This is book two of the Havenfall Duology so you'll want to read Havenfall before going into Phoenix Flame. If you're like me, you'll want to have both copies available so you can read these books back-to-back. I'm not going to give you any spoilers, but if you enjoy magical stories, you'll want to read this book series.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me a free copy of this advanced copy of the book to read and review.

I actually really enjoyed this one even though I stand by the fact that Havenfall (the first book) is a lot better. I liked how it was a little open-ended at the end so it is possible to revist this world and story.

Didn't capture my attention and engagement. Interested in trying it again though and hopefully it will take.

I received an e arc from Bloomsbury through Netgally in exchange for an honest review.

The only reason this book is a 4 star for me is because the pacing seemed quick to me. This is completely my personal preference and has nothing to do with the book itself. It was a great conclusion to the Havenfall Duology. I just prefer for my books to be slower pace so I have a longer chance to bond with the characters.

One of the things I loved about this book is that the romance thread was simply a subplot and didn’t completely divert attention from the main plot- and with having a face pace book, this is something I see often in other books.
(Mild spoiler)
I also loved the more open ending to this romance thread. So often in YA books we see the main character find the love of their lives and settle down after the book ends. I love that Maddie is free to explore her sexuality more. She could very well end up with either Taya or Brekken or wind up with someone else entirely.

This was a really great read! I had so much fun spending more time in this world, and I loved the introduction of Phoenix Flame! This world is just fascinating, and it was, if I'm correct, a really good conclusion to this series!

Maddie is still reeling from the events of the previous book because this book picks up right after the first one ends, she trusted those that it turns out she shouldn't have, and her faith in her judgement has faltered. And there's a need for action that contradicts what everyone else is saying, to wait, and it's a source of rising conflict.

I really enjoyed that we got to go to one of the realms, it was great to see Maddie explore a little bit, and have her adventure there. That was a lot of fun to read, and it makes total sense for it to be a part of this series! And what she finds, that reveal is pretty huge! Loved that, and what it meant for the rest of the book!

If this is the end of the series, I'm a little sad, and I have a few lingering threads I would love a novella for. Well, we did have that extra chapter at the end, but from that, I can make inferences, but I'm not sure if they're correct or not! If this is the end, I really do hope that we get a novella, at least, just to wrap everything up! Plus it would be

I really enjoyed reading this book, I had a great time reading it!

This book fell flat for me and I couldn't finish it. It took too long to pick up, and nothing happened for a while at the beginning.

So first off, I love the covers to these books! They are so pretty and interesting for a story that is full of mystery and depth. Of the two books, I think I liked the first one better (Havenfall) because most of the second book felt forced and felt like similar tropes from book one. I wish things were expanded slightly more. I will say this book did shock me with the twist I thought something completely different was going to happen so I was pleasantly surprised but overall I’m a tad under whelmed with the sequel.
Full review to come on YouTube

Havenfall only tied up some of the plot points despite being the conclusion of a duology.
The action itself felt rushed and things just seemed to happen too easily for the characters, although maybe I was just expecting a fast paced and addictive plot, with a more engaging world and magic system - like in the first book.

I read this to review for School Library Journal. It was a strong continuation of the earlier books, with several surprising twists and turns, and left an open enough ending for a series.

ARC received from Bloomsbury in exchange for an honest review.

Summary
Maddie Morrow spends every summer with her uncle at the Inn at Havenfall, a way-point that connects ancient worlds together. She has spent her summers there to escape from the tragedies of her life - such as her murdered brother and mother on death row. The inn is where she fell in love with her best friend, a solider from Fiordenkill named Brekken, and where she hopes to one day take over as the innkeeper and oversee the peace negotiations between the different worlds. This summer, however, all chaos breaks loose. A dead body is found at the inn, Brekken goes missing, her uncle is injured, a monster is on the loose, and the delegates are at each other's throats. Suddenly, Maddie has to juggle a lot more responsibility than she ever thought to try and undo the wrongs of her predecessors.

Review
The world built in Havenfall and Phoenix Flame is mystical and wonderful. I love the concept of an inn that sits at the threshold of all the different worlds. The second installment even explored what those other worlds are l like. I wanted to love this book so much, but it fell very flat compared to the first installment.

