Embers

Scales 'N' Spells #4

by A.J. Sherwood, Jocelynn Drake

Once upon a time, there was a stunningly gorgeous mage named Nikki.

They were trapped by evil, horrible Jaeggi mages for ten long years until they were rescued by the brave dragon named Gunter.

The grumpy red knight swept in, carrying them off to a fair castle, where they lived happily ever after.

That’s how the story’s supposed to go, anyway. Nikki would really like to have that fairytale ending, please and thank you.

It’s too bad Gunter is oblivious and the Jaeggi are interfering. Nikki may just have to cook up some explosions to help both situations along, because they’re determined to get their happily ever after.

Is there a magic how-to guide on things that go boom?

Tags:
non-binary MC, Grumpy and Sunshine, it’s basically the air we breathe, Gunter needs a hug, Nikki likes to give them, crippling crush at first sight, Nikki has trust issues, for good reason, Nikki’s determined, Gunter is oblivious, mis-used poetry, Alric and Gunter are once again banned from drinking together, ever, schmoop, wall sex, the tongue thing is awesome, all hail Gunter’s tongue, violence, because bad guys, Nikki feels that explosions are an appropriate response to everything, Cameron and Nikki are explosion buddies, Nikki has mixed feelings on high heels, fairytales do come true.

Genres: Fantasy, M M Romance, Dragons, Paranormal, Romance, Magic, Shapeshifters

358 pages, Paperback

First published September 10, 2021

About the author

AJ Sherwood believes in happily ever afters, magic, dragons, good men, and dark chocolate. She often dreams at night of delectable men doing sexy things with each other. In between writing multiple books (often at the same time) she pets her cats, plays with her dogs, and attempts insane things like aerial yoga.

She currently resides in Tennessee with aforementioned cats, dogs, and her editor/best friend/sister/partner in crime.

Reviews

[Cæsar Eanraig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful!!!

What a great way to finish this series, The action scenes were great, the romance was sweet, loved the chemistry between the main characters, the book made me laugh, made my heart jump with joy and also made me excited with the tension moments! The grand finale was perfect and I just adored the epilogue! The whole book made very pleased! High praises to A.J. Sherwood and Jocelynn Drake for this marvellous series!!!

Also have this book on Audible and again Joel Leslie gave a outstanding performance! Always very committed, superb acting combined with a gorgeous voice is just very well appreciated, congratulations for the amazing work!!!

Marvelous job from Katie Griffin, adorable art cover!!!

6🌟

[Cadiva · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant ending to this first set of dragon romances

I'm sad the Burkhart dragons stories are over, but really happy we're going to be getting the Ice Dragons next!

This was a delightful way to see the series out too as staid and outwardly 'boring' Clan Historian and Librarian Gunter is bowled over by NB mage Nikki.

They've managed to escape Jaeggi captivity, find their mate in Gunter and blow things up all in one go.

It's a wonderful introduction to the delight which is Nikki. They're sunshine to Gunter's grumps, driven to tease and flirt the older man out of his library as often as they can.

There's the same humour as in the rest of the series, and the usual sense of threat as the Jaeggi continue to evade the dragons.

It's been clear since the beginning that a reckoning was coming for the mad clan who've caused so much trouble since the original Dragon War 500 years earlier.

Things come to a head with an unexpected breakthrough and while some may feel the actions taken were brutal, I'm all in favour.

Along the way there's a bond to be made, steaming hot wall sex to be experienced and found family providing a home to be enjoyed.

Bring on the Valerii!

[Deborah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the final book in what has been a gentle sweet series. This was a long book, too long for me if I’m being honest. I struggled with it a lot even resorting to skimming. The reviews are good so I’m going to go ahead and assume it’s me.

I liked both Gunter and Nikki, they complimented each other well. The ending was nice and went pretty much as expected.

[Len Evans Jr · Rating 5 out of 5]

The authors saved the best for last!

WOW! This final book was just totally awesome! It saddens me that there are no more to read! :-( Will just wait a year and reread the series again I guess! Unless the authors decide to write a spinoff series! Hint! Hint! This is the best series I have read in years!

