This Golden Flame Readalong: Day 3!

Beautiful photo by @lonely_reader

Hello Friends!

I hope everyone has been enjoying the readalong so far! It’s now day 3 and I for one can’t wait to dive back in after yesterday’s section!

But before that, we have our semi hush-hush giveaway to cover before that! What’s that? Oh just a chance to get your next FairyLoot for free as a reward for reading! Doesn’t really get better than that! And your chances are so good too! We don’t really announce this anywhere else as we truly want the person from the readalong to win! If you’d like to try your luck, all you need to do is follow these steps!

  1. Take a photo of our edition of This Golden Flame!
  2. Include a hashtag #Fairylootflame (very important)!
  3. Do all of this by the 12th of April!
  4. Mention down below in your comment today that you have entered and include your Instagram handle (also super important!)

Okay let’s get started everyone!

Today we’re reading chapters 14-23!

Please be warned, the following will include spoilers for This Golden Flame by Emily Victoria Chapters 14-23! Read only if you’ve finished those chapters!

-!SPOILERS!-

We rejoin Karis to find her realising that Alix has been having quite the effect on her, she hasn’t been soft with anyone since her brother, can she afford to be now? She’s not the only one questioning themselves, as Dane opens up and tells her he doesn’t know what he’s supposed to be doing anymore. Will he find a new purpose? 

Karis believes it’s foolish to try and take on the Scriptorium whilst Zara seems to believe otherwise…interesting, very interesting. Ooooh and she called her out too! Will Karis be always too scared to care for anyone else again and let them get close? 

Two exciting developments here! Firstly we hear mention of a mysterious bandit and secondly it seems Dane might be interested in Zara, I’m with Karis, she’s going to eat him alive ?

Wait the man they travelled to meet is a Scriptmaster?! Can he be trusted?

Ah okay that’s the reason why Alix has been drawn to Zara! It’s the script ink she’s wearing! Sometimes called automaton’s blood, that’s what makes them so strong! 

So many revelations! The glowing light Alix remembers was the vessel and he was the one who destroyed it! His father must have created Alix to destroy it so that the Scriptorium could never use it again. This must have been the Automaton heart that the record spoke of! Our crew need to find another Scriptmaster to fix Alix’s runes if he is to ever regain back those memories for sure.

Alix rejects the offer of a weapon from Zara, not wanting to do any more damage than he already is capable of-he really seems to be a sweet soul huh?

Oh interesting these aren’t Scriptorium soldiers? They are the Magistarte’s personal forces, he brought out the big guns it seems to hunt them down..yikes. And they have guns…great :/

Wait the little girl was the package Kocha went to get? Ah finally we learn Zara’s backstory! Oh wow after stealing the pendant, her parents were sent to the Magistrate’s Library, never to be let out. No wonder she hates the Scriptorium so much!

Hold up the Magistarate’s secret project is to essentially make an army out of people unable to disobey his orders! What if they did that to Matthias too? Thank fully some people have been known to escape and that’s where Zara and her crew step in to help get them to safety- I knew I always liked her!

Oh no Alix’s arm was knocked out by the seal the soldier carried, “Because I’m not a person. I’m just a thing that has to obey commands.”  Anyone else wish hey could give Alix a hug in that moment? 🙁 

That’s a good question raised actually, why did Alix’s father give him a tome? Something for him to be controlled with, was it out of fear?

Oh Zara overheard and gave him back his tome! I repeat, I knew I liked Zara!!

After a close call with an enemy ship involving cannon fire, both ship and crew are in rough shape. But with the help of Alix’s scriptwork they made it to Valitia to be greeted with the looming Colossus, not terrifying at all!

Do I spy a bond growing between Alix and Zara?

We meet Master Calantha, surprise and want flashing in her eyes when she sees Alix, I am immediately suspicious! Okay she’s bold, she wants their help taking down the Magistrate but can we trust her? 

“With all due respect, have you lost your wits?” ? Gotta love Dane’s response here!

Oh oh she said Alix would be the “perfect weapon” to use against him causing Karis to practically growl at her. Although Zara has a point, war is brewing and the Magistrate is desperate to get his claws on Alix, but why exactly, it must be something only Alix can give him? 

Damn was that the right choice to leave the tome in her safe!!???

