Spark the Flames

Secret of the Syphon #1

by Ivy Asher

When it comes to dragons, there’s no such thing as safe.

I learned that the hard way when my kith and kindred were slaughtered right before my eyes.

Everyone thinks the wyverns and the sorcai did it, but I know the truth.

I’ve been hiding from The Horde ever since, existing under their radar, surviving.

And then one day, they find me…he finds me. Aeson Noctis, the king’s second son and my new captor.

Aeson thinks he can force me back to Paragon City. He thinks he can use me and claim my power for his own.

But the dragons should’ve been more careful about who they let inside their city. I’m not some weak little pawn. I’m here looking for answers.

I’m here looking for revenge.

When it comes to dragons, there’s no such thing as safe. I know because I am one, and now I’m going to make The Horde pay for what they’ve done.

They thought they killed all the Syphons.

They thought they hunted down every one.

They thought wrong.

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Dragons, Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Fantasy Romance, Magic

502 pages, Paperback

First published March 21, 2025

About the author

Ivy Asher is addicted to chai, swearing, and laughing a lot (but not in a creepy, laughing alone kind of way). She loves the snow, books, and her family of two humans, and three fur-babies. She has worlds and characters just floating around in her head, and she's lucky enough to be surrounded by amazing people who support that kind of crazy.

Reviews

[dak ⋆.˚ ☾ .⭒˚ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4☆ 🔥 🌆 🐉 ⚔️ 🦋

𝓢𝓹𝓪𝓻𝓴 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓕𝓵𝓪𝓶𝓮𝓼 (sᴇᴄʀᴇᴛ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ sʏᴘʜᴏɴ #𝟷)

⟡˙⋆༺ 𝙎𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙠 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙡𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙨, 𝙄𝙜𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙞𝙣𝙛𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙤𝙨, 𝘼𝙨𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙀𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧𝙨 ༻⋆˙⟡

urban fantasy + dragon shifters 𝘢𝘣𝘴𝘰 - 𝘧𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 - 𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 🤏🏻🙂‍↕️

this was so fun! the banter 🤭 sooo good
i will say the plot did have me intrigued, a bit slow at first but once it picks up it doesn’t stop

we follow 𝙴𝚟𝚎𝚛 who is out for revenge after watching her family get brutally murdered in front of her. after a series of unfortunate events she finds herself in the hands of 𝙰𝚎𝚜𝚘𝚗 and 𝙻𝚘𝚛𝚗 the kings sons.

i love 𝙴𝚟𝚎𝚛 she is a such baddie and idk i love her inner monologue so much lol

at first i thought we might get a love triangle moment between the brothers but sadly no!! but the romance is still very good. i ate up everything 𝙰𝚎𝚜𝚘𝚗 gave and WANT MORE!! he had me giggling and kicking my feet the whole damn time. they have one of my fav tropes too hehe

‧₊˚.𑣲 “𝘾𝙪𝙩 𝘮𝘦. 𝙃𝙪𝙧𝙩 𝘮𝘦. 𝘿𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙮 𝘮𝘦. 𝘐’𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝙗𝙡𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝙀𝙫𝙚𝙧. 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘱 𝘪𝘴 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨 𝘢𝘭𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺” ⋆˚࿔

the found family really grew on me too 🫶🏻😌

that ending??! hellooo… so fucking rude!! book 2 right this moment!!

⋆˚₊ 𝙱𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚞𝚖𝚊 𝚒𝚜 𝚌𝚘𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚜𝚒𝚟𝚎. 𝙸𝚝 𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚜 𝚊𝚠𝚊𝚢 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚌𝚘𝚛𝚛𝚞𝚙𝚝𝚜 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚝 𝚝𝚘𝚞𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚜, 𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚘𝚜𝚝 𝚒𝚗𝚗𝚘𝚌𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚖𝚎𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝚕𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚐𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚜₊˚⋆

[shaelinslibrary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so fast paced, easy to read and a DAMN GOOD TIME!

The *only* thing that took away from this book for me, what that the FMC was so hard headed ALL the time. It never stopped I understand she’s not supposed to trust, but god damn, there was not a thread of trust throughout this whole book.

However, Aeson? Yeah, I am into that. He’s a fire wielding, dragon shifter hottie. He’s also got a heart of gold, and I love him.

The plot was so interesting, and if you like urban fantasy- I think you’d love this!

4.25 stars ✨

[Rachel (ravenhairedreader) · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

[Acrossallrealms]

Thank you to Podium Entertainment for the ALC.

I went into Spark the Flames expecting a solid listen and was genuinely surprised by how much it pulled me in. I immersive read it (audio + text), and it worked really well in that format. The world was easy to sink into, the dragons were a win for me, and the FMC had the kind of backbone I enjoy reading about.

The pacing was strong overall, and once the story hits its stride in the second half, it really ramps up. I was fully locked in.

On audio, Amelia Hugh and Vincent Skye delivered a solid performance that kept the momentum consistent, and the production quality was clean and easy to follow, which made immersive reading seamless.

