This book was fast paced and while I found the story somewhat predictable I enjoyed the reveals along the way. I didn’t connect with the characters in the same way I have for other series I’ve read recently but I felt like near the end of the book I was starting to see them develop more. I’m excited to see what is next as this series continues given the information we learn near the end of the book.

Fire and brimstone captured my attention from the first sentence. This fantasy novel dives headlong into a world where supernatural forces clash, and at the center of it all is Kai, a demon-slayer with a captivating blend of strength and vulnerability. Her ability to wield holy fire sets her apart, but it's her unyielding dedication to Coetus, the enigmatic organization that trained her, that truly defines her character. Kai's journey is a tumultuous one, as her unique power makes her both revered and shunned by her peers. She's an outcast, yet paradoxically the most effective demon-slayer among them. I connected with Kai on so many levels and loved her all together.

Thank you to NetGalley and Green Elk Publishing for access to this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4.5 ⭐

After reading the description of the book I just knew I had to read it! And guess what? I loved it!

Fantasy with a side of romance?! Strangers to friends to enemies to lovers?! Slowburn?! Mystery?! Fighting?! Sign. Me. Up.

Kai had to see her whole life in a completely different light after finding out some secrets about the people she works for. And this after she befriended someone who is actually the same person they sent her to kill.
Slaying demons is her life purpose. But what happens when she figures out that there's demons in places she didn't know?

Seeing Kai coming to terms with her own power, her mind, her purpose and everything in between was amazing. I just LOVE a badass fmc! And she found some pretty amazing friends along the way who are more than ready to help her tackle these new informations.

And we also LOVE Bhram in this house. He's hot. He's sweet. He's protective. He's EVERYTHING!

Do yourself a favor and pick this book up right now! And I just know you're gonna enjoy it as much as I did!

Also... M. N. Beck and Green Elk Publishing? I need the next book right this instant! Please!

An exceptional world of fantasy, adventure, and mysterious outworlds awaits in this gripping tale.

The story opens with Kai triumphantly defeating a demon, setting the stage for an intriguing journey. As we delve into Kai's life at Coetus, her personality shines through, shaped by her childhood under the care of Sister Martha and the Coetus itself, which grants her a unique power—the holy fire.

This story completely captivated me. Kai's personality was utterly endearing, and I found myself loving her character. The world depicted in the book reminded me of "Wicked Lovely" by Melissa Marr, with its different races cleverly hiding in plain sight. The use of these diverse races added a fascinating layer to the narrative, leaving me eager to learn more about each one, especially the angels. I'm eagerly anticipating the author's further exploration of this richly crafted world.

The seamless blend of fantasy, adventure, and mystery keeps the pages turning, immersed in a world filled with peril. The characters are impeccably crafted, portraying their shared experiences of working together, at times with distrust and at others, with love.

The only aspect that didn't quite resonate with me was the handling of the flashback instances. The transitions between present time and past events flowed so seamlessly that I had to pause and backtrack a few times to fully grasp when the story had shifted to a flashback. However, despite this minor hiccup, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and wholeheartedly recommend it.

Title: Fire and Brimstone
Author: M.N. Beck
Publisher: Green Elk Publishing
Publishing Date: October 1, 2022
Pages: 665
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Rating: ☆☆☆

Overall enjoyable book with great intentions.
I really loved the idea of the whole story- badass, demon-slaying FMC underdog with found family. That part was awesome. What threw me off was going into this thinking it was high fantasy and it was actually set in modern Chicago. I also thought the pacing was a little off and hard to follow/understand at times.
Kai is an amazing character and I really enjoyed watching the underdog rise and I LOVE found family, and having her find and earn her place was very satisfying. The coming-of-age/ journey of self discovery was executed very well and was very enjoyable. Especially knowing this is going to be a trilogy, it really helps the reader connect with Kai and want to follow along her journey in the sequels.
All in all, the things that I disliked, I can kind of forgive easily because it is a YA book and fits that description quite well. I truly believe that the YA community will enjoy this book and be excited to read the sequels.

Thank you to NetGalley and Green Elk Publishing for sending this book for review consideration! All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Green Elk Publishing for access to this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I am rating this book 3.5 stars. First I would like to note that the setting of this book is modern-day Chicago. I did not see that in the description and just assumed that this was a high-fantasy book. I do like the setting, but I think it is worth mentioning in order to cater to the target audience.

Continuing to the positives. This book has a very “Shadowhunters” vibe with the slayers, nephilim, and demons, which I love. Kai overall is a very likable, strong, no-nonsense female main character. I also love the religious deconstruction undertones and self-searching Kai has to endure.

Moving along to the negatives. I like the plot points of the book but I feel like the don’t flow in an easy to read manner. It kind of felt all over the place. Also, I don’t feel the sense of urgency and gripping-the-edge-of-my-seat feelings I like in a book. Kai has been given a time limit on her task but she spends time working out at a gym, sleeping, and chasing every otherworldly she comes across instead of working on the supposedly important task at hand? Thirdly, the flash backs were a little too often and long for my liking (just personal preference). Structurally I feel the flash backs and MC’s internal dialogue should have been italicized to make it clear to the reader what they are reading.

