4 stars for Burn Down the Dark by Brenda Poppy!
*I received an ebook copy of this book from the publisher, Glass Fish Publishing.*
"It is easy to do nothing, she continued. It's simple to stand by and watch. It's painless to stay silent, to do what you're told, to accept the status quo."
Since this is the final book in the trilogy, read the synopsis at your own risk. It does contain spoilers and I'd hate for it to ruin your enjoyment of the first two books.
Synopsis:
With their identities compromised, gifted sisters Burn and Scar must navigate their new reality as fugitives, searching for a way to destroy their enemy without destroying themselves. For Burn, that means giving up the only family she’s ever known in order to infiltrate the elite, scouring the highest tiers for answers. Down below, Scar embraces the darkness, discovering her true strength and setting the world on a collision course that could kill them all.
Simmering tensions come to a head in the final saga of the Burn this City trilogy. With their very world hanging in the balance, can Burn and Scar do what it takes to save their city – or will it all come crashing down around them?
As I mentioned above, I was approached via Instagram by Glass Fish Publishing to see if I wanted to read and review the second book in the series, Burned and Scarred, (you can check out my early blog post to learn more) and was gifted the first book as well to make sure I had all the world-building knowledge necessary for the second book. I was contacted again just a couple of weeks ago about Burn Down the Dark, and was honored to be asked if I'd read and review this final installment. I love sci-fi and fantasy books and in the last year have really developed a passion for indie authors. Just because a book doesn't come from one of the big publishing houses, does not mean the book isn't fantastic. There are hidden gems throughout the indie and self-publishing worlds!
I really enjoyed this whole series and while I think some of the build-up to the final battle was a little long and slow at times, the last 20% of the book did not disappoint. The ending was full of everything you'd want and expect. Action, heartache, and worry about if the Lunaria would win and who would or wouldn't make it to the end. The "powers" or mutations, depending on how you want to look at them, have always been my favorite part of the series. I find them interesting and exciting and will probably read any book that boasts that type of thing in it.
Burn and Scar are the two POVs throughout the series and while the series is focused on them and their sisterly bond, and their storylines largely drive the action in the books, book 3 really drives home that the situation in Kasis is about much more than just Burn and Scar. While their actions may have been first spurred on by events in their own lives, it's no longer all about them, they are no longer fighting for just themselves. Rightfully so, with this switch, the side characters in the series become more important and more central to the story. Burn and Scar now have each other to fight for, the fate of their city, and the people they've come to love dearly. It's high stakes and the author doesn't shrink away from the fact that not everyone is going to survive.
If you're looking for a great sci-fi trilogy and want to support an indie author in the process, I recommend you pick up the first book, Burn this City, and give it a go.
At the beginning of Burn Down the Dark, Burn finds herself (for reasons I will not share here), surrounded by the enemy and trying to pass as one of their own. All she has to aid her are her wits and power, Kaz, and some of Scar's gadgets. That was the inspiration behind the photo for this review. I pictured Burn surrounded by luxuries she's never known, more food than she could imagine, and one of Scar's gadgets always close by (hence the use of these magnifying goggles). The pies I made for Thanksgiving provided the perfect accompaniment to that idea. I mean, what screams "more food than you could imagine" more than Thanksgiving? :)
Thanks for stopping by!
-Kim
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