A Blaze of Fire 

  By Karina Espinosa

                                                         review by Katy Grant

                    AVAILABLE: Friday  November 4th, 20022

She had left her human world behind to save Ansel. But who would save her from those in the Unseelie Court who would see her dead. First, she was half fae, an abomination in the eyes of the humans as well as in the eyes of the fae. It could be a death sentence for her sire and herself if any found out her father was Kazimir, the Unseelie King’s General. Thankfully, even though she looked exactly like her mother, Kazimir didn’t appear to recognize her.

After speaking to the Seelie Queen, Ansel was allowed to attend the Unseelie Court as an Ambassador, so he could keep watch over Violet. He didn’t like how close his brother was becoming to her. After sneaking into her room to see her, where their passion for each other took over, Alec warned Ansel to stay clear of Violet or he could be the means of all their deaths.

Now within the Unseelie Court, Alec had promised to protect her and to that end he had two loyal fae to stand watch over her. Rose was a Pixie with no powers, a low fae, as her handmaiden and Rook who size and fighting strengths were a bit terrifying. The plan was to demonstrate to the Unseelie King that Violet did hold the Orb within her, therefore having the ability to control and use all four elements, Earth, Wind, Fire and Water. The second purpose, to have her offer fealty to him; the third, to prove to the King that once she was completely trained and in control of her elemental powers, she would be an asset to the Unseelie and not a threat.

To this end, her training began with Kazimir, as an elemental fire fae. When she didn’t show promise soon enough, he pushed her off a cliff towards the rocks and water below. Her elemental wind power stood her in good stead, thankfully. But now she was more than ever, weary of him. As another form of testing, the King decided to send Violet along with Kazimir to collect the taxes from the lower fae. Kazimir and Alec both tried to object, to no avail, since Violet herself stood before the King and accepted the task, unknowing of the cruelty behind the act.

The journey would only take a week after all, what could be so hard about collecting taxes. The first village they came to, Violet realized why both men had objected to her going.  The villagers looked as if they were starving, the huts and town looked to be falling down.  She watched as a villager was being whipped half to death because he had no tribute to offer and refused to give up his young daughter. She couldn’t just stand by and watch. She tried to stop the lashing but was pulled away by Alec and ushered off to the Town Hall. Later, the beaten man lay on the ground, where they dropped him after his lashing, as if dead.  While the others were distracted, Violet asked Rook to help her bring him into the Town Hall where she could tend him. The Fae showed no signs of humanity, no compassion to those who they considered beneath them.

As they left the village and headed for the next, along the trail, they were attacked by creatures of death, Wraiths, flying down from the sky with claws extended. Kazimir ordered men left behind to fight them off to give the rest of them time to get away. But as Violet looked back, she could see those left behind would not survive the attack without help. She broke free of Alec and ran toward them to help even if it meant her death….but as she was throwing fire at the creatures a strength broke free from within her….

She was now in mortal danger if the King found out what she had done.

In these chapters, the Unseelie Court unfolds with all its warts, starting with their cruel monarch pulling the strings of control. From the high fae and their arrogant ways to the inhuman treatment of the low fae, to those who look to a legend to somehow change their realm. She knew she couldn’t stand by and watch this inhumanity continue, she would help where she could, while she was here. Violet never intended to stay in this world. Somehow, she would return to the human world.

 The conspiracies, intrigue, secrets, heartbreak and caring hearts will show themselves. Living among these beings had showed her that they were not always what they seem on the surface. Karina Espinosa has put her own imaginative twist to good storytelling, envisioning the Unseelie Court in her own way. Evil is not always fully evil, characters will grow and change, but will it be enough to save those under the King’s oppression, for any to join in to protect Violet or is there too much fear, self-importance, or self-preservation of the old ways. This tale ends in a twisted cliffhanger that sends a dagger to the heart of this reader.   I love the beginning of this tale “A Hint of Delirium”, the first in this trilogy.  But “A Blaze of Fire” had me wanting to hide in the shadows of this tale to watch, listen and somehow become part of this riveting story.

I was given an ARC to read so that I might share what I saw in this tale. This is what I found.