If you enjoy darker fantasy with dragons, a strong lead, and a story that builds and then hits harder toward the end, this should be added to your TBR.

[Bailey Chadwick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I already knew I was an Ivy Asher fan before I read this book. But this one cemented to me that she writes a good time. You get immediately dropped into the action and it pretty much go, go, goes for the entire book. All the characters were well fleshed out. And there is a ton of story left to tell. Ivy did a great job at creating a much larger world that I can't wait to learn more about.

Tropes include:
Dragon shifter
Urban fantasy (futuristic tech)
M/F Romance
Spicy
Witty Banter

[lex (samkiel’s version ⚡︎) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've unlocked a new author. Seriously, I can already tell this is going to be a favorite for the year!

I was hooked immediately in the first chapter. We're dropped right into the thick of the action with our kickass and hilarious fmc Ever. She's survived the decimation of her kind and family, spending the majority of her life in hiding from the Horde, the dragon shfiters that rule over all other species. She's a fighter who doesn't take shit from anyone, and I absolutely love her!!! And when she's finally caught by her enemy, the grumpy and broody dragon shifter Commandar, Prince Aeson Noctis things take a drastic turn in her life. Y'all I could write a dissertation length explanation of why he's pure perfect. The mouth on that man 🤌🏼 The tension and banter between these two was steamy. The way they snark and snipe at each other, struggling to fight the inevitable pull they're feeling is everything I could've asked for.

This is one of those books that made me want to ignore my adult responsibilities and binge it in one sitting. It's go, go, go, without ever feeling rushed. And the combination of futuristic tech and magical fantasy elements was something I've yet to encounter so far, and it was blended so seamlessly. Often with a first book, I find myself wanting more world-building and lore incorporated, but this was the perfect amount to leave me feeling like I had a good grasp on the story, but still full of questions for what's to come.

I'm already looking up Ivy's entire backlist to read more of her books because there is something so addicting about her writing.

Thankful to Ivy and her PA Sav for providing an advance reader copy to review!

[Kourtney Delair · Rating 5 out of 5]

•• “𝘚𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴. 𝘐𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘰𝘴. 𝘈𝘴𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘴”

Great. Now not only do I get to be sad I’ll never ride a dragon, but I have to accept I’ll never shift into one either. Reality blows.

That’s a sentiment Ever Tenebrae would agree with too. Saying she’s had it rough is an understatement. As one of the few survivors of an unthinkable betrayal, she’s been hiding, plotting, and dreaming of breaking the curse that’s trapped her dragon and exacting revenge on those responsible. But, when she’s captured by those she suspects most she finds herself questioning everything she’s come to believe.

This story hit the ground running and never really slowed down. It takes a moment to catch up with the world building as you’re thrown right in but it doesn’t take long to catch up. Our girl Ever is learning a lot too, like how to actually be a dragon, so you’ll be in good company.

I ate up every dragon detail this book had to offer. Dragon kith, scale armor, dragon marks, the instincts and mannerisms - I loved it all, and the way it made the romance a little more… feral.

•• “𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦, 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳, 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘴 𝘢 𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 … ‘𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙚’.”

The ending had me on the edge of my seat, but I was real proud of Ever in the end. She may have made a mess of things but she deserved her moment and I’ll defend her til the end. Hopefully Aeson feels the same way.

•• “𝘖𝘩, 𝘊𝘭𝘢𝘸𝘴,” 𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘦, 𝘱𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘱𝘴. “𝘞𝘦’𝘳𝘦 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥.”

𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲:
•𝗗𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀
•𝗛𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀
•𝗨𝗿𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴
•𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘅𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘆
•”𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂?”
•𝗙𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀

[Kilikina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve been counting down the days for this release, and I’m so bummed that I didn’t love this more. 😕

While this started off strong, this didn’t ever take off at any point, and felt very stagnant throughout the whole book. I needed more action and plot to keep things interesting, and it didn’t happen.

Ever & Aeson had promise in the beginning and I was very excited to see their relationship progress, but I was underwhelmed. Even though this was very insta-lovey, there were definitely still moments of red hot chemistry that I loved between them, it just wasn’t consistent.

I think the biggest thing that hurt this story from start to finish was Ever’s inner monologues and thoughts. They were far too frequent and repetitive, making me hate being inside her head a lot of the time.

I can see people liking this if you’re newer to Romantasy, but this just didn’t bring anything new to the table for me.

