Customer Reviews

Into the Flame (Thorndike Core)

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Christina Dodd's Into the Flame is a gorgeous follow-on to Into the Shadow. Her lead characters are vastly different from one book to another, with completely different dynamics in entirely different situations, making the books wonderfully separate. I'm not so fond of series where each book feels like a rehash of the previous. We get to see a different portion of the Varinski family as the family goes on the offensive.

Doug and Firebird make a fantastic couple for this sort of book. They have enough of a history that we don't waste the climactic novel of the series watching the introductory dance-steps of a relationship. Instead, we watch them try to deal with the fallout of what came before and how they handled it (or failed to). Ms. Dodd has a particular couple of strengths as a writer that eliminate some of the plot frustrations that are often present in novels. She doesn't artificially prolong the keeping of a secret, and she doesn't force the characters to be artificially stupid in order to keep them from realizing something important and acting on it. She acknowledges that the characters have brains and will use them, and goes with it. Any misunderstandings that occur between her characters make sense for those characters and are resolved in their proper time---they aren't blown out of proportion or, again, prolonged artificially.

One of my favorite aspects of the Darkness Chosen series is the lack of black-and-white answers to everything. The series deals with a literal pact with the devil, yet it doesn't seek to turn every decision into a hard-edged black-and-white thing. Sometimes justice is harsh. Sometimes triumphing over evil requires killing. And just because someone has done wrong doesn't mean he or she cannot be redeemed.

Doug and Firebird's reunion isn't easy, but it is beautiful. The climactic battle of this series is suitably destructive and kept me glued to the pages. I highly recommend checking out Ms. Dodd's work if you haven't already.

[Usual adult material warning: moderately explicit sex scenes.]

I had the honor to be able to read Into The Flame early. I read it back to back with Into The Shadow - which is the only way to read the two, since Flame picks up right after Shadow ends.

Into The Flame is the much anticipated story of the Wilder's daughter and single mother Firebird. I rarely read book excerpts posted on websites - but I HAD to read the one on author's site for this book. Firebird so intrigued me in the first two books, I had to know more about her. The excerpt on Dodd's site only left me wanting more.

I fear that reviews for this book might give too much away. Secrets and truths will be revealed, but I dare not ruin them for the reader.

Into the Flame is a fantastic end to Darkness Chosen series! As sad as I am about seeing the great series come to a close, it was perfect end to a great series. I am a big fan of Dodd, and she has not disappointed me at all with this series and its final chapter.

Okay, first off I HATE Firebird's name. I mean really, it's just a bit silly and over the top. Now that I got THAT off my chest...

We learned at the end of Into the Shadow, that Firebird is not a Wilder by blood. The story of the night Zorana gave birth to her fourth child was very well done, in my opinion.

Firebird feeling hurt and betrayed is now suddenly unsure if the family that has loved her for 23 years will continue to love her now that they know she isn't related to them by blood... This was pretty annoying considering how level headed she was through most of the book but I could see how even a freakishly secure person would feel a little off-balance after discovering such a shocking secret.

Douglas Black searching for his family, blah blah blah, who could they be? I was just happy everyone put two and two together pretty quickly and the VERY obvious answer didn't linger throughout the entire book. He has a few hang ups when it comes to family, not surprising when we learn about his past.

One other thing I would like to mention, Douglas is a cop and at one point mentions he has been a cop since he was 16... Um What? That made no sense what-so-ever. He explains that he had a fake ID because you know cops don't have any way to discover if an ID is fake or not. Yeah, I think Dodd just likes throwing in those random details that any sane person would question and have her characters accept it like it's no big deal...

This book was CROWDED and by crowded I mean Firebird and Douglas get pushed out of most scenes by other people. We have Jasha and Ann, Rurik and Tasya, Adrik and Karen, Zorana and Konstantine, the bad guys, the devil, Karen's dad what's his name, Miss Joyce, Gypsies, and a partridge in a pear tree.

Okay so I made that last one up but I swear all those other people show up and take up lots of pages with their endless chatter when all I wanted to know was what was going on with Firebird and Douglas. I did get the feeling each loved the other but it was more along the lines of Dodd remembering they actually existed and allowing them to talk to each other and be emo in their thoughts about their feelings for each other.

We see the prophecy finally play out and not too many shockers with that one, except near the end another "Um What?" moment that is briefly touched on with a vague explanation that the characters all nod wisely and say "Of course, that must be it." and then drop it altogether while I was left questioning a bunch of things.

Oh and have I mentioned the endless battle scene yet? `Cause there is one, and you couldn't miss if you tried and trust me I tried. Once I accepted that the romance in this story wasn't really going anywhere and was waiting for the last few pages to neatly tie up all the loose ends that had seemed like such a big deal in the beginning of the book, I enjoyed seeing the Varinskis get blown up and shot at.

Overall it was nice to see the curse broken and how they ended up besting the devil but I was majorly disappointed in the romance between Firebird and Douglas. It was sadly my least favorite book out of the series.

