Swift The Storm, Fierce the Flame is the second book of the series. Last year, I read the first book and absolutely loved it. The first book is about Sena and Iska (from Sena’s point of view). In the second installment, the story is told from Remy’s point of view, a genopath in search of redemption and friendship.

Though the second book is another story with ramifications from the first story, I don’t recommend reading them in different order. Start with book 1 or you might get confused.

The story happens in a different environment where everything is designed to kill you. Remy is in search of a friend, but to find her, she will need to take part of a war she never intended to fight. Friendship and loyalty are tested throughout the book while Remy learns more about her past and herself.

This story is a very fast paced adventure that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The character is impulsive and will always put herself in complicated situations, pushing everyone even herself to the limits. Friendship is a major topic in this book with a layer of a very very slow burn romance. Romance is not the focal point though. I took this story more as being centered around friendship and self discovery. Remy has a very different outbringing and she needs to find herself in order to move forward.

Personally, I enjoyed the story, though I did like the first book a little better. I think what lost its appeal to me in this story is that the self discovery part of the character did come across as annoying at times. Though I understand it was important, a touch less would have been better for me. This is probably the one negative aspect for me. The rest was great.

The ending of this book was amazing and also alludes to another book with a goal that got me super excited. I definitely want to read the next book now. 😊 Overall, I enjoyed the story.

Another fast-paced, intense story from this sci-fi world! I enjoyed this book and can't wait to see what happens next in this series.

I really liked how even though this was a fast-action adventure, there was still lots of room to explore Remy's inner struggles and relationships. As someone who reads for the characters first and foremost, this had a nice balance.

I was able to see the big reveals/twists coming and was unsure why Remy couldn't when that's supposed to be what she's engineered to do. She made note of so many details that tipped me off, so I wasn't sure why she didn't see it in front of her. That was my only complaint though.

I'm looking forward to what happens next, and I like the additions to the cast of characters!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves (despite issues with the pacing) so was interested to dive back in and continue with Remy’s story in Swift the Storm, Fierce the Flame.

But I just didn’t connect with her. She’s supposedly this genetically modified super soldier kid, but she seems like she’s always two steps behind everyone else. And her single-minded focus on finding her friend (more like first love, thank you) was repetitive and exhausting. My favorite character ended up being Iska, the wolf from the first book.

The plot and the storyline were engaging, but I couldn’t get past my dislike of our narrator, Remy. Thus, I ended up quitting Swift the Storm, Fierce the Flame around 45%.

A delightful follow up to Cold the Night, Swift the Wolf! This book was a quick read, with a cliffhanger finish — I really enjoyed it. It was very different than the first book, but I really liked the new world we explored in this book.

Long has a talent for atmospheric world building! This follow up to Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves is all about Remy and the adventure she has with Sena and Iska on a jungle planet that is suffering from an ever-growing and more frequent treacherous storm. Remy is trying to locate her friend, Alora, whom she failed in a previous mission. Remy reluctantly teams up with her old partner, Kiran, and she’s not totally sure where his loyalties lie, since he betrayed her in their last mission. In the process of searching for Alora, they find out that there are some more sinister plans at play and begin to organize a rebellion against the forces that are controlling and ruining the lives of the people on this planet.

The vivid and immersive descriptions of the muddy and muggy jungle planet are awesome, and I love all of the weird and scary animals Long comes up with! While I don’t think this book is as good as its predecessor, I greatly enjoyed getting to know Remy and the world that shaped her and her motivations as a genopath (genetically enhanced human). Her character arc was really interesting, even when the pacing in the book lagged. While there is the larger conflict with the rebellion going down, Remy is also having an internal conflict about her identity. She questions how much of herself she controls and how much was programmed into her genes by the organization who engineered her. Her search for her friend also becomes a search for herself. In the end, Remy learns her worth is not about being a tool utilized to succeed in missions and that she is deserving of friendship, compassion, and love. You should definitely give this book a chance and know that it speeds up. The second half is action packed! Remy and Sena are awesome female leads and I’m excited and hopeful for future books in this world (there is certainly plenty of unfinished business)!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This one started off a little rough for me. Remy was one of my favorite characters in COLD THE NIGHT, FAST THE WOLVES, so I really looked forward to a story centered on her. I got very different vibes from her character in SWIFT THE STORM, FIERCE THE FLAMES than I did in the other book, though.

