Fanning the Flames

As a huge fan of the Going Down in Flames series, I have to commend Fanning The Flames for being another fantastic book in this series. There is no lull in either the pace or quality of the series, it's as sharp and as interesting as ever. Bryn has come a long way from who she was in book one and it showed in her character, decision and behaviours. The witty Bryn once again captured my heart and made me enraptured in another wonderful piece of her journey. Fanning The Flames started with action and from there it was a fun filled ride.
Bryn and Jaxon were instructed to form a group made up of student dragons and volunteer knights to try to find the secrets of the hidden rooms in the library. This paved the way for some really interesting and fun storyline I really loved especially when they find various wonderful magical artifacts and also lead to some fantastic discoveries that made me see their whole world in a new light.
Valmont is ever the precious sexy drool worthy boyfriend, His chemistry with Bryn is top notch and their interactions are great. I love the fact that they're more rational and calm in handling complicated situations though they still have that spark that made me fall in love with them. There is a lot of drama, mystery and action in it. Discovering the motives behind the actions of the rebels was definitely one of the high point of the book but the various relationships between the main characters is enough for it to be a great read.
My best quote is:
She could imagine explaining her marriage to someone. “Did you marry for love?”“Oh, no. I married for spite.” God, her life was bizarre.”

There are twists and turns I could predict and some I couldn't such as the surprise return of some important characters. It is filled with action, romance, comedy, drama, mystery, teen angst and shape shifting fun.
Before the ending, I could sense the heartbreak coming and I was right. All the events leading to the ending was grim and necessary but still sad. The ending itself while heart wrenching still leaves me excited for the next chapter in Bryn's story. This is one series I am so in love with and I recommend this to Young Adult Fantasy fans and anyone looking for a great read. Chris Cannon has amazed me once more with her superb authors, She's one author whose books I will always put on my buy list.

P.S: I have a feeling Bryn and Jaxon are going to end up together! I find the idea more entertaining than I should.
P.P.S: Bryn still loves much food and I'm glad she hasn't lost that part of herself.

“Fanning the Flames” is the continuation of a series about people who shift into dragons. Dragons live by a strong division along the lines of colors, which dictates who they will marry and what kind of jobs they will hold. Bryn is a rare (and often despised) hybrid who has been accepted into the ruling Blue clan. Tensions due to segregation and lack of prospects for certain colors have led to a dragon rebellion, and the rebels have been attacking at the school.

Bryn and her knight, Valmont, are recruited along with some other students to help discover why the school is such a target and what is hiding beneath the surface. They find pathways and relics long since forgotten, including the Tyrant’s crown- a weapon that will prevent a dragon from shifting and which digs into their head. The rebels are becoming more bold and everyone is needed to stop them before they kill more people.

At the same time, drama is building around Bryn and Jaxon, whose families lead the Blue clan and thus all dragons. Their relatives have submitted applications to have them married and it looks like that may go through. Jaxon was formerly engaged to (and is still currently in love with) Rhianna, but their contract was broken when she was injured. Bryn is still madly in love with her knight, Valmont, but neither is sure they could weather the storm of her forced marriage to Jaxon.

This is a well-written story, and it flows quickly and smoothly, easily capturing and keeping your attention throughout. There is some violence and character death (which is to be expected with a rebellion/battles) as well as some torture. All the teenagers are forced to mature quickly. I did not realize this was part of a series when I picked it up, but I found that I was able to follow the story easily even without having read the previous books (but now I do want to read them because it was such a great read)! The end has some closure but is left open for the next book, which I will be anxiously waiting to read!

Overall, this was a strong book, from what I assume is a strong series, and I really enjoyed it! Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher through netgalley. All opinions are my own.