Survive

by B. Steffens, L.E. Sells

Hate is a flame.
Insatiable when coaxed by the slightest breath, hungry to incite inferno.
And Elysia is burning.
Our world has always reigned between dragon and phoenix rule, living in harmony; though a senseless war for power has divided us.
But the heat of astral fury was nothing compared to the human machines when they appeared in our realm.
With weapons and bots, the humans brought Elysia to heel and now, we are disappearing…slowly like mist in a new rising sun and the strength of Elysia is faltering beneath the weight of the humans' false light.
Fire meets steel in a war that begs sworn enemies to join for hope of saving the heart of Elysia.
There's no more room for mistakes.
Dragons and Phoenixes must burn together.
Or Elysia will be lost to the flame.

Welcome to Ironsgate Penitentiary.

An epic romance where cyberpunk meets traditional fantasy. For lovers of Alchemised and The Zodiac Academy, immerse yourself in the world of Elysia. Dragon and Phoenix astrals have ruled for millennia, reigning together in harmony until a war tore them apart, shifting the tides of the monarchy. Now, the humans have taken over with advanced technology unlike anything the astrals have ever seen and the stakes become deadly when astrals start going missing; rounded up and carted away to never be seen again. Tensions run high between astrals but as the humans close in with visions of a new world, it’s up to two born enemies to bring their people together under a united front. If only all was simple in love and war…

331 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 31, 2026

About the author

B. Steffens is an indie author with a love for all things mystical, fantastical, dark and romantic. A passionate storyteller, B. Steffens spends her days playing D&D, writing romantasy novels, reading dark romance and podcasting. She resides in Northern Nevada with her two beautiful children and her number one supporter: her husband.

Reviews

[Ivy Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

So let me start this off with I was incredibly honored to be able to be an ARC reader for this incredible book.

I was on the edge of my seat reading this because I just had to know what happened next at every turn. This is not generally the type of book I would normally pick up (Romantasy usually isn’t my thing) but this had just enough other elements to keep me engaged.

I also have to mention that I definitely appreciated the map and the definitions in the beginning of the book as they helped me to understand the world that I was stepping into.

This book had a lot of smut, but it was used in a way that drove the plot forward which I haven’t seen in a lot of the “smutty” books I’ve picked up lately.

I appreciated the fresh take on fantasy creatures because the way that they interact with the human world in this book is like nothing I’ve ever read before.

This book was absolutely a breath of fresh air after some of the disappointing fantasy reads I’ve had lately.

This book is absolutely a five star book for me.

[cyph · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel genuinely so privileged that I was able to ARC read this novel. The story kept me HOOKED, I love the mixing of fantasy and sci-di dystopia, it works so beautifully in this story. I am so so excited to see where it goes in the next books.
There *is* smut in the book, however it works amazingly and I dont think its over the top or over done. I think it fit in perfectly.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG! This book!!! It sucked me in right from the beginning. The characters were amazing. The premise was something I can't remember ever seeing. I can't wait to see what's going to happen in the next book.

[Amanda Bentley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was honored to be chosen as an ARC reader. I wasn’t sure I’d like so many different point of views, however Steffens and Sells do an absolutely stunning job keeping characters straight and keeping things making sense. I also truly believe that it was the selling point of the story! The depth that each character was developed makes me so very excited to read the future additions to the series!! Highly recommend for anyone looking for forbidden romance, angst, and a unique twist on the shifter world.

[Jamie Mcmahan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really walked into reading this book with no idea what to expect. In all fairness, I am not a big fan of spiciness or smut in books. This book is fairly spicy and I think at first that influenced me, but I objectively found that the spiciness was relevant to the plot and that makes a big difference for me. I don’t like gratuitous spiciness just for the sake of it. But if it moves, the plot forward and is necessary, I totally am OK with it even though it’s not my preference.That being said, I think the spice was well written and realistic. I think it was absolutely relevant to setting the tone and make the background setting of a prison realistic as well.

After the first couple chapters that were very spicy, I discovered the beginnings of a strong plot line that I didn’t see coming, and that I really enjoyed. The further I went into the story, the more invested I became in the characters. I think the authors did a really good job at creating rich and relatable characters pretty quickly. They created a world that was believable and characters that I cared about in a remarkably short amount of time. The pacing was just right and overall, this was an easy and quick read. By the time I was done reading the book I really enjoyed the story overall and found myself rooting for my favorites and enjoying the villains as well.

I think I surprised myself by how much I enjoyed this read, and I will look forward to the sequel to find out what happens next. If you are a fan of smut, but also romance, I think this would be a good read for you.