[Ronie Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know it's nothing new. Cleaning up all plot points. Except for one! The birthing process of same sex couples. A topic I find in a lot of stories not just the Omegaverse. From: because magic, extra lube heat equals hospital stay take home baby the next day, a parasitic worm and now an magical artificial womb powered by mages.

Kept talking about it, but no time because of evil core damaged mages stealing magic and severing family ties. Cause of jealousy and not getting over not being the girl he wanted. Only to get a quick glimpse of the process at the end.

I did enjoy reading about the winter traditions. There were lots of examples of relationship goals. I'll definitely put this series on my if-i-get-time-i-must-reread list

[Jacqueleen the Reading Queen♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fabulous end to such a fun series by this cowriting duo! I mean who doesn't love dragons and magic!? Certainly not I. I was both looking forward to Nikki and Gunters story, and dreading it because that means this particular series is complete. I have enjoyed all the books so far and Embers proved no different. I loved seeing grumpy Gunter being bossed around by Nikki. They may have been through a terrible trauma, but that didn't stop Nikki's personality from shining. I think they were exactly what our Gunter needed.

I am also happy to report the epic battle with the Jaeggi was finally fought and I'm sure you guessed the dragons would come out victorious. It was so great seeing everyone get their payback for what seemed like a long journey through four and a half books. The jaeggi were the worst type of humans and I'm glad they got what was coming to them, Thomas especially.

The ending of this book was very satisfying. After everything they've been through, it's finally time for the Fire Dragon clan to move on with their lives and relationships. I loved that we got to see what that meant for a few of our past couples. I will definitely miss this series, but I'm also super excited for the Ice Dragons spin off slated for next year! I want more Dimitr and I'm looking forward to what comes next. Hopefully we'll also get a few cameos from our favorites!

[buwan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay. We've finally made it. The final book in the Scales 'n' Spells series thus far, and lemme tell you, it was a slog to get through. I couldn't decide between this book or the previous book, Blood,, which was a worse time to get through, but at least this book has the added bonus of not being about any POC whatsoever. It does, however, have a non-binary AMAB (assigned male at birth) MC that deals with heavy topics of trauma, anxiety, paranoia, and grief. It's impressive to me that this series has managed to check off so many characters with backgrounds like mine and yet managed to fuck up just about all of them. Warning: this one will also be pretty long.

In this book, we meet Nikki, our enby/NB mage MC who has been held captive by the Jaeggi for 10 years after the death of their parents before breaking out with Ravi at the end of the previous book, Blood. Our dragon MC is Gunter, the royal archivist and researcher of the Burkhard clan who comes into watching over Nikki mostly by coincidence.

This book starts where the previous book left off with Ravi's kidnapping and rescue. Nikki helps him escape on the condition that they are allowed to come back with him to Burkhard Castle and keep as far away from other mages as possible. I want to point out here first that I... really didn't like Nikki. Almost at all. Their characterization sounds like a walking tumblr blog, sprinkled with a vague idea of what mental illness looks like from a Pinterest mood board. Nikki is written in such a way that they feel more like a stereotype than a real person, and some of the habits they apparently form in this book came off as creepy rather than cute. On top of that, the dialogue is stiff, campy, and as much as I love the "grumpy x sunshine" trope, this was not it.

1. The Gender Thing
Maybe I'm weird, but I really was hoping for a story where the enby MC is just treated like a normal human being without all the show and fanfare of "WOW!! A HOMO!!" from all of the surrounding characters. I understand the "realism" behind this sentiment, but there are so many scenes where discussing Nikki's Gender Thing takes up so much time and is delivered so stiffly. What is the point in a gender-inclusive society if at every point, the characters are questioning gender identity? It starts right from the get-go: Ravi (literally) throws Nikki into Gunter's care and refers to Nikki with they/them pronouns. In a gender-inclusive group, this should've been the end of it. A bit later, when Ravi refers to Nikki again with they/them pronouns, Gunter makes this observation:

Interesting. Twice now, Ravi had used they or them when referencing Nikki. Gunter glanced back down at the mage still holding onto him. Perhaps non-binary? Genderqueer? He'd use gender-neutral pronouns for now and clarify later.

