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The Ember War #1
Lies That Bleed
For tonight, we either lived or died in The Wilds. Nothing else mattered.
As the daughter of the emperor, Aisling Everhart was born into privilege. She has trained her entire life to go into The Wilds and have a chance at bonding with a creature that can give her unknown power. Half of the candidates will die the first night, and only a few will make it out. Those who survive the bonding are quickly conscripted into the Imperial Fleet to join the war.
What Aisling never could have prepared for, was Kohen Badshah, former prince of Imbria, her father’s sworn enemy. When Kohen proposes an unlikely alliance, she accepts. They enter The Wilds together, and Aisling realizes that she was woefully unprepared, especially when nothing goes to plan.
After barely surviving, she’s thrust into the Imperial Fleet to learn how to control her new gifts, but as her power grows, so do the dangers—including multiple attempts on her life. When you don’t know who is friend or enemy, it’s hard to trust, but Kohen Badshah appears to be protecting her.
It’s that or he’s playing one excellent long game. Which one, only time will tell.
As the daughter of the emperor, Aisling Everhart was born into privilege. She has trained her entire life to go into The Wilds and have a chance at bonding with a creature that can give her unknown power. Half of the candidates will die the first night, and only a few will make it out. Those who survive the bonding are quickly conscripted into the Imperial Fleet to join the war.
What Aisling never could have prepared for, was Kohen Badshah, former prince of Imbria, her father’s sworn enemy. When Kohen proposes an unlikely alliance, she accepts. They enter The Wilds together, and Aisling realizes that she was woefully unprepared, especially when nothing goes to plan.
After barely surviving, she’s thrust into the Imperial Fleet to learn how to control her new gifts, but as her power grows, so do the dangers—including multiple attempts on her life. When you don’t know who is friend or enemy, it’s hard to trust, but Kohen Badshah appears to be protecting her.
It’s that or he’s playing one excellent long game. Which one, only time will tell.
378 pages, Hardcover
First published June 23, 2024
1793 people are currently reading
7843 people want to read
About the author
Leia Stone
87 books6,654 followersLeia Stone is the USA Today bestselling author of multiple bestselling series including Matefinder and Wolf Girl. She's sold over two million books and her Fallen Academy series has been optioned for film. Her novels have been translated into five languages and she even dabbles in script writing. Leia writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance with sassy kick-butt heroines and irresistible love interests. She lives in Spokane, WA with her husband and two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 495 reviews
June 25, 2024
Thank you to NerdFam for the digital ARC. This might have been 3 stars for me, but as a POC I found the racial-coding to be discomforting.
This was an easy read that walked the line between being an AU vs a fan-fic of Fourth Wing. I found the divergences interesting enough to keep reading. Aisling is the Emperor's first child and heir to enter a Threshing-like ceremony where she will be allowed to enter The Wilds and bond with a magical creature. The other participants are chosen by lottery system, and if they succeed in bonding a strong enough creature then they will secure a high position in the imperial army. But the contestants are just as likely to k:ll each other as the creatures are likely to k:ll them. The bonds formed reminded me of daemon/souls in 'The Golden Compass' and the embers that their magic manipulated works similarly to first-light in 'The Crescent City' series. Military service is the highest position in this civilization.
My issue however, is that the imperial people 'Amerseans' are white-coded and conquered people called 'Imbrians' are brown-coded, almost distinctly Indian.
Even though the Imbrian competitors become her allies, and she learns that they are good people, it wasn't enough to compensate for the way that the world-building was set up. Their fallen prince is her love interest as opposed to the blonde male she is expected to pursue. His signature scent is cardamon and ginger. I don't think it was malicious, but it was pervasive. It's one of the reasons I think this novel needed additional editing and sensitivity work.
This was an easy read that walked the line between being an AU vs a fan-fic of Fourth Wing. I found the divergences interesting enough to keep reading. Aisling is the Emperor's first child and heir to enter a Threshing-like ceremony where she will be allowed to enter The Wilds and bond with a magical creature. The other participants are chosen by lottery system, and if they succeed in bonding a strong enough creature then they will secure a high position in the imperial army. But the contestants are just as likely to k:ll each other as the creatures are likely to k:ll them. The bonds formed reminded me of daemon/souls in 'The Golden Compass' and the embers that their magic manipulated works similarly to first-light in 'The Crescent City' series. Military service is the highest position in this civilization.
My issue however, is that the imperial people 'Amerseans' are white-coded and conquered people called 'Imbrians' are brown-coded, almost distinctly Indian.
"They ate spicy food, drank tea with herbs in it and the men wore colorful clothing without embarrassment. It wasn't until the Great Blackout fifteen years ago that our two sides fought and Amersea won, overtaking the terrorist nation and absorbing them."The main character frequently calls them terrorists, instead of just enemies or Imbrian. The only positive distinction is when she admits that they are particularly beautiful.
"Bronzed skin, eye color that varied from chocolate brown to honey yellow, to a rare light blue."
