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The Emberborn #1
Embers of Analon
Six of Crows meets epic romantasy in this high-stakes, high-action, high-heat romantic fantasy!
As the city burns, so does his heart...
Cas Nightbrook lives on a knife's edge, surviving by precision, cunning, and grit. A thief in the brutal City of Analon, his only goals are protecting his younger sister and avenging his parents' murder at the hands of the crown. So when Cas is invited to The Emberlight Trials—a deadly initiation run by a rebel order tied to a forbidden and hunted magical race—he doesn't hesitate. It may be his best chance at justice.
What he doesn't anticipate is Darion Thorne.
Charming, infuriating, and always one step ahead, Darion keeps showing up in places Cas doesn't expect. As the riddles and danger of the Trials intensify, Darion becomes a complication Cas never planned someone who sees through Cas's defences and tempts him to want something more than just survival. And that's exactly what terrifies him.
But Darion's secrets run deep. As the rebellion breaks into the streets and the city burns, Cas must choose between vengeance, his sister's life, and falling for a man whose hidden past could destroy everything Cas has built to survive.
As the city burns, so does his heart...
Cas Nightbrook lives on a knife's edge, surviving by precision, cunning, and grit. A thief in the brutal City of Analon, his only goals are protecting his younger sister and avenging his parents' murder at the hands of the crown. So when Cas is invited to The Emberlight Trials—a deadly initiation run by a rebel order tied to a forbidden and hunted magical race—he doesn't hesitate. It may be his best chance at justice.
What he doesn't anticipate is Darion Thorne.
Charming, infuriating, and always one step ahead, Darion keeps showing up in places Cas doesn't expect. As the riddles and danger of the Trials intensify, Darion becomes a complication Cas never planned someone who sees through Cas's defences and tempts him to want something more than just survival. And that's exactly what terrifies him.
But Darion's secrets run deep. As the rebellion breaks into the streets and the city burns, Cas must choose between vengeance, his sister's life, and falling for a man whose hidden past could destroy everything Cas has built to survive.
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Published June 16, 2026
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May 17, 2026
Embers of Analon is clearly crafted out of love. The dedication before you read, the map, the appendix, and the acknowledgements all give the feeling that this was a passion project. The execution leaves so much to be desired as I feel it actively hinders the story.
The writing has little sentence variation and focuses on describing what's happening instead. Any imagery that was woven in felt rushed and stood out as a result. It also felt very repetitive, with the same actions being described the same way ("choke back tears"). Tension and tone wasn't allowed to cultivate, and any stakes were immediately quashed a page after. Cas's inner dialogue telling me everything also took away my agency to draw conclusions of my own. Him saying very obvious conclusions like "I could kill them, but if I did, I'd probably be arrested." really killed the "good thief" reputation for me. Cas is generally repetitive in general as well: commenting on how surprised he was that his sister grew up, how he couldn't trust the love interest, how he loved the love interest, how he grieved his parents, how he could kill someone even though it wouldn't be a good idea, and how he hated Orlik.
The romance also felt incredibly formulaic and a little too perfect with how quickly they rushed into a romance despite having clear obstacles that would make it difficult. There are times where doubt is introduced but it felt stilted and unnatural. Instead of feeling those doubts, it felt more like Cas was repeating to me that he had them. This romance also coming into conflict with his relationship to his sister felt awful, with how many times he forgets about her because he's indulging in the romance. It gets rectified later on as the love interest & his sister become acquainted, but I didn't enjoy how much Cas repeated he needed to protect his sister and how he couldn't trust the love interest, yet goes on to forget her because of hanging out with him anyway.
There's also a weird continuity from the beginning where Cas has an intimate scene with a drunken patron at the bar and it felt off to me when there's a lot of consent checks in the main romance itself.
I wish there was more characterization in how Cas described how he did things, so I could feel he was a good thief instead of being reminded he was by other characters. Everything felt too convenient for him, so instead of believing he was skilled as what he was doing, it felt like luck.
I think the world-building is really interesting, but I struggled a lot with the conflict. It's very black and white with comically evil antagonists who feel more like murder drones. Yes, one instance does get explained, but the rest stay in a one dimensional antagonist role. There's also an annoying lack of information with most characters dangling a few drops of it and then refusing to elaborate.
Overall, I did enjoy the framework that was laid out and I did really like the Emberborn. Watching the rebellion was fun, and my favorite parts was learning more about them. I just expected more out of the execution, since it felt lacking for a premise that could do so much.
The writing has little sentence variation and focuses on describing what's happening instead. Any imagery that was woven in felt rushed and stood out as a result. It also felt very repetitive, with the same actions being described the same way ("choke back tears"). Tension and tone wasn't allowed to cultivate, and any stakes were immediately quashed a page after. Cas's inner dialogue telling me everything also took away my agency to draw conclusions of my own. Him saying very obvious conclusions like "I could kill them, but if I did, I'd probably be arrested." really killed the "good thief" reputation for me. Cas is generally repetitive in general as well: commenting on how surprised he was that his sister grew up, how he couldn't trust the love interest, how he loved the love interest, how he grieved his parents, how he could kill someone even though it wouldn't be a good idea, and how he hated Orlik.
The romance also felt incredibly formulaic and a little too perfect with how quickly they rushed into a romance despite having clear obstacles that would make it difficult. There are times where doubt is introduced but it felt stilted and unnatural. Instead of feeling those doubts, it felt more like Cas was repeating to me that he had them. This romance also coming into conflict with his relationship to his sister felt awful, with how many times he forgets about her because he's indulging in the romance. It gets rectified later on as the love interest & his sister become acquainted, but I didn't enjoy how much Cas repeated he needed to protect his sister and how he couldn't trust the love interest, yet goes on to forget her because of hanging out with him anyway.
There's also a weird continuity from the beginning where Cas has an intimate scene with a drunken patron at the bar and it felt off to me when there's a lot of consent checks in the main romance itself.
I wish there was more characterization in how Cas described how he did things, so I could feel he was a good thief instead of being reminded he was by other characters. Everything felt too convenient for him, so instead of believing he was skilled as what he was doing, it felt like luck.
I think the world-building is really interesting, but I struggled a lot with the conflict. It's very black and white with comically evil antagonists who feel more like murder drones. Yes, one instance does get explained, but the rest stay in a one dimensional antagonist role. There's also an annoying lack of information with most characters dangling a few drops of it and then refusing to elaborate.
Overall, I did enjoy the framework that was laid out and I did really like the Emberborn. Watching the rebellion was fun, and my favorite parts was learning more about them. I just expected more out of the execution, since it felt lacking for a premise that could do so much.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley, the author and the publisher for access to the e-ARC for review purposes!
In exchange I’m offering my honest opinion.
I’ve been looking forward to reading Embers of Analon for quite some time, coming across it on Instagram for the first time. Unfortunately, this book is not it.
I decided to mainly present my review as a pro- and con list for an easier overview.
Unfortunately, my review needs some specific details to get my point across which is why I am also talking spoilers in the following. Most of them are hidden behind a spoiler tag because I genuinely believe that these could dull or even harm the enjoyment of reading this book. Thus do I implore you to be careful when clicking on the hidden text and make an educated decision whether you’d like to know what I’ve written or whether you’d like to go into the story blind.
Pro’s
• The book reads very easily, I flew through the first 50 pages and barely realized how quickly I got through it. This is because the writing isn’t too demanding but also leaves a lot to be desired. There are some beautiful metaphors and similes but most of it is very matter of fact.
• The book is mainly carried by the lovely relationship between the MC Cas and his sister, Elena became one of my favourite characters and she is written quite well.
→ I enjoyed her growth and how she is a character that is able to think critically and logically without seeming to mature. In general I had the impression that the author wrote the female characters quite well!
• The MC knows when to stay professional and not reveal too much, he is careful during jobs and doesn't take too many risks
• The chapters were nice and short and I enjoyed that every single one had a title, albeit nothing too crazy. I do have to say I miss chapter titles.
Con’s
• The MC Cas seems very GaryStu-esque: there is a lways a helpful concoction in his belt that saves the day, sheer luck or else. He seems to have photographic memory and not only learns that he is one of the super rare people who can sense Emberborn people 😬 This is supposed to be a logical explanation but it only made me facepalm even harder. Sure he is special but the specialest of the specials? Come ON, there has to be a limit somewhere.
At one Point he is also called the „Infamous Cas Nightbrook, a celebrity in the Underworld“ and his fostermother tells him she because he just has THAT big of a heart.
• A lot of the conversations seem very stilted and unnatural, some could have been shortened and it would have conveyed the same.
• I would have liked to know about the ins and outs of the city quicker, it should have been explained right at the beginning; what are Emberborn even, why are they hunted, what are the sentinels and how is this city governed?
• The Love interest Darion is implemented too fast as a LI, during their first real meeting – or rather first date – the author resorts to multiple clichés and the whole scene is way "too gay" in my eyes (which I know sounds very controversial as a woman reading an MM romance, I just believe that there are some tropes that are overtly done and we don’t need to keep them alive for the sake of creating pining/longing or making the reader laugh)
• After a third of the book, they are so committed to each other as if they’ve been together for years, even though only a week must have passed after meeting each other.
• At the same time there is the first spicy scene which in my eyes is kinda sloppy and I’d go even go so far as to call it “vulgar“. To me it read like bad PWP fanfiction and I didn’t enjoy it at all, not due to the sex practices or kinks or ideas but because it felt like what people imagine how gay people are being intimate. It is hard to describe and I’m not eloquent enough to really put it into words but it made me uncomfortable. *Due to that the small gestures and little moments between them hit harder for me.
→
• Cas seems to only have revenge for his parents and boys on his mind, I was wondering more often than not that he left his sister without any protection alone at home when he was yapping again about how it is his duty to protect her and that he made a promise to his mother to keep her safe. Where? Is that really where the author decided his limits were at?
• The Book leaves no chance to figure mysteries out yourself, there's always too much information as if the author thought the reader was too stupid to figure out the obvious clues OR the complete opposite is done, characters deliberately keep information from the MC so a mystery is not revealed to soon. Ultimately, this only lead to frustration because it was always so obvious to me as the reader and I rolled my eyes more often than I’d like to admit
• Multiple scenes that were absolutely unbelievable,
• Some tropes are repeated multiple times and they became pretty redundant
• The story is not giving other characters the same grace it is giving Cas, when one character later finds out she just lost her daughter there is half a page for her to grieve her child and the life they could have had together. A tender moment that is handled very clumsily and I would have wished for it to carry more emotion. Instead the topic immediately shifts back to Cas’s needs again and is not elaborated further
• S. 119 / 313 missed part that was rewritten and then not deleted? It was pretty unfortunate that there were still a lot of grammar mistakes and mispellings, as this is an eARC I don’t want to be too critical about this last point though, I’m just hoping that these were corrected in the final print and not overlooked.
The Book ended in a cliffhanger that makes it obvious that Castian’s adventure is not over yet and that there is more to come. Unfortunately, mine ends after this first volume.
In exchange I’m offering my honest opinion.
I’ve been looking forward to reading Embers of Analon for quite some time, coming across it on Instagram for the first time. Unfortunately, this book is not it.
I decided to mainly present my review as a pro- and con list for an easier overview.
Unfortunately, my review needs some specific details to get my point across which is why I am also talking spoilers in the following. Most of them are hidden behind a spoiler tag because I genuinely believe that these could dull or even harm the enjoyment of reading this book. Thus do I implore you to be careful when clicking on the hidden text and make an educated decision whether you’d like to know what I’ve written or whether you’d like to go into the story blind.
Pro’s
• The book reads very easily, I flew through the first 50 pages and barely realized how quickly I got through it. This is because the writing isn’t too demanding but also leaves a lot to be desired. There are some beautiful metaphors and similes but most of it is very matter of fact.
• The book is mainly carried by the lovely relationship between the MC Cas and his sister, Elena became one of my favourite characters and she is written quite well.
→ I enjoyed her growth and how she is a character that is able to think critically and logically without seeming to mature. In general I had the impression that the author wrote the female characters quite well!
• The MC knows when to stay professional and not reveal too much, he is careful during jobs and doesn't take too many risks
• The chapters were nice and short and I enjoyed that every single one had a title, albeit nothing too crazy. I do have to say I miss chapter titles.
