And then—after a hefty amount of tears and anxiety—I thought I was past the worst of it. All, “Hey look! I survived! On to the happily ever after!”
Wrong.
That was just the beginning. Or maybe it was the ending of one story that set the course for the beginning of the story that followed. And the story that followed was intensely emotional, heartbreaking, frustrating, and despite all those things (or perhaps because of all those things), stunningly beautiful.
Rebecca Yarros has an amazing gift for writing words that resonate—enchanting, enraging, skewering, and healing—and, for better or for worse, you’re not going to forget them. Even as she tore my heart to pieces, I appreciated the beauty of her writing, her words curling around my heart, stabbing and then soothing as Josh and Ember navigated their relationship through the twists and turns that life threw at them. I had forgotten, a little bit, how much I loved Josh and Ember, and, perhaps more importantly, how easy they are to love (even if I occasionally wanted to ring their necks). In this book, I was reminded of the bumpy road that led them to this point, and then, with my heart wide open, I joined them on the emotional rollercoaster to their happily ever after.
Hallowed Ground left me happy (so happy) and yet, haunted. I turned the final page with a smile on my face, only to find my heart still aching hours later—these characters not willing to let me go quite that easily. It felt so real, so authentic; I'm still a little bit in mourning and not fully healed from the journey, but so thankful I was given the opportunity to take it. As with every other book in this series, this one is going to leave a mark on my heart.
If you haven't taken the Flight & Glory journey yet, it is not one to be missed. You owe it to your heart to pick up these books. ~ Shelly, 5 stars
Only, the course of true love never did run smooth for these two, and their plans for a “normal” relationship are yanked out from under them almost immediately. When distance—and war—separate them, their relationship is tested in ways neither could ever have imagined. They always thought their love was strong enough to conquer anything that was thrown at them, but the world appears to be hell bent on proving them wrong.
I approached this book with a fair amount of trepidation. I knew it would be the last in one of my all-time favorite series, and I knew it was going to gut me. There was no way I was coming out of this unscathed. So, I can't say that I was surprised when the first 30% played out something like this:
3% in – “Oh, God. This is going to hurt.”
12% in – “Okay. I think I have this figured out. It’s going to hurt like a bitch, but I think I can take it.”
27% in – “Shit. Shit. Shit. Fuck. I was wrong. I don’t think I’m going to survive this…”
30% in – “Oh God. My heart. *tears*”
And then—after a hefty amount of tears and anxiety—I thought I was past the worst of it. All, “Hey look! I survived! On to the happily ever after!”
Wrong.
That was just the beginning. Or maybe it was the ending of one story that set the course for the beginning of the story that followed. And the story that followed was intensely emotional, heartbreaking, frustrating, and despite all those things (or perhaps because of all those things), stunningly beautiful.
Rebecca Yarros has an amazing gift for writing words that resonate—enchanting, enraging, skewering, and healing—and, for better or for worse, you’re not going to forget them. Even as she tore my heart to pieces, I appreciated the beauty of her writing, her words curling around my heart, stabbing and then soothing as Josh and Ember navigated their relationship through the twists and turns that life threw at them. I had forgotten, a little bit, how much I loved Josh and Ember, and, perhaps more importantly, how easy they are to love (even if I occasionally wanted to ring their necks). In this book, I was reminded of the bumpy road that led them to this point, and then, with my heart wide open, I joined them on the emotional rollercoaster to their happily ever after.
Hallowed Ground left me happy (so happy) and yet, haunted. I turned the final page with a smile on my face, only to find my heart still aching hours later—these characters not willing to let me go quite that easily. It felt so real, so authentic; I'm still a little bit in mourning and not fully healed from the journey, but so thankful I was given the opportunity to take it. As with every other book in this series, this one is going to leave a mark on my heart.
If you haven't taken the Flight & Glory journey yet, it is not one to be missed. You owe it to your heart to pick up these books. ~ Shelly, 5 stars
January 15, 2016
I received an ARC copy provided by Entangled Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Hallowed Ground is the conclusion of the Flight & Glory series, and could not have been better! I looked forward this book, I was afraid it wouldn't to fulfill my expectations, but instead, exceeded all of them.
We meet with Ember and Josh again, main characters of the story that we knew in the first book, but this time, the book is told from two points of view, which I thought was great, because we understand both sides.
At the beginning Hallowed Ground, Josh and Ember seem to have overcome all obstacles to finally be together, but everything is questioned when appeared one more, maybe the larger one; Josh is forced to go on a mission to Afghanistan, the place that killed the father of Ember.
