| Title | : | Phoenix Flame (Havenfall, #2) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1547603828 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781547603824 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 272 |
| Publication | : | First published March 2, 2021 |
Maddie thought her problems were over. She saved the Inn at Havenfall—a sanctuary between magical worlds—from the evil Silver Prince. Her uncle the Innkeeper is recovering from a mysterious spell that left him not quite human. And there are still a few weeks of summer left to spend with her more-than-friend Brekken.
But there’s more work to be done to protect the Inn—Maddie must put an end to the black-market trading of magical objects and open the Inn’s doors to the once feared land of shapeshifters.
As she tries to accomplish both seemingly impossible tasks, Maddie uncovers secrets that could change everything. What if saving everyone means destroying the only home she’s known?
This next breathtaking fantasy from the bestselling author of Everless is perfect for fans of Melissa Albert and Holly Black.
Phoenix Flame (Havenfall, #2) Reviews
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"I learned my lesson about blind trust, and it came at a cost"
*3.5 Stars - ARC received from publishers, all thoughts are my own*
REVIEW
I loved this one more than book 1, Havenfall, because it was action-packed from the start. It picks up right after book 1 ends and does not let up until the end. I had to take off half a star because... THE LOVE TRIANGLE IS NEVER RESOLVED AND I AM SO PEEVED.
It also felt a little rushed at times, and that led to there being a couple of plot-holes left unresolved by the end, hence the other half-star removed. As much as I love, and will recommend, this duology, I think it would have benefitted from being longer - the books are only 250-300 pages long each. That being said, part of me believes we will get more books in this world because of the unresolved plotlines.
I really can't talk about a lot without giving anything away because 20% into the book, shit starts hitting the fan. I was constantly raising my eyebrows and widening my eyes at the events that transpired. I couldn't stop myself from turning the pages like a mad-woman and had to force myself to set a timer so I could stop and eat lunch.
This duology is a story about growth and acceptance. It is about the bonds of family and the fears of falling in love. It is about a girl who is lost in life but has a place that feels like home, and she will fight like hell to keep it safe. I thought Maddie had some great development over the two books (she was kind of the only character who had development though).
This is truly one of the most unique, duologies I have read - I cannot wait to recommend it to more people. -
I think I wanted to like this more than I actually did. Phoenix Flame somewhat wraps up this portal fantasy duology, although it does not have a satisfying conclusion to the love triangle our bisexual heroine finds herself in and that was disappointing.
Things I loved about this? The rich descriptions of Havenfall and the parallel worlds, the ideas behind the world building. All really cool and evocative.
Things I didn't love? The "too dumb to live" heroine who somehow manages to escape all her exceedingly rash and stupid choices relatively unscathed. The aforementioned lack of satisfying romance. The many plot conveniences. And I have a fairly high tolerance for convenient things happening, but this required a lot of suspension of disbelief. And coupled with my other issues, it made it hard to really buy it.
The book is extremely fast paced, which is good and bad. It makes is quick and easy to read, but it also doesn't allow time to really develop things fully. Basically I LOVE the world and the set pieces, but I really didn't like the main character, the lack of romantic resolution, or the number of plot conveniences. Which is a shame because this had so much potential. I received an advance copy of this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own. -
okay the cover is growing on me but it's not at the level of havenfall, that was a beaut
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Phoenix Flame by Sara Holland is a half-baked, rushed fantasy that was just okay.
As a sequel, it works fine, but don’t expect too much going in and you’ll be all right.
I knew I wanted to read Phoenix Flame because I enjoyed Havenfall. And after rereading my review for Havenfall, I found myself nodding in agreement to many of the points I made before.
Holland didn’t learn from her mistakes in Book 1, and in fact the problems seem worsened in Phoenix Flame.
Phoenix Flame Review
As a story, and a plot, Phoenix Flame is good. Everything that happens is perfect and I have no complaints. Fans of the series will enjoy where Phoenix Flame takes them and the interesting twists that occur along the way.
The primary problem is that the Havenfall series should have reasonably been a trilogy.
I don’t know what it is with publishers these days, but I’ve been seeing a rise in the duology. And they’re fine when done well, but readers want trilogies or longer.
Personally, I’m partial to the 4-5 book series. If I’m going to take the time to get to know characters and a world, I don’t want it to be over in just 2 books.
I’m sorry.
I hope publishers read this and wake up.
Phoenix Flame was rushed, and events that happen happen too quickly or too easily and they don’t give the reader or the characters time to process what’s happening.
I’m not saying that existing scenes should have been lengthened, but rather that we could have had a ton of additional scenes to build up to big reveals.
Phoenix Flame Summary
Phoenix Flame picks up where Havenfall left off, I think.
The peace summit from Havenfall is still going on, though I believe a few days have past.
There are still two weeks left of the summit and the entirety of Phoenix Flame takes place during that two week time period.
The Silver Prince has been defeated and sent back to his realm in Byrn. But the soul trade that Maddie uncovered in Havenfall (that is that Solarian souls were being locked away in silver and then traded) is still going.
Maddie’s goal, which is contradictory to what every other level-headed person in this story wants, is to ignore the wisdom of her elders and do her own thing to stop it, instead of waiting for help.
