Book Review - Fires of Lothia

​I was given the opportunity to review an Advanced Reader Copy of Fires of Lothia, the second book in the Coldwood Saga, by Katherine Bryant. I reviewed Branna’s Song two years ago and loved it.

I’m excited to give Fires of Lothia 4 stars!

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What I Liked:

• I love Branna; largely because I sometimes hate Branna. She is portrayed very realistically - all her flaws on display. Many authors are afraid to write an unlikable hero, but Branna is often selfish, judgmental, and lacking in self-awareness. She makes questionable choices and there’s nothing sugar-coated in her head. The point is that Branna is who she is; unromantic, bold, and often more unsure than she’d like.
• I was happy to find the same gritty action in this one as in Branna’s Song.
• The conflict in Branna’s emotions is given its due. She struggles to understand and balance the love of her birth family with the burgeoning feelings she has for her husband and her desire to protect herself and her brother above all else.
• The story touches on familial abuse and the confusion and blame that victims feel.
• Once again, the succinct descriptions were just to my taste. The big roadblock that has kept me from becoming a diehard fan of traditional fantasy is description that can go on for paragraphs. Bryant gives enough detail to set the scene and then moves on with the story. It gives the book a good pacing and it’s never boring.
• More and more I am appreciating the novella. I love that it can be easily consumed over a weekend or even in an evening.

 
What I Didn’t Like:

• To contradict my last point, I felt like this installment was a bit short. The ending seemed somewhat abrupt. I felt the story goal and resolution could’ve been driven home a bit more to help this story gain more independence from the rest of the saga. There is a delicate balance between leaving them hungry and putting them off because the experience wasn’t quite satisfying. That said, I love so many things about this series that I will return for more.
• A few minor grammatical errors. One battle scene featuring a horse and rider falling that I felt was worded a bit awkwardly so that it didn’t feel plausible.

 
Would I Recommend and To Whom:
To sum up, it’s not perfect but I dig the series and I dig the author. Anyone who wants a quick read that offers a fresh take on the role of female fantasy warriors or anyone who likes badass flawed characters should check this one out.