Kitty Faulhaber

A Fantastic Story That Left Me Excited For More!

Revisado: 11-28-17

First off, I suppose I should start by admitting that pretty much as soon as I finished listening to this audiobook... I started it over and listened to it all a second time. I will often get to the end of a particularly good book and not want to start something new because I like to let it sit for a bit. But it's pretty rare that I will just instantly start reading it because I enjoyed it so much. And that's what this book did for me.

I have always been a fan of character driven works, and Fates Aflame did not disappoint. Each of the characters had fun, believable personalities and they were an absolute joy to get to know better as the story progressed. The interactions were great and I really look forward to getting to know them better in the upcoming sequel!

The story was a lot of fun and held a lot of elements that I always enjoy. The romance plot was sweet and not rushed. The feelings budding over time as they grew to know each other better-- instead of being a sudden 'love at first sight' kind of thing. I find this style much more realistic and wonderful to read because you get to watch the emotions grow and blossom.

And then, of course, there's all of the mythological and folklore elements that are involved in the main plot of the story. Fantasy has always been my go to genre and this book does not disappoint where that is concerned. The lore felt to me that it was a wonderful mix of well-researched and personally created, the two aspects melding together into a riveting world history and legends for the setting. And even the more familiar creatures that you might run into have their own unique flavor that helps them stand apart-- like the unicorn, Malachite's vivid coloring and the Firagia the dragon's wings being literally made of flame.

Overall, I loved this book. I can't wait for the story to continue moving forward and show us even more of the fantastical world that the author has created.

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A solid conclusion.

Revisado: 10-01-17

I enjoyed this final chapter of the story quite a bit, and it was interesting to see if from David's point of view. Starting out, we knew at least a little bit about the other three characters because they all went to school together, but David came in from the outside and none of the others really knew about him. So you get a lot of insights in this book and I enjoyed getting to know this character more.

Story wise, this final book packs quite a punch as well. I did not see a lot of these twists and turns coming and it kept me guessing until the end. The drama and emotions of the characters were believable and in general I just really loved the story.

I don't want to say too much more than that because I don't want to spoil anything for you because you really should check it out for yourself!

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The best installment yet!

Revisado: 08-25-17

I honestly have to say, hands down, that this has been my favorite book of the series so far. I also have to admit that this surprises me considering how much I dislike the point of view character for this book when she first showed up all the way back in book 1. She's grown on me, though, and it helped even more to get to hear her thoughts and feelings in this portion of the story.

And oh boy, the story. Things get even more difficult than ever for the Fluorescent Ones in this book. And in more ways than one. I honestly don't want to give anything away for this one because there was so much happening and it was all pretty amazing.

Really... I just can't think of anything to say because you just need to read (or listen to) this one for yourself and enjoy the ride. I can hardly imagine where it will continue from here and I seriously look forward to finding out in the fourth book!


Also, as usual, a brilliant reading by the author. I continue to be impressed by the amount of life and individuality she gives to the characters.

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A brilliant continuation! Looking forward to more!

Revisado: 08-08-17

I wish to start out by saying that this book continued the storyline of the characters from the first Fluorescence book in an interesting and unique way. I find the idea of the different sections of the story being told from the different perspectives really intriguing and I like that you get different aspects of the story that way. Seeing how a different character thinks and feels about the same unfair situation adds a level of depth to the whole series.

That being said, I did find the narrator character in this one to be much harder to identify with. Perhaps that's because, as a woman, I was never a brash, teenage boy. Seems pretty likely the case. There are just certain ways that he reacts to a situation and decisions that he makes that I can't understand. But by no means am I saying this is innately a problem, either. If every character in a book you read were exactly like you and made all of the choices exactly like you would make them, there'd be no fun in the reading. So while I didn't understand his reasoning for doing certain things, it made sense that he would make different decisions than those I feel are most reasonable because he's a different person and has different experiences than myself.

The overall plot continues in this book in a way that is helped along by the addition of a character who is placed there to help deal with the fact that the teens are getting sick of being strung along. They're beginning to do that thing that most teenagers do... Rebel. And in going against the wishes of the strange beings manipulating their lives, they find themselves with a new keeper of sorts who is in charge of making sure they do what they're supposed to. It was an interesting twist that I didn't see coming, but made a lot of sense.

I look forward to the third book and seeing what kind of consequences await them all for the decisions that were made in this portion of the story. And to see through the eyes of the next character.

Also, as always, the author does an amazing job with the narration. She has a real skill for portraying the characters in believable ways and giving each of them a clear voice.

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YA Sci-fi that even a fantasy fan will love

Revisado: 07-18-17

Any additional comments?

While I wasn't exactly sure what to expect when I began listening to Fluorescence: Fire Starter, I can honestly say that I was not disappointed by what I found. Usually science fiction isn't exactly my cup of tea, though I'm not rigidly opposed to it. I just prefer more of a magical, fantasy type story. But this title definitely has an intriguing concept and has me wondering what will happen next, especially with the bit of a bombshell that drops at the end. ((Don't worry, no spoilers here.))

Overall, the concept of the aliens and their struggle to save their own race by manipulating humans is one that I am anxious to learn more about... Because let's face it. That can't possibly end well for the humans, right? I want to know what they're really up to, which of course means I'm going to have to continue reading the series. And I am happy to do so after this first installment.

I will admit. There were a few occasions where I rolled my eyes because the characters were being “dumb kids” but... That's because they ARE dumb kids. I think that's a sign of a job well done. The characters were believable to the point that my reaction was to think they were being silly teenagers instead of just not being able to accept what they were doing or thinking. Especially the points where they were letting their raging hormones drive them-- which I'll take this moment to point out that the book is actually rather clean with a bit of mild language and a heavy makeout session being as far as anything really got.

I listened to the entire book in one evening and was a little surprised when it finished and I realized how much time I had let slip away from me. I fully intend to queue up the second installment to download overnight so that I can start it after my morning chores tomorrow.


Oh, and a note about the author's performance of narrating the audiobook for Fire Starter... I think she does an amazing job. And if you think this one was well-read, than you should definitely also check out her book titled “Dark Diary” because it is even more phenomenal.

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Vampire romance like no other!

Revisado: 03-21-17

Short version: Awesome narration and a very compeling new take on the vampire love story.

Seriously, I listened to the Audiobook and have to give mad props to the author for her narration. The accents were-- in my opinion-- rather well done. And not just the accents, either. The different characters each had solid voices that came out in the way she narrated. It was very easy to listen to because it was just so well read.

As for the story itself, I was rather drawn in. It approached the idea of vampires, as well as what romance would be like for them, in a very unique way. I don't want to say too much and spoil anything, of course. I just really enjoyed the way the author describes the details of everything from the transformation from human into "other" to the heightened senses to the way that their emotions work. Though really, that descriptive ability is present in the author's writing as a whole and was an enjoyable part of the story.

At the risk of sounding weird... May I also just say that I appreciate the way the author handled the "intimate" moments? I sometimes get uncomfortable if I'm reading or listening to something and anything sexual happens (it's a preference thing, don't judge). But for one thing there aren't too many scenes like that in this book even though it's a love story. And the moments the characters do have together are written in a way that is very loving and, in one way or another, sweet. Was there lust? Yes. But that wasn't the only or even main driving force between them. I really appreciated this focus on the feelings/emotions of the characters over pure physical desire.

There is so much else I could say about the book, but really you will just need to read (or listen to) it for yourself. And I highly recommend that you do so.

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