This reads so unnaturally, and it makes the fact that the dragons are gender-inclusive weak because they still insist on making these ridiculous observations. Gunter even says that he noticed Ravi used they/them and continued to use he/him up until this paragraph. I don't know how many gender diverse circles the authors run in, but it's a pretty universal understanding between my friends and me that if someone introduces another person into the group with x/x pronouns, we would just use those until told otherwise. It comes off as insincere and ignorant that Gunter not only notices this usage of pronouns but also actively ignored it until now. It reeks of the strange obsession that seems to follow enby people that no matter how much we press that we are non-binary or genderfluid and would like to not be referred to in the gender binary, we have to remember that Nikki is AMAB. I would be happy about this representation if I didn't also have the sneaking suspicion that the only reason Nikki is AMAB is that the authors want to find them sexually attractive. We have another exchange not long after that goes:

"And, er, sex?"
"Three times a day." Nikki shot him an outrageous wink.
Gunter snorted, amused, but that didn't answer his question. And clearly, he could have phrased that better. "I mean, male, female...?"
"No mercy for either," Nikki assured him brightly.
Oh god, no wonder Nikki and Ravi got along so well. They were both comedians at heart. Exasperated, Gunter rephrased again. "I'm trying to figure out what pronouns you want me to use?"
"Ohhh. Thanks for asking. They/them, please."

I think this was meant to be funny. Maybe I'm not funny. I dunno. Just like with all of the other characters in this story, Nikki and Gunter are characterized by stereotypes, leaving everything else about them to be weak and underdeveloped.

2. I Get the Intent but It Still Sucked
Maybe this is my fault for thinking that the characters would have enough emotional maturity to handle the kind of themes and topics this book wants to cover. Pretty quickly into the prologue, we have the rescue mission from the previous book, this time mostly from Nikki's and Gunter's POVs. At this point, Nikki has expressed that they do not trust anyone else other than Ravi, who helped them escape their captors, and that they are terrified of other mages and wary of strangers. Keep in mind they accept Gunter as help because he is: 1.) a dragon, not a mage, and 2.) because Ravi said it was okay. We get this exchange:

Nikki relaxed a little, their fingers digging a tiny bit less into Gunter's arm. "Can I ride with you, Ravi?"
"I would very much like to carry my mate," Ravi admitted, tilting his head towards Sora.
Nikki nodded, cheeks flushing. "Oh. Yeah. Of course. Makes sense."
"But there are plenty of other dragons here who would be happy to take you back to Burkhard."

Now, granted. I understand that Ravi (nor anyone else in this situation) isn't obligated to give Nikki what they're asking for. If you want to ride with your fiance, fine, go ride with your fiance. But this seems so insensitive and out of character since Ravi is meant to be the "heart" of the clan: he's the one who would put anyone else before himself and what he wants, he's the one who wants to make sure his friends are okay, he's the one who is willing to put those who need help or comfort first. Or at least, that's how he seemed to be portrayed up until this moment. This exchange just threw that all out the window, and I'm honest to God surprised Nikki didn't just write Ravi off after this because of how emotionally unreliable he showed himself to be. Ravi, knowing that Nikki is terrified of everyone else in the room, just kinda shoves them off to someone they don't know because we have to give Gunter and Nikki their meet-cute or whatever. There are so many other, better ways this could've gone, and the fact that this is what we chose is so disappointing.

Nikki then spends the majority of the book being a little weird and inconsistent with just about the whole castle. They spend a lot of time trying to avoid or straight up antagonize Lisette then deciding that she's "not so bad," then going back to square 1. This also happens with Tori and Sora: even when Nikki establishes that they aren't so bad to be around, and Tori spends a lot of time in this book connecting with Nikki and helping them through their struggles with mental illness, they keep going back and forth with their attitude. Relapsing is actually pretty common with mental illness, so if that were the case then I'd be like whatever. But the way this approach is written feels more like the authors couldn't decide how they wanted to write Nikki warming up to the other mage characters, so they wrote a few different possible scenarios. But then, instead of picking one then rewriting the other scenes to fall into place more naturally, all of the possible scenarios got put in without editing to make sure they followed the flow of the story. Instead of displaying Nikki struggling with themself to move past their anxiety, paranoia, and trauma*, it just comes off as Nikki being cautious of the other characters, being okay with them, then forgetting all of that and starting over. It's frustrating and not a compelling or satisfying character arc, and it makes the book feel so long and arduous to get through.

