A Shadow Bright and Burning by Jessica Cluess

A Shadow Bright and Burning (Kingdom on Fire, #1)

by Jessica Cluess

I am Henrietta Howel.
The first female sorcerer in hundreds of years.
The prophesied one.
Or am I?

Henrietta Howel can burst into flames.
Forced to reveal her power to save a friend, she's shocked when instead of being executed, she's invited to train as one of Her Majesty's royal sorcerers.

Thrust into the glamour of Victorian London, Henrietta is declared the chosen one, the girl who will defeat the Ancients, bloodthirsty demons terrorizing humanity. She also meets her fellow sorcerer trainees, handsome young men eager to test her power and her heart. One will challenge her. One will fight for her. One will betray her.

But Henrietta Howel is not the chosen one.
As she plays a dangerous game of deception, she discovers that the sorcerers have their own secrets to protect. With battle looming, what does it mean to not be the one? And how much will she risk to save the city—and the one she loves?
 
Exhilarating and gripping, Jessica Cluess's spellbinding fantasy introduces a powerful, unforgettably heroine, and a world filled with magic, romance, and betrayal. Hand to fans of Libba Bray, Sarah J. Maas, and Cassandra Clare.

Reviewed by Cocktails and Books on

4 of 5 stars

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I really enjoyed this book. Henrietta was a character who you couldn't help but like. She thought herself unlovable and you wanted someone to prove to her that she was someone to get behind.

I loved the interaction between Henrietta and Magnus. There is obviously chemistry there and he brings Henrietta out of her shell. On the flip side, there was Blackwood. He treated her badly, but in the end, they had forged a friendship that I think will prove to be a saving grace to both further in the series.

I look forward to seeing what happens next with this group of sorcerers.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 5 October, 2016: Finished reading
  • 5 October, 2016: Reviewed