Embers of Miska

by Jonas Dael

Where the Flame dims, the Shadow rises.


In the vibrant city of Miska, the Summer Solstice is a day of celebration—a time of music, trade, and the long-awaited selection ceremony for the Order of the Flame, an ancient priesthood bound to the city's protective fire spirit.

When Yma, a potter's daughter from the city's lowest terrace, finds herself unexpectedly drawn into the order's secret world, her life changes forever. What begins as the fulfillment of her oldest dream, becomes a dangerous tangle of half-truths, forbidden questions, and powers she was never meant to touch.


For lovers of complex character, magic that comes at a cost, secret orders, mystery, and 'stare-at-the-wall' endings.

This book is YA fantasy, but covers mature and emotional themes (no spice, low romance), blending dark academia with classic quest fantasy. If you enjoy Robin Hobb, but with a faster plot, this is a book to pick up. Advised reading age is 13+

404 pages, Paperback

Expected publication November 15, 2026

Reviews

[Yara Willems · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for the eARC in return for an honest review

If you're looking for a unique, coming-of-age, dark academia-vibes fantasy book, then look no further!
This book truly is a wonderful story. The setting feels rich and beautiful. The characters feel real and alive. These are due to the intricate and detailed writing of the story that makes the story hit deep. Yma and Alvar have a forever place in my heart. And that ending is going to stay with me for quite a while.
I feel so thankful that I've been able to read this book before it's release date because it truly is amazing. I love this story.

[Kurai Yomi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Embers of Miska by Jonas Dael is a captivating, slow-burn fantasy that grips you with its rich atmosphere and grounded worldbuilding

What Makes It Stand Out
Immersive Worldbuilding: Miska isn't just a setting—it feels alive. Dael paints a landscape scarred by past conflicts, where politics, old grudges, and remnant magic bleed into every village and ruin.
Complex, Flawed Characters: The cast carries real weight. Nobody is purely heroic or entirely villainous; their choices are driven by survival, duty, and grief, making every conflict feel sharp and personal.
Atmospheric Pacing: The tension builds steadily, letting you soak in the mystery and lore before unleashing high-stakes encounters that hit with actual emotional weight.

If you enjoy dark, intricate fantasy with a focus on character dynamics, sharp dialogue, and worldbuilding you can sink your teeth into, Embers of Miska is well worth the read.

[Elien Uyttendaele · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

I received an advance copy of Embers of Miska and here are my thoughts on it.

The book really transcended the fantasy theme for me. I enjoyed the coming-of-age element for the protagonist. Throughout the reading, I was kept on my toes, figuring out where the story would lead me. I truly enjoyed each turn and twist that lead me to a beautiful closure for our protagonist while the epilogue hints at possible expansion into this mystical world.

The author has a real knack for using just the right wording to make you feel all the feels without turning overly stylized which resulted in a smooth reading experience overall.

Well done!

[An-Sofie Baeyens · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

Review of advance copy received by author

Some books pull you in from the very first pages, and this was definitely one of them!

Even though YA isn’t always what I reach for first, I found myself completely immersed in this story. The pacing is fast, the world is intriguing, and there were moments when I genuinely needed to put the book down for a second just to process everything that was happening.

We follow Yma, a potter’s daughter whose life takes an unexpected turn when she is selected to join the Order before she is even old enough. What initially seems like a dream come true soon becomes something much more complicated, and discovering the truth behind the Order was one of the things that kept me turning the pages.

The atmosphere was one of my favourite parts. It has that dark academia feeling, with a magical setting that gave me a little bit of that nostalgic Harry Potter excitement, while the Aztec-inspired elements made the world feel distinctive and fascinating.

The story moves at a pretty relentless pace, occasionally a little too quickly for my liking, but it never failed to keep me interested. There is so much emotion woven into the plot, and the twists just keep coming. I found myself feeling right alongside the characters, and yes, there were tears involved!

Jonas Dael has created a captivating story that manages to combine magic, mystery, emotion, and an intriguing world into a read I didn’t want to put down.

Thank you, Jonas, for trusting me with an ARC. I’m so glad I got the chance to experience this story!