Maddie's Attitude
Along the way Maddie ruins a fair bit, and even when her uncle, Marcus, is on board, she still sees the need to keep him in the dark about her plans.
The thing is, Marcus doesn’t ever even get upset at her.
Destroy an entire building and kill a bunch of people? Oh it’s okay, someone else will take the blame. Deceive her uncle and destroy parts of Havenfall while fighting the big bad enemy? Not a big deal!
Marcus actually apologizes for Maddie needing to feel like she had to deceive him. And she doesn’t get in trouble at all for what she did.
But probably the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard was Maddie’s willingness to sacrifice the lives of everyone, not only on earth, but in all the realms.
For what? All to save her mom who has been in jail for the last 15 years, was on death row, and made her peace with dying.
When everyone else tells her sacrificing her mother is for the greater good, she stands up and says “No! I won’t let you do this” then she storms out, and no one chases her. No one stops her. Over the next 3 days while she’s plotting, and some people know she’s plotting, no one confronts her.
They just let it happen. Some of them help.
Plotholes
Maddie gets this golden gauntlet that helps her not be sick in other realms. And she wears it around at a ball, like no one will notice.
And the author acts like its this hidden item no one can see. A gauntlet is a metal glove that’s big and bulky. It’s kind of hard to miss.
Then later when a character is wearing the gauntlet under what I can only assume is a hoody, and the hoody is hit with a fireball, exposing the skin, this metal gauntlet, A) doesn’t save the individual from being hurt and B) isn’t noticed at all by the enemy.
It’s a cool concept, but I’m not sure the author thought this through that well.
What I might be annoyed about most is that the author ends the book early, hinting at what might happen during a conversation that I feel would have been very exciting to witness.
She only needed to write another 2-3 pages to include it in the story. That’s it. I’m rather frustrated with that.
Closing Thoughts
I would normally write about the things I like. And I don’t like writing negative reviews.
And for what it’s worth, I’m still giving this book a 3/5 stars.
But I struggled to come up with anything in here that I truly loved. It was a good book, plotholes and attitude aside. I read the whole thing in 3 days, which is really fast for me.
It was engaging and interesting. But the little niggles stuck with me and wouldn’t let go.
If you enjoyed Havenfall and want to see what happens, go for it. But if you were fine with how Book 1 ended and don’t care to read more, you won’t miss anything really. -
No, you're in mourning over all that we could have had. I'm not. No sir. These tears are for a completely different reason. Not at all related to finishing this book.
Full review at
A Book Shrew
I'm still not convinced I didn't just read a very clean first draft and not a book about to be published in a week. I will be the first to admit I am disappointed in this sequel. It's very smooth reading, and the recaps of what happened in the last book were well done, but it is completely unmemorable. When I read Havenfall last year, it was a pleasant surprise. A magical hotel with portals to different worlds was so intriguing, and the plot was unexpectedly twisty and engaging. It was nothing like I hoped for and yet everything I wanted. And now it seems that everything that worked in Havenfall has abandoned its sequel, leaving behind the shell of an absolutely weak fantasy.
If I receive a book that barely breaks 270 pages, I expect it to be tight. I want to finish coiled like a spring from the intensity of the plot. Instead I am left asking if that was really the best you could give me. This felt so disconnected from the first book that I firmly believe this story was not intended as a duology. There was a great struggle to build a meaningful story here. The book revolved around the terrible soul trade that was brought up in the first book, but all it did was highlight how weak this story was. Thinking back, and I'm shocked to realize this, but I don't think anything was actually resolved. The stakes felt so low because even though this was supremely boring, there was still no space to dig into anything exciting. Far too much time was given over to discussions on plans that never come to pass because they're overtaken by what I suppose were plot twists. Everything was too convenient and only left me with more questions that were swept under the rug. Yes, we do get to see one of the portal worlds, but it felt rather pointless.
Further not helping the story, these characters were very bland. My initial problem with Maddie was that she is a black and white personality desperately in need of some spice, and sadly that is still the case. As the main character, there was never any real challenges for her to face. The others either carried her through or everything worked without a hitch. She is somehow capable of doing everything without actually knowing how, and it's disheartening. Especially when there are zero consequences for her actions, some of which were quite reckless and harmful. I'm sad to say that the rest of the cast all blended together too. No one person stood out as a favourite to me. There is some great LGBTQ rep, but barely worth writing in. For instance, Maddie is bisexual. The first book built up a whole potential love triangle (corner?) between her, Taya and Brekken. Except ... the surface was never scratched. There's one kiss between her and Brekken, she overanalyzes everything Taya says to her, and that's it. The end result to both potential relationship is just dull and lacking any resolution.
There was an extra bonus chapter at the end from a different character's perspective, but after skimming the last 75 pages, I did not bother. Does it open things up for more in this universe? Is there more resolution? Possibly, but an extra ten pages could not save this book from its shortcomings. I'm incredibly grateful to Raincoast Books for the ARC copy, especially since I really did want to see what came next, but this was truly a waste of a fresh premise. -
The best thing is when a sequel starts right where the last book ends & Phoenix flame did this so it was easy to jump back into the story. I did feel like certain parts of the book were rushed & never really resolved, I wish that there was an epilogue for this book as it would of answered some of my questions. Overall this is an easy to read fantasy that I would recommend to anyone new to fantasy
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ARC received from Bloomsbury in exchange for an honest review.
