Seasons of Flesh and Flame

By: A. G. Howard

Narrated by: Jordan Claire McCraw

Bloomsbury presents Seasons of Flesh and Flame by A.G. Howard, read by Jordan Claire McCraw

New York Times bestselling author A.G. Howard continues her dark, compelling YA fantasy series about twins separated by a family curse.

Nix Loring stepped into Mystiquel to face the Goblin King and break her family’s curse. When she found her twin, Lark, held captive for three years and forced to power the magical realm with her imagination, Nix offered herself up in her sister’s place.

Now, Nix wants nothing more than to be home with the people she loves. Instead, she's tasked to create beauty from a world fallen to desolation. She finds herself drawn to the faerie creatures under her care—and even reluctantly drawn to the Goblin King himself. But how can she rebuild the very realm that tore her family apart?

Back home, her uncle and boyfriend desperately plan a rescue. But Lark, having learned Nix was meant to be the Goblin King’s captive in the first place, resents how her twin stole everything belonging to her during her absence. Worse yet, Lark harbors an unspeakable secret that could destroy what little she has left.

As time draws closer to the rescue, Lark grapples with the darkness growing inside: should she help save her sister, or finally get her revenge?

Set in a gritty, atmospheric world filled with magical creatures, New York Times bestselling author A.G. Howard concludes her thrilling fantasy duology full of romance, twists, and betrayals.©2024 A. G. Howard (P)2024 Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

Very disappointing

For context I've read A.G Howard's Wonderland series and the novel Stain. I really enjoyed both reads and was excited to start this one but it is very disappointing. This series feels like its trying to be the Wonderland books but with goblin market as the inspiration. The main character was overly sulky throughout the entire series and was fine to let things happen to her instead of moving the plot through her own actions. Her sister was more interesting when she was conniving and vindictive vs the hurt and emotional school girl she morphed towards the middle to end. The love interests were both boring, and 2 dimensional. at no piont was I excited that the sisters were finally able to be with their loved ones. finally the Villain was the most disappointing, the snubbed stupid brother that only was able to become the villain out of sheer luck and with no cunning of his own. His only motivation being power, there was no anticipation of "he might win" because he was stupid (that's part of his description in the book) and lucky because of the stupid decision of the main character. The ending is also very lucky, everything wrapping up nicely because of happenstance instead of the character's ingenuity.
The only really good things about this book is the world building and setting. Howard does a really good job at taking you to strange places through her descriptive writing. Overall I do not recommend this book, it was very boring. Though I do recommend Splintered as an alternative. That series was fantastic.