[Simon Grund Sørensen · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

Embers of Miska is a brilliant young-adult fantasy novel, which is — refreshingly — a standalone. It follows the story of a young woman as she learns about her self, her past, and the world and the powers that surround her. On her journey, she is challenged to take action and to navigate beyond just her own interests.

The story has tropes of Found Friendship, Magic School, Forgiveness, and Forgotten Ancient Magic. It has no spice but mild violence which may upset some readers. The narrative style fits well for reading aloud, I believe, and has a cozy storyteller vibe to it.

The worldbuilding is rich and thematically strong, sending the reader on a journey across a world where pottery and spices and fire are central: it gave me indian and middle eastern vibes, but that might just be a personal association. In particular, the world reminded me of that of The Spice Gate by Prashanth Srivatsa.

I would recommend this book to readers looking for a palate cleanser between all the big fantasy series, which flood the market these days. It is a cozy dive into a fantasy world with rich atmosphere and a personal journey from start to… Well, the rest you’ll have to read for yourself.

[Stacy Grierson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book via BookSirens. All opinions are my own.

Every so often I like to inject a YA fantasy into my reading list. The synopsis of this book was interesting, unique & something I hoped I could convince my daughter to read. It was well written, with a well thought out storyline, a smooth flow taking you through Yma's journey & it was paced to keep you engaged. I really enjoyed this story, it had self doubt, friendship, class prejudice, death, a smidge of tentative romance & self belief. I enjoyed the world building & the magic system was really good. Written as a standalone, the ending was written in such a way that we may hear more from Miska.

[Hanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a well done YA fantasy!
The tension builds slowly in front of ritch and intricate worldbuilding, that still leaves open the want to learn more and dive deeper. The book tells a coming of age story with characters that feel detailed and layered. The prose is simple yet elegant and Deal finds just the right words.
The ending is satisfying and closes nicely, but also leaves open enough for a possible sequel.

I recived an ARC of the book by the author.

[Liana Van Doren · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

Embers of Miska by Jonas Dael was a really interesting YA fantasy that kept me immersed in its world from beginning to end!

I absolutely loved following the FMC's journey throughout the story. She was such a strong character, and I really enjoyed seeing her growth along the way. The magic system was another highlight for me. The way the magic was introduced and gradually developed throughout the story was very well done, and I found it quite unique and fascinating.

The writing was also really good and immersive, making it easy to get drawn into the story and its world. I also really enjoyed the side characters! Some were incredibly interesting, while others were just truly loveable and added so much to the overall experience.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable YA fantasy with a strong FMC, an intriguing magic system, and a cast of characters that made the journey all the more worthwhile.

[Joeri Demey · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

My very first ARC and my first attempt at a review, so here we go.

Absolutely loved reading Embers of Miska from the start, as the author managed to draw me into the story from the start.

We get acquainted with Yma, a potter's daughter, and her father. On Summer Soltice they go to the market to sell their pottery, and end up in the temple square afterwards for a ceremony to celebrate the Flame. Surprisingly, Yma is chosen by the Flame to start as an initiate in the Order of the Flame. While adapting to her new life, she learns that not everything is she was taught about the Order is correct.

This YA story keeps a nice pace from the start, drawing you into the world of Miska. You get the story from Yma's point of view, where her thoughts and feelings add to the credibility of the main character. The world the author has created reminds me of ancient worlds, part Inca or Aztec, which was a pleasant surprise. The pottery theme added a very nice touch as well, in my opinion.

Definitely a very nice start, will keep an eye out for more from this author

[Elien · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advanced review copy (ARC) from the author and this is my personal review.

For someone who usually doesn’t read in this genre, I was hesitant to pick up a debut fantasy novel.

However, the mystery and the depth of the characters made this story an extremely pleasant introduction to fantasy and easy to dive into.

It’s truly a beautiful, well constructed story with an ending to remember.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the absolute plessure to Arc read this book.

And yes, even though it's a YA, I absolutely devoured it. I could not put it down.

In this book we follow Yma, a potters daughter. After a successful market day self-made pottery, she and her father join the cermony where people will be picked to join The Order.

Unexpectly, Yma get's chosen even though she is not of age yet. A dream is coming true for her! Or is it? Turnes out...The Order is not what is seems.

