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An ARC copy of this book was provided to me in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts are my own.
MY REVIEW:
A deeply captivating story that I had a hard time putting down. To begin with, the author takes her time world building this story and it’s a beautiful and dangerous place where mortals and magic wielding “Descended” live. The Descended rule the various kingdoms and the mortals are mere civilians with which they must deal with. There’s a long history within these realms of brutal treatment by the Descended towards the mortals, which is feeding an uprising in the mortal population.
Throughout this book, you’ll gain a deep understanding about this sordid past and how it impacts everything in the character’s lives – on all sides. There are a number of characters in this novel and each one has their own story to tell, but let me focus on Diem for just a minute. A twenty year old town healer who lives with her mother, father (adopted) and her younger brother who attends school with the Descended children.
The FMC Diem has got to be my favorite character this year. She’s embracing of her femininity, she’s strong beyond words and she bears her inner scars and pain with such strength that words cannot convey it. She is one of the handful of healers in their city and has a remarkable skill at helping people by making them feel comfortable with her and being very talented at knowing what to use to heal different ailments.
But this hatred that is simmering to a boiling point between the mortals and the Descended which Diem finds herself smack in the middle of. Secrets that have been kept from her begin to unravel and TEAR HER WORLD APART. Including, but not limited to:
- Who she thinks she is
- Being torn between her love for her long time best friend Henri and the Descended Prince Luther
- What she wants to do with her life
There is also one non-human creature I need to share with you as well – Sorae. She is a guardian of the Crown (whoever rules at any given time) and I adored this creature. When it comes to magical animals in stories, some speak to me more than others and this beautiful creature is one of them.
“Like a living, breathing gargoyle, the beast reclined on a landing high atop the palace walls, its furred tail swishing idly as two glittering eyes skimmed the surrounding lands.”
Spark of the Everflame – Penn Cole
“The spiked, scaled head of a sea dragon. The wings and front talons of an eagle. The body of a lion. Kings of the sea, sky, and land—all transformed into a single beast. The fearsome amalgamation was the stuff of nightmares, unlike any other creature in our world.”
Spark of the Everflame – Penn Cole
I wasn’t ready for this one to end and I know I could have stayed in this world far longer than I did. I cannot wait for the next book and will need to revisit this world often as it’s become a part of me now. AMAZING and PERFECT in its presentation – I couldn’t put it down or stop thinking about it once I started it.
GET IT HERE:
Amazon || GoodReads || Barnes & Noble
When old secrets catch fire, everything will burn.
In a mortal world colonized by the gods and ruled over by the Descended, their cruel offspring, Diem Bellator yearns to escape the insular life of her poor village.
Her mother’s sudden disappearance—and the discovery of a dangerous secret about her past—offer Diem an unexpected opportunity to enter the dark world of Descended royalty and unlock the web of mysteries her mother left behind.
With the dying King’s handsome, mysterious heir watching her every move, and a ruthless mortal alliance recruiting her to join the growing civil war, Diem will have to navigate the unwritten rules of love, power, and politics in order to save her family—and all of mortalkind.
Spark of the Everflame is the first book in The Kindred’s Curse Saga, a four-book epic fantasy romance series. This slow burn, enemies-to-lovers series is perfect for fans of unique magic systems, dragons, angst and romantic tension, and hilarious banter. This book will appeal to fans of plot-heavy, character-driven romantasy such as A Court of Thorns and Roses, Throne of Glass, From Blood and Ash, Gild, Shadow & Bone, and The Serpent & the Wings of Night.
Content warning (MAY INCLUDE SPOILERS): death (including on-page child death), references to SA (off-page), brief thoughts of suicide, violence, sex, swearing. This book contains adult themes and is intended for readers 18+. This book ends in a cliffhanger.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
HI! I’M PENN COLE
I’m a fantasy romance author preparing to publish my debut series, The Kindred’s Curse Saga, beginning June 1, 2023.
While my life has taken me through a lot of ups and downs, my love for reading and writing has forever been my true north. I’ve been writing stories since my childhood, filling mountains of notebooks with wild worlds and angsty romances. I received my undergraduate degree in Creative Writing, hoping to write the Next Great American Novel, but… well… we plan, Fate laughs. After a detour as an attorney and small business owner, I am thrilled to finally be pursuing my lifelong dream of becoming an author.
I’m a regular participant in NaNoWriMo, and I love meeting and supporting other new authors, especially female authors and BIPOC/LGBTQ+ authors. When I’m not writing, I love reading fantasy, rom coms, and non-fiction.
While I’m a Texas girl born and bred, I currently live in France with my husband, where I can usually be found sipping wine and creating fantasy worlds on my balcony.
Follow me on Goodreads and Amazon!
Adventures in Literature 
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