As a teenager, I was a voracious fantasy reader: Harry Potter, Eragon, Lord of the Rings, Artemis Fowl. If there was magic involved, I was reading it. These tendencies didn’t stick with me as an adult, but reading Rebecca Ross’ debut adult fantasy series felt like a personal homecoming to the genre.

The Elements of Cadence duology is centered around the residents of Cadence, an island entrenched in Scottish-inspired folk magic and split by an ages-old feud between the Tamerlaines in the East and the Breccans in the West. While reading the first installment of the duology, A River Enchanted, I was enthralled by Jack and Adaira of the Tamerlaines, childhood enemies turned reluctant partners in order to call upon the spirits of the island to help find missing girls in the East.

The second novel and final in the series, A Fire Endless, turns a warm welcome to Cadence into an enchanting, high-stakes battle for the fate of the spirit and mortal worlds. Told with the same lyrical prose and again in multiple, third-person perspectives, the book picks up exactly where A River Enchanted left off: Adaira taken as a willing prisoner to the West by her newly-revealed birth parents and Jack left to pick up the pieces of the East plagued by a mysterious blight on its lands and people.

With disaster afoot, the relationships between characters old and new remain the heart of A Fire Endless. Jack and Adaira, now husband and wife, pine for each other across clan lines with the hope of unifying the East and West somehow, not only for themselves, but for the good of the island. Torin and Sidra, newly appointed leaders in the East, struggle to understand the blight infecting their orchards as their people look to them for guidance. As in A River Enchanted, Ross is a master at balancing each of these characters’ turn as the narrator. Chapters often switch between two to three points of view, and never once does it feel jarring or leave the reader wanting more; on the contrary, it feels like a fascinating look at a crime scene through the eyes of each specialist involved in analyzing certain information.

The pairings of Jack and Adaira and Torin and Sidra often take the center stage, but I also found myself very invested in the individual struggles of Jack and Adaira to connect with their estranged parents in the West; Jack with Niall and Adaira with Ines and David. Even if they’ve lived on the same island their whole lives without knowing it, diving into the world of the Breccans is a culture shock. The treachery on their side of the island is difficult to swallow — Adaira is forced to witness death matches under her mother’s rule and is advised to poison herself in order to build up a tolerance for it and avoid assassination attempts. Despite all of this, underlying the violent traditions of the West is the nobility of its leadership, as well as evident, unconditional love between parent and child, which I found particularly moving as these characters grow closer to finding common ground.

Along with a deeper understanding of the Breccans, readers also learn more about the spirit world. Spirits were certainly present in A River Enchanted, but they come to the forefront in A Fire Endless as Bane, the Spirit of the North Wind, emerges to overtake the mortal world with blight, famine, and war. Silenced by Bane with unknown magic and determined to dethrone him, we meet Ash, the laird of fire, Orenna and Whin, the sisters of enchanted wildflowers, Hap, the hill spirit, and many more spirits of nature, who play a part in helping our human heroes. Most notably, the book opens with the first and only section from the perspective of Kae, a wind spirit and messenger to Bane who is brutally banished to the mortal world and ultimately provides information that helps Jack destabilize the nature of Bane’s true power. This section, in the way that it captures the beauty and violence of the spirits, felt like the best, most unique example of Ross’ handle on prose which carries into her descriptions of the mortal world through the entirety of the book — beautiful, lyrical, with an underlying bite and realness to it.

The addition of the new characters and the gorgeously wild nature of the spirits provides a richness to the lore that, while memorable in the first book, makes the world feel even more magical. With a deepened sense of Cadence’s folklore, as well as heartrending insight into the relationships between lovers and family, A Fire Endless is a riveting adventure that takes readers into the unknown and provides an epic, satisfying conclusion for the characters we’ve come to love. Rebecca Ross proves her mastery in fantasy and romance, and it’s absolutely can’t-miss.

I didn’t think I would like A Fire Endless better than its predecessor, A River Enchanted, but I think I did. Each of the four main characters have equal weight in the story, and each of their journeys are equally compelling. Rebecca Ross’s words are just so beautiful, and I don’t understand how she can craft a book that is simultaneously gut wrenching, tense, and cozy all at once. Though I am sad to see the end of this story and this world, this book concluded in a very satisfying way. I love these characters so much, and each of them went through a lot during the course of the story. Rebecca is a magical writer, and if you enjoy character driven and emotional stories, I don’t think she will ever let you down.

What a delightful surprise!

I don’t typically read fantasy, but I saw trusted friends posting about their love for A River Enchanted and decided to give it a go. I did the audio and fell in love with everything about it. The isle, the characters, the magic, the drama, the Scottish accents. When I saw the sequel pop up in NetGalley, I knew I had to read it immediately. And it more than lived up to the first! I hope I can convince some nonbelievers to try these out like I did 🤞

Thank you Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the gifted ebook. I hope we get more of this story!

