Review: Immortal Fire (Red Winter Trilogy #3) by Annette Marie

Title: Immortal Fire

Series: Red Winter Trilogy #3
Author: Annette Marie
Publisher: Dark Owl Fantasy Inc.
Publication Date: April 11, 2017
Pages: 408
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Mythology, Romance
Source: Kindle Unlimited
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Once, Emi believed the heavenly gods were righteous and wise, while the earthly yokai spirits were bloodthirsty and evil. But with a traitorous deity poised to destroy her world, and the yokai standing as humanity's only defense, the lies of her upbringing have toppled to reveal a far more terrifying reality.

Despite the looming threat, Emi can't escape her greatest distraction: Shiro, the fox yokai who has so deftly claimed her heart for his own. Soon—too soon—she will have to break the curse that binds his magic and memories. And once the ancient power inside him awakens, the yokai she loves will be changed forever.

As the earthly gods gather to wage war against the heavens, Emi and Shiro must gamble everything to turn the tide against their immortal, all-powerful foes. Together, they will find a way to save her world—even if it means losing each other.

MY REVIEW

This is one series finale that I've been anticipating for a while! I'm in that book hangover phase where I'm thinking, "ohgoditsoveritcantbeoverilovethesecharactersitcantbeover". Whew! I don't even know where to start, so let's start with...this series blew me away! Full on breathing problems, tears on my face, heart in a mess series finale.

Annette Marie really knows her stuff. She tells such magical stories. The reader gets wrapped up in her worlds and does not want to escape. The world expands even more in the third and final book in the Red Winter series. We get a deeper glimpse into the world of the kami and the yokai. Annette Marie's spin on Japanese mythology is riveting! The story that she has constructed is inspiring and without flaws. I love the original idea and the plot gets me excited every time I think about it. 

The romance, oh my stars, the romance! It is killer. The romance is not love at first sight, it grows over time. It's a slow burn that ends with a bang. My heart was tortured while reading this, but it was so worth it! The romance is just so convincing and you are rooting for it through the entire series. It's the kind of romance that brings butterflies to your stomach, and then makes your chest heavy. 

One of the reasons that the romance is so damn good is that Annette Marie has fine-tuned character development. She seriously knocks it out of the water. (Yeah, she's a pirate. She's that damn good!) The characters have personality, growth, and complexity. I loved all of the characters in this series. They were all so well written. 

The prose is just beautiful. Annette Marie truly has a way with words. Her action and fight scenes are remarkable! I feel like I am right there with the characters witnessing the action myself. I can't appreciate that enough! Some authors are unfortunately not accomplished in this area, but Annette Marie hits the nail on the head.

The plot continued to amaze me in this book. There were still many twists and turns that I didn't see coming, and I love that about a book. I hate predictability, so it's refreshing to be surprised. The plot ended up coming together just perfectly. I could see all the easter eggs from the first two books working their way to a close. The ending had me reeling, and I couldn't have loved it more. It was perfect. 

Final thoughts...GO READ THIS SERIES! There, I said it. This series is flawless, and beautiful, and I assure you that it will earn a special place on the bookshelf inside your heart. I recommend this to all fantasy lovers and those that are into mythology, especially Japanese mythology. Annette Marie's take on it is definitely something to write home about. Also, I would highly recommend her Steel & Stone series!

Do you enjoy any books based on mythology? If so, what are your favorites? Or tell me some of your favorite indie authors!