This book is super fast paced (sometimes a little bit too fast), dark academia with complex emotions. It gives Harry Potter vibes so I was instantly hooked. The setting and the magic system has a more Aztec vibe. Which I love.

It is well written and I actually felt every emotion that was in the book. And yes, I also cried. The "hits" just keep coming and I had to put the book down once in a while to "catch my breath".

Amazing book, well done Jonas! And thank you for trusting me with this Arc read!

[Veronique · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy of "Embers of Miska", and here's my personal review after having read it:
From the very first pages, I was completely pulled into the story. There is something wonderfully immersive about the way the author writes. His rich, evocative language and incredible attention to detail made the world feel so vivid and tangible, that I could almost step into it myself. I loved the way the story slowly unfolded, revealing more with every chapter, while the tension quietly built and kept me turning the pages, always wanting to know what would happen next. Jonas Dael has a gift for storytelling!
What struck me most was how deeply human the characters feel. I became genuinely invested in their struggles, their conflicting emotions and the impossible choices they face. Despite the extraordinary circumstances and the presence of magic, the characters remain profoundly human. Their vulnerabilities, fears, desires and inner conflicts give the story its heart and make them incredibly compelling and relatable.
And then there are the final chapters. They were absolutely beautiful. Heart-wrenching, lyrical and incredibly moving, and they brought the story to a powerful and satisfying conclusion. There was something both painful and beautiful about the way everything came together. This is the kind of story that reminds you why you love reading in the first place, the kind that draws you into another world and, somehow, leaves a little piece of itself with you when you finally close the book. I sincerely hope there is more to come from this emerging author!

[Tsop Tsop]

I received an ARC from the author and this is my review of the book:

This is a terrific debut novel. Embers of Miska is great from start to finish. It falls under the YA genre of fantasy.
It reminded me of Assassin's Quest (Robin Hobb) and, strangely, of Babel (R.F. Kuang)
It is a highly engrossing story, with simple yet elegant prose.
I really enjoyed the single POV approach as it let me get fully immersed in the story and the character of Yma.
The only minor setback for me was the worldbuilding, which I found it to be underdeveloped. But, I am sure Jonas Dael ( the author) will further develop his evident skill in his future novels.
The strongest attribute of the story is of course the characters, amd especially our protagonist Yma. You journey alongside her, feeling all her struggles and inner thoughts.
I think this would be an excellent read for younger ages.

*Minor Spoilers* I really enjoyed the conclusion of the story, which leaned into a more bittersweet ending, that I found to be more fitting to the overall arc of her character.

[Maxime · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

4.5 stars actually.. I really enjoyed reading this book and uncovering all it’s secrets.

This was a fast paced book, set in a great world which was written very well, easy to understand just like the magic aspect, and i find the fmc very likeable.

It felt like I knew where I was and saw it happening in my head, like a movie. I wish I could join!

It’s YA, there is a secret society, academia, growth, strength and beautiful bonds. I could not put the book down.. my eyes got blurry at some point!

I think I would have wanted it longer and even more detailed then it already was, for me to give it 5 stars. But like I said: I truly enjoyed reading Embers of Miska.

[Marissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a great book! I loved the world building that took place throughout the entire book and it was nice to take an adventure outside the main city (I love a quest). The functionality of the Flame spirit and the way it communicated was great. Yma was written well and I like that we get to see so much of her past experiences and what has shaped her (we do get to see that really well in other characters as well). This is a fantastic debut novel and I’m excited to rejoin Miska if there is indeed a sequel!

I received an ARC from the author and am voluntarily leaving this review!

[Kitty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, feeling quite emotional after finishing this. I didn’t know what to expect but if this is his debut as an author, I will definitely be reading more!

Basics of the book are that Yma is selected as an initiate for the Order who worship the Eternal Flame. All hell breaks loose and she and a friend have to go on an adventure to find things and safe the world. That’s the only way I can describe it without spoilers.

I will be thinking about the end of this book for a long time. Well done @JonasDael

[Novaesoul · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.


This story takes you on an emotional rollercoaster. I found myself crying at several points and feeling genuinely angry at the deep injustices that are gradually uncovered throughout the world-building. It felt like an adventurous, dystopian movie. You're never really sure whom you can trust.