I liked that Remy was quick and brought some comedic relief to the first book with her banter. She’s a lot more serious in this book, which took some getting used to.

She also had a really single-minded focus on finding her friend from the past. As she learned new information, she was slow to update her view of what happened when they lost connection with one another. She kind of gets stuck in a loop for a bit in the middle of the book, going back and forth between two ideas and not really responding to the new information around her.

I think what I’m hoping is that this is going to turn out to be one of those trilogies where the middle book ends up being a bridge between the first and last ones? Maybe there wasn’t quite enough story to carry a whole second book but too much to keep the series to a duology? I don’t know.

The end of the book positioned the series well for a final reckoning in a third book. Even though there were some parts of this one that I struggled with, I would still like to read the series through to the end and find out what happens to Sena and Remy and their allies.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Review will post to my blog on 1/16/23.

Did you guys know this was a sequel? I had absolutely no idea, whoops? This is fairly on brand for me, let's be honest. But I think I would almost think of it as more of a companion to Cold the Wolves , really- it follows a different main character, on a different planet, and while there are references to the first book, I don't actually think you'd have to read it. I mean you should and could, it was good, and that was a lot of rhyming and I digress, so let's just get to it.

I enjoyed this book a bit more than the first, I think. I found the planet itself really fascinating, and I think I got a bit of a better grasp of what was happening on it. Also, as much as I loved hanging out on an icy planet, the jungle is just more fun. I also think I enjoyed Remy's story a bit more, though I did enjoy both girls' characters, and we do still get to see what goes on with Sena, the main character from the first book.

I liked that Remy's character was wonderfully gray, and so was most of what happened around her, too. A pretty significant part of the plot involved a power struggle and political maneuvers, and I still don't totally understand what is going on politically in this world? But I did at least understand it more, and have a better idea of who the key players were, so there's that. I also liked that we got to explore Remy's relationships, both past and present. There were some twists, a few of which I had guessed, but it was still an entertaining story.

Bottom Line: I assume there will be another cool planet somewhere, and I am absolutely down for it.

4.5 stars

You need to read Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves before reading Swift the Storm, Fierce the Flame. There is backstory that you need from CTNFTW, and STSFTF will have big spoilers if it's read first.

I liked Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves a little more than Swift the Storm, Fierce the Flame. Meg Long still does a great job bringing the world to life. This time it's a world that is a wild, humid jungle with a torrential storm that covers a third of the planet. The humans that inhabit the planet are just as fierce as the predators that roam the jungle. There is a lot of action and explosions.

One thing I didn't like as much is the character development. Remy was, at times, very difficult to like. She kept making the same types of decisions that ended in the same results, but she would blame everyone else for her impulsiveness. I felt that Sena grew steadily and naturally throughout CTNFTW, but I didn't see that with Remy in STSFTF.

I recommend Swift the Storm, Fierce the Flame to readers that want to try sci-fi as well as longtime sci-fi fans, but start with Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves. Meg Long has a new fan now. I hope she continues with this series and I cannot wait to see which world we get to explore next!

Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I read Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves last year and quite enjoyed it. Unfortunately I can't say the same for this one. I never got attached to the characters, which made it a bit of a slog for me to get through, and the action and stakes only really picked up at the end. Remy's main goal was to find her friend who she hadn't seen for two years, but I wasn't able to feel that any progress was being made on achieving that goal until her friend actually was found, which made it feel jarring and too fast. I did appreciate the worldbuilding, especially the jungle planet with the severe rain and windstorms, and I wish we could have seen more of that and how the climate was really hindering the characters. Overall, I was mostly left with a very meh feeling. 2.5 stars.

This was the second Meg Long, it isn’t marketed as a sequel to Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves, but it is. It takes up after Sena, Iska, and Remy leave Tundar. This tells more if Remy’s backstory. Instead of an ice world it is a jungle world Maraas. It was again a fast paced ride. It amazes me the way Long can have such an action packed story, and yet weave in world building and character backstories so masterfully. The action didn’t slow for the story, and it felt satisfying and complete. It seems like there will be a third book and I can’t wait!
*I received this book as an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) through NetGalley. I received this copy free in exchange for my honest review.*

Swift the Storm, Fierce the Flame by Meg Long is a gripping YA fantasy. The passionate romance mixed with elements of magic makes Swift the Storm, Fierce the Flame an enthralling adventure that won't easily be forgotten.

