Embers and Ash

by Melanie Murphy

If you play with fire, you're going to get burned. Unless you're Fiona Blake, who was born with the spark embedded in her very DNA. Fiona spent her entire life trying to hide the condition that burns fiercely within her, believing it was something she could tame, but when the unthinkable happens, Fiona can't hide or justify anything anymore. One day, a mysterious man shows up and offers her a lifeline. She has so many questions, but when you're out of options, questions don't hold much weight; survival is all that matters. 



Making an impossible decision that takes her away from everything she holds dear, Fiona is forced to confront the truth about who she is-what she is. For the sake of her future, she must learn to embrace the demons within.



Plunging herself into a new life with strange people, Fiona dedicates herself to gaining control of her fire. Only then does she begin discovering the answers to all the questions she had when her life was taken out from under her, and those answers are far more sinister than anything she has smoldering inside. 



It is only when her world is reduced to embers and ash that she can clear away the trauma and tragedy that took her life in order to reclaim it. Because maybe her fire isn't a condition at all. Maybe it's a gift.

392 pages, Paperback

Published September 1, 2025

About the author

Melanie Murphy is a resident of Massapequa Park, a great community located in Long Island. She is a mother of two amazing boys and a high school English teacher. When she isn’t teaching, she can be found with her nose in a good book, cheering on her boys at a little league game, or with her toes in the sand at the local beach (in the summers of course).

Reviews

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Embers and Ash is a quiet, emotional read that focuses heavily on healing, grief, and self-reflection. Melanie Murphy’s writing is lyrical and thoughtful, and the characters feel raw and real. I especially appreciated the introspective moments and the atmosphere she creates throughout the story.

The pacing is a little slow at times, and it leans more toward emotion than action, but overall it’s a meaningful and beautifully written book. A solid 4-star read that stays with you after finishing.

[Taryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Embers and Ash is a quieter, emotionally driven urban fantasy that really shines in its character work. The story doesn't rely on constant action or big explosive moments because it’s more about healing, grief, and learning how to live with the parts of yourself that feel dangerous or unwanted. Because of that, it lingers in a way I didn’t expect.

What I loved most was Fiona herself. We get to see her struggle with confidence and self-worth in a very real, relatable way. She doesn’t immediately question everything she’s being asked to do, and at times she becomes almost morally indifferent, going along with things, letting herself be used, largely because she starts to fall for Micah and places all of her trust in him. It doesn’t read as stupidity or weakness; it feels human. Watching her move through that phase and eventually recognize her own value, grow into her power, and start making intentional choices about how she wants to use it was incredibly satisfying.

Melanie Murphy’s writing is lyrical and immersive, with strong visual moments that make the story feel very easy to sink into. The pacing is slower, especially when the story digs into the structure and plans of the groups Fiona becomes involved with, and the book leans far more toward emotional exploration than action. That won’t work for everyone, but for me, the introspection felt purposeful and fit the story being told.

And just when you think you’ve got the trajectory figured out, the book proves you wrong. There are a couple of twists that genuinely surprised me and added emotional weight to the final stretch. Embers and Ash is a thoughtful, character-driven read with elemental magic, morally gray moments, and a heroine whose growth is somewhat messy but well-earned by the end. If you enjoy fantasy that focuses on inner transformation as much as power, this is well worth picking up.

[Michael Thomas Perone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Embers and Ash by Melanie Murphy is the latest in what I’m calling her Elemental Women series (I actually wouldn’t mind the books adopting that moniker), where she writes about a woman with a connection to a particular element of nature (earth, water, fire, air). While her last one, Sea of Whispers, focused on water (naturally), this one concentrates on fire, specifically a young woman with the supernatural power to harness the fire within—what Murphy poetically describes as “the spark embedded in her DNA.” That sensual imagery is in full display throughout this suspenseful book. Once again, Murphy is masterful at artful description. As an author myself, I was impressed and a bit jealous when she described the “narrow throats” of a building’s hallways. I decided to play a game and see if I could come up with a better description for hallways, and I settled on comparing them to the veins and arteries of a human body. Sure enough, Murphy beat me to the punch and used that same description several pages later. I must admit I enjoyed the plot of Sea of Whispers more, if for no other reason than I could identify with the fear of losing a child. However, I preferred the main character in this book; I loved watching Fiona grow from an insecure girl frightened of her ability to a fire-breathing badass who embraces her inner power. (As you could probably guess, there is a feminist parallel here.) You’ll love Fiona, too. There are also a few spicy scenes that will satisfy the romance lover. Without giving away too much of the plot, this book gets political at times, which isn’t my cup of tea. Also, Murphy really gets into the nitty-gritty of detailing the plans of the covert organization Fiona joins, which I felt hurt the pacing. (As Internet slang says: “IMO but YMMV.”) Still, there’s no denying the fiery (pun!) storytelling power that Murphy wields like an expert craftsman, sorry, woman. And there are not one but two twists that will drop your jaw and spin your head around. As a fan of her work, I could see Murphy’s writing improve from book to book, and I can’t wait to see where she goes from here. Bring on the air book!

[Andie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was definitely an interesting read. It’s a story that follows FMC Fiona who can start fires. The story follows her as she takes a bazaar path with two different groups, learning to hone her powers, deal with her emotions, and deciding what she wants her future to be.

This book has strong moral questions, political questions, and gives us a look at what’s right and wrong. There are two plot twists that will keep you reading to see how it ends!

Thank you to the author for a review copy of this book!

[Renee Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a unique story about Fiona and her journey. You will cry, laugh, and root for Fiona from the first page to the last. I found myself thinking ahead and predicting where the story was going. Boy was I wrong, Kudos to the author for another beautifully written, intriguing story. I look forward to her next book.

[Colleen McCree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could not put this down!

[Rodney McWilliams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Top notch read!!

[Alison Sell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book by this amazing author. I could not put it down. I had no idea where it was going and was shocked where it took me! Fiona’s fire within is something we all should possess.