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When Embers Fall Duology #1
When Embers Fall: A Sapphic Villain Origin Story
A hopeless love between two women on opposite sides of a post-apocalyptic war. One hero. One villain. Until the hero turns to the dark, for good.
Alcmene, the heir to the Fighter's throne, wants to end the war more than anything. And she doesn’t mind the bloodshed she knows will follow.
Ember, a Defender who has trained her whole life to fight against the bloodthirsty Fighters, has just been waiting for the war to arrive at her doorstep. But when it finally does, she is left completely unprepared, and the unimaginable happens.
When they meet, they plan to fight to the death. That is until a dark magic is revealed, changing the world as they know it.
Alcmene, the heir to the Fighter's throne, wants to end the war more than anything. And she doesn’t mind the bloodshed she knows will follow.
Ember, a Defender who has trained her whole life to fight against the bloodthirsty Fighters, has just been waiting for the war to arrive at her doorstep. But when it finally does, she is left completely unprepared, and the unimaginable happens.
When they meet, they plan to fight to the death. That is until a dark magic is revealed, changing the world as they know it.
331 pages, Paperback
Published June 28, 2024
10 people are currently reading
388 people want to read
About the author
Hailey Bryant
2 books18 followersHailey Bryant started writing at a young age. She wrote short stories for school and for fun as a child, and went on to write her first sapphic fantasy novel, When Embers Fall, at 15. She published it at 18. She is a lesbian who lives in CT with her many reptiles and books.
Hailey is continuing to write sapphic novels featuring queer antagonists. She is currently working on When Embers Rise, the second and final book in the When Embers Fall duology, and a new stand-alone titled Assassins by Night.
Hailey is continuing to write sapphic novels featuring queer antagonists. She is currently working on When Embers Rise, the second and final book in the When Embers Fall duology, and a new stand-alone titled Assassins by Night.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
February 28, 2026
I didn’t think a book that I had such high expectations for would make me lose interest in reading any book completely. The only reason I continued to read this book was because I wanted to use a red pen and completely make fun of every repeat or lack of information that needs to be repeated.
The concept for the book was really good, but the fact that the characters’ only personality traits were being sad about their dead family members made me hate them. I got sick of this book so fast because of the TWO typos within the first 30 pages. There were many more, and I can understand if this was a newly released book, but I purchased it a year after its initial release.
The author even tried to offer her editing services to me on tiktok, and after reading this book, I’d give her a 1 star review on Fiverr too for false advertising.
The lack of commas in some sentences were made worse by commas in unnecessary places.
I had such high hopes. I could go on a whole rant about the annotations I made in this book, but the biggest one has to be the AI COVER. I bet there were plenty of REAL PEOPLE who would have been happy to make a cover for this book that doesn’t look like absolute dogshit.
I’m not even anticipating the sequel after seeing how bad the AI is on that one’s cover. There could be a whole rant here about how the guy who “designed” the cover is dishonest and doesn’t deserve any money, but I’m only here for the book, which still isn’t worth my time.
I couldn’t tell if the main relationship was supposed to be between Ember and Alcmene or Alcmene and Amara. The romance that was supposed to be one of the main premises of the book I thought was put on the last 50 pages that I didn’t even make it to because of how buns this POS book was.
I had no clue what Ember looked like until 200 pages in. This was a detail I needed repeated. Not the details on the dagger Ember’s DEAD mother gave her. The author never hesitated to tell anyone how DEAD Ember’s and Alcmene’s families were.
The use of “darling” also gave me the BIGGEST ick. Almene just reminds me of your usual dark romance POS guy with a dumbass name. And speaking of dumbass names, we have simple names like Austen and Liam paired with characters named LEVIATHAN and CRIMSON.
A lot of the beginning deaths could just not been written. It could have been used as backstory stuff NOT WRITTEN IN ITALICS. Nothing makes me more mad than full PAGES of ITALICS. Thank god I didn’t read this book on ebook or else my eyes would have melted out of my head, and there were times in this book where I wish they did.
This book could have been a novella. There was no need for a full 300 page book that didn’t answer anything because everything was just REPEATS OF THE SAME STUFF SAID ONE PAGE PRIOR.
I get it was supposed to be a villain backstory, but it seems like the author didn’t stick to much of anything that she wrote in her blurb. It was also supposed to be post-apocalyptic, but all I got was medieval.
The two headed deer in the radioactive area was pretty cool! Too bad the author only mentioned that area once.
The blurb was almost as false advertising as the AI cover. That “artist” is not worth my time. And neither is this book and author.
The concept for the book was really good, but the fact that the characters’ only personality traits were being sad about their dead family members made me hate them. I got sick of this book so fast because of the TWO typos within the first 30 pages. There were many more, and I can understand if this was a newly released book, but I purchased it a year after its initial release.
The author even tried to offer her editing services to me on tiktok, and after reading this book, I’d give her a 1 star review on Fiverr too for false advertising.