An enjoyable sequel to the first in the series…

Swift the Storm, Fierce the Flame is a follow-on to Meg Long’s previous book, Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves, and several key characters appear in both books, including Sena and Iska (the protagonists of the first book), and Remy, who is the main focus of this one. However in Swift/Fierce, we’re in a new place – a planet called Maraas that’s also an Edge world, but is hot, stormy, and jungle-y, rather than brutally cold and harsh.

I read Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves, a while back and loved it, so I was eager to read Swift the Storm, Fierce the Flame. And I enjoyed it a lot as well, but just a teeny bit less than the first book in the series. Many of the things I liked were the same in both books: the pacing was sharp, there was lots of action, the story kept me reading, and I could easily imagine myself in the world(s) that Long has created. It felt to me, however, as if there is still a ways to go with the development of Sena’s and Iska’s characters, and so I had a little trouble accepting Remy as the main character now. This wasn’t a huge deal, since we do see and learn more about Sena and Iska, and Sena’s heritage, but they’re not the primary storyline any more. In that way, I oddly feel as if I would have liked Swift/Fierce a bit more if I hadn’t read the first book, and had just started with this one, with Remy as the lead from the beginning.

In any case, though, I do recommend Swift the Storm, Fierce the Flame, and I’m hoping for another book in the series soon. Please keep in mind that for me, a four-star review is a solid “read this book rating”, since I try not to give too many five-star reviews. And finally, my thanks to St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the advance review copy. Oh, and FWIW, I love the cover of the book!

Swift the Storm, Fierce the Flame by Meg Long is the second book in a soft sci-fi series intended for a YA audience but is equally enjoyable to adults. It is a great action thriller with plenty of thrills, spills, and shocking revelations to make it read pretty quickly, much like book 1. In the first book (Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves), Sena and Iska are the stars, and in Swift the Storm, the narration and focus switch to Remy, a supporting character in Cold the Night. I enjoyed this switch. All the characters I loved from Cold the Night are still very much in the story, but the switch in focus opens up so many new possibilities and story potential.
With Iska in tow, Remy and Sena fly to the planet of Maraas, a jungle planet plagued by…you might have already guessed…fierce storms. Remy is looking for a friend she had to leave behind. When they get there, they find a planet on the brink of revolution and an old partner of Remy’s, Kiran, who is also a genetically engineered corporate agent like Remy. Remy and Sena get caught up in the revolution while looking for Alora, and the action doesn’t end until the last page. I loved how it ended, too, leaving open a story I am so excited to read in the next book.
There are meaningful themes surrounding friendship that are a pure delight, not to mention greed, corruption, and revolution, giving the story the many thrills and weight needed. The world-building is exceptional, and the writing engages with an easy flow that invites the reader in. This part of the series did not have the emotional impact that the first one did, but it still is a highly entertaining read that leads the reader to the next part of the story, which will be amazing.

Two years after a mission went sideways, Remy is still trying to find the friend that helped her escape her corporate brainwashing. The only lead she has is finding Kiran Lore, a fellow genopath that had left her for dead. She nearly caught up to him on Tundar before joining the infamous sled race alongside outcast Sena and her wolf companion Iska. Now, all three of them have tracked Kiran back to Maraas, the jungle planet where Remy lost everything. Storms circle the planet, corporations are in conflict with scavvers and syndicates, and Kiran isn't as difficult to find as Remy thought he'd be. He'll help Remy if she helps him with the revolution. How far will Remy go to help her friend?

Following the events of Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves, Remy is now on a jungle planet with Sena and Iska. Our main focus before was on Sena and Iska, their plight and the dangers of the sled race. It's neatly summed up in the beginning if you haven't read that book, and this story is Remy's. Told from her perspective, we learn about genopath training, the life Nova expected of them, and the jobs that Remy had to do. We learn why her friend is so important to her, and why Kiran upsets her so much. The action is nonstop in the book, moving from one rapid-fire event to another. It sucks you in hard, I couldn't help but root for Remy much as I had for Sena and Iska in the last book. 