Con’s
• The MC Cas seems very GaryStu-esque: there is a lways a helpful concoction in his belt that saves the day, sheer luck or else. He seems to have photographic memory and not only learns that he is one of the super rare people who can sense Emberborn people 😬 This is supposed to be a logical explanation but it only made me facepalm even harder. Sure he is special but the specialest of the specials? Come ON, there has to be a limit somewhere.
At one Point he is also called the „Infamous Cas Nightbrook, a celebrity in the Underworld“ and his fostermother tells him she because he just has THAT big of a heart.
• A lot of the conversations seem very stilted and unnatural, some could have been shortened and it would have conveyed the same.
• I would have liked to know about the ins and outs of the city quicker, it should have been explained right at the beginning; what are Emberborn even, why are they hunted, what are the sentinels and how is this city governed?
• The Love interest Darion is implemented too fast as a LI, during their first real meeting – or rather first date – the author resorts to multiple clichés and the whole scene is way "too gay" in my eyes (which I know sounds very controversial as a woman reading an MM romance, I just believe that there are some tropes that are overtly done and we don’t need to keep them alive for the sake of creating pining/longing or making the reader laugh)
• After a third of the book, they are so committed to each other as if they’ve been together for years, even though only a week must have passed after meeting each other.
• At the same time there is the first spicy scene which in my eyes is kinda sloppy and I’d go even go so far as to call it “vulgar“. To me it read like bad PWP fanfiction and I didn’t enjoy it at all, not due to the sex practices or kinks or ideas but because it felt like what people imagine how gay people are being intimate. It is hard to describe and I’m not eloquent enough to really put it into words but it made me uncomfortable. *Due to that the small gestures and little moments between them hit harder for me.
→
p. 169/313 „Darion smiled – a big smile, like he couldn’t believe his luck. Or maybe I was projecting. He slipped off his boots and lay on the bed next to me, takind my hand. It was the smallest expression of intimacy, but that was what was special about it. Not an overt gesture, just a simple I’m glad to be here with you.“
• Cas seems to only have revenge for his parents and boys on his mind, I was wondering more often than not that he left his sister without any protection alone at home when he was yapping again about how it is his duty to protect her and that he made a promise to his mother to keep her safe. Where? Is that really where the author decided his limits were at?
• The Book leaves no chance to figure mysteries out yourself, there's always too much information as if the author thought the reader was too stupid to figure out the obvious clues OR the complete opposite is done, characters deliberately keep information from the MC so a mystery is not revealed to soon. Ultimately, this only lead to frustration because it was always so obvious to me as the reader and I rolled my eyes more often than I’d like to admit
• Multiple scenes that were absolutely unbelievable,
• Some tropes are repeated multiple times and they became pretty redundant
• The story is not giving other characters the same grace it is giving Cas, when one character later finds out she just lost her daughter there is half a page for her to grieve her child and the life they could have had together. A tender moment that is handled very clumsily and I would have wished for it to carry more emotion. Instead the topic immediately shifts back to Cas’s needs again and is not elaborated further
• S. 119 / 313 missed part that was rewritten and then not deleted? It was pretty unfortunate that there were still a lot of grammar mistakes and mispellings, as this is an eARC I don’t want to be too critical about this last point though, I’m just hoping that these were corrected in the final print and not overlooked.
The Book ended in a cliffhanger that makes it obvious that Castian’s adventure is not over yet and that there is more to come. Unfortunately, mine ends after this first volume.
May 5, 2026
I loved this book. Cas and Darion’s relationship was just 😚🤌 chefs kiss. I especially loved the way they described the intimate magic scenes, those had me blushing and giggling 🤭.
The only issues was some of the editing, I don’t know if it was just my edition or if the ARC itself has these issues but there were quite a few editing mistakes, specifically lines that repeated, and I don’t mean a word or two but like full speaking lines or paragraphs repeating word for word especially early on.
But regardless I loved it and I would like to thank NetGalley for providing me with this ARC 🫶💚💚
The only issues was some of the editing, I don’t know if it was just my edition or if the ARC itself has these issues but there were quite a few editing mistakes, specifically lines that repeated, and I don’t mean a word or two but like full speaking lines or paragraphs repeating word for word especially early on.
But regardless I loved it and I would like to thank NetGalley for providing me with this ARC 🫶💚💚
June 16, 2026
Potion-backed heists = I'm totally here for! The rest of this story, not so much, and it worked less for me the further through I got.
I do like a nice competent character, which I felt we had with Cas initially, busy burgling only the Bad People (if only that was an option in real life) and running into a mysterious-smelling stranger while so doing (hehe!) As soon as the romantic plot line got going, though, I started to struggle. Firstly, there's serious instalove going on here, particularly on the side of the Love Interest (it's a single POV story, and very little conversation about Why they're attracted beyond lust.) Not to mention being obsessed with protecting his younger sister -- unless there's a booty call available, in which case the town is so safe he can just nick off to bang.
Secondly, once I was thrown out of the story, I had time to think about stuff like the economics involved. Cas is an (overly?) excellent potion maker, with little vials for every occasion, but he relies on burglary to make ends meet rather than ... just selling them? He wants to join The Rebellion For Revenge but I don't imagine that pays too well, so what is his plan for the household income at that point?
Then the writing just got a bit unedited (someone 'shouting in relief' when the Bad Guys are still pretty near, sister Elena being oblivious to a character I'd thought she'd grown up with, stilted conversations Containing Important Information), and I was unfortunately reading to finish rather than for fun.
Three stars (my rating: 12/20) for a steady fast pace, magical variety, and the animals (blood rats, no! Whisperhawks, yes!)
This review is based upon a complimentary advance reading copy provided by the publisher.
I do like a nice competent character, which I felt we had with Cas initially, busy burgling only the Bad People (if only that was an option in real life) and running into a mysterious-smelling stranger while so doing (hehe!) As soon as the romantic plot line got going, though, I started to struggle. Firstly, there's serious instalove going on here, particularly on the side of the Love Interest (it's a single POV story, and very little conversation about Why they're attracted beyond lust.) Not to mention being obsessed with protecting his younger sister -- unless there's a booty call available, in which case the town is so safe he can just nick off to bang.
Secondly, once I was thrown out of the story, I had time to think about stuff like the economics involved. Cas is an (overly?) excellent potion maker, with little vials for every occasion, but he relies on burglary to make ends meet rather than ... just selling them? He wants to join The Rebellion For Revenge but I don't imagine that pays too well, so what is his plan for the household income at that point?
Then the writing just got a bit unedited (someone 'shouting in relief' when the Bad Guys are still pretty near, sister Elena being oblivious to a character I'd thought she'd grown up with, stilted conversations Containing Important Information), and I was unfortunately reading to finish rather than for fun.
Three stars (my rating: 12/20) for a steady fast pace, magical variety, and the animals (blood rats, no! Whisperhawks, yes!)
This review is based upon a complimentary advance reading copy provided by the publisher.
June 17, 2026
I throughly enjoyed this world building and the story’s intensity! Cas and Darian were such an interesting couple from their first interaction. The plot flowed so smoothly with them chipping away at each other’s secrets and identities, all while the corrupt government was … well lots of spoilers there😅 just read the TWs and you’ll see.
This book and series is perfect for fans of Six of Crows (but wanted more gay) and The Sunbearer Trials (but with much more intensity and adult themes). Trust me, you want to read it!
Thank you to the author and Colored Pages Book Tour for the gifted copy! All opinions are my own
This book and series is perfect for fans of Six of Crows (but wanted more gay) and The Sunbearer Trials (but with much more intensity and adult themes). Trust me, you want to read it!
Thank you to the author and Colored Pages Book Tour for the gifted copy! All opinions are my own
Review of advance copy received from Author
The start to an exciting high fantasy series that hooked me from the very first chapter.
Cas Nightbrook is a talented thief that roams the city of Analon stealing from the rich and making a livelihood for himself. The only things he truly cares about is protecting his younger sister, Elena, and getting revenge against the man who killed his parents, Orlik "The Butcher" Leonom. Therefore, it's a no brainer when Cas is invited to partake in the elite Emberlight Trials. The Trials are run by a group of mysterious people with magic running through their veins known as Embers, and Cas knows that they hate the king and his followers as much as he does. What Cas didn't expect was Darion Thorne to stumble into his life and turn everything upside down. The charming lad is brimming with magic and always seems to be one step ahead. Cas is slow to trust, but he can't help but fall for Darion despite the many secrets the man hides. Cas and Darion must team up if they are to get the revenge they desire and protect everything that they have ever loved.
I've seen Winters' books pop up from time to time and have applied to read several of them, so I was super happy when I was finally approved to read "Embers of Analon." I was actually shocked to learn that his books are published by an indie press because the covers fit right in with all the popular fantasy and horror books of this day and age. Anyway, I had a great time with this one, so let's get into it.
From the beginning, I was hooked on the fact that Cas is a thief. Books with thief MCs tend to almost always be a blast, and the start had my hopes quite high. It didn't take me long to fall in love with Cas and his little sister, Elena, as they are both great people that are fighting to survive in a world that is actively trying to kill them.
The first portion of this book mostly focuses on Cas trying to beat the Emberlight Trials. There is a ton of mystery surrounding the Trials and Embers themselves, so I was desperately flipping the pages to learn more about the magical elements of this world. As Cas goes through the Trials, he runs into a dashing fellow by the name of Darion, whom I also came to like pretty quickly. He is definitely more optimistic and trusting than Cas is, so it was nice to add a bit of sunshine to this rather dreary book.
It doesn't take long before Cas and Darion are flirting with one another and the romance picks up. Cas isn't quick to trust, but he doesn't mind sleeping around either. It was pretty obvious that these two started their relationship off with different intentions, but they are cute together nonetheless. These two already go through a ton of conflicts with each other in this first book (mainly involving Cas not trusting Darion and Darion withholding important information), so I'm interested to see how their relationship evolves as this series progresses.
Surprisingly for an adult romantasy book, there are actually only two explicit sex scenes in this one. The bath scene was well done, and I wasn't shocked that either of these incidents ends the way they did. Cas and Darion are constantly going at it, but their intimacy is alluded to more than it is actually displayed on the page.
The magic system and fantasy plot are both pretty typical in this one, but I still had a great time reading it. There is a group of people with magic in their veins that are called Embers and they are being hunted by the king's men. If one is suspected of possessing magic, the king's guards can take you away, no questions asked. It was pretty obvious from the start that our main cast of characters possess such Embers, but I won't specifically go into details. I will say that Embers allow their wielders to do many different things such as manipulate time and space, possess great strength or stealth, and even shapeshift. Everyone has different abilities, so Winters keeps the reader on their toes a bit.
I am really curious to see where the plot of book two goes. Cas and Elena definitely have something unique about their bloodline. They are completely undocumented, yet possess magic, which is very suspicious. I have a few theories already, but I obviously won't be sharing them here. The end of this book was quite urgent, though I wouldn't classify it as a cliffhanger. Regardless, I will be keeping close tabs on Winters in the hopes that I can snag a copy of book two at some point!
Overall, "Embers of Analon" is an exciting queer romantasy following a thief as they learn to harness their unique abilities. This book reads like many other epic fantasies, but I honestly think that is a good thing. I feel if you are fan of stories like "The Hobbit" or "Eragon," you would be down for reading this book. I personally got very invested in Cas, Darion, and Elena's lives over the course of this book, so I am ready for the second one as soon as possible. I'll be watching you Winters, because I'm super stoked to read volume two!
Cas Nightbrook is a talented thief that roams the city of Analon stealing from the rich and making a livelihood for himself. The only things he truly cares about is protecting his younger sister, Elena, and getting revenge against the man who killed his parents, Orlik "The Butcher" Leonom. Therefore, it's a no brainer when Cas is invited to partake in the elite Emberlight Trials. The Trials are run by a group of mysterious people with magic running through their veins known as Embers, and Cas knows that they hate the king and his followers as much as he does. What Cas didn't expect was Darion Thorne to stumble into his life and turn everything upside down. The charming lad is brimming with magic and always seems to be one step ahead. Cas is slow to trust, but he can't help but fall for Darion despite the many secrets the man hides. Cas and Darion must team up if they are to get the revenge they desire and protect everything that they have ever loved.
