Glow of the Everflame
3.5 ⭐️

Thanks to @netgalley for this eARC copy of Glow Of the Everflame! I was excited to start it after reading the first book earlier this year.

This book picks up with the same main characters and adds a few more to the cast as Diem gets crowned Queen and meets her new family. As before, there’s a ton of tension between her and Luther as well as others who aren’t ready to accept her as queen.

I know this is a very unpopular opinion for this book, but I did not think it lived up to the hype or even how much I enjoyed the first book. This book was a lot longer than the normal books I read, and it kind of felt like not enough actually happened in it given the length. But if you’re into longer fantasy series, this still might be for you!

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria books for a free arc copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Kindred's Curse Saga is one of my new favorite series. It's perfect for fans of Throne of Glass and ACOTAR. While I enjoyed book one of this series a lot, the overall story felt a little rushed to me, but at the same time I didn't feel like a lot happened. Book 2, Glow of the Everflame, makes up for this.

Glow of the Everflame picks up exactly where Spark left off. Diem has been given the crown of Lumnos and does not know what to do or who to trust. We follow Diem as she tries to fit into her new role with the Descended while trying to hold onto her past. As she realizes that the roles of good and evil in her world are not as clear as they once seemed.

What did I like about this book?

The tension in this book is AMAZING. The small moments between Diem and Luther left butterflies in my stomach. And the burn is so slooooooooow it's almost tortuous. Luther is one of my all time favorite love interests. I also really enjoyed learning more about this world and the Descended in this book. The world really started coming together and the side-characters added a lightness to the story.

What did I not like?
Honestly, the only thing about this book that I don't like is Diem. This book is told entirely from her POV and sometimes it's hard to be in her head as she is constantly making bad decisions. Her distrust of Luther and loyalty to Henri were hard for me at times. She's kind of like Aelin from Throne of Glass, if Aelin constantly made the wrong moves and was not very smart.

Overall I really loved this series. Glow of the Everflame, specifically, is my favorite book in the series. I am ANXIOUSLY waiting for the rest of the series.

Out On: December 3, 2024

What an incredible follow up to what is shaping up to be my favorite fantasy read of 2024! I thought that this book gave us so much more insight into Diem, her powers, her life and who she is/wants to be as a person! Needless to say that my heart was ripped out of my chest a variety of times throughout this book, but I couldn't be more happy about it. I love a book that makes me feel something, and this book, oh boy, it did just that.

I am still so curious about Luther and what Diem means to him because even through this book he is kind of an enigma. It is obvious he cares about her a lot, but I NEED to know just how much and why. I want to know all of his secrets!

The side characters came to play in this one and I loved every single one of them. Except Henri. I have a strong dislike for Henri. He sucks. Enough said.

Also, the ending? The ending?! I need book three in my hands immediately. And I know just how I'm going to get it! I'm going to go do that, mkay bye!!!

ps. I thought that the writing grew as well, so my accolades to the author because this was wonderful!

Thank you so much to Atria Books for this advanced copy on NetGalley! 🤍

Thank you to Penn Cole and Atria for the opportunity to read this book.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE The Kindred's Curse series, with Glow being my personal favorite. At the end of Spark, a major revelation changes Diem's trajectory forcing her into a new world to survive. Court politics, secrets, magic, and the slowest slow burn are all present here. And at the center is Luther Corbois. Can he be trusted? Or is he trying to steal the throne for himself? Who can Diem trust to survive and change Lumnos for the better?

Diem goes through such a journey of acceptance that is beautiful in this book. Not only does her point of view change, but she becomes more empathetic to those she used to despise. I can't say enough about the characters, the setting, and Luther. Oh Luther. He has the best quotes in this book. I could gush happiness all day for this series but you should check it out for yourself.

Thank you again for the opportunity. I am so excited to see what Penn does next in her future books.

Diem is a TREASURE and I will fight A N Y O N E who dares challenge that statement.

Her character arc in this book is fantastic. She's thrown to the wolves, forced to learn how to play politics while also trying to maintain her softness and fight for those she has always chosen to fight for. On top of maintaining a connection to her home and her old life, no matter how "stupid" or ill-advised it is. She's flawed, she's trying, and she is a FIGHTER.