[mag_book_ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5
Było gorąco jak w paszczy smoka (dosłownie)

[amandathebookworm 📚🪱 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is probably a 3.5 so rounding up to 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. I had fun but I sort of lost interest? Pros, cons, & plot below


PLOT
Ever is a hidden dragon shifter on the hunt for revenge against those that cursed her not to reveal her dragon. She gets caught in a mission by blood brokers who are obsessed with her lineage when she breaks free. But does she break free to something even more dangerous? This book has
- urban romantasy set in a future tech-heavy world (think Blade Runner)
- dragon shifters, fae, magic
- bonds, magical ties, torture
- reluctant allies/enemies-jsh to lovers
- training, commander MMC
- headstrong FMC
- lower/med spice


PROS
- The world & tech are SUUUPER cool. Big fan of that it is very fun.
- Love the premise; love a woman seeking to break the curse on her people.
- Super interested in the Scion brothers. Aeson js a hottie patottie & I am very interested in Lorn.
- It feels like we are really bringing in the dragon lore. Lots of times fantasy just brings in dragons but doesn’t actually bring dragon behavior into it & I appreciated how heavily we leaned into it. Troves, protectiveness, claiming, etc.
- The found family is def fun here.
- The ending. I think that might make for a suuuuper interesting book 2.


MIDS
- The romance. The pacing felt super odd with it specifically. I don’t hate it but I’m not super into it either.
- Feels like we did so much this book & also not a lot at the same time? It might be suffering a little from first book setup issues.


CONS
- Ever started out so smart seeming & badass but then truly just kind of lost her allure for me. I liked that she was smart & figuring out how to behave to best serve her but then it felt like she just became suuuuper stubborn & not in her best interest? It got tiring & I became bummed to lose like for her over time.
- I feel like given all the technology present we made some dumb assumptions that we could get away we X activity. Like… seemed obvious certain things weren’t going to be doable but we did them.
- I sort of just stopped caring? I think it was a combo of weird relationship development & liking the FMC less over time.
- Felt a bit long-winded a fair amount of the time. & the writing is perfectly fine but it’s not like, beautiful enough for me to be drooling over it. I was a little like “alright can we cut to the chase?” sometimes.


I may or may not continue with this series. It’s not bad at all, I just don’t know how much I care at this moment?



⚠️ SPOILERS ⚠️
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- I do not understand how Ever kept saying stuff about her “plan” coming to fruition while she was with the Noctices even though she never planned to end up in their care. & we weren’t told of any plan, & sure she has a long-standing one with her sister I’ll bet but it always seemed weirdly phrased?
- Ever became a bit of a hypocrite & wasn’t acknowledging it so that’s frustrating. She’s mad about the bond/tie & that she doesn’t know if she & Aeson can ever be fine because “he’s hiding stuff” but she’s literally on a pile of secrets. It’s just annoying.
- I feel like the Noctices all have power we don’t know about. Someone is a Surger or even a Syphon.

[Darcey · Rating 3 out of 5]

i've kinda forgotten this book already, but i think it was fun!!
the usual special snowflake storyline with a tall, dark, dangerous mmc, but i will always eat it up. fun to read, addictive enough, entertaining for sure!!

[Fiona · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 - 4 ⭐️🎧

If a territorial dragon prince growls at a trauma-forged menace and she throat-punches him instead of swooning? I’m seated. Immediately.

This book gave me vengeance-driven heroine energy, political dragon tension, public declarations, wing found-family softness, and eventually? Heat that actually pays off.

Was it perfect? No.
Was I entertained, emotionally invested, and occasionally feral? Absolutely.

And the audiobook? Understood the assignment.

What Worked For Me

Ever Tenebrae (sharp edges and zero submission). Ever carries this book.

She's not soft. She's not pliable. She's not impressed.

Her arc isn’t just romantic; it’s about reclamation. Power. Identity. Being more than what was done to her. I loved that her motivation never shrank down to “MMC first.” Even when she bonds, even when she loves, she refuses to disappear.

Her fire is earned. Her anger is righteous. And when she draws the mate-not-master boundary? Iconic.

The Emotional Escalation. The shift from mistrust and power plays to bond recognition and devotion felt layered and earned.

This wasn’t insta-trust. It was friction first. Testing. Calculated restraint. Emotional chess.

When the emotional beats hit (especially in the latter half), they landed. The vulnerability scenes? Solid. The public gestures? Swoon-coded. The found-family wing moments? Genuinely warm.

The Wing (and yes, Lorn). The side characters kept me engaged when Aeson drifted into the background.

The Wing dynamic adds texture instead of filler. The found-family energy felt genuine - especially in the quieter moments where they show up for Ever without trying to contain her.

And Lorn?

I need Lorn’s lore immediately.

He’s not loud. He’s not combustible. He simmers. Watches. Smiles like he’s three moves ahead. Where Aeson burns hot and territorial, Lorn feels patient and strategic. Not messy love-triangle bait - calculated presence.

He intrigued me in a way that feels intentional, and I very much need to know what’s going on behind that calm predator energy.

The Audio Experience. This is where the bump to 4 stars comes in.

The production was clean, and the performances kept the tension alive even during the slower political stretches. The growls, the softness, the cadence shifts during the bond scenes - it all translated beautifully in audio.

I read along with the text, and the dual experience made the latter half especially immersive. Once the pacing picked up? The audio absolutely amplified the heat and emotional weight.

Where It Wobbled

Mid-Book Pacing. There’s a stretch in the middle where momentum dips.

Right after a major emotional high, Aeson fades slightly into the background while we build political and wing dynamics.