*Keep in mind that I use the terms anxiety, paranoia, and trauma pretty liberally here. Nikki doesn't display much of the depth of mental trauma and illness that the characters (and authors) seem to want you as a reader to believe. Outside of a few scenes with very mild mentions of Nikki's anxiety, and in turn very mild reactions, Nikki's "healing" goes so unbelievably smoothly. I feel like the authors wanted to tackle something deep and heavy with this character and it ended up just falling flat due to the lack of knowledge on how to present it. Nikki is a character who has dealt with heavy trauma, including witnessing multiple people be tortured to death, being nearly tortured to death themselves, having to break out of captivity on sheer stroke of luck, throwing themselves head first into an environment surrounded by their biggest trigger: magic, in order to make their escape, only to find out that they are the best chance at eliminating their captors by going back to the place they nearly died. At best, Nikki was mildly inconvenienced and uncomfortable through the majority of the book.

With Gunter, I'd even go so far as to say Nikki is a little creepy. Nikki develops a habit in the book where they will sneak into Gunter's bedroom and sleep beside him, careful to come in after he's fallen asleep and leave before he wakes up. They, at this point, also know they have an infatuation with Gunter, and at this point, Gunter has only really expressed a patient tolerance for them. Whether this is due to his emotional constipation, the authors' inability to convey this subtext, or that Gunter has genuinely just not developed feelings for Nikki yet, I can't really tell. This passage is from chapter 2:

Speaking of it, it was time to go and sneak into Gunter's room. Nikki had tried sleeping in their own bed since Gunter had been sweet enough to give them a room of their own, but... well, it was quiet. And the bed was cold. Nikki was used to someone sleeping in the same room as them. They couldn't settle down at night being on their own like that.

And Gunter radiated delicious heat Nikki could bask in. The castle was too cold for little ol' mages like Nikki.

That was their story, and they were sticking to it.

If Nikki chose to be introspective in that moment—they generally avoided doing so, it was painful—something else was at play here. The crush was true enough, but it went deeper than that. Gunter had proven on a battlefield that if something scared Nikki, he would act immediately in defense. Nikki had never been protected from anything in their life. To have that immediate, unquestioning protection was heady stuff. Nikki felt safer with Gunter than anywhere else. In this chaotic shift, with so much uncertain, Gunter was a safe bastion Nikki could cling to.

The reason that Nikki uses is that they can't sleep on their own because being under the constant watchful eye of the Jaeggi for 10 years has made it nearly impossible for them to sleep on their own, which is a valid reason. However, they also go on to imply that part of the reason that they sneak into Gunter's room is that they have a crush on him, which kind of sours the whole concept. It makes it sound as though Nikki is doing this more out of their romantic interest in Gunter rather than the genuine distress they feel about sleeping alone: the conflict of craving freedom while also being shackled to the conditions they were essentially trained to function in. Aside from all that, this entire concept is pretty much useless for reasons I'll cover in a second.

Nikki isn't the only one who's a little creepy in this book. Can someone explain to me why there's a scene where Gunter and Nikki have a hot makeout session that Cassie films and apparently sends to their clanmates without consent from either Nikki or Gunter? Is this something that people do? Is that not disgusting and invasive?? For a series that has people discuss consent and communicate so plainly and inhumanly, this is so out of pocket and gross.

3. Nothing Makes Sense and Nothing Matters by Fallout Boy
Just like its predecessors, there are things in this book that just. Don't make sense. Or maybe I'm just stupid because with how high the average ratings of these books are, I must be missing something. Game night makes an appearance again, which was a source of so much frustration and missed opportunity in book 1, and to be honest, it's not much different here.

I'll give it to the authors, in this case, game night actually gets a little more time than it did before. For a second, it seems like it'll be a promising scene of Nikki learning to navigate their new environment and these strange people in a way that apparently needs to happen around beer and a board game. Then the entire scene is derailed and interrupted when Cameron and Cassie decide that some man in town needs to, I dunno, die apparently and everyone in the room goes, "That's a great idea!" Then the scene just cuts off. Just cuts. Off. This is the end of the chapter and the next opens on a completely new day. I guess I'm meant to assume these people just went off and murdered this man on Facebook Marketplace because that's kinda what it sounded like they were going to do.

