Well, at first I was truly interested in the book. When I read the blurb it got my attention and I thought it would be something I would enjoy. And I did, but man, it took SO LONG for me to start enjoying it.

The story itself is too slow. The first 60% of the book could've been told in less pages, saving us a lot of time. It felt like it dragged too much on the same things, the same details, without revealing anything at all. So I was as blind and unknowing at 50% as I was when I started the book. So that made the whole experience kind of boring. I mean, I still wanted to know what the hell was happening, but I still got bored at times. Around 65 or 70%, the plot started to pick up a bit, making it a lot more interesting.

So, let me tell you a bit about the story. Vala is this young girl who's grown along their prince, they're friends and sometimes it feels like they're more or that they could be more, but the thing is, Vala isn't like everyone else. She has charred skin and can burn other with barely touching. She's feared by mostly everyone, making her the perfect guard for her beloved prince. So at a young age, she swore to protect him at all costs, even if that means her life.

At first I liked her, she was a misunderstood girl, who had a crush on her friend who happened to be the prince. As the book went on, her story started to became a little boring, because it kept being told and retold in the same way, no new additions or anything that would give us something, so it started to feel repetitive and made me lose my interest more often than not.

Then we had the prince, who started off as someone I would like, but then became such a fucking prick. I can't even bother to talk about him.

Then we have the weird stranger who may or may not know something about Vala and what she is. He's mysterious and entertaining. He seems to know a lot, but like everything else, it takes too long to know or understand what he actually knows.

Towards the end of the story, the pace picked up and so did the characters. Some of them started to show their true colors, including Vala's and her personality got stronger and deeper than it was at first which I enjoyed. I think that, yes, the pace was slow and I don't have anything against that. My main problem was that even though some things were truly interesting and honestly got my attention, some other bothered me way too much. Like, the lack of information. Nothing was said until almost the very end, there were almost no clues as I was reading, so when everything was said and done at the end, it felt a bit rushed and weird.

I wished I'd liked this one a lot more than I did.

I received a complimentary copy via NetGalley.

A brave girl with a skin of fire caught between her loyalty to the past she knows, and her need to discover the real one.

This was pretty good YA, with an interesting main character, with a developed plot and good writing.

I loved the plot of the novel. It had so many twists and turns. You guys know I typically can see what is going to happen in a novel, but honestly, I only guessed maybe half or less of this novel. It’s written that well. This book is kind of an emotional rollercoaster. I felt so many emotions towards the events and characters. I loved them, I disliked them, I was annoyed with their actions, and I shipped them. I loved how the novel ends. It sets it up for the second novel perfectly. I cannot wait till the next novel comes out!

As I mentioned, I really liked the character development. Vala had great character growth throughout their novel. I loved the other characters and loved watching them develop in character as well. The characters didn’t just have one specific personality treat to them. I love when authors do this because it makes them realistic. The amount of secrets we find out during the novel and questions that are unanswered because they are for the next novel are endless. It was interesting seeing how far trust went in the novel. The realistic portrayal of trust was amazing.

Basically, I fell in love with this novel. I plan on checking out J.M.’s other writings while I impatiently wait for the next novel to try to fill the void of not knowing what happens next.

❝ They had come for blood, so I would show them their own.❞

First of all, I love the cover for this book. I'm a sucker for pretty covers so I had to mention that. I really like the flames and how the title stands out against it. 

But, moving onto the actual story: I liked it. 

I really liked the idea of this strange girl with charred skin being tasked with protecting the prince. I could tell that they were going to have a close relationship from the beginning since they grew up together, but I was glad that it wasn't exactly the forefront of the book. 

Vala was certainly dedicated to her job, and she was more than thankful for being taken in and trusted with protecting someone so important. But it meant that she was usually having to protect her job as well from other people that coveted her position. She also lived constantly being feared or judged for being different.

I think at times it was a little tiring to hear Vala speak about how her only focus was the prince. I wanted her to have her own aspirations, something besides her job to motivate her. That was why I was so kind of happy when she began to be driven by curiosity about herself and outside world later on in the book. I was happy that she started to think about herself rather than others. 