I've seen Winters' books pop up from time to time and have applied to read several of them, so I was super happy when I was finally approved to read "Embers of Analon." I was actually shocked to learn that his books are published by an indie press because the covers fit right in with all the popular fantasy and horror books of this day and age. Anyway, I had a great time with this one, so let's get into it.
From the beginning, I was hooked on the fact that Cas is a thief. Books with thief MCs tend to almost always be a blast, and the start had my hopes quite high. It didn't take me long to fall in love with Cas and his little sister, Elena, as they are both great people that are fighting to survive in a world that is actively trying to kill them.
The first portion of this book mostly focuses on Cas trying to beat the Emberlight Trials. There is a ton of mystery surrounding the Trials and Embers themselves, so I was desperately flipping the pages to learn more about the magical elements of this world. As Cas goes through the Trials, he runs into a dashing fellow by the name of Darion, whom I also came to like pretty quickly. He is definitely more optimistic and trusting than Cas is, so it was nice to add a bit of sunshine to this rather dreary book.
It doesn't take long before Cas and Darion are flirting with one another and the romance picks up. Cas isn't quick to trust, but he doesn't mind sleeping around either. It was pretty obvious that these two started their relationship off with different intentions, but they are cute together nonetheless. These two already go through a ton of conflicts with each other in this first book (mainly involving Cas not trusting Darion and Darion withholding important information), so I'm interested to see how their relationship evolves as this series progresses.
Surprisingly for an adult romantasy book, there are actually only two explicit sex scenes in this one. The bath scene was well done, and I wasn't shocked that either of these incidents ends the way they did. Cas and Darion are constantly going at it, but their intimacy is alluded to more than it is actually displayed on the page.
The magic system and fantasy plot are both pretty typical in this one, but I still had a great time reading it. There is a group of people with magic in their veins that are called Embers and they are being hunted by the king's men. If one is suspected of possessing magic, the king's guards can take you away, no questions asked. It was pretty obvious from the start that our main cast of characters possess such Embers, but I won't specifically go into details. I will say that Embers allow their wielders to do many different things such as manipulate time and space, possess great strength or stealth, and even shapeshift. Everyone has different abilities, so Winters keeps the reader on their toes a bit.
I am really curious to see where the plot of book two goes. Cas and Elena definitely have something unique about their bloodline. They are completely undocumented, yet possess magic, which is very suspicious. I have a few theories already, but I obviously won't be sharing them here. The end of this book was quite urgent, though I wouldn't classify it as a cliffhanger. Regardless, I will be keeping close tabs on Winters in the hopes that I can snag a copy of book two at some point!
Overall, "Embers of Analon" is an exciting queer romantasy following a thief as they learn to harness their unique abilities. This book reads like many other epic fantasies, but I honestly think that is a good thing. I feel if you are fan of stories like "The Hobbit" or "Eragon," you would be down for reading this book. I personally got very invested in Cas, Darion, and Elena's lives over the course of this book, so I am ready for the second one as soon as possible. I'll be watching you Winters, because I'm super stoked to read volume two!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
《original ARC review》
🌟 5/5
🌶 3/5
💘 Cas + Darion
Okay, babes...
I read Paul's debut mm ya paranormal and LOVED it. I haven't gotten around to his dystopian. But something about this fantasy called to me so I dove RIGHT in hoping I'd love it.
Lemme just say I wasn't expecting explicit scenes but yooooooo, we got them. When I got around to the first NC scene I was like whaaaaaatttt??? Not complaining because those scenes were done SO well, but call me pleasantly surprised! And for the most part, I'd call them maybe 'heavy R" for spice.
Now the plot: Sooo interesting!! We've got a forbidden magic system, a trial of dangerous tasks, young gay love, family ties, intrigue. It was super fast paced, which I love! Man, we got RIGHT TO IT. And so many twists and turns! Such a fun, vibrant, wonderful world!
I adored Cas and Darion and Elena. Such well rounded characters so far. Cas and Darion had a great romance. I REALLY loved how considerate, cautious, and understanding they BOTH were. Darion proved himself time and time again. Cas was so intuitive when he realized they had similar trauma. Handled SO WELL.
I 5-starred this one because I've been in a rut and between the super fast pace and the intriguing plot, I was HOOKED and I can't wait for more!
𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: Embers of Analon by Paul Michael Winters
𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐠𝐨𝐚𝐥: 100/150
𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭: ebook - NetGalley
𝐪𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬:
《𝙴𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚄𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍 𝚔𝚗𝚎𝚠 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙴𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚃𝚛𝚒𝚊𝚕𝚜— 𝚊 𝚐𝚊𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚕𝚎𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚓𝚘𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙾𝚛𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚘𝚏 𝙴𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝. 𝙱𝚞𝚝 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚢𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚓𝚘𝚒𝚗. 𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚒𝚗𝚟𝚒𝚝𝚎𝚍. 𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚑𝚒𝚍𝚍𝚎𝚗 𝚖𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚊𝚐𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚜𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚊𝚗 𝚒𝚗𝚟𝚒𝚝𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗.
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《𝙷𝚎 𝚜𝚖𝚒𝚕𝚎𝚍 𝚜𝚘 𝚋𝚛𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚕𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸 𝚏𝚎𝚕𝚝 𝚊 𝚏𝚕𝚞𝚜𝚑 𝚒𝚗 𝚖𝚢 𝚗𝚎𝚌𝚔 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚎𝚔𝚜 . 𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚛𝚒𝚍𝚒𝚌𝚞𝚕𝚘𝚞𝚜. 𝙴𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚑𝚒𝚖 𝚏𝚎𝚕𝚝 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚊 𝚖𝚊𝚐𝚗𝚎𝚝, 𝚙𝚞𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚎 𝚌𝚕𝚘𝚜𝚎𝚛. 𝚆𝚑𝚢 𝚍𝚒𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚖𝚊𝚗 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚖𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚘𝚏 𝚊𝚗 𝚒𝚖𝚙𝚊𝚌𝚝 𝚘𝚗 𝚖𝚎? 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗’𝚝 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚕𝚘𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚛𝚘𝚕. 𝙸𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚍𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚜.
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《𝙰𝚗𝚍 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚔𝚒𝚜𝚜𝚎𝚜 ? 𝙸 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚗𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖 . 𝙸 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖 𝚝𝚘 𝚖𝚎𝚊𝚗 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐. 𝙼𝚢 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚊𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚍 𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚋𝚒𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚒𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚊 𝚍𝚎𝚌𝚎𝚙𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗, 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚊𝚗 𝚎𝚕𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚛𝚞𝚜𝚎.
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《𝚆𝚎 𝚐𝚘𝚝 𝚋𝚊𝚌𝚔 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚛𝚑𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚖, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚊𝚜 𝚠𝚎 𝚋𝚘𝚝𝚑 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚍 𝚌𝚕𝚒𝚖𝚊𝚡, 𝚊 𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚖𝚖𝚎𝚛 𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚞𝚜, 𝚊𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚏𝚊𝚖𝚒𝚕𝚒𝚊𝚛 𝚜𝚌𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚘𝚣𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚌𝚒𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚜. 𝚃𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚙𝚙𝚎𝚍.
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《𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚜𝚘 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚜𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚒𝚝 𝚖𝚊𝚍𝚎 𝚖𝚢 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚎, 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚑𝚎𝚎𝚛 𝚠𝚎𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚒𝚝 𝚊𝚕𝚖𝚘𝚜𝚝 𝚜𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚎. 𝙱𝚞𝚝 𝙸 𝚐𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚕𝚎𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚎𝚖𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚜𝚠𝚎𝚎𝚙 𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚖𝚎. 𝙸𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚖𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚣𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚖𝚊𝚗 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚌𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚔𝚎𝚍 𝚘𝚙𝚎𝚗 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚒𝚍𝚎 𝚖𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚗𝚘 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚌𝚌𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚎𝚍. 𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚛𝚊𝚠, 𝚞𝚗𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚍, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚎𝚡𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚎𝚍.
𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬:
MMC - Cassian Nightbrook, herb merchant by day, robin hood thief by night
MMC - Darion Thorne, potion maker
SC - Elena Nightbrook, younger sister of Cassian
𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭:
- mm fantasy romance
- forbidden magic system
- class system
- trials of dangerous tasks
- secret society(ish)
- explicit scenes
- twists, turns, betrayals
- vibes: fast-paced, exciting, romantic, sweet and sexy
- 🚫 ow/om drama: little but of jealousy
- 🚫 third act breakup: not really, some moments of distrust
- ending: cliffhanger, but not too bad
- series: 1st in a trilogy (I believe)
[I received a complimentary copy of this book from Maelstrom Press via NetGalley. My reviews are my own.]
🌟 5/5
🌶 3/5
💘 Cas + Darion
Okay, babes...
I read Paul's debut mm ya paranormal and LOVED it. I haven't gotten around to his dystopian. But something about this fantasy called to me so I dove RIGHT in hoping I'd love it.
Lemme just say I wasn't expecting explicit scenes but yooooooo, we got them. When I got around to the first NC scene I was like whaaaaaatttt??? Not complaining because those scenes were done SO well, but call me pleasantly surprised! And for the most part, I'd call them maybe 'heavy R" for spice.
Now the plot: Sooo interesting!! We've got a forbidden magic system, a trial of dangerous tasks, young gay love, family ties, intrigue. It was super fast paced, which I love! Man, we got RIGHT TO IT. And so many twists and turns! Such a fun, vibrant, wonderful world!
I adored Cas and Darion and Elena. Such well rounded characters so far. Cas and Darion had a great romance. I REALLY loved how considerate, cautious, and understanding they BOTH were. Darion proved himself time and time again. Cas was so intuitive when he realized they had similar trauma. Handled SO WELL.
I 5-starred this one because I've been in a rut and between the super fast pace and the intriguing plot, I was HOOKED and I can't wait for more!
𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: Embers of Analon by Paul Michael Winters
𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐠𝐨𝐚𝐥: 100/150
𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭: ebook - NetGalley
𝐪𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬:
《𝙴𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚄𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍 𝚔𝚗𝚎𝚠 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙴𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚃𝚛𝚒𝚊𝚕𝚜— 𝚊 𝚐𝚊𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚕𝚎𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚓𝚘𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙾𝚛𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚘𝚏 𝙴𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝. 𝙱𝚞𝚝 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚢𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚓𝚘𝚒𝚗. 𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚒𝚗𝚟𝚒𝚝𝚎𝚍. 𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚑𝚒𝚍𝚍𝚎𝚗 𝚖𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚊𝚐𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚜𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚊𝚗 𝚒𝚗𝚟𝚒𝚝𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗.
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《𝙷𝚎 𝚜𝚖𝚒𝚕𝚎𝚍 𝚜𝚘 𝚋𝚛𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚕𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸 𝚏𝚎𝚕𝚝 𝚊 𝚏𝚕𝚞𝚜𝚑 𝚒𝚗 𝚖𝚢 𝚗𝚎𝚌𝚔 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚎𝚔𝚜 . 𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚛𝚒𝚍𝚒𝚌𝚞𝚕𝚘𝚞𝚜. 𝙴𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚑𝚒𝚖 𝚏𝚎𝚕𝚝 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚊 𝚖𝚊𝚐𝚗𝚎𝚝, 𝚙𝚞𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚎 𝚌𝚕𝚘𝚜𝚎𝚛. 𝚆𝚑𝚢 𝚍𝚒𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚖𝚊𝚗 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚖𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚘𝚏 𝚊𝚗 𝚒𝚖𝚙𝚊𝚌𝚝 𝚘𝚗 𝚖𝚎? 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗’𝚝 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚕𝚘𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚛𝚘𝚕. 𝙸𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚍𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚜.
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《𝙰𝚗𝚍 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚔𝚒𝚜𝚜𝚎𝚜 ? 𝙸 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚗𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖 . 𝙸 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖 𝚝𝚘 𝚖𝚎𝚊𝚗 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐. 𝙼𝚢 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚊𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚍 𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚋𝚒𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚒𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚊 𝚍𝚎𝚌𝚎𝚙𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗, 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚊𝚗 𝚎𝚕𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚛𝚞𝚜𝚎.
