Heart of Flames defies words. It is a stunning sequel about the raging fire of obsession, the simmering flames of duty, and full of precious characters. Heart of Flames is a gripping sequel that will only stoke the fire of your love for Sev, Elliot, Tristan, Val, and Veronyka. Pau Preto is a master of multiple perspectives, ending each chapter on a hook, enticing us to keep reading until suddenly the book is finished. Overall, Heart of Flames is about love that borders on obsession, our desires to fix our past mistakes, and our need for transformation. Like phoenixes, in many ways Heart of Flames feels like all of our characters stand at a crossroads. Do we step into the flames of transformation or let our own fears consume us?

These characters in Heart of Flames have my entire heart. It's one of those series where I love them all, even my favorite chaotic problem children. Full of character growth, Heart of Flames allows them to develop. Now that we may have our feet on the right path, it's the challenge of staying on it. To make the commitment every day to either go back to what's easy, who we used to be, or to blaze forward. We are all driven by our desires for connection, for family, or for revenge. The question is if we will let our own desire, our own ambition, swallow us whole.

Once again Heart of Flames is full of world building. Introducing new myths and creatures, the world of phoenixes will entrance you. An important theme of Heart of Flames is the question of whether or not the bonds we have with people weaken or strengthen us. Those we love can be used against us, kidnapped or taken as tokens assuring our cooperation, but they can also inspire us, make us brave, strengthen our own skills. Letting people in is not a weakness and love freely given is worth more than it is taken.

INCREDIBLE. Nicki Pau Preto has absolutely outdone herself. I loved Crown of Feathers so much, but Heart of Flames has surpassed its greatness. I cannot wait for book 3 and am on the edge of my seat waiting for my finished copy of Heart of Flames to be released in March!

This book was so amazing! I'm so glad I was able to get my hands on a digital arc.

Nicki Pau Preto managed to completely avoid the slow middle book pitfall and now I'm so mad I have to wait so long for the 3rd one.

It picks up pretty much exactly where Crown of Feathers left us and proceeds to take you on a wild adventure. My palms were actually sweating at one point and a slight prickling sensation in my eyes may have occurred.

I will start by saying that Crown of Feathers was one of my top reads of 2019, and maybe of all time. Nicki Pau Preto has created such a fantastical world that just drew me in from the very first quote I read. I fell in love with the characters, the world, the magic, everything, and I could not put the book down once I started. I am so blown away that I got a chance to read a Heart of Flames ARC.

This book gripped me right from the start. It picks up shortly after the events of Crown of Feathers and it is so easy to once again find myself lost within Pyra and the Golden Empire. It focuses on the characters Veronyka, Tristan, and Sev as it did in the first book, with some new and exciting POV’s added in, such as that of Val. It was also exciting to see more of characters such as Sparrow, and to learn more about who Pheronia Ashfire was as a person, and not just how she was seen by others.

The plot of this book is a total, wild, exciting ride. It does not stop for anything, and kept me hooked in right to the very last word. The world building in these books is absolutely amazing. I really felt like I could see the settings Nicki created. She adds so much into the book as well, with bits of lore, history, and documents. I really cannot emphasize how much I love the world she has made for her characters, and for her readers.

The character development in Heart of Flames also deserves a shout out. Veronyka’s change through the book is absolutely incredible. Watching her change from someone afraid of her magic, to someone who could be a warrior queen, was just awesome. It felt so natural and organic too, you could really feel the change happening inside her as the story unfolded.

We also see a lot of development from her sister Val, who has really become a whole other person in this book. She is one of my favourite villains, and while she terrifies me, I cannot wait to see what happens with her next.

I am giving this book a 5 Star rating, because it absolutely blew me away. When I finished it, I was immediately impatient for the next chapter, because that ending was definitely a cliff hanger, and I’m so excited to see what’s in store for these characters.