Review Detail

Dark Star had started on such a bright note – there was a whole new spin on the superhero thing, entire different kinds of paranormal creatures, good history to support the canon – and it was made more enjoyable by Audrey’s POV. Burn Bright continues in the same vein – Harrowers are attacking the Kin again, and Audrey, even though relegated to the sidelines as she hasn’t been Called, finds ways to keep helping out. She has an adorable boyfriend in Leon, but things are complicated by the Guardian bond. Being a superhero’s daughter, she has done her fair share of worrying and doesn’t want to see anyone hurt. When a new ability starts developing, she looks about as to how to best help out the Kin. Even dwarfed by the power of her mother, the Morning Star, she manages to shine on her own.

The major arc of the story is the mystery of the Remnant and how the Harrowers are trying to find that person. Audrey, equipped with her knowing, tries to find out before they can but sometimes Knowing itself is a curse, as evidenced by that amazing twist in the end. What I really liked was how the author had set up the twist from the first book itself – events that had been hinted at but not really pursued. The writing was smooth and well-detailed, with such depth and dimension given to each character, and voice through Audrey, a really perceptive individual. Even besides her Knowing, she herself is able to read people effortlessly, and how she empathizes with everyone is clearly a testament of her good heart. Her romance with Leon is delved into so beautifully – they are bonded but there is no co-dependence. It may seem like she has needed him to rescue her, but she is certainly not helpless. The dynamic of their relationship is quite interesting and I could go on and on about the other character relationships too. :)

My only disappointment was that the Calling of a Guardian and the inner working of the Kin are not so well-explained. Granted, the plotline’s narrative is from the point of view of a character who is brushed aside for most events, it would have been nice if the author would have manged to slip in some more details on that front. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it immensely, even the way it was and hoping for another amazing sequel soon enough.

Received a copy from Disney-Hyperion via NetGalley for a honest review