Scenes just cutting off is a huge problem in this book. I saw a few reviews complaining about this happening in book 1, but book 1 doesn't hold a candle to this one. Chapter 9 "reveals" that Gunter knows Nikki is sneaking into his room at night to sleep in his bed, then slipping out before he wakes up. This is written like it's supposed to be an insight on Gunter's POV, that the irony is he knew all along that Nikki was sneaking into his room, haha! And it might be a good device if it weren't for the fact that in the prologue, this was already something we knew Gunter knew.

Gunter finished his shower and dried off. He quickly dressed in a fresh suit, fully anticipating a round of meetings with Alric as soon as he arrived in the castle with the other kings. He stepped into the bedroom to search for a pair of cufflinks that would match his tie when his eyes fell on Nikki.

Curled up at the foot of his bed.
Asleep.
This was bad.

Then it cuts off and moves on to the next chapter with absolutely no follow-up. This should've been cut so that the actual reveal of "Gunter knew all along!" would have more impact narratively. This happens in another scene wherein Nikki has hurt themself and Gunter is patching them up. The scene is filled with romantic and sexual tension between them and builds up rather well.

"Good to know." Nikki caught his face with both hands and leaned in, kissing Gunter with a light caress of lips. Pulling back only an inch or so, they murmured, "Isn't that the usual reward for the dashing knight? A kiss."

"So it is," Gunter responded huskily. His lips tingled under the impression of that kiss, and it bolstered his confidence a little. Because while teasing, Nikki had still chosen to kiss him a second time. And Gunter could only take heart in that.

Looking into those sparkling eyes, Gunter felt both hesitation and need warring within him. He found himself praying: Please want me for me. Please.

In the scene mentioned before where Gunter is drunk and Nikki and he have a sloppy makeout session which Cassie films for some reason, it seems to be building up to a sex scene: "Oh, trust me," Gunter rumbled, his dragon rumbling to life inside him, "I'm not done kissing you." Well looks like you are because it cuts off there and moves on.

This isn't necessarily a bad technique, cutting off scenes at the right time can create good tension and a satisfying transition to the next segment. But this just kinda cuts off and moves on to the next morning. Both of these scenes cut off in a way that makes you go, "Oh so I guess we're not doing that now. Okay." It doesn't even tell you if Nikki or Gunter kept going or if they just kinda gave each other a gentlemanly handshake and a clap on the shoulder. Who knows.

There are also other scenes where the characters seem to get smacked in the head or something and forget. At one point, Gunter forgot he already called Nikki his mate and then later says he never once called him his mate. An ex-Jaeggi mage makes an appearance and explains that the Jaeggi have to use machines to cast spells, then sometime later, Cameron goes, "I think the Jaeggi need machines to cast spells!" I think this book is gaslighting me.

4. It Ended. Thank God.
This book finally sees to the end of the Jaeggi threat and it ended about as well as I expected it to and I was still disappointed. The villain throughout this entire story has been so comically unthreatening and the climax of the conflict is no exception. There is no darkest hour, there is no dire situation the characters find themselves in where you feel the tension and suspense of wondering how or if they'll make it out, there's not even really any closure to any of the villain's motivations or thoughts. The dragons literally point blank set him on fire and he dies, the end. I don't know what I really expected, but it was more.

5. The Good Stuff. Or Something.
There wasn't much. The relationship between Nikki and Gunter was easily my least favorite in the series, and even the scenes that usually I think are cute enough are kinda meh in this one because of other things I dislike so much about these characters. Aside from Nikki being a little creepy, Gunter tends to be a little manipulative or just presumptuous and tries to make decisions for Nikki, which to their credit is discussed, but it doesn't really feel resolved. There were scenes that I think were done decently enough but could've been explored more, such as a scene between Nikki and Tori where Tori opens up about his own trauma to connect with Nikki, effectively giving him the "big brother" role. I'm disappointed this didn't get explored more.

TLDR: The best part about this book was that it ended. Not very satisfyingly, but it did. There was potential but no execution. The mental healing process is surface level and the genderqueerness is almost gimmicky. If there's more of the series after this, I'd be interested in seeing if the authors improve from this point on, but I'm not holding my breath.