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Such a wonderful end to this duology! It could have just been my mood or the large gap between when I read the first and second book, but it was a bit of a slow start for me. But, pretty soon I found myself sucked into the magic of this book. There's such a perfect mix of folklore, magic, and romance in this book. It was so comforting to be back in this world with these characters. I loved getting more of Sidra and also more glimpses of Frae's perspective! My one criticism of this one would be that things seemed to go too smoothly and the problems were solved too easily. The entire book was a pretty level read for me, with little to no tension ramping up towards the end. Overall, this was a great end to the duology and one I loved reading! Definitely recommending this to anyone who loves Scottish folklore vibes and great characters.

This book was beautifully written and the ending was phenomenal. The reason I gave four stars was just that it took me quite a while to get through it. It wasn't a book that I could just binge read in a few days.

This book begins with a blight spreading in the east with no cure. Adaira is still in the west and as the days pass, jack becomes more desperate to see her. Each character in this book really is on their own journey and so many things happen.

How to even start; "A Fire Endless" is the second book in the Elements of Cadence book dilogy and wraps up the story fantastically, touching the heart and soul. I have been a massive fan of Rebeccas Ross's writing since she published The Queens Rising in 2018 (I highly recommend this series too!) It is safe to say that I knew what to expect regarding her writing style. But Rebecca up'd the emotions in this one for sure, and you can see growth in how well she has been able to deepen the value of a character in her stories.
But with out giving to much away from the story, if you have not read book one, do so. This story was all I wanted and more for this series to end. And honestly, I can wait to visit the island of Cadence on my next re-read.

4.5 stars! -- I LOVED this follow up to A River Enchanted in the Elements of Cadence series. The story was rich with detail and it really is a cozy fantasy read at its best. The characters all had incredible growth, and there was a lot of pining/yearning that was top notch in my opinion. Ross does not disappoint with her worlds or characters, and I wish I could visit this exquisite world she created.

Jack and Adaira's story might seem like the focus of the book, but Torin and Sidra's connection was so strong and organic that that was the relationship that really stood out to me. The resolution of the blight was really well done and I honestly wish there were more books set in this universe.

I will read anything Rebecca Ross writes at this point!!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the early review copy. This did not affect my review in any way.

This was such a wonderful conclusion to this beautiful duology. One of my favorite fantasy series I've read in recent years. The characters felt so real, the setting felt like its own character, and the stakes had me on the edge of my seat. I would be remiss not to mention how much I cried when I finished - it seemed like everyone ended up exactly where they needed to be, but I could have spent thousands more pages with them. I would highly recommend this series to anyone looking for lyrical fantasy books with loveable characters and a world you feel like you could close your eyes and find yourself in.

A Fire Endless is an absolutely stunning partner to A River Enchanted. Spending time in the West of Cadence (and the East in A River Enchanted) felt like a sitting beside a warm fire on a chilly night, surrounded by the people and stories you love the most.

The entire story is woven so beautifully with magic, love, grief, determination, dreams, and inspiration. Every character (Jack, Adaira, Torin, Sidra, Frae) is wonderful and the ways in which they love and influence one another is so well thought out and powerful. The familial relationships as well as the romantic ones are so deep, so connected, and I couldn't stop my heart from swelling and swooning as the story progressed.

In particular, A Fire Endless really showcases just how much these characters want to leave their mark and leave their world better than they found it. Each character and point of view goes through their own trials, their own growth, but common threads within them drive them all toward something bigger. Something vital to their Isle and its legacy. And the clear love with which Rebecca Ross wrote their stories really shows.

I'd put the book down and, due to a busy life, sometimes not pick it up for a few days. But each time I opened the book, I was transported to a lush landscape with characters who warmed my heart. I was submerged into a story that inspired, never bored, and I only wish I could read this series for the first time all over again.

Overall, this is a powerful, imaginative, and extraordinary book and series. I cannot recommend it enough, and I look forward to Rebecca Ross's next beautiful story.

Thank you Harper Collins, Rebecca Ross, and NetGalley for a copy of A Fire Endless in Exchange for my honest review!

Overall, I enjoyed the second book of the series even more than the first.

Things I adored:
The description of the land and spirits.
The importance of music in this world and how it could literally control magic.
Sidra and Torin as a couple. I find them to be very realistic. I really enjoyed reading scenes between the two of them.
The satisfying ending

This was a great duology that I would definetly recommend.