[Kaylyn Long · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC copy of this book and wasn't sure what to expect, as this was my first time being an ARC reader. I was hopeful it would be interesting, as I had not read any books about phoenix, but was still pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. As an ADHD girly, starting books is easy but finishing them can be a task sometimes. With Survive, I did not want to put the book down and needed to know what would happen next. If I didn't have to work, I probably could've devoured this in one sitting. I think this was an interesting concept for a series, a bit different than my typical read. The ending wasn't my favorite, but I think that might be more of a personal bias of that particular area/idea/concept/plot(keeping it vague to prevent spoilers). My one other qualm is that I have to wait forever to find out what happens with our MCs next. I am too early! I would also love a prequel that explains a bit more about the world and how it got to how it is. All that being said, I'm so glad I stumbled upon this
opportunity to be an ARC reader and would love to do it again for book 2!

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a fascinating blend of fantasy and cyberpunk that pulled me in far more than I expected, especially since I don't typically reach for fantasy. The clash between dragons, phoenixes, and humans creates a world that feels tense and lived‑in, and the prison setting adds a grounded sense of danger that keeps everything moving.
The characters were messy, yet I found myself caring about them even though some were walking red flags with wings, trauma, or both. The forbidden romance had me muttering, "Don’t do it," while simultaneously scrolling through pages like a gremlin who absolutely wanted them to do it.
I loved the multiple POVs, which gave the story real depth without slowing the pace.
The ending tho... definitely left me wondering…
Do I know who I trust? Absolutely not.
Did I enjoy the chaos? Deeply.
In all honesty, it was an amazing book, and I'll absolutely be reading the next one!

[Fuschia Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this as an ARC and fan of one of the authors. I thoroughly enjoyed the world that LE Sells and B Steffens introduced us to, the fantasy elements with shifters was amazing. The intro to the lore of this world, the Phoenixes, the Dragons, I need more!! I loved the characters both FMCs, and the MMCs. If you’ve enjoyed Zodiac Academy and Darkmore Penitentiary you will enjoy some of the elements here. This book is definitely a must read for my fantasy girlies, who like their stories a little dark, enemies to lovers and enemies to enemies with forced proximity. My only critiques are I really wanted more world building, but I understand we know enough about the outside world that it will come in book 2!

[kylee · Rating 5 out of 5]

COMPELLING AND FAST PACED!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

Seriously could not put this book down! Stumbled upon this book by chance without any expectations. I ended up finishing it in a day; it was so good. Urban fantasy is not usually my favorite, but I think the authors did it extremely well! Love the multiple POVs from the get go; each character is so complex and there are so many past secrets that I can’t wait to see be revealed. The word is completely unique to a lot of other fantasies and I hope to see the magic system expand as the series progresses.

If you loved Us Dark Few and Savage Lands, then I would high recommend Survive!

Now just hoping book 2 comes out soon….because, that cliff hanger tho!

[Shelbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

I just finished this and really enjoyed it! The blend of dragons and steampunk gives the world an edge, but the heart of the story is definitely the romance. The multiple POVs add depth and make the emotional tension feel more layered.

And yes- this is very spicy! The chemistry is strong and unapologetic, which will definitely appeal to readers who like spicy romantasy!

Survive from the Ashes is a fun, bold read with dragons, romance, and plenty of heat.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Chronically Unity · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved every minute of this book. I was fully addicted. It kind of gave me the same vibes as us dark few. I loved getting different perspectives from the different characters and I feel like they were written very well. I was just utterly addicted and I blew through this book way faster than I thought I would and the only thing that upset me is that I now have to wait for the next one. Will be recommended to every single one of my friends, and I genuinely cannot wait to see what the next chapter holds.

[Shanna Tamminga · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me absolutely hooked from the very beginning. There’s no sacrificing plot for spice in this story, both are there in abundance. I love that the story is told from the perspective of four separate characters, as opposed to just one or two. It really had me invested in each and every character. I love a good shifter book and this book did not disappoint (hello sexy dragon shifters). I absolutely ate this book up and my only complaint is that I wish it were 200 pages longer because I wanted more!

[Julian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Survive is fierce, cinematic, and emotionally charged, an explosive collision of fantasy and cyberpunk where love is as dangerous as war. With dragons and phoenixes forced into uneasy alliance and humanity wielding cold steel against ancient fire, this story burns with urgency, rebellion, and forbidden connection. Gritty, romantic, and relentless, it dares its characters—and readers—to believe that even sworn enemies can ignite hope before everything turns to ash.