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All That Glows #2
All That Burns
In this thrilling sequel to All That Glows, the worlds of magic and mortal are colliding as London celebrates its new king, marking an era of unity between the Faery realm and the human one. Emrys, the Faery guard to the British royal family, sacrificed her powers to be with King Richard, choosing love over immortality. But now, as Emrys struggles to navigate her place between the Faery queen’s court and London’s lavish galas, danger looms beyond the Thames.When a prisoner with dark, strange magic breaks out of Queen Titania’s labyrinthine prison, endangering Emrys's king and sparking an uprising, Emrys must make the hardest decision of all.
Will she reclaim her magic to save Richard’s life and lose him forever? Or stay powerless as the kingdom goes down in flames?
Will she reclaim her magic to save Richard’s life and lose him forever? Or stay powerless as the kingdom goes down in flames?
464 pages, Paperback
First published February 10, 2015
12 people are currently reading
1340 people want to read
About the author
Ryan Graudin
21 books1,912 followersRyan Graudin was born in Charleston, South Carolina, with a severe case of wanderlust. When she’s not traveling, she’s busy writing and spending time with her husband and wolf dog. She is the author of Invictus, the Wolf By Wolf duology, The Walled City, and the All That Glows Series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
January 11, 2015
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
All That Burns by Ryan Graudin
Book Two of the All That Glows series
Publisher: Harper Teen
Publication Date: February 10, 2015
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from Edelweiss
Summary (from Goodreads):
In this thrilling sequel to All That Glows, the worlds of magic and mortal are colliding as London celebrates its new king, marking an era of unity between the Faery realm and the human one. Emrys, the Faery guard to the British royal family, sacrificed her powers to be with King Richard, choosing love over immortality. But now, as Emrys struggles to navigate her place between the Faery queen’s court and London’s lavish galas, danger looms beyond the Thames.When a prisoner with dark, strange magic breaks out of Queen Titania’s labyrinthine prison, endangering Emrys's king and sparking an uprising, Emrys must make the hardest decision of all.
Will she reclaim her magic to save Richard’s life and lose him forever? Or stay powerless as the kingdom goes down in flames?
What I Liked:
First thing's first: THERE IS NO LOVE TRIANGLE IN THIS BOOK. I promise you all. Someone on Twitter skimmed through the book and saw a particular scene and was immediately convinced that there was a love triangle in the book - which promptly irritated many people, including me. Of course, I was still going to read the book, but many people decided not to, after seeing the tweet. THERE IS NO LOVE TRIANGLE. There is a plot device happening that might *seem* like a love triangle, but it's not the case. I think the author probably knows (just like we do) how ridiculous it would be to invent a love triangle in book two of a DUOLOGY. But anyway. More on that later.
In this sequel novel to All That Glows, we follow Emrys and her journey as a once-fae mortal. She will marry Richard soon, the love of her life and King. Despite some of the court and media's dislike of her, things seem right. Except that something is wrong. An ancient evil is released from the secret fae labyrinth prison, and Titania does not want Emrys involved. But then Richard is captured right in front of Emrys, and all of London is up in arms. Emrys is now a fugitive, with Princess Annabelle, and an Ad-hen (immortal prison guard of the secret labyrinth prison). But Emrys will do anything to get Richard, even in everyone believes that she is the one who did him away.
Right from the beginning, we can see several conflicts. Emrys's internal conflict is a large part of this book. She is mortal now, but she *could* get her powers back from Herne (the Huntsman), if she turned her back on the human world - on Richard. But she loves Richard. Except - it seems that Richard has been too busy for her, and it's especially bad that the court and media and people of London don't like that a Fae is set to be Queen. Only Annabelle really seems accepting.
Personally, I think the fact that this internal struggle was so strong and encompassing was a really well-done and necessary part of this book. Some might have found it a bit much, but I loved how Graudin made this a primary issue. Emrys couldn't have just gone from fae to mortal and have made the transition well and easy and everyone accepted her and they rode off into the sunset and lived happily ever after - no, not realistic at all. It also shows Emrys's character development, which I thought was written well.
Something that authors like to do in sequels is shake up the relationship between the male and female protagonists - the couple. Most of the time, this is done via love triangle. I like that the author did this via REAL reasons - well, reasons that I think are "real" and valid. Richard is a king, and has to be in Parliament for most hours of the day. Valid. This makes sense to me. There are other things, and sometimes I thought that Emrys was a little *too* insecure, but I liked the authenticity of the obstacles in Emrys and Richard's relationship. I also liked how they (for the most part) talked about things, eventually. Some things weren't discussed between them until the climax of the book, but for the most part, Emrys and Richard communicate relatively well.
In terms of the romance... okay, look. It might SEEM like there is a love triangle in this book. Trust me, you'll got through about 40% of the book and not care. But then a certain male is introduced, and it's going to seem like Emrys develops feelings for him. REAL QUICK. Guys, that should be a tip-off, right there. It is VERY FAST. So... YES, it does seem like a love triangle in this book. But it lasts about 35% of the book (from 40% in to about 75% in), and it's really not a love triangle. I'm only mentioning this because someone on Twitter skimmed the book (didn't actually READ the book) and misled a lot of people. THERE IS NO LOVE TRIANGLE. Promise. I hate love triangles. I would never lead you astray!
In terms of the story, I was pretty engrossed, which is a good sign. I was curious as to who the prisoner was that escape, what that had to do with Richard's capture, how Emrys would be able to help anything (being basically powerless). Graudin definitely took what seemed like a forced plot idea and made it into a great story for the sequel. I thought the whole all-of-a-sudden-a-prisoner-has-escaped was so coincidental and a way to force a plot, but Graudin tied everything together and made sure that things made sense. There is a historical part to this book that the author uses a lot, and I liked this. It helped make sense of what Emrys's role in everything was (super vague, I know).
Overall, I'm quite pleased with this sequel/conclusion novel. The ending isn't too sad, for a conclusion novel, but it isn't overly sunshiny and wonderful. I like the ending a lot!
What I Did Not Like:
One thing that bothered me was the beginning - it was a bit slow, and it was riddled with Emrys's insecurities over Richard. She's convinced herself that he doesn't love her (because he's always at Parliament, being a king...). She gets silly ideas into her head and they bother her and honestly, I understand, but some things are silly. Like getting upset because she gave up so much to be with him and feeling like he's not giving up much to be with her. That's not fair.
Also, I thought this was a historical fantasy novel - emphasis on historical? The media is a HUGE part of this book - I mean like, paparazzi and lights camera action kind of thing. Meanwhile, you have kings and queens and carriages and swords. Confusing. I mean, if that's the type of world you're going for, then it's not anachronistic, but I didn't think it was that way in All That Glows.
Would I Recommend It:
If you read All That Glows, I definitely think you should read this novel! It's an excellent addition to the series. I feel like it's not entirely necessary to read this one, if you read the first book (because the first ends nicely), but this one solidifies the story. And if you haven't read All That Glows, then, two words: historical fantasy!
Rating:
4 stars. I liked this book! I'm definitely a fan of this author's work (I've enjoyed this book, All That Glows, and The Walled City), and I'll be reading her books in the future.
All That Burns by Ryan Graudin
Book Two of the All That Glows series
Publisher: Harper Teen
Publication Date: February 10, 2015
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from Edelweiss
Summary (from Goodreads):
In this thrilling sequel to All That Glows, the worlds of magic and mortal are colliding as London celebrates its new king, marking an era of unity between the Faery realm and the human one. Emrys, the Faery guard to the British royal family, sacrificed her powers to be with King Richard, choosing love over immortality. But now, as Emrys struggles to navigate her place between the Faery queen’s court and London’s lavish galas, danger looms beyond the Thames.When a prisoner with dark, strange magic breaks out of Queen Titania’s labyrinthine prison, endangering Emrys's king and sparking an uprising, Emrys must make the hardest decision of all.
Will she reclaim her magic to save Richard’s life and lose him forever? Or stay powerless as the kingdom goes down in flames?
What I Liked:
First thing's first: THERE IS NO LOVE TRIANGLE IN THIS BOOK. I promise you all. Someone on Twitter skimmed through the book and saw a particular scene and was immediately convinced that there was a love triangle in the book - which promptly irritated many people, including me. Of course, I was still going to read the book, but many people decided not to, after seeing the tweet. THERE IS NO LOVE TRIANGLE. There is a plot device happening that might *seem* like a love triangle, but it's not the case. I think the author probably knows (just like we do) how ridiculous it would be to invent a love triangle in book two of a DUOLOGY. But anyway. More on that later.
In this sequel novel to All That Glows, we follow Emrys and her journey as a once-fae mortal. She will marry Richard soon, the love of her life and King. Despite some of the court and media's dislike of her, things seem right. Except that something is wrong. An ancient evil is released from the secret fae labyrinth prison, and Titania does not want Emrys involved. But then Richard is captured right in front of Emrys, and all of London is up in arms. Emrys is now a fugitive, with Princess Annabelle, and an Ad-hen (immortal prison guard of the secret labyrinth prison). But Emrys will do anything to get Richard, even in everyone believes that she is the one who did him away.