Important? Yes. Necessary worldbuilding? Also yes.

But I felt the slowdown.

When you’ve just been handed peak dragon wrath tension, anything quieter can feel like a cool-down you didn’t ask for.

Trust Issues (On Both Sides). The mistrust arc makes sense. It’s realistic. It’s character-consistent.

But there were moments where I wanted both of them to just sit down and communicate like bonded adults instead of circling each other with suspicion for the fifteenth time.

The third-act fracture fits the arc - and still felt like a gut punch.

Final Thoughts

This isn’t just dragon heat (though yes, it delivers when it gets there). It’s about autonomy, wholeness, and what it means to bond without losing yourself.

Ever choosing herself will always earn my respect.
Aeson shifting from dominance to devotion? Growth I appreciated.
The Wing stepping up? Found-family excellence.
Lorn simmering in the background? I am watching you, sir.

3.5 stars for pacing dips and emotional circling. Rounded up to 4 because the audio made it immersive and elevated the later payoff.

Book 2? Audio only. No hesitation.

Tropes and Vibes:

• Territorial dragon prince x trauma-hardened heroine
• Captor tension ➝ equal power dynamic
• “Mate, not master” energy
• Found family wing squad
• Political dragon factions
• Soul-bond escalation
• Competitive dominance flirting
• Healing arc > romance arc
• Third-act fracture with teeth
• Elemental heat (literally)

[Shannon Farley · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Cut me. Hurt me. Destroy me. I’ll happily bleed for you, Ever. Every drop is yours already.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

Wow! 🤩 I loved this! It kept getting better and better the more you read!

Thank you Ivy Asher for getting me out of my Romantsy slump! How is no one talking about this book!


I really liked the pacing/storyline in this. With each chapter picked up right where the last left off, you felt like you were connected in the story the whole time!

The characters were so great! We had a killer FMC, with the perfect balance between strong and tough, but also fragile and sensitive! And finally an MMC, that was confident and bad ass, but also respectful and kind. I get so bored with the male main characters being jerks all the time so this was refreshing for me! 😊 The side characters also gave the story a very interesting dynamic that I hope to see more of in the next book!

Slow burn✔️
Tension ✔️
Romance✔️
Drama✔️
Banter✔️
Bonding/fated mates✔️✔️
Possessive dragons✔️✔️
Spice(took a minute but holy smokes it delivered!)✔️✔️✔️


Can’t wait to see what’s to come in book 2! I will definitely be reading some of her other books in the near future! ❤️

[Stephanie Walton · Rating 5 out of 5]

YOU GUYS! 5 freaking stars all the way!
I could not put this book down! Ivy Asher writes some of the best FMC’s and Ever was no exception. Such a badass with complicated and heart wrenching backstory.

The depth to which Ivy writes her characters just grips you from the first page and makes you feel as though you are living in this world along side them.

The world building is easy to follow and also complex enough to be intriguing to the overall plot of the book. I need the next book like I need air.

Move over shadow daddies because fire daddy Aeson is here!
😅😅😅

Thank you Ivy Asher for the ARC 🤗💕

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full review to follow: The emotion and tension in this read was just everything. I was pulled into the story right from the start and along for the vengeance ride !!! If you have a thing for hot sexy dragon shifters … this is a book you are gonna want to pick up right away !!! Loved the characters and found family aspect of this read !!! I can not wait to continue the story !!!

Audiobook : OH my !!! The way these narrators were able to portray all the emotions going on got me hooked from the start. I loved how it felt like you were on an adventure as soon as this started from how much feeling was put into this audiobook. Absolutely loved all the variety in the voices from each narrator and the back and forth was just exquisite!! I was easily able to distinguish who was speaking and the tone and flow was seamless. I listened to this at 1.5, 1.7 and 2.0 which were all really good speeds for me and my preferred speeds.

[Spasticnontastic · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

Not enough depth on main characters. That will hopefully change throughout the series. Also, I am always annoyed when the tough female lead talks oh so tough but there is really nothing on the page that demonstrates that toughness. It’s a pet peeve. 😂

[Gabby · Rating 2 out of 5]

So cringey. Started off somewhat entertaining but just got more annoying as it went on. So many things I could go on about but I won’t even bother.
I will say though that holy shit the fmc was stupid and insufferable.

[Heather Becht (fantasyromantasy) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am SCREAMING at myself for sleeping on this book. This is my first book by Ivy and it certainly will not be the last. I did an immersive read (tandem listened to the audio and eyeball read) and I could NOT put the book down. The duet narration was fantastic and addictive, bringing this futuristic and techy world to life in such a picturesque way. The narrators did a fantastic job at pulling out all the emotions.

The main characters, Ever & Aeson, were tenacious and fierce. Their relationship was a battlefield of push and pull, and I couldn’t wait for that spark to explode. The slow slow burn was everythinggggg, and this book had the best “Who. Did. This. To. You?” that I have EVER read in a book. I loved how possessive they both were for each other, while still being enemies right up until the ending. AND THAT ENDING!!!!!!! YALLLLLLLLLL. I need the next book like yesterday and cannot wait until I add it to my treasure trove of books.

