Jennie's Reads

“But rest assured, my Queen, when I do kiss you, there will be no confusion. You will know that I have claimed you—and I won’t have any desire to deny it.”

⭐️ 5
🌶 0 – but there is dirty banter & I’m Here For It
🔥 Enemies to Lovers
🔥 Sloooooow Burn
🔥 Self Discovery Arc
🔥 Magic + Mythical Creatures
🔥 He Falls First
🔥 Political Intrigue

**Warning, spoilers possible ahead**

Glow of the Everflame is a beautiful transition from Spark of the Everflame. We learn about Diem, who she is, who the other protagonists and antagonists are in the previous book. Glow of the Everflame is a good development into humanizing our Descended counterparts. We learn to love them for who they are on the inside and see that not everyone agrees with the Crown, and we also learn of the limitations of the Crown.

We learn about descended politics, how everyone has their hands tied by each other, and how power is spread through each of the kingdoms. *World Building at it’s FINEST.

I did get annoyed that Diem was trying to hard to maintain her engagement to Henri – but Henri annoys the living daylights out of me. I do understand the fact that she grew up in Mortal City- and how that had shaped the way she saw the Descended, but this book really did a good job at showing Diems slow but sure growth to figuring herself out, and how she wants to rule as Queen.

We also got to see a lot of “house/court politics”. I for one am a sucker for world building, and the complex ties in which the descended world is built on has my heart jumping and gripping the edge of my Kindle for more. House Hanoverre can go suck a duck. Lady Hanoverre is too old to be leading the house- she can just… go. Also, the mean girl vibes Iléana gives? I can’t with people like this in real life let alone in books- I wanted to boink her over the head with Diem’s crown. *SPOILER– when Penn killed off Andrei Bellator I SOBBED. Penn BROKE MY HEART.

On that note, House Corbois, how our main advising team to Diem has grown on my heart, just- no words. Luther *swoon* always. Here go the ACOTAR comparisons- Taran is my next Cassian- LOVE THE GUY TO DEATH. And Alixe is my new Azriel; but with a feminist twist. Eleanor is another fav- her subtle love and affection for Diem, and the fact that Diem sees that she too is an outcast of the descended “inner circle” meant a fast and deep friendship.

But really, this book was about the nuances of Descended politics with a sprinkling of dirty jokes and voilet outbursts from the Guardians. It was about Diem’s slow and gradual movement to realizing who she is and how she wants to rule as queen. It was about humanizing our Descended friends, and realizing the lengths they go to and the chains they are shackled by.

I couldn’t put this one down.

*note, this book is available on Kindle Unlimited for your reading pleasure
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