In Full Measures, Josh was the rock where Ember supported, but this time, the roles are reversed a little, because Afghanistan come with much more than superficial wounds.
“Once upon a time you promised to be my whatever. Do you remember that?”
“I could never forget.”
“Then remember this. I’ll be your whatever. Whatever you need, whenever you need it. I’m strong enough to pull us both through this.”
This reading caused me all kinds of feelings, at times I adored them, at times I was frustrated or disagreed with certain actions, but Rebecca could to express so well each of the feelings of both Josh and Ember, were so real, It made me understand them completely: their fears, their hopes, their love for each other, because whatever happened, it was never in doubt.
“You are my dream now, December Howard. You are everything to me. My heart beats for you , my soul is only whole when you're near. You're my home, my shelter, my wildest fantasy, and I cannot imagine a future where you're not mine, because I'm yours in every sense of the word.”
Besides, the author gives us little glimpses of the characters from previous books and that's always well received; I loved to know a little more about them.
The epilogue, again, it was lovely, and the ending was just what I wanted for them.
Finally, Hallowed Ground is a journey full of emotions, both beautiful and heartbreaking, but definitely, the perfect end to this great series.
“You and me against the world, right?”
Recibí este ARC a través de Entangled Publishing y NetGalley, a cambio de una opinión honesta.
Hallowed Ground es la conclusión de la serie Flight & Glory, y no pudo haber sido mejor! Esperaba tanto este libro, que tenía miedo de que no fuera a cumplir mis expectativas, pero no fue así, al contrario, las superó todas.
Volvemos a encontrarnos con Ember y Josh, protagonistas de la historia que ya conocimos en el primer libro, pero en esta ocasión, el libro está narrado desde los dos puntos de vista, lo cual me pareció un gran acierto, porque logramos entender las dos partes.
Al comenzar Hallowed Ground, Josh y Ember parecen haber superado todos los obstáculos para finalmente estar juntos, pero todo se tambalea cuando se les presenta uno más, quizás el más grande; Josh se ve obligado a ir a una misión a Afganistán, ese lugar que mató al padre de Ember.
En Full Measures, Josh era la roca en la que se apoyaba Ember, pero en este, los papeles se invierten un poco, porque Afganistán deja mucho más que heridas superficiales.
“Una vez, me prometiste que serías mi lo que sea. ¿Recuerdas eso?”
“Nunca podría olvidarlo.”
“Entonces recuerda esto; Yo voy a ser tu lo que sea. Lo que sea que necesites, cuando lo necesites. Soy lo bastante fuerte para ayudarnos a superar esto.”
Esta lectura me provocó todo tipo de sensaciones, por momentos los adoraba, en otros me sentía frustrada con ellos, o no estaba de acuerdo con ciertas acciones, pero Rebbeca lograba expresar tan bien cada uno de los sentimientos tanto de Josh como de Ember, eran tan reales que no podía juzgarlos y me hacía entenderlos por completo: sus miedos, sus deseos, su amor por el otro, porque pasara lo que pasara, eso nunca estuvo en duda.
“Tú eres mi sueño ahora, December Howard. Eres todo para mí. Mi corazón late por ti, mi alma solo está completa cuando tú estás cerca. Eres mi hogar, mi refugio, mi fantasía más salvaje, y no puedo imaginar un futuro donde tú no seas mía, porque soy tuyo en cada sentido de la palabra.”
Además, la autora nos regala pequeños atisbos de los personajes de libros anteriores y eso es siempre bien recibido; me encantó saber un poquito más de ellos.
El epílogo, nuevamente, fue precioso, y el final fue tal lo que deseaba para ellos.
En fin, Hallowed Ground es una lectura llena de emociones, con momentos hermosos y desgarradores a partes iguales, pero sin dudas, el final perfecto para esta gran serie.
“Tú y yo contra el mundo, ¿verdad?”
Hallowed Ground is the conclusion of the Flight & Glory series, and could not have been better! I looked forward this book, I was afraid it wouldn't to fulfill my expectations, but instead, exceeded all of them.
We meet with Ember and Josh again, main characters of the story that we knew in the first book, but this time, the book is told from two points of view, which I thought was great, because we understand both sides.
At the beginning Hallowed Ground, Josh and Ember seem to have overcome all obstacles to finally be together, but everything is questioned when appeared one more, maybe the larger one; Josh is forced to go on a mission to Afghanistan, the place that killed the father of Ember.