I was also glad that Haidee and Vala were able to work together despite everything that happened. I was afraid that they would be resentful, hateful, but instead, they overcame it and supported one another. 

❝ There was never a reason for him to hate or fear me before. Now there was reason for both.❞

The pacing in the book was something that definitely affected the book. For most of the book everything unfolded pretty slowly. I wasn't really clear on what Vala was working towards overall: if she was just trying to keep her position or find love. It wasn't until halfway that it really felt like it became clear what her goal was, although the story didn't really pick up until the last few chapters. 

Another thing that I didn't like with the book was that there were large pieces of history just dropped throughout. A few times it was worked in well, but others it just felt random. It would have felt nice to get it throughout the book in smaller portions, but I could kind of understand why. Since most of the history was lost to the kingdom it made sense that only a few people (those with access to the royal library for example) would know about it and be able to share it in the story.

I liked the reveal at the end of the book, even if I saw it coming. I also liked the relationship that was built between Vala and another character because he really understood her and didn't judge her (I won't spoil who). I'm curious to see what Vala does next and where her journey takes her.

The description of this book caught my eye and reminded me of Frostblood which I absolutely loved so I had high hopes going into it.

I think going in with high hopes may have been a bad idea. While the general idea is somewhat similar the comparisons stop there. I loved the chemistry between Xayvn and Vala but was really disappointed with the rest of the character and world building. Because of the lack of the world building and character definition I struggled to make it through. The book did eventually start to pick up around chapter 21 and I was happy with the remainder of the book.

I think this series has great potential and I'm interested to see where the rest of the series goes because there is so much to be explored.

If I had checked the fact, that this book was part of a series, the ending wouldn’t have come as a surprise. Fallen Flame is a fast paced fantasy book, with definitely not a happy ending, but a very open ending.

And since there is no release date mentioned yet of part 2 (or 3). I will have to hold my breath until… well, I don’t know until when…

And that’s kind of a shame, because Fallen Flame is an excellent read. You are immediately drawn into the story as we meet Vala taken her weekly bath. Keep your mind out of the gutter and realize that this is a weekly torture for Vala, because her charred skin comes off then and this will hurt like a mother…

Afterwards she has orange skin, which returns into the charred state within the next few hours. So, definitely not the start of your average book. And the story keeps continue to surprise and twist and turn.

Vala is tolerated, because of her capability to burn the people she touches. As guard of prince Caulden, she is determined to rescue Caulden from all dangers lurking about. But one day, she fails and Caulden gets attacked. She is able to stop the attack and have a look at the attacker. It is a man, with a skin like hers!

Having grown up next to the prince, she doesn’t know where her loyalties lie, when the bald attacker turns up at her doorstep. Xavyn, the mysterious attacker, tells her that there is a lot she doesn’t know and that the kingdom is in danger. And he tells her he knows more about her heritage and her scarred skin.

Torn between her feelings for Caulden, who she can never have, and the need to know where she is from, she decides to trust Xavyn. But was this the best decision? What is his reason for spying the kingdom? And why won’t he tell her where she is from?

Find out more in Fallen Flame. I can’t wait for the next part! So four out of five stars from me, mostly because I don’t like waiting and keeping my breath. Well done J.M. Miller and a thank you to Netgalley for providing the arc.

I picked up FALLEN FLAME from Netgalley on a complete whim and I'm so glad I did. The story was easy to follow, the pace was nice and the characters and their development kept me reading.

I loved Vala. She is a mystery to those in Gala and even to herself, but she has made a good life for herself and lives to protect the prince. I found Vala to be strong, loyal and willing to get her hands dirty to protect those that needed protecting.

There are a two love interests in FALLEN FLAME. I liked prince Caulden when he was introduced and was rooting for things to work out between Vala and him, but I slowly lost respect for him as the book went on and by the end knew that even if they could have been something, they weren't right for each other. Xavyn was a huge mystery when he was introduced, but was very open with Vala and really opened her eyes to the world outside of Garlin and how she could fit into it. Although nothing happened romantically between them in FALLEN FLAME, I look forward to the time when something does.

