Love it!!!

This series just keeps getting better and better. I thought it was amazing - the atmosphere, the story, the characters during the first book. It’s even more amazing with this second book and I’m much more invested in the story, the characters and everything.

I finished the book in the middle of the night and now I am wishing I didn’t have to go to sleep because I really want to read the next book right now! Now, now , now lol!!!

If you still haven’t checked out or read these books yet, why not! Go now and read them!!! ( )

My only negative with the series so far, is that names of people and objects are pronounced several different ways throughout (when listening on Audible). For example, the main character Kali's best friend is Jaya, it's pronounced Ji-a and Jay-a. Other than that so far this is a good series. I enjoy listening while at work and in the car. It's great when I'm not in a good mood, it calms me and I can picture the characters and events happening. Looking forward to the rest of the series. ( )

The second book in the series is excellent! I love the lush setting and the innovative fantasy elements. The characters sparkle. A great read. ( )

I recommend the series. ( )

3.5 stars

“You have nothing to fear. You are fire and fire is you.”

This was such a great followup to The Hundredth Queen. The world becomes bigger the threats become larger and the stakes become higher. The Fire Queen follows Kali as she searches for Prince Ashwin, Tarek’s heir and the only person who can grant the disgraces Captain Deven his freedom. But to win that freedom, Kali must once again compete for herself and those she loves. The Fire Queen is an imaginative story of doing what is right, even when it is not easy.

Things I Liked
The imagery is again stunning in The Fire Queen. King manages to craft a lush world that is both dangerous and inviting. The imagery really drew me in and made reading the book SO easy.

I really loved the additional worldbuilding we got. The world expands in natural and relevant ways. We, along with Kalinda, learn more about bhutas powers, their history and mythology, and about the different ruling countries. The worldbuilding was well integrated and never felt forced or disruptive. I was really excited to learn more about the bhutas, because they were my favorite part of book 1!

I think the addition of the alternating POVs between Kali and Deven also helped with the worldbuilding, but on a more micro level. We get to see and meet individuals and learn more about how they view Tarek’s rule, his death, Kali’s role as Kindred, Kali and Deven’s role in Hastin’s takeover.

Like in book 1, The Fire Queen also features a competition with an immensely powerful prize. I like the competition here even more than the epic battle that was in The Hundredth Queen. We really get to know and interact with the other competitors (which I found lacking in book 1) and it creates much higher stakes because people we’ve become invested in are in danger.

Things I Didn’t Like
I wasn’t the biggest fan of Ashwin’s instant infatuation with Kali. The series as a whole doesn’t really WOW me in the romance department, but the repeated instalove that Kali finds herself at the end of is disappointing.

I think the pacing in the book was too quick. It yielded some great action and there was never a dull moment, but it also led to some rash decisions and poor planning from characters. I also found the ending to be a little underwhelming for me. Everything was happening so fast that there wasn’t anytime to just live in the scene. Some major stuff goes down and I would have liked some reflection on it, but there was no time with how quickly the story moved.

When I was thinking about the book as I started writing my review, my mind only went to the parts I liked. Even with my grievances, this book was still a joy to read, and leaves a hopeful feeling in it’s wake. The Fire Queen is a story of resilience, strength, and determination. And finding out what you are capable of in the face of unimaginable dangers.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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