In Full Measures, Josh was the rock where Ember supported, but this time, the roles are reversed a little, because Afghanistan come with much more than superficial wounds.
“Once upon a time you promised to be my whatever. Do you remember that?”
“I could never forget.”
“Then remember this. I’ll be your whatever. Whatever you need, whenever you need it. I’m strong enough to pull us both through this.”
This reading caused me all kinds of feelings, at times I adored them, at times I was frustrated or disagreed with certain actions, but Rebecca could to express so well each of the feelings of both Josh and Ember, were so real, It made me understand them completely: their fears, their hopes, their love for each other, because whatever happened, it was never in doubt.
“You are my dream now, December Howard. You are everything to me. My heart beats for you , my soul is only whole when you're near. You're my home, my shelter, my wildest fantasy, and I cannot imagine a future where you're not mine, because I'm yours in every sense of the word.”
Besides, the author gives us little glimpses of the characters from previous books and that's always well received; I loved to know a little more about them.
The epilogue, again, it was lovely, and the ending was just what I wanted for them.
Finally, Hallowed Ground is a journey full of emotions, both beautiful and heartbreaking, but definitely, the perfect end to this great series.
“You and me against the world, right?”
Recibí este ARC a través de Entangled Publishing y NetGalley, a cambio de una opinión honesta.
Hallowed Ground es la conclusión de la serie Flight & Glory, y no pudo haber sido mejor! Esperaba tanto este libro, que tenía miedo de que no fuera a cumplir mis expectativas, pero no fue así, al contrario, las superó todas.
Volvemos a encontrarnos con Ember y Josh, protagonistas de la historia que ya conocimos en el primer libro, pero en esta ocasión, el libro está narrado desde los dos puntos de vista, lo cual me pareció un gran acierto, porque logramos entender las dos partes.
Al comenzar Hallowed Ground, Josh y Ember parecen haber superado todos los obstáculos para finalmente estar juntos, pero todo se tambalea cuando se les presenta uno más, quizás el más grande; Josh se ve obligado a ir a una misión a Afganistán, ese lugar que mató al padre de Ember.
En Full Measures, Josh era la roca en la que se apoyaba Ember, pero en este, los papeles se invierten un poco, porque Afganistán deja mucho más que heridas superficiales.
“Una vez, me prometiste que serías mi lo que sea. ¿Recuerdas eso?”
“Nunca podría olvidarlo.”
“Entonces recuerda esto; Yo voy a ser tu lo que sea. Lo que sea que necesites, cuando lo necesites. Soy lo bastante fuerte para ayudarnos a superar esto.”
Esta lectura me provocó todo tipo de sensaciones, por momentos los adoraba, en otros me sentía frustrada con ellos, o no estaba de acuerdo con ciertas acciones, pero Rebbeca lograba expresar tan bien cada uno de los sentimientos tanto de Josh como de Ember, eran tan reales que no podía juzgarlos y me hacía entenderlos por completo: sus miedos, sus deseos, su amor por el otro, porque pasara lo que pasara, eso nunca estuvo en duda.
“Tú eres mi sueño ahora, December Howard. Eres todo para mí. Mi corazón late por ti, mi alma solo está completa cuando tú estás cerca. Eres mi hogar, mi refugio, mi fantasía más salvaje, y no puedo imaginar un futuro donde tú no seas mía, porque soy tuyo en cada sentido de la palabra.”
Además, la autora nos regala pequeños atisbos de los personajes de libros anteriores y eso es siempre bien recibido; me encantó saber un poquito más de ellos.
El epílogo, nuevamente, fue precioso, y el final fue tal lo que deseaba para ellos.
En fin, Hallowed Ground es una lectura llena de emociones, con momentos hermosos y desgarradores a partes iguales, pero sin dudas, el final perfecto para esta gran serie.
“Tú y yo contra el mundo, ¿verdad?”
January 20, 2023
This one is my least favorite of the series I think. The writing is good but how many times did Josh hold back on something and make a decision that he didn’t discuss with Ember ahead of time? How many times did Ember vacillate? It was just like this constant back and forth that didn’t really make me love the relationship all that much. I skipped all of the sex scenes too because they kept using it as a crutch to avoid problems and it wasn’t sweet/romantic/sexy at all as a result.
At 74%, Josh makes the decision to just abruptly go back without a convo with Ember and that took me from two stars to one. What an idiot and what an awful relationship dynamic.