[Kristy Maitz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Compare to other book in that series, it was boring.

[Meggie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have to admit, this story was boring and it dragged till the end.

[Kaity · Rating 3 out of 5]

3-3.5 stars

Compared to the other books this one… I kept going back and forth on if I liked it as much as the others.. and the verdict is no.

Gunter and Nikki were adorable, but I couldn’t feel as much of a connection between them as the other couples.

Nikki was sassy and their humor was always welcome but I felt as though they weren’t mature enough for Gunter at times if that makes sense..

Gunter was a little too lost in the clouds sometimes to see what he needed to do.

Also the final battle was very short.. like I blinked and it was done haha but part of me is glad it wasn’t too dragged out but the other part wanted more action! Haha

Overall I recommend this series is was a good, addictive read if you are looking for something fantastical, and what is more fantastical than dragons and mages?! And Joel Leslie narrates the whole series, nothing is better than that!

[Jacquie Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

Great ending to the series with the enemy firmly extinguished and pretty much everything wrapped up. A little thread has been left for the spin off.
I loved Nikki and Gunter together and the way that the relationship grew and developed.
Plenty of humour and other characters appearing so absolutely has to be read after the other books

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars, wonderful conclusion to this AMAZING series!!!!!

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really satisfying end to a really enjoyable series. I'm kind of sad it's over, but I enjoyed how it came to end. We see the end with Gunter and Nikki, an unusual couple from the outside but once you see them with detail they fit together really well. Nikki being in captivity with the Jaeggi makes them enjoy the peace of Gunter's life amd the stability he provides. On the other hand, Nikki brings a bit of change and excitement to Gunter's otherwise monotonous life.
And the battles! Oh, it was a delight! It's nice to have all ends tied up, I'll just miss the dragons.

[Barb ~rede-2-read~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this last in the series as it tied all the loose ends and gave us a glimpse of the future as the dragons, long deprived of mages in their lives, finally have found their mage mates and look forward to the magical incubators that will bring baby dragons and mages into their lives. So sweet. The author starting the blurb with "once upon a time" is appropriate as this whole series is a very grownup fairy tale, one not to be missed.

Narration by Joel Leslie was spot-on as usual. One of my favorite dragons, grumpy old librarian Gunter, finally met his mage mate: the gorgeous nonbinary Nikki, and the Jaeggi were conquered once and for all. What's not to love?

4.5 stars rounded up for the pleasure factor.

[Natalie H · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn’t in the mood for this one. I had a feeling I should’ve held off but wanted to get it out the way. It was cute and I liked how insecure Gunter was. A few funny parts but mainly Nikki finding their place and taking down the Jaeggi. Compared to Ravi, it was calmer. Favorite part was the Gunter and the king getting stuck in dragon form. Nice rounded epilogue. It was sweet and I’m glad everyone got their happy endings.

[Smut Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

The conclusion to this series is exciting and gripping - brought to life by Joel Leslie's brilliant narration.
The characters are unique and balance each other really well and the storyline comes to it's epic conclusion with plenty of nail biting moments. A very exciting, loving and fun read.

[Jenn (not Lily) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic wrap-up for the war with Jaeggi! Nikki is so perfect for Gunter and even better than Ravi at coaxing him out of his dungeon library. I hope there are some books for the Ice Dragons in the works -- I need to see at least some of them find their mates now that the threat has been defeated!

[Kathreadsall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the perfect ending to this amazing dragon shifter m/m romance series!!

All my questions were answered, and the finale was so satisfying! Gave great closure, but left this world open for potential spin off books. Really loved this couple, I had been waiting for my grumpy librarian dragon's story!! And Nikki is such a fantastic character, I fell in love with them immediately!

The chemistry of this couple was off the charts, and they fit together so well it was so cute, especially since Gunter is so oblivious, it was so fun to watch them together, and to catch up with all my favorite characters from the series! Bonus points for authors who have their characters who went through trauma go the therapy- such an important thing to portray.

I highly recommend this series to all my fellow m/m romance fans, and this final book was the perfect way to finish out the series.

[Bronwyn Heeley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly, I have no idea what to say.

