Review - - Ember Eternal

Ember Eternal

by Chloe Neill

Souls Burn Brightest – Book 1

Publisher: Ace

Release Date: November 25, 2025

Reviewed by Nancy

4.75 stars 

Fox is a thief with morals—she steals from those who can afford it and takes only a little at that. But she has no choice. Fox and her closest companion are indentured servants to an unscrupulous wealthy woman in the stronghold. Unable to pay off their debts with the work they’re given, they steal in the hopes of one day being free—truly free. 

While searching for an easy mark, Fox identifies a would-be assassin with her rare magical ability, and then helps a royal bodyguard fend off his vicious attack on the prince. Soon that good deed embroils her in a vast and shimmering world of imperial politics, long-lost magic, and improbable romance. But Fox longs for freedom, and must decide if love is its own kind of cage. 

 

Nancy’s Thoughts: 

In Ember Eternal, veteran author Chloe Neill offers a romantasy set in a fully-realized, beautifully described pre-industrial world. She always gives the reader a complete picture of the characters and their surroundings, so the mental images that flow from the pages are never vague or puzzling. Yet that picture is painted so efficiently that the description doesn’t slow the pace. I’m happy to say the book includes zero made-up terms that may sound cool but are never explained, even though they pop up often. Using words that way is a pet peeve of mine. 

The heroine, an orphaned thief named Fox, can see ghosts and has other magical senses she doesn’t fully understand. She only steals what she needs and avoids taking from someone who needs the money more. Her best friend, Wren, also a thief and an orphan, is Fox’s sister in all but blood. The two of them are bond servants to a wealthy woman who hires them out for money. Neither Fox nor Wren knows how much is owed on her bond, and neither expects ever to pay it off. 

Fox’s creed is “Never be noticed.” Forced to choose between doing the right thing or not being noticed, however, she chooses what is right. Almost everything that happens to her in the story springs from one such choice. 

The hero, Nik, arrives at the stronghold, the city where Fox lives, in the train of the prince who is its new ruler. An assassination attempt against the prince leads Nik and Fox to work together. The romance between them builds slowly, and their cooperation leads to a number of unwelcome surprises for Fox. Her abilities draw the attention of a magic-wielder who means to destroy the prince’s dynasty, the Lys’Careths. 

The characters are sympathetic, engaging, and layered, and the romance, while not the primary storyline, is strong and well developed. The heat level increases as Fox and Nik’s emotional intimacy deepens. 

Because the story is told in first person, we have only Fox’s viewpoint on events and the relationship. We do get a good idea of Nik’s feelings from his reactions. 

The supporting characters are varied and elicit different levels of sympathy. The Lady, who holds Fox’s and Wren’s bonds, is mercenary and grasping but not unkind to them. The palace staff and guardsmen are loyal and efficient, a contrast to the local city guard, and each has a moment to show individual personality traits. 

Unfortunately, Fox isn’t the only woman interested in Nik’s heart. The other woman, while manipulative and not generally trusted, has a moment that sparks Fox’s grudging sympathy for her. 

The plot is logical and builds off the unique features of the story world. The choices Fox and Nik make are believable because they are in keeping with the characters’ beliefs as established earlier in the story. The book doesn’t wrap everything up at the end, but the ending was satisfying and believable. 

I’m reluctant to include more about the characters or the plot. I don’t want to spoil the twists the story takes. 

You may have gathered that I was cruising toward a five-star review. I was. But one thing about the book pulled me out of the story and frustrated me. In four or five places, I needed dialogue attributions that aren’t supplied. When more than two characters are in a scene, it isn’t always possible to tell which one is speaking based on the content of the dialogue. When I’m confused because I don’t know who is talking, I have to stop and count lines back from the last attribution. Even then, I can’t always tell. This happened in only four or five places, and balancing those rare frustrating incidents against my tremendous enjoyment of the rest of the story led me to take off only ¼ of a star. 

I highly recommend this book, and I can’t wait for the next one. 

~ 4.75 stars 

Nancy

 

Reader questions from Nancy: 

Do you read romantasy? 

If you’re a romantasy reader, where on the continuum of worldbuilding do you fall? Do you like detailed worldbuilding, or are you closer to the minimalist level of a preindustrial setting, some magic or otherworldly elements and maybe some made-up terms? Or are you somewhere in between? 

Do you prefer the romance in a romantasy to be the central story, a strong but subordinate element, or a 50/50 split?