Right from the beginning, we can see several conflicts. Emrys's internal conflict is a large part of this book. She is mortal now, but she *could* get her powers back from Herne (the Huntsman), if she turned her back on the human world - on Richard. But she loves Richard. Except - it seems that Richard has been too busy for her, and it's especially bad that the court and media and people of London don't like that a Fae is set to be Queen. Only Annabelle really seems accepting.
Personally, I think the fact that this internal struggle was so strong and encompassing was a really well-done and necessary part of this book. Some might have found it a bit much, but I loved how Graudin made this a primary issue. Emrys couldn't have just gone from fae to mortal and have made the transition well and easy and everyone accepted her and they rode off into the sunset and lived happily ever after - no, not realistic at all. It also shows Emrys's character development, which I thought was written well.
Something that authors like to do in sequels is shake up the relationship between the male and female protagonists - the couple. Most of the time, this is done via love triangle. I like that the author did this via REAL reasons - well, reasons that I think are "real" and valid. Richard is a king, and has to be in Parliament for most hours of the day. Valid. This makes sense to me. There are other things, and sometimes I thought that Emrys was a little *too* insecure, but I liked the authenticity of the obstacles in Emrys and Richard's relationship. I also liked how they (for the most part) talked about things, eventually. Some things weren't discussed between them until the climax of the book, but for the most part, Emrys and Richard communicate relatively well.
In terms of the romance... okay, look. It might SEEM like there is a love triangle in this book. Trust me, you'll got through about 40% of the book and not care. But then a certain male is introduced, and it's going to seem like Emrys develops feelings for him. REAL QUICK. Guys, that should be a tip-off, right there. It is VERY FAST. So... YES, it does seem like a love triangle in this book. But it lasts about 35% of the book (from 40% in to about 75% in), and it's really not a love triangle. I'm only mentioning this because someone on Twitter skimmed the book (didn't actually READ the book) and misled a lot of people. THERE IS NO LOVE TRIANGLE. Promise. I hate love triangles. I would never lead you astray!
In terms of the story, I was pretty engrossed, which is a good sign. I was curious as to who the prisoner was that escape, what that had to do with Richard's capture, how Emrys would be able to help anything (being basically powerless). Graudin definitely took what seemed like a forced plot idea and made it into a great story for the sequel. I thought the whole all-of-a-sudden-a-prisoner-has-escaped was so coincidental and a way to force a plot, but Graudin tied everything together and made sure that things made sense. There is a historical part to this book that the author uses a lot, and I liked this. It helped make sense of what Emrys's role in everything was (super vague, I know).
Overall, I'm quite pleased with this sequel/conclusion novel. The ending isn't too sad, for a conclusion novel, but it isn't overly sunshiny and wonderful. I like the ending a lot!
What I Did Not Like:
One thing that bothered me was the beginning - it was a bit slow, and it was riddled with Emrys's insecurities over Richard. She's convinced herself that he doesn't love her (because he's always at Parliament, being a king...). She gets silly ideas into her head and they bother her and honestly, I understand, but some things are silly. Like getting upset because she gave up so much to be with him and feeling like he's not giving up much to be with her. That's not fair.
Also, I thought this was a historical fantasy novel - emphasis on historical? The media is a HUGE part of this book - I mean like, paparazzi and lights camera action kind of thing. Meanwhile, you have kings and queens and carriages and swords. Confusing. I mean, if that's the type of world you're going for, then it's not anachronistic, but I didn't think it was that way in All That Glows.
Would I Recommend It:
If you read All That Glows, I definitely think you should read this novel! It's an excellent addition to the series. I feel like it's not entirely necessary to read this one, if you read the first book (because the first ends nicely), but this one solidifies the story. And if you haven't read All That Glows, then, two words: historical fantasy!
Rating:
4 stars. I liked this book! I'm definitely a fan of this author's work (I've enjoyed this book, All That Glows, and The Walled City), and I'll be reading her books in the future.
July 30, 2017
”Once upon a time, there was a king who fell In love with a Faery. He gave her his heart and she gave him her immortality. Together they built a kingdom- of stone and magic and legend- and they lived happily there. But their happiness did not last forever. Nothing does, after all.”
This book proves one of two things; it proves once again that for some reason I don’t like duologies, and that even immortal, magical fairies can succumb to teen angst. And in this case, it seemed everyone in this book suffered from one of the worst cases of teen angst I’ve ever seen.
Emrys has just given up all her power to be with Richard, the reformed bad boy prince she’s come to love.
Second book syndrome strikes again! Despite the fact that I plowed through this book, it turned out to be a bitter disappointment. I liked the first book a lot despite the fact that I was seemingly the only person on the face of the planet to actually like it. So I kind of feel like curling up in a cone of shame for disliking it, but man oh man did this book have problems. Two main problems basically sank this boat right into the ocean, and that’s the fact that there was no Richard, and there was so much teen angst it made Bella Swan look like a level-headed character (and I never thought I’d live to see the day that happened).
Richard is absolutely nowhere to be found, except for a hot minute at the beginning. To put it into perspective:
This book is 464 pages long. Richard is present for the first 130 pages. He disappears on page 131, and reappears on page 373. That means he’s gone for 242 pages. He’s gone for more than half the fucking story.
HALF. THE. BOOK.
I’m noticing a pattern with second books in a duology, trilogy, or series. There always seems to be one character (usually one that’s a fan favorite) that goes completely AWOL. Why this is, I have no freakin idea. I’ve contemplated the fact that maybe the author simply got tired of writing that character. Or for some reason, a magical writing fairy cast a spell on them and made them forget that character’s entire existence. BUT IT DRIVES ME ABSOLUTELY BONKERS. Authors, you took the main good part of the book and made it completely disappear. Part of the reason I liked the first book so much (even though I was sitting at my lonely little table of one), was Richard and Emrys’ interactions. With that completely gone, I had to deal with a whole new set of issues such as…
TEEN ANGST. Sweet JESUS I never knew so many characters could have so much teen angst bottled up inside of them. Even hundreds of year old fairies had angst. And I had to sit through about one hundred pages of a stupid, worthless love triangle that made Twilight look like an inspirational Christian fiction novel. Annabelle had so much teen angst that her temper tantrums rival that of any two-year-old. Speaking of which, I might point out that Annabelle quickly became one of my least favorite characters of the story. You know it’s bad when you wouldn’t mind if said character was killed off. She was so
whiny and immature about both her abilities and her actions that it was simply intolerable. I think what the author was trying to do was to show us that royals, despite their seemingly perfect public persona, have strong emotions and feelings too, but I feel she went a little overboard in that department.
I will take note that Ryan Graudin did a frightingly good job weaving both fairy lore and Arthurian mythology together into the storyline. It might go over a lot of reader’s heads, but it nonetheless was juicy to read about. Especially the ending battle. As I said in the first book, it was pretty accurate from what I’ve read and been told about in Celtic lore (as well as Camelot legends), but the fact that she was able to blend modern and ancient together without it being too corny was a feat that should be taken note of.
I’m not gonna lie; I preferred the smutty Prince Harry fanfiction vibe of the first novel rather than this mess of a book. Richard was gone, we get an unhealthy dose of teen angst, and a love triangle so infuriatingly misplaced it made me want to pull my hair out. My advice? Just regard the first book as a standalone and don’t bother with the sequel. Besides, the first book doesn’t end on that giant of a cliffhanger, so there’s really no need to keep reading unless you’re absolutely wanting more. As for me, I’ll take my Prince Harry with fairy fanfiction anyday.
P.S.: Dear book publishers: STOP TRYING TO MAKE UNNECESSARY DUOLOGIES HAPPEN. IT’S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
This book proves one of two things; it proves once again that for some reason I don’t like duologies, and that even immortal, magical fairies can succumb to teen angst. And in this case, it seemed everyone in this book suffered from one of the worst cases of teen angst I’ve ever seen.
Emrys has just given up all her power to be with Richard, the reformed bad boy prince she’s come to love.
”’I didn’t give up everything for this. Not Lights-down or Buckingham or any of it. I gave up my magic for us. For you.”And yet despite that, there’s an evil, sinister magic that’s threatening this new heir to the throne. It doesn’t help that Emrys has no powers to speak of, and everyone basically hates her because she’s a fairy. And just when you think she’s having a terrible, horrible, no good very bad fairy existence, Richard disappears, and the fairies are blamed. Together with her mod squad of Annabelle (Richard’s sister), and Kieran (a gargoyle like being who’s just there for… reasons, OK?), they race against the clock to find out who kidnapped Richard and plans to bring the British Empire down on its knees.
Second book syndrome strikes again! Despite the fact that I plowed through this book, it turned out to be a bitter disappointment. I liked the first book a lot despite the fact that I was seemingly the only person on the face of the planet to actually like it. So I kind of feel like curling up in a cone of shame for disliking it, but man oh man did this book have problems. Two main problems basically sank this boat right into the ocean, and that’s the fact that there was no Richard, and there was so much teen angst it made Bella Swan look like a level-headed character (and I never thought I’d live to see the day that happened).
Richard is absolutely nowhere to be found, except for a hot minute at the beginning. To put it into perspective:
This book is 464 pages long. Richard is present for the first 130 pages. He disappears on page 131, and reappears on page 373. That means he’s gone for 242 pages. He’s gone for more than half the fucking story.
HALF. THE. BOOK.
”Richard is the thread. The bridge between two vast and unmet worlds. He was the center and without him things fall apart.”Including the book. I don’t think Richard wanted you to take this quite literally, my dear.