The lack of commas in some sentences were made worse by commas in unnecessary places.
I had such high hopes. I could go on a whole rant about the annotations I made in this book, but the biggest one has to be the AI COVER. I bet there were plenty of REAL PEOPLE who would have been happy to make a cover for this book that doesn’t look like absolute dogshit.
I’m not even anticipating the sequel after seeing how bad the AI is on that one’s cover. There could be a whole rant here about how the guy who “designed” the cover is dishonest and doesn’t deserve any money, but I’m only here for the book, which still isn’t worth my time.
I couldn’t tell if the main relationship was supposed to be between Ember and Alcmene or Alcmene and Amara. The romance that was supposed to be one of the main premises of the book I thought was put on the last 50 pages that I didn’t even make it to because of how buns this POS book was.
I had no clue what Ember looked like until 200 pages in. This was a detail I needed repeated. Not the details on the dagger Ember’s DEAD mother gave her. The author never hesitated to tell anyone how DEAD Ember’s and Alcmene’s families were.
The use of “darling” also gave me the BIGGEST ick. Almene just reminds me of your usual dark romance POS guy with a dumbass name. And speaking of dumbass names, we have simple names like Austen and Liam paired with characters named LEVIATHAN and CRIMSON.
A lot of the beginning deaths could just not been written. It could have been used as backstory stuff NOT WRITTEN IN ITALICS. Nothing makes me more mad than full PAGES of ITALICS. Thank god I didn’t read this book on ebook or else my eyes would have melted out of my head, and there were times in this book where I wish they did.
This book could have been a novella. There was no need for a full 300 page book that didn’t answer anything because everything was just REPEATS OF THE SAME STUFF SAID ONE PAGE PRIOR.
I get it was supposed to be a villain backstory, but it seems like the author didn’t stick to much of anything that she wrote in her blurb. It was also supposed to be post-apocalyptic, but all I got was medieval.
The two headed deer in the radioactive area was pretty cool! Too bad the author only mentioned that area once.
The blurb was almost as false advertising as the AI cover. That “artist” is not worth my time. And neither is this book and author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 7, 2024
Fun book to read (will contain minor spoilers)
Enjoyable read, the mental battle going through Embers mind was well written. I love the gory details and reading both sides of the story. Interesting story and I’m excited for what comes next!
Enjoyable read, the mental battle going through Embers mind was well written. I love the gory details and reading both sides of the story. Interesting story and I’m excited for what comes next!
August 15, 2024
I LOVED this book. Once I started reading I could barely put it down, I loved the dark magic concept and the way the relationship developed between Ember and Alcmene and the whole struggle between right and wrong. Was such a fun read and definitely got super invested in the characters
Read
March 5, 2026I’m biased, of course, but if you’re in the LGBTQ+ community or if you’re a villain sympathizer, this is a must-read!
When Embers Fall takes place 100 years after the world was destroyed by nuclear war. Another war still goes on as the last people left alive fight for the remaining land. It is a dual point of view novel, featuring two women on opposite sides of the battle. To say the least, they both have tragic backstories that shape them into who they become. Dark magic plays a part in bringing them together, as well as the fact that they want each other dead.
Ember, one of the main characters, believes the only way the war will end is with Alcmene’s head, but her side of the war, the Defenders, are pacifists. They only defend, instead of fight. They will do whatever it takes to keep their moral high ground, even sacrifice the fate of their people.
Alcmene, on the other hand, wants to kill everyone, no matter how many of her soldiers she loses in the process. As the heir to the throne on the Fighter’s side of the war, she can’t show weakness. She can’t let the enemy win.
When Embers Fall is a sapphic villain origin story full of war, destruction, love, hate, and revenge. An enemies to lovers story at its finest. Two women against the world, both becoming villains because of war and death. The only question is, will this war filled with dark and chaotic magic kill everyone left alive? Or will someone finally win?
This is the first book in the duology. Stay tuned for book two!
When Embers Fall takes place 100 years after the world was destroyed by nuclear war. Another war still goes on as the last people left alive fight for the remaining land. It is a dual point of view novel, featuring two women on opposite sides of the battle. To say the least, they both have tragic backstories that shape them into who they become. Dark magic plays a part in bringing them together, as well as the fact that they want each other dead.
Ember, one of the main characters, believes the only way the war will end is with Alcmene’s head, but her side of the war, the Defenders, are pacifists. They only defend, instead of fight. They will do whatever it takes to keep their moral high ground, even sacrifice the fate of their people.
Alcmene, on the other hand, wants to kill everyone, no matter how many of her soldiers she loses in the process. As the heir to the throne on the Fighter’s side of the war, she can’t show weakness. She can’t let the enemy win.
When Embers Fall is a sapphic villain origin story full of war, destruction, love, hate, and revenge. An enemies to lovers story at its finest. Two women against the world, both becoming villains because of war and death. The only question is, will this war filled with dark and chaotic magic kill everyone left alive? Or will someone finally win?
This is the first book in the duology. Stay tuned for book two!
