Unlike the first four books, which focused heavily on the ruin rats and then life within the Towers, this was the first book that truly gave us a view of what life was like for those on the opposite side. The Coalition is an organization that relies on hostile takeovers rather than negotiated alliances, but the creation of the new tower gave way to a tenuous agreement between Nikolai and Alec, and in turn, showed readers what life within the Coalition was like.

I sprinted through the first books in the series easily, but I'll admit that this one took a little more to get into. That isn't to say that I didn't enjoy the book - I did, thoroughly - but without the inclusion of main characters from the previous books (who we do see, albeit through the lens of other characters), it was a different feel to the book overall. However, Flames of Redemption still held that same level of heat that made the previous novels so exciting... in fact, perhaps even moreso as the two main characters, who I'll leave unnamed, were perhaps a little more volatile towards each other than we've seen in the other books.

The action, as is always expected from this author, was full of intrigue, carefully placed secrets and shocking reveals. Though I've guessed at many of the other plotlines in this series, I did not see the twist here coming at all, and that's always a pleasant experience in a first-time reading. Eager to see where all these plots lead, as I jump into the final book.

I received a free copy of this book through Book Sirens, and am voluntarily leaving my honest review. ( )