And Luther? Her adorable massive golden retriever shadow with a bite? I love him. I can make him so much worse, but BOY do I love him. I can't wait to jump into the next book and get more of the two of them actually together now that Diem has survived this trial and moves onto the next.

The cousins? A+. Nickames galore? Also A+. The villains? Incredible and realistic. Not a single note across the board from me.

I was HOOKED. I read this in an afternoon because I couldn't put it down, and it's taking EVERYTHING in me not to just jump into the third one and forget everything else on my TBR.

Diem is for everyone who wants to fight and change the world but is afraid of losing parts of themselves in the process and afraid of what that means for them.

I loved it! Penn Cole wows us again with her amazing prose in this tale of self-discovery, found family, and a fight for justice and equality.

“𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒌 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒂𝒏’𝒕 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕, 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒌𝒆𝒆𝒑 𝒇𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝒇𝒍𝒂𝒎𝒆. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒈𝒍𝒐𝒘.”

Diem Bellator’s life is about to change for better or worse. In order to survive, she must rely on Luther and the House Corbois even though she hates the elite royal family. As she dives deeper into the lives of the Descended, she realizes that people aren’t always as they seem and she has some difficult choices to make.

It was absolutely thrilling to see Diem unravel who she wants to be, who she wants to surround herself with, and who is worth fighting for.

And the ending twists and turns leave you wanting more immediately!

Tropes:

🔥Love triangle
🔥Mortals, Descended, and half-breeds
🔥He falls first
🔥Banter
🔥Gryvern bond
🔥Found family
🔥Slow burn
🔥She said….Who did this to you?

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for sharing this digital copy with me in exchange for my honest review.

4.25 stars.

We continue book 2 with Diem becoming Queen and all the politics involved. Diem can be a frustrating main character, but I will admit she is brave. We are left with another cliffhanger so I won’t wait long to pick up book 3. I love this series!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

An incredibly fun second book in one of my new favourite fantasy romance series!! I found myself getting quite frustrated by Diem for a lot of her actions in this installment, but far be it from me to expect perfection from someone in such a tough situation.

I loved following the setup of a found family that is obviously going to be centred in future books, and I am RIVETED by yet another cliffhanger!

Holy Kindred flames this series is crack. That cliffy. Luthy baby. Diem is a queen in every meaning of the word. This book. Crack. Crack. Crack. SOOO GOOD!!!

Luther is a total dream boat. And is so down bad for Diem. If these two don’t end up as mates I will riot, Penn Cole. One of my absolute favorite things about this book was the friend group. The sarcastic boy best friend. The no gruff thought sidekick. The looked over friend who’s finally given a chance to shine. Diem truly struck gold with her people. While I was slightly hurt for Henri and how loyal he was to her and had hopes he would come around he did me dirty and the fact that I know he’s going to pop back up and make Diem feel bad leaves me unwell. This book was a wild ride from start to finish and full of so much growth and development and had me immediately begging for book 3.


Thanks will never be enough for allowing me the honor and privelage of reading this book early💕

This book series is so good! The character development from book one to book two was very well done. Luther is shadow daddy! The world building is excellent and the romantic tension was everything
If you are a romantasy lover this series is a must read.

This is the second book in the series and it did not disappoint!
I loved the first one so i was super eager to get my hands on the second one. This has everything you want in a fast paced romantasy.

4.5⭐️

Glow of the Eveflame is the sequel to Spark of the Everflame. When I received this ARC, I had not read the first book yet. But I quickly borrowed it from Kindle Unlimited and I swear I flew through the series in less than a week which is saying a lot as I work full-time and have been sick so I've been sleeping like crazy. Cole created such. a fantastic world and I'm so excited to see more of it. I found the pacing of the book just right; I did not find myself getting bored at any time throughout this book. I also enjoyed all the characters whether I loved them or hated them, I love how relatable they are. This is a must read if you love romantasy.

I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I unfortunately did not enjoy this one. In the first book I struggled with Diem's character and the choices that she makes, but it was still intriguing enough and I still found it to be a solid read. The struggle was much worse in this one. I found her unnecessarily cruel, her choices made no sense, and I was really wanting a whole lot more of the romance. I think she is more suited for Henri, which kind of negates the point of this romantasy. The plot is predictable and trite.

