Brimstone: The Fae & Alchemy Series, Book 2

Michelle Barrett

All time favorite book!

"Where to start? Quick Quicksilver is my favorite all-time book series. In my opinion, it’s unparalleled to others. After reading the books, I have yet to come across anything remotely close to being in my top three favorites of all time. Callie did such an amazing job of character building, world building, plot twists, both books were impossible to put down. Boredom was remotely absent in the Quicksilver series. The MFC is an all-time badass whose strong willed, fearless and relentless. Kingfisher, The MMC. What is there not to say about Kingfisher, touch her and die, protective, obsessive, masculine, dark- so very dark 🤤 utterly gorgeous. I loath the fact he is a fictional character. This dark fae warrior encompasses everything we dark fantasy romance readers yearn for in a MMC. My husband has accepted the fact that kingfisher is my ultimate book boyfriend.🤭😭 Other supporting characters range from comedians, to supportive friends, warriors, protectors, witches, vampires, Faye, and many other surprising creatures. The ultimate fantasy book. 🌶️ The spice is just right. Callie plays it into the story which doesn’t affect the plot with overwhelming scenes, but there’s no lack of it from the girls like want the scenes. Kingfisher certainly does not disappoint. After reading this book, I can hardly wait for the third one to come out. ["

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May 9, 2026 Verified Purchase

TheNordicNook

Worth It for the Last Act Alone

"Finally back with Saeris Fane, Kingfisher, and of course Carrion 𝗳𝘂𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 Swift—and honestly, that alone made me excited to jump into this book. There were a few things that didn’t fully work for me. At certain points, the plot became a bit confusing, with a lot happening all at once. I sometimes struggled to keep track of who was where, what was happening, and why new conflicts were suddenly appearing. I also really wanted more time with Hayden Fane—I wish we had gotten to know him better, especially in relation to Carrion. The first part of the book felt a little slow for me, even though I understand why it was necessary. That said, the 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝘀𝗼 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱. The payoff was absolutely worth it. The twists, the reveals, and 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 cliffhanger—I genuinely did not see the ending coming. The final sentence had me just sitting there like, 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗱? What I loved: we got to know Renfis and Lorreth so much more, which I really enjoyed. Saeris’s development in this book was fantastic—she’s strong, powerful, and clearly growing into her role. I also loved the final reveal surrounding Kingfisher, especially learning his true name. While the way it was used in the last chapters confused me slightly, it also made me weirdly happy. And Kingfisher and Carrion together? Pure gold. Easily some of the funniest and best moments in the book. The dynamic between the strong, overpowering FMC (Saeris) and the over-possessive MMC (Kingfisher, who is 𝘁𝗿𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 not to be over-possessive) is one of my favorite parts of this series. This book was even 𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸𝘀𝗶𝗹𝘃𝗲𝗿, but the spice actually mattered. The scenes weren’t just there to fill pages—they added to the story, the emotional stakes, and helped deepen the understanding of what the vampires and Fae are capable of. Dark romance spice at its best. Overall, this was a good book, and I did love it—but I loved it especially because I loved the first one. The political fallout from book one, the court intrigue, and Saeris learning how to navigate her new role were necessary, even if they slowed the pace at times. Watching her grow into her power made it worth it. I’d definitely recommend this book, especially if you enjoyed the first book in this series. ["

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December 22, 2025 Verified Purchase

