Cinderveil

by Jeff Bartrom

Perfect for fans of Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn, Samantha Shannon’s The Priory of the Orange Tree, Sabaa Tahir’s An Ember in the Ashes, Leigh Bardugo’s Shadow and Bone, and Netflix’s The Witcher.

“A forgotten heroine with fire in her veins must unite rival races and outpace a rising undead army while a dangerous, soul deep bond threatens to unravel everything she fights for.”

When hope is a choice, what will you burn to keep it alive?

Seraphine wakes on a battlefield of the dead with fire crawling under her skin and no memory of the life she lost. The world she’s dropped into is splintering with ancient magic breaking loose, old alliances turning to ash, and an unstoppable undead horde sweeping across the realms.

Every faction wants her power. Only one man—dangerous, unreadable, bound to her by a pull she can’t explain wants the truth.

To survive, Seraphine must forge unity where blood feuds run generations deep: humans, dwarves, fae, elves, orcs, wolf kin and more. But the deeper she digs into her forgotten past, the clearer it becomes that her fire isn’t a gift—it’s a reckoning.

And the bond growing between her and her most lethal ally may be the spark that saves their world… or the fuse that burns it down.

Readers Will Love This If You Enjoy...
• Epic fantasy with sweeping worldbuilding and ancient magic
• Dark romantasy with a dangerous, morally gray love interest
• A heroine uncovering the truth behind the power burning inside her
• Undead armies, political intrigue, and fractured alliances
• High stakes adventure across a new realm and diverse races
• Slow burn tension, soul deep bonds, and explosive revelations

Genres: Fantasy

344 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 20, 2026

About the author

Jeff Bartrom writes at the intersection of grit and wonder. A professional environmental engineer and military veteran, he brings procedural credibility and lived experience to every story he tells whether it unfolds in a small rural town or across the vast realms of his epic fantasy series, Cinderveil, and his award‑winning novel Cypress Grace. His work is known for its psychological realism, emotional depth, and immersive worldbuilding. Raised in the Midwest and now living in Florida, Jeff continues to craft stories about healing, resilience, and the enduring hope that binds people together.

Reviews

[Jasmine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC read. I have always loved a fantasy book. This will probably be a little surprising to a lot of you... but I haven't watch or read a Lord of the Rings book ever. But if you love Lord of the Rings then this book you will love. I wanted to read this book because it was a fantasy book that had enemies to lovers, found family and magic in it.
My thoughts of this book was that it was such a good romantasy book. I gave this book 4 stars but for me, to get 5 stars it's because I related so much to it whether it was the plot or the story. So 4 stars is amazing in my book. I loved the characters and the world that Jeff created for us to jump into. I never experienced war trauma but I have experienced medical trauma so that part of the book, I could relate to in a way. I love when books one way or another finds a way to relate to my life. It was a different type of fantasy in the sense that it was like an adventure throughout the whole book. I loved that world. I hope that we can get more of these types of books from Jeff.

[Misty Byrd · Rating 4 out of 5]

She woke on a battlefield with fire in her veins… and no memory of who she was.

I received this book from the author as an ARC and it is such a unique fantasy world. The more I read, the more I was drawn into the story and found myself rooting for the characters.
I love the creepiness of the skeleton (undead) soldiers. It made the battle scenes even more intense.
The slow burn, enemies to lovers romance between Seraphine and Thorne added the perfect tension to the story. I love fantasy and when there is romance added? I love it even more. Seraphine is the perfect FMC. She is fierce, flawed and won't give up.
If you love these tropes:
Romantasy
Reluctant chosen ones
Found family
Unique magic systems
Enemies to lovers
Morally grey hero
Slow burn
Then you have to read this book.

[L.N. Holmes · Rating 5 out of 5]

At times video-game like, at times surreal, Cinderveil has all the markers of classic, epic fantasy, some notable tropes of romantic fantasy, and some of the best aspects of fantasy RPGs. Bartrom’s writing is lush and descriptive, which creates an immersive experience. His characters are endearing and familiar in the best ways. Themes of memory/identity, war trauma, and grief are sprinkled throughout. I did notice some repetitive phrases and passages in the ARC that were likely fixed in the final product. This fantasy will appeal to people who love LORD OF THE RINGS, WHEEL OF TIME, Dragon Age, and other big classic fantasy franchises.

[Penelope Knayme · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given a copy of this book (ePub) as an ARC. This story was incredible. The author, Jeff Bartrom, did an amazing job pulling the reader into the realm through beautiful descriptions. I was fully immersed; world-building alone had me hooked!

[Bonne Sharp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enter a new World!!

I really enjoyed this story. It will draw you in and capture your imagination.
I won’t give you any spoilers, just encourage you to jump into a new adventure.