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《𝚆𝚎 𝚐𝚘𝚝 𝚋𝚊𝚌𝚔 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚛𝚑𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚖, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚊𝚜 𝚠𝚎 𝚋𝚘𝚝𝚑 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚍 𝚌𝚕𝚒𝚖𝚊𝚡, 𝚊 𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚖𝚖𝚎𝚛 𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚞𝚜, 𝚊𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚏𝚊𝚖𝚒𝚕𝚒𝚊𝚛 𝚜𝚌𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚘𝚣𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚌𝚒𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚜. 𝚃𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚙𝚙𝚎𝚍.
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《𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚜𝚘 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚜𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚒𝚝 𝚖𝚊𝚍𝚎 𝚖𝚢 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚎, 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚑𝚎𝚎𝚛 𝚠𝚎𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚒𝚝 𝚊𝚕𝚖𝚘𝚜𝚝 𝚜𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚎. 𝙱𝚞𝚝 𝙸 𝚐𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚕𝚎𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚎𝚖𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚜𝚠𝚎𝚎𝚙 𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚖𝚎. 𝙸𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚖𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚣𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚖𝚊𝚗 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚌𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚔𝚎𝚍 𝚘𝚙𝚎𝚗 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚒𝚍𝚎 𝚖𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚗𝚘 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚌𝚌𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚎𝚍. 𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚛𝚊𝚠, 𝚞𝚗𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚍, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚎𝚡𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚎𝚍.
𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬:
MMC - Cassian Nightbrook, herb merchant by day, robin hood thief by night
MMC - Darion Thorne, potion maker
SC - Elena Nightbrook, younger sister of Cassian
𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭:
- mm fantasy romance
- forbidden magic system
- class system
- trials of dangerous tasks
- secret society(ish)
- explicit scenes
- twists, turns, betrayals
- vibes: fast-paced, exciting, romantic, sweet and sexy
- 🚫 ow/om drama: little but of jealousy
- 🚫 third act breakup: not really, some moments of distrust
- ending: cliffhanger, but not too bad
- series: 1st in a trilogy (I believe)
[I received a complimentary copy of this book from Maelstrom Press via NetGalley. My reviews are my own.]
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I must admit, I didn't expect to finish this nearly as fast as I did. I finished it within 24 hours, simply because I was always too eager for what was to come to ever stop. Action packed and mysterious, the story keeps you sucked in and never allows space for boredom.
Embers of Analon follows a young man stuck in the lower rungs of society and lives with the sole purpose of protecting his sister and getting revenge on those who tore their lives apart. After receiving an invite that could potentially allow him to join a secret society, he risks his life participating in deadly trials to finally have a real chance at getting the revenge he so desperately wanted.
The highlight of this novel for me would be the dynamic between the Cas and Elena. I always love a strong family dynamic, and theirs was particularly sweet. Always hellbent on protecting the other, their undying loyalty and love for each other was a great aspect of the story, especially considering how important it was for the plot to be convincing.
The romance was also pleasant, a fast burn that moved as quick as the action itself. Most fantasies wait to build the romance slow, so it was nice seeing a change of pace that allowed the leads to face each threat together, instead making them navigate drama with each other along with the drama of the main plot.
I did enjoy the magic system as well, as I found the abilities unique and intriguing (I was also rather fond of the use of potion magic as well). I did feel as if it could be a bit too convenient at times, though.
The writing itself is perfectly fine, though it felt much more like reading a YA book (other than the explicit scenes) than an Adult one. Something about the dialogue and interactions between the characters felt slightly juvenile, similar to the way other books in younger age categories do as well.
Relating to a previous comment, the obstacles were resolved a little too easily at times. The most impossible tasks were completed relatively conveniently, even after things did go wrong. I also felt that the characters themselves could have been developed better as well. While the action sequences of the novel were addicting, the emotional ones fell flat more often than not. I feel like this is due to the characters themselves not having as much substance as they needed to in order to experience these moments fully, and that the emotional parts went as fast as the chase scenes did.
With how many questions were left unanswered, I can't say I'm not eager to see what's to come. But, I can't help but hope the characters will have more layers and depth in the sequel and that they will have to fight more to overcome adversity
I must admit, I didn't expect to finish this nearly as fast as I did. I finished it within 24 hours, simply because I was always too eager for what was to come to ever stop. Action packed and mysterious, the story keeps you sucked in and never allows space for boredom.
Embers of Analon follows a young man stuck in the lower rungs of society and lives with the sole purpose of protecting his sister and getting revenge on those who tore their lives apart. After receiving an invite that could potentially allow him to join a secret society, he risks his life participating in deadly trials to finally have a real chance at getting the revenge he so desperately wanted.
The highlight of this novel for me would be the dynamic between the Cas and Elena. I always love a strong family dynamic, and theirs was particularly sweet. Always hellbent on protecting the other, their undying loyalty and love for each other was a great aspect of the story, especially considering how important it was for the plot to be convincing.
The romance was also pleasant, a fast burn that moved as quick as the action itself. Most fantasies wait to build the romance slow, so it was nice seeing a change of pace that allowed the leads to face each threat together, instead making them navigate drama with each other along with the drama of the main plot.
I did enjoy the magic system as well, as I found the abilities unique and intriguing (I was also rather fond of the use of potion magic as well). I did feel as if it could be a bit too convenient at times, though.
The writing itself is perfectly fine, though it felt much more like reading a YA book (other than the explicit scenes) than an Adult one. Something about the dialogue and interactions between the characters felt slightly juvenile, similar to the way other books in younger age categories do as well.
Relating to a previous comment, the obstacles were resolved a little too easily at times. The most impossible tasks were completed relatively conveniently, even after things did go wrong. I also felt that the characters themselves could have been developed better as well. While the action sequences of the novel were addicting, the emotional ones fell flat more often than not. I feel like this is due to the characters themselves not having as much substance as they needed to in order to experience these moments fully, and that the emotional parts went as fast as the chase scenes did.
With how many questions were left unanswered, I can't say I'm not eager to see what's to come. But, I can't help but hope the characters will have more layers and depth in the sequel and that they will have to fight more to overcome adversity
June 23, 2026
did i read this entire book in one sitting while at work? yes. yes i did. and i would do it again. even if it means my coworkers have to put up with my reactions. i was absolutely consumed by this book from start to finish. it was so good, i had a hard time putting it down (to do my actual job, but meh who cares about that when magical gay people exist and are in love? exactly.)
writing: 4.5/5
plot: 4/5
characters: 5/5
world building: 4/5
spice: 2/5
What I liked
I thought the pacing was really great. It didn’t feel rushed at all, or too slow. thee were a couple times when I had to take a step back and remember just how much (or little) time had passed, but overall I felt very much in tune with the universe and the stakes. I absolutely love our main character, Cas. I think he is everything I needed in a fantasy lead and a little bit more. I loved discovering the world through his eyes. I also love our cast of characters, especially Darion and Elena. Cas and Elena have such a good relationship as siblings, they’re close and clearly love each other but also trade insults and taunts like me and my brothers. However, the standout relationship in this book is definitely between Cas and Darion. Obviously. This was a big part of why it was so hard for me to put this book down, I just absolutely fell in love with Darion immediately. I love a mysterious and handsome guy with the energy of a golden retriever (and clearly, so does Cas.) the relationships between these main three is the beating heart of the book, and I think it was really well done. Something I also really appreciated was the full cast of supporting characters we have. It made the world feel much more real and fleshed-out.
What didn’t work for me
there is not much for me to say in this category. At times I felt like the writing was doing more telling than showing, and things were being over explained or dumbed down. I did not feel like this enough to really impact my overall enjoyment while reading, but I did notice it. The only other part that didn’t work for me was some times i felt a little lost in the world. This could definitely be my own fault, user error if you will, but some times I did get confused as to the distance from one place to another and specifically the time it takes to travel.
Final Thoughts
I would definitely recommend this to a friend who loves fantasy, adventure, queer romances with a little bit of spice, and a lot of wonderful characters. I cannot wait for the next book, and I will definitely revisit this one in the meantime.
writing: 4.5/5
plot: 4/5
characters: 5/5
world building: 4/5
spice: 2/5
What I liked
I thought the pacing was really great. It didn’t feel rushed at all, or too slow. thee were a couple times when I had to take a step back and remember just how much (or little) time had passed, but overall I felt very much in tune with the universe and the stakes. I absolutely love our main character, Cas. I think he is everything I needed in a fantasy lead and a little bit more. I loved discovering the world through his eyes. I also love our cast of characters, especially Darion and Elena. Cas and Elena have such a good relationship as siblings, they’re close and clearly love each other but also trade insults and taunts like me and my brothers. However, the standout relationship in this book is definitely between Cas and Darion. Obviously. This was a big part of why it was so hard for me to put this book down, I just absolutely fell in love with Darion immediately. I love a mysterious and handsome guy with the energy of a golden retriever (and clearly, so does Cas.) the relationships between these main three is the beating heart of the book, and I think it was really well done. Something I also really appreciated was the full cast of supporting characters we have. It made the world feel much more real and fleshed-out.
What didn’t work for me
there is not much for me to say in this category. At times I felt like the writing was doing more telling than showing, and things were being over explained or dumbed down. I did not feel like this enough to really impact my overall enjoyment while reading, but I did notice it. The only other part that didn’t work for me was some times i felt a little lost in the world. This could definitely be my own fault, user error if you will, but some times I did get confused as to the distance from one place to another and specifically the time it takes to travel.
Final Thoughts
I would definitely recommend this to a friend who loves fantasy, adventure, queer romances with a little bit of spice, and a lot of wonderful characters. I cannot wait for the next book, and I will definitely revisit this one in the meantime.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A kind thank you to Netgalley and the author for this ARC!
⭐ Rating: Lovable, wholesome main characters vs. one man’s lifelong quest to ruin everything (🌟🌟🌟🌟.25 stars ✨️)
(and if I had a penny for every time a man nicknamed “The Butcher” was the problem, I’d have two… which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it happened twice.)
(Yes, this is in fact a nod to All for the Game 👀)
This was such a fun, engaging read. The adventure was adventuring, the stakes were absolutely staking, and I was hooked pretty much the entire time. For a debut, this is seriously impressive, especially the pacing. It never dragged, never lost me, and had me firmly in “just one more chapter” territory for most of it.
The heart of this story is really its characters, Cass and his sister Elena. They’re soft, lovable, and genuinely easy to root for. The sibling dynamic added so much warmth, and the found family elements carried the emotional core beautifully. It’s one of those books where you just want everyone to be okay… which, unfortunately, the plot refuses to allow.
I also enjoyed the romance, even if it leaned a little more new adult in tone at times. That said, I fully approved of the love interest, Darion. He was so soft and genuinely caring toward Cass that it was impossible not to root for them.
On the critique side, some of the side characters felt a bit surface-level, which meant certain emotional beats didn’t land as strongly as they could have. There were moments clearly aiming to devastate, and while they worked, they didn’t quite hit.
The magic system was interesting, but at times felt a little too convenient in how neatly it resolved certain situations. It didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment, but it was noticeable.
There’s also a scene that said “let’s do a Catching Fire Cinna moment,” and I said “yes, please emotionally destroy me.” It did not, in fact, emotionally destroy me. Which feels like a missed opportunity. The setup was there, but without deeper character development, it didn’t land with the emotional weight it was aiming for.
Despite all that, this was a really strong debut. It didn’t quite reach that “this changed me” five-star level for me, but it’s comfortably above a four. I was entertained, invested, and genuinely anxious for the characters at multiple points.
And most importantly, I will absolutely be picking up book two.
⭐ Rating: Lovable, wholesome main characters vs. one man’s lifelong quest to ruin everything (🌟🌟🌟🌟.25 stars ✨️)
(and if I had a penny for every time a man nicknamed “The Butcher” was the problem, I’d have two… which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it happened twice.)
(Yes, this is in fact a nod to All for the Game 👀)
This was such a fun, engaging read. The adventure was adventuring, the stakes were absolutely staking, and I was hooked pretty much the entire time. For a debut, this is seriously impressive, especially the pacing. It never dragged, never lost me, and had me firmly in “just one more chapter” territory for most of it.
The heart of this story is really its characters, Cass and his sister Elena. They’re soft, lovable, and genuinely easy to root for. The sibling dynamic added so much warmth, and the found family elements carried the emotional core beautifully. It’s one of those books where you just want everyone to be okay… which, unfortunately, the plot refuses to allow.
I also enjoyed the romance, even if it leaned a little more new adult in tone at times. That said, I fully approved of the love interest, Darion. He was so soft and genuinely caring toward Cass that it was impossible not to root for them.