It gave me the ending I was expecting, and I was satisfied with it.
The characters where people to root for and yet I did find it a little hard to connect, but honestly it wasn’t for lack of chemistry or I don’t think so., I really liked Nikki for Gunter they worked well to bring him out of his dungeon.

I can’t actually put my finger on this one. I felt every page I was turning, making the book feel super long. I found it hard to connect to the story, sink in, if you will, and this could have been because it was told in, well, more like a short story collections, where each chapters played out a scene and then moved on completely, I found I didn’t really get to know the character, though I guess I should have felt that more with this style, but I didn’t. it just ended up feeling like a REALLY long book with no real rhyme or reason even though there was clearly one. The end just worked though, probably 15-20% where it all came together and wrapped up the series well but also felt a bit rushed considering how long it took for us to get here. Or maybe that’s how it was all over, rushed which made it hard to pick up.
I don’t know. I just don’t.

[Amur Thera · Rating 5 out of 5]

The good
+ Mutual pining
+ Gunter being oblivious to Nikki's interest while Nikki was oblivious to Gunter's
+ Gunter's approach to courting Nikki
+ Gunter's courting presents
+ Nikki building a nest in Gunter's library
+ Nikki hoarding Gunter's things
+ Gunter and Alric getting drunk together
+ How Gunter accepted Nikki was his mate, yet still gave Nikki complete freedom in making their own decisions about wanting Gunter in return
+ The way they solved their disagreements, and their unwavering support of one another
+ Nikki talking to their tree
+ Gunter going absolutely mad when Nikki was caught, and how he was willing to break every bone in his body and burn down the whole world just to get his mate back
+ When all the dragons stepped out of their hiding spots and showed themselves to the Jaeggi. Goosebumps!
+ Three hundred dragons roaring a battle cry. More goosebumps!
+ The epilogue. Fuck, Alric was so cute

The neutral
o They figured out how to find and defeat the Jaeggi through pure luck (randomly encountering that Jaeggi girl) instead of all their own hard work. I would've preferred had that tracker dragon (Dimitri?) led them to the girl somehow instead of just landing the solution in their laps like this. It feels a little dissatisfying because they put so much effort in everything and now they didn't really 'solve' it by themselves. But then Cameron did all the smart things and made it all right again
o In Germany, you have to enroll in a driving school before you can get your drivers license. You cannot be taught by friends or family. What Nikki did with Tori and later with Gunter was dangerous and illegal. Encouraging Nikki and telling them they can leave by car anytime without a drivers license was therefore very irresponsible and not something a good dragon mate should encourage
o I'm a little confused as to how Nikki was perfectly up to date with everything about movies, board games and everything. I didn't think they'd had access to such things when in captivity (and definitely not to the internet to learn about it)

The bad
- I wanted to see the rescue of the kittens!


Embers was very good ending to a series I enjoyed very much. I would definitely recommend this series. The epilogue brought a very nice ending to it all and teased about a possible spin-off that I'd definitely like to read.

[Maria · Rating 2 out of 5]

Should have stopped reading this series when I still thought it was charming... but I wanted to see how it worked out.

[Emily Hernandez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been eagerly waiting for this book to come out for months, and somehow Nikki and Gunter's romance was even better than I could have imagined! I knew to expect Gunter's quiet, reserved attitude, and honestly I kinda expected him to end up with some timid, shy mage, but Nikki in all of their fabulousness was a wonderful surprise. The two of them couldn't have been more opposite in some ways, but that only made their connection more fascinating. Nikki was so bold and flirty, and I loved how flustered Gunter was by their blatant interest in him. Gunter's doubts did make for an epicly slow burn, but it was worth it to see the way the two of them bonded before taking things to the bedroom. The two of them had unexpectedly hot chemistry, and oh my god when Gunter finally woke up his growly. possessive dragon I couldn't get enough of their passion. 

There was something so romantic about the way Nikki recognized their mate from the start, and I thought it was really sweet how they kept seeking Gunter out and wanting to quietly be around him whenever they could. Of course, some of that could have been due to the traume they'd experienced at the Jaeggi's hands, but even as Nikki began to feel more comfortable around the mages and the rest of the clan, it was still Gunter they gravitated towards most. I really appreciate that Nikki didn't let Gunter get away with his bad habits and never hesitated to call him out when he was making decisions without consulting Nikki. Gunter always had good intentions at heart, but he needed someone like Nikki to challenge him and force him to be a better communicator. That, more than anything, was what made me so happy when Gunter finally started to believe that Nikki was interested in being mates. 

