Title: Awakening the Fire (The Inferno Unleashed Series, Book Two)
Author: Jake Bonsignore
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy, Thriller
Book Design: Regina Wamba of Mae I Design and Photography
Breena Taljain’s idyllic days in Araboth came to a skidding halt when circumstances forced her into the dangerous hinterlands. The dire sacrifice she made to protect her comrades tainted her heart with hatred and despair. To cleanse herself she must outrun Death’s relentless pursuit and venture into the bleak unknown. With the odds stacked against her, stumbling into love when she least expects it may very well be her saving grace.
Meanwhile, succumbing to the Patriarch’s devious traps has Galbrecht Atalir questioning his motives. The folly of his recklessness has left him physical scarred and mentally traumatized. Now he must overcome more adversity as the wrath of the Sin Ministry bears down upon him. He will need more than wits and quick fists to find the truth he has sought for seven years.
Alas, every second Breena is apart from Galbrecht draws her further into strife. With her world rapidly crumbling inwards, she puts everything on the line for a last stand against the ruthless force that threatens to destroy all she holds dear….
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Breena screamed.
She knew not if they were real or figments of her ailing imagination. The grief was debilitating enough. The merriment she had felt seconds ago was already gone.
Grief. Sorrow. Disgust. Cowardice. Woe. Despair. Fear. Hatred. Betrayal. Rage. Embrace them now, Breena Taljain. I won’t let you banish me!
Her expression became hollow as her fingers fell away from Ophion’s, leaving her to float listlessly in the water. She inhaled deeply and nearly doubled over when her lungs burned fiercely. The spell he had weaved around her was gone!
She fought Emptiness’ urge to flee with every fiber of her being. She would not make it halfway to the surface before her oxygen ran out! Every second of resistance made her brain feel more and more like jelly.
Then a strong pair of hands gripped her shoulders and shook her roughly. Air returned to her lungs at once. Thank t-the…! She distantly heard someone calling her name but the dark void held her too tightly to answer. It must be Ophion. She wanted so badly to answer and return to their sweet dance. Instead, she pounded him with futile punches and tried feverishly to push him away. N-no, no, no! I-I don’t want to but I…I can’t stop it!
“Breena, you must snap out of it. I am not your enemy. Get ahold of yourself!”
Ophion pulled her face close to his. One way or another she would know that he meant what he said. Her impassive expression told him that her mind was somewhere far, far away. She was losing to the Fiend in these final, pivotal moments.
“I know all about you, Breena. You must not let your anger contort things any longer. Cassiel Macoton did not send you here to die. He did it so you could find your own way in life. He had faith that you would not give up. Your father is not away from you by choice, either. Instead, he’s fighting in the Sheol so he can be with you another day. You must realize and accept this.” He shook his head while three more currents of fire whooshed past him. “Look at all you’ve accomplished. You have Izanami trembling from the pits of Yomi!”
Rays of violet like beams of sunlight freed from a prison of clouds broke through the veil of black all around Breena. They fell away like shards of broken glass with every passing second, taking her mess of phobias with them.
“Face the truth, dearest. The world has not shunned you.” He tightened his grip ever so slightly. “Please, don’t let Emptiness win. You mean far too much to me, to everyone. We need you, Breena. I need you. You stole my heart the moment I saw you. You…you are my Eurynome. D-Don’t you…?” He paused to watch the Apsaras swimming about and gulped deeply. “Don’t you believe in love at first sight?”
Breena was still staring at him despondently when Ophion pulled her close and pressed his lips against hers.
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I loved this book just as much as the first book. Jake is an amazing author and I love the world he has created for Breena and all of the amazing creatures surrounding her. It is an inspiring and creative. I really have no words to describe how much I enjoyed this book. Like the first I struggled through it in parts because of all the inner dialog but it was well worth the little bit of extra time to read and it was needed to help understand the characters better.
4.5 out of 5 stars
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Jake Bonsignore is the author of Descendant of Strife, Empyreal Illusions, and Awakening the Fire. he is a graduate of the University of South Florida with magna cum laude honors. Outside of his literary pursuits, he enjoys playing sports and is a fitness enthusiast. he is currently working on his next novel, The Lioness.
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