DNF'd at about 15%. I just couldn't get into the world due to the writing, I think the story had promise and I was very excited for it but sadly it wasn't my cup of tea.

Thank you NetGalley and Green Elk Publishing for the access to this book in exchange of an honest review.

This is a really fun urban fantasy book with everything from vampires to werewolves, demons, angels and fae.

I definitely laughed out loud at parts and enjoyed the fact that each chapter has something of significance happening.

The romance was a little too slow burn for my liking, but I understand it in relation to the story.

Overall a fun read.

I'd like to start off by thanking Netgalley, M. N. Beck and Green Elk Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was instantly hooked after reading the description for the book, even reading the first couple of chapters -- I was excited to progress with it. Unfortunately, that fire diminished as I progressed. Fire & Brimstone starts off strong but the choppy writing and the lackluster characters don't keep its hold. The potential is there and the concept is good, but I found myself cringing as I read some of the dialogue. Kai gets assigned a very dangerous mission with little to no information, even gets kicked out of her own home because of how 'dangerous of a houseguest' she is whilst on said mission. The conversations between Brahm and Kai always felt a bit...choppy. Almost as if there was little conversation actually happening, short and uninteresting. You get more information about mundane events whilst not getting enough on things that would/do matter. I was very interested in knowing that this was going to be the start of a series but unfortunately, I wasn't left with wanting to continue to journey.

Thank you NetGalley and Green Elk Publishing for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

WOW!! FANTASTIC!! What an adventure in this urban fantasy world that has vampires, werewolves, Fae, slayers, angels, demons all living among the humans! Oh my!! It has tons of action, suspense, tension, humor, romance and holy fire! The book reminded me a little of Shadowhunters which I loved! I was completely captivated from start to finish!🖤🖤

Kai is loyal, brave, strong and the ultimate demon slayer for Coetus. Coetus is an organization that strives to protect the humans of society from magical creatures that live among them. Having the unique ability to wield holy fire, Kai is feared by her friends and other slayers. I loved that Kai uses her powerful ability for justice. When she is assigned her next dangerous target to slay, The Prince of Death, Kai finds herself discovering truths about herself and the organization.

If you are looking for an action packed, slow burn fantasy romance then this book is for you. It does end on a cliffhanger that has left me with many questions. So now I am patiently wait for the sequel to be released. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“If you’re going to die, die quietly so the rest of us don’t have to suffer.”

Plot- ★★★★★
Characters- ★★★★★
World building- ★★★
POV- Single pov from the FMC

This book was given to me, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wow. I am legitimately speechless. Right from the first page you get thrown into action, there is never a boring moment in this book! We get to follow Kai, a slayer with a special ability to control holy fire. She is told she needs to kill The Prince of Death, because he is killing the leaders of her organisation. As we follow along on the hunt to find him, we see her make new friends but we also see her question what is worth fighting for.
I loved the fact that Kai was so sarcastic and quick witted, if someone tried to make her seem dumb or make her uncomfortable, she would just snap back with something even more outrageous. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

Thank you to NetGalley and M.N. Beck for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

fire and brimstone: GR & NG

4.5/5.0

Fire and Brimstone is a slow-paced urban fantasy based in Chicago. It was written with intricately detailed world building and an interesting plot that weaves different mythologies and their respective beings in a way that feels very natural.

There is a lot of action and fighting scenes with some graphic description of violence but no spicy or steamy moments, which makes the book suitable for a younger audience as long as they can hold the bits of gore.

The story focuses more in the fantasy aspect than the romance—though we get a few cute sequences of the main couple together—and carries a nice air of mystery that keeps you wondering about the meaning behind each of the characters’ words and actions throughout the whole book.

Being the first in a series, it ends in a cliffhanger and leaves you with a lot of questions which are probably going to be answered later on the next books.

Even if YA is not the category to usually grasp my attention, I honestly look forward to reading the Fire and Brimstone sequel!

Think about a handful of your favorite magical beings. Are you thinking about werewolves or fae? Demons or Angels? Humans or Vampires? What if I told you Fire and Brimstone: The Prince of Death, by M.N. Beck, has all six set in modern day Chicago, coexisting and causing a ruckus.

I enjoyed my time in the novel with the plethora of characters we get to meet. Although it’s not an incredibly unique plot, I believe you’ll walk away pleasantly surprised about how much you enjoyed it.

Fire and Brimstone follows the first person viewpoint of Kai, a slayer raised by Coetus, an organization that aims to protect the nonmagical humans of society from being the prey of the magical creatures that coexist with them. Personally, I’m not a biggest fan of first person viewpoint novels because I like knowing the thoughts of more than just the protagonist, but I genuinely did not have an issue with just following Kai’s viewpoint throughout the novel. I think Beck did a good job keeping the prose casual and modern but not meme-y.