Summary
Maddie Morrow spends every summer with her uncle at the Inn at Havenfall, a way-point that connects ancient worlds together. She has spent her summers there to escape from the tragedies of her life - such as her murdered brother and mother on death row. The inn is where she fell in love with her best friend, a solider from Fiordenkill named Brekken, and where she hopes to one day take over as the innkeeper and oversee the peace negotiations between the different worlds. This summer, however, all chaos breaks loose. A dead body is found at the inn, Brekken goes missing, her uncle is injured, a monster is on the loose, and the delegates are at each other's throats. Suddenly, Maddie has to juggle a lot more responsibility than she ever thought to try and undo the wrongs of her predecessors.
Review
The world built in Havenfall and Phoenix Flame is mystical and wonderful. I love the concept of an inn that sits at the threshold of all the different worlds. The second installment even explored what those other worlds are l like. I wanted to love this book so much, but it fell very flat compared to the first installment.
The plot was very rushed and I felt like we were just jumping from one situation to the next with everything being resolved quickly. There was so much mystery and intrigue built up in the first installment and I felt like it all fell away in this one. While it was great getting to go to Fiordenkill, the mission that was set there was quickly resolved and left the main plot of the book floundering to find a new foot hold.
The ending of this duology was left very open, to the point where I felt like I got no resolution even though this story is supposed to be over. The love triangle was left suspended in air, and there was no resolution about what Maddie was to do with her two love interests. In general, the plot felt like it was rushed and resolved way too quickly to make for an intriguing story.
The strongest aspect of this book is the world building. Exploring the icy tundra of Fiordenkill was my favorite part. I do wish we got a bit more of the other worlds, but for the quick plot it was sufficient. Holland excels at lush descriptions and luring you in to worlds.
This duology is beautifully descriptive with heart pounding plots, but I wish this concluding novel was a bit more fleshed out with more plot resolution. -
ALL RIGHT YES LET'S GO
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3.5 stars. Enjoyable but only tied up some of the plot points despite being the conclusion of a duology. The action itself felt quite rushed and things just seemed to happen too easily for the characters. Because of this the plot was rushed and there were pages of 'character development' that just seemed to drag.
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After loving Havenfall, I was so excited to dive into this as soon as possible and I'm very happy to be able to say it didn't disappoint. The low average rating for this duology beyond confuses me. It's got everything you could want in a YA fantasy. It's got a fast paced and addictive plot, an easy to follow but no less engaging world and magic system, casual LGBTQIA+ rep and an intriguing and memorable cast of characters. The relationships, characters, world, magic and story hooked me from page one of Havenfall and carried me through the years wait until I finished the final page of Phoenix Flame. I thoroughly enjoyed my time listening to the audiobook and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone wanting a thrilling, easy fantasy read.
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I really enjoyed reading this and highly recommend
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Yikes.
“Phoenix Flame” picks up a few short weeks after the events of book 1 and we find Maddie and her uncle Marcus trying trying to pick up the pieces left after the devotion at the hands of the Solver Prince is revealed. With the injustices of the soul trade looming over their heads Maddie works to find the mysterious piece to allow travel through worlds and stumbles upon someone from her past.
This probably should have been a standalone novel as the book begins with a fairytale like story that suddenly has so much meaning it serves as the driving force for a rather weak plot that left me feeling underwhelmed and unsatisfied.
The strength of book one was the building of the dynamics between the different realms and the mystery which allowed us to take all of this information in organically but this book never managed to achieve this rather it spent time tearing down a character and relationship that was already weak in order to deliver on a shared look between someone else and I just don’t understand the point of this novel at all.
If it had spent more time on building the characters more I think it could have had a different impact. The antagonists here are nonexistent and not in the puppet master sense where you may not see them on the page but you can feel them steering the hero/heroine headfirst into different obstacles and that’s where this book suffered the most. There were multiple instances of betrayal by different characters and not once did I care because the book didn’t even bother to give one of those moments/characters a second of dialogue which felt like a waste. I feel like there were a lot of regressions with some of the characters as well in order to move them from point a to point b without much care for their individual and shared arcs which is a shame as it comes off rather lazy.
It’s hard not to go into more detail especially since I want to give specific examples as to why this is such a flop but in an attempt to not share spoilers I’ll say while reading I saw the bolded “acknowledgements” section and immediately thought it was a formatting error on my e-galley because it just ended and the best example I can give is the Sopranos finale where you’re left staring at a blank screen asking “wait that’s it?”.
**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review** -
Phoenix Flame is the amazing conclusion to the Havenfall, a story about a young girl working to save the Inn that serves as the neutral territory between many different worlds. Maddie is back in this book after saving the Inn, but there is a new challenge in her path. Maddie must figure out who, and what, is most important to her to save, because she might not be able to save it all.
I LOVED this sequel. I enjoyed this book even more than Havenfall, I feel like there was a lot more action and intrigue happening, and was far better paced. I liked the additional characters added to bring some dimension and further the story in ways I didn't expect. I felt more engaged and interested in this book, and I really didn't even put it down, even though I should have to get sleep!