Even though the Imbrian competitors become her allies, and she learns that they are good people, it wasn't enough to compensate for the way that the world-building was set up. Their fallen prince is her love interest as opposed to the blonde male she is expected to pursue. His signature scent is cardamon and ginger. I don't think it was malicious, but it was pervasive. It's one of the reasons I think this novel needed additional editing and sensitivity work.
August 17, 2024
Ya know what? I'm sold. The writing isn't the most sophisticated, but I really liked this story. The male love interest, Kohen, does some VERY good yearning and pining for our FMC. The FMC is a little annoying but not unbearable. Kohen also has a power that I've never seen in a romantasy like this before.
I'd recommend this! It's a very quick read. The writing is not bad or particularly good, but it's worth it! All of the magical creatures were awesome.
Side note - I had a hard time picturing Liana. In my mind, I could only picture an angry looking Big Bird. Or maybe pidgey from Pokemon lol
I'd recommend this! It's a very quick read. The writing is not bad or particularly good, but it's worth it! All of the magical creatures were awesome.
Side note - I had a hard time picturing Liana. In my mind, I could only picture an angry looking Big Bird. Or maybe pidgey from Pokemon lol
June 29, 2024
Holy freaking moly. This was such a GREAT start to a new fantasy series. Aisling is the daughter of the emperor Amersea and it’s finally her chance to enter The Wilds and bond with a creature. After her time in The Wilds she enters a month long boot camp to train to become spoilers for her father’s Imperial Fleet. Her sworn enemy, the son of an overthrown king, happens to be there as well. If you want to know what happens next you’ll have to read to find out!
This is easily one of my favorite reads of the year. It’s a lighter fantasy and has more modern day feel with a fantasy twist. I loved Ash’s character, she’s a strong independent female heir and wants to earn the respect of her peers that she will one day lead. Don’t even get me started on THE ENDING! How am I supposed to go on not knowing what happens next for months until books two?!
This is such a great fantasy read for both expects in the genre and new fantasy readers. I highly recommend this one for everyone.
This is easily one of my favorite reads of the year. It’s a lighter fantasy and has more modern day feel with a fantasy twist. I loved Ash’s character, she’s a strong independent female heir and wants to earn the respect of her peers that she will one day lead. Don’t even get me started on THE ENDING! How am I supposed to go on not knowing what happens next for months until books two?!
This is such a great fantasy read for both expects in the genre and new fantasy readers. I highly recommend this one for everyone.
June 27, 2024
I started this the night before and finished it the next day 😆😆😆. IT WAS SOOOOO GOOOD!!
Thank you Leia Stone for sending this arc to me!! Book is out JUNE 28th!!!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
I’ve learned Leia Stone is an auto buy for me 😆 I’ve read two books from her so far and I’ve loved both 😍😍😍
MFC : emperor’s daughter and heir to the throne, skilled combat ready bada$$. Her goal: bond with a strong animal in the wilds to make her dad proud and show she can lead this country.
MMC: former prince of a nation that the MFC’s father took over therefore, MFC’s sworn ENEMY(I think we see where this is going 😏)
Enemies to lovers, slow burn that burned soooo goooodd🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
It’s fast paced and you will not be able to put it down! GO GET IT 😆🔥
Thank you Leia Stone for sending this arc to me!! Book is out JUNE 28th!!!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
I’ve learned Leia Stone is an auto buy for me 😆 I’ve read two books from her so far and I’ve loved both 😍😍😍
MFC : emperor’s daughter and heir to the throne, skilled combat ready bada$$. Her goal: bond with a strong animal in the wilds to make her dad proud and show she can lead this country.
MMC: former prince of a nation that the MFC’s father took over therefore, MFC’s sworn ENEMY(I think we see where this is going 😏)
Enemies to lovers, slow burn that burned soooo goooodd🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
It’s fast paced and you will not be able to put it down! GO GET IT 😆🔥
September 3, 2025
3.5 Stars ✨
YA Fantasy Romance
“For tonight, we either lived or died in The Wilds. Nothing else mattered.”
🔸No Spice
🔸Found Family
🔸Unique Magic
🔸Dragons
🔸Military Training
🔸Animal Companions
🔸Enemies to Lovers
🔸Forbidden Romance
🔸Slow Burn
Book Source
📚 Kindle Unlimited 📚
As the daughter of the emperor, Aisling Everhart was born into privilege. She has trained her entire life to go into The Wilds and have a chance at bonding with a creature that can give her unknown power. Half of the candidates will die the first night, and only a few will make it out. Those who survive the bonding are quickly conscripted into the Imperial Fleet to join the war.
I had a super fun time reading this book! It had such a cool plot, unique magic system and a different feel than most of the fantasy I’ve read lately. The world building felt old, with a young modern voice. I was hooked from the start with the characters being thrust into “The Wilds” to either bond with a companion animal or die trying. It made the book set off like a rocket and didn’t really stop. The writing was simple, yet full of interesting characters and lots of action to keep the pace moving quickly. The romance is forbidden, and somewhat of a slow burn. There is no spice, but it does contain some adult language, intimate personal thoughts, and innuendos.