𝓣𝓻𝓸𝓹𝓮𝓼 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓥𝓲𝓫𝓮𝓼:4
🔥Spicy Urban Fantasy Romance
🔥Enemies with Benefits
🔥Growly Fire Daddy With Spicy Flames
🔥Dragon Shifters & Magical Creatures
🔥”Who. Did. This. To. You.?”
🔥Found Family
🔥Cursed Species
🔥Futuristic Techy World
🔥Hilarious Banter & Tension
🔥Bonds & Mates
🔥Hidden Identity
🔥Delicious Slow-Burn

[Chi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well damn it !! I now have a new obsession. This book was so fucking good ! Top tier !!!! There wasn’t one thing I didn’t like about it and everything was so beautifully executed. The writing style was amazing and the plot had me hanging on to every word . I COULD NOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN. It’s been a long while since I’ve been able to say that about a book but this one without a doubt gripped me and didn’t let go . All the ⭐️’s !

I also couldn’t tell you the last time a book had me continuously laughing out-loud and turning red during moments . It drew every emotion out of me and I found myself time and time again smiling like a giddy school girl

Ever is officially one of my all time favorite FMC’s and I don’t say that lightly . The way she was beautifully developed was pure perfection . I felt like I KNEW HER and connected with her from the start. As she’s trying to work through some trauma , somehow the author did it amazingly where I didn’t find it annoying at times. Not one thing annoyed me about her and I found myself relating to her time and time again . Her witty banter and humor ….. yall …. I couldn’t stop laughing. I will never stop thinking about this book when I see a butter knife LMAO

Don’t get me started on the sexy as hell MMC Aeson . DAMN … JUST DAMN …. I’ll let you find out all about him without spoiling anything for you . 🔥🔥🔥🔥 You might find yourself swooning over more than just him 😉

I loooooved the world-building and the adventure ! So much fun that was packed with action. Super easy to follow.

So worth the read !!!! This book will hold so many hearts . It definitely has mine


Tropes
⭐️ Dragon shifters
⭐️Enemies-to-Lover
⭐️Who did this to you
⭐️Forced proximity
⭐️Found Identify
⭐️Dangerous secrets
⭐️ Being hunted
⭐️Tragic back story
⭐️ Magic
⭐️Royalty

🌶️-1.5 - but damn are those moments are good 🔥🔥🔥

[Savannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy shit what did I just read?!?!?! Spark the Flames is a masterpiece through and through and I couldn’t put it down. If I could give this book an infinite number of stars I would.

This book is top tier and is a must read. It’s the most I’ve been invested in a fantasy book in such a long time. I’m truly obsessed. I had so much fun, I kicked my feet with giddiness, I blushed, I squealed, I laughed, it hurt my heart, it was a wild ride in the best way. This is going to sit in my head for sooo long and I will definitely be rereading it.

Dragon shifters??????? I needed this type of book like I need air. The shifters are so possessive and primal and I ate it up.

Ever might be one of my favorite FMC’s. Ivy has such a way to write a badass but slightly broken FMC who still had snark and sass. Ever’s out for revenge for the death of her family and her tragic past had my heart hurting.

The scene where Aeson and Ever meet for the first time is chefs kiss omg. I couldn’t be more obsessed with them and their relationship. The banter, bickering, and slow burn tension between Ever and Aeson is top tier.

The progression of their relationship from enemies to enemies with benefits to potentially something more is written soooo well. I loved how Aeson slowly opens up to her and she starts to see him as a person rather than an enemy, and vice versa.

Also this literally might have been the best “who did this to you?” scene I everrrr read 😍

The mix of urban cities and tech with epic fantasy and magic is pure perfection. Every single detail from the description from the of the futuristic vehicles to the high tech fashion to the dragon scale armor was just fucking amazing. This is one of the rare books that I could vividly visualize every detail described.

The found family is perfect and truly one of my favs. I adored Aeson’s wing and how they teased ever and tried to get her to open up. Ivy did such an amazing job giving each character a distinct personality.

I think this is going to be my top read of the year. As soon as I finished it, I just sat there staring at the ceiling in disbelief that it was over. This is a book that I wanted to immediately start reading again.

I BEG you to read this!!!

Tropes:
Dragon shifters
Who did this to you
Court intrigue
He calls her claws
One bed
Possessive MMC
Fire daddy who uses is magic in all the right ways 😉

[Dayna | daynas.bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

EMPHASIS ON SLOW BURN 😩

the tea is piping hot and juicy af in this book. loved the fantasy setting with sci-fi (?) touches- definitely felt unique compared to a lot of other dragon stories lately!

ever, homegirl, you can simply do no wrong in my eyes. my girl is a ~special~ kind of dragon in hiding who finds herself tangled in the web of court politics, because SURPRISE she’s one of the last surviving descendants of the previous royals. SHE’s JUST A GIRL! WHO WILL STAB YOU!

aeson…. *puts hair behind ear* aeson could push me down a spiral staircase and i’d passionately thank him on my way down.

the slow burn tension was 🤌🏼 and i loooove me some snarky banter. mix in possessive dragon shifters who go slightly feral about their chosen, and BOOM! i’m on the floor.

the second half of this book was a whirlwind and i couldn’t stop! chalk it up to the fact that i was moving or nah, but the pacing of the first half is the only thing that knocked it down a star for me!