Fharen

I Loved It

"4.75 ⭐️’s This review was so difficult for me to write. I am committed to writing spoiler-free reviews and I love being able to give details where I can, but so much of this book is built on revelations and twists that even small details feel like spoilers. So much of Brimstone’s impact comes from discovering those twists alongside our characters, but also putting all the pieces together once you finish and I just can’t rob anyone reading this review from that experience. Now for my spoiler free review: Brimstone was one of my most anticipated reads of 2025. I could not wait to get my hands on this book and it DID NOT disappoint. Callie Hart laid the foundation with Quicksilver, but this sequel expands the world she has built in every direction. Where Quicksilver took its time building the world and letting us fall for Kingfisher and Saeris, Brimstone picks up right where Quicksilver ended and is so fast-paced it barely lets you catch your breath. The pacing is intense from the very first page as we’re thrust back into Ammontraíeth with Kingfisher being well, Kingfisher and from there it’s just one revelation, one battle, one emotional rollercoaster after another. If you loved Quicksilver, prepare yourself, because Brimstone is a whole different beast. One of the biggest changes readers will notice is that Hart gives us Kingfisher’s POV, which I loved. Dual POV is generally my preference, and while I completely understand why Quicksilver was single POV, I remember being genuinely excited when Hart announced the shift for Brimstone. This book has stretches where it pulls our main characters in different directions, and having that added POV was necessary for both the story’s progression and the characters’ growth. I loved being in Kingfisher’s head, from his internal conflict and sense of responsibility to the way he sees Saeris and carries the weight of everything happening around him. Hart also introduces vampire court dynamics alongside Saeris’s alchemist magic, weaving together multiple plot threads that kept me fully invested. The stakes escalate quickly, the magic becomes more complex, and everything comes together so well. As always, Callie Hart writes relationships incredibly well, and Brimstone is no exception. Watching Kingfisher and Saeris navigate the chaos together pulled me in, especially with so much stacked against them. There is an undeniable pull between them, and while the spice absolutely delivers, what really stood out to me was how emotionally in sync they felt with each other. What surprised me most, though, was how much I loved the relationships outside the romance. The friendships, the found family dynamics, and watching their separate circles slowly come together and accept each other all worked for me. The Kingfisher and Carrion dynamic? Absolutely the bromance I did not know I needed. Hart balances the romance with these other connections, and there were multiple moments that had me in my feelings. I loved so much about Brimstone, but beyond the obvious, the character growth really stood out to me. Saeris is navigating powers she barely understands while trying to lead people who do not trust her, all while making decisions with no clear right answer. Watching her step into that role while staying true to who she is was incredibly satisfying. Kingfisher’s arc was just as impactful. The weight of his responsibilities, his loyalty, and the impossible positions he is put in add so much nuance to his character. Hart weaves themes of sacrifice and loyalty throughout the story without softening what it truly costs to protect the people you love. The stakes feel real and devastating, and it all builds toward an ending that left me reeling. Brimstone gave me everything I wanted from this sequel, even if it was not flawless. Saeris frustrated me at times with choices that felt abrupt and avoidable, and there were a few pivotal moments where I found myself wanting more. None of it pulled me out of the story, and I was happy to give those moments a pass because this book is genuinely well done. It is darker, heavier, and far more demanding than Quicksilver, but Hart handles that shift well. If you have not read Kingfisher’s bonus chapters, I highly recommend doing so before starting, as they add meaningful context. The ending left me completely reeling and desperate for what comes next. If you loved Quicksilver and are ready for higher stakes, deeper emotional investment, and a story that is not afraid to push its characters to their limits, this series is absolutely worth continuing. ["

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January 5, 2026 Verified Purchase

Courtney Joly

5 STAR READ

"⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 stars — Brimstone by Callie Hart OH. MY. GOD. Does Callie know how to DELIVER. 😮‍💨🔥 This was the perfect cure for my Onyx Storm hangover and all the trauma it left behind, lol. The love in this book is genuinely healing. This book has everything: insane world-building, twists that had me gasping, political scheming, tension, haters, and the spice?? Ugh. It’s PERFECT. 🌶️🥵 I also loved getting more Carrion Swift, and watching how all the characters continue to grow throughout the story. Everything felt bigger, deeper, and higher stakes in the best way. And the CLIFFHANGER??? Callie… be serious. 😭 Bring on book 3 IMMEDIATELY Brimstone was absolutely phenomenal; definitely a favorite read this year! Thank you Callie for giving us a breathtaking sequel to Quicksilver. I genuinely want to live in this world forever and please let me stay there with Kingfisher permanently ["

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May 8, 2026 Verified Purchase

