Really loved this book ! Excited to see how the series continues. The world building was great and the characters are very well written. Loving the slow burn sparks flying between Diem and Luther. Looking forward to see how they progress in the next books.

Thank you Netgalley and Atria Books for the digital arc in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for the book! 3.5⭐️

I think this book had potential. I was hopeful in the beginning. I went in blind bc I just saw this book going around.

I had a hard time connecting with Diem. I felt that while she was trying to find herself and make her own decisions, she made decisions that she knew would kind of haunt her and it showcased how naive she was and impulsive she was. I think that was a comparison I didn’t like too much bc of how their age to adult is in the world. She had soooo much potential. So so much, but in short, she was dumb, she was not a badass FMC that could have been.

The romance pacing was off. As I’m reading, I just couldn’t determine who the true MMC/make love interest. I had my assumptions to who it was but it never really solidified that that who was the interest was. It’s almost like a love triangle but not, like an unrequited triangle which, as a romance lover, was really annoying. I think it all started developing near the end of the book, which IMO took too long.

I don’t think I really connected with anyone in the book, I only really liked her brother and the princess.

It’s giving “touch her and I’ll rip off your f#%^ing arms.”

Throne of Glass meets Cruel Prince. All in.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this advanced copy! You can pick up Spark of the Everflame on October 8, 2024.

I was immediately swept away by this stunning new romantasy! Our main character, Diem, jumped off the page and wove a tragic picture of the world she lives in. I was intrigued by the concept of the Kindred, Descended, and mortals and their relationships. I could tell right away that Diem didn't quite fit into this world in the ways others did, but the ending of the book still surprised me.

I'm so excited to see her sloooooooowburn relationship with Luther grow in the coming books. Their dynamic is sexy and playful and a little bit dangerous but with hints of tenderness and vulnerability.

I'll admit, this story as a whole could've used a bit more action throughout the middle to move things along, but overall, I'm intrigued by what will come next. Be sure to pick this up first thing on October 8!

Holy cow. Player, play on. Shoooo.

I started this and pretty quickly was just like meh, not enthused. The main character was a bratty, whiny, girl and there was A LOT of conflict building but no action.

BUT HOLD ON.

Once I realized it was part of a saga and things started heating up, literally IYKYK, I was HOOKED. The secrets, the drama, the love triangle. Slay me. I’m in. Immediately onto book two.

This book was fantastic and written so well! The world building was easy to understand and it was easy to become immersed in the book! It has some of my favorite tropes - enemies to lovers, touch her and die, and slow burn. SAY LESS. I think the book sets up the series well and I am excited for the second book to see where the story continues. That ending had me shook, but I also kind of had a feeling something like that might happen. Although the epilogue has me super curious to see what happens in book 2!

4/4.5 stars

This took a few days flying find my rhythm in reading but once I did that, I couldn’t stop. This has a lot of predictable parts but it’s not less enjoyable. A nice escape from the real world.

I am super curious about the next book.

WOW I really enjoyed this! I had heard great things and lately, am skeptical of overly hyped books, however this hit a lot of check boxes for me. I'm glad most of this series is out for me to continue.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, & Atria Books for the eARC in return for an honest review!

As with a few other books I've read recently, this was a good, quick read. I enjoyed the characters (very character driven writing). I enjoyed the plot. I thought it was all set up to become a very good series. I will definitely continue to read.

It was refreshing to read a FMC that wasn't putting off all the damsel in distress vibes. I liked her flaming feisty attitude, whit, and then along the way the character loses this sense of independent badass. She makes horrible decisions and those decisions don't always have a rhyme or reason (ex. her irritation and hatred of MMC). It got annoying towards the later half of the book. Don't even get me started on the MMC. This slow burn romance wasn't exactly a slow burn at all and at times it just felt forced. I liked the story build in the first half, but thought it just fell a bit flat and left me a bit confused at times.

I think given a bit more time and the next book, I will get a bit more invested. I like the direction this book is going and the potential for a great, spicy love story is there. Definitely worth the read to find out for yourself!

No Regrets!!!!
Solid 3 out of 5 stars

I have so many questions…but first of all I need Justice for Diem. Diem, the FMC in this book, has been sheltered and pretty much lied to her whole life. So reading her journey and the truths she finds along with the readers makes you feel the anger she feels when reading about her.

The most real thing I read in this book was how she was totally conflicted and pulled in the middle of this rebellion of Mortals vs Descended. She has so many conflicted feelings because many people she loves are in both completely different sides. Then, we also have the question of what Diem is? Is she really mortal? I don’t think so but it was enlightening how in denial she was. Definitely a result of being gaslighted her whole life.

The major plot here is very interesting. We have a breed of deities, the Descended, taking over the realm long ago and claiming power over the mortals. Reinstating the social classes, their religions and customs. Of course this brings a major war. But we also have old gods and Descended gods involved and will probably be a big part of the story. The biggest mystery of it all what is going on with Diem’s mother and father? They definitely know something.

Luther is another enigma but it is quite obvious the Diem and him have a connection. The parts I looked more forward to were when these two met again and again. It was so random, they would be fighting each other or defending the other or maybe becoming friends. Quite the rollercoaster.

For me the mystery of it all, along with Diem’s character development of finally choosing herself plus fight what is right are what made me rate this 4 🌟

Thank you to @netgalley and @atriabooks for my free copy in exchange for an honest review. 🫶🏻

I was in a massive book hangover after finishing Two Twisted Crowns, so I immediately started reading this book and it definitely helped pull me out! I love this one and need to start book two ASAP!