I feel like the ending was left open to allow a return to the world in the future, which I generally enjoy. The story is wrapped up however, except for one character's story line - which is why I say it's possible there could be a return to this world. Or, it's just left up to the reader to interpret what happened - which is also possible. Also, at the end you get a chapter from a different POV, which was very interesting!
You should definitely check out this duology if you enjoyed Sara's Everless duo or A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer.
**Thank you to Bloomsbury YA and Netgalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review** -
4 stars!
Phoenix Flame is an incredible sequel. After reading and loving Havenfall last year, I knew I had to pick this one up and read it too. It was so nice to be back in Havenfall and to learn more about this world and its magic and to be with the characters once again.
Maddie wishes her problems could be over right after the events of Havenfall, but instead she finds herself in a new mess with lots of mysteries to solve.
I pretty much read this in one sitting because I didn't want to put it down. It's fast paced and entertaining and there's never a dull moment.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review. -
Huge thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing, Netgalley, and Sara Holland for the opportunity to review this eARC of Phoenix Flame out in March of 2021!
-Characters- (0.5/1)
I enjoy reading Maddie's character and I look forward to seeing how she develops and discovers herself in later installments. That said, I did not see the depth in her character that I love in YA Fantasy novels. The plot was so fast-paced that it felt like she didn't get any time to really understand who she was and become more confident in herself. Hopefully she will get more of that time in later books.
-Plot- (0.5/1)
As I said in the previous paragraph, the plot was very fast-paced. There wasn't enough room for depth even in the plot, as if everything was happening at a surface level. However, the plot itself was unusual when compared to other YA books. Souls trapped in steel? A crossroads between worlds? All stunning and unique, as is Holland's world-building, which I will get to in the next paragraph.
-World-Building- (1/1)
This is something that authors can either do very well, or very poorly. Thankfully, Holland crafted a world that the former can support. I absolutely love books with fictional races, each with pasts that are woven in throughout the story. As a whole, the world inside of PHOENIX FLAME is enrapturing in its beauty, and leaves the reader awestruck.
-Romance- (0.5/1)
I don't feel that romance was a key part of this story much at all. While I have no problem with that in other books, Maddie is a different case. She is trying to figure out her feelings between Brekken and Taya, both of whom love her in different ways. Personally, I feel there should have been more tension and depth to this side of Maddie as she begins to understand who she is and accepts herself.
-Writing- (1/1)
A dazzling world, to be sure. And a world such as the one Holland crafted can only be executed through skilled writing and diction. Her writing style is captivating, her pacing extraordinary. Overall, a well-written story despite the need of a few tweaks.
Final grade: 3.5/5⭐ -
Between 2 and 3 stars... I’m rather disappointed in this one
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Fantasierijk, boeiend, pakkend geschreven
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*Source* NetGalley
*Genre* Young Adult / Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5-4
*Thoughts*
Phoenix Flame is the second installment in author Sara Holland's Havenfall duology. Phoenix Flame picks up just days after where Havenfall ended for readers. Maddie Morrow may have saved the Inn at Havenfall, (a sanctuary between magical worlds deep in the mountains of Colorado), from the treachery of the Silver Prince, but it was only the beginning of a longer game with deadlier consequences. The good news is that her uncle Marcus, the Innkeeper, is finally awake, and his regained control over the Inn.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20... -
Trigger/Content Warnings*: abduction, blood, death, explosions
*This is not an exhaustive list. The warnings I have written are based of what I remember from the book, as at the time of reading I did not keep a list (I thought I'd remember the events clearly . . . which was a mistake).
This review will contain some significant spoilers.
Phoenix Flame is the sequel to Havenfall and the conclusion of the duology. I really enjoyed reading Havenfall despite the many unfavorable reads, I thought it was a good first novel with an interesting concept, and I was excited to read more. Thus, when Phoenix Flame became available to request on Netgalley, I just had to request it because I am way too impatient and wanted to read it as soon as possible. So, I dived in, excited, and I was let down.
Lets begin with the title shall we? The title of this novel is significant as it is reference to a piece of mythology that plays an important role in the plot. To sum up, it is something to do with a heartbroken man and his armor made of Phoenix Flame - a substance created from a Gods (?) tears. We find this out in the beginning of the novel. This mythos pops up multiple times, as the armor comes in to play as a weapon and a tool of travel. Thinking that it was just myth, or lost for good, it is revealed that nope, it's very much real and is tangled up in Maddie's history. With such significance giving to this tale - it being told multiple times - I found it very overwhelming. A lot of answers weren't given - and if they were, I completely missed them. Like what happened to the original person who wore it? How did it end up where it did? Every answer given, and every solution was just . . . meh. Like "oh, yes this can destroy worlds!" but don't worry because we've found a couple of cupboards that stop that from happening. Like . . . it just seemed ridiculous?
And this was the same for several other elements in the story, too. It felt like Holland was just rushing though the plot, trying to get from A to B, without stopping to actually tell the story. Like a pretty big cliffhanger at the end of the last novel was that of the missing brother, and Taya exiting to another world. Yet when they both popped back up, it was "oh, actually it wasn't that bad!" and "I'll tell you later!" It was all just so convenient. So easy. Like yeah, he just popped across and found me on this other world, after not seeing me since we were babies, and now we are here! And oh, I'll tell you all about it later. We did get some insight, but with the information held back it felt like Holland didn't want to really say anything because it's like they are saving they idea for a potential spin off, instead.