I’m noticing a pattern with second books in a duology, trilogy, or series. There always seems to be one character (usually one that’s a fan favorite) that goes completely AWOL. Why this is, I have no freakin idea. I’ve contemplated the fact that maybe the author simply got tired of writing that character. Or for some reason, a magical writing fairy cast a spell on them and made them forget that character’s entire existence. BUT IT DRIVES ME ABSOLUTELY BONKERS. Authors, you took the main good part of the book and made it completely disappear. Part of the reason I liked the first book so much (even though I was sitting at my lonely little table of one), was Richard and Emrys’ interactions. With that completely gone, I had to deal with a whole new set of issues such as…
TEEN ANGST. Sweet JESUS I never knew so many characters could have so much teen angst bottled up inside of them. Even hundreds of year old fairies had angst. And I had to sit through about one hundred pages of a stupid, worthless love triangle that made Twilight look like an inspirational Christian fiction novel. Annabelle had so much teen angst that her temper tantrums rival that of any two-year-old. Speaking of which, I might point out that Annabelle quickly became one of my least favorite characters of the story. You know it’s bad when you wouldn’t mind if said character was killed off. She was so
whiny and immature about both her abilities and her actions that it was simply intolerable. I think what the author was trying to do was to show us that royals, despite their seemingly perfect public persona, have strong emotions and feelings too, but I feel she went a little overboard in that department.
I will take note that Ryan Graudin did a frightingly good job weaving both fairy lore and Arthurian mythology together into the storyline. It might go over a lot of reader’s heads, but it nonetheless was juicy to read about. Especially the ending battle. As I said in the first book, it was pretty accurate from what I’ve read and been told about in Celtic lore (as well as Camelot legends), but the fact that she was able to blend modern and ancient together without it being too corny was a feat that should be taken note of.
I’m not gonna lie; I preferred the smutty Prince Harry fanfiction vibe of the first novel rather than this mess of a book. Richard was gone, we get an unhealthy dose of teen angst, and a love triangle so infuriatingly misplaced it made me want to pull my hair out. My advice? Just regard the first book as a standalone and don’t bother with the sequel. Besides, the first book doesn’t end on that giant of a cliffhanger, so there’s really no need to keep reading unless you’re absolutely wanting more. As for me, I’ll take my Prince Harry with fairy fanfiction anyday.
P.S.: Dear book publishers: STOP TRYING TO MAKE UNNECESSARY DUOLOGIES HAPPEN. IT’S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
August 31, 2015
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)
Emrys must now learn to live without her magic. But does she have as much Richard as she wants? And was it worth giving her magic up when Richard is so busy with his kingly duties?
This was a good second instalment, and I understood why Emrys felt the way she did.
I felt for Emrys in this book. She’d given up so much, and the loss of her magic really put a weight on her. The way she missed it, whilst at the same time feeling like she wasn’t getting as much time with Richard as she had hoped was clearly affecting her, and I understood the way she was feeling.
The storyline in this had quite a bit of action, and there were several things going on, especially with Richard striving to unite the humans and the fey. There were some twists with regards to Morgaine le Fay, and it wasn’t easy to guess what would happen.
The romance between Emrys and Richard was good, and it was clear how much they loved each other.
The ending to this was okay, but I did struggle to stay focused on this book all the way to the end. The pace was a little slow, and my attention did wander.
6.5 out of 10
Emrys must now learn to live without her magic. But does she have as much Richard as she wants? And was it worth giving her magic up when Richard is so busy with his kingly duties?
This was a good second instalment, and I understood why Emrys felt the way she did.
I felt for Emrys in this book. She’d given up so much, and the loss of her magic really put a weight on her. The way she missed it, whilst at the same time feeling like she wasn’t getting as much time with Richard as she had hoped was clearly affecting her, and I understood the way she was feeling.
The storyline in this had quite a bit of action, and there were several things going on, especially with Richard striving to unite the humans and the fey. There were some twists with regards to Morgaine le Fay, and it wasn’t easy to guess what would happen.
The romance between Emrys and Richard was good, and it was clear how much they loved each other.
The ending to this was okay, but I did struggle to stay focused on this book all the way to the end. The pace was a little slow, and my attention did wander.
6.5 out of 10
February 16, 2018
I loved this book it was so very well written and it had the perfect ending even with all the bits in between. The characters were so very well developed for this book I got to see all little bits and things about the characters I still love the love story it is so very romantic. I loved the story it was well written I liked all aspects even the little bits that took a little bit of time to understand. So overall I would say I loved this book very much.
February 28, 2015
Originally posted on City of Books
All That Burns is a book I didn't think was going to happen. I read All That Glows as a standalone, since it was one at the time, and I thought it worked great as one. But I'm glad I got to read this, because it tells us what happens after the 'happily ever after.' Sort of.
In the previous book, Emrys gave up her magic to be with Richard, the mortal prince-turned-king. It was a hard choice, but at the same time not a choice at all. But now, Emrys feels wrong without her magic, and she doesn't even get to see Richard much. She begins to wonder if she made the right decision. Meanwhile, things start to go wrong in London as people start rebelling against the Faeries and their existence in London. Richard is kidnapped, and Emrys will do anything to find him before it's too late.
The thing I liked most in All That Glows was the Arthurian legend incorporated into it. Well, we get to see a lot more of that in this book! Every version of the myth is different, and I like seeing the little changes here and there. I won't say much more about it, but that's one of the things I really liked in this book as well.
Emrys has a lot of thinking to do now, and I totally felt for her, with everything going on. She gave up her immortality, her essence, to be with Richard in the mortal world. Firstly, I can't imagine ever doing that, and secondly, it sucks that they barely get to spend time together, with Richard's kingly duties and all. But though Emrys is weaker as a mortal, she's just as strong-willed. She shows awesome courage while risking her life to find Richard.
We don't get to see much of Richard at all, because the kidnapping takes place pretty early on. The book is mostly dominated by Emrys, Anabelle (Richard's sister), and Kieran (an Ad-hene, a.k.a. a Manx spirit). The three of them dash around London and places in the Faery world to find out who took Richard and why. I really wasn't a fan of the growing spark between Emrys and Kieran. Just because the love interest is missing doesn't mean we need hints of another one! I just couldn't bring myself to like Kieran much, he annoyed me quite a bit.
All That Burns is a quick read, even though it's not actually that short. I liked the dynamic between Emrys and Anabelle, as Emrys strove to make sure Belle's blood magic stayed under control while also keeping faith that they will find Richard safe and sound. I didn't get much of a sense of danger while reading, and nothing really jumped out at me at any point. It's a mellow, light read, which is good in some ways. Overall, it was enjoyable, and a nice take on the Faery world and the King Arthur myth.
*Thank you to HarperCollins for providing me with an eARC for review*
All That Burns is a book I didn't think was going to happen. I read All That Glows as a standalone, since it was one at the time, and I thought it worked great as one. But I'm glad I got to read this, because it tells us what happens after the 'happily ever after.' Sort of.
In the previous book, Emrys gave up her magic to be with Richard, the mortal prince-turned-king. It was a hard choice, but at the same time not a choice at all. But now, Emrys feels wrong without her magic, and she doesn't even get to see Richard much. She begins to wonder if she made the right decision. Meanwhile, things start to go wrong in London as people start rebelling against the Faeries and their existence in London. Richard is kidnapped, and Emrys will do anything to find him before it's too late.
The thing I liked most in All That Glows was the Arthurian legend incorporated into it. Well, we get to see a lot more of that in this book! Every version of the myth is different, and I like seeing the little changes here and there. I won't say much more about it, but that's one of the things I really liked in this book as well.
Emrys has a lot of thinking to do now, and I totally felt for her, with everything going on. She gave up her immortality, her essence, to be with Richard in the mortal world. Firstly, I can't imagine ever doing that, and secondly, it sucks that they barely get to spend time together, with Richard's kingly duties and all. But though Emrys is weaker as a mortal, she's just as strong-willed. She shows awesome courage while risking her life to find Richard.
We don't get to see much of Richard at all, because the kidnapping takes place pretty early on. The book is mostly dominated by Emrys, Anabelle (Richard's sister), and Kieran (an Ad-hene, a.k.a. a Manx spirit). The three of them dash around London and places in the Faery world to find out who took Richard and why. I really wasn't a fan of the growing spark between Emrys and Kieran. Just because the love interest is missing doesn't mean we need hints of another one! I just couldn't bring myself to like Kieran much, he annoyed me quite a bit.
All That Burns is a quick read, even though it's not actually that short. I liked the dynamic between Emrys and Anabelle, as Emrys strove to make sure Belle's blood magic stayed under control while also keeping faith that they will find Richard safe and sound. I didn't get much of a sense of danger while reading, and nothing really jumped out at me at any point. It's a mellow, light read, which is good in some ways. Overall, it was enjoyable, and a nice take on the Faery world and the King Arthur myth.
*Thank you to HarperCollins for providing me with an eARC for review*
October 12, 2014
An enchanting sequel full of magic and romance, All That Burns was a lovely YA fantasy. It had a few twists, a great tie in with Camelot, and it was definitely as good as the first. I absolutely loved this book.