I was not the biggest fan of the main character in the beginning for a couple of reasons, she is very cocky, had cringy dialogue, full of angst, can do just about anything and of course every MC is infatuated with her 🙄 . Also, her name is Aisling, but pronounced Ash-ling and physically reading that personally, got on my nerves. I also realize I’m not the target audience for this book, so by the end she had grown on me, because of her growth and love for her friends and family. She’s still not my favorite FMC and I’m hoping by the next couple books, she gains a little more humility. I also want to get to know the MMC Kohen a little better in the next installment and that his character gets fleshed out a bit more. So far he’s mysterious and I enjoyed his character.
Overall, this was a super quick and bingeable read that I didn’t want to put down, even if I eye rolled a good bit 🤭😅. Looking forward to seeing where the next book goes!
Caution ⚠️
-some language
-kissing, internal personal thoughts, mentions of sex, sexual insinuations, someone gets caught cheating
-violence, death, military trauma
September 17, 2025
“I crave you every moment of every day.”
🐉dragons
⚔️enemies to lovers
🐉academy
⚔️found family
🐉badass fmc
⚔️royal fmc
🐉ex royal mmc
Even though it was similar to Fourth Wing, I still enjoyed it a lot.🐉
Aisling is better than Violet and Xaden is better than Kohen.☺️
🐉dragons
⚔️enemies to lovers
🐉academy
⚔️found family
🐉badass fmc
⚔️royal fmc
🐉ex royal mmc
Even though it was similar to Fourth Wing, I still enjoyed it a lot.🐉
Aisling is better than Violet and Xaden is better than Kohen.☺️
June 28, 2024
Holy hells!!
I absolutely love this world. The world-building isn't overwhelming, making it perfect for someone dipping their toes into fantasy for the first time. "Lies That Bleed" reminded me of a mix between Hunger Games, Divergent, and Fourth Wing, which I loved!
Aisling is a badass FMC. I adore her fierce loyalty to her friend Tetra. I also love Tetra and loved the disability and chronic pain rep. It felt authentic and added another layer to the many complex characters that are in this story. The war training, magical creatures, and forbidden lovers elements were all fantastic additions to the story. I especially enjoy morally gray characters, and Kohen definitely fits that bill. *sigh*
I absolutely love this world. The world-building isn't overwhelming, making it perfect for someone dipping their toes into fantasy for the first time. "Lies That Bleed" reminded me of a mix between Hunger Games, Divergent, and Fourth Wing, which I loved!
Aisling is a badass FMC. I adore her fierce loyalty to her friend Tetra. I also love Tetra and loved the disability and chronic pain rep. It felt authentic and added another layer to the many complex characters that are in this story. The war training, magical creatures, and forbidden lovers elements were all fantastic additions to the story. I especially enjoy morally gray characters, and Kohen definitely fits that bill. *sigh*
dnfs
June 28, 2024DNF at 17%
June 24, 2024
Tropes to Expect:
Forbidden Love
Enemies to Lovers
Royalty
Hidden Powers
Magical Creatures
Touch Her and 💀
War College
This was a strong book one. This is a lighter fantasy so it would be a decent pick for someone who is a beginner in fantasy books. It has the classic Hunger Games/Divergent vibes with a little Fourth Wing mixed in as well. It hold its own though. It’s unique enough that I still really enjoyed it.
Ash is a fun FMC. I feel like she’s going to have some rude awakenings soon though. Kohen was throwing up nothing but green flags in my eyes. Was he a bit overly possessive? Sure but I love him so it’s ok.
I’m excited to see where this series goes. The supporting characters are all really great along with all their bonded animals. And with that cliffhanger, I’m ready for book 2!
Forbidden Love
Enemies to Lovers
Royalty
Hidden Powers
Magical Creatures
Touch Her and 💀
War College
This was a strong book one. This is a lighter fantasy so it would be a decent pick for someone who is a beginner in fantasy books. It has the classic Hunger Games/Divergent vibes with a little Fourth Wing mixed in as well. It hold its own though. It’s unique enough that I still really enjoyed it.
Ash is a fun FMC. I feel like she’s going to have some rude awakenings soon though. Kohen was throwing up nothing but green flags in my eyes. Was he a bit overly possessive? Sure but I love him so it’s ok.
I’m excited to see where this series goes. The supporting characters are all really great along with all their bonded animals. And with that cliffhanger, I’m ready for book 2!
July 4, 2024
I am obsessed. This was such a great start to a new series. As someone who isn’t a huge fantasy reader this was perfect for me. I liked that the world building was easy to follow and not overly complex while still remaining interesting.
I loved Aisling, she is such a strong, fierce, badass FMC. And Kohen, ahh I just loved him too. He seems like the total package, you know, aside from the whole being the son of Aisling’s father’s enemy thing. I feel like he is so misjudged and I am looking forward to getting more of his backstory in the future as well as seeing where the story goes after that cliffhanger. I hope I don’t have to wait too long!
Thank you The Nerd Fam and Leia Stone for the gifted ARC!