One of my favorite fantasy series. Glow of the Everflame does not disappoint. Diem’s character continues to evolve from book to book. She is by far one of my favorite FMCs. I cannot wait to continue the series.

WOW. An unquestionable 5 stars for me to this sequel.

This series has far surpassed my hopes and expectations. A true fantasy wrapped in politics but with a romantic subplot?! A TRUE slowburn that even after two books has me shaking my fist in the air wanting more of the banter and undeniable chemistry.

The growth of Diem our FMC in this second book is astounding. Without giving too much away, as Diem is thrust into the political dealings of the Courts and Crown of Lumnos, she wages an internal war on herself. Fighting her new life and the secrets she’s uncovered all while still wanting to hold on to the life she once knew. She is faced with massive decisions that’s are ALL being scrutinized.

Luther. Come one now. Delicious. The amount of highlights I have surrounding his interactions?! This man is a lesson in yearning. Wanting but waiting all while being deathly loyal.

This story also dives more into the friendships and deeper dynamics of the court. The found family that we are exposed to?! I am constantly on edge waiting for something terrible to happen to one of these secondary characters and I just KNOW it’s going to hurt.

*a digital ARC was gifted to me on behalf of the Publisher Atria and NetGalley, but all thoughts and opinions are my own

If you’re into fantasy this is a fabulous series! Loved this installment and read the whole series one after the other. Great world building and character depth, warrior FMC, learning on the go, secrets, family issues, deception the romance!

Romantasy readers: You’re going to get LOST in this world. You’re going to lose sleep. You’re going to have to rethink your TBR. And you’re going to love every minute.

I’ve been talking about how much I love this series for months – and I’m not done yet! The Kindred’s Curse saga is simply sensational, a masterclass in the slow burn. I mean, you think you know slow burn? Buckle up.

Glow of the Everflame is an incredible follow-up to Spark. I was particularly impressed with the character work in this second book.
Hear me out. The story is told entirely from Diem’s (our FMC’s) perspective, but we know exactly how those around her feel and who they are. We know who we can trust, who we should fear.

Ultimately, Penn Cole trusts her readers and it shows. There’s nothing heavy-handed about how she teaches us about this world. Subtle details that create a memorable cast of characters. I mean, think about it - we ADORE Luther and connect with him, we trust, understand, and root for him. But we only meet/see him through Diem’s perspective. That is not easy to achieve. That is the style of storytelling that that haunts. It's the kind of world you will get lost in and forget you're reading (in the best way).

And, when an author chooses single POV, I think they are choosing the harder road. A series like Penn Cole’s is proof of the payoff.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for the advanced copy of this read.

What an incredible sequel. I enjoyed every moment of this story and I look forward to the next installment. Diem is my favorite FMC and Luther, as the MMC, does not disappoint.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Atria Books for the eARC of this amazing book.

I love this series! But this book fell a bit short compared to the first one, mainly because I think it was setting up a lot of the series and new storylines, but I don’t know! I felt like some of it was a bit cliche especially with the Guardians stuff, but I think that also part of Diem’s personality too.

But I do think this book (while hard to get through at times) was essential to the series. I have read the third book already and know it’s worth reading the second book to get to third!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The second book in this trilogy picks up where we left off with Diem becoming Queen after the death of the king. While Diem continues to be a strong female character, we see her lose some of her sass as she tries to find her way through the politicking of the many houses. Who is friend and who is foe? Pledging herself to the House of Corbois in a bid to stay alive and increase her chances of making it to her coronation, Diem tries to stay to herself and her mortal values while also trying to find out about her mother. She is also torn between two different men vying for her heart: the powerful Prince Luther and her childhood love Henri. As the day of the Challenging relentlessly comes closer, Diem is fraught with confusion of finding out who she is and trying to stay alive against a battle with challengers who want the throne. Even though she has able to show her power, understanding it and calling it has been beyond her grasp.

I really enjoyed the first book and liked this book even more as we find Diem deep into the battle for power and the politics between houses. It's a slow burn in the romance department that keeps you hanging on to the edge of your seat. While it is a major component in the story, it is not THE story. There are many hints sprinkled among the pages of what is in store for book 3. I loved the political intrigue, the depth of characters, and the action. I devoured this book within two days.

I highly recommend this if you're a fantasy reader or just getting into the fantasy genre. Can't wait for book 3!