[Doom Sunshine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Even though this is a a M/F book, Asher decided to keep with the tradition of "every man gives the FMC a really dumb nickname."
Here are the FMC's nicknames: Frills, Syphon, Claws, Ducky, Biscuit, Beautiful.

She allows herself to be manhandled ALL THE TIME.
At 21%, the MMC threatens the FMC with sexual punishment because she dare have a personality.
Also at 21%, we have BBS.
At 26%, the FMC acknowledges that she is developing feelings for two dragons, and says "I need to stop doing that." AND SHE NEVER STOPS. In fact, we hear about how she needs to stop getting close to the people in the city and stop being complacent almost every chapter.
At 30%, she breaks what she promised herself at 26%. But then the very next paragraph, she says she won't spill any of her secrets. WHICH SHE DOES TIME AND TIME AGAIN.

FMC is so very weak minded, and the author chose to hide BBS and being weak behind a fated mate bond.

The one thing that Asher excels at is creating a world, magic system and people that are so very real. It's one of her biggest strengths.

I will read book 2, but man, did I expect better of Asher. It's 2025, we can have our FMC's stick up for themselves and not succumb to BBS. I think it's time.

[Laura (thenerdygnomelife) · Rating 5 out of 5]

All of you Fourth Wing fans out here — here's another book to pick up ASAP! From what I can tell, this novel has been flying pretty far under the radar, but as a fun, fast read, it definitely deserves more fans.

Ever is a dragonshifter who was cursed on the night the royal family — her mother, father, and siblings —were brutally murdered, leaving her unable to reveal her inner dragon. Driven by a quest for vengeance and a desperate search to break the curse, she meets a number of obstacles, not least of which is when she is captured by The Horde, the very group she believes orchestrated her family’s slaughter.

While I found the info dumping of the world building a bit clunky at the start (and was tempted to set it aside), Ivy Asher hit her stride not too long after and absolutely sucked me in.

Read this if you love:
* grumpy love interests
* she's mine protective streaks
* enemies-to-lovers banter
* talking dragons (well, dragon shapeshifters)
* urban fantasy
* curse breaking and revenge stories
* open-door spice

Fair warning, this one ends on an absolute cliffhanger. 4.5 stars rounded up.

[Nash Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a good time. I laughed more times than I expected too. I like it started out in a moment of chaos and built up from there. The characters and world itself are cool. Love the tension between the main characters. Pretty descent read overall.

[Tay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loooovvvved this book. I managed to read the first half in one night and only stopped because my Kindle died. The writing is just a bit juvenile, but it is paired with a pretty funny MC, so I did not really care much about that one thing. This book tickled my brain in the best way, had so many tropes that I just love. It almost felt like this book was written for me, because it was just the way I like a book. Also the world and backstory was pretty cool and original. It was a bit similar to Crescent City where there is modern technology paired with Fae, Dragons, and all different types of mystical creatures.

We follow Ever, a dragon shifter, who has been in captivity by blood crafters who torture her and take her blood. She can't shift because of a curse put on her line of dragons/family. She escapes and is taken to a hospital, but the hospital notifies the Dragon Horde, just the people her and her line have been hiding from her entire life. A long chase ensues, but Ever is eventually picked up by Aeson Noctis and his Wing and taken back to Aragon City. Ever thinks she will immediately die, because of her lineage and special power that was snuffed out decades earlier. She is very surprised to find she is welcomed, beloved, and very interesting to the Horde.

All of the characters are great. Aeson's Wing (like his guards) are all so funny and different. I adored Aeson from the beginning. There is a masterful "who did this to you?" scene that sent shivers up my spine. The author does a good job revealing the backstory of Ever's family and why she hated the Horde and has hidden from them. We slowly get so many important details while following a very slow burn romance of Aeson and Ever.

The final few chapters and the plot twist was amazing. It really enthralled me and made me want the next book SO bad. I will be reading the next book, I adored this and had the time of my life reading it.

[book.obsessed.jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 ⭐️
2/5 🌶️

Wow. The way this book had me in a chokehold and I binged read this in about 24hrs. SO SO GOOD!! The writing, the characters, everything - absolute perfection. This book made cry, kick my feet, and giggle constantly. &The way I’m already considering a reread and need book 2 stat. 😍🔥

I absolutely love the world Ivy has created - it’s an urban fantasy but with futuristic vibes and magic. It was so cool to read and discover everything that this world consisted of. And the characters?! Ever’s whitty banter and feistiness?! Obsessed! And can we take a moment to appreciate the Noctis brothers?! 🥵

The way this is already one of my fav reads of the year!