September 8, 2024
2.5. I really wanted to like this book. A sapphic dark fantasy with magic? Exactly what I like to read. The idea for the story was really interesting, but was executed poorly and had me more confused than engaged in certain points. I will say that I’m a pretty picky reader so take everything I say with a grain of salt. That being said, there were some things I liked, so let’s start with that.
Setting: I absolutely loved the idea for the setting. The fact that it was post apocalyptic but medieval feeling at the same time, with magic running through the little land that wasn’t destroyed is SUCH a good idea. I loved the vibes alone but wish there was some more in-depth world building to really solidify it.
Character ideas: I liked the ideas for the two main characters. At first Alcmene was really interesting and there was some good conflict in her character. Ember was slightly less interesting but her relationship with the defenders as a whole was kind of cool.
Readability (idk what to call it): the book was very quick and easy to read which I really appreciate. Except for near the end, which I’ll get to.
Ok now for the stuff I didn’t like…
Writing: very juvenile. That’s not necessarily a bad thing in itself as it made the book easy and quick to read. However, some aspects really took me out of the story. There was so. Much. Repetition. I swear the amount of times Alcmene mentions Levi dying or ember mentions something about her father betraying her… incredibly annoying. I am aware that these things happened, you don’t have to keep explaining or mentioning it! The dialogue was also very choppy and unrealistic in certain points, and just felt like it was there for plot convenience. Also can we see anything these characters do? There is an infuriating amount of tell don’t show. “She trained for a bit, then went to the forest. She went back inside and thought about her dead brother” (not an actual quote but this was basically all I was reading). Can we see anything that happens? Please? I just need some description. The pacing was incredibly fast because of this even in moments that were supposed to be slow and emotional.
World-building: very confusing. The setting was great and all but there was little to no explanation of how the world got to this point. Why are the two groups in this world so vastly different? Why do the defenders even exist? What kind of strategy is that? I was so frustrated while reading because I don’t know what the defenders expected to happen if they are never the aggressors and they don’t kill to defend. They obviously don’t stand a chance. Also, it seems like there are enough resources for everyone. What’s even the point of fighting? Everyone seems to be tired of it just stop 😭 Also the magic is so vague it goes beyond a soft magic system, I don’t know what is going on!
Ember: oh boy. At first I was fine with her. I didn’t like or hate her, she was just a character. This is mostly because I knew absolutely nothing about her, along with every other character in this book. I barely even know what she looks like! I don’t know what she likes to do outside of training (which we never actually get to see what this “training” entails). I don’t know what her favorite food is. What does she hope for her future? What does she find interesting? We know nothing. At the end of the book she was infuriating and unrealistic. Why would she betray everything and everyone she ever knew? Yeah the magic is making her evil whatever but even evil people have standards. That’s what makes villains interesting, they have depth, they have morals even if they are a bit twisted. Ember has none of that, she’s not even morally gray she’s just a bad person. I honestly ended up hating her at the end and didn’t care at all what happened to her.
Alcmene: very similar to ember. Honestly I found the characters indistinguishable at the end, they were practically the same person. All she does is train. Nothing else. Maybe she goes into the forest sometimes to clear her head. Still not enough to make her an interesting character. Also like Ember, she’s just a bad person and I wouldn’t care if she died. She only cares for the people she is romantically attached to and Levi who is dead. She wants to end the war but doesn’t consider just making a peace treaty or something? No she just wants to kill everyone. Ok you do you girl 💀.
Plot and other stuff: fine but at the end was so annoying I was rolling my eyes after almost every sentence. Just a slog to get through honestly. The relationship between Ember and Alcmene was basically just insta-love and was incredibly unrealistic. Also the characters didn’t have to work for almost anything? They needed water? oh! There’s a stream. They need sulfur to make gunpowder??? Oh there’s some a couple miles away for some reason. Let your characters WORK! I want to see what they do during conflict, I don’t want to be told they just found something that happens to solve their problems. Also at some points they could just read each others minds for plot convenience.
Other characters: just vessels for the plot. The only ones who kind of had a personality were Embers father and maybe Levi but we don’t see much of them. Austin for one was INFURIATING. Sometimes he sounded his age and sometimes he sounded 30. He would say things so profound it was just unrealistic for a kid his age, and he could always read Embers mind. He was just there to give Ember a sibling figure after her sister died, but we almost never see what their relationship is actually like. We never see them train together or talk about anything other than the war.
Editing: this book needed an editor. There were phrases used incorrectly (for example. Something like “come with me “ “or else what” “or else I’ll kill your father” ??? That’s not how that works), random tense switches, and just general grammar mistakes and spelling errors. Not terrible but definitely something I noticed.
There is probably more but honestly I forget and this review is long enough. Overall it was ok to read, but there were so many mistakes and little details that took me out of the reading. There is potential in this author, and as a first novel at such a young age it was pretty good. Putting yourself out there and actually writing the book is the hardest part (something I need to do 😫). I hope they lean into their ideas because there is a lot of potential here, and hopefully their next book will show that.