My favorite part of the book was how the history and characters of Camelot were tied in. Maybe it's because I just finished watching "Merlin" but I've been fond of the story lately and it was nice seeing it worked into this book.
Emrys was great in this book. After giving up her magic to be with Richard, she was facing the consequences of that. Those consequences weren't sugar-coated. She struggled with the changes and had moments where she missed her magic and wondered at the wisdom of her choice. That struggle made her an interesting character and ultimately made her resolve stronger. She proved that she was tough with or without magic. She was already a great character and, in this book, she was even better.
Richard was still absolutely adorable. He wasn't in this book as much as the last one because he and Emrys were both dealing with their respective crises. But, he showed how loyal he was to Emrys and how much he would do for her and he was as sweet as ever.
The romance was lovely. Emrys and Richard were both so devoted to each other and building a world where mortals and fae could live together. They were a perfect couple.
The plot was fast paced and I was hooked the entire way through. There were plenty of twists and unexpected surprises that kept me on the edge of my seat. I loved the story and the ending was lovely.
All That Burns was a fantastic YA fantasy read that I really loved. It was a lovely sequel and I really enjoyed it. YA lovers, this is definitely a book you'll want to check out.
*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
My favorite part of the book was how the history and characters of Camelot were tied in. Maybe it's because I just finished watching "Merlin" but I've been fond of the story lately and it was nice seeing it worked into this book.
Emrys was great in this book. After giving up her magic to be with Richard, she was facing the consequences of that. Those consequences weren't sugar-coated. She struggled with the changes and had moments where she missed her magic and wondered at the wisdom of her choice. That struggle made her an interesting character and ultimately made her resolve stronger. She proved that she was tough with or without magic. She was already a great character and, in this book, she was even better.
Richard was still absolutely adorable. He wasn't in this book as much as the last one because he and Emrys were both dealing with their respective crises. But, he showed how loyal he was to Emrys and how much he would do for her and he was as sweet as ever.
The romance was lovely. Emrys and Richard were both so devoted to each other and building a world where mortals and fae could live together. They were a perfect couple.
The plot was fast paced and I was hooked the entire way through. There were plenty of twists and unexpected surprises that kept me on the edge of my seat. I loved the story and the ending was lovely.
All That Burns was a fantastic YA fantasy read that I really loved. It was a lovely sequel and I really enjoyed it. YA lovers, this is definitely a book you'll want to check out.
*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
January 29, 2015
Really great story! Full of action and plot twists that BLEW my mind (especially the revelation of a certain villain). And the writing was superb. Some argue that it is too descriptive and flowery, but I felt it flowed naturally with the story and enhanced the feel of the book. Overall, I very much enjoyed All That Burns.
In All That Burns, we learn about the consequences of Emrys and Richard's decision made at the end of All That Glows. Although All That Glows could have ended as a standalone, I think it was a good choice to continue the story and further Emrys and Richard's story because the ending seemed a little too good to be true.
Emrys is powerless after giving up her magic to be with Richard, but questions her sacrifice as Richard becomes more distant due to him running the new society he's begun creating. Emrys is forced to choose between reclaiming her magic or staying with Richard, same as last time. The problem I had with Emrys in this book was that she vacillated constantly between the strong, fierce, warrior-hearted girl I loved in All That Glows and a weak, indecisive, angsty girl who spent too much time moping over her own problems instead of the bigger picture.
I did extremely enjoy the development of side characters like Annabelle and Kieran (who is new to All That Burns). Annabelle seems to absorb the ferocity Emrys lacked and knew how to wield it properly and progressively comes into her own (in more ways than one, but I don't want to spoil). Kieran. Ah, Kieran. So enigmatic and soft on the inside. He intrigued me from the beginning and continued to do so as he revealed more of himself. Originally, I was wary of the formation of a love triangle with a new male in the mix, but boy was that notion dismissed.
As far as plot goes, it was soooo unpredictable and exciting! Emrys, Kieran, and Annabelle must track down an escaped prisoner from Queen Titania's labyrinth before all of Richard's hard work in creating a better world comes crumbling down. The aforementioned escapee was not at all who I expected it to be and came completely from left field. But that was good! It kept me on the edge of my seat as the clues come together. The allusions to Camelot were also interesting and came to be an integral part of the story that added another element to the plot.
This was a fantastic sequel with florid prose, a compelling plot and well developed characters. Probably closer to 4.5 stars!
In All That Burns, we learn about the consequences of Emrys and Richard's decision made at the end of All That Glows. Although All That Glows could have ended as a standalone, I think it was a good choice to continue the story and further Emrys and Richard's story because the ending seemed a little too good to be true.
Emrys is powerless after giving up her magic to be with Richard, but questions her sacrifice as Richard becomes more distant due to him running the new society he's begun creating. Emrys is forced to choose between reclaiming her magic or staying with Richard, same as last time. The problem I had with Emrys in this book was that she vacillated constantly between the strong, fierce, warrior-hearted girl I loved in All That Glows and a weak, indecisive, angsty girl who spent too much time moping over her own problems instead of the bigger picture.
I did extremely enjoy the development of side characters like Annabelle and Kieran (who is new to All That Burns). Annabelle seems to absorb the ferocity Emrys lacked and knew how to wield it properly and progressively comes into her own (in more ways than one, but I don't want to spoil). Kieran. Ah, Kieran. So enigmatic and soft on the inside. He intrigued me from the beginning and continued to do so as he revealed more of himself. Originally, I was wary of the formation of a love triangle with a new male in the mix, but boy was that notion dismissed.
As far as plot goes, it was soooo unpredictable and exciting! Emrys, Kieran, and Annabelle must track down an escaped prisoner from Queen Titania's labyrinth before all of Richard's hard work in creating a better world comes crumbling down. The aforementioned escapee was not at all who I expected it to be and came completely from left field. But that was good! It kept me on the edge of my seat as the clues come together. The allusions to Camelot were also interesting and came to be an integral part of the story that added another element to the plot.
This was a fantastic sequel with florid prose, a compelling plot and well developed characters. Probably closer to 4.5 stars!
February 23, 2015
Original Link to the review at my blog Le' Grande Codex - here
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A great and much more affirming conclusion to a duology. Ryan Graudin has created the perfect companion to 'All that Glows', its not really necessary to read it to know how the duology ends but this companion novel asserts its presence nonetheless ..... Also if you are all wondering, no ...... there is no love triangle here ...... if someone said it then you must not believe it.
Things have changed a lot for Emrys & Richard. After giving up her life as Fae and joining the ranks of the mortals, things have been difficult. Now that Richard is King, he must give more hours to the Parliament. Without her powers Emrys on the other hand feels helpless and weak doubting the authenticity of Richard's affections for her and vice-versa. The public is not happy that their King is going to wed an ex non-human. Add to that an ancient enemy has escaped from the Fey prison.
Beautifully rendered, Graudin gave this a much needed reality. There is love, sweet love, doubts, insecurities, public unrest and action .... magical and non-magical alike. Change is not easy and Graudin's prose is prof of that. So their King has decided to marry an ex-Feary, you don't expect the public to be onboard with it in a beat. Richard wants longer light-offs (Earth Hour) to help the Fae into modern society, a novel approach I wager but you won't get everyone onboard for that in an instant either. Change comes gradually, 'All that Burns' is a sure proof of that.
True love trumps all. As seen throughout the course of this book Emrys and Richard release, they must accept who they are and only then go from there. As Camelot's history unravels and old would are unearthed and conspiracies raging afire, Emrys must get over her insecurities (a large portion of the book deals in that) and get Richard and get back her happiness.
"A fast paced unputdownable conclusion to Emrys and Richard's love story"
January 11, 2015
Short and Sweet:
I absolutely loved the strong emotional development and plot line. I finished this in a mess of feels.
To Elaborate...
When I first heard about this sequel, I was EXTREMELY hesitant. I read and loved All That Glows as a standalone. When I saw that a sequel was releasing, I was very confused and full of side eye.
However, after reading the sequel, wow. For me, this was one of the stories that I didn't realize just how badly it needed a sequel until I started reading it. No spoilers, but All That Glows leaves off pretty happily, and I was just as happy to have the characters I love end in a good place. Silly me, I didn't think it through as to how complicated everyone's lives would be after the ending, and how it couldn't really end there. (If that makes sense). Ryan Graudin absolutely blew me away with this sequel. The character development is some of the best I've seen, and I can't get enough of the beautiful and emotional writing Graudin delivers. My heart hurt so badly during so much of this story, but it was all completely worth it to get the rest of the story needed for these characters.
The only thing I wanted a little more from this book was Richard. He wasn't actually present very often (for good reason), and I understand why so much of what I love in this story comes from him being absent, but I just love him and his records. His sister, Belle, plays a stronger role than in the first book though, and I really enjoyed getting to know her character more. I especially like the friendship between her and Emrys.
If you were hesitant like me initally about having a sequel for All That Glows, don't be! I can't recommend this series or this author enough. After loving her other recent release, The Walled City, she is officially on my list of authors whose work I will buy no matter what.
Originally posted at I Heart YA Fiction: http://iheartyafiction.blogspot.com/2...
I absolutely loved the strong emotional development and plot line. I finished this in a mess of feels.
To Elaborate...
When I first heard about this sequel, I was EXTREMELY hesitant. I read and loved All That Glows as a standalone. When I saw that a sequel was releasing, I was very confused and full of side eye.