When Kai is assigned her next and largest slaying target, The Prince of Death, things go awry when Kai and the Prince get to talking. Next thing you know, Kai’s forced to look into Coetus, the very organization that trained her into what she is today. The plot feels like it happens in the span of a week’s time, and although that seems like a really fast timeline, the beginning was a slow to start, sped up slightly, mellowed out, but then slammed on the accelerator into the end. I can’t say I was 100% hooked into the novel at all times but the author did a decent job of adding lore and action when needed to keep my attention. Not the most unique plot, but for me, I enjoyed it.

I have to give M.N. Beck kudos on raising enough unresolved questions in book one that I’m curious enough to want to give book two a try!! I have a list of my unanswered question in my notes, AND THEY NEED ANSWERING.

My main issue with the novel would be the forced romance as it felt too sudden and sporadic. It’s not that I didn’t see it coming, but rather I felt it didn’t have a place in the novel. Along with that, some scenes tended to drag a bit long for my taste. I caught myself many times skipping through walls of text. The language is choppy, which doesn't really bother me, but it's worth noting.

In summary, I believe M.N. Beck has a good fantasy adventure that you would enjoy as a casual read. Three stars for me but a low three. Take a look at the teaser blurb of the novel and see if it’s for you! Thank you to NetGalley and Green Elk Publishing for the advanced reader copy of Fire and Brimstone: The Prince of Death!

I’m in between 2,5 and 3 stars.
I did not dislike the story. The concept was great and has a lot of potential.
The writing wasn’t wow, i’ve read worse, but for the most part not my preference.

The chapters were very choppy.
Characters could’ve been a lot more dynamic. Lacked in worldbuilding for me, 2/3 of the book had explanations for unnecessary details but not main events.
I felt a bit confused. I would have liked a bit more feeling and a bit more build up to the romance.

That being said, i really liked the concept and if you can put aside some preferences this is still worth a read.
And i will probably be reading the next one.

Introduction:

Kai is a skilled demon-slayer who possesses the unique ability to control holy fire, and she has devoted herself to protecting humanity from supernatural predators. Despite her exceptional powers, her peers view her with suspicion, while the organization that trained her, Coetus, regards her as a valuable asset.

When a new enemy threatens Coetus and begins to eliminate its members, Kai is tasked with stopping him. Her success in this mission will determine her standing within the organization. However, the foe she faces is Death himself, a seemingly invincible adversary.

As Kai approaches her quarry, she finds herself attracting the attention of the Prince of Death, who has his own agenda. Caught in his web, she must fight to free herself and save those she loves. She will need to form alliances and draw upon inner reserves of strength and courage to vanquish the Prince of Death and triumph over the challenges that lie ahead.

Thoughts:

When I read the book blurb of Fire and Brimstone I was really intrigued because I am always in for a good monster slaying book with church sanctioned slayers who are embroiled in church politics. Unfortunately, Fire and Brimstone turned out to be none of that.

I do understand writing a book is no easy feat but this is my honest opinion about Fire and Brimstone. So with all due respect to the author, I found the writing to be bad and choppy. The chapter separations were extremely bad and the world building almost non existent. Characters were stereo typical and had no depth and the plot was extremely weak. Also the plot twists were glaringly obvious.

There was nothing novel or creative about the mythical creatures or the concept of heaven and hell and their eternal war. At times I felt as though I was reading a summary of a ‘Supernatural’ TV series episode. The research that had gone into executing the plot seemed to be bare minimal.

I am not religious at all but I know for a fact that The Church is one of the oldest, richest and most powerful organizations on earth. Hypothetically if they were to have a subsidiary of church sanctioned slayers, they would would have a wealth of information at their fingertips (Hello Vatican Archives!) and will be equipped with the best weapons and training to achieve their missions, no matter how misguided those missions might be, as was the case in this book. Therefore the Coetus just shoving Kai into such a dangerous mission without no information, back up or guidance provided was very unconvincing.

For a battle hardened experience slayer as the book claimed I found Kai to be very naive and immature and there was no character growth at all. I didn’t find Brahm interesting at all. For such a powerful entity, his character falling flat was very disappointing to me. Also the side characters felt superficial and provided no purpose in the story.

Overall, I found Fire and Brimstone to be dull and lacking and it didn’t manage to hold my interest at all. My heartfelt thanks to Netgally, Green Elk Publishing and M. N. Beck for providing me the advanced reader copy of Fire and Brimstone.

"Careful Sparky, you might burn me"

First off, I would like to thank NetGalley, @M.NBeck and @GreenElkPublishing for the copy of this book.

Fire and Brimstone by M. N. Beck is giving Charlaine Harris / Stephanie Meyer as opposed to Sarah J. Mass / Jennifer L. Armentrout. The concept was good, but I found the writing to be lacking. It has so much potential and improves throughout the book, but it didn't leave me needing more. Perhaps I've aged out of the target audience, but the internal & external dialogue seemed clunky and awkward. I often found myself being pulled out of the story to re-read sentences I found odd.