Setting: I absolutely loved the idea for the setting. The fact that it was post apocalyptic but medieval feeling at the same time, with magic running through the little land that wasn’t destroyed is SUCH a good idea. I loved the vibes alone but wish there was some more in-depth world building to really solidify it.
Character ideas: I liked the ideas for the two main characters. At first Alcmene was really interesting and there was some good conflict in her character. Ember was slightly less interesting but her relationship with the defenders as a whole was kind of cool.
Readability (idk what to call it): the book was very quick and easy to read which I really appreciate. Except for near the end, which I’ll get to.
Ok now for the stuff I didn’t like…
Writing: very juvenile. That’s not necessarily a bad thing in itself as it made the book easy and quick to read. However, some aspects really took me out of the story. There was so. Much. Repetition. I swear the amount of times Alcmene mentions Levi dying or ember mentions something about her father betraying her… incredibly annoying. I am aware that these things happened, you don’t have to keep explaining or mentioning it! The dialogue was also very choppy and unrealistic in certain points, and just felt like it was there for plot convenience. Also can we see anything these characters do? There is an infuriating amount of tell don’t show. “She trained for a bit, then went to the forest. She went back inside and thought about her dead brother” (not an actual quote but this was basically all I was reading). Can we see anything that happens? Please? I just need some description. The pacing was incredibly fast because of this even in moments that were supposed to be slow and emotional.
World-building: very confusing. The setting was great and all but there was little to no explanation of how the world got to this point. Why are the two groups in this world so vastly different? Why do the defenders even exist? What kind of strategy is that? I was so frustrated while reading because I don’t know what the defenders expected to happen if they are never the aggressors and they don’t kill to defend. They obviously don’t stand a chance. Also, it seems like there are enough resources for everyone. What’s even the point of fighting? Everyone seems to be tired of it just stop 😭 Also the magic is so vague it goes beyond a soft magic system, I don’t know what is going on!
Ember: oh boy. At first I was fine with her. I didn’t like or hate her, she was just a character. This is mostly because I knew absolutely nothing about her, along with every other character in this book. I barely even know what she looks like! I don’t know what she likes to do outside of training (which we never actually get to see what this “training” entails). I don’t know what her favorite food is. What does she hope for her future? What does she find interesting? We know nothing. At the end of the book she was infuriating and unrealistic. Why would she betray everything and everyone she ever knew? Yeah the magic is making her evil whatever but even evil people have standards. That’s what makes villains interesting, they have depth, they have morals even if they are a bit twisted. Ember has none of that, she’s not even morally gray she’s just a bad person. I honestly ended up hating her at the end and didn’t care at all what happened to her.
Alcmene: very similar to ember. Honestly I found the characters indistinguishable at the end, they were practically the same person. All she does is train. Nothing else. Maybe she goes into the forest sometimes to clear her head. Still not enough to make her an interesting character. Also like Ember, she’s just a bad person and I wouldn’t care if she died. She only cares for the people she is romantically attached to and Levi who is dead. She wants to end the war but doesn’t consider just making a peace treaty or something? No she just wants to kill everyone. Ok you do you girl 💀.
Plot and other stuff: fine but at the end was so annoying I was rolling my eyes after almost every sentence. Just a slog to get through honestly. The relationship between Ember and Alcmene was basically just insta-love and was incredibly unrealistic. Also the characters didn’t have to work for almost anything? They needed water? oh! There’s a stream. They need sulfur to make gunpowder??? Oh there’s some a couple miles away for some reason. Let your characters WORK! I want to see what they do during conflict, I don’t want to be told they just found something that happens to solve their problems. Also at some points they could just read each others minds for plot convenience.
Other characters: just vessels for the plot. The only ones who kind of had a personality were Embers father and maybe Levi but we don’t see much of them. Austin for one was INFURIATING. Sometimes he sounded his age and sometimes he sounded 30. He would say things so profound it was just unrealistic for a kid his age, and he could always read Embers mind. He was just there to give Ember a sibling figure after her sister died, but we almost never see what their relationship is actually like. We never see them train together or talk about anything other than the war.
Editing: this book needed an editor. There were phrases used incorrectly (for example. Something like “come with me “ “or else what” “or else I’ll kill your father” ??? That’s not how that works), random tense switches, and just general grammar mistakes and spelling errors. Not terrible but definitely something I noticed.
There is probably more but honestly I forget and this review is long enough. Overall it was ok to read, but there were so many mistakes and little details that took me out of the reading. There is potential in this author, and as a first novel at such a young age it was pretty good. Putting yourself out there and actually writing the book is the hardest part (something I need to do 😫). I hope they lean into their ideas because there is a lot of potential here, and hopefully their next book will show that.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 18, 2026
I am blown away! The dynamic between the two women is insane and how their relationship changes over time is chefs kiss! So excited for book 2, I cannot wait! Great writing, easily one of my favourite books!