It was just disappointing, really. To have such anticipation about what happened to Tyra, will she ever find her brother, only for it to happen and for it to be like
Oh. That's it.
Just a let down. Didn't hit it's emotional mark. Felt like there was no tension, no stakes.
I did originally give this 3 stars, but I think I'm going to lower my rating to 2, because there really wasn't much I liked about it. The plot was lacklustre and unfulfilling, and I did not find myself invested in the characters and the relationships between them. Because, again, there was no tension, or emotion built up, no time was spent on exploring the complicated relationship between them - and if there was, it was over and done in a few pages, and then moved on to the next . . .
So ultimately, I found this to be a disappointing sequel and conclusion to the duology. If another book is announced in this world, I won't be rushing to read it.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for sending me this e-Arc in exchange for an honest review. -
One of the worst feelings one can feel while reading a book is apathy, especially when it is apparent the author is attempting to evoke feelings of suspense or sympathy. Unfortunately, I felt this way towards Phoenix Flame.
Phoenix Flame isn’t what I would consider a “bad” book. It gets the job done, and wasn’t terribly rushed as many series conclusions are, in spite of its short length. The problem with this book’s storyline, however, was that it was too straightforward, coming with the expense of the omission of previously important plot points and addition of convenient new ones (namely, the titular Phoenix Flame, the inclusion of which was out of place).
For instance, one of the biggest things Havenfall leaves hanging is Marcus’s condition. He’s been healed through Graylin’s magic, but he’s not quite the same, even to the point of him not being “fully human”. Marcus receives minimal page time in Phoenix Flame, and his condition is mentioned once in passing. There is not a lot of closure in general, save for the imminent conflicts at hand.
The plot itself is lackluster; we get a glimpse of Fjordenkill, but not even that lends a spark to the book. This could be because I wasn’t exactly a fan of the first book, but the story felt simple and failed to hold my attention. The developments we witness provide a small sense of resolution, but it isn’t much.
Character personalities were ultimately lacking. Maddie feels like a blank slate, despite pages upon pages focused upon her internal dialogue and thoughts. The villain—The Silver Prince—had as much motivation as he had page time (which is, to say, very little) and was altogether unconvincing. At least in Havenfall he could be seen playing both sides, and while obviously hiding some ulterior motive, appeared as though he might have had more depth. This was simply not the case. Taya, Marcus, Brekken...all cardboard cutouts, at least in this installment.
Duologies are tricky things. Occasionally a story is just right for just two books, especially if they are longer books with more subject matter to build off of. Suffice to say, this series does not fall under this category. I believe Havenfall could have worked well as a standalone, if only a few things were tweaked. Phoenix Flame was not exactly worth it, if only for an obligatory and rudimentary closure.
Havenfall : ⭐⭐⭐
Phoenix Flame: ⭐⭐ -
I keep seeing this referred to as a duology in the reviews. Seriously? Is this the last book? Because things are NOT wrapped up. I was wavering between 3 and 4 stars, but if this is a duology, then it's a firm 3 stars.
I still loved the world building and the idea of these different realms convening at Havenfall as a neutral zone. I like the addition of the armor as a way to travel between the realms and the unexpected layer of the mom & Cadius' relationship. However, that relationship is something that I consider to be left unfinished. There just seems to be more there.
The fast pace of this book is both a blessing and a curse. I loved how fast it moved, but I think the pace made us skip through parts that needed a bit more bulk and explanation. I felt like the first book really set up the plot well and the second book should have answered more questions. It touched on some of the questions I had, but I still feel that some were left unanswered.
Also, there's a bisexual love triangle in here that just feels unnecessary. This is coming from a girl that loves a good love triangle. I think it felt unnecessary because Maddie has apparently been in love with Brekken since forever and he knows her in and out. Then, Taya comes along and doesn't really have a spark with Maddie, but she's kind of rough around the edges and mysterious so Maddie is suddenly in love with her too. Meh. The idea of a bisexual love triangle is new, but I felt like Taya was being forced on me when there just wasn't much there.
I'm gonna choose to believe that another book will follow this one. This series is so creative and it needs some more expansion and explanation. Maybe I'll just keep my fingers crossed for a third installment. -
3.5 / 5 ✪
https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com...
In many ways, Phoenix Flame manages to improve upon the mistakes made by its predecessor, shaping up both the interactions and the character development, while also maintaining the elements that I most enjoyed. Namely (somehow) the romance.
It was quite a summer for Maddie Morrow. After taking over temporary management of the Inn at Havenfall, she was able to disrupt the soul trade, humanize the Solarians, and prevent a coup. Now, with Marcus awake and back in charge, Maddie has been demoted back to #2—an move that she was equal parts crushed and relieved by. Yet with her uncle still recovering, her input is now more important than ever before. And she must do what’s best for Havenfall—no matter the cost.
And yet it’s a price she may not be willing to pay. After all, Maddie is in love with a Fiorden soldier. Mostly. There was a certain girl that made her heart skip a beat…—but she’s gone, locked away behind the Solarian gate. And Brekken is at Havenfall. Brekken, the boy that Maddie grew up and played with. Brekken, the boy that has become a man, one whom has expressed his interest in being with her. If the Inn falls between her and Brekken, what will Maddie do?