- Forbidden Love
- Sworn Enemies
- Protective Hero
- Magical Abilities/Creatures
- Royalty
I loved Aisling, she is such a strong, fierce, badass FMC. And Kohen, ahh I just loved him too. He seems like the total package, you know, aside from the whole being the son of Aisling’s father’s enemy thing. I feel like he is so misjudged and I am looking forward to getting more of his backstory in the future as well as seeing where the story goes after that cliffhanger. I hope I don’t have to wait too long!
Thank you The Nerd Fam and Leia Stone for the gifted ARC!
- Forbidden Love
- Sworn Enemies
- Protective Hero
- Magical Abilities/Creatures
- Royalty
June 28, 2024
⭐️⭐️
the idea & plot are there, but the execution is lacking. something about this felt weird. the fmc is just straight disrespectful to the other culture in this book. i get she’s brainwashed by her daddy, but she’s the heir/princess, wouldn’t you think she’d be taught some manners or something?? she straight up calls them terrorists & does it frequently? and is just rude for no reason…. the mmc wasn’t bad, he’s big strong and hot. they both just lacked substance really. conversations feel flat.
also it jumps around a lot & info dumps you at the oddest times.
Thank you to the nerd fam for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
the idea & plot are there, but the execution is lacking. something about this felt weird. the fmc is just straight disrespectful to the other culture in this book. i get she’s brainwashed by her daddy, but she’s the heir/princess, wouldn’t you think she’d be taught some manners or something?? she straight up calls them terrorists & does it frequently? and is just rude for no reason…. the mmc wasn’t bad, he’s big strong and hot. they both just lacked substance really. conversations feel flat.
also it jumps around a lot & info dumps you at the oddest times.
Thank you to the nerd fam for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
incomplete
September 18, 2024A review got me interested, the summary looked promising, less than three chapters in and ABSOLUTELY NOT. We went from “oh cool animals” to “this writing is… something” to “oh yeah my dad has to make sure I’m a virgin every year” to “bronze-skinned warriors = terrorists” and I’m out.
December 14, 2024
Ahhhh the writing is so juvenile, like a teeny bopper bubblegum book. DNF
January 17, 2025
DNF at 24% because it's not good. And I'm breaking my usual practice of not rating books I don't finish, because it's insane to me how high an average this one has.
September 7, 2024
Thank you NerdFam and Leia Stone for this advanced copy! I went into a fantasy slump for several months and wanted to wait until I was out of my slump to give this an honest try.
4⭐️ - I had zero expectation going into this and hadn’t even read the description beforehand. This was SUCH a great read! Oh my gosh, I really loved it. It had quick, easy world building and the writing made it so easy to read at a fast pace. It had a unique military system where you entered your name into a Lottery, and if chosen you’re sent to The Wilds. There, you either bond with a creature to help you in battle, or you die. Then you and your creature fight in the war. This was so cool!
Aisling, the FMC and future empress, goes through this whole process and the end of the story is a battle. I don’t want to give more detail as it would spoil some things.
The ending will leave you hanging, wondering what’s going to happen next!
Can’t wait for book 2!
4⭐️ - I had zero expectation going into this and hadn’t even read the description beforehand. This was SUCH a great read! Oh my gosh, I really loved it. It had quick, easy world building and the writing made it so easy to read at a fast pace. It had a unique military system where you entered your name into a Lottery, and if chosen you’re sent to The Wilds. There, you either bond with a creature to help you in battle, or you die. Then you and your creature fight in the war. This was so cool!
Aisling, the FMC and future empress, goes through this whole process and the end of the story is a battle. I don’t want to give more detail as it would spoil some things.
The ending will leave you hanging, wondering what’s going to happen next!
Can’t wait for book 2!
July 2, 2024
This was spectacular! I binged it in a day! It gave fourth wing vibes but more magical. The magic system and creatures stand out in this series. It’s spice free but there is amazing romantic tension! This is incredibly fast paced and action packed. I was never bored and the ending…I didn’t see that coming! Can’t wait to get my hands on book 2!
December 22, 2024
⭐️
What in the fresh Fourth Wing wattpad hell is this
What in the fresh Fourth Wing wattpad hell is this
November 27, 2024
4.75⭐️
Such a bingeable read!!🤩 It was giving Fourth Wing x Hunger games vibes with its own uniqueness in there!!
This book was so close to being a 5⭐️ read but what brought it down a peg for me was that the ending felt a bit rushed… don’t get me wrong I am SO EXCITED for book 2 to see where the story goes but I feel like the ending could have been a bit longer… also the use of the word ‘bestie’ this is just personal preference though but I feel like it takes away from the magic of the book a bit for me using modern terminology like that🙆🏻♀️
Creature bonding- yes please!! The whole concept of going out into the wild to find a creature that is your equal ?! I loved this so much, as soon as the lottery started I felt like it was a little too similar to hunger games but then the plot was explained further and i was like okay this is different i’m here for it!! This was my fav few chapters to read seeing what creatures each of the characters ended up with… the foreshadowing for the Talanghi was there, so that came as no surprise but was still an epic scene!! also further finding out what abilities their creatures have given them, just yes, this was one of my favourite things about the Empyrean series books so I was so excited reading this!!
