Glow of the Everflame (Kindred's Curse #2) by Penn Cole

 

Summary (from the publisher): An unexpected gift offers the power to change everything—but keeping it could cost Diem her life.

The threat of war has arrived at Diem’s doorstep, along with a new discovery that could save her people. To use it, she must survive the next thirty days by forming a devil’s bargain with the people she hates most: the royal family of House Corbois.

But as she dives into the world of the Descended elite, Diem quickly realizes good and evil aren’t as simple as they seem. Old prejudices are challenged, and new loyalties blur the line between friend and foe.

Meanwhile, her mother is still missing, and the secrets she left behind can no longer be ignored—and neither can the Guardians and their demands. Caught between an old flame and a sizzling new spark, Diem must confront the truth about who she is and what she wants before time runs out.

War is coming, and dangerous enemies wait on all sides.. but the most deadly battle Diem faces may be the one for her heart.

Review: In this second installment in the series, Diem Bellator has been given an unexpected gift but along with it comes great danger. In order to survive - and possibly do some good for the mortals of the realm - she must work in tandem with the royal family of House Corbois. Meanwhile, Diem's mother is still missing and Diem herself is torn between an old flame and a new interest. 

A great second book in this series! The author did a great job of setting up tension both in the royal dynamics that threaten Diem and the realm at large but also in Diem's burgeoning love interest. It is truly hard to believe this book is over 600 pages based on the way I flew through it. The book also did a great job of leaving plenty of plot points unsettled, urging the reader on to book three. 

I did think this novel dragged a bit. It felt like the whole novel was spent waiting around for 1) the challenging and 2) some sort of epic spicy scene between Diem and her man. It could have been a lot shorter. When I finished the first novel, I wanted to immediately start the second. After what a long read this was, despite ending on a definite cliff hanger, I feel as though I need a break before book two. 

Finally, I continue to dislike the disrespectful attitude Diem displays at every turn. She is extremely rude and offensive to Luther at every turn. It's hard to see why he is so obsessively loyal to her in the face of how she treats him. I am hopeful this will improve in the next book. I also found Diem foolish in her actions multiple times - she is continually acting against guidance or without thinking to ask for it. If this is truly such a ruthless, murderous world, it seemed like an incredibly dumb way to go about making decisions. 

But despite some minor complaints, I did really enjoy this book and am looking forward to the next books in the series. 

Stars: 3

Related Title: 

Spark of the Everflame (Kindred's Curse #1) by Penn Cole