But more pressing concerns highlight the end of Maddie’s summer. The black-market trade of soul-bound silver has been disrupted, but is far from over. But now she has a lead on the illicit trade network, one that requires her to go undercover inside Fiordenkill, a winter wonderland that she’s always wanted to visit. But this visit will be rife with danger—despite the presence of a particularly distracting soldier—and Maddie must use all her cunning if she’s to end the trade, once and for all.
Too bad Maddie doesn’t have any cunning.
Seriously, it might’ve been a more interesting read if Maddie was a bit brighter, a bit more cunning, a bit darker, a bit more riské. But she’s not, and that’s that. But she’s still a teenager—young, immature, immortality-complex, dumb, all the realistic stuff. Phoenix Flame highlights a coming-of-age series, and part of growing up is learning to fail and overcome your mistakes. And Maddie makes a lot of mistakes. And that’s fine.
The story is a decent enough adventure; containing enough twists and turns to keep it interesting, yet it never blew me away or surprised me with its choices. As I’ve said before, Maddie’s maybe not the best narrator, but she’s what we’ve got, and tells the story well enough. I enjoyed the glimpses we got of Fiordenkill, but ultimately found them too few and lacking in any interesting detail. Literally all I can remember now is that the land was snowy and cold—the description and world-building really could’ve delivered more of a punch.
The magic system of Havenfall is… a letdown. To be honest, I forgot that magic was a thing for a great portion of the text, only for Maddie to use it once near the end and immediately drop the subject. I remember in the first book how she discovers her ability and uses it to overcome the Silver Prince. It was a surprise and a joy to her. Not so much in Phoenix Flame. No “she practiced to improve her skill” or “she still marveled in her use of magic”. Not even “oh, she had magic, too”. It’s just not mentioned. As for what and how it works… I dunno. That’s never explained, either. It’s just another missing piece in what could’ve turned out to be a great story.
The romance continues to be the main draw of the series, a phrase that continues to baffle me. Young love burns bright—and Maddie’s love life is achingly familiar, in an awkward teenage sort of way. It reminded me of my first love: the prickle of heat surrounding every stolen moment; the burning embarrassment of pretty much anything else; the indecision, the constant turmoil of emotions, the lack of anything approaching experience akin to being tossed in the ocean with a tiger strapped to your chest. Instead of the gawky, awkward, cringey, will-they won’t-they of normal YA romances, so far Sara Holland has managed to capture the nostalgia that comes with your first crush, your first love (at least, for me). There’s still plenty of awkwardness, but it’s all on a learning curve. And both Brekken and Taya create plenty of opportunities to learn, though each in different ways.
TL;DR
Phoenix Flame is the second book in the Havenfall series, and manages to build on the relative successes of Havenfall, while simultaneously correcting some of its mistakes. The story is solid but won’t blow you away with its inventiveness. The plot is interesting, with a few twists and turns and decent character development. The world-building and description continues to leave something to be desired, and the whole fantasy aspect of this fantasy book needs some serious work. As in Book #1, the main allure of Phoenix Flame lies in its romance. A bundle of emotions and no idea what to do with them made me nostalgic for my youth—but unlike the cringe-worthy, awkward, fumbling experience I’m used to seeing in YA lit, this provided something more thoughtful, more delicate, more unique. And I’m completely surprised that I continue to recommend this serious for its romance. While the story and description and characters still could use some improvement—young love continues to impress. -
3.5 stars.
I will admit that I was disappointed by this second in the duology. I think this series would be much better served as a trilogy and the way it ends actually demands a third book.
The writing was just as good as in Havenfall with respect to the atmosphere. The worlds and character types are creative and fun and I really liked the descriptions that filled the narrative. This world is a lot of fun and I would really like to have more from it. I think there are a lot of pieces present that lend themselves to continuation of the series or creation of companion novels and/or series. There is just so much at work and it really is an intriguing place to be.
The action was great and the book moved along pretty well. Things took off right away and really just kept rolling to the end. There weren't any spots that felt lagging. In fact, the pacing did feel a bit rushed in some places and could have done with a little more in depth movement to slow things down and get the reader more invested.
There wasn't as much immersion into the characters this time around, so I highly recommend reading this one immediately after the first novel if you want to pick it up. Otherwise, the characters can feel a little flat and underdeveloped. Maddie comes off a bit more inept and lost in this novel and I would have really liked to have seen a firmer resolution for her in the end. I feel the same for several of the supporting characters. There are some amazing character arcs that just get left completely hanging.
Speaking of being left hanging...I was totally miffed by the ending. It is vague and wandering and leaves several things unresolved. It seriously felt like the cliffhanger that would happen in a second for a trilogy, so I think the author needs to really consider changing this from a duology and giving her fans another book for resolution. Without a third book, this is just painful.
Sara Holland...I am begging you. Please write another book in this series. Give us some closure and turn this into a fantastic middle novel instead of an okay second novel in a duology.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. * -
'Hier in Fiordenkill gaat een verhaal,' legt hij uit, 'over een god die tranen van metaal huilde. Metaal dat eruitzag zoals dit.'