However, after reading the sequel, wow. For me, this was one of the stories that I didn't realize just how badly it needed a sequel until I started reading it. No spoilers, but All That Glows leaves off pretty happily, and I was just as happy to have the characters I love end in a good place. Silly me, I didn't think it through as to how complicated everyone's lives would be after the ending, and how it couldn't really end there. (If that makes sense). Ryan Graudin absolutely blew me away with this sequel. The character development is some of the best I've seen, and I can't get enough of the beautiful and emotional writing Graudin delivers. My heart hurt so badly during so much of this story, but it was all completely worth it to get the rest of the story needed for these characters.
The only thing I wanted a little more from this book was Richard. He wasn't actually present very often (for good reason), and I understand why so much of what I love in this story comes from him being absent, but I just love him and his records. His sister, Belle, plays a stronger role than in the first book though, and I really enjoyed getting to know her character more. I especially like the friendship between her and Emrys.
If you were hesitant like me initally about having a sequel for All That Glows, don't be! I can't recommend this series or this author enough. After loving her other recent release, The Walled City, she is officially on my list of authors whose work I will buy no matter what.
Originally posted at I Heart YA Fiction: http://iheartyafiction.blogspot.com/2...
January 18, 2015
I never read All That Glows. Yet this fact did not have any effects on me reading the second book and enjoying it. I was able to jump right in and start reading it. I had a really good idea of what transpired in the first book. Even having just started this book and not being that familiar with Emrys and Richard's relationship, I knew it was real and could feel the love they shared for each other.
While I did like the world that the author built, I did feel it was lacking some in the magical element that I was hoping and craving for. I thought that it would be more showy in the way that I would see characters using their powers. I say others because I knew that Emrys had lost her's. Also, the story was fine but lacking in the action. Which did not happen until about the last third of the way and even than it was mild. Then there is the ending. Which was good but to read all the way to get this ending was a little bit of a let down. Still I will check out the first book and am interested in seeing what the author comes out with next.
While I did like the world that the author built, I did feel it was lacking some in the magical element that I was hoping and craving for. I thought that it would be more showy in the way that I would see characters using their powers. I say others because I knew that Emrys had lost her's. Also, the story was fine but lacking in the action. Which did not happen until about the last third of the way and even than it was mild. Then there is the ending. Which was good but to read all the way to get this ending was a little bit of a let down. Still I will check out the first book and am interested in seeing what the author comes out with next.
October 12, 2020
3ish stars
Ok, so I kind of set this book down for a few weeks while binge-watching Once Upon A Time (still doing that...I'm on season 4), so I feel like I can't give an accurate review. Obviously, it wasn't compelling enough to force me to finish it right away. I didn't dislike the book, but I just didn't feel drawn in to it either. I still think that Ryan Graudin is a great author and I want to read more of her work, but I probably should wait until I'm in more of a reading mood and less of a Disney+ mood.
Ok, so I kind of set this book down for a few weeks while binge-watching Once Upon A Time (still doing that...I'm on season 4), so I feel like I can't give an accurate review. Obviously, it wasn't compelling enough to force me to finish it right away. I didn't dislike the book, but I just didn't feel drawn in to it either. I still think that Ryan Graudin is a great author and I want to read more of her work, but I probably should wait until I'm in more of a reading mood and less of a Disney+ mood.
July 17, 2017
I really liked how they played Camelot into this book. There were plot twists that I didn't see coming and overall I enjoyed this book.
May 27, 2020
3.8⭐️
January 7, 2022
A really nice ending to this book!! The story was awesome and was very satisfying. Easy to follow, a nice simple read!
January 31, 2015
4.5 Stars
'All That Burns' is the enchanting second book in a magnificent young adult paranormal/fantasy series. This book picks up where the last one ended - with Emrys having given up her immortality and magic to become human so she could be with Richard - the guy she loves. Emrys is still trying to adjust to her new life without magic and is finding that being mortal is harder than it seems. Richard and Emrys are also attempting to meld the human world with the Faery realm, so the two can live in peace and unity once again - like during the days of King Arthur. Emrys has the job being the ambassador for both the Faery Realm and the human world - traveling back and forth between the two constantly in an effort to make the fusion of the worlds a smooth transition. Emrys knows something is terribly wrong when Queen Titania orders her back to the realm immediately, even using a Kelpie as quick transportation. A prisoner has escaped the Queen's prison - something that has never happened before. Emrys is tasked with fining the escapee and bringing them back before any danger can happen to either world. She has her hands full when the prisoner gets dangerously close to the king and is trying to cause an uprising against him. Emrys is forced once again to make one of the hardest decisions in her life - will she reclaim her fae magic in order to save her beloved Richard - while losing him forever, or will she stay mortal and stand by as the kingdom collapses around them?
I loved the first book and I have to admit that I was a little worried that the second book was going to kill the series, as so many often do. But that's definitely not what happened in this case. I thought that this book was just as good as the first and only deepened my love for the series - and everything pertaining to it. Emrys continues to be a fantastic female lead. She's adjusting to her new life as a mortal and is doing a pretty good job, in my opinion. She's smart, strong, determined, and incredibly devoted - to both her fae roots and to the man she loves - King Richard. Emrys character grows a lot throughout the book and I enjoyed watching her making mistakes and learning from them, while growing more mature and wiser the entire time. She's faced with incredible difficult situations and decisions that most wouldn't even have to imagine in their lives, but she accepts her fate and does what she believes is the right thing and follows through with it. I loved watching Emrys and Richard's relationship grow too - some romance is always a good thing.
The plot of the book was incredibly unique and complex. It has several layers that all intertwine to create a beautiful and thrilling novel. There's a bit of almost every genre mixed into the story - from fantasy and paranormal aspects to romance, action, and adventure - and even some mystery and suspense. I believe it will really appeal to fans of most genres because it's such an original story. The author's writing style was fantastic. The story was told at a natural pace from Emrys point of view - which makes it a quick and easy read due to the conversational tone of the writing. I always say this about books written in first person POV - I love it because it gives the reader the opportunity to really get to know and understand the main character. We literally get a peek inside their minds and learn their fears, desires, hopes, dreams, emotions - which leaves the reader feeling like they know the character on a personal level and can more easily identify with them throughout the book. That's definitely what happened with this novel and my experience - I was sucked into Emrys' world right from the beginning and I didn't come back out until the very last words. The author used a great amount of details and descriptions along with vivid imagery and distinct characters to create a world so real that I could easily imagine myself inside of it alongside Emrys and everyone else. The plot was a fantastic and original mixture of several concepts and genres, which gave it a sense of suspense and mystery - especially with the dangerous prisoner escaping from the queen's prison. I was reading as fast as I could to see what would happen next - not just to find out about the danger or the prisoner, but just to envelop myself inside the story. I can't wait to read the next book in the series - I know that it will be just as good (if not better!) than the previous ones - and I'm anxious to see what's going to happen next. The only thing that I hate is having to wait so long until it releases. After reading these two books, I'm an avid fan of the author's and will definitely be reading her other works while I wait for the next installment to come out. Very highly recommended for fans of YA paranormal and fantasies, as well as those who enjoy stories about faeries and romance - with a bit of action and suspense mixed in as well.
Disclosure: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
'All That Burns' is the enchanting second book in a magnificent young adult paranormal/fantasy series. This book picks up where the last one ended - with Emrys having given up her immortality and magic to become human so she could be with Richard - the guy she loves. Emrys is still trying to adjust to her new life without magic and is finding that being mortal is harder than it seems. Richard and Emrys are also attempting to meld the human world with the Faery realm, so the two can live in peace and unity once again - like during the days of King Arthur. Emrys has the job being the ambassador for both the Faery Realm and the human world - traveling back and forth between the two constantly in an effort to make the fusion of the worlds a smooth transition. Emrys knows something is terribly wrong when Queen Titania orders her back to the realm immediately, even using a Kelpie as quick transportation. A prisoner has escaped the Queen's prison - something that has never happened before. Emrys is tasked with fining the escapee and bringing them back before any danger can happen to either world. She has her hands full when the prisoner gets dangerously close to the king and is trying to cause an uprising against him. Emrys is forced once again to make one of the hardest decisions in her life - will she reclaim her fae magic in order to save her beloved Richard - while losing him forever, or will she stay mortal and stand by as the kingdom collapses around them?
I loved the first book and I have to admit that I was a little worried that the second book was going to kill the series, as so many often do. But that's definitely not what happened in this case. I thought that this book was just as good as the first and only deepened my love for the series - and everything pertaining to it. Emrys continues to be a fantastic female lead. She's adjusting to her new life as a mortal and is doing a pretty good job, in my opinion. She's smart, strong, determined, and incredibly devoted - to both her fae roots and to the man she loves - King Richard. Emrys character grows a lot throughout the book and I enjoyed watching her making mistakes and learning from them, while growing more mature and wiser the entire time. She's faced with incredible difficult situations and decisions that most wouldn't even have to imagine in their lives, but she accepts her fate and does what she believes is the right thing and follows through with it. I loved watching Emrys and Richard's relationship grow too - some romance is always a good thing.
