Embers & Echoes by Karsten Knight Review

"Fan the flames: A teen goddess fires up her search for love and family in this sequel to Wildefire.

Ashline Wilde may have needed school to learn that she is actually a reincarnated goddess, but she’s ready to move beyond books. She leaves her California boarding school behind and makes for Miami, where she meets a new group of deities and desperately seeks her sister Rose, the goddess of war. But she’s also looking for love—because even though her romance with Cole had to be snuffed, Ash is a volcano goddess—and she doesn’t get burned."

I'm surprise to find myself supporting Team Cole after all he has done to everyone including Wes, Ashline, Eve, and well, everyone. I totally hate the fact that I still like Cole after all those things he'd done. Grrr... Why do I like him so much? On second thought, I don't want to know why. Cole creeps me out; no matter how dashing or irresistible he is.

Told from Ashline's POV, Embers & Echoes is the warmup act of the entire series. I'm not even kidding; the author is acting as if this is only the beginning, not the worse. I thought Wildefire is the warmup up act, but no! Compared to Embers & Echoes, Wildefire is like a little book walking baby steps while using training wheels or a training cane. Whatever. I think you get my point. The battle hasn't even begun and there's already people or goddesses or gods dying. (I think at least seven people died in this book. Roughly that number. It's a little more than Wildefire, but these people are like closer to home. Home meaning Ashline.)

The plot of this book is just...Wow! I really enjoyed everything Embers & Echoes has to offer. Characters die. Characters go cry like a wailing baby. Characters disappear. With this type of conflict, the plot is guarantee to always keep moving and never stop until the final battle is here. (Final battle may happen in the next book. Hopefully, but not likely.) The writing of Embers & Echoes is entertaining and addicting; I can't help and hold on tight to the covers of the book as I read through the words.

The ending, the ending, the ending... The ending is amazing; I love how desperate and hopeless the ending seems to be. It makes an interesting beginning for the next book.

Characters:

Ashline is a little slow in this book. I thought there will be more of kicking butts rather than waiting and flirting with some guy. (Yeah, I'm still loyal to Cole. Damn it!) Ashline has gotten over of killing people until like later in the book. I'm surprise that Ashline is over with Cole in a heartbeat; I thought it will be a tiny bit longer because...well, I thought Cole means a lot to Ashline. Apparently not.

Cole...Damn You! I hate you, I hate you, I hate you, Cole. Why? Why? Why? I really hate how blind you are sometimes, Cole. Well, Cole is the ultimate bad boy in this series.

Rating: Four out of Five

Wildefire by Karsten Knight Review

"Every flame begins with a spark.

Ashline Wilde is having a rough sophomore year. She’s struggling to find her place as the only Polynesian girl in school, her boyfriend just cheated on her, and now her runaway sister, Eve, has decided to barge back into her life. When Eve’s violent behavior escalates and she does the unthinkable, Ash transfers to a remote private school nestled in California’s redwoods, hoping to put the tragedy behind her.

But her fresh start at Blackwood Academy doesn’t go as planned. Just as Ash is beginning to enjoy the perks of her new school—being captain of the tennis team, a steamy romance with a hot, local park ranger—Ash discovers that a group of gods and goddesses have mysteriously enrolled at Blackwood…and she’s one of them. To make matters worse, Eve has resurfaced to haunt Ash, and she’s got some strange abilities of her own.

With a war between the gods looming over campus, Ash must master the new fire smoldering within before she clashes with her sister one more time…

And when warm and cold fronts collide, there’s guaranteed to be a storm."

Wildefire is a fascinating spark for the beginning of, what looks to be, a great series. Wildefire is a book of a war between gods and goddess, and the "Cloak" and the gods. 

Wildefire's plot goes up and down, exciting yet also amazing. I was so into this book, because of the synopsis and the kicking-the-cheater's-butt beginning. (Yeah, Ashline's boyfriend cheated on her with another girl. Ashline and her sister beat them up pretty well.) Knight's writing is addicting yet also serious and crazy. The entire book scream "Warning! Warning! Warning! There's a lunatic in this book so watch out! People are out of their minds!" and etcetera, etecera, etecera. 

The ending is so "...and then the plot thickens." My eyes just went wide; my mind blank. I was so surprise by the shocking twist. That is the epic twist of the entire book. It makes me realize that this book, this series is just warming up for the battle. 

Told from Ashline's POV, Wildefire is guarantee to burn some of our characters. It doesn't mean Ashline will be doing the burning, though. 

Characters:

Ashline is a fairly normal girl, if you don't include the part that she is a volcano goddess. Ashline is unpredictable and a little stormy. 

Colt, Colt, Colt, Colt is the star of the story. It's mainly because he's the big twist at the end which makes him the big guy/big character in the book. Every person who died, every person who lost someone in Wildefire can thank Colt for doing that. Is it crazy to be cheering for him despite what he's done?

Rating: Four out of Five