Dit is zo'n boek dat zo'n beetje over de hele lijn helaas leidt aan het 'Het Is Nog Te Doen, Maar Dan Ook Maar Net'-syndroom, met andere woorden: het is nog te doen... maar dan ook maar... nét.
Ik ben ervan op de hoogte dat er momenteel een tekort aan papier is voor boeken*. Misschien komt het daardoor, maar de kaft van dit boek is... raar. De voor- en achterkant flappen helemaal open, zo in een boog, alsof ze uren in de zon gelegen hebben - maar dat is niet het geval, het kwam regelrecht uit de winkel en heeft geen zon gezien. Daarnaast zijn de bladzijdes niet plat maar golven ze een beetje, wat je normaal ook alleen maar ziet als het erg warm is. Of als het papier van mindere kwaliteit is. Oké, ik weet het, dat is allemaal niet het eind van de wereld, maar erg tof vind ik het toch ook niet. Iedereen heeft stokpaardjes en autistische trekjes, dit is er een van mij.
Bovendien... vind ik de tekening op de kaft nu niet om over naar huis te schrijven. Havenfall was was wel mooi, maar nu vind ik het bijna echt wel lelijk. Een beetje jammer. Het valt wel op zo tussen andere boeken, maar daar is dan ook alles wel mee gezegd.
De vertaling van het boek is van Mariella Manfré, die ik zelf ken van een paar andere boeken (waaronder Boek 1) en vooral strips. Normaal gesproken levert ze naar mijn mening toch wel goed werk, maar hier heeft ze wel wat steken laten vallen. Er zitten een aantal zinnen in die niet echt heel normaal klinken, waar er een paar woorden vreemd gekozen zijn - het is erger in het begin van het boek, maar het gaat er nooit helemaal uit. Tamelijk van voren in het boek zit ook een 'jus d'orange' verstopt. Maar wat me vooral opviel, was dat er drie Engelse termen gewoon niet vertaald zijn: 'bottleneck', 'child's pose' en 'scrying'. Toch wel vreemd, en storend, want die hebben allemaal Nederlandse equivalenten: 'flessenhals', 'balasana, kind- of maanhouding' (het is iets van yoga) en 'schouwen'. Dus waarom die dan niet gebruiken? Ik kan niet helemaal volgen.
De stijl van Feniksvlam vind ik ook maar zozo. Ik dacht eerst nog dat dat misschien ook hier en daar aan de vertaling lag, maar daar is het volgens mij té opvallend en te veelvoorkomend voor. Er zitten een heleboel korte, eenvoudige zinnen in die aaneengeschakeld konden worden om wat langere, complexere zinnen te vormen, en dan had het vlotter gelezen. Dat vind ik ook wel vreemd, want in Havenfall en de
Everless-boeken is me dat totaal niet opgevallen.
Een paar van de personages konden me ook niet bekoren. Ik was al geen fan van de will they, won't they, they're doing it-scènes tussen Maddie en Brekken om te beginnen, en hoe meer het verhaal vorderde, hoe meer ik me aan Brekken ging ergeren. Hij haalde echt het bloed onder m'n nagels vandaan, de arrogante kwast. Nate/Nahteran vertrouwde ik voor geen meter. De Erfgename was eigenlijk het hele boek door - op één scène in het begin na - afwezig en dat was zonde, en met de andere permanente aanwezigen op Havenfall communiceert Maddie ook maar weinig, zoals Marcus, Graylin en Willow. Aan Sura worden ook maar enkele bladzijdes besteed. Taya is nog steeds een frisse wind, en eens ze haar herintrede maakt in het verhaal zorgt ze zeker voor een aangename, frisse wind - maar helaas duurt het wel een hele tijd voor het zover is. Ik voelde zelf ook minder een connectie met Maddie dan in Boek 1. Ze kwam toen iets meer zelfzeker op me over, en ze... deed precies ook meer, op de een of andere manier. Nu... voert ze redelijk weinig uit.
Dat komt voor een deel ook doordat er in dit hele verhaal redelijk weinig gebeurt, vind ik zelf. Zo in het midden ongeveer komt er wat vaart in, maar de eerste helft van Feniksvlam is meer een lange, lange aanloop - en ook daarna betert het maar matig. Tot in de laatste twee, drie hoofdstukken ineens alles in een stroomversnelling komt. En daarna nog twee, drie bladzijdes om alles even af te ronden? Daar had dan wel weer wat meer tijd voor genomen mogen worden. Het is tof om te horen dat Maddie uiteindelijk wel haar grote wens zal krijgen - en dat ze hem nog steeds wil aanvaarden ook - maar er hadden gerust nog een paar afsluitende scènes extra mogen zijn. Nu valt het opeens weer stil, omdat het gewoon gedaan is. Bam.
Daarnaast was ik in Boek 1 echt geïntrigeerd door en geïnteresseerd in het hele leven in en rond Havenfall en de andere werelden, maar dat aspect van de wereld viel bijna volledig weg, alleen zo hier en daar hadden we nog iets korts. Toen Maddie uiteindelijk , dacht ik dat we heel wat beschrijvingen en dergelijke zouden krijgen, maar dat gebeurde nauwelijks, alleen een paar snelle dingetjes. Van Taya horen we ook nauwelijks iets over Solaria - en laten we eerlijk zijn: dat er daar stranden zijn met blauw zand, of blauwe kiezelstenen, wat was het alweer, dat is nu ook niet zó ontzettend interessant.