At 74%, Josh makes the decision to just abruptly go back without a convo with Ember and that took me from two stars to one. What an idiot and what an awful relationship dynamic.
August 16, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Hallowed Ground by Rebecca Yarros
If Full Measures broke me, Hallowed Ground ground me into dust, rebuilt me, and then laughed in my face while I ugly cried into my pillow.
This is Josh and Ember’s story—again. The couple who started it all. The golden boy and the girl who walked through fire with him. And wow… seeing them a few years down the line? Heartbreak and healing wrapped up in one messy, beautiful package.
Josh is now deployed, Ember is trying to balance her own dreams with the crushing weight of loving a soldier, and the tension is so raw you can practically feel it humming off the page. Yarros doesn’t sugarcoat the sacrifices or the scars; she drags you through every ache, every fear, every late-night phone call that could be the last.
And Ember. My girl Ember. She shows up. She plans, she fights for them, she does whatever it takes to remind Josh that love can be his anchor. That hockey practice she organized for him? 🏒😭 Oh, my HEART. That scene was such a quiet, powerful reminder of who they are together, and how she knows exactly what he needs when he can’t even ask for it. It wasn’t grand or flashy—it was real. And it killed me in the best way.
What I love most is how Rebecca Yarros doesn’t give us a fairytale; she gives us reality. This isn’t just swoons and kisses (though we get plenty of those)—it’s sacrifice, compromise, and choosing each other every damn day, even when the world tries to tear them apart.
By the time I hit the end, my heart was shredded, taped back together, and then handed back to me with a note that just said: This is love. This is what it looks like when you fight for forever.
Josh and Ember will always be the foundation of this series, and Hallowed Ground is the perfect, devastating, gorgeous tribute to them.
Hallowed Ground by Rebecca Yarros
If Full Measures broke me, Hallowed Ground ground me into dust, rebuilt me, and then laughed in my face while I ugly cried into my pillow.
This is Josh and Ember’s story—again. The couple who started it all. The golden boy and the girl who walked through fire with him. And wow… seeing them a few years down the line? Heartbreak and healing wrapped up in one messy, beautiful package.
Josh is now deployed, Ember is trying to balance her own dreams with the crushing weight of loving a soldier, and the tension is so raw you can practically feel it humming off the page. Yarros doesn’t sugarcoat the sacrifices or the scars; she drags you through every ache, every fear, every late-night phone call that could be the last.
And Ember. My girl Ember. She shows up. She plans, she fights for them, she does whatever it takes to remind Josh that love can be his anchor. That hockey practice she organized for him? 🏒😭 Oh, my HEART. That scene was such a quiet, powerful reminder of who they are together, and how she knows exactly what he needs when he can’t even ask for it. It wasn’t grand or flashy—it was real. And it killed me in the best way.
What I love most is how Rebecca Yarros doesn’t give us a fairytale; she gives us reality. This isn’t just swoons and kisses (though we get plenty of those)—it’s sacrifice, compromise, and choosing each other every damn day, even when the world tries to tear them apart.
By the time I hit the end, my heart was shredded, taped back together, and then handed back to me with a note that just said: This is love. This is what it looks like when you fight for forever.
Josh and Ember will always be the foundation of this series, and Hallowed Ground is the perfect, devastating, gorgeous tribute to them.
February 11, 2016
5+ Phenomenal Stars
ARC received from the author in exchange for an honest review
WOW, what an absolutely phenomenal and very emotional read this was. I wasn't sure what to expect going in as Full Measures is definitely one of my all time top reads. That book WOW'd me, totally blew me away with the emotion and the story, and even though I enjoyed Eyes Turned Skyward and Beyond what is Given but they just didn't have the punch and emotion that Full Measures did. Well Hallowed Ground truly brought back all those feels I felt in the first book.
I loved seeing Josh and Ember's continuing story, they found their HEA at the end of Full Measures but life changes and now that these two are together, they must learn to finally start their life together but also have to learn to deal with all the things that happen and they have no control over it.
This book took me on such an amazing emotional roller coaster, so many times I found my heart in my throat, fighting the tears from rolling down my face or just praying I had the strength read through what was to come. I love when book does that to me, ties me up in knots and has me balling, it means it's touched me to a point I feel so connected to the characters and their story and this one, I truly felt connected to, and remembered their story even though I first read it almost two years ago, a sign of a really amazing book!