Wait Matthias is the bandit and she works with him? Oh no just as we think we are getting closer to having them reunite we’re told that he’s been taken by the Scriptorium, ouch she only missed him by three days, that’s gotta sting! 

So Calantha used to work for the Magistrate and whatever she discovered at the Library convinced her she needs to do whatever it takes to stop him. But can we really trust Zara’s faith in her? Also what kind of library is this? Not one I’d like to visit, that’s for sure!

Oh Rudy and Matthias are a couple! No wonder he’s so cut up over letting Matthias sacrifice himself. Ouch it seems her brother fell In love and has made his connections here, I have a hard time believing he hasn’t been seeking out Karis himself though! Anyone else? 

Today’s chapters provided quite the rollercoaster of emotions! Our gang have new allies and a new mission to take down the Magistrate and hopefully rescue Matthias in the process! But can they trust Calantha and why is the Magistrate hunting Alix so desperately? Any theories folks?


We’ve got two more days left of reading and I can’t wait to find out what is going to happen tomorrow! Please let me know all of your thoughts in the comments!

Love,

Codie

31 thoughts on “This Golden Flame Readalong: Day 3!

  1. Ah-ha! I knew Matthias was the Bandit! I have a feeling the magistrate threw him in prison and now he’s trying to work the “obey” rune business on him. I hope he’ll be reacued soon because I can’t wait to meet him.

    And I don’t really trust this Calantha woman. She might be on their side, but surely she has some hidden agenda. I hope she won’t steal Alix tome, honestly leaving it with her taking only her word for “that’s the only key” seems rather naive.

    I’ve posted my photo, my handle is @Sputnik.books

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    1. Thanks so much for posting and for sharing your thoughts! ❤️

  2. The moment they mentioned’The Bandit’ I thought it would be Matthias.
    I’m not sure they can trust Calantha…?
    It must be hard on Karis, finding out her brother’s still alive but didn’t come for her.

    The story still doesn’t convince me, but today’s chapters I liked a bit more than yesterday’s.

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    1. I’ve posted a photo on Instagram to enter the giveaway ?. I’m @beppie125.

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    2. Glad to hear you are enjoying it a bit more! Thank you for sharing your thoughts ?

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  3. This is my very first read along and my first fairly loot box. I am behind a day, but I will catch up today. I am loving this book so far. I am glad I chose to do this read along.

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    1. So glad to hear you’re enjoying it! Thanks so much for joining us ❤️

  4. I think we can’t trust Calantha
    Not because I think she’s really with the Scriptorium? But she feels like one of those characters who would do anything to take them down? So I think she’s betray the heroes (or Alix specifically) if it meant getting what she wanted

    I’m not surprised to hear that Matthias has been “free” in a way for a while. And…. I don’t entirely blame him for not rescuing his sister, or feeling unable to save her…. to a degree. Can totally see why it’s kinda shattering for Karis to learn this though, seeing as it seems she never once stopped trying to find him!

    I’ll be posting my picture tomorrow hopefully!
    @bookdragonbrew

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    1. Amazing! Thank you for entering and posting a pic! ❤️

  5. I’m planning to catch up tonight as I’m a few chapters behind. Adulting ?
    I’ve already shared a photo, I’ll add this hashtag, @theereaderscorner

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    1. hahah I feel that! No worries at all, the posts will be here when you’re caught up ? Thanks so much for posting a photo ❤️

  6. Interesting about Zara’s necklace being why Alix feels the connection with her and I liked when he could work the other runes. I think Alix can do a lot more than he thinks.

    I think this needs to get a bit more in-depth somehow…it’s moving quickly but I’d love to go deeper. I definitely don’t think we can trust Calantha. Leaving his tome was a bad idea for Alix.

    I agree that once mentioned it seemed obvious that we’d know the bandit and the only person we knew there was Matthias, therefore Matthias was always going to be the bandit.

    I don’t have any other theories.

    I’ll post my photo tomorrow @onlybooksiveread

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    1. Thanks so much for posting a photo and for sharing your thoughts! ?

  7. Really not liking this Calantha woman! Seems like even if they can overthrow the Magistrate, she’ll just be the next in a line of evil top dogs – that’s the vibe I’m getting from her anyway.

