I love this series and need more people to be talking about it. It’s an excellent romantasy with strong world building, fast paced action, complex characters, and a compelling storyline. The first half deals with Diem’s capture and rescue, and the second half is Diem and Luther trying to find allies, getting answers to important questions, discovering secrets, and dealing with betrayals. Diem’s character arc from the first book through this one is fantastic. She’s changed and grown so much, and I’ve loved seeing her go from questioning herself, her beliefs, and her abilities, to stepping into her role and power as a queen. Luther has always been absolutely perfect, but this book fully cements him as top tier book boyfriend material. He’s fiercely protective, staunchly loyal, and willing to fight and die for Diem. I love their relationship, and the slow burn romance stretched over three books is so worth it! P.S. The ending was brutal and I need book four immediately.
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My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
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Read if you like:
▫️epic romantasy
▫️immortals, gods, and goddesses
▫️elemental magic
▫️slow burn, angsty romance
▫️court politics
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Thank you to Atria Books, Penn Cole, and NetGalley for the ARC. I received an advanced copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.

WIth this third installment of the Kindred's Curse Saga we find out more about Diem and the magic she wields, however it seems very long and drawn out with not a lot of action. I really enjoyed aspects of this book and will continue with the series but I hope to see less of Diem defending the mortals and seeing that there are threats against her that she needs to deal with.

4 stars!

I absolutely love the Kindred's Cursed Saga and this book was no different. Every installment in this series I am excited and astounded by the plot twists and turns and how I'm literally eating up thousands of pages. I think where this book in the series is not my absolutely favorite is that Diem did start to frustrate me, and I think I'm ready for more answers in general, but I am excited for the last installment in the series. PLEASE COME SOON!

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Heat of the Everflame is book three in the series and they just keep getting better!! This book was thicccc! There is so much happening and a lot of information gathering and secrets revealed! There were some insane battles and so many ohmygod moments that were jaw dropping! I am completely obsessed with this series! Diem is such a strong, badass, female main character! I love the connection between her and Luther, he is so completely enamored with her and would literally sacrifice anything to keep her safe! I don’t want to give too much away, some friends aren’t through book 2 yet and others who haven’t started yet! But I will say, if you have read Fourth Wing thru Onyx Storm and are looking for your next great romantasy, look no further!! They each have ended on the most insane cliffhangers and this one is no exception! I need book four immediately!!

Heat of the Everflame is EVERYTHING! This third book in The Kindred’s Curse Saga is high-octane, heart-pounding action and searing romance. Diem is at her fiercest and most powerful yet. She is constantly torn between loyalty, love, and her past. She’s always fighting for justice and the people she loves. Honestly, I do know how she has the energy. She is looking for alliances, but they are razor-thin, and the betrayals cut deep.

Is the chemistry between Diem and Luther still exciting? It is scorching this time around. She is toying with him every chance she gets. I love that he is honest with her and keeps her grounded. Their relationship grows into something more profound. They make each other better. The twists will blow your mind. The danger comes to a head as the Crowns vie for power and an unexpected alliance that could change everything. You are screaming and swooning as you flip pages like your life depends on it. This book was an experience, and you need it. Top Tier!

Thank you, NetGalley and Atria Books, for the opportunity to review and provide my honest feedback.

I was given an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. Review contains spoilers.

I was so lucky to receive an ARC of this book! I devoured Books 1 and 2 in days. Heat of the Everflame is even more exciting than Books 1 and 2. Diem is finally coming into her own and forging a path no one has taken before her.

In terms of fantasy, the plot, world, and magic really expand in this book. As Diem’s powers grow, so does her knowledge of the world and people outside of herself. In this book, Diem finally starts to learn to trust people other than herself. Diem is a wonderfully flawed main character. She tries to make the choice she feels will bring the least harm. Even though she doesn’t always get it right, she learns, grows, and tries again.

The slow burn between Diem and Luther finally gets some spark in this book!

Wow

I finished this 1,000 page book in just a few days. While I enjoyed Spark and loved Glow, Heat is where our story really takes off. We get to explore more of the world and finally get SOME answers. But don’t worry, Cole leaves us with many *burning* questions for book 4.

