Ember of Light

by Hannah Jacklin

In a quiet town off the coast of Maine, the balance between light and dark begins to unravel. When two bodies are discovered and a third girl mysteriously disappears, the origin of a shadowy order called The First Chosen unravels.

At the heart of this lies Charlotte, a young woman who remains blissfully unaware of her lineage. Born of both Sol and Ember bloodlines, she possesses the power of a void soul and the potential to tip the balance between light and dark.

The First Chosen anxiously plots to release Disias, The God of Shadows, long ago imprisoned to preserve the balance of good and evil.
A void soul—an anomaly forbidden by both bloodlines—must be offered in a century old ritual, "The Eclipse of Shadows" to set him free.

An angel descends into this chaos under orders, from Nykarus—the first God—to eliminate this perilous void soul while simultaneously dismantling The First Chosen.

Trigger

Contains scenes of violence, including murder, confrontation, and physical harm, which may be distressing for some Involves death, including the death of family members and other characters, which could be triggering for readers who have experienced loss or Scenes depicting kidnapping and captivity, which may be unsettling for some readers, particularly those who have experienced similar trauma.Substance Involved characters go through withdrawal, which involves symptoms of substance abuse, including withdrawal symptoms and emotional distress.Mental Characters may experience psychological distress, including anxiety, fear, and trauma, which could be triggering for readers with mental health issues.Supernatural Contains supernatural elements, including rituals and mystical powers, which may not be suitable for all readers, particularly those who are sensitive to such themes.Sexual Includes themes of sexual assault, which may be triggering for some readers.

297 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 3, 2024

Reviews

[sugarmoon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ember of Light was such a great read. I loved all the characters and twists and turns (some things made me literally gasp!!) and I really enjoyed reading this. In particular, Hannah Jacklin does an amazing job world building. I really felt like I was in the book at times, totally captivated by the town and the mysteries swirling around like the autumn leaves. I would definitely recommend this book if you like a darker YA. I enjoyed reading this so much.

[Jeanette Graves · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a debut novel Hannah did an amazing job with this book! Her descriptions were out of the park, making the paranormal aspect of the book easy to comprehend. Ember of Light is truly the perfect name and I’m looking forward to reading the sequel!

And…I look forward to seeing the Heartwhisper part of the storyline evolve!! ❤️

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I quite enjoyed reading this book

It’s a small town paranormal mystery with a touch of budding romance.
I felt the world building and descriptions were done really well that I felt I could see the characters faces and all their expressions really easily.

The relationship between Jesse and Charlotte is so sweet, he is so understanding with all of her traumas.

The mystery component had me guessing what was going to happen next throughout the whole book.

Overall I liked it and would definitely read a sequel.

[Candice Brownley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m new to reading paranormal romance/fantasy so this was all very new and not my typical choice of genre, but overall I did enjoy this.
The main characters had a sweet (YA) romance and I appreciated the mmc’s respect for the fmc’s trauma.
I would’ve liked a more in depth explanation of some of the paranormal/magic aspects of this book, which likely would’ve made it longer. I just felt I had a lot of random questions as I was reading because the chapters flew by so quickly and it felt as if key pieces were missing.

[Erik Tucsok · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was glad to read another local author.
There were moments in the book of truly inspired prose.

[Brenda Ghent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book ... I highly recommend it ..

[Hannah Jacklin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just want to thank everyone who picks up Ember of Light and gives it a chance. Thank you for your reviews and support. After 7 years it’s finally out in the world and the second one is under way❤️❤️❤️

[S.Z. Estavillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Atmospheric Blend of Magic and Mystery in a Small-Town Setting

I recently finished Ember of Light by Hannah Jacklin, and I absolutely loved it! First off, the cover design is stunning—it perfectly sets the mood for the story, with its beautiful balance of light and dark elements, and really drew me in before I even opened the book.

The story itself is gripping, set in the eerie small town of Hayzun, where the balance between good and evil is starting to unravel. Right from the start, we’re thrown into a mystery involving two bodies and a missing person. What I loved most was how the book blends different genres—there’s magic, suspense, fantasy, and even some romantic elements, all wrapped up in a fast-paced plot that kept me hooked the whole way through.

Charlotte, the main character, is an engaging protagonist. She starts off unaware of her powerful lineage, being born of both Sol and Ember bloodlines, but as the story progresses, she uncovers her ability as a void soul. The tension builds as she tries to figure out her role in stopping The First Chosen, a secretive order bent on releasing a dark god, Disias. Her interactions with Jess, the mysterious stranger who keeps appearing, add even more intrigue. I found myself constantly guessing whether Jess was a friend or a foe, which added another layer of suspense.

What really stood out to me was how immersive the small-town setting felt. Hayzun was written so vividly—it felt like a character in itself, with its secrets and dark history lurking around every corner. The pacing was quick, but I still felt the tension building, especially as Charlotte dug deeper into her heritage and the mystery of the town. While some of the world-building, particularly the history behind The First Chosen, could’ve been expanded on, I still found it to be an incredibly engaging read.

That said, there were moments when the information about the world and its lore felt a bit like an info dump. It didn’t pull me out of the story, but I can see how some readers might feel overwhelmed at certain points. As a multi-genre reader, I appreciate when a book is rich with details, but a little more balance in how the backstory was revealed might have made it easier to digest. Still, the overall experience was fantastic, and it didn’t detract from my enjoyment.