September 23, 2024
Amazing. Read it in three hours need second book immediately
August 18, 2024
The idea behind this book is interesting, but it could really stand to be looked over by a content editor and a line editor. I will try not to get into any spoilers and just use examples that would appear in the first few chapters.
The book opens with word repetition and major info dumps. The tenses change back and forth from present tense to past tense and back. I would have thought maybe the flashbacks were past tense and the current time was present tense, but there seems to be no explanation why it goes back and forth. On top of that, the pov character changes by the chapter but their "voice" seems the same so I ended up having to reread the first dozen or so chapters just to get it through my head which character was which. Then I thought the tense was changing with the character, which would have made sense and would have been my fault for not noticing, but no. It just seems random.
Despite the info dumps, they're somewhat vague. Attempts were made at showing vs telling by inserting flashbacks, but the transitions were a bit jarring. Don't tell me she fought for "a few minutes," show me the fighting. Don't tell me she incapacitated her enemies, show me how. Despite describing the scene of a murdered family member, it's quite a shock at the end of the scene for the reader to discover a second body just mentioned out of the blue like it was there the entire time. As an odd aside, despite knowing that a main character is 17 or 18, and she has a significant scar on her cheek (which is mentioned a LOT), I have no idea what she looks like. Is she tall or short? Thin? Average? Is her skin pale or dark? Are her eyes green? Blue? Brown? Does she have freckles? I have no idea. I have no idea what either main character looks like... and actually what ANYONE in this book looks like.
The setting is a little out there. Dystopian natural earth setting but tech is somehow lost and... there's magic? Why? How? It's a great idea but needs explanation. Was there always magic and certain people just covered it up so the average person wouldn't know? Was it a side effect to the catacysmic events that transpired prior to the book?
I see on the "about the author" biography that she is only 18 years old. Bravo. It takes a lot to put a book together and put yourself out there. I think this author shows a lot of promise, but even the best books need editors and honest beta readers looking at it with fresh eyes to make a book the best it can be. Add some detailed description and fill in some of the plot holes I didn't discuss here (because spoilers) and clear out some of the unnecessary info dumps, and I think this book could be something great.
One final thought: when I see "an origin story" I think it's a prequel and that means it should be a complete story and not end on a cliffhanger. I think what the author meant was "book 1 in the series" since this didn't feel like a prequel to what will be a full series. That's not a major problem, but I don't much like cliffhangers when I don't expect them and origin stories
The book opens with word repetition and major info dumps. The tenses change back and forth from present tense to past tense and back. I would have thought maybe the flashbacks were past tense and the current time was present tense, but there seems to be no explanation why it goes back and forth. On top of that, the pov character changes by the chapter but their "voice" seems the same so I ended up having to reread the first dozen or so chapters just to get it through my head which character was which. Then I thought the tense was changing with the character, which would have made sense and would have been my fault for not noticing, but no. It just seems random.
Despite the info dumps, they're somewhat vague. Attempts were made at showing vs telling by inserting flashbacks, but the transitions were a bit jarring. Don't tell me she fought for "a few minutes," show me the fighting. Don't tell me she incapacitated her enemies, show me how. Despite describing the scene of a murdered family member, it's quite a shock at the end of the scene for the reader to discover a second body just mentioned out of the blue like it was there the entire time. As an odd aside, despite knowing that a main character is 17 or 18, and she has a significant scar on her cheek (which is mentioned a LOT), I have no idea what she looks like. Is she tall or short? Thin? Average? Is her skin pale or dark? Are her eyes green? Blue? Brown? Does she have freckles? I have no idea. I have no idea what either main character looks like... and actually what ANYONE in this book looks like.
The setting is a little out there. Dystopian natural earth setting but tech is somehow lost and... there's magic? Why? How? It's a great idea but needs explanation. Was there always magic and certain people just covered it up so the average person wouldn't know? Was it a side effect to the catacysmic events that transpired prior to the book?
I see on the "about the author" biography that she is only 18 years old. Bravo. It takes a lot to put a book together and put yourself out there. I think this author shows a lot of promise, but even the best books need editors and honest beta readers looking at it with fresh eyes to make a book the best it can be. Add some detailed description and fill in some of the plot holes I didn't discuss here (because spoilers) and clear out some of the unnecessary info dumps, and I think this book could be something great.
One final thought: when I see "an origin story" I think it's a prequel and that means it should be a complete story and not end on a cliffhanger. I think what the author meant was "book 1 in the series" since this didn't feel like a prequel to what will be a full series. That's not a major problem, but I don't much like cliffhangers when I don't expect them and origin stories
January 20, 2025
I really wanted to love this book. I love that it was a debut book, small businesses author, etc. I agree with others on the repetition. I felt almost like a kindergartner being told over and over again the main points of the story. I like being able to read in between the lines but I can’t do that when everything is repeated to me ten times within one chapter.