The plot was interesting. Some things were predictable, but I still very much enjoyed the way things were revealed. The mystery surrounding Vala and her birth was very intriguing and made the plot even more exciting. Vala is a true fighter and I enjoyed the action throughout FALLEN FLAME. There is zero doubt in my mind that I will be grabbing a copy of book two when it is out. In fact, I am stalking the author's pages in hope that there will be information about it soon.

I gave it 4/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Source: eARC from Netgalley (This does not affect my rating and review)
Format: Kindle Book

Summary: This book follows a girl named Vala who is the top guard for Prince Caulden. A Princess has come to the kingdom of Garlin to see if she wants to marry the Prince, but trouble begins to happen in the Kingdom. Assassin's from neigborhing kingdoms are sent to eliminate the Prince, and that is where we find a shadowy figure who has skin like Vala. Vala knows that this one assassin is like her, but she has to figure out who she is exactly. Who is Vala and why was she born the way that she was? She has to find herself, and protect her Prince at the same time.

Thoughts: This book was really awesome! It was action paced the entire time, and there was never a dull moment. I remember not wanting to put the book down because I loved reading it so much. I loved Vala's character. Her story was interesting in a way that made me want to listen and read it. She had a way about her that grabbed me. I also enjoyed reading about the Prince and Haidee. I wish we could have gotten multiple perspectives in the book, just so that we could understand what the others where thinking and feeling. Learning about this kingdom and world was really interesting. It was not all detailed like high fantasy, and I liked that. I was simple for one to understand what was going on in the story. We also get a map which is always great in my opinion! I am looking forward to reading a sequel, because I believe this will be a series.

Rating: 5/5
Video Spoiler Free Review: https://youtu.be/nCdueD2mTsg

Vala has skin as thick as rock, she looks like the female version of The Thing from the fantastic four. Luckily that doesn't stop her from smooching her way through the book lol.

Anyway the plot is kinda interesting, she lives in a world were magic disappeared around the time she was born (oh shocker). Her duties are to guard the prince, but things get complicated when a princess and her mother get to the island with the purpose of eventually tying the knot and making kingdoms stronger. She then has to deal this her feelings, find out what she is, and fight fight fight!

My problem was that I could've easily not read the first 60% and finish it with total understating. Meaning: NOTHING HAPPENED. So boring! Her convos were like reading ash, so dry and without personality.

Things were getting interesting while I had like 20% of the book left, and guess what? Now you have to read book 2 to find out why she has skin like the moon!!! What a waste of my time :( this could've been so much better

1.5⭐️

Fallen Flame by J.M. Miller is an action-packed YA fantasy story about a girl with magic, in a world without magic. The premise sounds a little unoriginal and now that I think back of it, the whole story isn't really that original, it is a fun book though.

Fallen Flame is about Vala, a girl whose body is scorched by magic, meaning that her skin is rough, stone-like. Vala is the guard of the prince, called Caulden, who is also one of her best friends. They grew up together and are therefore really close. There is also some romantic tension between the two, which was an aspect I didn't really like. It felt like an overused trope, the guard and the prince falling in love. Vala herself is an interesting character, though after reading this entire book, I still don't know much about her. She's determined, curious and protective but besides that? She lives for her work and especially in the beginning, I found her to be very one-dimensional. She had no interests besides protecting Caulden.

“My thoughts, my dreams, they had been nothing in comparison. They were a single drop of water, and this, the whole sea.”

The story itself was very enjoyable. It was fast-paced and there was a lot of action happening. I liked the introduction of Xavyn and the mystery surrounding him. He starts to play a very important role in the story and lead to Vala trying to find out more about her past. The ending still feels a bit strange for me, but considering it is the first book in a series, there will probably be a lot resolved in the other books.

"The feelings that had once lifted me, that I'd once ached for, were like embers in the night fog, drifting into nothing, extinguished."