Crystal

amazing story, sloppy editing

"how do I give a book 5 stars, but the editing 1 star? (hold onto your god sword, I have a lot of thoughts lol) We pick up (almost) right where we left off in Quicksilver. Conversations have been had, plans have been made but the readers are left mostly in the dark to our character's schemes and motives. This made the story immediately intriguing from the start - I was desperate to know what happened in the hours that we missed. I love the addition of Kingfisher's POV! It helped expand the story out, and allowed us to accomplish and learn more about the world since we were not stuck with just Saeris the entire time. Unfortunately, there was not a lot of character distinction between his & Saeris' POVs. More than once, I forgot or didn't notice there was a POV switch and it took a little while to pick up on because both of their voices sounded the exact same. This was really disappointing from a characterization standpoint. Saeris felt a little flat for me for a lot of this book. She was missing a lot of her sass, stubborness and arrogance that was rampant in book one. We did eventually see it come through between 40-50% but I really hated that she lost some of her spark. I also expected more from Fisher's POV. His POV here felt different than his bonus chapters, and he also didn't feel impacted at all by the trauma he's just endured or the remaining Quicksilver. His POV would've been overall more interesting if he was still impacted by the Quicksilver. The only time it spoke up was for convenient plotting (a lot of this happening in the book, btw). The Quicksilver and his mental state was such a huge part of Book 1, I honestly hate how easily it was resolved and the fact that it's no longer relevant to the story. I mean, this dude was being driven to insanity a couple of weeks ago, and you would never know it through his POV. I did love the tender moments between Fisher & Saeris SO MUCH (particularly when they were alone)!! They are softening for and because of each other and it is beautiful to watch. There's also a strong undertone of melancholy to it all because their final fate is unknown and set up to potentially be a tragedy. Callie did a really really amazing job showing the deep well of strength that is their mating bond. I rebuke whoever started the love triangle rumor on social media. There is no question about how these two feel for one another after reading this! I love them!! The plot progression is so fast paced. There is so much going on at all times. I rarely say this, but this book could've easily been split into 2 or 3 more books, and I would've been ecstatic about it. I have so much curiosity for this world: it's lore, histories and politics. I want to know more about each side character and their own thoughts, fellings and pasts. I really wish we could've slowed down and explored each piece of this massive plot more thoroughly. There's a lot of 'telling not showing' and explanations of plot progression in the dialogue. Slowing down and being with each character throughout the story would've benefited the plot overall vs. having their stories play out in a few paragraphs and their stories told to us through a speech of lore drop. I love this cast of characters. I wanted more of them, and they were off page more often than not! I also wish the plot progression slowed down a little and allowed our characters to handle one scenario at a time. There's so much jumping around between Cahlish and Ammontrieth and dealing with multiple disasters at a time. I was starting to get whiplash over the location back and forth and fighting for my life to keep everything in order. This wasn't helped by the continuity and editing errors galore found in this book! And oh boy, this is where I get pissed off: It genuinely feels like Callie turned in draft 1 or 2 of this book and Forever said "amazing, send it to the printers" without even giving it a second glance! This is absolutely no hate to Callie or her writing. This feels like a publisher issue that did a disservice to the author, the readers, the story and itself. (Was Quicksilver also full of flaws and some continuity issues? Yes. But it was indie published and didn't have the resources of a massive publishing house behind it. I mean, it should have been re-edited before it was re-published traditionally, but that's another conversation for another day.) The point is, Brimstone was delayed by a year and had a massive amount of money invested into the series by the publisher. More care and attention should've gone into the final product. Some of the errors are downright careless. They were at minimum distracting and at worst contradicted and undermined the world building and plot. (here's a few that REALLY stuck out to me, but definitely not all of them): *spoilers* -Chapter 14: "Lorreth was with Carrion in the training hall..." well, NO. We just spent two chapters with Carrion in Zilvaren. He's in an entirely different realm. -Kingfisher left a shadow gate open between Cahlish and Innir, for the purpose of Saeris and co. travelling back to Ammontrieth while he was in Zilvaren. Literally they had just discovered a Quicksilver pool there, so what was the point? It was also forgotten about and not mentioned again for many many chapters when it was no longer relevant. -Kingfisher cursing in Old Fae and saying 'I haven't cursed in Old Fae in centuries' Well that's a lie and there's no need for this line to explain he's speaking Old Fae? We can tell he's speaking a different language right now... -The prologue is an amazing set up for the overall setting and tone of the book. It's also a sweet reuninon between Saeris & Onyx. However, when Saeris returns to Cahlish, it feels like that scene was originally written to be their reunion and it's honestly kind of awkward because Onyx has been on the page for multiple chapters at that point. -Kingfisher: 'my magic is useless in Ammontrieth, I can't even ward Saeris' rooms properly!' Also Kingfisher (literally THE NEXT PAGE) summons food for Onyx via his magic. This isn't even an error of small magics vs. main magic. KF also uses his shadow magic in Ammontrieth when Saeris is attacked. The use of god swords in Sanasroth is also really confusing. I mean I guess they obviously can channel magic there, but this feels inconsistent from Quicksilver?? Either the editing errors became less prevelant further into the book, or I was just deeper into the story and cared less. I'm still just so disappointed that this is the kind of final product we received. I love Quicksilver and I'm (obviously) very passionate about the series. Brimstone would've been 5 stars without a second thought if it weren't for the glaring editing mistakes. Book 3's release date is already available and honestly I'm so nervous about the quality of the book already because that is an INSANE turn-around. I am dying to know what happens next (I mean, THAT ENDING!!), but I will happily wait as long as it takes for a properly fleshed out and edited story. ["

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November 24, 2025 Verified Purchase