I also couldn’t relate to either of the characters. I honestly didn’t even feel bad for ember when I read that her mother and sister died because I felt like I didn’t even know her well enough to feel sympathy. Alcmenes character was a little more relatable, but towards the end I was confused on why she was still in this war to begin with. I get she wanted to avenge her brother, but why was she so angry at the defenders? I wanted her to be mad at the defenders for something. Anything. But I struggled relating with her because of that.
The next thing was the writing. It was an easy read, but it felt very juvenile. I was basically begging for some descriptive words but there was none to be found. I hated that I didn’t know what the main characters looked like, or honestly what the setting looked like. I knew they were near a Forrest but I couldn’t tell you if they were setting up camp on dirt, or grass, or what any of the buildings looked like other than “big castles”.
I absolutely loved the story and I could see what the author was trying to get across, but I think more drafts would have been more helpful. I’m not sure if I am going to read the sequel, it might be too juvenile for my age range, but I hope that it exceeds expectations. This story has so much potential and the characters can have so much growth. <3
I also couldn’t relate to either of the characters. I honestly didn’t even feel bad for ember when I read that her mother and sister died because I felt like I didn’t even know her well enough to feel sympathy. Alcmenes character was a little more relatable, but towards the end I was confused on why she was still in this war to begin with. I get she wanted to avenge her brother, but why was she so angry at the defenders? I wanted her to be mad at the defenders for something. Anything. But I struggled relating with her because of that.
The next thing was the writing. It was an easy read, but it felt very juvenile. I was basically begging for some descriptive words but there was none to be found. I hated that I didn’t know what the main characters looked like, or honestly what the setting looked like. I knew they were near a Forrest but I couldn’t tell you if they were setting up camp on dirt, or grass, or what any of the buildings looked like other than “big castles”.
I absolutely loved the story and I could see what the author was trying to get across, but I think more drafts would have been more helpful. I’m not sure if I am going to read the sequel, it might be too juvenile for my age range, but I hope that it exceeds expectations. This story has so much potential and the characters can have so much growth. <3
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 10, 2026
I really enjoyed the book and can’t wait for the next one! The first 20-30 pages were captivating but then the following 100 pages were a bit slow which was a bit disappointing. After the page 120ish I was dialed in and couldn’t put it down! I LOVED so many of the scenes of Ember and Crimson growing closer together and love their dynamic and the ways it changed through the situations they were in.
Critiques (because I know the author is a first time author and writing more)
-multiple spelling errors and wrong words typed, honestly most of the time I don’t notice these because I’m too enthralled in imagining what I’m reading, but they were a bit too frequent or too dramatic to not notice unfortunately and even made a few sentences not make sense. I had to reread to get what it was meant to say
-there were some contradictions in the story, simple things like someone lost a weapon but then it magically appeared back in their possession, using stomach and abdomen back to back in a fighting scene, etc.
-a bit repetitive at times with character building and such but then not enough in other areas
Some of the fight scenes were amazingly written and the others fell flat and I longed for the other writing style so much.
The scene where Ember and Crimson almost kissed the first time had me on my toes!! but the scene where they actually kissed felt less detailed and not as well written.
Again I’m so excited for the next one and seeing where Ember and Crimson end up!
Critiques (because I know the author is a first time author and writing more)
-multiple spelling errors and wrong words typed, honestly most of the time I don’t notice these because I’m too enthralled in imagining what I’m reading, but they were a bit too frequent or too dramatic to not notice unfortunately and even made a few sentences not make sense. I had to reread to get what it was meant to say
-there were some contradictions in the story, simple things like someone lost a weapon but then it magically appeared back in their possession, using stomach and abdomen back to back in a fighting scene, etc.
-a bit repetitive at times with character building and such but then not enough in other areas
Some of the fight scenes were amazingly written and the others fell flat and I longed for the other writing style so much.
The scene where Ember and Crimson almost kissed the first time had me on my toes!! but the scene where they actually kissed felt less detailed and not as well written.
Again I’m so excited for the next one and seeing where Ember and Crimson end up!
August 14, 2024
I wasn't sure what to expect from this novel. I stumbled across a live video of the author's and was intrigued by the author's young age and the idea of a villain origin story. What I didn't expect was to read through it so quickly because I was excited about where the story would go. I didn't expect to be excited about its upcoming sequel. My only real criticism is that sometimes the romance didn't feel so natural and I couldn't really understand the pull of Amara. I don't trust that girl, but the twist at the end of the novel makes me more interested in her character. Sometimes Ember's transformation felt rushed, and I think that's mostly because I wasn't sure of how quickly or slowly time was passing. For being self-published and edited by family, I was impressed by how few errors I came across. The ones that I did notice didn't take anything away from the story and were quickly forgotten as my mind fell into the world of Defenders and Fighters. Hailey Bryant created a vibrant world that I'm a little afraid of (that's a good thing) and I will be preordering the sequel when the time comes. Speaking of which, how long do I have to wait?!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 10, 2026
When Embers Fall by Hailey Bryant is the kind of book that sneaks up on you, sits heavy in your chest, and then refuses to leave. From the first page, Bryant’s writing is raw, intimate, and emotionally honest in a way that feels almost dangerous in the best possible sense.
