If you remember back in March, Clíodhna O’Sullivan made her debut with Her Hidden Fire, the start of a new YA romantasy trilogy. We had the pleasure of reviewing book one, and we’re back already with the review for its sequel: Her Rising Flame!
Book two picks up immediately after the mind-blowing ending of Her Hidden Fire, which we won’t spoil for anyone who hasn’t read it yet. (But if you still haven’t, you should really get on it before the series concludes next summer!) Éadha is on the run, Ionáin faces a difficult truth, and Gry must keep his true allegiances a secret.
This romantasy is all we’ve been thinking about, and it’s quickly becoming one of our favorite sequels of the year. Here are three things we love about Her Rising Flame by Clíodhna O’Sullivan!
Book Overview: Her Rising Flame
Content warnings: death, violence, bodies, coercive behavior, forced captivity, physical assault, vomiting, hunting, warfare, serious injuries (Read at your discretion!)
Summary: Éadha is on the run, having narrowly escaped the cruel grip of the Master Channellers. Relentlessly hunted, she is pushed to the very edge of her world—a place of ancient magic and long-held secrets where she must create a new life for herself in ways she never imagined.
Ionáin is forced to come to terms with the fact that he has no power, nor did he ever. Imprisoned deep in the Fodder holds, he faces the stark reality of what it means to be an enemy of the Masters as he tries to make sense of his future . . . with or without Éadha.
Gry finds himself walking a dangerous line between protecting his Family’s secret legacy and being true to his feelings for Éadha. With his newly revealed powers, he must train with the Masters he despises and find some way to destroy the very system that makes him elite—before that system can destroy Éadha.
New Points Of View
While book one had Éadha’s sole point of view, Her Rising Flame adds on Ionáin’s and Gry’s perspectives. The three of them are scattered across Domhain throughout this sequel, each of their journeys keeping them apart and bringing them together as fate would have it. Éadha’s newfound powers make her the target of the Master Channellers, and she must find refuge on the edge of the map. Ionáin’s new fate keeps him trapped on the Second Island of Lambay. Meanwhile, Gry’s forced to train with the Masters now that his powers have been revealed. We loved experiencing the sequel through each of their different lenses, and it makes us wonder if anyone new will be added in the conclusion.
Hearts Divided
Not only does Éadha carry the weight of an ancient magic in her blood, but she also carries the weight of so many difficult decisions, such as her feelings for Ionáin and Gry. Éadha’s torn between the two. She blames herself for keeping the truth a secret from Ionáin, her childhood best friend and first love. She cares for him deeply still, even from across the world. But she can’t deny her connection with Gry either. He knows her true identity and the struggles that come with it. Gry also recognizes that Éadha may not feel as strongly about him as she does about Ionáin. This love triangle is so pure yet heart-wrenching, and we don’t know what to do with ourselves.
The Perfect Setup
Another thing we love about Her Rising Flame is the epic battle at the end. It gives us a look into the magnitude of Éadha’s powers and influence, as well as just how high the stakes are in this war between her and the Master Channellers. It also provides the perfect setup for the third and final book in the Her Hidden Fire trilogy. The long-standing patriarchy has erased and rewritten history in their favor, and it’s only a matter of time before their insatiable, life-sucking greed finally comes to an end. With Ionáin and Gry by her side, we know Éadha’s capable of doing anything. Now we just need to tide ourselves over until we can get to what’s sure to be a phenomenal conclusion.
Clíodhna O’Sullivan has done it again with Her Rising Flame. From the added points of view to the heart-wrenching love triangle, we couldn’t be more obsessed with this trilogy!
Her Rising Flame by Clíodhna O’Sullivan comes out November 3rd, and you can order a copy of it here!
What did you think of this romantasy sequel? Are you a fan of Clíodhna O’Sullivan’s Her Hidden Flame as much as we are? Let us know over on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!
Want to hear some of our audiobook recommendations? Here’s the latest!