The plot of the book was incredibly unique and complex. It has several layers that all intertwine to create a beautiful and thrilling novel. There's a bit of almost every genre mixed into the story - from fantasy and paranormal aspects to romance, action, and adventure - and even some mystery and suspense. I believe it will really appeal to fans of most genres because it's such an original story. The author's writing style was fantastic. The story was told at a natural pace from Emrys point of view - which makes it a quick and easy read due to the conversational tone of the writing. I always say this about books written in first person POV - I love it because it gives the reader the opportunity to really get to know and understand the main character. We literally get a peek inside their minds and learn their fears, desires, hopes, dreams, emotions - which leaves the reader feeling like they know the character on a personal level and can more easily identify with them throughout the book. That's definitely what happened with this novel and my experience - I was sucked into Emrys' world right from the beginning and I didn't come back out until the very last words. The author used a great amount of details and descriptions along with vivid imagery and distinct characters to create a world so real that I could easily imagine myself inside of it alongside Emrys and everyone else. The plot was a fantastic and original mixture of several concepts and genres, which gave it a sense of suspense and mystery - especially with the dangerous prisoner escaping from the queen's prison. I was reading as fast as I could to see what would happen next - not just to find out about the danger or the prisoner, but just to envelop myself inside the story. I can't wait to read the next book in the series - I know that it will be just as good (if not better!) than the previous ones - and I'm anxious to see what's going to happen next. The only thing that I hate is having to wait so long until it releases. After reading these two books, I'm an avid fan of the author's and will definitely be reading her other works while I wait for the next installment to come out. Very highly recommended for fans of YA paranormal and fantasies, as well as those who enjoy stories about faeries and romance - with a bit of action and suspense mixed in as well.
Disclosure: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
February 18, 2015
Review originally posted at Step Into Fiction
Actual rating: 2.5 stars
If you have NOT read All That Glows please read with caution. There are some spoilers that were unavoidable. Proceed with caution . . .
If I could rate the first half of the book versus the second half of the book, the rating may look a lot better. The first half of this book was just . . . lacking. Everything. I couldn't get in to it. I actually DNFed this book, with the intention of coming back to it. I just couldn't force myself to continue reading. It's not that the story was boring or the characters, per say, but it just wasn't grabbing me and sucking me in like a book usually does. Nowhere near the feels I felt during the first book and to me, that's the most disappointing thing. When you enjoy a book so much and yet the sequel does absolutely nothing for you. However, I will say, the second half of this book really turned around for me.
I think I didn't like the lack of Richard. I truly believe that might be what made this book drag for me. What I loved so much about the first book was Richard and Emrys but then you take away half that equation and give me his sister instead? Plus, oh PLUS, you sort of throw in another love interest that I use that term loosely. I did not like that factor at all and yes, while it all makes sense in the end, I didn't like it and I just recently had a bad experience with a sequel throwing in a completely new love interest when the original one was perfect. Maybe this was my way of protecting myself from being hurt by this again? I don't really know, actually.
Then again, it's nothing against Richard's sister, Annabelle, or Belle as she's referred to a lot in this book. I actually really like her and I kind of want a story for her. So you see where my mind is having a hard time wrapping around the fact that this book did nothing for me. The characters, which are a big thing for me, were perfect. Well, at least the ones I like were and the story was interesting but it was missing the magic of the first one. Figuratively and I guess literally, too.
Richard and Embers together are just perfection. You don't even understand how much I love these two together. When they are together, I happy sigh. When they are not together, I wanna just skip all that and get to the parts when I can smile.
I can't really talk about the second half of the book and how much I loved it because it'll be a bunch of spoilers. But, she definitely redeemed herself by the second half of the book. She being the author.
I would probably rate the first half of this book with maybe a half a star (I know, harsh, right?) but the second half is probably a solid four stars. And it just makes me sad the whole book didn't feel like a solid four stars.
Doesn't mean you won't like it. I've read plenty of reviews where people really enjoyed this and where many people actually liked this more than the first book. To each, their own. This is why opinions are so great.
Thank you so much to HarperCollins for allowing me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Actual rating: 2.5 stars
If you have NOT read All That Glows please read with caution. There are some spoilers that were unavoidable. Proceed with caution . . .
If I could rate the first half of the book versus the second half of the book, the rating may look a lot better. The first half of this book was just . . . lacking. Everything. I couldn't get in to it. I actually DNFed this book, with the intention of coming back to it. I just couldn't force myself to continue reading. It's not that the story was boring or the characters, per say, but it just wasn't grabbing me and sucking me in like a book usually does. Nowhere near the feels I felt during the first book and to me, that's the most disappointing thing. When you enjoy a book so much and yet the sequel does absolutely nothing for you. However, I will say, the second half of this book really turned around for me.
I think I didn't like the lack of Richard. I truly believe that might be what made this book drag for me. What I loved so much about the first book was Richard and Emrys but then you take away half that equation and give me his sister instead? Plus, oh PLUS, you sort of throw in another love interest that I use that term loosely. I did not like that factor at all and yes, while it all makes sense in the end, I didn't like it and I just recently had a bad experience with a sequel throwing in a completely new love interest when the original one was perfect. Maybe this was my way of protecting myself from being hurt by this again? I don't really know, actually.
Then again, it's nothing against Richard's sister, Annabelle, or Belle as she's referred to a lot in this book. I actually really like her and I kind of want a story for her. So you see where my mind is having a hard time wrapping around the fact that this book did nothing for me. The characters, which are a big thing for me, were perfect. Well, at least the ones I like were and the story was interesting but it was missing the magic of the first one. Figuratively and I guess literally, too.
Richard and Embers together are just perfection. You don't even understand how much I love these two together. When they are together, I happy sigh. When they are not together, I wanna just skip all that and get to the parts when I can smile.
I can't really talk about the second half of the book and how much I loved it because it'll be a bunch of spoilers. But, she definitely redeemed herself by the second half of the book. She being the author.
I would probably rate the first half of this book with maybe a half a star (I know, harsh, right?) but the second half is probably a solid four stars. And it just makes me sad the whole book didn't feel like a solid four stars.
Doesn't mean you won't like it. I've read plenty of reviews where people really enjoyed this and where many people actually liked this more than the first book. To each, their own. This is why opinions are so great.
Thank you so much to HarperCollins for allowing me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 20, 2015
What I liked: The parallels to Camelot were my favorite portion, even though I was (basically) yelling at Emrys to make good choices. There was so much tension in this story with Emrys quest to save Richard, because she basically has the entire city of London after her not only because of the changes that are happening that people hate, but also because of the fact the people are blaming the Fae with the kidnapping of Richard. There's plenty of clues laid throughout the story that are well hidden about what's really happening, although the prisoner from the labyrinthine prison was someone I never guessed until they were revealed, and from there everything started to speed to the end in a great pace. I also enjoyed meeting more of the magical beings of the hidden realm. Ad-hen were certainly very interesting and I really liked their place in the novel as well as the riddles we were given to figure out who was behind everything that was happening. I really enjoyed how much more we got to know Annabelle in this one too, but I did feel bad for her near the end. I also thought Emrys conflicting feelings about her loss of powers was believable, it's all she's ever known and suddenly she's basically powerless and completely mortal. Of course, Herne does make an appearance and that causes more conflict for her, and that was something I really enjoyed.
What I didn't like: The beginning was pretty slow for me, and the prisoner part seemed very convenient (although this part became very important to the plot later on). There were some things that were obvious about the book here and there but not glaringly big so while some things were easy to guess, sometimes I wasn't always right about my guesses.
Overall Review: As wonderfully entertaining of a read as All That Glows was, I found All That Burns to be even more captivating and entertaining a read that was full of twist that made me question about what was going to happen and surprised me along the way. Each of the characters, including our Ad-hen that help, were characters who had depth and personalities that I really liked. Annabelle even became more of a full-fledged character with her growth over the book and I ended up liking her even more than I already did in All That Glows! If there is a third one that comes out I'll definitely look into getting a copy of it too!
Recommend?: Even more so than the first! Take a chance and read this book because I really liked it!
What I didn't like: The beginning was pretty slow for me, and the prisoner part seemed very convenient (although this part became very important to the plot later on). There were some things that were obvious about the book here and there but not glaringly big so while some things were easy to guess, sometimes I wasn't always right about my guesses.
Overall Review: As wonderfully entertaining of a read as All That Glows was, I found All That Burns to be even more captivating and entertaining a read that was full of twist that made me question about what was going to happen and surprised me along the way. Each of the characters, including our Ad-hen that help, were characters who had depth and personalities that I really liked. Annabelle even became more of a full-fledged character with her growth over the book and I ended up liking her even more than I already did in All That Glows! If there is a third one that comes out I'll definitely look into getting a copy of it too!
Recommend?: Even more so than the first! Take a chance and read this book because I really liked it!
December 18, 2015
The second in this series, yet the first I have read, this story starts with a bang and drew me right into the story without hesitation. I loved the world building and setting with new royals and magical and fae elements both unique and fantastical.
The two realms are unified, as we follow Emrys, a once-fae woman in love with the human King. She has renounced her faerie powers for love: but it is never that simple. She’s struggling with court politics, questions of where she fits in and even the reality that her own Fae Queen, Titania, is not pleased with her decision. When you add those elements, you understand just what she gave up, and why she struggles with not reclaiming her powers and turning her back on the humans she knows and loves. Only Annabelle is truly accepting of her and her former fae heritage, so poor Emrys has plenty of things to fret over. Despite it all, her love for Richard is all-consuming, even when she is faced with other options and Richard consumed with his kingly duties.