The characters are deeply human, beautifully flawed, and painfully real. Their struggles, grief, love, and resilience do not feel manufactured for drama. They feel lived in. This story handles heartbreak and healing with care, never rushing the pain and never cheapening the hope. Every emotion earns its place.
Bryant has a gift for turning quiet moments into powerful ones. The prose is poetic without being overdone, and the themes of loss, endurance, and finding light after devastation are handled with maturity and respect. This is not just a story you read. It is one you feel.
If you love emotionally driven novels that stay with you long after the last page, When Embers Fall is absolutely worth your time. Bring tissues, bring an open heart, and be ready to think about it long after you close the book.
The characters are deeply human, beautifully flawed, and painfully real. Their struggles, grief, love, and resilience do not feel manufactured for drama. They feel lived in. This story handles heartbreak and healing with care, never rushing the pain and never cheapening the hope. Every emotion earns its place.
Bryant has a gift for turning quiet moments into powerful ones. The prose is poetic without being overdone, and the themes of loss, endurance, and finding light after devastation are handled with maturity and respect. This is not just a story you read. It is one you feel.
If you love emotionally driven novels that stay with you long after the last page, When Embers Fall is absolutely worth your time. Bring tissues, bring an open heart, and be ready to think about it long after you close the book.
August 13, 2024
Such a great story! This is a sapphic, villain origin, fantasy novel where two women on opposite sides connect. I was excited to read this book for many reasons and I devoured it! It was such a fast paced book that really kept me in it page after page. I would have to say Alcmene was my favorite character because of how true she was to her character! I really enjoyed the twist at the end but it sucks it left off on a cliff hanger! I can't wait until book 2 comes out!! The only wish I have for this second book is some more descriptive writing. There were somethings that were left up to my imagination when I wish I knew what I was supposed to be envisioning. But overall amazing debut novel and cannot wait to see what other books she writes!! If you love fantasy with some romance along with some great characters with even better back stories then you should pick this one up!
December 14, 2024
The plot and world building had so much potential but I just ended up hating the two main characters.
Very unrealistic development of the relationship between them and then just falling in love over a celebration of senseless killing... The author has the characters completely disregard the life of others over and over to where it isn't a villain origin story but rather a lose your soul to become a monster story...
Harsh but also I'm mad that NO WHERE in this book, blurb, or description stated that this was a BOOK ONE to a future series. I'm pissed because I thought this was a nice stand alone. Will not be reading then sequel when released because it was already a struggle to finish.
Very unrealistic development of the relationship between them and then just falling in love over a celebration of senseless killing... The author has the characters completely disregard the life of others over and over to where it isn't a villain origin story but rather a lose your soul to become a monster story...
Harsh but also I'm mad that NO WHERE in this book, blurb, or description stated that this was a BOOK ONE to a future series. I'm pissed because I thought this was a nice stand alone. Will not be reading then sequel when released because it was already a struggle to finish.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 2, 2026
I made it 15% before giving up on this one. If you wanted to play a drinking game, take a drink every time you see the word train/training/trainee…I guarantee you will be passed out by this point in the book. I counted 8 on one page alone. Absolutely nothing has happened other than hearing about how people were killed or how Alcmene’s father is so terrible. Mind you we were just told these things..nothing is shown. I have absolutely no feelings towards either FMC yet and by this point I feel like I should care a little. The repetitiveness so far is making this very boring so I’m going to put this one down for now. I might pick it back up but I doubt it.
April 1, 2025
it's the best book ever I love it so much it's literally my favourite book I think about it every single day ( I feel like I sond like a bot😭), all the characters are sooo hot , I love it I can't believe she is the same age as me when she wrote this book . the atmosphere is shown perfectly . I will never find anything like this I can't even express it with words. it's was my first book in this genre and It can't be more perfect .( sry if my grammar is bad english is not my native language )
July 29, 2024
This book was a great start for a young author! I really enjoyed the plot of the book but would have enjoyed just a bit more detail in the writing throughout. I am a very visual person so descriptive writing is my jam. All in all, I can't wait to see where Hailey goes with her future endeavors and I'm looking forward to the second book in this duet.
September 7, 2024
This book was such a good one! I definitely underestimated it. The plot was very interesting and the ENDING?! The ending had me shocked. I definitely think everyone should at least read it once. It’s a sapphic fantasy book between Ember and Alcmene. It is fast paced but it was enjoyable. CAN’T WAIT FOR THE SECOND BOOK!
June 29, 2024
This is a well thought out, exciting book. It is quite filled with tragedy and definitely on the darker side. It’s smart and interesting and not your typical “weak princess falls in love with strong prince” novel. I’m excited for the next book in the duology!
