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Razava's Embers
Not yet published
Expected 8 Jun 26132 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication June 8, 2026
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
May 24, 2026
I picked this one up knowing almost nothing about it, and honestly? I think that’s the best way to go in.
Razava’s Embers follows Zan Lohalea, a twenty-nine-year-old indentured Thermance who has spent her whole life heating air in the metalworks and saving every tin she can in the hope of one day buying her freedom. She is sharp, tired, quietly furious, and I was on her side almost immediately.
Willow Manning does such a good job building a protagonist who carries the weight of her circumstances without being completely defined by them. Zan has every reason to be bitter, but her wit never lets up, even when everything around her is falling apart. She was such a joy to follow.
The magic system was one of the freshest parts of the book for me. There are different magical abilities tied to moon power and runes, and while it could have easily felt overwhelming, Manning introduces it through Zan’s everyday life in a way that feels natural instead of like an infodump.
The side characters are where this book really shines. Emmer, the chaotic, wine-soaked Ambassador Zan gets assigned to, is an absolute disaster of a man and I adored every scene he was in. The banter between him and Zan was easily one of my favorite parts of the book. It has that found-family warmth that sneaks up on you before you realize how attached you are.
The pacing worked really well for me from the beginning. I loved the time spent in Zan’s metalworks routine because it grounded her world, her exhaustion, and the unfairness of her situation before the story opened up into something much bigger. By the time the stakes rose, I already cared deeply about what she stood to lose.
And the final act? It floored me. I’ll just say this: the ending made me want book two immediately.
An impressive debut and definitely a series I’ll be watching closely. I would recommend this to readers who love character-driven fantasy, fresh magic systems, sharp banter, and found-family dynamics.
Many thanks to the author and Booksprout for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Razava’s Embers follows Zan Lohalea, a twenty-nine-year-old indentured Thermance who has spent her whole life heating air in the metalworks and saving every tin she can in the hope of one day buying her freedom. She is sharp, tired, quietly furious, and I was on her side almost immediately.
Willow Manning does such a good job building a protagonist who carries the weight of her circumstances without being completely defined by them. Zan has every reason to be bitter, but her wit never lets up, even when everything around her is falling apart. She was such a joy to follow.
The magic system was one of the freshest parts of the book for me. There are different magical abilities tied to moon power and runes, and while it could have easily felt overwhelming, Manning introduces it through Zan’s everyday life in a way that feels natural instead of like an infodump.
The side characters are where this book really shines. Emmer, the chaotic, wine-soaked Ambassador Zan gets assigned to, is an absolute disaster of a man and I adored every scene he was in. The banter between him and Zan was easily one of my favorite parts of the book. It has that found-family warmth that sneaks up on you before you realize how attached you are.
The pacing worked really well for me from the beginning. I loved the time spent in Zan’s metalworks routine because it grounded her world, her exhaustion, and the unfairness of her situation before the story opened up into something much bigger. By the time the stakes rose, I already cared deeply about what she stood to lose.
And the final act? It floored me. I’ll just say this: the ending made me want book two immediately.
An impressive debut and definitely a series I’ll be watching closely. I would recommend this to readers who love character-driven fantasy, fresh magic systems, sharp banter, and found-family dynamics.
Many thanks to the author and Booksprout for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Displaying 1 of 1 review