On the critique side, some of the side characters felt a bit surface-level, which meant certain emotional beats didn’t land as strongly as they could have. There were moments clearly aiming to devastate, and while they worked, they didn’t quite hit.
The magic system was interesting, but at times felt a little too convenient in how neatly it resolved certain situations. It didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment, but it was noticeable.
There’s also a scene that said “let’s do a Catching Fire Cinna moment,” and I said “yes, please emotionally destroy me.” It did not, in fact, emotionally destroy me. Which feels like a missed opportunity. The setup was there, but without deeper character development, it didn’t land with the emotional weight it was aiming for.
Despite all that, this was a really strong debut. It didn’t quite reach that “this changed me” five-star level for me, but it’s comfortably above a four. I was entertained, invested, and genuinely anxious for the characters at multiple points.
And most importantly, I will absolutely be picking up book two.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for access to the e-ARC for review purposes!
All I can really say to start is: WOW!
This book was way better than I expected it to be. When I started it, I was enjoying it and eager to read more but about halfway through I literally could NOT put it down.
The magic system is really unique and interesting, which is really hard to pull off with how saturated the market is with fantasy novels. The world-building is fantastic as well. The plot moves forward in an exciting way the entire book. I think the author did a great job at building the world, giving some background to the magic system while also moving the plot forward at a satisfying pace. With NO SPOILERS, let me just say there is a twist in this book that made me *GASP* out loud. I had to apologize to the other people in the room because I just couldn't help it!
Now here comes the most important bit: CHARACTERS! I am a character-centered reader through and through and these characters are fantastic. I must love the characters (or at the very least be interested in them) to really enjoy a novel and let's just say I won't be forgetting any of these characters any time soon. I'm dying for more of them and will be looking out for the next novel!
I loved this so much that I immediately pre-ordered a signed copy from the author's website because this is a book I 100% need in my collection. Not only is the story fantastic but the cover is GORGEOUS!
It has been hard to give a spoiler free review, hence the shorter review. It is also sometimes hard for me to review books that I really love because a lot of times I just simply love them and don't have many critiques or praises because the love is just pure and based off vibes. With that being said the vibes are immaculate!
If you get anything from this review it should be this: CHECK OUT THIS BOOK! Request your local library order it, purchase a copy yourself, however you want to do it: just don't miss out on this fantastic story!
All I can really say to start is: WOW!
This book was way better than I expected it to be. When I started it, I was enjoying it and eager to read more but about halfway through I literally could NOT put it down.
The magic system is really unique and interesting, which is really hard to pull off with how saturated the market is with fantasy novels. The world-building is fantastic as well. The plot moves forward in an exciting way the entire book. I think the author did a great job at building the world, giving some background to the magic system while also moving the plot forward at a satisfying pace. With NO SPOILERS, let me just say there is a twist in this book that made me *GASP* out loud. I had to apologize to the other people in the room because I just couldn't help it!
Now here comes the most important bit: CHARACTERS! I am a character-centered reader through and through and these characters are fantastic. I must love the characters (or at the very least be interested in them) to really enjoy a novel and let's just say I won't be forgetting any of these characters any time soon. I'm dying for more of them and will be looking out for the next novel!
I loved this so much that I immediately pre-ordered a signed copy from the author's website because this is a book I 100% need in my collection. Not only is the story fantastic but the cover is GORGEOUS!
It has been hard to give a spoiler free review, hence the shorter review. It is also sometimes hard for me to review books that I really love because a lot of times I just simply love them and don't have many critiques or praises because the love is just pure and based off vibes. With that being said the vibes are immaculate!
If you get anything from this review it should be this: CHECK OUT THIS BOOK! Request your local library order it, purchase a copy yourself, however you want to do it: just don't miss out on this fantastic story!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I was looking forward to loving this because I haven’t seen much M/M in fantasy. It was something new for me, and the premise was right up my alley. Cas is a thief who steals from those who do wrong. He specifically wants revenge on the person who killed his parents. While on an assignment, he finds himself face-to-face with another thief. They agree to part ways as long as Cas gives him what he wants, but after that, Cas can’t stop thinking about him. When he is invited by a secret group to join them after he completes assigned tasks, he keeps running into the thief he can’t stop thinking about. So, although it had its moments, it was average for me.
One of my issues was the writing. At times, the dialogue felt YA, while their actions were more NA. I didn’t like how confusing it was. Another thing I didn’t like was how convenient everything was. There was always a quick solution to a problem that seemed impossible. It’s fine if it happens a couple of times, but this happened consistently, which, when it comes to fantasy, I prefer a story with high stakes that has me guessing and on the edge of my seat.
And lastly, the romance. For someone who claims not to trust and let others in easily, he does the opposite when it comes to Darion. Usually, when a character says that, I want the love interest to EARN their trust, especially when the main character has experienced betrayal before. Cas immediately falls for a pretty face and suddenly can’t stop thinking about him without caring much about his motives. I mean, he does question them, but he easily brushes them off. He says he feels a connection with Darion, but it all seems surface-level. Not my cup of tea. But I will admit, they had some cute moments.
I also guessed Darion’s connection with a certain someone pretty quickly, so not much of a shocker there.
By the end, I had more questions than answers, so maybe I’ll try the next book? I’ll have to think about it.
Thank you NetGalley and Maelstrom Press for the ARC.
One of my issues was the writing. At times, the dialogue felt YA, while their actions were more NA. I didn’t like how confusing it was. Another thing I didn’t like was how convenient everything was. There was always a quick solution to a problem that seemed impossible. It’s fine if it happens a couple of times, but this happened consistently, which, when it comes to fantasy, I prefer a story with high stakes that has me guessing and on the edge of my seat.
And lastly, the romance. For someone who claims not to trust and let others in easily, he does the opposite when it comes to Darion. Usually, when a character says that, I want the love interest to EARN their trust, especially when the main character has experienced betrayal before. Cas immediately falls for a pretty face and suddenly can’t stop thinking about him without caring much about his motives. I mean, he does question them, but he easily brushes them off. He says he feels a connection with Darion, but it all seems surface-level. Not my cup of tea. But I will admit, they had some cute moments.
I also guessed Darion’s connection with a certain someone pretty quickly, so not much of a shocker there.
By the end, I had more questions than answers, so maybe I’ll try the next book? I’ll have to think about it.
Thank you NetGalley and Maelstrom Press for the ARC.
June 12, 2026
I received a complimentary copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The book follows Cassian (Cas) Nightbrook, a thief in the city of Analon, his sister Elena, and Darion Thorne, an attractive stranger Cas meets early in the book. We follow Cas' journey and completion of his trials to join the rebels against the crown.
The writing was very fast-paced and packed with action. I found the book to be a true page-turner, and the prose was pretty straightforward. The fantasy world is well described, with maps at the beginning of the book, the glossary at the end of the book, and a well-explained magic system. What I didn't like were many "coincidences" that worked in favor of the characters, as convenient for the plot as they were.
The characters, despite them being very likeable and precious, fell a bit flat to me. I'm not the biggest fan of insta-love, and I felt like the relationships weren't described in depth. We get the backstory of all of the characters, as well as their current motivations, but I couldn't really feel any character development as the story progressed, and Cas seemed almost annoyingly naive until the very end.
For me, the book was fun. It was one of the typical fantasy books with all the necessary and expected fantasy elements. I have, unfortunately, guessed all of the plot twists in advance, so they haven't really caught me by surprise. I was interested in the progression of the plot as there were quite a few unexpected storylines as the story progressed. I've also loved the queerness and the portrayal of a gay relationship where homophobia doesn't exist. What I didn't like was the cliffhanger at the end, but it makes sense as there will be a sequel.
Despite my criticism in certain aspects, I'd still like to recommend this book to anyone who loves reading fantasy, and especially to everyone wishing they'd finally find a queer one. It really does scratch the fantasy itch you may have, the world isn't heteronormative, and the constant action makes it fun to read.
The book follows Cassian (Cas) Nightbrook, a thief in the city of Analon, his sister Elena, and Darion Thorne, an attractive stranger Cas meets early in the book. We follow Cas' journey and completion of his trials to join the rebels against the crown.
The writing was very fast-paced and packed with action. I found the book to be a true page-turner, and the prose was pretty straightforward. The fantasy world is well described, with maps at the beginning of the book, the glossary at the end of the book, and a well-explained magic system. What I didn't like were many "coincidences" that worked in favor of the characters, as convenient for the plot as they were.
The characters, despite them being very likeable and precious, fell a bit flat to me. I'm not the biggest fan of insta-love, and I felt like the relationships weren't described in depth. We get the backstory of all of the characters, as well as their current motivations, but I couldn't really feel any character development as the story progressed, and Cas seemed almost annoyingly naive until the very end.
For me, the book was fun. It was one of the typical fantasy books with all the necessary and expected fantasy elements. I have, unfortunately, guessed all of the plot twists in advance, so they haven't really caught me by surprise. I was interested in the progression of the plot as there were quite a few unexpected storylines as the story progressed. I've also loved the queerness and the portrayal of a gay relationship where homophobia doesn't exist. What I didn't like was the cliffhanger at the end, but it makes sense as there will be a sequel.
Despite my criticism in certain aspects, I'd still like to recommend this book to anyone who loves reading fantasy, and especially to everyone wishing they'd finally find a queer one. It really does scratch the fantasy itch you may have, the world isn't heteronormative, and the constant action makes it fun to read.
June 30, 2026
Thank you Netgalley for providing a copy for an honest review.
Paul Michael Winters has successfully written another book I really enjoyed. He has a way of writing likeable characters, and this one the story and world were deeply engaging. It had a little bit of an anime feel with a bit of the X-Men with some heists, and some menacing villains. I will say up front two little problems I had with the book before I talk more about the book. Firstly this one didnt bother me too much however I will say the ending is very very abrupt. So prepare yourself for that, it does feel like it stops mid action, even with a "to be continued in....." slogan. The other is I will say I found the romance a bit weaker in this one, however I will say I think it will get better in other books. Darien isn't in this book long enough for me to get a full vibe I feel about him, however he was likeable enough even though I guessed his secret. I will say however I did love the other cast, Cas and his sister, Elena were great characters, and I really liked their relationship. I also like that Winters kinda avoided the damsel trope with her, she at multiple points is in danger but she manages to hold herself well in those issues. This book is very much Cas' story and I'd say there is more of the plot when hes by himself or with other characters so if you are coming into this expecting romantasy, Id very much say this is more a fantasy with a romantic subplot. I really liked the world built though and I really like the power system, however I would like it to be explored more in depth in later books, this book very much gives us a taster of the magic system.
Overall however Winters successfully writes another book I really enjoy (and yes Ive bought a copy of this), I just need to read his Post Apocalytpic novel to see if he enters my autobuy category. I very much look forward to what he does in this series and other books in general.
Paul Michael Winters has successfully written another book I really enjoyed. He has a way of writing likeable characters, and this one the story and world were deeply engaging. It had a little bit of an anime feel with a bit of the X-Men with some heists, and some menacing villains. I will say up front two little problems I had with the book before I talk more about the book. Firstly this one didnt bother me too much however I will say the ending is very very abrupt. So prepare yourself for that, it does feel like it stops mid action, even with a "to be continued in....." slogan. The other is I will say I found the romance a bit weaker in this one, however I will say I think it will get better in other books. Darien isn't in this book long enough for me to get a full vibe I feel about him, however he was likeable enough even though I guessed his secret. I will say however I did love the other cast, Cas and his sister, Elena were great characters, and I really liked their relationship. I also like that Winters kinda avoided the damsel trope with her, she at multiple points is in danger but she manages to hold herself well in those issues. This book is very much Cas' story and I'd say there is more of the plot when hes by himself or with other characters so if you are coming into this expecting romantasy, Id very much say this is more a fantasy with a romantic subplot. I really liked the world built though and I really like the power system, however I would like it to be explored more in depth in later books, this book very much gives us a taster of the magic system.
Overall however Winters successfully writes another book I really enjoy (and yes Ive bought a copy of this), I just need to read his Post Apocalytpic novel to see if he enters my autobuy category. I very much look forward to what he does in this series and other books in general.
