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The Stone of Immortality has always been kept under the
watch of the Draconta. That is, until the betrayal of a Fate. Now everything is
about to change.
Aurora Megalos accepted her destiny without blinking-even if
it meant succumbing to her dragon side. Deemed the Progeny, she left the
ordinary life she knew and has done everything in her power to learn the ways
of her new realm and what it means to be part dragon. But when her mentor,
Astral, suddenly disappears, she is forced to take the reins.
With war on the brink, she sets out on an epic journey to
not only find her mentor, but to stop her Arch Enemy, Zordon, from obtaining
the Stone of Immortality. But what she discovers about him along the way is far
worse than she could’ve ever imagined. She will be tested and pushed to the
limit. Lives will be lost, love will be questioned, and a battle will begin.
Candace Knoebel had dreamed of being a dancer ever since she
could remember. With a love of all things art, she saw herself moving to New
York and pursuing her passion as an artist. But all that changed on October
10th, 2002 when she met the love of her life. Her dreams diverged and after
marrying her high school sweetheart and having two beautiful children, she
realized she missed her creative side.
Growing up alongside the Harry Potter series, Candace found
herself missing the epicosity of a story that pulls you in and won’t let you
go. In 2009, she began dreaming up characters that would mold her first novel.
Through lunch breaks and late nights, after putting her kids to bed, she built
a world where she could escape the ever-pressing days of an eight to five
Purgatory. She found her calling in life and knew this was more than dancing
could’ve ever meant to her.
Once complete in 2010, she began the grueling
process of finding a publisher. With relentless determination, she was finally
able to realize her dream in December of 2011 when 48fourteen offered her a
publishing contract. With a HUGE yes and a happy dance, she continues her
Trilogy.
Let me start off by saying I absolutely LOVED BORN in
FLAMES. Candace's world building was fantastic. She detailed just enough for
you to create your own image of both Aurora's human and magical worlds. And we
jumped right into them. The characters were quite likeable. Fenn was loyal and
charming, even swoon-worthy. Aurora, discovering who and what she really
was, endured drastic changes, met many challenges, and grew all along her
journey. I was pretty captivated and intrigued throughout the book. But the
second book started out much slower. Much, much slower. And though EMBRACING
the FLAMES picked up right where BORN in FLAMES left off, I lost my connection
to Aurora and it took me a very long time to get it back.
So was EtH a disappointment? Oh, no. Definitely not. It was
actually LOADED with action, suspense and mystery- and a touch of romance. I
found it very enjoyable once I got past Aurora's confusion and the circles
Astral, the Council, the Fates and Zordon had us running around in. It
was indeed complicated and slow, but there was so much to cover. So much speculation.
And deceit. And rewriting of history. The lengths Aurora had to go to in order
to make any progress were painstaking and often treacherous. Not only is Aurora
tasked with fulfilling the prophecy- stopping Zordon, protecting the Stone of
Immortality- and thus preventing an all out war, she has to deal with
discovering the rest of her family's history, Fenn's heritage and the many
mysteries of the realms... and preserving it all. It's just a bit overwhelming.
And pretty fascinating. So, along with Aurora, I, heart in my throat,
proceeded.
Aurora makes a lot of mistakes- many because of rash and
emotional decisions. She faces deception, manipulation and betrayal at the
hands of her enemies and those she thought she could trust. She has choices to
make (quickly) that can change the course of the future. She's being influenced
and pushed from all sides. And every decision brings it's own consequences and
victims. Intriguing, right?
As I said, the tale begins slowly- honestly for me it
dragged for a good portion of the book. Much of that was my annoyance with
Aurora and her erratic behavior. At times she drove me batty and had me wanting
to throw my kindle. It was tiring and frustrating. But as I continued, the
story built- and built- and built. The tension and anxiety mounted with each
action. The stakes constantly and instantly raised higher. Each discovery
brought about a new challenge. And a new threat. The distress was palpable. The
outlook discouraging... And still our heroes never give up or give in. Aurora
and Fenn vowed fight to the end for what they believe in and those they love.
And for that loyalty and tenacity I also vowed to persevere and see their story
through. And I was well rewarded.
What's amazing is the short period of time this all takes place
in. The amount of treachery and scheming. The destruction and fatalities. The
heartbreak, pain and strife. When you stop and reflect on all of that for a
moment, you realize how much Aurora and Fenn have indeed grown. How much
they've risked and sacrificed for something they're only beginning to
understand. How incredibly brave they are. How strong their bond is- together
and apart. And in thereby embracing their fortitude and strength, you begin
again to see how amazing this world they are so desperate to save really is.
Embracing the Flames will have have you constantly second
guessing. Questioning the Fates and destiny. Clutching your chest in heartbreak
and disbelief. Shouting at Aurora to see beyond her heart and the moment.
Praying that goodness prevails. And gasping, as once again we're left hanging
in the balance as Aurora and Fenn's world teeters precariously on it's axis.
I was really excited about getting back to Aurora and Fenn in the the sequel to Born in Flames. I thoroughly enjoyed book one and knew that book 2 would whisk me away to that magical world filled with sorcery and of course the magical beings of dragons.
So, I am now back in Embracing the Flames and of course it picks up where we left off and we are finding out what Aurora and Fenn have been up to since arriving back in their realm.
With so much riding on Aurora and her being the Progeny, we see struggles within her to accept what has been laid before her. I like Aurora. Throughout this book we see her make some difficult decisions and although there are times I could slap her for her hair brain choices, I also felt that she grew so much on this journey. And she didn't do this all on her own. Fenn is still by her side and now as her soul mate, the connection for these two keeps getting stronger and stronger. I loved watching these two come together and get better. Getting to know Zane was another bonus and I found myself really liking the person he is becoming.
Yet, with all the good things I found, there are some dark and sad moments....I was thrown some surprises within the twists that Candace Knoebel created and as I reached the end of this roller coaster, I knew my mouth was hanging wide open in disbelief.
Filled with lots of action and adventure, I cannot wait for what I will find in book three...
Don't forget to check out Book 1...Born in Flames
Red mirrored scales race up my arms as the haze of pain
blurs my vision. My bones crack, breaking to realign. I scream. It is then that
the realization of my unavoidable fate sinks in; I am of a dying race. I am
dragon.
Aurora Megalos, orphaned and teetering on the edge of
adulthood, thought finding her past would curb the sting of being an outcast.
Having no memories of the time before she awoke on her foster mother’s
doorstep, she yearns for the emptiness inside her to be filled. With her fellow
orphaned best friend, Fenn, by her side, she has nothing to lose and everything
to gain. But something powerful stirred within her that she couldn’t explain.
Something wanted out.
In the dark of night, a crazed Seer, dubbed Mr.Creepy,
erases everything she’s ever known with an impending prophecy. She now faces
two paths. Return to her true home to protect a dying race against a growing
evil, or stay hidden in the safety of our realm with a shot at a true love.
With a vengeful Arch Enemy stopping at nothing to see her dead, she’s running
out of time; a decision must be made. What would you choose?
1 Ebook Copy of ‘Born in Flames’ & ‘Embracing the
Flames’
four bookmarks
a necklace
a keychain
