Sierra Simone's Feast of Sparks ARC Review

Thank you to Sierra Simone and the team at Candi Kane PR for the review copy of Feast of Sparks, the second book in the Thornchapel series.

I have a review for the first book in this series, A Lesson in Thorns. In that review, I have a warning about the maturity of this book, and once again I am warning you this book is not for the faint of heart. Like I’m talking an orgy in the second chapter, and if that is not for you I would not pick up any Sierra Simone books. But if that is not something that turns you off, I highly recommend Sierra’s stories.

Check out the Goodreads synopsis…

“I’m an outcast and a loner, named for death itself. Fate wasn’t supposed to have plans for me.

But then she came back—the girl I once kissed in a thorn-covered chapel in the woods. She came back, and I could no more resist her than I could pry out my own heart. And by some trick of fate, she wants me as much as I want her. The only problem? She also wants the man who owns Thornchapel, Auden Guest.

And so do I.

Eight years ago, I did something to Auden, something terrible. He hurt me back the only way he knew how, and so here we are: our hatred seasoned with pain and my loneliness seasoned with longing. The only thing we can agree on is Proserpina Markham, and she wants us to find a way to be together—all three of us.

If Auden wants to earn her as his submissive, then he has to earn me as well.

But with the discovery of bones behind the altar and the carnal revel of Beltane fast approaching, it’s becoming clear that Thornchapel’s secrets are much deeper and older than any of us could have ever guessed. And no matter how bright and merry a feast of sparks may be, it’s always followed by ashes.

And darkness.”

Check out my thoughts below…

I am obviously going to try my best to be the least bit spoilery as possible but keep in mind this is the second book, do yourself a favour and pick up the first one.

Characters: Poe, Auden, Saint, Beckett, Daphine, and Rebecca are all continuing their stay at Thornchapel and this book sees so much development in backstories. Auden and St. Sebastian’s pasts both together and apart come much more to light and really illuminate their characters. Poe still takes up a quite large presence as she did in the first novel, specifically, her character development stems from two very pivotal life-changing twists at the end of book one.
Setting: Thornchapel and the small English town surrounding the mysterious Guest residence are as interesting as always.
Pacing: Pacing was great with this one. Sierra is really good at writing in twists and placing them at pivotal moments.
Romance: The actual relationships between characters definitely deepened in this book. There is still this layer of polyamory that encompasses all the character like I’m not gonna lie multiple orgies in this book. But the romantic highlight for me was watching a set of characters commit to each other in a way I really wanted them to.

If I have not convinced you yet, check out this excerpt…

“Shame, hot and prickling, needles everywhere at my face and chest and belly as I begin to bend down to the floor. The cool air that caresses my pussy is now everywhere as the position begins to expose my most secret flesh, and there’s no pretending away the reality of what I’m doing. I’m doing something I’ve never done before, I’m offering up the filthiest part of me for inspection, and despite everything the three of us have shared in the past twenty-four hours, I’m flooded with shame. It’s real shame now, not play-shame, and my safe word floats to the top of my mind, a buoy in the clear waters.

Convivificat.

I don’t want to safe out right now, I’m nowhere near the edge, but it’s nice to have it there all the same. Reassuring. There’s nothing they can do that I can’t stop. And anyway, this is who I am—who I’ve been growing into ever since I found the words to define it.”

Feast of Sparks receives four out of five stars