Hey readers! Ethan here again with another review for you guys. Tonight must have a theme, because I've got another paranormal romance to share with you all! This one is the latest installment (the fifth full-length novel) in one of my absolute all-time favorite series. What am I raving about tonight?
Kindling Flames: Burning Nights by the absolutely incredible Julie Wetzel. Before we get to my thoughts, here's a bit about the novel and our author:
After a wedding filled with werewolves, fay, and vampires, Vicky is looking forwards to a nice, quiet honeymoon away from the chaos of Darien’s daily life. But nothing is ever simple with an Ancient Vampire around.
When the Vampire Council of Hawaii finds out Darien and his new bride are coming, they are determined to see that Darien is honored properly. But vampire etiquette isn’t for the faint of heart.
The nights could burn when lines are drawn… and Darien finds himself in a turf war he never intended to start.
Julie Wetzel
Originally from Ohio, Julie always dreamed of a job in science. Either shooting for the stars or delving into the mysteries of volcanoes. But, life never leads where you expect. In 2007, she moved to Mississippi to be with her significant other.
Now a mother of a hyperactive red headed boy, what time she’s not chasing down dirty socks and unsticking toys from the ceiling is spent crafting worlds readers can get lost it. Julie is a self-proclaimed bibliophile and lover of big words. She likes hiking, frogs, interesting earrings, and a plethora of other fun things.
FIND JULIE WETZEL
*****
My Thoughts:
It's been eight long months for fans of this series who have anxiously awaited the next installment of this absolutely incredible series. As any of my readers will well know, I love me a good paranormal series and when you throw in some vampires? Perfection. I absolutely cannot get enough. When I first encountered this series, I had no idea the profound impact it would have on this readers life. Not only is it a favorite of mine, it's become a pillar within the genre by which I compare others of its' kind. Now that an impactful series, right?
Riding the tails of the epic conclusion of Stolen Fire, our main characters Darien and Vicky find themselves on the cusp of their greatest adventure yet: marriage. But after a ceremony that will forever be remembered by the entire supernatural community, Darien only wants some time away from Brenton and all the recent drama that's unfolded. Keen to take his bride somewhere relaxing and memorable, the duo head to Hawaii hoping for a quiet honeymoon on the beach. Much like everything else in their lives, quiet was the last thing they found. An ancient threat looms over the Hawaii vampires and once Darien and his past are thrown into the mix, it's up to quick thinking and embracing his inner demons to beat the clock and not only ensure the safety of Vicky, but to save the entire Hawaiian clan.
Unlike the previous four novels in this series, this one really takes a detour when it comes to setting. Wetzel makes a bold move and leaves all of her side characters in Brenton, leaving the reader little insights to drama that occurs while Darien and Vicky are away. The story focuses near-entirely on Darien and Vicky's trip to Hawaii. A move that, while risky, ultimately proved to only farther prove the true writing talents of Wetzel and the potential of this series. When an author can say goodbye to an entire cast of characters temporarily and still reel the readers in as well as I was, I have to say that is quite a feat. While I ultimately would have liked to see more of the cast from previous novels, I definitely appreciate the direction Wetzel chose with Burning Nights. It's been rumored that in the next novel we'll see exactly what drama was happening in Darien's absence back home. I certainly cannot wait for that!
When it comes to the plot, I really was impressed. It's a fairly quick read, fast-paced read that I finished in a single sitting. In true Wetzel fashion, I was left with some great feelings and greatly anticipating the next novel in this incredible series.
Wetzel did a lot of things differently with this novel and strayed away from the conventional creatures and lore in a move that really paid off. She took real note of the Pacific-Islander history, culture, and lore to craft one of the most pleasing stories I've seen from her. The amount of research she did for this work was evident in each sandy beach, each sunset, and each cultural aspect she crafted. As a visual reader, I was highly satisfied.
While I won't say that Burning Nights takes the crown a my favorite in the series thus far, it was still an amazing fifth installment to the series that left me absolutely begging for more from Wetzel. I cannot wait to see what she comes up with for novel six. Any fan of Wetzel and this series will not be disappointed in the outcome of this novel, it was well worth the wait!
As you can clearly see, I fell in love with Wetzel's writing all over again with Kindling Flames: Burning Nights. It should come as no surprise that I am granting this novel a well-earned 5-star review. This is one of my absolutely highest rated series of all time. If you haven't started yet, you're missing out! Don't miss your chance to add this one to your TBR today. I highly recommend this series to all readers of paranormal, romance, and New Adult fiction.
*****
Click the covers below to read my 5-star reviews of
Gathering Tinder (Kindling Flames #1),
Flying Sparks (Kindling Flames #2),
Smoke Rising (Kindling Flames #3), and
Stolen Fire (Kindling Flames #4).
Alright folks, that's all I have for you on the topic of
Kindling Flames: Burning Nights by Julie Wetzel. I absolutely love this series and it just keeps getting better and better!. Head over and pick up your copy now. Also, head over to Julie's social media pages and give her a shout out, tell her Ethan sent ya! Be careful though, apparently, like her characters, she does bite. Watch out! Until next time, Happy Reading!
-Ethan