Rebecca Yarros proved to me in this book why once again I have her on my one click list, I will pretty much reach anything this lady writes cause boy does she know how to write one amazing story!
Check out my full review at http://lustfulliterature.com/hallowed...
ARC received from the author in exchange for an honest review
WOW, what an absolutely phenomenal and very emotional read this was. I wasn't sure what to expect going in as Full Measures is definitely one of my all time top reads. That book WOW'd me, totally blew me away with the emotion and the story, and even though I enjoyed Eyes Turned Skyward and Beyond what is Given but they just didn't have the punch and emotion that Full Measures did. Well Hallowed Ground truly brought back all those feels I felt in the first book.
I loved seeing Josh and Ember's continuing story, they found their HEA at the end of Full Measures but life changes and now that these two are together, they must learn to finally start their life together but also have to learn to deal with all the things that happen and they have no control over it.
This book took me on such an amazing emotional roller coaster, so many times I found my heart in my throat, fighting the tears from rolling down my face or just praying I had the strength read through what was to come. I love when book does that to me, ties me up in knots and has me balling, it means it's touched me to a point I feel so connected to the characters and their story and this one, I truly felt connected to, and remembered their story even though I first read it almost two years ago, a sign of a really amazing book!
Rebecca Yarros proved to me in this book why once again I have her on my one click list, I will pretty much reach anything this lady writes cause boy does she know how to write one amazing story!
Check out my full review at http://lustfulliterature.com/hallowed...
January 14, 2016
I received an ARC copy provided by Entangled Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
4.75 stars
I love Rebecca Yarros books. They are amazing, and Hallowed Ground isn’t the exception. It’s not simply a story about love or war, it’s a story about how war affects that love, affects your life, your significant other, your future, your entire existence. It wasn’t what I expected, it was so much more. It has moments that are so full of raw emotions and it’s so beautifully well written that it will make you smile, cry, and see life different.
It was so nice to know about Jagger, Paisley, Sam, Grayson, and even Will and Morgan. Rebecca did a good job with these characters that you want to be part of their group. It was a great closure to the stories of all these beloved characters, and it definitely was the perfect ending to the story of Josh and Ember. You can be sure that no matter what happen, the whole gang is gonna be all right. At the end, it’s them against the world!
One of the best series I’ve read. I can’t wait for Rebecca’s future releases.
Recibí este ARC vía Entangled Publishing y NetGalley, lo cual no afecta mi honesta opinión.
4.75 estrellas
Una lectura emocional e intensa. Hermosamente bien escrita, que te hará sonreír, llorar, y ver las cosas diferente. Una vez más Rebecca no decepciona. Es el final perfecto para Josh, Ember y todo el grupo.
4.75 stars
I love Rebecca Yarros books. They are amazing, and Hallowed Ground isn’t the exception. It’s not simply a story about love or war, it’s a story about how war affects that love, affects your life, your significant other, your future, your entire existence. It wasn’t what I expected, it was so much more. It has moments that are so full of raw emotions and it’s so beautifully well written that it will make you smile, cry, and see life different.
It was so nice to know about Jagger, Paisley, Sam, Grayson, and even Will and Morgan. Rebecca did a good job with these characters that you want to be part of their group. It was a great closure to the stories of all these beloved characters, and it definitely was the perfect ending to the story of Josh and Ember. You can be sure that no matter what happen, the whole gang is gonna be all right. At the end, it’s them against the world!
One of the best series I’ve read. I can’t wait for Rebecca’s future releases.
Recibí este ARC vía Entangled Publishing y NetGalley, lo cual no afecta mi honesta opinión.
4.75 estrellas
Una lectura emocional e intensa. Hermosamente bien escrita, que te hará sonreír, llorar, y ver las cosas diferente. Una vez más Rebecca no decepciona. Es el final perfecto para Josh, Ember y todo el grupo.
November 16, 2015
This book wrung every emotion out of me until I was left feeling raw, but the absolute love shining from Josh and Ember (and the rest of the characters, too) put me back together by the end of the book.
It's no secret that I have a loyal, undying love for this series, and the author. But when I tell you that you should run, not walk, to read the entire Flight & Glory series, I mean it. The world feels very real, the characters like people I've known for years, and their emotions are like my own.
Josh and Ember are the couple from the first book in this series, Full Measures, and their relationship is seriously tested in Hallowed Ground. I didn't know I needed to read this book until I read it, and it was everything I needed it to be, and more.