As someone who’s relatively new to paranormal mysteries, I found Ember of Light to be a fun, exciting introduction to the genre. It checked all the boxes for me—murder, mystery, magic, and suspense. Plus, the ending left me wanting more, and I really hope there’s a sequel in the works.

For me, it’s a 5-star read! It was the perfect blend of suspense and fantasy, with twists and turns that kept me glued to the page. I highly recommend it if you’re into dark fantasy with a paranormal edge.

[Abby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who doesn’t love a small town mystery? I know, I do! Let me start off with saying that this falls under the paranormal mystery genre. I know that when it comes to paranormal genre, it’s very tailored to a very specific audience. You either like it, or you don’t. I personally enjoyed this story! I am fairly new to the paranormal genre, but it’s very fun and intriguing. I enjoyed that this book had elements of magic, fantasy, mystery, murder, suspense, thriller, and YA. It starts off with murder, and a missing person? It definitely checks all the boxes of a good mystery book! I loved the narration when it came to the world building in this small town of Hayzun.

“Hayzun was never my home, and it never will be”.

We follow our FMC, Charlotte who is unaware of her lineage, but she also meets a stranger named, Jess who has been everywhere, following, running into her. She questions if Jesse is the person in charge of the murder and disappearance in Hayzun. She now has to figure out who to trust in all of this. Growing up in a small town, everyone seems to know each other. It doesn’t sound like you can keep a ton of secrets hidden, when everything seems to be laid out in the open. The victims end up looking a lot like our main character, but why? Tons of twists and turns pop up in this storyline! I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and how they all blended together. I am a huge sci-fi and romantasy reader and so Iove that the elements of magic and paranormal elements were meshed into the storyline. It didn’t feel so far off from what I am used to reading. It is definitely worth reading. I was very immersed into Jacklin’s narration of Hayzun and Charlie and the role she played in the entirety of the mystery. It’s definitely worth the read! I’m also happy to be an owner of a physical copy of this book! I can gladly pick it up and reread it anytime I want. It’s definitely a great book to read on a cozy weekend night. It’s really not a long book. It took me a few days to read and if you wanted to a good few days would be enough to finish it! Two thumbs up for Ember of Light!

[Cassidy Cheyenne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came across Ember of Light by Hannah Jacklin while searching for work by other indie authors, like myself. I am SO glad it came up on my feed because I absolutely loved it! This book was right up my alley, it was such an intriguing, addicting read, and I loved the paranormal elements and the darker themes that Jacklin explored.

Jacklin did a great job setting the atmosphere with her vivid descriptions of the world and its characters. I loved the characters and thought Jacklin did a great job keeping the reader guessing about whether certain characters were friend or foe to the MC Charlotte. Charlotte was a phenomenal protagonist and I look forward to the continuation of her story.

This was a 4.5 to 5-star read for me. The story itself was great. The only negative for me was that some typos and formatting issues were scattered throughout, which would momentarily pull me out of the story. I read the Kindle version, so I cannot attest to whether or not they are there in the print version. Regardless, I’m still going to rate it a 5 overall because I enjoyed the story itself and typos can be fixed in later editions.

Awesome job on your debut novel, Hannah! I can’t wait for the next one!

[Vibes Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ember of Light by Hannah Jacklin is an enthralling dark fantasy that masterfully intertwines mystery, mythology, and emotion. Set in a haunting coastal town, the story pulls you into a world where light and darkness battle for control, and destiny tests the strength of a young woman unaware of her immense power. Charlotte’s journey, filled with danger, loss, and resilience, keeps readers gripped from start to finish. The lore surrounding The First Chosen and the Eclipse of Shadows is rich and imaginative. Though intense and emotional, it’s a deeply rewarding read for fans of dark, character driven fantasy.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The concept of the story was interesting, although I did not like the writing. It was very choppy and did not flow. Everything felt very rushed and I didn’t form any connections to the characters. I also found multiple grammatical errors. I found it a little difficult to get through and the ending was a little confusing.

[Joyce]

DNF

[Sam · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ember of Light is a debut novel by Hannah Jacklin, and while it has its rough edges, I see a lot of potential in this story. The small-town paranormal mystery vibe was intriguing, and the author clearly has a lot of creativity in building her world.

That said, there were a few things that threw me off. For one, the title’s mixed capitalization was a small but noticeable distraction. There were also a couple of plot points that I found confusing— details didn’t feel fully explained, which is reasonable given the amount of plot building attempted in under 300 pages. The story often reads a bit clinically, which made it hard for me to connect with the characters on an emotional level. I also found the dialogue difficult to follow at times, especially without paragraph breaks, which made some scenes feel a bit rushed.

Additionally, I’ve always found this genre a bit tricky to get into, as it can be harder to suspend disbelief. In this case, I struggled to fully buy into the protagonist’s situation, as her financial hardship didn’t quite match the reality of how she lived. There was also the dynamic with the MMC, who was a stranger to her, but the evolution of trust between them didn’t make much sense and seemed quite rushed to me (again, sometimes a critique of the genre).

While I wasn’t particularly drawn to Jesse and Charlie as characters, I do think there’s a solid foundation here, and I can see how this genre will appeal to fans of small-town paranormal mysteries.