    Gutting that Karis just missed out in finding her brother.

    Wonder what they’ll find in Alix’s home. There’s got to be something….

    I’ll be posting a pic, my Instagram is @tinasparkle04

  8. Enjoying the twists and turns. Feel like I don’t know what’s going to happen next!

    I have entered @penguinograce

  9. This is my first readalong and it’s so much fun! I feel so motivated to read. Anyways, I feel like Calantha is sketchy. I don’t think she’s working against them, but I definitely agree with the people who said she’d do anything to further her own agenda. Also, I love Alix! I don’t know, apparently I relate to a soft mechanical human. So fun!
    I’m hopefully going to post for this book at some point tomorrow on my insta @thisbookbelongstograce <3

  10. I’m looking forward to Dane finding out who he really is and find a new role for himself. It’s adorable how he has a crush on Zara.
    So the mysterious bandit is Karis’ brother, I did not expect that! I wonder how much he has changed. I understand how Karis might feel a bit down of her brother living his life, but I’m sure they’ll reconcile, speak about things and then she can move forward too.
    Poor Alix sometimes having doubts on his humanity is so sad. I hope he won’t have to regret leaving his tome behind!
    Calantha is suspicious, but I hope I won’t be right about her!
    Can’t wait to continue!

    I’ll post a photo by the weekend, I’m @serenity87hu on instagram.

  11. We got a lot of answers in these chapters about Zara, Matthias and Alex and now they need to stop the bad guy &rescue Matthias.

    I will post my photo to my IG Jenthebookishbakernz

  12. I entered the giveaway, my @ is @xbunnys_booksx ??

  13. I have been really enjoying this read a long so far. I am so glad that we are starting to get answers about Matthias. My heart kind of broke for Karis though learning about her brother. But I can see why he made those decisions. I like the addition of the runes, and I have a feeling those are going to come into major play later in the book.

  14. Midway through these chapters as I’m catching up from work but I made my quick Insta post today on @hiddeninthelibrarybookstagram

  15. Posted my picture! My handle is @hearthstonereads

    I won’t lie, there are certain aspects to the world building in this I’m finding a bit confusing, but I think I’m getting it more or less down. I like the new pirate characters but I did feel right up until the end of this section no one super knew what they were doing lol, and therefore it dragged a little. Like, there has been episodical urgency more than an overall sense of urgency if that makes sense?

    I love Alix but I do NOT love that he left his tome with the Scriptmaster woman. Alix, noooo, trust your instincts. There is something so fishy about her!

    Meeting Rudy right at the end was interesting. The second he was described in a good looking way I thought he and Matthias might have been an item… hopefully they can save Matthias soon!

  16. When it was said Rudy and Matthias were a couple my heart melted and I want awwww! uwu ALL MY FEELS! But I also feel Karis’s hurt that her brother could find a partner when she was spending literally all her time trying to get back to him…

    Alix is a true cinnamon roll in the sweetest sense and I just love him and want to protect him at all costs! DO NOT TOUCH HIM!

    Zara has grown on me, I think I like her~

    And I’ll be posting a photo on instagram under @frayedbooks 🙂

  17. Currently playing catch up had a really busy week,? but I’m enjoying this book!! ?
    Posted a photo with the hashtag! @lattesandbooks

  18. Posted a photo on my insta @storydrinker !
    Loving this book so much ?

  19. I’ve really enjoyed this read along!
    I’ll post my picture to @booksbysofie

  20. Hi everyone, hi Codie!
    Just finished this story this morning and loved the sweetness of these characters so much! Felt super refreshing not to have Karis fall for anyone and just be happy she’s got her found family 🙂

    I’ve posted my picture on @ kissesbetweenchapters too! ♡

  21. Finally catching up! Knew who the Bandit would be as soon as it was mentioned, also thought Zara’s backstory was going to be a lot more dramatic! Looks like we’re now in the right setting for some real action.

  22. I loved this readalong! I posted my pic at @shh.imreading !

  23. This section was fantastic, especially the part about Matthias and Rudy…love him as a new character! I have entered the challenge with my own little tribute to Alix! @xennmix

  24. I forgot to come back and add my comment ??‍♀️ but I posted my Instagram photo on Sunday – @art_bulletjournal_books ☺️

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