Aaand most importantly the characters!! I got such a feel for each of the characters in this book they were written so well- the hate for Jace was real & I just loved that he kept getting what was coming to him throughout the book🤣 The badass female vibes from Tetra & Annika- I LOVE how their illnesses were not used to portray them as weak characters but actually as stronger ones, I loved these two so much!! Our FMC Aisling is also such a strong character being the Emperors daughter but it was very clear she had the blinkers on and was caught up in her dad’s way’s so I’m excited to see her character development in book 2 ,and Kohen, Kohen, Kohen!! just yes!! he was giving possessive MMC vibes, so sure of himself but so protective of everyone around him like he was just the perfect MMC I loved him and I’m excited to read more about him next month!! His bond with Onyx is everything 🥰
“I turned my head and slit their throats cleanly, tucking the trauma away in my little black box.”
“Okay, that shouldn’t have been sexy but it was”
The tension & the banter between these 2 was everything!!🤭 Enemies to lovers, forbidden love, he falls first, touch her and 💀 just 🤌🏻🤌🏻
Such a bingeable read!!🤩 It was giving Fourth Wing x Hunger games vibes with its own uniqueness in there!!
This book was so close to being a 5⭐️ read but what brought it down a peg for me was that the ending felt a bit rushed… don’t get me wrong I am SO EXCITED for book 2 to see where the story goes but I feel like the ending could have been a bit longer… also the use of the word ‘bestie’ this is just personal preference though but I feel like it takes away from the magic of the book a bit for me using modern terminology like that🙆🏻♀️
Creature bonding- yes please!! The whole concept of going out into the wild to find a creature that is your equal ?! I loved this so much, as soon as the lottery started I felt like it was a little too similar to hunger games but then the plot was explained further and i was like okay this is different i’m here for it!! This was my fav few chapters to read seeing what creatures each of the characters ended up with… the foreshadowing for the Talanghi was there, so that came as no surprise but was still an epic scene!! also further finding out what abilities their creatures have given them, just yes, this was one of my favourite things about the Empyrean series books so I was so excited reading this!!
Aaand most importantly the characters!! I got such a feel for each of the characters in this book they were written so well- the hate for Jace was real & I just loved that he kept getting what was coming to him throughout the book🤣 The badass female vibes from Tetra & Annika- I LOVE how their illnesses were not used to portray them as weak characters but actually as stronger ones, I loved these two so much!! Our FMC Aisling is also such a strong character being the Emperors daughter but it was very clear she had the blinkers on and was caught up in her dad’s way’s so I’m excited to see her character development in book 2 ,and Kohen, Kohen, Kohen!! just yes!! he was giving possessive MMC vibes, so sure of himself but so protective of everyone around him like he was just the perfect MMC I loved him and I’m excited to read more about him next month!! His bond with Onyx is everything 🥰
“I turned my head and slit their throats cleanly, tucking the trauma away in my little black box.”
“Okay, that shouldn’t have been sexy but it was”
The tension & the banter between these 2 was everything!!🤭 Enemies to lovers, forbidden love, he falls first, touch her and 💀 just 🤌🏻🤌🏻
July 1, 2024
Rating: 5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Spice Level: Just Kissing
Release Date: 28/6/2024
Trope:
- Royalty FMC
- Romeo and Juliet Vibes
- Hunger Games x Fourth Wing
- Magical Creatures
- Dragons
- Military
- Found Family
- Protective MMC
If you love fourth wing, you will love this book.
We follow the FMC, the future empress, prepares for a deadly rite of passage called The Wilds. Think Hunger Games meets magical creatures – you enter a treacherous forest, hoping to emerge bonded with a fantastical beast…or not at all. The stakes are high, and the survival rate isn't pretty.
Things get even more complicated when our heroine is forced to join forces with the son of her father's sworn enemy.
The world-building in this book is great. The Wilds come alive with vivid descriptions. The plot itself is perfectly paced, with twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the very last page.
Thank you nerdfam and Leia Stone for the e-arc.
Spice Level: Just Kissing
Release Date: 28/6/2024
Trope:
- Royalty FMC
- Romeo and Juliet Vibes
- Hunger Games x Fourth Wing
- Magical Creatures
- Dragons
- Military
- Found Family
- Protective MMC
If you love fourth wing, you will love this book.
We follow the FMC, the future empress, prepares for a deadly rite of passage called The Wilds. Think Hunger Games meets magical creatures – you enter a treacherous forest, hoping to emerge bonded with a fantastical beast…or not at all. The stakes are high, and the survival rate isn't pretty.
Things get even more complicated when our heroine is forced to join forces with the son of her father's sworn enemy.
The world-building in this book is great. The Wilds come alive with vivid descriptions. The plot itself is perfectly paced, with twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the very last page.
Thank you nerdfam and Leia Stone for the e-arc.
July 12, 2024
A fast paced, high-action fantasy.