Review of advance copy received from Author
First, I want to thank Paul Michael Winters and Colored Pages Book Tours for sending me a gifted physical copy of Embers of Analon to read and provide my honest, spoiler free review.
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
My Thoughts:
Embers of Analon is the first book in The Emberborn series and I really had such a fun time with this one. Not only was Paul’s writing easy to follow, but the way he told the story kept me engaged from the start.
I really enjoyed the main characters in this story. Cas Nightbrook, Elena nightbrook and Darion Thorne were all such amazing characters that drew me into the story and the lives that they were living. Living in a brutal city, Cas and Elena have always done their best to survive, especially after their parents were murdered at the hands of the crown. I liked that Cas played a thief and that Elena was proud to learn things such as sword fighting and seemed to be able to take care of herself.
Meeting Darion was definitely a surprise. I didn’t know just how much story was going to be revolved around him but it turns out that it’s a lot. Getting to learn who he is, who he works for, who his parents are and just seeing how he cares for Cas and Elena just made him feel like a beloved character even with his secrets that he kept. The MM romance was sweet and special and I liked that it didn’t completely take over the story.
The magic system was new and creative and I loved the thought of the Emberlight trials in this book. The concept of corrupt power and the rebellion between Emberborn and Sentinels was great and added just enough action to the story to keep me entertained. Zephyra was honestly such a cool character and I cannot wait for other readers to meet her and learn who she is as well. Overall, I loved the concept of this book and I cannot wait to see how it continues!
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
My Thoughts:
Embers of Analon is the first book in The Emberborn series and I really had such a fun time with this one. Not only was Paul’s writing easy to follow, but the way he told the story kept me engaged from the start.
I really enjoyed the main characters in this story. Cas Nightbrook, Elena nightbrook and Darion Thorne were all such amazing characters that drew me into the story and the lives that they were living. Living in a brutal city, Cas and Elena have always done their best to survive, especially after their parents were murdered at the hands of the crown. I liked that Cas played a thief and that Elena was proud to learn things such as sword fighting and seemed to be able to take care of herself.
Meeting Darion was definitely a surprise. I didn’t know just how much story was going to be revolved around him but it turns out that it’s a lot. Getting to learn who he is, who he works for, who his parents are and just seeing how he cares for Cas and Elena just made him feel like a beloved character even with his secrets that he kept. The MM romance was sweet and special and I liked that it didn’t completely take over the story.
The magic system was new and creative and I loved the thought of the Emberlight trials in this book. The concept of corrupt power and the rebellion between Emberborn and Sentinels was great and added just enough action to the story to keep me entertained. Zephyra was honestly such a cool character and I cannot wait for other readers to meet her and learn who she is as well. Overall, I loved the concept of this book and I cannot wait to see how it continues!
June 18, 2026
I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy of Embers of Analon by Paul Michael Winters, and I told myself to slow down with reading, but I immediately ignored myself because I finished this in less than 24 hours!
I don’t want to divulge too much about this because the story will reveal its various components little by little, but that’s the fun in reading. So the basic premise involves Cas; he is a thief (and pretty good at it) but only focuses on jobs on those who aren’t the best of people. On his latest task, he comes across a stranger, Darion, who just might be his match. There’s so much more to this, and it’ll take more than sleight of hand to find out the truth and protect his heart.
While there is romance, that’s not the focal point of this book; there’s also history, magic, mercenaries, and found family. One of my favorite characters in this book was Elena;
she is Cas’s younger sister, and let me tell you, she absolutely steals all the scenes she’s in. There’s so much wit, strength, and a whole lot more to her. I’m very intrigued to see where things go with her. This story is about many things, but family is a key point, the love and acceptance, but also the bonds between brother and sister. Being an older brother myself, I put myself into Cas’s shoes, and their relationship resonated with me.
The world building is done well. I could very easily keep up with the characters as they traveled around the different areas and picture that dang maze (ugh, rats). Without going into too much detail, I’m really intrigued with this magic system. Seeing this come into play and grow was fun to read, and I can’t wait to find out more. With the way this ends, it’s clear something epic is building, and I’m here for it!
This was an entertaining mix of fantasy, adventure, secrets, romance, but above all, family. Can we also talk about how gorgeous this cover is?!
I don’t want to divulge too much about this because the story will reveal its various components little by little, but that’s the fun in reading. So the basic premise involves Cas; he is a thief (and pretty good at it) but only focuses on jobs on those who aren’t the best of people. On his latest task, he comes across a stranger, Darion, who just might be his match. There’s so much more to this, and it’ll take more than sleight of hand to find out the truth and protect his heart.
While there is romance, that’s not the focal point of this book; there’s also history, magic, mercenaries, and found family. One of my favorite characters in this book was Elena;
she is Cas’s younger sister, and let me tell you, she absolutely steals all the scenes she’s in. There’s so much wit, strength, and a whole lot more to her. I’m very intrigued to see where things go with her. This story is about many things, but family is a key point, the love and acceptance, but also the bonds between brother and sister. Being an older brother myself, I put myself into Cas’s shoes, and their relationship resonated with me.
The world building is done well. I could very easily keep up with the characters as they traveled around the different areas and picture that dang maze (ugh, rats). Without going into too much detail, I’m really intrigued with this magic system. Seeing this come into play and grow was fun to read, and I can’t wait to find out more. With the way this ends, it’s clear something epic is building, and I’m here for it!
This was an entertaining mix of fantasy, adventure, secrets, romance, but above all, family. Can we also talk about how gorgeous this cover is?!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Embers of Analon follows an unusually talented thief who is trying to find safety for his sister and build a better life than they will lead as orphans in a land where the powerful rule with an iron fist. Cas is thrown into trials that lead him to the heart of the Order of Ember, a group trying to help the city and rise up against the king’s regime that leaves magic users arrested or killed.
Most of the novel is characterised by a relationship that felt all too rushed to be fulfilling. Cas and Darian got together really quickly and there was little to no build up that made it worthwhile. There were obvious reasons for them to not get together, meaning that when they did end up as an item it felt too perfect to me. Alongside this, the way Cas reiterates that he cannot trust Darian but continues to… trust Darian really took me out of it.
The worldbuilding is super interesting, if underdeveloped, and I can definitely see it being the most gripping part of the book itself. I wanted to know more about the types of Ember, the class divide, the way people lived, more outside of the characters that struggled to interest me past the introduction point, when things became repetitive.
This feels a lot more like a YA story with unnecessary spice. If you take out the spice and add more character and relationship development, and world lore, I think this book would benefit largely. It has such great scaffolding, but unfortunately fell short when it came to expanding.
I would definitely recommend this to those who prefer a YA voice and fastburn romance, as well as a book that moves quite quickly with little dwelling or detail.
Thank you Maelstrom Press and Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Most of the novel is characterised by a relationship that felt all too rushed to be fulfilling. Cas and Darian got together really quickly and there was little to no build up that made it worthwhile. There were obvious reasons for them to not get together, meaning that when they did end up as an item it felt too perfect to me. Alongside this, the way Cas reiterates that he cannot trust Darian but continues to… trust Darian really took me out of it.
The worldbuilding is super interesting, if underdeveloped, and I can definitely see it being the most gripping part of the book itself. I wanted to know more about the types of Ember, the class divide, the way people lived, more outside of the characters that struggled to interest me past the introduction point, when things became repetitive.
This feels a lot more like a YA story with unnecessary spice. If you take out the spice and add more character and relationship development, and world lore, I think this book would benefit largely. It has such great scaffolding, but unfortunately fell short when it came to expanding.
I would definitely recommend this to those who prefer a YA voice and fastburn romance, as well as a book that moves quite quickly with little dwelling or detail.
Thank you Maelstrom Press and Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Cas Nightbrook is a thief struggling to make his way in the world and protect his younger sister, Elena. When they were children, Orlick "The Butcher" murdered their parents. Cas is a naturally kind, good-hearted person who looks after the people in his life, but also has a lot of deep-seated anger due to this past tragedy. When Cas encounters a fellow robber while on a job, he's relieved that they are there to steal different things. And this golden-eyed thief leaves Cas with an invitation to brave the The Emberlight Trials: a series of difficult, dangerous tasks that lead to initiation into a group of magical rebels.
Despite the danger, Cas undertakes the trials and is very quickly joined by a Darion, a gorgeous young man with emerald green eyes who seems particularly interested in him. Cas reciprocates his attraction, and together then start on an adventure that leads them into joys, tragedies, and complications far beyond anything Cas could have predicted.
Embers of Analon is a gripping story set in a sparkling world. Cas and Darion are both deeply loveable characters who I adored almost instantly. Their relationship moves quickly and they are adorable together. All the characters are well-drawn and engaging, the baddies are terrifying, especially Orlick, and there's enough ambiguity that the reader, like Cas, rarely knows who can and can't be trusted. The story moves quickly, with many twists and turns and surprises. I thought about it when I couldn't spend time reading, looking forward to getting back to Analon. The story gets more intense and harrowing as it progresses, and I had my heart in my mouth. The ending... Well. I'll just say I hope Paul Michael Winters writes quickly. XD
Thank you to the publisher for the ARC.
Despite the danger, Cas undertakes the trials and is very quickly joined by a Darion, a gorgeous young man with emerald green eyes who seems particularly interested in him. Cas reciprocates his attraction, and together then start on an adventure that leads them into joys, tragedies, and complications far beyond anything Cas could have predicted.
Embers of Analon is a gripping story set in a sparkling world. Cas and Darion are both deeply loveable characters who I adored almost instantly. Their relationship moves quickly and they are adorable together. All the characters are well-drawn and engaging, the baddies are terrifying, especially Orlick, and there's enough ambiguity that the reader, like Cas, rarely knows who can and can't be trusted. The story moves quickly, with many twists and turns and surprises. I thought about it when I couldn't spend time reading, looking forward to getting back to Analon. The story gets more intense and harrowing as it progresses, and I had my heart in my mouth. The ending... Well. I'll just say I hope Paul Michael Winters writes quickly. XD
Thank you to the publisher for the ARC.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
For starters, thank you NetGalley for giving me the chance to read the ARC and thank you to the author for writing this book.
From start to finish, this was an enjoyable book, and I'll be keeping an eye out for book 2.
The enjoyed all the relationships in the book.
The interactions between Cas and his sister felt like how real siblings, who love each other, behave. It reminds me of my very own relationship with my sibling. The are kind, loving and trusting with the other, but they also make sure to tease them when possible. In some books, I find that the sibling interactions are unrealistic, but this book got it right.
For the relationship between Cas and Darion, the romantic couple, it felt cute. Despite the presence of sexual scenes, or implied sexual scenes, their relationship felt like innocent teenage romance. They deeply care for one another, despite certain situations putting that trust to the test.
The world building is easy to follow and isn't extensive. In a way, it felt too simple, the story mainly stays within the same area without much change. The magical concept is simple as well, some people have powers and some don't. Some may have the same kind of power as another, but not all.
Despite being an adult book, it felt more like a YA book with added spice.
By the end of the book, I have gathered multiple questions that have been unanswered, leaving me to wait for the release of the sequel. Despite enjoying the story through and through, I am not invested enough to be waiting for book 2 for the love of the story, but more so for wanting the answers to my questions.
From start to finish, this was an enjoyable book, and I'll be keeping an eye out for book 2.
The enjoyed all the relationships in the book.
The interactions between Cas and his sister felt like how real siblings, who love each other, behave. It reminds me of my very own relationship with my sibling. The are kind, loving and trusting with the other, but they also make sure to tease them when possible. In some books, I find that the sibling interactions are unrealistic, but this book got it right.
For the relationship between Cas and Darion, the romantic couple, it felt cute. Despite the presence of sexual scenes, or implied sexual scenes, their relationship felt like innocent teenage romance. They deeply care for one another, despite certain situations putting that trust to the test.
The world building is easy to follow and isn't extensive. In a way, it felt too simple, the story mainly stays within the same area without much change. The magical concept is simple as well, some people have powers and some don't. Some may have the same kind of power as another, but not all.
Despite being an adult book, it felt more like a YA book with added spice.