Our slowest of slow burns finally gets some payoff, but then we’re left with the most brutal cliffhanger. I, along with the rest of the book world, are eagerly awaiting the Burn release announcement.

Highly recommend anyone who enjoys romantasy to pick up this series and ride the hype to the finally, yes it is very well deserved!

Heat of the Everflame by Penn Cole was absolutely enchanting!
No, this is the best type of fantasy! I don’t think I can quite put into words.
Penn Cole‘s writing is captivating. She knows how to pull the reader into a magnificent and intriguing place.
The story was absolutely engaging and the work that went into the settings was noticeable and superb.
The attention to details in Coles writing really set the scene and tone.
Penn Cole does it again!

Glow of the Everflame (Book 2) was in my top reads of 2024, so was thrilled to get the 3rd installment!
I don't want to go too much into plot with this being the 3rd in a series.

I really enjoyed the world building, and learning about the other realms in this book. Character development was good, with new characters entering the scene and some character we saw alot of book 1 and 2 taking a backseat. The slow burn romance was so well executed in this. Top notch,
I really thought I would devour this... but it took me a while to get into it. It was VERY long compared to the first 2 books and that may have been a factor. A lot of this book is setting up for what I'm assuming is to come in book 4 (which I CANNOT WAIT to read)

Overall I enjoyed this, but just didn't have me reaching to pick it up like the first 2,
Still a huge fan.

Oh buddy this is romantasy done WELL.
This was a series I had been wanting to read so I got to binge the first two books before diving into this ARC.
I feel like book 3 in a multiple book series tends to be the book that gets lots of the heavy world/plot building. This one definitely follows that trend to set up for the ending that is to come. I loved the banter between characters.
Loved all the politics that happen in this one!
Can't wait for book 4!!


I also really enjoy watching author's become traditionally published and their books become more recognized!

Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for the ARC.

The third installment of the Kindred's Curse continues to really expand the world - moving from Lumnos into the other king(or queen)doms that we've heard about, we get a chance to see how other mortals and Descended (Cole's version of the fae) interact and to broaden our perspective of the fantasy world.

As a teenaged fan of Game of Thrones, I've always loved complex world building and so I really appreciated the focus on each kingdom's unique culture, challenges, politics and opportunities. In the third novel of the series, newly crowned Lumnos queen Diem is dealing with the aftermath of a violent attack on herself and the other sovereigns. By spending time both with the human Guardians who capture her and the Descended who rescue her, she starts to challenge her assumptions about the world and In particular, extended parts of the books are set in Umbros and Sophos, both of whom have really interesting political landscapes in their realms. If you are someone who really loves governance in fantasy, this is the book for you.

I would say that this book really should not be read as a standalone novel. So much of the relationship building between Diem and the other characters really builds on the first two novels, allowing the connections to evolve in a more measured and thoughtful way than really can be built in one book.

I devoured this book in two days and am looking forward to the fourth and final book in the series. This is definitely a great read for fans of Game of Thrones (if you loved the politics), Fourth Wing (if you loved the romance) or Serpent and the Wolf (if you loved both).

The world-building, magic, and lore of Emarion, the Kindred, and the Everflame are absolutely top tier! Even after some time away from this between books two and three, I was able to jump right back into this world because it is so unique, so cool, so fascinating. Coming back to our cast of characters felt like greeting old friends and falling right back into place with them!!

This was honestly three books in one, each part almost told a complete story in itself, so we were treated as readers to a glorified feast!! I absolutely adored getting to explore the different lands and magics of Emarion as Diem worked to make her escape, make her way home, and start making headway against our newly uncovered big bad. Each region is so unique in its people, its government, its physical space, so it was so cool getting to visit those places and see them through Diem's eyes! As she traveled, we got more time with some of our favorite friends, like Luther, Taran, and Alixe, some time with those we love to hate like Henri and Aemonn and Remis, and were introduced to some new faces, both friendly and otherwise.

This felt like a rollercoaster of a read- in all the ups and downs of the plot, and the ups and downs of me screaming at these characters to speak to each other and put together the very obvious clues before its too late while also loving all the characters' interpersonal relationship building and strategizing!

Thanks so much to Penn Cole and NetGalley for a chance to read this in exchange for an honest review.

