All That Burns (All That Glows #2)by Ryan Graudin
Publisher: Harper Teen
Release Date: February 10th 2015
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Synopsis:
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?
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.
by Ryan Graudin
Ryan Graudin is doing a preorder special through her local indie Blue Bicycle Books. You can pre-order a signed copy of All That Burns and get a free ALL THAT BURNS tea (a ginger plum flavored black tea). Don’t miss this special offer! Click here to pre-order a signed copy of All That Burns.
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My name is Ryan and I've been writing ever since I grabbed one of my dad's old tax ledgers and created this masterpiece: see image.
My writing has since improved, though my obsession with wolves has remained relatively the same (I even own a wolf-hybrid pup.) My childhood was a happy, sunny thing. I grew up on a steady diet of fairytales, salt-marshes, music and brothers who would re-enact Redwall battles with me in the back yard. I went to an artsy sort of high-school that allowed cello recitals in the hallways and impromptu poetry slams in the cafeteria. It was there I decided that writing was what I wanted to do more than anything.
I'm officially a grownup now (I suppose one must admit that once they turn 26). My diet still includes fairytales, salt-marshes and art, but there are a few new loves thrown in. A big one is travel. Pieces of my heart are scattered like breadcrumbs all over the globe--I've bartered them off for writing inspiration, so I suppose it's a fair trade.
When I'm not cramming my earthly belongings into a backpack and waiting in airport security lines, I'm doing one of the following: Writing YA novels, Photographing weddings with my husband, Making our little white cottage more homey, Playing with my wolf pup, Trying out Korean récipes, Haunting local coffee shops with my friends.
Giveaway: Win (1) of (2) signed copies of All That Burns by Ryan Graudin (US Only)
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Giveaway Starts: January 26th; Ends: February 4th
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