By the end of the book, I have gathered multiple questions that have been unanswered, leaving me to wait for the release of the sequel. Despite enjoying the story through and through, I am not invested enough to be waiting for book 2 for the love of the story, but more so for wanting the answers to my questions.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Cas and Darion at the beginning of the book are peak “two bros hilling in the hot tub five feet apart cause they’re not gay” (spoiler not spoiler they are). This book was pretty cute! Especially the romance!
I liked the relationship of all the characters most of all. Cas and Garrick have a good relationship. Kinda like caring mentor/father figure and adopted son/apprentice. Sad about how it kinda feel apart in the middle there. I liked Cas and Elena’s sibling bond. The main couple, Darion and Cas were super sweet! I totally see the chemistry there! Only small complaint was for a rogue and thief, Cas is VERY trusting of Darion.
The world and the magic were interesting, especially the Order of the Emberborn. I liked the whole golden eye thing. That was a neat touch!
Dialogue is a bit unnatural at times, sometimes a bit more YA sounding, and can be a bit expository (as in the characters will talk about things they seemingly already know so the audience can be filled in on what they mean).
The sexual moments at the beginning book were a bit jarring for me. Like one moment Cas is doing a job, the next hooking up with some random guy. It just seemed so out of place in a scene. Like spice for the sake of spice and nothing else. Also, having the sister constantly comment on Cas’ sexual life was a little weird. Idk if that’s realistic sister behaviour idk I’m an only child.
Another nitpick how does some fantasy character know what ozone smells like?? Like it’s an odd word choice for a character’s smell.
It was good! Not amazing but a good read with a strong M/M couple!
I liked the relationship of all the characters most of all. Cas and Garrick have a good relationship. Kinda like caring mentor/father figure and adopted son/apprentice. Sad about how it kinda feel apart in the middle there. I liked Cas and Elena’s sibling bond. The main couple, Darion and Cas were super sweet! I totally see the chemistry there! Only small complaint was for a rogue and thief, Cas is VERY trusting of Darion.
The world and the magic were interesting, especially the Order of the Emberborn. I liked the whole golden eye thing. That was a neat touch!
Dialogue is a bit unnatural at times, sometimes a bit more YA sounding, and can be a bit expository (as in the characters will talk about things they seemingly already know so the audience can be filled in on what they mean).
The sexual moments at the beginning book were a bit jarring for me. Like one moment Cas is doing a job, the next hooking up with some random guy. It just seemed so out of place in a scene. Like spice for the sake of spice and nothing else. Also, having the sister constantly comment on Cas’ sexual life was a little weird. Idk if that’s realistic sister behaviour idk I’m an only child.
Another nitpick how does some fantasy character know what ozone smells like?? Like it’s an odd word choice for a character’s smell.
It was good! Not amazing but a good read with a strong M/M couple!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Embers of Analon centres around Cas as he comes to terms with his identity and his family secrets. Cas begins the Emberlight Trials in order to join the rebel cause. As he begins these trials, he meets Darion, the love interest. During these trials, he realises that a magical race of Emberborn aren’t as non-existent as he once thought.
I enjoyed the time Cas spent in the market with Elena, learning about their family before they were orphaned. The magic system was also intriguing, and slowly learning about Emberborns and their powers felt fascinating.
The world around the characters felt real and very well fleshed out, nothing felt lacking. The districts and the cities felt exciting, and I wished we explored more places more thoroughly.
I feel as though the book spent too much time on the trials. It helped to build the relationship between Cas and Darion, as well as between Cas and his sister, but it could have been cut down to get to the main part of the book towards the end of the book. The relationship between Cas and Darion felt rushed and forced, which I didn’t really like. Darion seemed to be obsessed with Cas at first glance.
While I understand this is the first book in a series, I feel like the end of the book was too rushed, and too many questions were left unanswered. The ending mentions that questions will be answered in the upcoming sequel, however I just feel like more of the smaller storylines could have completed their arc’s before the book's end.
If this book didn’t have spicy scenes, there were only a few, I would think it was meant for younger readers.
I enjoyed the time Cas spent in the market with Elena, learning about their family before they were orphaned. The magic system was also intriguing, and slowly learning about Emberborns and their powers felt fascinating.
The world around the characters felt real and very well fleshed out, nothing felt lacking. The districts and the cities felt exciting, and I wished we explored more places more thoroughly.
I feel as though the book spent too much time on the trials. It helped to build the relationship between Cas and Darion, as well as between Cas and his sister, but it could have been cut down to get to the main part of the book towards the end of the book. The relationship between Cas and Darion felt rushed and forced, which I didn’t really like. Darion seemed to be obsessed with Cas at first glance.
While I understand this is the first book in a series, I feel like the end of the book was too rushed, and too many questions were left unanswered. The ending mentions that questions will be answered in the upcoming sequel, however I just feel like more of the smaller storylines could have completed their arc’s before the book's end.
If this book didn’t have spicy scenes, there were only a few, I would think it was meant for younger readers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I want to thank NetGalley for allowing me to read this masterpiece in its ARC form!
I absolutely LOVED this book and cannot wait for the second one to come out!
I adore how it delivers a sweeping epic adventure filled with magic, magical races, a rebel army, and a young adult striving to fulfill his mother’s dying wish while also craving revenge. The writing is so fluid that the world-building unfolds seamlessly—you don’t even realize how much you’re learning as the story progresses. It’s incredibly immersive, and I could vividly picture the world in my mind.
I also loved the inclusion of maps—they really help ground the story and show where everything is, especially key locations. The appendix is the icing on the cake, particularly the sections explaining the political structure, magic system, and embers. It makes everything so much easier to understand and adds depth without overwhelming the reader.
There are both closed-door and open-door spice scenes—consider yourself warned! LOL
**Personal thoughts (may contain mild spoilers!):**
* The first spice scene between Cas and Darion… OMG. The time play was something else. IYKYK.
* The reveal of Darion’s parentage left me speechless—even though I was piecing clues together
like a detective. I have a feeling Cas and Elena’s heritage will be just as shocking, if not more,
especially with those subtle hints in the final chapters.
I truly can’t say this enough: this book is incredibly well written, and I loved it. I will absolutely be recommending it to others when it’s published in June!
I absolutely LOVED this book and cannot wait for the second one to come out!
I adore how it delivers a sweeping epic adventure filled with magic, magical races, a rebel army, and a young adult striving to fulfill his mother’s dying wish while also craving revenge. The writing is so fluid that the world-building unfolds seamlessly—you don’t even realize how much you’re learning as the story progresses. It’s incredibly immersive, and I could vividly picture the world in my mind.
I also loved the inclusion of maps—they really help ground the story and show where everything is, especially key locations. The appendix is the icing on the cake, particularly the sections explaining the political structure, magic system, and embers. It makes everything so much easier to understand and adds depth without overwhelming the reader.
There are both closed-door and open-door spice scenes—consider yourself warned! LOL
**Personal thoughts (may contain mild spoilers!):**
* The first spice scene between Cas and Darion… OMG. The time play was something else. IYKYK.
* The reveal of Darion’s parentage left me speechless—even though I was piecing clues together
like a detective. I have a feeling Cas and Elena’s heritage will be just as shocking, if not more,
especially with those subtle hints in the final chapters.
I truly can’t say this enough: this book is incredibly well written, and I loved it. I will absolutely be recommending it to others when it’s published in June!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Ember of Analon is a fast-paced fantasy book with a complex magical system, numerous characters with diverse abilities, and multiple locations throughout the city of Analon and the country of Velmorra. There was a lot happening in over 400 pages, but the book still ends on a sudden, major cliffhanger and leaves many things unanswered.
The main characters, 21 year old talented thief Cas (who cares for his 14 year old sister, Elena) and elussive and secretive Darien are trown into multiple adventures together as Cas is running through trials for a secret society. As the story is written from Cas’ POV, we spend a lot of time in his head. We can see him falling fast for Darien (felt like an insta-love story) and circling around some of the same things over and over again: his worry for his sister, his grief for his parents, his hatred for their killer, and his issues with trust when it comes to his love interest and the increasing danger as the trials are getting more and more deadly. I admired the domestic moments between Cas and Darien, they were really sweet together, but I didn’t feel too much chemistry during their intimate scenes. I adored the relationship between Cas and Elena, it was definitely the highlight of the story.
The book definitely kept me engaged and interested, but the writing style reminded me of YA books (perhaps with less spice). I’m looking forward to finding out many of the unanswered details in the next instalment of the series.
I’ve received a copy of this book from NetGalley, and this is my honest review.
The main characters, 21 year old talented thief Cas (who cares for his 14 year old sister, Elena) and elussive and secretive Darien are trown into multiple adventures together as Cas is running through trials for a secret society. As the story is written from Cas’ POV, we spend a lot of time in his head. We can see him falling fast for Darien (felt like an insta-love story) and circling around some of the same things over and over again: his worry for his sister, his grief for his parents, his hatred for their killer, and his issues with trust when it comes to his love interest and the increasing danger as the trials are getting more and more deadly. I admired the domestic moments between Cas and Darien, they were really sweet together, but I didn’t feel too much chemistry during their intimate scenes. I adored the relationship between Cas and Elena, it was definitely the highlight of the story.
The book definitely kept me engaged and interested, but the writing style reminded me of YA books (perhaps with less spice). I’m looking forward to finding out many of the unanswered details in the next instalment of the series.
I’ve received a copy of this book from NetGalley, and this is my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3,5 (rounded up to 4 because the world needs more gay fantasy stories!)
Cas Nightbrook is the main character we follow in this book. He is a well-known thief in the brutal city of Analon, striving to protect his younger sister while seeking justice after the death of his parents at the hands of the the King’s men.
This gains the attention of a secret rebel order, with links to a forbidden and hunted magical race, who invite Cas for The Emberlight Trials. These trials, however, are only the beginning of a journey filled with fast-paced action, plot twists, and a romance with the charming yet mysterious Darion Thorne.
Overall, I found this a difficult book to review. I was entertained throughout and flew through it, but I was left wanting more. The characters and world building are intriguing, but everything was too superficial to my liking. Some plot points are too convenient (with Cas even acknowledging how easy things seem) and the magic system isn’t consistent enough.
The intimate scenes take this book from YA territory to a more (new?) adult space. They are actually handled really well and never take over the story. The queer romance aspect of this novel blends seamlessly with everything else.
While I wasn’t totally convinced by this first installment, I will definitely continue the series. There is a lot of potential in both the characters and the world, so I’m curious to see where this goes.
Cas Nightbrook is the main character we follow in this book. He is a well-known thief in the brutal city of Analon, striving to protect his younger sister while seeking justice after the death of his parents at the hands of the the King’s men.
This gains the attention of a secret rebel order, with links to a forbidden and hunted magical race, who invite Cas for The Emberlight Trials. These trials, however, are only the beginning of a journey filled with fast-paced action, plot twists, and a romance with the charming yet mysterious Darion Thorne.
Overall, I found this a difficult book to review. I was entertained throughout and flew through it, but I was left wanting more. The characters and world building are intriguing, but everything was too superficial to my liking. Some plot points are too convenient (with Cas even acknowledging how easy things seem) and the magic system isn’t consistent enough.
The intimate scenes take this book from YA territory to a more (new?) adult space. They are actually handled really well and never take over the story. The queer romance aspect of this novel blends seamlessly with everything else.
While I wasn’t totally convinced by this first installment, I will definitely continue the series. There is a lot of potential in both the characters and the world, so I’m curious to see where this goes.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
What did I just read? That was amazing!!!!
I was so hesitant to read this arc, as I didn't want to get into another fantasy series, but I am so happy I did. I loved this way more than I expected to.
There is a really cool magic system in this world. The way the author revealed bits of and the world was really well done and moved the story along at a strong pace. At then end of every chapter, I just wanted to keep going to find out what happens next. The story is addicting.
The characters is where this book shines. Cas and Darion have so much chemistry. They made me so happy to read about. I also loved Cas's relationship with his sister Elena. He's the older brother trying to protect her, but he isn't stifling her either. Even the side characters feel like they're real people no matter how short a time they are on page.
My only "critique" would be that although this is a fantasy story with very high stakes, it almost read like a cozy fantasy because of how easily resolved some of the plot points were. It didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book at all, but I was surprised to get those vibes.