I really liked the writing style of the book, it really kept you interested in the story. Many of the chapters ended in a sentence that was so intriguing that you wanted to read the next chapter immediately. I wasn't a big fan of the first-person perspective, but that is just a personal thing.

Overall, this book wasn't a bad start for a trilogy. I think the characters can really use some more development, and perhaps the next book will be a little less predictable. I enjoyed the writing style and the pacing of the book, but sadly, I couldn't connect to any of the characters and they felt a little flat. Besides Vala's skin condition, there was no diversity in this book. I am giving this book 3.5 stars because it was decent, but could have been a lot better.

*I received an ecopy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

"I lowered the one in my hands and tossed it onto another, watching my flame catch and spread over the ground, like a wave of fire, lighting it all"

* * * *
4 / 5

Nineteen years ago, many years after a veil of fog went up across the ocean and magic vanished from the human lands, a girl with charred skin was born. A girl who looked like she'd been rolled in the dying embers of a fire. Vala is the Captain of the Prince's Guard and when assassin's and courtiers land on Garlin Island the action and intrigue in Fallen Flame really shine.

"I stepped out of the tank, newly shed and exposed. The air kissed my red-orange skin with spiked lips as I watched the old charred flakes settle to the bottom of the tank"

What I loved most about this book is Vala. She such a rarely wonderfully mature character; she wears a hooded cloak to cover her scarred, charcoal face but she is not bitter. She wonders what she is and why she was born, she thinks wistfully about who she might have been, but there are no long self-pitying monologues that I have come to expect from YA characters. The height of Vala's arc is not her putting on a dress and realising that, after all, she's beautiful (a trope I really despise). Neither is she sassy, pushing authority and flouting rules willy-nilly.

"A distant ache panged somewhere inside, the longing to stay with Caulden twisting into something different, something new. A raw need to know more about myself, to see more than this island, to learn more about everything"

Vala is thoughtful and she is, in one word, dutiful. She protects the Prince, she does what she genuinely thinks is best after careful thought. I love my rebellious girls, my Katniss Everdeen's, my girls on fire, but I also love the ones that think, that swallow their pride, that do what is best rather than what they want. Vala is such a refreshing YA character and I loved her. Also she's literally on fire in that when she bathes she goes all ember-y, and she's definitely on fire on the battlefield.

She's even got a romance I like. And. It involves two guys. And I liked it! Let's set the scene: Vala has served Caulden since she was a child. He stands up for her and does not flinch at her skin and Vala is pretty sure that he loves her. She definitely loves him. As I started reading this I admit I rolled my eyes; here we go, I thought, the midnight trysts, the "oh I can't love you but Vala you're so special you're not like other girls I'll give up my crown for you lets run away together. That's not what we get. Instead we get a young woman realising that there are some things you just can't have and a transition is affections that is not so much a love triangle but a realistic progression.

"My world was crumbling, all my years falling around me like heaps of inconsequential rubble. I had been nothing but loyal, honest. Dutiful."

What I didn't like quite so much was the world building, mostly because I didn't really get it. There is a foreign, otherworldly assassin. There's a fog wall across the ocean which humans can't pass through. There's myths and legends and faeries that are all woven throughout the book but never really explained. I could have done with a little more clarity. To offset this, the plot is simple enough: a neighbouring island's Queen and Princess visit hoping to arrange a marriage but there's suspicious goings-on. It's a good, classic plot and Miller's first person writing style is just lovely.

Overall, Fallen Flame is a great fantasy read with a fantastic main character. The secondary characters are a bit lacking, but there's lots of political intrigue, assassins, magic, and sword fights to spice things up.

My thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for an ARC of this book.

Thank you NetGalley for this book.
I downloaded this from NetGalley and wasn't sure what to expect. This was really great and I can't wait for the next one.
The author does a great job of developing interesting well crafted characters and a rich setting and plot. The story hooks you from page one and keeps you there until the end, with twits and turns along the way.

I really liked it and would definitely recommend it and will be sure to keep an eye out for the next one in the series.