This third book in the Kindred’s Curse series picks up after Diem’s coronation. She must navigate the politics of the courts in order to protect ALL of her people, mortals and descendants alike. With new threats looming, will Luther and Diem successfully unite the courts against a common enemy, or will Diem’s threat to the status quo blind the other rulers?

I have completely devoured this series! This was stressful and chaotic in the best possible way and I am desperate to get my hands on the last book. I loved witnessing Diem continue to grow into her power and find her voice and Luther is an absolute dream. This has been one of my absolute favorite series and cannot recommend it enough!

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the e-ARC!

Coming off a 5 star read of Glow of the Everflame, this one was wayyy too long. While a lot of things happened I felt like it was just too much back and forth in this book.

4.5⭐️ Happy publication day to @authorpenncole and thank you @atriabooks for the galley! 🥂

𝐭𝐥𝐝𝐫; 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬. 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐭.

Look, this is the third book, so if you’re not already bought in, I’m probably not going to convince you with a book 3 review. I’ll just say this series is addictive and has taken me by surprise.

Although set in a fantasy world, there are parallels to present day politics. There’s a caste system with humans on the bottom and the descended (magic wielders) at the top. Half breeds are far more common than anyone wants to admit.

In this book, the rebel human resistance is making their grand stand. All of a sudden it gets hard to tell which side is “the good guys”. There will be evils of war on both sides. Fiction yet true to life.

In addition, I love the world building and each realm’s unique powers which we learn a lot more about in this book.

Where to start with Diem. She has learned to wield her powers...finally! Shadow Daddy Luther is in the wings, but these two still haven’t learned how to communicate. At 850 pages this book was lengthier than it needed to be, but I’ll forgive it. My fave of the series so far is Glow (book 2).

However, in book 3 we meet my new favorite morally grey character: Zalaric. He and Taran’s banter had me rolling with laughter. I could read a whole book of these two. I also love Sorae and want to learn more about the other gryverns.

I must know when book 4 is publishing. I’m hopeful it will be this year..!

Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

This series has me by the throat. The third in the series, you need to read the two previous books before this one. I won't say much out of fear of spoilers, but so many twists and turns I cannot wait to see where the story goes next.

This series (and this book) are so good. The cliff hanger, while cruel and unusual, has me so excited to get my hands on book 4. Its such a well thought-out plot line, with good genuine characters. I find myself thinking about the books even after I finish them.

I absolutely adore Everflame. This third installment was great. I do think the FMC is a little naive about war and sometimes that was annoying. However, the characters and their relationships are so amazing that it’s easy to overlook Diem’s naïveté.

ℍ𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝔼𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕗𝕝𝕒𝕞𝕖 by Penn Cole
Trad Release Date: March 11
Rating: 5 ⭐️
Spice: Open Door, 🌶️ 🌶️

🔥 Luther 😮‍💨 The man that you are…

Just when I thought I couldn’t love him more, this book cemented him in the hall of fame of book boyfriends. I will not be taking comments and no @authorpenncole I don’t care what you say about Henri. It’s a no for me.

This is a thick book but I devoured it in 3 days.

The journey Penn takes us through is amazing. I just can’t get enough of this world. We get to explore the different realms and see the politics at play.

I know people have heartache over Diem as a complicated FMC but I just love how empathetic and focused on doing what she perceives the right thing to do is. She may stumble but I love her even more for recognizing the mistakes she makes. I’ve enjoyed seeing her character growth.

@authorpenncole I beseech you, do not touch Taran 🥹 my heart can’t take it.

The plot twists make this a wild ride. There is a lot of stage setting and events that are preparing us for an epic finale and I can’t wait to see how this story ends.

This hits all aspects I love about romantasy, the banter, high stakes and epic world building. Definitely add this to your TBR!

Thank you to @authorpenncole and @atriabooks for this eARC!

🔥Blurb: After her coronation, Diem is straddling the line between both of her worlds. They are at war and she can only remain passive for so long. A new threat emerges that leaves her with more questions. Diem and her friends just want to make it back home safely but there is a threat at every corner and so many questions. Will Diem find what she’s after?

More formal review to come - will be anxiously awaiting the 4th book!! All these cliffhangers are killing me slowly!