Thank you so so much to Ivy Asher & team for the eARC! Opinions are my own. 🫶🏻

What to Expect
🔥Dragon Shifters
🔥Who Did This To You?
🔥Royal Politics
🔥Urban Fantasy
🔥Witty FMC
🔥Some Spice
🔥Cliffhanger

Fav Quotes:

“Death and I have an unspoken agreement. We like to flirt and toy with one another, but we keep it cutesy and never go all the way.”

"Spark the flames. Ignite the infernos. Ash the embers."

"Cut me. Hurt me. Destroy me. I'll happily bleed for you, Ever. Every drop is yours already."

[Joanna Owens · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've never been the biggest Ivy Asher fan, though I have read many of her books and have mostly enjoyed them.

This one is worthy of ALL the fantastic reviews it's getting. It's so good. Witty, funny, brilliant world building and great characters with epic found family. A lovely MMC too, I'm getting a bit tired of all the toxic shadow daddies left, right and centre. Writers follow trends don't they and it's lovely to see a slightly gentler take on this current MMC trend.
I think she's outdone herself, if you haven't read it yet, you just have to because you'll love it. It's romantasy dragon shifter perfection!

I call it sci-fantasy Romantasy! Yaaaaaas!

[britta ⋆˙⟡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 super fun page turner 🐉🌟 happy that IA is back with a new series I devoured it! A few eye rolling parts lacking in nuance but overall it was super enjoyable

[Jester Reviews · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm rating it extremely low to bring the review down, as barely anyone else is approaching this book with any critical thinking. Unfortunately, that responsibility now falls to me. Buckle up, bitches. Y'all are about to have your mind blown.

I didn't hate all of it. I found the writing to be well done, even beautiful at some points. Asher certainly knows how to craft compelling writing. It's engaging, some of the lines go hard, and yeah, I can see why people highlighted some of them. Enough prose to be descriptive, and very rarely does it overstay its welcome.

Unlike a lot of romantasies who treat the fantasy aspects as an afterthought, I could tell Asher loved the world she made. I have a soft spot for urban fantasies that take place in a second world, and I love the idea of so many mythical creatures all trying to coexist. However, some of the exposition didn't feel so clear to me. I had to go on her Instagram to figure out what some of the dragons were and what powers they had, which is not ideal. It took me a while to figure out that the dragons were in charge of everyone and not just each other. Maybe this was my problem, perhaps it wasn't. I don't know. In addition, this book has the problem where 5000 fantasy terms are thrown at you in the first few chapters without any explanation on what they are. They slowly get drip-fed to you at a glacial pace, but it does not make for a pleasant reading experience. I understand the desire to immerse your viewers in the world, but try to do that gradually. Lovingly. Tenderly. You get the idea.

While I was pondering Ever and if I liked her, I concluded that I like the idea of her rather than her execution. I found that I liked her personality (even when she got a little annoying); the snarky, badass heroine who takes no shit and strategizes is entertaining. But, because we can't have nice things, everything else got in the way of that. For starters, let's take a look at her backstory:
- a part of a super duper rare dragon species that's being hunted to extinction
- said species also has super cool powers (NULLIFYING AND TAKING AWAY OTHER PEOPLE'S POWERS, EITHER PERMANENTLY OR TEMPORARILY)
- daughter of the king, so she's got political power
- kidnapped and betrayed by a mysterious person
- tortured for 100+ days and has her blood used by eeevil people who are also after her

I really hate to use this term but it feels very old school Mary Sue. Like, everything about her is just sooooo tragic and sad that it almost borders on torture porn. Yet again, we have a shapeshifter female character who CAN'T SHAPESHIFT. What is it with authors being so terrified to let them be able to become giant, monstrous beasts? I know that she gets her dragon back right at the end, so we will see her be a dragon in the next book, but come on. Why couldn't she be a secret dragon on the run? Oh, right, so the MMC can be a hero and constantly save her. She also doesn't do too much throughout the story. She happens to meet allies and stumble upon things that will advance her in the plot, but there are very few times she goes out and does something herself. It's frustrating. I hope in book 2, we'll see more of Evergreen doing things.

I'm not going to say much about Aeson that I haven't said about the other copies of him I've read in other books. He is the definition of copy-paste when it comes to being a love interest. If you've read one, you've read them all—cocky, super powerful, muscley and ripped, 6'12, always an asshole or smirking. You get the idea. There is nothing new or unique about him. Hell, I'm pretty sure I read another romantasy where the hot male love interest had a dead mom, too. Because, of course, he has a dead mom. God forbid there are women in this book (put a pin in that. We'll get back to it).