And the action comes hard and fast: a secret fae prison is in the labrynth, and Richard is constantly in danger from it and those who would prefer the fae and human worlds do not unite. His task is all-consuming, leaving Emrys alone and wondering, and then he is kidnapped, and Emrys is torn between her need to solve problems, find Richard and decide if she really has what she wants.
A bit slow on the start: Emrys’ insecurities are at the forefront early on, but solidly portrayed and displayed making it easier for readers to empathize. Richard is understandably distracted, although I don’t believe his feelings for her ever wavered, he just wasn’t the best at multitasking (and there are few men who are). Elements of magic, history and even some legend mix in, with descriptive prose, tension and a nice blend of emotion mix with the twists and turns as Graudin shows our ex-fae as all too human. I enjoyed this story, with a clever ending, imagery and history, and believe those who enjoyed the first book will love this one as well.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via Edelweiss for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
The two realms are unified, as we follow Emrys, a once-fae woman in love with the human King. She has renounced her faerie powers for love: but it is never that simple. She’s struggling with court politics, questions of where she fits in and even the reality that her own Fae Queen, Titania, is not pleased with her decision. When you add those elements, you understand just what she gave up, and why she struggles with not reclaiming her powers and turning her back on the humans she knows and loves. Only Annabelle is truly accepting of her and her former fae heritage, so poor Emrys has plenty of things to fret over. Despite it all, her love for Richard is all-consuming, even when she is faced with other options and Richard consumed with his kingly duties.
And the action comes hard and fast: a secret fae prison is in the labrynth, and Richard is constantly in danger from it and those who would prefer the fae and human worlds do not unite. His task is all-consuming, leaving Emrys alone and wondering, and then he is kidnapped, and Emrys is torn between her need to solve problems, find Richard and decide if she really has what she wants.
A bit slow on the start: Emrys’ insecurities are at the forefront early on, but solidly portrayed and displayed making it easier for readers to empathize. Richard is understandably distracted, although I don’t believe his feelings for her ever wavered, he just wasn’t the best at multitasking (and there are few men who are). Elements of magic, history and even some legend mix in, with descriptive prose, tension and a nice blend of emotion mix with the twists and turns as Graudin shows our ex-fae as all too human. I enjoyed this story, with a clever ending, imagery and history, and believe those who enjoyed the first book will love this one as well.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via Edelweiss for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
February 1, 2015
(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review).
(This review may contain spoilers).
Having read the prequel to this book, I was happy to read this book and not just because I had it to read it for the blog tour.
I’d met Emrys and Richard, as well as many of the other characters, in book one and it was nice to see them again. I was really surprised (in a good way) to see that the relationship between the two of them wasn’t perfect and that there were still a lot of issues due to what Emrys had given up for Richard.
I was glad to see there was more of Annabelle in this book. I like her as a character and it was good to see that she was a big part of this book.
There were a lot of quite intense scenes in this book. I wasn’t really that keen on Kieran as a character for quite a bit of the book and I didn’t really like his interactions with Emrys, even considering what’s revealed by the end of the book.
I liked seeing Titania again during this book, though I was a bit unsure about whether she was one of the good ones or not. I did find it really interesting to see the Labyrinth prison and it would have been interesting to see some of the other prisoners.
I would have liked to see more of the younger fae, the members of the Guard. I couldn’t help feeling sorry for the Black Dog, even though it was a really scary member of the fae.
I felt the author did a really good job showing how public opinion turned against Emrys. There were some really disturbing scenes that made me feel a lot of sympathy towards Emrys.
I did like learning more about Arthur’s time and getting some background about what had happened by the end. There were some really good scenes, especially those between Emrys and Richard. Their relationship wasn’t perfect, but no relationship is and I’m glad the author showed that.
I found this book really easy to read and I would very much like to read more about this world and the characters, since I feel there’s a lot more that could be told of this story and not just involving the two main characters.
(This review may contain spoilers).
Having read the prequel to this book, I was happy to read this book and not just because I had it to read it for the blog tour.
I’d met Emrys and Richard, as well as many of the other characters, in book one and it was nice to see them again. I was really surprised (in a good way) to see that the relationship between the two of them wasn’t perfect and that there were still a lot of issues due to what Emrys had given up for Richard.
I was glad to see there was more of Annabelle in this book. I like her as a character and it was good to see that she was a big part of this book.
There were a lot of quite intense scenes in this book. I wasn’t really that keen on Kieran as a character for quite a bit of the book and I didn’t really like his interactions with Emrys, even considering what’s revealed by the end of the book.
I liked seeing Titania again during this book, though I was a bit unsure about whether she was one of the good ones or not. I did find it really interesting to see the Labyrinth prison and it would have been interesting to see some of the other prisoners.
I would have liked to see more of the younger fae, the members of the Guard. I couldn’t help feeling sorry for the Black Dog, even though it was a really scary member of the fae.
I felt the author did a really good job showing how public opinion turned against Emrys. There were some really disturbing scenes that made me feel a lot of sympathy towards Emrys.
I did like learning more about Arthur’s time and getting some background about what had happened by the end. There were some really good scenes, especially those between Emrys and Richard. Their relationship wasn’t perfect, but no relationship is and I’m glad the author showed that.
I found this book really easy to read and I would very much like to read more about this world and the characters, since I feel there’s a lot more that could be told of this story and not just involving the two main characters.
Read
September 15, 2015Going into a second book like All that Burns can be stressful for me. I was so worried about Richard and Emrys. I didn’t want anything to happen to them! I’m was really pleased with how Ryan continued their story.
I loved the plot and it actually felt like it moved faster than the first book. It picks up where All that Glows leaves off. Richard and Emrys unveiling the Fae and teaching the nation how to coexist with them. What I love so much about it, is that it really shows the struggle of accomplishing this. It gives the diversity of the fact that not everyone is happy with the decision. Especially when it comes to cutting down on tech and relinquishing a bit of control to magic. I also like how Emrys has her own struggle with giving up her magic to become mortal. Also there is some great tie-in to Camelot and of course a mystery to be solved.
Emrys has definitely changed since her days as a Fae. She is more emotionally driven than duty driven. I loved how firm she is in her love for Richard, even when she has doubts. There is that glowing spot in the back of her mind reminding her what she is fighting for. She is still pretty tough even without her powers. She finds it difficult to take a more sideline role.
Richard is as always Richard. Sweet, reliable and charming. I like how steady and understanding he is.
I loved that Annabelle has more of role in this story. She’s a fierce character. I wouldn’t mind seeing a spin-off of her. Her energy is contagious even in story form.
Keiran is an interesting addition. Especially because he is not Fae but Ad-hen which is something different. Adds to depth of the paranormal creatures.
I really enjoyed All that Burns and I burned right through it. Ha ha...okay not so funny but I was sucked in and reading at top speed to fit all the clues together. Who is doing this, why are they doing it, how are they going to stop this. Ahh! Like I said I’m definitely rooting for an Anabelle spin-off!
I loved the plot and it actually felt like it moved faster than the first book. It picks up where All that Glows leaves off. Richard and Emrys unveiling the Fae and teaching the nation how to coexist with them. What I love so much about it, is that it really shows the struggle of accomplishing this. It gives the diversity of the fact that not everyone is happy with the decision. Especially when it comes to cutting down on tech and relinquishing a bit of control to magic. I also like how Emrys has her own struggle with giving up her magic to become mortal. Also there is some great tie-in to Camelot and of course a mystery to be solved.
Emrys has definitely changed since her days as a Fae. She is more emotionally driven than duty driven. I loved how firm she is in her love for Richard, even when she has doubts. There is that glowing spot in the back of her mind reminding her what she is fighting for. She is still pretty tough even without her powers. She finds it difficult to take a more sideline role.
Richard is as always Richard. Sweet, reliable and charming. I like how steady and understanding he is.
I loved that Annabelle has more of role in this story. She’s a fierce character. I wouldn’t mind seeing a spin-off of her. Her energy is contagious even in story form.
Keiran is an interesting addition. Especially because he is not Fae but Ad-hen which is something different. Adds to depth of the paranormal creatures.
I really enjoyed All that Burns and I burned right through it. Ha ha...okay not so funny but I was sucked in and reading at top speed to fit all the clues together. Who is doing this, why are they doing it, how are they going to stop this. Ahh! Like I said I’m definitely rooting for an Anabelle spin-off!
February 20, 2015
All That Burns by Ryan Graudin
All That Glows series, #2
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: February 10, 2015
Rating: 4 stars
Source: ARC provided by the publisher
I was so excited to continue this series by Ryan Graudin after reading All That Glows and being intrigued. I wondered what would happen and so many questions were left unanswered in the Richard and Emry's world at the end of the first book. All That Burns picks right up where the last book left off and does not disappoint.
Emry has given up so much to be with Richard, she has sacrificed all of her blood magic. But is the sacrifice enough? Does Richard really know how hard that sacrifice was for her? Can Richard give Emry what she needs in order to make the sacrifice worth it? These are questions that start to haunt Emry and her and Richard's relationship.