Thoughts💡
What would happen if you mixed Fourth Wing with Shadow and Bone and framed it in a world similar to Solaria (Zodiac Academy)? You’d end up with something like this book. There were moments where you could clearly see the author’s inspiration but there were also some original and new (to me) dynamics that I am here for. I loved the girl bonds and positive female friendships, still want to high five Aisling for that 🥜🤜🏻 in the first chapter, and I’m honestly surprised at some of the twists. I really thought I had some of the characters pegged.
✨Notes:✨✨
☝🏻 Small cliffy, book 2 is out in December
✌🏻 A few typos but they’re minor
👉🏻 A couple of weak plot points and one plot hole, but they may not be obvious to everyone.
Stats📊
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Slow Burn (no spice yet)
Characters 💙💙💙💙💙
Romantasy:
⚔️ sworn enemies
🥀 Romeo + Juliet vibes
🪦 touch her and ☠️
🏫 war college
🐉 dragon rider
💜 he falls first
🌶️ light spice
⚠️Content Warning⚠️
Death, War, Blood, Detailed Injury, A side character is a cheater, loss of parents (it’s war), injustice (extremely prevalent), sexism and an emphasis on “purity”, gaslighting, bullying and ablism (this book is set in a boot camp for a large portion and it sounds like a legitimate bootcamp, i.e. an extremely toxic environment designed to push and test)
Thoughts💡
What would happen if you mixed Fourth Wing with Shadow and Bone and framed it in a world similar to Solaria (Zodiac Academy)? You’d end up with something like this book. There were moments where you could clearly see the author’s inspiration but there were also some original and new (to me) dynamics that I am here for. I loved the girl bonds and positive female friendships, still want to high five Aisling for that 🥜🤜🏻 in the first chapter, and I’m honestly surprised at some of the twists. I really thought I had some of the characters pegged.
✨Notes:✨✨
☝🏻 Small cliffy, book 2 is out in December
✌🏻 A few typos but they’re minor
👉🏻 A couple of weak plot points and one plot hole, but they may not be obvious to everyone.
Stats📊
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Slow Burn (no spice yet)
Characters 💙💙💙💙💙
Romantasy:
⚔️ sworn enemies
🥀 Romeo + Juliet vibes
🪦 touch her and ☠️
🏫 war college
🐉 dragon rider
💜 he falls first
🌶️ light spice
⚠️Content Warning⚠️
Death, War, Blood, Detailed Injury, A side character is a cheater, loss of parents (it’s war), injustice (extremely prevalent), sexism and an emphasis on “purity”, gaslighting, bullying and ablism (this book is set in a boot camp for a large portion and it sounds like a legitimate bootcamp, i.e. an extremely toxic environment designed to push and test)
August 22, 2025
3.5/5.0
The overall story is good. I can’t figure if it is meant for a YA audience or adult, though. The writing feels REALLY YA. For instance, a multi-thousand year old creature say, “I’m super fast, super smart and super old” (or some such, the point is SUPER). *eye roll*. The main character is 18 yet everyone else is adult… ? Still, I’m interested to see how the plot progresses, so will definitely pick up the next book in the trilogy.
The overall story is good. I can’t figure if it is meant for a YA audience or adult, though. The writing feels REALLY YA. For instance, a multi-thousand year old creature say, “I’m super fast, super smart and super old” (or some such, the point is SUPER). *eye roll*. The main character is 18 yet everyone else is adult… ? Still, I’m interested to see how the plot progresses, so will definitely pick up the next book in the trilogy.
March 11, 2025
*Source* Kindle Unlimited
*Genre* Young Adult / Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5-4
*Thoughts*
Lies that Bleed is the first installment in author Leia Stone's The Ember War series. The plot is a bit of a mashup between Hunger Games, Fourth Wing, and Divergent. We start with the Lottery. A drawing in which every Amersean citizen is invited once a year to put their name in. Only a small amount of people are selected and given a chance to enter The Wilds. An opportunity to bond with a creature and become more powerful in the ongoing war. Those who survive get to train in a month-long boot camp to learn how to work with said bonds and their newfound powers.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
*Genre* Young Adult / Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5-4
*Thoughts*
Lies that Bleed is the first installment in author Leia Stone's The Ember War series. The plot is a bit of a mashup between Hunger Games, Fourth Wing, and Divergent. We start with the Lottery. A drawing in which every Amersean citizen is invited once a year to put their name in. Only a small amount of people are selected and given a chance to enter The Wilds. An opportunity to bond with a creature and become more powerful in the ongoing war. Those who survive get to train in a month-long boot camp to learn how to work with said bonds and their newfound powers.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
July 2, 2024
3.5 wayyy too many similarities to fourth wing to give it a higher rating, but I did enjoy the book and it’s a good quick fantasy read
December 12, 2024
This is basic, pumpkin spice latte level fantasy. If you've read a lot of fantasy, this may be disappointing to you like it was for me. You won't be surprised by the plot "twists." The main FMC will be too annoying and immature... And also inconsistent. Like why is she portrayed as so savvy in the beginning and then willfully ignorant as the book moves forward?