I enjoyed it so much that I already pre-ordered the author's next book.

this is the sequel (and I believe finale?) to A River Enchanted and it did not disappoint. the first one was one of my favorite books of last year and while I didn’t love this one quite as much, it was still fantastic. these books are based off of Scottish folklore and are just so magical and mystical. I genuinely love all of these characters and how they develop through both books. @beccajross writing is truly enchanting and I can’t wait to read more of her work (Divine Rivals coming soon!!) I have a lot of love for this series and would love if it was continued some day!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

I love this duology and this book did not disappoint.

Jack and Adaira do have to spend a bit of time apart in this book and yet their bond and their love feels as strong as ever. It makes you want to hold your breath until they finally reunite. Also Adaira really impressed me in this book. Her strength. The way she's thrust into a situation that's unfamiliar and yet part of her history. The lengths she's willing to go.

Torin and Sidra also go through their own trials and it made me love them even more. They are a very sweet second chance romance, and I say this as someone who does not usually like that trope.

Once again this book was full of cozy fairytale vibes and music based magic and different types of spirits. You can really feel the Scottish influence and I love it.

The revelations near the end had me surprised but also they made perfect sense so I was wondering how I didn't see it coming. The ending was also perfect, a little bittersweet but a great way to wrap up this story.

I could read a dozen more books in this world and with these characters. Really can't recommend it enough.

I loved loved book one (A River Enchanted) and book two did not disappoint! I appreciate that it picked up right where book one ended. Rebecca Ross has a way with words and created such a unique word. Seriously this prose is *chef's kiss*. And I do love a good twist (or twists) in my books! And let me tell you I was here for the more romance for sure!

Ross’ talent for bringing seemingly disparate threads together into a cohesive and remarkable whole is on full display in this series ender, which deals with the danger of a world thrown out of balance in more ways than one. From its refreshingly originally elemental magic system, which involves nature spirits and music to the vastly different cultures that have come into being on opposites sides of the divided island of Cadence, this is a richly and fully realized universe that is honestly a delight to explore. In fact, there are many elements of A Fire Endless that actually retroactively make some parts of A River Enchanted even more meaningful and interesting than they were before, a bit of alchemy that few sequels ever manage and its overarching message of hope and communal healing is something I suspect we might need in our fiction more than ever right now.

I love the atmosphere of this realm. I loved the character growth. I loved everything. I was a little dissatisfied with the loss of Jack's magic though. Despite that this is my go to recommendation to anyone in the store.

Where do I even begin with this review? Rebecca Ross has created a duology that is beyond the typical fantasy, it’s beautiful and heartfelt. I was lost in the language, she has a way with words that creates a poetic story. Her descriptions are lyrical and it draws you in. Absolutely stunning. I loved revisiting the world with Sidra, Torin, Adaira, and Jack. Completely invested in where they would end up and how these loose strings from the first book would be wrapped up. The romance swept me up, I was ready to fall in love myself.
I will be here for any future Rebecca Ross release if it’s even half as good.
Thank you Netgalley for my copy ❤️

I loved the first book, how the characters grew and evolved. You were investing in them and their relationships. This is no different! I love how accessible this fantasy series is. People who do not normally read or enjoy fantasy can get lost in the highlands. Loved it.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Voyager, & HarperCollins for the opportunity to read and review this book before it's publication date! This in no way affected my review, opinions are my own.

Ok so I've been sitting on this review for literal MONTHS and it pained me so much because it's one of the best books I've ever read (truly). It's also one of the best series enders I've ever read (seriously). It's also one of the best fantasy series I've ever read (I mean it).

I started using the CAWPILE method of rating books last year, which gives a rating to different elements of a book - Characters, Atmosphere, Writing, Plot, Intrigue, Logic, and Enjoyment - and then rounds those to get an overall rating. Since I've started using this method, I've read 2 "perfect" books (out of 50). TWO. And this was one of them.

Which basically means: READ THE BOOKS.

This book was just fantastic. It was the perfect sequel. The romance, the action, the mystery, the intrigue, the folklore, the characters, all of it - perfection.

Just know if you want a perfect fantasy series, look no further. The Cadence Duology by Rebecca Ross is that series.

A Fire Endless is a stunning conclusion to the Elements of Cadence duology. Rebecca’s writing continues to be stunning and the relationships only grow and mature in this amazing book. I continue to be blown away by the world that was woven.

Rebecca Ross knocked it out of the park with this sequel. I’ve loved all her books, but A Fire Endless is one of the most beautifully written sequels I've read in a long time. I think I highlighted over eighty percent of the book. The way Rebecca Ross weaves words is impeccable and awe-inspiring. A Fire Endless also evoked so many different emotions: anticipation, anxiety, grief, and compassion. 11/10