literary gluttony

The final flame burns brightest.

There are some books you finish and immediately move on to the next thing. Then there are books that leave you sitting there for a minute, staring at the last page, wondering what exactly you’re supposed to do with yourself now that you’ve said goodbye.

Burn of the Everflame was very much the latter for me.

After following Diem, Luther, and the rest of this beautifully complicated cast through three books of secrets, magic, betrayal, romance, impossible choices, and enough emotional devastation to qualify as a full-time occupation, we finally reach the end of the Kindred’s Curse Saga. And honestly? The end was worth the wait.

Burn of the Everflame picks up in the aftermath of the events of Heat of the Everflame, with the fate of Emarion hanging precariously in the balance. Diem is faced with choices that could reshape the world around her, while alliances are tested, old truths come to light, and the forces threatening everything she loves continue to close in.

With war looming and the stakes higher than ever, Diem and those beside her must decide what they’re willing to sacrifice—and what they’re willing to fight for.

And, naturally, Penn Cole makes sure that absolutely none of this is emotionally painless.

I absolutely adore these characters.

That might be the simplest way I can explain why this book worked so well for me.

After spending four books with these people, they don’t feel like characters I simply read about anymore. They feel like people I’ve known. I’ve watched them make terrible decisions, fall in love, break each other’s hearts, make sacrifices, stumble, grow, and somehow keep finding their way back to one another.

And I cared about them.

A lot.

Which is precisely why Burn managed to emotionally wreck me in all the best ways.

There is something particularly bittersweet about reading the final installment of a beloved series. You spend hundreds upon hundreds of pages desperately wanting answers, wanting certain characters to find happiness, wanting conflicts resolved—and then suddenly you’re getting everything you’ve been waiting for, while simultaneously realizing that there won’t be another book waiting for you afterward.

Penn Cole clearly understood the assignment.

This book feels like a culmination of everything that came before it. The pieces that have been scattered throughout the saga finally begin coming together, and there were plenty of moments where I found myself thinking, Ohhh. So THAT’S where this was going.

The characters remain the heart of the story for me, though.

Diem is still Diem. She’s stubborn, compassionate, impulsive, frustrating, fiercely loyal, and determined to do what she believes is right even when doing the right thing is the hardest possible choice. I don’t always agree with her decisions, but I love that she remains recognizably herself.

And Luther.

Listen.

Luther Corbois.

That’s it. That’s the paragraph.

Okay, maybe not quite.

But truly, Luther has been one of my favorite parts of this entire saga. Watching his relationship with Diem develop across these books has been one of the biggest reasons I’ve remained so invested. Their relationship isn’t simple, and it certainly isn’t without its frustrations, but there is something about these two that completely hooks me.

And then there are all the other characters I’ve grown ridiculously attached to along the way. Some made me laugh, some made me want to throw the book across the room, some made me want to wrap them in a blanket and protect them from the entire world—and some managed to accomplish all three.

That’s what makes saying goodbye so difficult.

The story itself is ambitious. There is a lot happening here: politics, magic, battles, revelations, relationships, shifting loyalties, and the consequences of choices made throughout the series. At its best, Burn is sweeping and emotional and wonderfully dramatic.

There were, however, moments where I felt like the story didn’t quite flow the way I wanted it to.

There are sections where the pacing or transitions felt a little uneven, and occasionally I found myself having to mentally shift gears because the narrative didn’t move as seamlessly from one moment to the next as I would’ve liked. It didn’t ruin the experience for me, but it kept this from being a five-star read.

Because despite those moments, I was enamored.

Completely and utterly.

This is one of those books where the flaws become easier to forgive because of how much I genuinely care about the world and the people living inside it. I was invested in the outcome. I wanted to know what happened. I wanted these characters to get the ending they deserved.

And, perhaps most importantly, I didn’t want to leave them.

For a finale that had been anticipated for so long, Burn of the Everflame had an enormous amount to live up to. No ending is ever going to satisfy every reader, but for me, this saga was ultimately about the journey—and I loved that journey.

Was it perfect? No.

Was I occasionally frustrated? Absolutely.

Did I devour this enormous book while simultaneously wishing I could slow down because I wasn’t ready for it to end?

Also absolutely.

I’m giving Burn of the Everflame 4 stars, but the series as a whole has earned a very special place on my romantasy shelf.

Penn Cole gave me characters I adored, a world I became thoroughly invested in, and a story that kept me turning pages for four books.

And now I have to say goodbye.

Rude.

🍷 Devour or Nibble?

DEVOUR.

If you’ve made it this far into the Kindred’s Curse Saga, you’re obviously not going to stop now—and thankfully, I don’t think you’ll regret finishing the journey.

Burn of the Everflame isn’t flawless, and there were moments where the story’s flow didn’t quite hit the mark for me. But those little imperfections couldn’t outweigh how deeply invested I was in these characters and their story.

Come for the magic and political intrigue. Stay for Diem and Luther. Bring snacks, emotional support, and possibly a box of tissues.

Because after four books, these characters have become far too easy to love—and saying goodbye is the hardest part.