I love this series; Jasha, Adrik, Rurik and Firebird each have a novel. There is a legend to break and a family to save in these series. This being the final book the plot had to be wrapped up and Firebird had to have her love story. I felt like they should have been two different books, but I loved it anyway. Firebird goes off to find her sons father, who she previously thought to be their long time enemy. In light of recent events, she learns that Doug Black, the cougar, is really who she was switched with at birth. Fighting the conflict of being abandoned at birth Doug has fought his way through life trying to win back his lost love firebird. When she shows up at his house things are expectantly tense. They soon are attacked by the varinski's. I thought that we didn't get to see enough of them and their relationship, but i enjoyed catching up on everyone else's. A prophesy fulfilled, a family united in love. This was a great book, i'm sad there won't be any more about the Wilders, but i loved every story! The reunion of alexandar with his father and Doug with the family was endearing! These books were completely captivating, I couldn't put them down!
Scent of Darkness (Darkness Chosen, Book 1)
Touch of Darkness (Darkness Chosen, Book 2)
Into the Shadow (Darkness Chosen, Book 3)
Into the Flame (Darkness Chosen, Book 4)

Firebird Wilder is a rarity, a female born into a family where only males have been born for many, many years. She's also different in the fact that she has no paranormal ability where her brothers are loaded with it, due to the fact an ancestor made a deal with the devil promising his soul, and the souls of his descendents, to Lucifer.

Cop Douglas Black is an orphan dealing with an ability that he keeps hidden. He meets Firebird while she is in college. There is an instant attraction and she's about to tell him they're going to become parents when she discovers a secret that makes her leave him before imparting her secret. Doug is devastated by her loss. In pain, he does something that helps fulfill a prophecy, and learns more about himself, and Firebird.

Can the two lovers get past his betrayal and overcome a battle against their sworn enemies and live to reunite? Or will they go up in flames?

Into the Flame is the fourth book in Ms. Dodd's Darkness Chosen series. Like the others in the series, this one centers around the Wilder family and their battle to break an ancient curse. I have to tell you that I love this series and the set-up for it. The Wilder family is a great deal of fun to read, and I enjoy their closeness and the way they interact with each other.

Firebird is her own person, strong and able to stand on her own. I loved the way she and Doug fit together, and the way they take their place in the family history. Doug's remorse over his actions only endeared him to me, since I understood the feelings he had over Firebird's flight away from him. When the two come back together it is explosive.

The final battle reads like the war it is, and provided great closure at the end. If you haven't read this series, start at the first. I've enjoyed them all, and Into the Flame was a great addition to the Wilder family saga

Amelia
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

THIS IS BY FAR THE BEST BOOK IN THE SERIES. THE OTHER 3 BOOKS WERE GREAT BUT THIS WAS MY FAVORITE. I READ THE BOOK IN ONE DAY, I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN. I LOVED FIREBIRD AND DOUGS STORY. A GREAT ENDING TO THE SERIES.

This was the conclusioin to the Darkness Chosen series and Christina Dood tied up all the loose ends with this story. The characters were well written and the storyline was complex. Christina writes romance and mystery with great flare.

Once again Dodd came through! What a WONDERFUL ending! I cried at the end, not because it was over, but because it ended so well.

Doug and Firebird were the PERFECT match. Dodd told their story without rehashing previous stories over much. There wasn't as much sex in this book either, but that doesn't detract from the story in the least. Doug is the most sensitive of all the brothers in my opinion. Not as harsh, but still as intense.

While reading this series I felt as if I became part of the Wilder family. I loved how CD handled each male hero. Each brother had a soft side, and showed it. Yet they didn't come off as being wimpy. I especially loved the scenes where the brothers would harass each other.

The series came to a complete conclusion. Unlike some series books, I was not left with wanting more. I could read these books over and over and never get bored with them.

It was a roller coaster ride from the first book to the last one. If you like paranormal romances, I encourage you to read these books. You won't be disappointed.

This is an excellent final novel in Christine Dodd's Darkness Chosen Series. All characters from the first three books are woven into the story that relates the mysterious adventures of the Varinski/Wilder family. The prose is well written and exciting to read.

I really enjoyed this book. Despite the fact that Doug and Firebird's relationship is not the focus of this book as much as the larger war against the Varinskis and the conclusion of the prophecy, I thought the action was paced to move quickly, and I ended up devouring this book. I thought Doug was a unique, interesting character (I'm pretty sure I've never seen a campus cop in romance before) and his motivations were sound. This book was different because we meet Doug after he and Firebird have been an item and broken up and their struggle is an issue of trust in that aftermath, and that is, again, a subplot. Dodd, however, gives us enough glimpses of their time together that their feelings and internal conflict are believable. I particularly liked Doug's stalking scenes (eerie), and seeing the prophecy played out. My only qualm was probably that I would have liked to see Doug apologize clearly for his dastardliness but I guess they were preoccupied with the life and death issues, lol. And after all, he did redeem himself by the end. All in all, it was a satisfying end to the story (that's what it was, more than a romance) and tied up all loose ends. Dodd did have more snappy, back and forth banter in this one, often with the women complaining of the men and vice versa, but I thought it was well done, clever and amusing, and it fit in well with the close-knit Wilder family we've come to know.