Bright Blaze of Magic by Jennifer Estep

April 25th, 2016 Kimberly Review 56 Comments

25th Apr
Bright Blaze of Magic by Jennifer Estep
Bright Blaze of Magic
by Jennifer Estep
Series: Black Blade #3
Genres: Urban Fantasy
Source: Publisher
Purchase*: Amazon *affiliate
Goodreads
Rating: One StarOne StarOne StarOne StarHalf a Star

Bad Things Always Come In Threes… As a thief, I'm good at three things: hiding in the shadows, getting in and out unseen, and uncovering secrets. I put these skills to work for the Sinclair Family, one of the magical mobs that run the tourist town of Cloudburst Falls. Everyone knows Victor Draconi wants to take over all the other Families--and kill every last Sinclair. What they don't know is that I'm on to him, and no way will I let the man who murdered my mom get away with hurting all the other people I care about. Especially when I've got places to break into, stuff to steal, and Devon Sinclair fighting right by my side…

YA ROMANCE well written BOOKLOVE urban

Bright Blaze of Magic is the last book in Jennifer Estep’s urban fantasy trilogy Black Blade. Action packed; with intense struggles over evil, our heroine leads the charge in restoring order to Cloudburst Falls.

I was a tad nervous beginning Bright Blaze of Magic  as last books tend to disappoint me but Estep delivered capturing my attention from the onset. Lila along with Devon, Felix and Deah work together to foil Victor Draconi plans to rule Cloudburst Falls. Revenge, love, magic, and promises of a final battle has me slipping into this world once again.

Bright Blaze of Magic was a well-developed conclusion to the overall trilogy. Readers are rewarded with answers regarding Lila’s mother and Victor’s obsession. I had fun seeing the personal development of Lila as we learned more about her and her abilities.  Interactions with monsters, supernatural creatures and time spent within the Sinclair castle made Cloudburst Falls a magical place.

One of my favorite aspects of the trilogy has been time spent getting to know Lila and witnessing her growth. The stories told from her POV giving us insight into this humorous, resilient young woman. When the Bright Blade trilogy began, Lila was very much a loner. She was a brilliant thief, fearless and wise beyond her years but there was  sadness to her. As her story progressed, we witnessed her opening up, trust in others, and assume a role of leadership. Above all we witness her taking a leap of faith.

The romance throughout the series has been delightfully free of young adult pitfalls such as drama and triangles. The romance strengthened and remained sweet. Devon is a valiant hero but I loved that Lila was the stronger character. While it stayed firmly in the background, fans of the series and couple still get a few swoon-worthy scenes to curl their toes.

What truly made this story aside from the cool, freakin’ magical world that is Cloudburst Falls was the plot of good vs. evil. Estep executed intense action scenes and had me holding my breath as our motley crew of heroes faced their opponents. Our villain is ruthless and Estep does not spare us from loss, pain and anger. She perfectly balanced the dark and light creating an ebb and flow that had me devouring this tale in a single afternoon.

Bright Blaze of Magic wrapped up nicely while still leaving the door open for our return. A chance this reader would gladly welcome.

Caffeinated's review of Bright Blaze of Magic by Jennifer Estep #urbanfantasy #YA #Klover Share on X
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About Kimberly
Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram

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56 Responses to “Bright Blaze of Magic by Jennifer Estep”

  3. Ginny

    Oh…I know what my splurge for this week will be! I’ve been looking forward to this book and am so happy to hear that you loved it. Now I’m even more excited for the weekend. 🙂

  4. JennRenee

    I have only read the first of the series. Hoping to get to the rest soon. I did really enjoy the first.. This one has my favorite cover though. Love it. Glad you were able to enjoy the entire series.

  6. Angela

    I’ve not read this series but I’ve read, and enjoyed, other books by this author. This series is going on my TBR list.

  8. Lorna

    I am glad the final book was a great one for you. I read reviews on this series and keep saying I am going to start it but so far haven’t. Your review just shows me how much I need to actually start already! Great review 🙂

  9. Stormi

    I can’t wait to get to this one, I have it but getting to it is another thing…lol. 🙂 I am glad it was a good ending cause I hate bad endings to trilogies or series so it makes me nervous too. 🙂

  10. Leona

    I have a feeling this will be the next series I tackle once I finish or catch up on the ones I still have pending.

  12. Sophia Rose

    So glad the last book was satisfying. I get nervous like that, too. Getting to know Lila sounds good. I’ve got the series on the list. 🙂

  13. A Belle's Tales

    This looks so interesting! Love the sound of Cloudburst Falls and of Lila and Devon — and the fact that Lila is the stronger character of the two. We’ll be adding this series to our TBR for sure.

    ~Michele & Mckenzie

  15. Melissa (Books and Things)

    I am totally with you on ending books AND I’m with you on this one. No disappointment at all. I so enjoyed this one and I would love another book in this world. Wouldn’t complain at all… 😀

  17. Lark

    “delightfully free of young adult pitfalls such as drama and triangles.” Music to my ears! I’ve gotten so tired of those cliches that I’ve been leery of starting many new YA series. But this one has been intriguing me and perhaps I’ll give it a try. Terrific review!

  18. Katherine

    I haven’t read this trilogy but it sounds good. I love that the conclusion didn’t let you down. I always hate when I read a trilogy or a series and I love all the books until I get to the end and it’s a big disappointment. The fact that this ends on a solid note definitely makes me more interested.

  20. Heidi

    Totally agree with your review. Mine goes up this week too. I loved the romance, and like you said it is free of all the YA drama and so forth. The door is certainly open at the end leading me to hope there will be more.

  21. Quinn's Book Nook

    I’ve read some of Jennifer Estep Young Adult books and I thought they were so much fun. I haven’t read any of her adults books, but I’m thinking I should!

  22. Debbie Haupt

    Great review Kim, I love her spider series and I have read one of her YA series and really enjoyed it. hmmm I think I’ll be adding this one to my pile too!

  23. kindlemom1

    I do love that all the drama to this was based on the actual plot and not the relationships, that really was so refreshing, especially for YA. So happy you loved this every bit as much as I did Kim!

  24. Nick

    I am so pleased that this was a winner, Kim! I’ve really enjoyed this series so far and I’m excited to listen to this one on audio. Lila’s growth has definitely been the highlight for me too. I’m glad the romance is free of drama here too.
    Lovely review, Kim!

  25. Melanie Simmons

    I’m so excited for this book. I’ve got the audio preordered and I’m trying my best to hold off on an audio until tomorrow so I can start first thing in the morning. So glad you enjoyed this one.

  26. Kathy

    I love that cover! It just looks so magical. This looks like one I might really enjoy, and I haven’t read a good “magical” fantasy in a while.

  27. lisa thomson

    This sounds great, Kim. I have to start at the beginning though. So, I’ll read your reviews of those and add them to my TBR shelf on GR. Hope your April has been splendid!