Oh, and what is this fantasy world? It's not high fantasy and it's not paranormal. The country names are not recognizable and there are dragons and other creatures, which makes me think "fantasy." However, there are buses and trains, blue jeans, and friends calling each other "dude." So maybe it's modern fantasy. But every mention of some verbage or tech from our world made me go, "huh??"
AND I'd like to reiterate everything stated in the top review of this book about the racial coding of groups of people. I won't get too into it bc that reviewer stated everything so well. The only thing I wanted to add is that when an author builds a fantasy world, they also create the cultures and groups of people within said fantasy world. So why would you model this fantasy group of people after an existing culture in the real world? Get creative with it and build a new culture that doesn't exist. That's what makes fantasy so cool. The decision to make this culture similar to something from our own world just felt like an odd choice to me.
I think the general fantasy concepts in this book could have been good. There was clearly potential. But as an avid fantasy reader, there were too many things that were annoying, confusing, or questionable. I made it to the end, but I won't continue reading.
Oh, and what is this fantasy world? It's not high fantasy and it's not paranormal. The country names are not recognizable and there are dragons and other creatures, which makes me think "fantasy." However, there are buses and trains, blue jeans, and friends calling each other "dude." So maybe it's modern fantasy. But every mention of some verbage or tech from our world made me go, "huh??"
AND I'd like to reiterate everything stated in the top review of this book about the racial coding of groups of people. I won't get too into it bc that reviewer stated everything so well. The only thing I wanted to add is that when an author builds a fantasy world, they also create the cultures and groups of people within said fantasy world. So why would you model this fantasy group of people after an existing culture in the real world? Get creative with it and build a new culture that doesn't exist. That's what makes fantasy so cool. The decision to make this culture similar to something from our own world just felt like an odd choice to me.
I think the general fantasy concepts in this book could have been good. There was clearly potential. But as an avid fantasy reader, there were too many things that were annoying, confusing, or questionable. I made it to the end, but I won't continue reading.
August 14, 2024
Agree with other reviews that this heavily borrows from other books. Reads YA. The number of times the main character says something is "badass" is ridiculous
June 15, 2025
hmm...how do I explain this without sounding crazy...
You know how some books are pure fun and half of the time sound a bit like fanfiction? Something like The Powerless trilogy, Assistant to the Villain or even Obsidian by J.L.Armentrout? Well, I loved all of those, but for some reason, I didn't get the same spark from Lies That Bleed 😂
My conclusion is that the cringe has to be the specific kind I like 😂 AND I have to like multiple things for it to work. Basically, it's all in the vibes. I can see why many people love this and it does have some elements I usually enjoy, but I guess I wasn't feeling it enough.
Here are some pros:
- the "bonding" with the animals was super fun. Basically, you find and fight with an animal, it connects to you and you get some superpowers from it.
- the female friendships were amazing
- it's all about teamwork and everyone had a skill they offered to their group
Annnnd here are some cons that are just specific things I don't enjoy in books:
- every single male was in love with the MC. I mean, she is pretty great, but please...no.
- the enemies-to-lovers wasn't truly that because he basically drooled over her and helped her from the moment he saw her and she thought he was just annoying
You know how some books are pure fun and half of the time sound a bit like fanfiction? Something like The Powerless trilogy, Assistant to the Villain or even Obsidian by J.L.Armentrout? Well, I loved all of those, but for some reason, I didn't get the same spark from Lies That Bleed 😂
My conclusion is that the cringe has to be the specific kind I like 😂 AND I have to like multiple things for it to work. Basically, it's all in the vibes. I can see why many people love this and it does have some elements I usually enjoy, but I guess I wasn't feeling it enough.
Here are some pros:
- the "bonding" with the animals was super fun. Basically, you find and fight with an animal, it connects to you and you get some superpowers from it.
- the female friendships were amazing
- it's all about teamwork and everyone had a skill they offered to their group
Annnnd here are some cons that are just specific things I don't enjoy in books:
- every single male was in love with the MC. I mean, she is pretty great, but please...no.
- the enemies-to-lovers wasn't truly that because he basically drooled over her and helped her from the moment he saw her and she thought he was just annoying
June 28, 2024
My mind is blown 🤯 This was phenomenal!
Lies That Bleed is a slow burn romantasy that features a forbidden romance and magical creatures!
The plot was amazing. I was so immersed into this fictional world that I ended up reading the book all in one sitting. There was just always something happening in the book that there was never time for me to ever get bored. I even forgot my phone existed 😱
As I previously mentioned, this book is a SLOW burn. All we get the entire book is a couple of kisses from the main couple. Normally, I’m not a fan of slow burns that are this slow. However, the plot and the characters interactions were so engaging that it didn’t bother me. In fact, I felt like it made the book that much better. It left me wanting more and highly anticipating book 2.