Sometimes I avoid reading fantasy because it’s just so much world-building & new names and places, but in Spark of the Everflame I didn’t feel overwhelmed. Everything was clearly explained and the world-building was straightforward. I liked the idea of the Descended vs mortals and even the political aspects were intriguing.

I loved Luther, but need more of him! I’m hoping more of him is coming in book two. I also liked our feisty FMC, Diem. She definitely had moments of immaturity and stupidity, but the warring of her emotions and decisions made perfect sense to me. I liked seeing her internal struggles as she desperately tries to make the right choices but doesn’t know how. And I DEFINITELY need more Luther and Diem together. This is for sure a slow burn but not much payoff at the end of this book, so hopefully more of that to come!

I’m super interested to see where the storyline goes from here, especially with the Guardians and with Diem’s mother. I also liked Lily quite a bit and hope to see more of her and Teller.

Overall, this is an exciting and well-written fantasy book that just might pull you out of a reading slump or hangover, as it did for me. On to the next book!

Hey you. Everything they said was true. All of it.

You who love ACOTAR.
You who own multiple versions of Throne of Glass.
You who can’t stope thinking about Fourth Wing.
You who who thinks she has already read her favorite fantasy book and nothing will compare.

This series is for YOU.

Penn Cole’s Spark of the Everflame is the start to my favorite Romantasy series to date: The Kindred’s Curse Saga.

TKCS is about to be the next Romantasy social media sensation and, if I could only pick one series to recommend to my audience across book socials - it’s this one.

My EASIEST five-stars since joining Bookstagram.

Congratulations to Atria on this incredible re-release. The cover is stunning and bonus content is the best kind of teaser.

I can’t thank Atria Books, Simon & Schuster, Penn Cole and NetGalley enough for this ARC.

Phenomenal!!! I could not put this book down. Once I started it, it completely consumed me from start to finish! The cliffhanger was brutal though and I am desperate to find out what happens next! This is the fantasy romance by design and Penn Cole keep them coming!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC! *Spark of the Everflame* by Penn Cole is an exciting first installment in the *Kindred’s Curse* series, blending elements of fantasy, romance, and political intrigue. The story follows Diem Bellator, a young woman searching for answers about her missing mother while uncovering secrets about her own mysterious heritage. Set in a world ruled by the Descended royalty, Diem’s journey into dangerous court politics and rebellion pulls readers into a slow-burn romance with the prince, Luther, while grappling with intense internal dilemmas. Fans of complex world-building, magic, and enemies-to-lovers tropes will appreciate the depth of the characters and plot twists, leaving readers eager for the next book.

This was really fun! Loved the world, it seems to be very well thought and flushed out. The pacing of the story was slow at times, but the epilogue made me really excited to continue the series.

I feel like one more Luther scene would have been good!

On the whole, yes I liked this book. The writing made up for some of the lackluster plot. I enjoyed the romance and the mystery behind Diem's missing mother. I enjoyed the lyrical way in which this book was written. I did not enjoy the overused FMC "im going to cut off your balls" with the MMC "shocked but attracted" trope. I did not enjoy the overused hot dark-haired royal who is strong, has shadow magic, shows no emotion but is clearly immediately obsessed with the fmc trope. This book didn't do anything new, but it wasn't awful to read-just repetitive of many others in this genre.

Got me out of a book hangover - and straight into another one! I cannot wait for this to be a finished series so I can devour it over and over.

Immersive world - building, fascinating writing, and the beginnings of a slow burn romance that you're really excited to see develop. The main character (Diem) was a little annoying in a few moments, but even that felt true to her development as a person and didn't pull me out of the story.

Four stars instead of 5 because: while this is a first book in a series, it really feels like a first book. The fast pace of the first half turns to a second half where not much happens. The feisty FMC loses her feistiness in a few key moments, choosing instead to be quite dumb - to a degree we do not want from a main character. The "angst" inserted into what will become the slow burn romance feels more like moodswings and not proportional reactions to what's happening.


Fans of immersive worlds, badass FMCs, and interesting magic systems unite.


Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC for my honest review.

I found Spark of the Everflame to be a new favorite fantasy read! I love it when the FMC is not perfect, and is dealing with the consequences of secrets that have been kept from her all of her life. It affects her relationships and decisions, and I thought Cole did a great job showing this with Diem.

The book is fast-paced and I never felt like I got bored during the story. There is intrigue, betrayal, family secrets, hidden powers and a love triangle, which all make for an exciting story. I also thought that Cole brought in a great family dynamic between Diem, her father and her brother. Chapter 31 was an intense confrontation, and I felt the emotion of it. I also enjoyed getting to see snippets of her mother, through Diem's POV, and I look forward to seeing how her character plays into the rest of the series.

I did wish that there was a bit more back-story to Luther's character, just to get more insight into him. But, I am looking forward to seeing how his character develops in the second book.

If you love enemies to lovers, a slow burn romance, magic and hidden identities, then I would definitely recommend Spark of the Everflame.

Spark of the Everflame by Pen Cole is an enchanting journey into a world where magic, adventure, and heart-stopping danger intertwine seamlessly. From the very first page, Cole weaves a mesmerizing narrative filled with vivid descriptions, intricate world-building, and a cast of memorable characters that leap off the page.

Cole offers a fresh perspective in the romantasy genre. Spark is a book with heart, rich world building, and means something. Cole is saying something on and off the page.