 

Review - - Witches of Dubious Origin

Witches of Dubious Origin

by Jenn McKinlay

Publisher: Ace

Release Date: October 28, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

Zoe Ziakas enjoys a quiet life, working as a librarian in her quaint New England town. When a mysterious black book with an unbreakable latch is delivered to the library, Zoe has a strange feeling the tome is somehow calling to her. She decides to consult the Museum of Literature, home to volumes of indecipherable secrets, some possessing dark magic that must be guarded.

Here, among their most dangerous collection, the Books of Dubious Origin, Zoe discovers that she is the last descendant of a family of witches and this little black book is their grimoire. Zoe knows she must decode the family’s spell book and solve the mystery of what happened to her mother and her grandmother. However, the book’s potential power draws all things magical to it, and Zoe finds herself under the constant watch of a pesky raven, while being chased by undead Vikings, ghost pirates, and assorted ghouls.

With assistance from the eccentric staff of the Books of Dubious Origin department—including their annoyingly smart and handsome containment specialist, Jasper Griffin—Zoe must confront her past and the legacy of her family. But as their adventure unfolds, she’ll have to decide whether or not she’s ready to embrace her destiny.

PJ's Thoughts:

Jenn McKinlay is an author whose books have entertained me for years. From contemporary romance to cozy mysteries to women's fiction, she's never let me down. So, it was with this background that I began reading her newest book, Witches of Dubious Origin, a spooky, quirky, mysterious, action-packed tale that took me in an absolute delight of a new direction. Honestly, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. 

The characters are all impeccably depicted and masterfully interwoven to add richness, texture, humor, and a dash of romantic potential. The books, characters in their own right, captivated me with their magic and the keepers of the Books of Dubious Origin (BODO) are a lively, eclectic crew who are with Zoe, leading, mentoring, and supporting her the entire way. Even the Viking zombies, ghost pirates, and other ghoulies leap from the pages with incredibly vivid authenticity. Or, at least, as authentic as I would imagine them to be. 

When I'm so immersed in a book that when I finally turn the last page (at 2:27 AM), all I want to do it go back to page one and read it all over again, that book is one I want to tell ALL my bookish friends about. Witches of Dubious Origin is that book. I laughed, gasped, sighed, shed a few tears, and clutched the edge of my seat as I lost myself in this quirky, cozy, fantasy gem that's perfect for Halloween month - or any month - reading. Librarians for the win. Reluctant Librarian witches? Even better! Don't miss this one. I loved it. 

I don't know if McKinlay has plans to write more books featuring the adventures of  Zoe and the rest of the BODO crew but I sure hope she will consider it. I would be first in line to buy them!

 

Review - - Bride of the Shadow King

Bride of the Shadow King

by Sylvia Mercedes

Publisher: Ace Books

Release Date: November 12, 2024

Reviewed by Nancy

 

Though she is the oldest daughter, Princess Faraine lives in the background, shunned from court and kept out of sight. She’s told her gods-gift makes her a liability to the crown, and has learned to give place to her beautiful, favored younger sister in all things.

When the handsome and enigmatic Shadow King comes seeking a bride, Faraine is not surprised that her sister is his choice.

King Vor is not eager to take a human bride, but he is willing to do what is necessary for the sake of his people. When he meets the lively Princess Ilsevel, he quickly agrees to a marriage arrangement. 

So why can’t he get the haunting eyes of her older sister out of his head?

 

Nancy’s Thoughts: 

Bride of the Shadow King is the first of three romantasy novels under a series banner of the same title. The forbidden love romance is nearly flawless, and the worldbuilding is different and intriguing despite occasional sparse descriptions. 

Princess Faraine, the heroine, has been banished to a distant convent far from the court of Gavaria, her homeland, because she inadvertently wrecked her father’s plan to marry her to a prince she loathed. We meet her as she is returning home to convince her sister Ilsevel, who has locked herself in a tower and is throwing crockery at anyone who approaches, that she must marry the Shadow King, Vor, for the good of their kingdom. They’re at war with Prince Ruaven, a fae, and they need the fierce soldiers of the trolde realm. Vor needs the human magic to vanquish the deadly beings intruding into his kingdom. 

Prince Ruaven’s fae attack Faraine’s entourage. Faraine isn’t trained to fight, but she displays courage and determination to survive in the face of these lethal foes. Her party is outnumbered and suffering casualties at a rapid pace. Fortunately, the trolde king and his escort, who are en route to Gavaria so he can woo Ilsevel, come across the battle and wade in. They rescue Faraine and her brother. 

Faraine has the gift of sensing the emotions of those around her. She can also affect their emotions. To keep the flood of feelings she senses from overwhelming her, she has a crystal necklace she grips to help her stay centered. Despite the carnage of the fight surrounding her and Vor, all she picks up from him is calm. That has tremendous appeal for her. He admires her poise and finds the hint of song he senses around her intriguing. 

