Jaime Reviews ~ Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst
By Audrey Coulthurst
Published on November 22, 2016
Published by: Balzer + Bray
Source: Around the World ARC Tours
Published by: Balzer + Bray
Source: Around the World ARC Tours
Betrothed since childhood to the prince of Mynaria, Princess Dennaleia has always known what her future holds. Her marriage will seal the alliance between Mynaria and her homeland, protecting her people from other hostile lands. But Denna has a secret. She possesses an Affinity for fire—a dangerous gift for the future queen of a kingdom where magic is forbidden.
Now, Denna must learn the ways of her new home while trying to hide her growing magic. To make matters worse, she must learn to ride Mynaria’s formidable warhorses before her coronation—and her teacher is the person who intimidates her most, the prickly and unconventional Princess Amaranthine (called Mare), sister of her betrothed.
When a shocking assassination leaves the kingdom reeling, Mare and Denna reluctantly join forces to search for the culprit. As the two work together, each discovers there’s more to the other than she thought. Mare is surprised by Denna’s intelligence and bravery, while Denna is drawn to Mare’s independent streak. Soon their friendship is threatening to blossom into something more.
But with dangerous conflict brewing that makes the alliance more important than ever, acting on their feelings could be deadly. Forced to choose between their duty and their hearts, Mare and Denna must find a way to save their kingdoms—and each other.
Of Fire and Stars...
Alright guys... so I am going to be totally honest with you. I did not love this one. I liked it , but there were definitely a lot of times where I found my interest waning. There were great elements to the story, though. It definitely was not all bad.
First off, I want to reiterate, there were times when I liked the story. When the story moved outside of the castle, it become instantly more enjoyable for me. I felt like, when the story was within the castle walls, it lost a lot of the mysterious vibe that it should have had. There were more dialogue scenes, and things that just didn't work for me. When outside the walls, the book came to life. I loved the description of the city streets and the bars, the sense of danger that hovered over everything. Those were the best parts. And towards the end of the story, the last few chapters, I was a little more invested. The stakes were higher, and the emotions were up, and I felt that pull again.
The characters were all written well, but the standout was absolutely Mare... I loved her attitude, her unwillingness to bend to the rules that everyone wants her to adhere to. I loved that she loved her horses, and was a strong, fierce women. I also loved the soft side of her when it made an appearance. It made her seem more REAL to me. Denna was a good character too. By the end of the book, I loved her. I loved what she could do!
So.. would I read a sequel? Surprisingly, yes! I think that, with the way things ended, if a sequel were to pop up the action could be non-stop. And, as sad as it was, I liked the path that Mare and Denna were on at the end. And I have to say... the writing really is tremendous.
Jaime Lynn
