Utterly unputdownable! Tessa Gratton and Justina Ireland’s fiery conclusion to YA Fantasy duology, Chaos & Flame was a phenomenal rollercoaster of a read thst I genuinely couldn’t get enough of.

Picking up months after the explosive events in Chaos & Flame, we follow Darling, still reeling from (and trying to come to terms with) the new abilities she has gained whilst also trying to prevent another war from breaking out between the already fractured houses. 

I can’t say too much in case of spoilers, as Darling’s journey is soo very much linked to the ending of Chaos & Flame and the aftermath of those events. But I can say, I loved delving into her complicated feelings for Talon and the still fabulously strong chemistry they both share. 

Talon’s actions at the end of Chaos and Flame came very close to making me dislike him, but he does redeem himself quite well. And we do see more of Caspian as well, but with a less cryptic or mysterious demeanour than before, which made for quite an interesting reunion with Talon and Darling.

The lore and worldbuilding was still really interesting, especially if you enjoyed the glimpse at the different houses and mythical creatures tied to each, as they all prominently feature this time around. 

We still don’t delve as fully as I would’ve liked into that lore particularly when it came to blood magic (I really wanted this to be a trilogy) but what we do explore was incredible! And made for some pretty spectacular action scenes which kept me on the edge of my seat.

Newer readers to the fantasy genre will definitely benefit from this duology’s short page length (at around the 350 mark for each) but anyone looking for a fairly quick and enjoyable read should consider picking up too! 

Overall, a fun and thoroughly entertaining conclusion that I hope will get a novella or spin off. As I adored the new Cockatrice Regent (who we only meet briefly), and just know they’re gonna cause soo much mischief —and that I absolutely have to see! 

Also, huge thank you to Penguin Teen and The Tandem Collective for the finished PB copy.