Faraine knows, however, that her father, King Lorangar, would not want her to become friendly with Vor. Lorangar intends Vor to wed the lovely Ilsevel. Faraine has been summoned home only to convince her sister to go along with this plan. 

After they arrive at Beldroth, the Gavarian king’s palace, Vor remains intrigued by Faraine and seeks her out. She feels drawn to him but gently discourages his interest, which could lead him to prefer her to Ilsevel. Her father would be furious at the mere idea. 

The push/pull of their shared attraction is well done. Faraine’s fear of offending her father is understandable in context and sets up the situation that leads to disaster later in the story. Discouraged from pursuing her, Vor turns his attention to Ilsevel. Faraine continues to intrigue him, but he needs this alliance to gain access to human magic. If that means he must court only Ilsevel, he will do so. 

Both Vor and Faraine are resolved to do their duty despite the personal cost, but they aren’t whiny about it. Their matter-of-face acceptance of the situation despite their disappointment is sympathetic, and I was rooting for them both. 

The betrothal goes forward. Faraine returns to her convent. Vor resolves to put his feelings for Faraine aside, stop thinking of her, and devote himself to Ilsevel. After Vor returns to his own realm to prepare for his bride, who’s going on a pre-wedding pilgrimage, tragedy strikes. I won’t spoil the story by saying what happens, only that King Larongar’s focus on Ilsevel and his refusal to trust Vor lead to a sequence of dire events that sweep up Faraine, Vor, and his court. 

The supporting characters are individuals with layers, not cookie-cutter figures. A character who isn’t especially sympathetic in the beginning of the story comes into her own by the end, and I’m now interested to see what happens to her in the next two books. 

All that is great, so readers may wonder why I’m giving the book 4.5 stars instead of five. It’s because there were too many stoppers for me. Otherworldly creatures aren’t fully described, unfamiliar terms aren’t explained, and I don’t know why I what the problem is that leads to Prince Ruaven’s incursions except I’m told he’s the bad guy—and not much else. There’s a big inconsistency about the rules of travel between realms at a crucial moment. 

Every time I hit an unfamiliar term in a book, it stops me unless its meaning is obvious from context. Every time I encounter an unfamiliar creature, I need a description to get a visual in my head. Without it, I don’t have a clear picture of the action in the scene and am frustrated. If I’m stopping to wonder about the meaning of a term or the appearance of a creature, I’m not reading the story. I’m pulled out of it. 

The trolde kingdom is a brilliant concept, and the characters we meet there are well-drawn and varied. The landscapes are nicely done, with clear, detailed imagery and contrasts between the Under Realm and Gavaria. The problems I had were in smaller moments. Because I hit so many points where I wanted more—a couple of adjectives, a short phrase—to give me a picture, I often felt frustrated. 

The following are just a few examples. 

Casualties need “an ugghra healer,” but what is that? What sets them apart from other healers? Or is there even a difference? 

The trolde ride shadowy creatures called morleths, which are interdimensional and can manifest from shadows, which is really cool. For description, though, we’re told they have sinuous, barbed tails and snort smoke or sparks. They have fur over scales on their withers and flanks. All that’s great, but we don’t know what shape or size their heads or bodies are or how tall they are or how many legs they have. Presumably they have at least four since people sit on their backs, but it could be six or even, like Odin’s legendary mount, Sleipnir, eight. 

There are numerous references to roag poison. Is that the creature or the plant that produces the poison? If so, what kind of creature or plant is it? I’m assuming roag doesn’t mean poison because that would be redundant. 

At the point when Vor’s bride is about to cross into his lands, the Under Realm, her attendants make a big fuss about the rule that she can only take with her what he has given her. She therefore wears a new gown he sent for her. A companion lies to the trolde woman in attendance about something  the bride wants to take having been a gift from Vor, so she gets to take that. Yet the bride wears a veil she brought from home and no one says anything about that. 

For some readers, a cool-sounding term and a vague description suffice, and that’s fine. But I need more. Rating this book overall, I give the romance plot a five and the worldbuilding a four, solely I was so often stopped by needing more explanation. 

The story moves at a good pace except from the bits I stumbled over, and it kept my interest. Despite the stumbles, I would’ve continued reading even if I hadn’t committed to review the book. 

The story ends on a cliffhanger. That isn’t an issue for me, but readers who prefer a complete story may want to wait until the next two books are released to read this one. 

4.5 stars 

~Nancy