I went through half a box of tissues (at least), and laughed and grinned big, goofy grins. If you aren't reading these books, you're really missing out.
nope
January 26, 2016Before I read this I need tons of spoilers. This couple had their HEA in the 1st book. It doesn't sit well with me when more drama is created just to make another book. I really hate when a HEA is messed up with. So I will investigate much, much more
And here it's my answer. Skipping it. Like I said, unnecessary drama for a couple who already had their hea. This thing of "this book is needed to end the series" doesn't attract me. Actually it has the contrary effect: it repels me.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
message 2: by Maayan (last edited 25 minutes ago) - added it
26 minutes ago
Maayan Safe... No OW. But a lot of pushing away on his part. I'm skipping.
And here it's my answer. Skipping it. Like I said, unnecessary drama for a couple who already had their hea. This thing of "this book is needed to end the series" doesn't attract me. Actually it has the contrary effect: it repels me.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
message 2: by Maayan (last edited 25 minutes ago) - added it
26 minutes ago
Maayan Safe... No OW. But a lot of pushing away on his part. I'm skipping.
January 31, 2016
I will post something later when I fully process what I just read.
hell-fucking-no
January 26, 2016They already has their story why the need to create unnecessary drama where the hero keeps pushing her away? No thanks
January 6, 2016
Hallowed Ground is the fourth book in the Flight and Glory series and the second to focus on Josh Walker and December Howard. The first, Full Measures, was the beginning of their story and is undoubtedly my favourite of the series; Josh and Ember quickly became one of my favourite NA couples and their story was unforgettable. I'm not a big crier, but they pulled it from me, and whilst I admit I was a little wary of their story being continued, not reading this simply because I've read too many books where continuing stories further down-the-line haven't worked, was never an option.
Rebecca Yarros does a superb job of ripping the emotion from you. This series hasn’t been all hearts and flowers; her stories have been real and have broken me and put me back together again; no couple more so than Josh and Ember, and with him deploying to Afghanistan, there’s a real chance that her worst fear could become a reality and history repeats itself.
Yeah…I cried, even wailed a couple of times. I sobbed ugly snotty tears that had the husband throwing tissues at me whilst staring in disbelief, and more snotty tears the next day when I made to clever decision to have a lunchtime read at my desk that resulted in a very alarmed work-husband. It’s a rollercoaster, and I experienced it all: the joy, the pain, the despair, the happiness, fear and heartache. But, the tears dried up at the half way point, didn’t really return and this is why it didn’t quite hit the 5 star mark; it became a little drawn out and Ember and Josh’s struggles a touch repetitive.
But, on the whole I did love it and, if you were fond of Josh and Ember the first time around, you will enjoy their continuing journey. Personally, I think you really need to have read at least the first two books in the series for this story to bring the true reading experience Hallowed Ground offers, because previous characters’ feature prominently; characters who will work their way into your heart as Josh and Ember do and whose own lives are evolving. And whilst I’m a little sad the end has arrived, it’s left me with a happy heart. A series you don't want to miss out on.
Copy received courtesy of Entangled Publishing via NetGalley for an honest and unbiased opinion.
Rebecca Yarros does a superb job of ripping the emotion from you. This series hasn’t been all hearts and flowers; her stories have been real and have broken me and put me back together again; no couple more so than Josh and Ember, and with him deploying to Afghanistan, there’s a real chance that her worst fear could become a reality and history repeats itself.
Yeah…I cried, even wailed a couple of times. I sobbed ugly snotty tears that had the husband throwing tissues at me whilst staring in disbelief, and more snotty tears the next day when I made to clever decision to have a lunchtime read at my desk that resulted in a very alarmed work-husband. It’s a rollercoaster, and I experienced it all: the joy, the pain, the despair, the happiness, fear and heartache. But, the tears dried up at the half way point, didn’t really return and this is why it didn’t quite hit the 5 star mark; it became a little drawn out and Ember and Josh’s struggles a touch repetitive.
But, on the whole I did love it and, if you were fond of Josh and Ember the first time around, you will enjoy their continuing journey. Personally, I think you really need to have read at least the first two books in the series for this story to bring the true reading experience Hallowed Ground offers, because previous characters’ feature prominently; characters who will work their way into your heart as Josh and Ember do and whose own lives are evolving. And whilst I’m a little sad the end has arrived, it’s left me with a happy heart. A series you don't want to miss out on.
Copy received courtesy of Entangled Publishing via NetGalley for an honest and unbiased opinion.
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