The plot was very rushed and I felt like we were just jumping from one situation to the next with everything being resolved quickly. There was so much mystery and intrigue built up in the first installment and I felt like it all fell away in this one. While it was great getting to go to Fiordenkill, the mission that was set there was quickly resolved and left the main plot of the book floundering to find a new foot hold.

The ending of this duology was left very open, to the point where I felt like I got no resolution even though this story is supposed to be over. The love triangle was left suspended in air, and there was no resolution about what Maddie was to do with her two love interests. In general, the plot felt like it was rushed and resolved way too quickly to make for an intriguing story.

The strongest aspect of this book is the world building. Exploring the icy tundra of Fiordenkill was my favorite part. I do wish we got a bit more of the other worlds, but for the quick plot it was sufficient. Holland excels at lush descriptions and luring you in to worlds.

This duology is beautifully descriptive with heart pounding plots, but I wish this concluding novel was a bit more fleshed out with more plot resolution.

Phoenix Flame picks up where the second book in the series Haven Fall left off. I enjoyed Haven Fall much more than I did its sequel.

Honestly, it could be because I am over love triangles. Which is by no means a reflection on this book or its author. What I do take issue with is that the love triangle in this story is never resolved. I could have gotten over the love triangle trope if it had been worth it. But, it wasn't there was no end result, which just made it pointless. It was just used as a tool to drive the plot and never came to an end.

One of the things that I disliked about both books was that both felt rushed at times. Because of this, the love triangle wasn't the only plot-hole left unresolved.

What I loved most is that this duology is a story about growth and acceptance. It's about familial relationships, loss, and grief. The main character Maddie had great character development throughout the two books and this is honestly one of the most unique worlds I've ever read about. I just think that the execution could have been better.

3.5 stars.

I will admit that I was disappointed by this second in the duology. I think this series would be much better served as a trilogy and the way it ends actually demands a third book.

The writing was just as good as in Havenfall with respect to the atmosphere. The worlds and character types are creative and fun and I really liked the descriptions that filled the narrative. This world is a lot of fun and I would really like to have more from it. I think there are a lot of pieces present that lend themselves to continuation of the series or creation of companion novels and/or series. There is just so much at work and it really is an intriguing place to be.

The action was great and the book moved along pretty well. Things took off right away and really just kept rolling to the end. There weren't any spots that felt lagging. In fact, the pacing did feel a bit rushed in some places and could have done with a little more in depth movement to slow things down and get the reader more invested.

There wasn't as much immersion into the characters this time around, so I highly recommend reading this one immediately after the first novel if you want to pick it up. Otherwise, the characters can feel a little flat and underdeveloped. Maddie comes off a bit more inept and lost in this novel and I would have really liked to have seen a firmer resolution for her in the end. I feel the same for several of the supporting characters. There are some amazing character arcs that just get left completely hanging.

Speaking of being left hanging...I was totally miffed by the ending. It is vague and wandering and leaves several things unresolved. It seriously felt like the cliffhanger that would happen in a second for a trilogy, so I think the author needs to really consider changing this from a duology and giving her fans another book for resolution. Without a third book, this is just painful.

Sara Holland...I am begging you. Please write another book in this series. Give us some closure and turn this into a fantastic middle novel instead of an okay second novel in a duology.

* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *

I thoroughly loved the setup from the first book Havenfall. It was a hotel that is the neutral zone for many different magical places, an underground soul magic trading scheme, and a race that they thought they knew but did not make for an exciting setup in book one. Then we get to phoenix flame, where I thought it would be just as exciting as book one was, but I was thoroughly let down. The story seems rushed in places, the love interest triangle falls flat, and Maddie is being bullheaded and not listening to her elders when dealing with the soul trade. The story would have been better if we got more than just the two books. A magic gauntlet quickly solves the answers to things like Maddie being in other realms without getting sick. The whole issue around Maddie wanting to end the world to save her mom is a stretch as her mom has been in jail forever and had excepted her fate. There wasn't a lot I loved about this book, but it did earn a 3-star rating as I finished it, and the story is over.

