Book started: 23 April 2026 / Book completed: 09 May 2026
Total pages: 637 / Total listening time on Chirp Audiobooks: 18 hours:25min (Iwas a GraphicAudio audiobook / Star Rating: 4.5 stars.
I gave A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire by Jennifer L. Armentrout 4.5 out of 5 stars, and honestly, I was completely pulled into it. For me, this sequel delivered everything I wanted from a follow-up and then some. The emotional stakes felt higher, the world got bigger, and the connection between Penelope (Poppy) and Prince Casteel (Hawk) felt even more intense than the first book. Right from the start, I felt how conflicted Poppy was about why she was the Maiden and her feelings for Casteel.
One of the biggest reasons this book worked so well for me was Poppy. I loved seeing how much she grew throughout the story, not just in terms of strength but in how she started to understand herself. Once she was stripped of the role of Maiden that had defined her for so long, I felt like the story really let her figure out who she was underneath all of that. Her anger, confusion, and resilience all felt real to me, and that made her journey even more compelling.
The romance and tension between Poppy and Casteel felt constant in the best way, and I loved the mix of mistrust, attraction, banter, and vulnerability between them. What really worked for me was that their chemistry never felt shallow. Even with all the intensity, the story still acknowledged the betrayal and hurt between them, which made the softer moments feel more meaningful. I thought the enemies-to-lovers dynamic was done well here.
The city of Atlantia started to feel like more than just this mysterious, feared place that Poppy had been taught to believe. The mythology of the Gods became more interesting, the secrets ran deeper, and the uncertainty around Poppy’s abilities kept me invested. I also thought the supporting characters, especially the wolven, added a lot of personality and depth to the story.
As a listening experience, this was one of those books that kept me hooked because it had so much momentum, emotion, and atmosphere. Since I chose to purchase the GraphicAudio version for this series, I found Armentrout’s writing style easy to fall into, and the mix of sharp dialogue, dramatic reveals, and emotional intensity kept me engaged. Even when the story slowed a bit, I still felt that underlying tension pushing the story forward. It felt like the kind of spicy-romantasy that was meant to pull you in and keep you there.
The main reason I didn’t give these a full 5 stars was the pacing. As much as I loved the emotional tension, there were parts in the middle that felt a little repetitive to me, especially when some of the same relationship stuff kept coming up. I still thought the payoff was worth it, though, because the revelations, the escalating danger, and the ending all hit hard. By the time I finished, I felt like the slower parts had been balanced out by how strong the ending was.
Overall, I thought A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire was an emotional and gutty sequel that built on everything I enjoyed about From Blood and Ash. It felt dramatic, romantic, tense, and full of intrigue, and I came away from it even more invested in the series. I would recommend it to readers who love fantasy romance with strong chemistry, complicated characters, and high emotional stakes. For me, this sequel absolutely delivered, and now I am listening to GraphicAudio, Book 3, titled “The Crown of Gilded Bones”.
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