August 18, 2024
Love the store hope you make a sequel
October 23, 2025
was such an amazing book 10/10
October 23, 2025
I loved the characters and the progression of the story and I'm amazed by this author and can't wait to see more of her work
January 9, 2026
Honestly the character build helped so much but also destroyed me 210 pages in. Now I'm done and still distraught about what is going to happen next and how and what is happening at the end!
August 8, 2024
Loved this book especially from a new author, just wish there was more detailing and world building. It was hard for me to imagine some of the characters but i’m excited for the second book!
January 19, 2026
overall i really enjoyed this book! you can not go into it forgetting that this is a very young author's debut novel, is it the best written? no, were the characters developed enough? or the world building invested in enough? of course not, but that doesn't make this a bad story or a bad book. my main take away from this read is that this author has great potential. i found myself thinking often of these characters and this world, wondering what would happen next and who i would be routing for, spoiler alert: it's a villain origin story so while i felt much empathy for the characters and the things they endure, i ultimately hope they fail in their overall mission of, you know, killing everyone lol
the following is all meant as constructive criticism! please do not use my words to deter you from picking this up! i do recommend it and at the very least, put this author on your list of people to watch out for in the future!
I have many questions about the world and how it works, why are the two sides of the war what they are? what was the rift that made and kept these few thousand remaining people fighting each other when they each seem to have enough land and strongholds to live within? what is the purpose of setting this post apocalyptic as opposed to a different world entirely? what makes someone have dark vs light magic and how does the magic work other than just coming out and going back into the holder? why did alcmene not notice or know the birthmark ember bares when a rando soldior under the council room did? or what that amalas dad? (actually what happened to amalas dad? did i read that and forget? perhaps i did) why does embers magic draw her to alcmene? and why should i believe ember to be a better love interest for alcmene than amala? what was the cause of ember's mother painting roses in red and blue? do the flowers represent something? is this symbolism? is it widely known that blue and red represent the two sides of the war?
these are all questions i hope and believe will be answered in the second and final book, the people in between i know will be answered and i have a good many questions about them as well.
I've seen another review or two mentioning a lack of descriptive writing, i would agree with that to an extent. i wonder if i had finished the book prior to buying the character art if i would have had similar questions about what they looked like beyond hair and eye color. The action scenes did feel rushed at times and i did find myself feeling for the characters rather than feeling with them.
This all being said I enjoyed the actual reading of this book a great deal. I dont read enough sapphic fantasy and i LOVE a duel or multi-perspective story, i think it is a great and fascinating way to craft a story and some of my favorite books of all time implement that tool.
After reading the first chapter of the second book, which the author has kindly posted on her website for those of us itching for more story, i feel confident that the second book will be even better. the descriptive writing felt clearer and more well done in that single chapter and i am looking forward to reading more!!
this author is young, new, and just getting started. i am delighted to follow her journey through the worlds she builds and the stories she tells and i am growing ever more intrigued as to what she does next🩷
the following is all meant as constructive criticism! please do not use my words to deter you from picking this up! i do recommend it and at the very least, put this author on your list of people to watch out for in the future!
I have many questions about the world and how it works, why are the two sides of the war what they are? what was the rift that made and kept these few thousand remaining people fighting each other when they each seem to have enough land and strongholds to live within? what is the purpose of setting this post apocalyptic as opposed to a different world entirely? what makes someone have dark vs light magic and how does the magic work other than just coming out and going back into the holder? why did alcmene not notice or know the birthmark ember bares when a rando soldior under the council room did? or what that amalas dad? (actually what happened to amalas dad? did i read that and forget? perhaps i did) why does embers magic draw her to alcmene? and why should i believe ember to be a better love interest for alcmene than amala? what was the cause of ember's mother painting roses in red and blue? do the flowers represent something? is this symbolism? is it widely known that blue and red represent the two sides of the war?
these are all questions i hope and believe will be answered in the second and final book, the people in between i know will be answered and i have a good many questions about them as well.
I've seen another review or two mentioning a lack of descriptive writing, i would agree with that to an extent. i wonder if i had finished the book prior to buying the character art if i would have had similar questions about what they looked like beyond hair and eye color. The action scenes did feel rushed at times and i did find myself feeling for the characters rather than feeling with them.
This all being said I enjoyed the actual reading of this book a great deal. I dont read enough sapphic fantasy and i LOVE a duel or multi-perspective story, i think it is a great and fascinating way to craft a story and some of my favorite books of all time implement that tool.
After reading the first chapter of the second book, which the author has kindly posted on her website for those of us itching for more story, i feel confident that the second book will be even better. the descriptive writing felt clearer and more well done in that single chapter and i am looking forward to reading more!!
this author is young, new, and just getting started. i am delighted to follow her journey through the worlds she builds and the stories she tells and i am growing ever more intrigued as to what she does next🩷
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 23, 2025
Pretty good, the book does have some generic names for the different groups and then the world building could’ve used a little work but other than that it’s a fun read. Then if a second book is coming I definitely plan on further reading and supporting this author.
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