2.5/5 stars: I'm kind of...underwhelmed by Phoenix Flame? I won't say I didn't like it. I loved Havenfall and the concept of magical realms other than our own, and I loved the characters that Holland has created. I also really like Holland's writing style, I have since I read Everless for the first time. The events of the plot itself aren't bad at all, in fact there are some twists and turns that I really thought were creative and had potential to lead to something more. But that's just it: the potential for more. Phoenix Flame felt incredibly rushed to me as I read it. It's a whirlwind, and not in a good way. This book could have used so much more developmental editing and really could have afforded to be longer, or a third book should've been added to the series. X happens and X after that with no lead up and no elaboration. It just happens. Plans form and are executed with little room to go awry. The characters are also frustrating because they seem to go in circles over the same arguments over and over, and the romance is not only flat but left completely unresolved at the end. In fact, a lot of things felt rushed and unresolved once I finished the novel. I wanted more meat in this book. More exploring of the characters and the worlds. More build up. And it just wasn't there. It reads like a half-baked first draft, to be frank, which is a shame, because it has the potential with just a bit more of plot and character development to be much more. So I'm rounding up to 3 stars, and that feels generous.

I enjoyed this book just as much as the first book. I was disappointed with the ending. only because as there was a lot left unfinished and I believe this is a duology. I truly hope that there is a spin-off story that explains what happens after the summer (don't want to name anyone - spoilers), because I need to know more!

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a quick read in the LGBTQ, teen fantasy genre.

Sara holland is so good at duologys. She know how to build the plots and then execute them to perfection. The way she ended this series is perfect so much room for the story to live on in your head.

Sequel to Havenfall. I liked this story. Fantasy world with portals is always fascinating to me. The story went quickly as it was fast paced. There were still some loose ends at the end, which sort of bothered me a bit.

Not going to lie, I only realized at the end of this book that this whole duology happens in one summer. Can you imagine all the ways your life could change in a summer and how much it changes for Maddie? I just had to stop for a minute. At the core of Phoenix Flame is the exploration and what family means and if we are deserving of second chances. Phoenix Flame had all these elements I love - like family, exploring of other worlds, and secrets - I just was craving a bit more depth. I thoroughly enjoyed when Holland brought up conversations about trauma, second chances and betrayal, and the exploration of other worlds.

Yet, when there wasn't as much resolution as I was searching for in the end, I was a bit disappointed. Maddie is faced with the problems of the peace summit (and maintaining it), the soul trade, her missing brother, and so much more. So what exactly can she do, and what should she tackle first? Phoenix Flame has so many strands of action which Holland is able to wrap up, but I just wish there had been a little more space devoted to each issue. It was one of those endings where I thought, "okay I now have answers, but I wish there was some more time for introspection and conversation".

Plot:

Phoenix Flame picks up where we left off in Havenfall. The Silver Prince has been sent packing and Maddie is looking forward to some normalcy (as much as can be expected at a hotel meant as a middle ground for magic lands). Unfortunately, things won’t be normal for quite some time. There’s so much to be said, but a lot of it contains major spoilers. Without giving anything away, Maddie goes on a journey with Brekken to try to put an end to the soul trade and it takes her further from the inn than she could have imagined. There are a lot of twists and reveals along the way that enrich the story and make you second guess everyone and their motives.

Characters:

The story is told through Maddie’s perspective, just like in the first book. She’s an alright narrator, though she tends to be a bit too much in her head and repetitive with her thoughts. The thing I like about Maddie is that she doesn’t back down from a challenge. There is nothing she wouldn’t do to protect the ones she loves. I was a little annoyed with her indecisiveness in regards to her love life, and wish she would just figure it out without stringing anyone along.

Another returning character is Brekken, Maddie’s dreamy love interest. We get to see a little more of his personality in this book, but it’s still not quite as much as I would like to see, especially for a main character. He’s not bad, I just feel indifferent towards him. I wish I had gotten to see a bit more growth and development for him. This is a sequel and I should be feeling more towards out main cast.

Without giving anything away, we do get introduced to a few more characters and they are where things get interesting. I can’t give descriptions or identifiers for them, but I can say that you don’t know who to trust and these new characters are the reason you have no idea what is going to happen.

Writing:

I feel like the writing/style has improved since the first book! It was more gripping, more engaging, and less confusing (though the confusion could have come from introducing new worlds and magic systems in the first book). With the foundation work out of the way, it left room for the story to grow and flow a little better.

Overall:

I liked it! It was a solid sequel and leaves the ending open for more of the story to unfold in future books. Books I intend to read!