((EDIT: I totally forgot about this fact but holy shit. He does the classic "who did this to you" BUT IT TAKES HIM A WHOLE PAGE TO SAY IT!!!!! HE SAYS ONE WORD, ACTION HAPPENS, SAYS ANOTHER WORD AGAIN, RINSE AND REPEAT. It's supposed to be this badass moment, but then he and Effervescent start sniffing and fondling each other, and it's genuinely so weird.))

So the thing about Aeson and Everclear is that I couldn't get behind them as a couple. Nothing about their interactions made me want to root for them to get together. They were constantly at each other's throats, they never trusted each other, and especially now with the ending of Ever going rougue, killing the Relacour matron, and fucking off as a dragon, I don't see how they can ever gain each other's trust back. Not to mention how constantly disrespectful Aeson consistently was with what Ever wanted, both plot-wise and within their (very) sexual relationship.

A possessive heat banks in his gaze, and he leans over me until our noses are almost touching. "Your dragon feels the same way you do, like you were made for me and me you. Like the metric of my happiness rests solely on yours. Like I could never be complete without you by my side."

This isn't romantic or swoon-worthy, especially with the way they acted throughout the novel. Hell, even in one of the final scenes, where she tells him she doesn't like cuddles, he still steamrolls ahead and does what he wants anyway. It's this trend that pops up in this kind of heterosexual romantasy where the woman's agency is ignored because deep down she wants it anyway. Because god forbid a woman actively voice her desires and want to be loved. And considering what I said previously about Evercrombie and Fitch having barely any agency, this is not looking too good.

Hell, I barely even feel like they like each other. There's this one declaration of love the author loves to plaster on her instagram that's just...

"Cut me. Hurt Me. Destroy me. I'll happily bleed for you, Ever. Every drop is yours already."

Okay, but do you know her favorite color? Do you know the way she likes her coffee? Do you know where she'd love to go on vacation someday? Do you even know her hobbies??? Authors love having characters make these grand statements of love, but their characters barely feel like acquaintances, never mind lovers. So, to flex and show you how a real pro does it, here's a passage from a love letter my girlfriend wrote to me:

If I thought being your friend was great, it's been absolutely sublime to be your girlfriend. I love your sense of humor, your unabashed goofiness, your deep passion for both what you love and what you hate. I could listen to you gushing about your projects, rambling about League/Arcane lore, or ranting about [BOOKTOK AUTHOR THAT HAS SINCE BLOCKED ME ON INSTAGRAM] for hours--especially when you get that beautiful and bright look in your eyes.

THAT'S HOW YOU DO IT!!!!! It might not be marketable as a line in a book to the average person (it is to me, though), but it demonstrates a deep, honest, pure love. And that's what makes me root for a couple. Give me something to root for.

And that's where we get to the root of all this: the mate bond. A mate bond says, "These two are supposed to get together, and you, reader, should want that." Never mind that they're constantly fighting and bickering. Never mind that they're continually hiding secrets from each other and still can't trust each other even by the end. Not to mention Mount Everest's constant back and forth on whether she wants to use Aeson for her own goals or if she truly likes him gets ANNOYING. The only thing that drives these two together is how much they want to bone. Which could be an interesting dilemma...if this weren't set up as a romance we're supposed to root for. We get it, they're both hot and horny and because of that, they need to be together. But other than that, there is zero substance to their relationship. I don't even think Ever Given likes Aeson for his personality. Everything is about his looks and his rippling muscles and how bighugelarge he is (because of course he has to be; these authors can't conceive of any man below 5'11). Do better.

Another problem with this book is the cast bloat. There were so many names I had to keep track of, and it got to a point where it was way too much. We had Evergreen Marine Corporation Ltd + her sister and the other dragons in the Scorch, Aeson, Aeson's brother and father, Nixy, Aeson's entire wing (8 PEOPLE, DAYMN), Some members of Lorn's wing, Several different commanders, the villains, and not to mention all the people who died too. Unfortunately, this means that many side characters lack distinct personalities. Aeson's wing could have been cut in half for all we cared, and Lorn probably could have been combined with the king (make him retire!!!). We almost got a whole ass other wing for Everybody Hates Chris, but that plot point seemed to get dropped pretty quickly.

So, something I picked up on was the weird amount of woman-hate. Aside from Nixy, who is related to one of the dead women she likes, Evermore by Taylor Swift seems to despise every single woman she comes across. Tove, the one masculine woman, all of the minor female side characters, every single one of them. She doesn't have this problem with the male characters, who all seem to love and adore her. It's weird, and makes me wonder how many female friends Ivy Asher has in real life. And of course, within the series, female dragons are rare, which means...that's right, it's a sausage party! God forbid other women be badass.

Did I have a fun time with this? No. Am I going to read the second book, because this book has me by the throat? Yes. But if you're sitting there after reading this review and thinking, "wow, this bitch is putting way too much thought into this." Well, I take my media seriously. Sorry I'm a killjoy who studied media for 6 years of higher education, but we should think about the subtle messages that are being slipped into our entertainment.

Until next time, Everthorpe and Gaeson.

[bailey | baysreads ⚡️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

chef’s kiss, imma need 14 of em