A Fire Endless: A Novel (Elements of Cadence, 2)

What a perfect ending to this duology. I loved every minute of it. I enjoyed the invisible thread that bound Adaira and Jack but I loved Sidra and Torin’s love story even more. It felt so raw and beautiful how they kept coming back to each other. The Scottish folklore tale sucked me in.

I was planning to give this one 5 stars. I loved so many aspects of this book. It is a unique story, the characters are lovable and multifaceted, and it was fun to read. The last several chapters were impossible to get through. I mean, wrap it up. Once the climax of the story happens you’ve only got me for like 10 pages. This was chapters of nothing. I nearly had to DNF it, but it was only a few chapters so I pushed through.

When I started book one, I knew that I was entering in to a story that would capture my mind and my heart. Now that I have finished the second book, I feel even more spiritually aligned. I highly recommend these books for those seeking to find themselves.

I can't even begin to express how much I love this series. This was my favorite series that I read in 2024. The characters are very well written and I love the author's voice. Both main couples are interesting and give you reasons to root for them. The lore is deep and compelling and the setting is beautiful.

I loved this book. I really did. Right up to the final chapter, which poked a slow leak in my balloon.For the strengths, we have 4 principal characters: Jack, Adaira, Torin and Sidra. We also have romantic arcs for both couples, as well as individual journeys. We have some compelling supporting characters: David (LOVED him) Innes, Oathbreaker, Mirin, Frae, Kae, Hob. And of course, the Folk as a group. I think Ross did some fantastic character development with limited page time for a lot of these characters.Now here I'm going to go off into a little bit of pseudo-critique, and there will be spoilers, which I'll warn about. After finishing this book, I literally lay in bed turning this around in my head for hours. LOL! It's a HEA of sorts, but to me, not an emotionally satisfying ending.So we have some characters who are clearly archetypes/D&D influenced. We haveThe Soldier/King (Torin)The Healer/mystic (Sidra)The Princess/Heiress (Adaira)The Bard/Teacher (Jack)The character arcs were well done, particularly with Torin and Sidra. I loved that those two switched roles. We had the cynical soldier/King step into Sidra's role by entering the spirit's realm in search of a cure for the blight that's destroying both halves of the island. In turn, Sidra is now her own patient, and steps in as the laird, to the point that she dresses for battle when she travels to the west. Of the two, Torin was incredibly changed during that arc, and for the better.Over in the West, David and Innes mirror Torin and Sidra, with her being the laird and he being the consort/healer. Innes has some good character progression, where David remains fairly static. But he really is an appealing character.Now here are my problems. Jack is the Bard and a teacher. He's what the east has been praying for, and the west fears most. The role of the Bard was huge, particularly in European history. They weren't just entertainers, they were the keepers of history and lore. Jack's role as the Bard is huge. He's also tasked with communing with the spirits twice a year, and he's used (almost brutally) by Adaira during the impending crisis. I had visions of him training other bards, including (possibly) his sister Frae, who is so infatuated with his music, as opposed to their mother's weaving.Adaira starts off with a strong identity: she's a leader, the Heiress, the Laird, and at the end of the first book, the outcast. In much of this book, she's in a liminal state. She's lost most of her self-identity and doesn't really know her role in the West. But by the end of the book, she's completed a satisfactory journey and again finds her place.SPOILER ALERT*******So here's where I was left unsatisfied with the book. Jack the Bard has pretty much a single role. A single talent. And it's exceedingly important, not only to his self-identity, but to the people of the island. He has the ability to return music to both the east and the west, not only as a bard, but as a teacher. But we're forwarned: he's destined to be the downfall of the antagonist. (who did take me by surprise.) Adaira foreshadows his potential downfall/death at the hands of Bane. It's almost like Jack is fated to save the world, and then that's pretty much it.So as it turns out, he does survive this great battle, but loses that which gives him his identity: Music.Now this isn't an O. Henry story. He's the only one that makes this massive sacrifice. No one else does. And if he'd stepped into a new role...maybe as a teacher, it would have fit. Instead, he ends the book as a character even more liminal than Adaira was. Unlike David and Sidra, he doesn't have an identity or role to step into. He's not a father, not a soldier, not a rogue, not a farmer. He's basically Adaira's sidekick. Not even that, really. Don't get me wrong, they're in love, Jack's father and mother are together, he'll be at Adaira's side as she forges peace. But he's lost the core of his character and there was nothing to replace that void. In a sense, he's been relegated from The Hero to a supporting character.This is really lovely writing and I know a lot of readers are happy with the ending. I just feel like if you take something away, something has to fill that void.I will definitely be reading more of this author's books in the future, and hopefully, we'll get a chance to see more of this world. I'd love to see them a decade or so in the future. I'd love to see Niall and Mirin making up for lost years, for Frae to find her passion. I'd really love to see Jack moved out of this rather bleak vacuum he's in, because he's a bit of a curmudgeon and I wonder if he'll properly grieve for what he's lost.

Yes I know it’s only February 3, but it’s still my best read of the year thus far. Don’t laugh! I’ve read a lot of books already and quite good ones! Yet this is my very favorite! I love everything Rebecca Ross does and this is only the latest gem of hers! I suggest the book of course but I listened to the audiobook myself which only adds to the richness and characterization. I do what’s termed as reading intensive. I listen and read along often sometimes one or the other alone but my favorite way to read is both at the same time… sometimes via my physical book and sometimes utilizing Kindle.At any rate read this amazing book that promises to meet you on every possible level anyway you choose…just read it!!!

I really enjoy Rebecca Ross's writing style and overall I enjoyed this duology. The second part of this story was just not as captivating as I hoped it would be, but it did give a satisfying ending.

I enjoyed the first enough to buy this one. Characters were excellent, especially liked how the story ends. I am hoping for a book 3!