Richard is king and trying to make things better for the faery realm in his world so that they can co-exist. With this commitment he is spending little time with Emry and she wondering what her sacrifice was for. Richard claims to want to be with her but also is scared of her still because of her past powers and the fact that some still lingers inside of her.
The history of King Arthur and his love for Guinvere will come back into play in this book. A new threat comes to tear everything that Emry and Richard have sacrificed so much for. Emry will have to make a tough decision between reclaiming her magic or being with Richard. Once Emry makes this choice there will be no going back.
I loved that Emry grows in this book and so does her relationship. Even though this book was over 400 pages it was a fast read and was full of action, fantasy, and some romance! Definitely 4 out of 5 stars.
All That Glows series, #2
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: February 10, 2015
Rating: 4 stars
Source: ARC provided by the publisher
I was so excited to continue this series by Ryan Graudin after reading All That Glows and being intrigued. I wondered what would happen and so many questions were left unanswered in the Richard and Emry's world at the end of the first book. All That Burns picks right up where the last book left off and does not disappoint.
Emry has given up so much to be with Richard, she has sacrificed all of her blood magic. But is the sacrifice enough? Does Richard really know how hard that sacrifice was for her? Can Richard give Emry what she needs in order to make the sacrifice worth it? These are questions that start to haunt Emry and her and Richard's relationship.
Richard is king and trying to make things better for the faery realm in his world so that they can co-exist. With this commitment he is spending little time with Emry and she wondering what her sacrifice was for. Richard claims to want to be with her but also is scared of her still because of her past powers and the fact that some still lingers inside of her.
The history of King Arthur and his love for Guinvere will come back into play in this book. A new threat comes to tear everything that Emry and Richard have sacrificed so much for. Emry will have to make a tough decision between reclaiming her magic or being with Richard. Once Emry makes this choice there will be no going back.
I loved that Emry grows in this book and so does her relationship. Even though this book was over 400 pages it was a fast read and was full of action, fantasy, and some romance! Definitely 4 out of 5 stars.
March 4, 2015
I originally did not like this story when it first came out. I liked the changes, the addition of royalty and giving up magic for love, and obviously the fairies. I didn't like the ridiculous love story. I don't mean I couldn't get behind the impossibility of it, after all we are dealing with fairies; however, I just couldn't deal with the insta-love and then the continuation of girly love language in everything. I almost felt like it was written by a 12 year old girl.
This book did tell us a little bit of a different story. While the lovey-dovey sickness that contaminated the first novel was still there, the addition of King Arthur's story, the "real" reason for Guinevere's betrayal, and Annabelle's love story all made this book worth it. Emrys and Richard were still annoying, and frankly Emrys isn't as strong as she pretends to be or even as others pretend she is. We can chalk it up to spells that influenced her, but in reality she's been this way since the beginning. Due to the additions of Annabelle and Guinevere's stories I give this book 3 stars.
Thank You Edelweiss.
December 29, 2018
Okay, at first the book was getting on my nerves.It was becoming a YA drama I was avoiding for a while, the etenal love triangle so typical in the genre.But then I started drawing conclusions, finding similarities between ghis and the Arthurian legend, which made it somehow more interesting, but also somehow predictable.As an Arthurian fan, I was liking it.But since I was never a fan of Guienevere's betrayal, I was getting upset as I read and read. Finally what I feared happened, and to my surprise and happiness, it turned out all right.The last part of the book got me as hooked as the first installent had, and I ended up liking the story pretty much.
What I did not like?
Richard is abscent most of the book.I loved his character, I wanted to read about him and Emrys together.
The sad conclusion for one of the characters.I am a fan of happy endings, this character did not get one.So...I did not like it.
The doubt, I hate it when heroines start doubting .
All in all, I liked it pretty much, I already said it, right ? Well, I did.
What I did not like?
Richard is abscent most of the book.I loved his character, I wanted to read about him and Emrys together.
The sad conclusion for one of the characters.I am a fan of happy endings, this character did not get one.So...I did not like it.
The doubt, I hate it when heroines start doubting .
All in all, I liked it pretty much, I already said it, right ? Well, I did.
March 25, 2019
ALL THAT BURNS, the sequel to Graudin’s ALL THAT GLOWS, her second installment in the world of Fae and royalty was (dare I say) even more riveting than the first tale.
After giving up her magic to become human and be with her love, King Richard, Emrys realizes her own weakness and inability to protect Richard when he is kidnapped from under her nose.
Emrys must come to terms with her lack of magic and work with those around her to save her love.
Again, I’d say that Graudin’s very best writing is in her most recent books, but I still love reading every word. Her writing has a way of gripping me all the way to the last word. “Trust me. It’ll be worth the climb. Beautiful, hard things always are.”
More book reviews on Instagram @emilymorganwrites.
After giving up her magic to become human and be with her love, King Richard, Emrys realizes her own weakness and inability to protect Richard when he is kidnapped from under her nose.
Emrys must come to terms with her lack of magic and work with those around her to save her love.
Again, I’d say that Graudin’s very best writing is in her most recent books, but I still love reading every word. Her writing has a way of gripping me all the way to the last word. “Trust me. It’ll be worth the climb. Beautiful, hard things always are.”
More book reviews on Instagram @emilymorganwrites.
December 8, 2015
I received this free eARC from Edelweiss in exchange for my honest review.
I didn't enjoy the first novel in this series and I didn't really like this book either. And I didn't finish it. It's not that it's a terrible book! I just can't get my mind wrapped about a supernatural element like faeries co-existing with a historical mindset. I either need one or the other. I mean I love faerie stories and I love re-telling of a historical event! Read numerous books about both subjects. But I can't read about them together.
I think a lot of readers will really enjoy this series, but I just couldn't get into it. I'm glad I was able to get an eARC, though, for the chance to see if I could get into this series.
I didn't enjoy the first novel in this series and I didn't really like this book either. And I didn't finish it. It's not that it's a terrible book! I just can't get my mind wrapped about a supernatural element like faeries co-existing with a historical mindset. I either need one or the other. I mean I love faerie stories and I love re-telling of a historical event! Read numerous books about both subjects. But I can't read about them together.
I think a lot of readers will really enjoy this series, but I just couldn't get into it. I'm glad I was able to get an eARC, though, for the chance to see if I could get into this series.
April 1, 2016
This was awesome! I liked it more than the other one because it was more about the relationship between Emrys and Richard rather than the fae and the mortals colliding which was the base of the first book because it was so unthinkable. I really like lady Guinevere and the way she talks.
"I flipped wrong and the Kingdom burned! Kings, Knights, puppets, fools. All of them sacrificed. They die with smiles on their faces. They know not of the dreams that are my only escape. But blind eyes still need to see!"
Overall I loved this book. Incredibly thoughtful plot and really well written characters.
"I flipped wrong and the Kingdom burned! Kings, Knights, puppets, fools. All of them sacrificed. They die with smiles on their faces. They know not of the dreams that are my only escape. But blind eyes still need to see!"
Overall I loved this book. Incredibly thoughtful plot and really well written characters.
March 8, 2015
In the acknowledgements of this book, Ryan said how hard and nerve wracking it is to write a sequel, well Ryan, you did it quite well!
The whole way she creates this world out of the creatures of Camelot and a modern England work strangely well. The plot was good as well, you could see the existing characters molding and changing, and the new ones fit right in. Plus when you think you have solved the mystery in between the plots, she changes something so that you want to read more and figure out how this is all going to end together.
I rarely give books 5 stars, but this one did it! Plus this book has made my longing to go to London much stronger!
The whole way she creates this world out of the creatures of Camelot and a modern England work strangely well. The plot was good as well, you could see the existing characters molding and changing, and the new ones fit right in. Plus when you think you have solved the mystery in between the plots, she changes something so that you want to read more and figure out how this is all going to end together.
I rarely give books 5 stars, but this one did it! Plus this book has made my longing to go to London much stronger!
June 14, 2016
Actual rating: 3.5 stars. This was a very good sequel (even though the first book didn't need one). Again, it's a complete, (somewhat) standalone tale. The shift to focus on Anabelle was a good choice even though . The plot itself was really solid and interesting. was a great way to defeat the bad guy so I give props to Graudin. I did guess a few things way ahead of time, but it didn't ruin the book. I'm disappointed that we didn't get more of the world's reaction to the existence of the Fae, though. If she writes another book in the series, I'll absolutely read it.
December 15, 2016
All That Burns was so much better than the All That Glows. I was always a Fan of Merlin and Arthur and this book was the cherry on the cake. Lady Emrys is such a strong character, she sacrificed everything for the Love of King Richard. But still my Favorite is Princess Annabelle, god I admire her. She had control over all things and she was a very stronge, stronger than Lady Emrys. I felt bad for her when kieran died. I swear i was waiting for kieran to rise from the dead. I hated how the book ended with her, she could had a happy ending too. Anyway the book was full of suspense, twists, magic and romance. I absolutely loved it.
January 27, 2015
Loved this series book one had me in tears at the end and i expected nothing less when i read book two. I loved how Embers really got to understand more about herself and that though some may think their is a love triangle in this story their not it more of case of a conflict in the story that causes Embers to become an even stronger person. This story makes you love the characters and you get caught up each aspect of the plot trying to see where things are going to play out. The little bits of history that are tossed into the story make it all that more real to me. I am fan for sure.
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