Ember of Night by Molly E. Lee

Disclaimer: I bought this book for this reread! Support your authors! All opinions are my own!

Book: Ember of Night

Author: Molly E. Lee

Book Series: Ember of Night Book 1

Rating: 5/5

Recommended For…: young adult readers, fantasy, urban fantasy, angels, demons

Publication Date: May 4, 2021

Genre: YA Fantasy

Recommended Age: 16+ (Language, Violence, Child abuse, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Romance, Panic attacks, Religion slightly, Illusions to self harm, Illusions to attempted sexual assault)

Explanation of CWs: There are curse words used throughout the book. Child abuse is shown, as is lots of violence and gore. Suicidal thoughts are mentioned. There is some sexual content, but most of the romance is fade to black. Mentions of panic attacks and one episode of it. Religion is the backbone of this book, but isn’t brought up a lot. The way things are described in the book gives it the appearance of self-harm and attempted sexual assault, but they aren’t (but can be read that way by others).

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Pages: 386

Synopsis: I’ve never been a stranger to the darkness. But when darkness comes knocking and looks that good, who wouldn’t invite him in?

Draven is mysterious, evasive, and hot as sin. The only thing more infuriating than how much he won’t say is how obnoxious he is every time he does open his mouth. But when a group of strangers attacks me and he fights back, causing them to vanish into a cloud of black dust, I know Draven is more than he seems.

He finally shows me there’s a veil separating the world I know from a world of demons living all around us. Turns out, good and evil are just words. Some of the demons don’t fall into either category. And I’m realizing just how easily I fit in among the ancient warlocks, the divine soldiers, and the twisted supernaturals…

There’s so much more to me. To my past. And to what I am truly capable of than I ever thought possible. So when all signs point to me having the ability to unleash Hell on earth? I’ll have to decide if I want to do the world a solid and save it, or give it one hell of a makeover.

Review: I really loved my reread of this book! I had more fun with it the second time than I did the first and I loved a lot of the little things that I didn’t see the first time I read through it. The triggers of this book are in the front of the book and I loved that. The book is realistic to family issues and with court (a lot of things that most authors miss in their contemporary books! Like it’s kidnapping if you take your sibling and any court would side eye you for that!). I enjoyed the character development and world building. The book also did well with the plot and it kept me going.

The only issue I had with this reread is that the pacing lagged in the middle of the book, but it picked back up again towards the end. I also still have issue with the book using the age difference it did for the main couple. It gives me a creeper vibe.

Verdict: It was good!

Shadow of Light by Molly E. Lee

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Shadow of Light

Author: Molly E. Lee

Book Series: Ember of Night Book 2

Rating: 5/5

Recommended For…: young adult readers, fantasy, urban fantasy, angels, demons

Publication Date: November 30, 2021

Genre: YA Urban Fantasy

Recommended Age: 16+ (abuse, violence, gore, kidnapping, animal abuse, sexual content, religion, possession, and language)

Explanation of CWs: There is some abuse flashbacks shown. Violence and gore are frequent. Kidnapping is mentioned, not shown. Animal abuse to a dog is shown very briefly but it’s during a big fight by the villains of the novel and the dog limps away and is later fine. Sexual content is shown. Religion is brought up a few times and inspiration is taken from it. There are a couple of possession scenes. Curse words are frequent.

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Pages: 400

Synopsis: I just saved the boy I’m falling for from a gruesome death by a demon. And what does he have to say? I’m the key to opening the gates of Hell. I mean, a thank-you would’ve been nice. Or another scorching-hot, forbidden kiss. Either way, destiny will have to find someone else to torment, because I’m so done.

Or I was, until my little sister starts cackling exorcist-style and stares at me with eyes that aren’t hers. They’re Marid’s, the Greater Demon I just kicked back to the dark realm he came from. Possessing Ray whenever he wants is his ultimate revenge.

The only way to break the tether between them includes a road trip through Hell, aka the Ather. I quickly discover nothing is as it seems in this place. Yeah, there are realms of terror, greed, and desire, but there’s also peace, and a beauty I never knew existed…and it’s eerily familiar.

With each obstacle we encounter, I slip a little further into the chaotic energy of my growing dark powers. And when an unexpected betrayal hits me square in the chest, I freefall into them.

Fate painted me as the monster of nightmares, and after this? Destiny is about to learn just how monstrous I can be.

Review: Overall, I really loved this book as well! I thought it was a well done sequel and it held its own with its own story and issues separate from the first book but still connected. The character development was sound, I loved the new characters, I loved all the twists and turns, and I enjoyed the world building. The book also had a strong plot and I enjoyed the ride. I also highly enjoyed having the triggers in the front of the book.

However, I did think that some of the book was repetitive in the plot. I felt like the same conflict resolution conflict resolution rhythm repeated a few times in the book and it was a bit dull in the middle and a little at the end. The book also kind of did the same thing with the romance aspects. The book’s pacing also slowed down in the center and a little towards the end.

Verdict: It was great! Loved it!

Heartless Prince Angela De Vito (story & illustrator) and Leigh Dragoon (written by)

Disclaimer: I received this finished copy and e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Heartless Prince

Author: Angela De Vito (story & illustrator) and Leigh Dragoon (written by)

Book Series: Standalone for now

Rating: 4/5

Diversity: Blind side character

Recommended For…: graphic novel, young adult readers, fantasy

Publication Date: November 2, 2021

Genre: YA Graphic Novel Fantasy

Recommended Age: 13+ (Violence, Gore, Parental death, Death, Kidnapping)

Explanation of CWs: Violence and gore are shown and fairly frequent. There is a kidnapping scene. There is parental death implied. There is death shown.

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Pages: 160

Synopsis: Evony is an orphaned princess from a kingdom destroyed by a power-hungry witch. Prince Ammon has recently been drawn to her, or at least he’s drawn to her uncanny ability to sense when familiars—servants to the witches—are approaching his kingdom’s borders. And Evony, well Evony has always longed for something more with Ammon. Wanting to prove himself to his kingdom and parents, Ammon takes Evony outside the borders to fight the familiars head-to-head. All is well until they’re captured by witch Aradia, who steals Ammon’s heart and leaves his body to turn into one of her familiars. What’s worse, his sister Nissa has been taken hostage by Aradia’s daughter. Evony makes it her miss onto retrieve Ammon’s heart and save Nissa, taking her into the mysterious Witchlands. There, she will discover a secret about her past that will change everything.

Review: For the most part I really liked it! The illustrations were amazing and so beautiful. The plot was strong. The character development was good and the world building was great. The book was very short, but it did well to have a well done arc and climax in the story. I’m excited to see a book 2 to this story.

The only issues I had with the book are that not a lot of the players were well developed and the time skip kept out a ton of useful details. The book is also really vague in what’s happening unless you read the synopsis.

Verdict: It was good!