Dit alles om maar te zeggen: het is nog oké hoor, of zoals we in Vlaanderen wel vaker zeggen, 't is nog wel ça va, maar daar houdt het dan ook op. Ik weet dat alles hierboven redelijk negatief klinkt, maar dat komt vooral dat ik wel hoge verwachtingen had, vermoed ik. Op zich is het gewoon allemaal redelijk... standaard. Onopmerkelijk. Niet bijzonder goed, maar ik zou het ook niet slecht noemen. Als dit een trilogie was, had ik dit een tussenboek genoemd. Het boek telt 246 bladzijdes, dus het is gewoon iets dat je eens tussendoor zou kunnen lezen. Jammer dat Havenfall zelf niet echt apart te lezen is, want anders zou je je gewoon kunnen beperken tot het eerste boek. Nu zit je nog met een nakomertje waar je je dan nog mee moet bezighouden, en dat eigenlijk niet bijzonder veel toevoegt, niet bijzonder opvalt. Alle onderdelen van het boek zijn niet slecht, maar daar is dan ook alles mee gezegd - en na Boek 1 had ik hier écht hoge verwachtingen van, dus zelf ben ik wel teleurgesteld. Helaas.
Oh ja. Na het dankwoord volgt er nog een extra hoofdstuk dat geschreven is vanuit het standpunt van Nahteran... en waarvan ik eigenlijk niet goed inzie wat het erbij doet. Goed, oké, het is een extraatje, maar je hebt het totaal niet nodig voor het verhaal zelf, en zo schokkend vond ik de inhoud nu ook weer niet. Mij deed het dus weinig of niks. Bladvulling om het verhaal langer te laten lijken dan het eigenlijk is.
5,9/10
Gemiddelde rating voor de reeks: 7,75/10
Zo zie je maar. Een heel verschil met Boek 1.
* Als ik of iemand anders deze bespreking over een paar jaar opnieuw leest, zal die zin vast wel grote ogen doen trekken, dus: tijdens de coronacrisis ging er een hoop papier naar andere zaken en hadden de drukkers voor de uitgeverijen niet genoeg voorraad, waardoor ze ofwel het drukken moesten uitstellen, ofwel op papier van inferieure kwaliteit moesten drukken. -
4/5
After the events of Havenfall, Maddie is determined to end the soul-silver trade. But when she discovers ties to her troubled past, can she fix things before anyone else gets hurt?
Phoenix Flame by Sara Holland is the second book in the Havenfall series. In this sequel, we join Maddie as she is faced with balancing her duties as the Innkeeper’s heir, taking down the soul-silver trade, figuring out her love life, and finding her brother - who may or may not be still alive. Every solution seems to cause more problems and Maddie starts to discover things about her past that might change the course of everything.
There was so much action in this book. It was very engaging, and it kept me highly entertained. I found myself on the edge of my seat numerous times, wondering how they could possibly get themselves out of each mess they encountered. With that being said, there was almost too much action. It made the story as a whole seem rushed. There wasn’t much time for the reader to contemplate a situation, the reaction, and the affects because the next big thing was already starting. While it did keep me turning pages, it would have been nice to have more time between the big events to really let the reader take in those actions and consequences.
If you enjoyed Havenfall, and you’re looking for a fun YA fantasy series, this quick read will keep you on your toes.
Thank you to Bloomsbury USA Children’s Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book for review. -
Maddie has spent her summer defending the Inn at Havenfall, but she's not done yet. The Silver Prince has been defeated, but not permanently, and there's still a number of smugglers out there trading illegal magical items. Maddie is convinced these two issues are related, but everyone else would rather focus on one problem at a time. But when her snooping around reveals long-hidden family secrets and the truth behind old legends from the other Realms, Maddie is faced with making the hard choice between saving her family or saving everyone else.
Maddie's appeal to me has always been how very ordinary she is, especially for a girl who has grown up knowing that magic is real. That continues here, making it easy to relate to her as she faces hard choices about whether to listen to the wisdom of her uncle's experience or take the risks that feel right in her own heart. The conflicts, however, seem pretty obvious fairly early in the story, and the questions they bring up are never fully answered in a satisfying way. The pace is also quick that I was left wondering why these two books weren't just combined into one, especially since there is less of that rich worldbuilding which I liked in the first one. I like that the emphasis is on Maddie learning to be true to herself though (instead of her relationship status, which she often refreshingly forgets to worry about), and that the story is resolved in a way that suggests her growth and strength will continue and be appreciated.
*Thanks to Netgalley and Bloomsbury YA for providing this ARC for review!* -
TW: blood, death of a loved one, violence.
This was just very okay? Super quick and easy to read, but kind of empty and lacked a lot of what I enjoyed about the first book. At times, I felt like I was reading an unedited draft, especially with how often certain phrases were used or how clunky the pacing was.
All in all, I can't complain. It was fun and wrapped things up pretty quickly, but this duology isn't one I'll ever revisit. -
RTC
Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss for my review copy.