Overall, I can't recommend this enough. I loved the writing, the world, the characters. I cannot wait for the next book to come out. And in the meantime, I will be checking out the author's other work.
**Thank you Netgalley and Maelstrom Press for providing this ebook. All opinions are my own.**
I was so hesitant to read this arc, as I didn't want to get into another fantasy series, but I am so happy I did. I loved this way more than I expected to.
There is a really cool magic system in this world. The way the author revealed bits of and the world was really well done and moved the story along at a strong pace. At then end of every chapter, I just wanted to keep going to find out what happens next. The story is addicting.
The characters is where this book shines. Cas and Darion have so much chemistry. They made me so happy to read about. I also loved Cas's relationship with his sister Elena. He's the older brother trying to protect her, but he isn't stifling her either. Even the side characters feel like they're real people no matter how short a time they are on page.
My only "critique" would be that although this is a fantasy story with very high stakes, it almost read like a cozy fantasy because of how easily resolved some of the plot points were. It didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book at all, but I was surprised to get those vibes.
Overall, I can't recommend this enough. I loved the writing, the world, the characters. I cannot wait for the next book to come out. And in the meantime, I will be checking out the author's other work.
**Thank you Netgalley and Maelstrom Press for providing this ebook. All opinions are my own.**
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Spoilers ahead
Definitely intrigued by a fantasy romance from an MMC’s POV (it is M/M so it’s 2 MMC). Overall I really enjoyed the story and excited to continue the series.
I like Cas as the main character; morally gray due to an expected caregiver role is a fave trope. He vows to take care of his little sister after their parents are killed and he does some thievery on the side to make ends meet. I also like Cas and Darion together even with all that happens with them; gotta have some angst.
Some things I didn’t care for: the relationship is on the fastest of tracks haha. I’m not sure if that’s more a hallmark of an M/M book or just the author’s choice but they were getting busy fairly quickly. I would have liked more development and banter even though I do enjoy them together. This is also fairly spicy which I didn’t expect (not a bad thing, just maybe would have swapped some spice for some tension).
This also has some of my least favorite tropes:
Secret magic prince(cess) is just tired. It makes sense for this story but it was hardly secret to the reader. The reveals never hit like we would want them to since it’s getting more expected in stories like this. Also I’m not sure what this trope is called but exchanging the word God for a random word and using it really often (in this book it’s dust) just doesn’t do it for me. Oh dust! Dust only knows!
Thank you to Netgalley and Maelstrom Press for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Definitely intrigued by a fantasy romance from an MMC’s POV (it is M/M so it’s 2 MMC). Overall I really enjoyed the story and excited to continue the series.
I like Cas as the main character; morally gray due to an expected caregiver role is a fave trope. He vows to take care of his little sister after their parents are killed and he does some thievery on the side to make ends meet. I also like Cas and Darion together even with all that happens with them; gotta have some angst.
Some things I didn’t care for: the relationship is on the fastest of tracks haha. I’m not sure if that’s more a hallmark of an M/M book or just the author’s choice but they were getting busy fairly quickly. I would have liked more development and banter even though I do enjoy them together. This is also fairly spicy which I didn’t expect (not a bad thing, just maybe would have swapped some spice for some tension).
This also has some of my least favorite tropes:
Secret magic prince(cess) is just tired. It makes sense for this story but it was hardly secret to the reader. The reveals never hit like we would want them to since it’s getting more expected in stories like this. Also I’m not sure what this trope is called but exchanging the word God for a random word and using it really often (in this book it’s dust) just doesn’t do it for me. Oh dust! Dust only knows!
Thank you to Netgalley and Maelstrom Press for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 20, 2026
As someone new to "romantasy", I really liked how this has that traditional fantasy setup I already love. It’s got a great foundation, plus a sweet and tender M/M romance layer that works nicely.
I enjoyed the character development, it’s great to see Cas and Darion help each other actually overcome trauma instead of just bonding over it. I also love the dynamic between Cas and his younger sister, Elena, both orphaned by a traumatic event in their past. Elena seems to be emotionally stronger than he is, while Cas is so traumatized that he tries to shield her from truths she’s actually strong enough to handle. That makes for some solid development!
I am particularly fond of the trials, from lurking dangerous catacombs to sneaking through restricted secret archives. I loved the corrupt political structure with the Sentinels, and the secretive history of the Emberborn. Plus, there are some weird mysteries surrounding Cas that are intriguing.
I really enjoyed this book! I do wish it was a bit of a slower burn, and sometimes Cas and Darion were lusting after each other in moments of distress which felt odd. I enjoyed the more sensual, emotional moments over some of the the more sterile, lustful spice in some of it as well, though I think that’s just a difference in personal taste.
I’m interested to see how the sequel unfolds!
Thank you so much to Paul Michael Winters and Colored Pages Book Tours for the gifted book in exchange for an honest review!
I enjoyed the character development, it’s great to see Cas and Darion help each other actually overcome trauma instead of just bonding over it. I also love the dynamic between Cas and his younger sister, Elena, both orphaned by a traumatic event in their past. Elena seems to be emotionally stronger than he is, while Cas is so traumatized that he tries to shield her from truths she’s actually strong enough to handle. That makes for some solid development!
I am particularly fond of the trials, from lurking dangerous catacombs to sneaking through restricted secret archives. I loved the corrupt political structure with the Sentinels, and the secretive history of the Emberborn. Plus, there are some weird mysteries surrounding Cas that are intriguing.
I really enjoyed this book! I do wish it was a bit of a slower burn, and sometimes Cas and Darion were lusting after each other in moments of distress which felt odd. I enjoyed the more sensual, emotional moments over some of the the more sterile, lustful spice in some of it as well, though I think that’s just a difference in personal taste.
I’m interested to see how the sequel unfolds!
Thank you so much to Paul Michael Winters and Colored Pages Book Tours for the gifted book in exchange for an honest review!
June 23, 2026
Embers of Analon by Paul Micheal Winters
Big Thanks too:
@pmwintersauthor
@netgalley
@maelstrompress
5/5 Stars 🌟
I read Paul’s Ya book Haunting Between us and as soon as I saw this book I knew I needed to get hold of it some way shape or form! And I really appreciate NetGalley and — for letting me have this eARC copy to review!!
I wouldn’t be a big romance/fantasy reader as much as Sami but when I saw the cover or this book I just knew I needed to read it and I’m so happy I did!
We have our main character Cas and his sister Elena who’ve went through some hard times losing their parents, Cas has went on to become a thief to make ends meet and also get a little justice for the poor in some ways by giving some of his loot to others.
On one of his missions he runs into our other MC who we know as a fellow gold eyed thief, who then leaves him a mysterious note.
Without going into too many spoilers we end up with Cas on a trail, falling in love with a handsome brown haired stranger and so much more exciting things happening.
There will be another book and I’m so happy with how this left off as it’s made me so excited and gives me hope that the next book will answer my questions.
I loved the descriptions of the characters and the mysterious vibes of characters gave off, could you trust them or not and there was some spice but nothing too overpowering it just fit in well *👀*
Overall, a fantastic book and extremely excited for the next one!!
Big Thanks too:
@pmwintersauthor
@netgalley
@maelstrompress
5/5 Stars 🌟
I read Paul’s Ya book Haunting Between us and as soon as I saw this book I knew I needed to get hold of it some way shape or form! And I really appreciate NetGalley and — for letting me have this eARC copy to review!!
I wouldn’t be a big romance/fantasy reader as much as Sami but when I saw the cover or this book I just knew I needed to read it and I’m so happy I did!
We have our main character Cas and his sister Elena who’ve went through some hard times losing their parents, Cas has went on to become a thief to make ends meet and also get a little justice for the poor in some ways by giving some of his loot to others.
On one of his missions he runs into our other MC who we know as a fellow gold eyed thief, who then leaves him a mysterious note.
Without going into too many spoilers we end up with Cas on a trail, falling in love with a handsome brown haired stranger and so much more exciting things happening.
There will be another book and I’m so happy with how this left off as it’s made me so excited and gives me hope that the next book will answer my questions.
I loved the descriptions of the characters and the mysterious vibes of characters gave off, could you trust them or not and there was some spice but nothing too overpowering it just fit in well *👀*
Overall, a fantastic book and extremely excited for the next one!!
July 6, 2026
What a great read! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.
Cas and his younger sister were orphaned, and he’ll do anything to take care of her, even if it means having part-time work as a thief. One night while on a job, he runs into another thief---one with powers Cas has never seen before. Upon escaping the botched robbery, he finds that the thief left him a secret message, one that could possibly lead him to join an infamous order known for being rebels.
The world that Cas lives in is one where people known for being born with magic are something of a fairy tale, though Cas quickly finds out that the stories are true---as is the danger that surrounds them. The world-building in this story is great (and without a crap ton of info-dumping, which I appreciate!), and the magic system is interesting without being unnecessarily complicated.
The characters are written very well, with clear personalities. I adored Elena.
Now for the not so great: The attraction and romance is nearly instant, which made things boring as far as that goes. I think it could have been dragged out a bit more for sure, so that there was an equal amount of buildup alongside the building plot.
Another issue I found was that Cas was a little *too* prepared for everything. It seemed like he had a potion for everything and it was just a bit too convenient.
I look forward to reading more in this series!
*ARC review, my opinions are my own.
Cas and his younger sister were orphaned, and he’ll do anything to take care of her, even if it means having part-time work as a thief. One night while on a job, he runs into another thief---one with powers Cas has never seen before. Upon escaping the botched robbery, he finds that the thief left him a secret message, one that could possibly lead him to join an infamous order known for being rebels.
The world that Cas lives in is one where people known for being born with magic are something of a fairy tale, though Cas quickly finds out that the stories are true---as is the danger that surrounds them. The world-building in this story is great (and without a crap ton of info-dumping, which I appreciate!), and the magic system is interesting without being unnecessarily complicated.
The characters are written very well, with clear personalities. I adored Elena.
Now for the not so great: The attraction and romance is nearly instant, which made things boring as far as that goes. I think it could have been dragged out a bit more for sure, so that there was an equal amount of buildup alongside the building plot.
Another issue I found was that Cas was a little *too* prepared for everything. It seemed like he had a potion for everything and it was just a bit too convenient.
I look forward to reading more in this series!
*ARC review, my opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
After dystopian and paranormal, Paul Michael Winters delves into Fantasy with the Embers of Analon!
If you have read the author before, you know that the swoony chemistry between the main couple is one of his most recognisable story traits, and this book won't disappoint you either.
Cas is a herb merchant by day, cat burglar at night in the city of Analon, where he ended up with his sister after the brutal murder of their parents a decade ago. He keeps his secrets close to his heart, which is a locked box for everyone apart from Helena...until he meets Darion, who manages to effortlessly slip past his guard.
The magic system and secrets of the world unravel pretty quickly, with Cas jumping through hoops bringing him closer to a secret society, to Darion and to a never-ending cat and mouse game with the king and his ruthless enforcer.
The story is enjoyable and flows quickly, it never gets dull or tiring. Its only shortcoming is that it's sometimes too quickly, tasks described as borderline impossible succeed each other, locations swap, protagonists and adversaries make breakthroughs at extremely convenient moments.
The end of the book is not the end of the story and cannot wait for the next installment!
Thank you Paul Michael Winters for the ARC!
If you have read the author before, you know that the swoony chemistry between the main couple is one of his most recognisable story traits, and this book won't disappoint you either.
Cas is a herb merchant by day, cat burglar at night in the city of Analon, where he ended up with his sister after the brutal murder of their parents a decade ago. He keeps his secrets close to his heart, which is a locked box for everyone apart from Helena...until he meets Darion, who manages to effortlessly slip past his guard.
The magic system and secrets of the world unravel pretty quickly, with Cas jumping through hoops bringing him closer to a secret society, to Darion and to a never-ending cat and mouse game with the king and his ruthless enforcer.
The story is enjoyable and flows quickly, it never gets dull or tiring. Its only shortcoming is that it's sometimes too quickly, tasks described as borderline impossible succeed each other, locations swap, protagonists and adversaries make breakthroughs at extremely convenient moments.
The end of the book is not the end of the story and cannot wait for the next installment!
Thank you Paul Michael Winters for the ARC!
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