If you're a fan of the genre, there are some aspects that you can guess, such as where Alora is and why Kiran acts the way that he does. Remy is impulsive and sets off a few (literally) explosive scenes which are really fun to read. While there are definitely tearjerker moments over the course of the book (Sena learns more about her äma, some of the memories that Remy relives, parts of the climax), there's more action and adventure, and villains you love to hate that all but twirl mustaches as they plot. I really enjoyed the conclusion, and hope to see more in this universe soon.

Remy is back with Iska and Sena at her side. But she finds the last person she was hoping to see in Maraas and the starts of a revolution.

Plot: 3/5
This story takes place two years after the first book so a lot has happened since then. There were some lulls in the plot but overall it had a good fast paced structure. I don't feel like the cover represented the story well and, from a consistency perspective, it doesn't match the first books cover at all. Other than the similar title format, you wouldn't know these books were a series.

Characters: 3/5
This second book in the series followed the character I liked the most from the first book. I enjoyed seeing the expanded story that Remy was given. I felt like the side characters fell really flat

Writing: 4/5
Long's strengths are really in world building. Her writing style isn't always my favorite but the world she created kept me invested. She expanded on so much we already knew from the first book.

Overall: 3/5

I read the first book in this series because I got a widget and the cover was intriguing. I loved that book and was excited to hear there was a sequel so I made sure to get a copy! The writing was still good and the world building was amazing, but I had a harder time connecting to the characters in this one. It took me a little bit to get into the story with Remy. I know her lack of emotional upbringing is why Remy is likely so awful at reading the people around her but she is also genetically altered to read people which to be effective should include emotions so it was hard to buy. The two big reveals were a bit anticlimactic to me, but it was still a fun adventure story. The book did pick up and I think it is a worthy story, but it took a bit more getting through whereas the first one I couldn’t put down. I am exciting to see what other adventures this group will get into.

I was eager for this book but it was hard for it to keep my attention. There was a good amount of action and the story is well written and provides detailed descriptions of what’s happening. Still, at times it just wasn’t able to hold my focus. I’d definitely tell others give it a try but I guess it wasn’t for me.


Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC.

Adventures continue for Sena, Iska and Remy in book 2: Swift the Storm, Fierce the Flame. Swift the Storm is Remy’s story and it’s quite the history! I really enjoyed the action scenes throughout this book. There were some very repetitive themes throughout that became a bit distracting. I appreciate the opportunity to read this book!

3.5 out of 5 stars (3.5 / 5) Honestly, I’m not sure if this is book 2 for Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves or if Long wants it to stand on it’s own? It very well could stand on its own with very little information needed to fill gaps.

We have Remy as our protagonist. She is engineered from animal and human parts to create the best product for a corporation in control. She looks human, but her body can heal quickly, and she has better reflexes and strength than others. She also has a perfect memory which both haunts her and comes in handy. She is on the hunt for an old friend and gets herself involved in a rebellion which ends up being the fight of her life with her friends. Many adventures ensue and dangerous threats all while trying to beat the storm that is coming. The adventure is high and it was a fun ride.

“I realize this promise is more than just saving her from the immediate threat. It means I have to stop the coup.”

The book seemed overly long. While it was full of rebellion, action and strategy, I found my attention waning multiple times. I could put it down for days at a time without thinking about it. There were many times I was entertained and loved the adventure but there were many times I walked away from it without another thought. I also would have liked to experience more of the storm. It’s talked about through the entire book, this ominous storm that takes over the planet every few weeks. Landscapes are changed and people are killed. Once the storm finally came I felt I only got a glimpse. It’s in the title, give me more!

The “romance” aspect of the book really confused me. Throughout the story there were hints of something between two young women. Sometimes it played out as a friendship but many times it had me wondering if there was more? Then you add a male character in and there are hints with him too but nothing ever really happened? I’m not opposed to no romance, but I am opposed to being confused and I’m definitely confused.

“It doesn’t matter where or how you start. It only matters what you do to change things and where you end up.”

Thank you to Wednesday Books for the gifted copy!

The book releases January 17, 2023.

Let me preface this by saying I absolutely loved Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves. It was one of my favorite books of 2022, so I had high hopes for this one. Although enjoyable, I just didn’t love this one the same way. I just couldn’t connect with Remy the way I did with Sena. The plot was interesting, the writing was good even though it was repetitive at times, but the character development was lacking for me.