This book had an interesting concept, but I feel that the execution was lacking a little.
I would have loved some more world building - I found it difficult to picture the island in my mind whilst reading.
Also the characters felt flat to me.
In saying this, I still enjoyed the book. It was better towards the end when the pace picked up.

DNF at 36% for now.
I might pick this up again solely because of all the great reviews I've read on Goodreads. But for now I'm going to be the black sheep.

Vala is born different from those around her, and every day she has to deal with people’s fear and their stares. Born with charred skin that burns at touch, she is said to be cursed. Vala works as a guard and is appointed the job to protect the Prince, a boy she grew up alongside with and considers to be a friend. When there is an attempt at the prince’s life, Vala gets demoted and while trying to get to the truth about the attempted assassination, Vala discovers thins about herself that has been kept hidden from her.

Fallen Flame is a wonderfully crafted fantasy novel that takes the reader into a unique world with well developed characters and a storyline that keeps you turning the pages. I did find the story a bit slow to get into, but at around 20% in, I couldn’t stop reading. The world is very interesting, and I find the characters to be diverse and much different from one another. I like this a lot and it made the story feel more real.

I do, however, find that the backstory at times was “info dumped” on the reader, making it difficult to take it all in and understand world’s complex history. I see the need for this information and I can’t say that I have a better solution for how to present it to the reader, but it was still all a bit too much to handle. Also, after reading the info dump on the history of the world, I could already predict what the plot twist was going to be. It did take away a bit of the “oohh”-effect that the plot twist could have had, but I still very much enjoyed it.

The writing is good and the world nicely crafted, and I will most certainly recommend this book for anyone who likes YA Fantasy. I’m also eagerly awaiting the second book in this series getting published since I want to see more of Vala and this world.

A solid four stars out of five for this one.

The beginning tends to be a little confusing since we're just thrown into a new world and I don't feel there was enough detail given to really make me feel immersed in it. I also wish there was more description and background information given detailing the whole "charred skin" and what it means and looks like. Just small details could be fixed like when we learn that her skin is "red" when she sheds but it's that fire engine red, scarlet red, or red that was used to describe Native Americanism. Just an added adjective could make our break your descriptions. Other than that this was a great read!

When I first requested this book from NetGalley, I really didn't know what to think. I was intrigued by the main character's charred skin, and that was it. But as I read the book, the more involved I became with the storyline.

I had my own amount of yelling at characters, trying to talk sense into others, cheering for some, and cursing others. There were some predictable and unpredictable turn of events along with pretty decent cliff hangers. Yes, I made that plural on purpose.

In some ways, I wish I had not read the ARC so that I could have waited till book 2 to read more of the story. But alas, I had to go and fall in love now!

This book was a pleasant surprise. It's hard these days to find gripping, well-written fantasy for young adults. Vala, living on a secluded island as a Guard to the prince, only knows that she was found as a baby with mysterious skin that can burn others. Miller shoves the reader right into the action as Vala tries to protect the prince, all while finding out more about her own birth and life. The characters were interesting and well-developed, the plot was continuously moving, and everything remained absorbing. I would def. recommend to any YA fantasy readers!

Musings:

This book is a hidden gem. I really really loved it. It hit all my sappy must read points and ran with them and ran with them well, a badass heroine, an intriguing fantasy world, the allure of lost magic, and some swoonworthy characters that definitely know who they are (yes, I’m talking about you shadow).

One thing that had my heart soaring was that despite being ostracized for ages for have charred skin I never felt like Vala (our incredible mc) felt that she was anything less then beautiful. Weather her skin was charred or turned red thanks to a cleansing she always showed confidence in herself and she never once believed that because she was different she couldn’t be loved and I think that’s a whole other strength that should be applauded and shouted out to the heavens! Vala is simply all around amazing and when she shows her vulnerable side you finally get to see the real her.

Overall this book was an adventure that cannot be missed. Fallen Flame was fun, full of action, and with lots of mystery to keep you wanting more. I can’t wait for the sequel! I loved this book!