Also can we take a moment to appreciate Kohen, the MMC. He was lethal, possessive, and the biggest green flag. I honestly cannot get enough of him and I can’t wait to see how his relationship with Ashling develops in book 2. I just know I’m gonna get hit with another slow burn though 😭
Overall, this book was absolutely amazing and I can’t wait for book 2! Thank you so much Leia for the ARC! 🫶
Lies That Bleed is a slow burn romantasy that features a forbidden romance and magical creatures!
The plot was amazing. I was so immersed into this fictional world that I ended up reading the book all in one sitting. There was just always something happening in the book that there was never time for me to ever get bored. I even forgot my phone existed 😱
As I previously mentioned, this book is a SLOW burn. All we get the entire book is a couple of kisses from the main couple. Normally, I’m not a fan of slow burns that are this slow. However, the plot and the characters interactions were so engaging that it didn’t bother me. In fact, I felt like it made the book that much better. It left me wanting more and highly anticipating book 2.
Also can we take a moment to appreciate Kohen, the MMC. He was lethal, possessive, and the biggest green flag. I honestly cannot get enough of him and I can’t wait to see how his relationship with Ashling develops in book 2. I just know I’m gonna get hit with another slow burn though 😭
Overall, this book was absolutely amazing and I can’t wait for book 2! Thank you so much Leia for the ARC! 🫶
July 6, 2024
3.5⭐️ rounded up for Goodreads.
While I am rating this 3.5, I would continue the series and had a great time reading it. My reason for the 3.5 is that there was a lot of immature language in the book. The FMC is only 19, but some of the wording of things bothered me or didn’t seem to fit into a fantasy story. I also had a hard time imagining the setting of this book. There were cars and motorcycles, but no other urban fantasy type of technologies. I just couldn’t quite picture what time frame we were in.
All that to say, I read this book in two days. It moves very fast and it was a very engaging storyline. Aisling Everhart is the next heir to her kingdom. She is placed in very close proximity to the son of her enemy kingdom. This is a romantasy with bonded creatures, dragons, magic/powers, enemies to lovers, and a protective MMC.
There is no spice in book 1 and I am not sure if that will build or if this is meant to be in a more YA range.
While I am rating this 3.5, I would continue the series and had a great time reading it. My reason for the 3.5 is that there was a lot of immature language in the book. The FMC is only 19, but some of the wording of things bothered me or didn’t seem to fit into a fantasy story. I also had a hard time imagining the setting of this book. There were cars and motorcycles, but no other urban fantasy type of technologies. I just couldn’t quite picture what time frame we were in.
All that to say, I read this book in two days. It moves very fast and it was a very engaging storyline. Aisling Everhart is the next heir to her kingdom. She is placed in very close proximity to the son of her enemy kingdom. This is a romantasy with bonded creatures, dragons, magic/powers, enemies to lovers, and a protective MMC.
There is no spice in book 1 and I am not sure if that will build or if this is meant to be in a more YA range.
June 20, 2024
Lies That Bleed is the first book in The Ember War series, which is new from Leia Stone.
Aisling Everhart is the daughter of the Emperor and poised to become Empress. She has trained her entire life and because of her position she is guaranteed a place in The Wilds to bond with a creature who will increase her power. Other candidates are drawn by lottery to also head to The Wilds, hoping for a chance of improving their station. It’s expected that Aisling will bond with the most powerful creature, but nothing more powerful than her father’s because she shouldn’t appear stronger than The Emperor. When Kohan Badshah is also selected to head into The Wild’s Aisling knows she needs to be careful. As her father’s sworn enemy, Aisling can’t be seen as aiding Kohen but when Kohen appears to be protecting Aisling, she grows confused and doesn’t know what to believe.
This entire story is an absolute delight to read. From the fight for your life dynamic when bonding with a creature to the forbidden romance elements. The high stakes of The Wilds are followed up with the cutthroat Military Academy environment and keeps the story moving at a fast pace. The story was action packed and really sets the series up well. I found the story line intriguing and with easy to understand world building. There were strong friendships and alliances being built that challenged the current societal expectations.
I am really excited to continue reading this series.
Thank you to Leia Stone for gifting me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Aisling Everhart is the daughter of the Emperor and poised to become Empress. She has trained her entire life and because of her position she is guaranteed a place in The Wilds to bond with a creature who will increase her power. Other candidates are drawn by lottery to also head to The Wilds, hoping for a chance of improving their station. It’s expected that Aisling will bond with the most powerful creature, but nothing more powerful than her father’s because she shouldn’t appear stronger than The Emperor. When Kohan Badshah is also selected to head into The Wild’s Aisling knows she needs to be careful. As her father’s sworn enemy, Aisling can’t be seen as aiding Kohen but when Kohen appears to be protecting Aisling, she grows confused and doesn’t know what to believe.
This entire story is an absolute delight to read. From the fight for your life dynamic when bonding with a creature to the forbidden romance elements. The high stakes of The Wilds are followed up with the cutthroat Military Academy environment and keeps the story moving at a fast pace. The story was action packed and really sets the series up well. I found the story line intriguing and with easy to understand world building. There were strong friendships and alliances being built that challenged the current societal expectations.
I am really excited to continue reading this series.
Thank you to Leia Stone for gifting me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
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