As much as I loved the romance, this story also had tons of silly, lighthearted moments that made me smile. That hilariously competitive game night, the mage slumber party that turned into a dragon complaint fest, the ridiculous explosions Nikki plotted to destroy his enemies... all the little things made me feel like I was a part of the Burkhardt family. When the time came for Gunter and Nikki to ride into battle to protect their loved ones, I was on the edge of my seat with anticipation. I never had any doubt that the dragons would get justice after all this time, but knowing how slippery the Jaeggi could be had me worried that somehow one of them would get the upper hand. Thanks to unexpected allies and clever thinking from mages and dragons alike, the dragons did emerge victorious, leaving me with nothing left to do but let them all fly off into the sunset together.

**I voluntarily read an ARC of this book. This review expresses my honest thoughts and opinions. 

[Jude · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I have read Embers (Scales ‘N’ Spells series) I have been rolling the ‘whys’ and ‘wherefores’ around my mind. Why do I find this series to be such a ‘feel good’ experience? Why do some others seem to think it is not the satisfying read I find it to be?
First, the book – Embers proved to be a rich buffet of characters, world, and plot. Partially this is due to it being the final book in the series. (spin-off series exist!)
Most of AJ Sherwood’s and Jocelynn Drake’s stories end up with 4 stars from me as I find them nicely developed stories with pleasantly rounded characters, set skillfully into the alternative reality of their world, but not developed beyond what is needed to eliminate questions. Many lack the complexity of fully developed characters, world, and plot needed to take a book to the next level 5 for me. Embers took it up while remaining a positive, warm hug of a book.

For a more involved review of the Scales ‘N’ Spells series join me at https://meanderingthoughts6.ca/

[K-Me · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a sweet and perfect final book! The world building and diversity of characters through out this series has been original and wonderful! For this last Fairytale romance we have our beautiful spunky Mage Nikki and his slightly shy and grumpy Dragon Gunter! Swoon! I do not want to give too much story away since this is the last book.. but rest assured it is the perfect mix of humor, action, fantasy and romance! I received an ARC of this book and recommend for everyone who loves a variety of different characters in a fantasy world that you cannot help but love and root for!

[P Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gunter and Nikki’s story didn’t disappoint.

Gunter was always absorbed in his work but Nikki achieved something no one else did and I was rooting for them all the way.

There was so much going on and everything came together nicely. My favourite part was Gunter and Aldrich getting drunk and shifting in their dragon forms in an office lol.

Fantastic book! Highly recommend!

“I voluntarily read this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else's*

[The Word Nerd Reviews Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a gorgeous end to what has been an amazing series!

Joel Leslie's narration finishes this series off with a bang, bring back old favorites and introducing us to new ones, each with their distinct voice.

Highly recommended!

[Ankita Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm going to miss these dragons!

[Kylara Jensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably my least favorite of this series. I wasooking forward to Gunters book but Nikki was just too chaotic

[☔️ Stormy Day Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t even really know where to start? This book had everything. All the feels! I laughed, I cried, I swooned, was exasperated, afraid, and so happy. Nikki was a little spitfire tempered, at least at first, by fear of all mages. And who can blame them after what they went through? Gunther was himself, as we’ve seen him in all previous books, buried in his work in the dungeon aka library and completely baffled by Nikki’s attentions. It was truly adorable.

Compared to most of the books I’ve been reading lately, this book was very long. And it had to be. In addition to the aforementioned romance the dragons and mages were preparing for war and trying to get intel on the Jaeggi mages. But, there’s so much else going on. Nikki overcoming their fears and blossoming. It was awesome watching them go from this timid mouse to a sassy mage with a disturbing love of explosions. And there was regular everyday life moments as well like game night (all hail Knights of the Kittens!) and when Gunther and king Aldrich got so drunk they changed into their dragon forms in his office. I laughed so hard I cried!

The ending was wonderful. And I’m pretty sure the next book may be with the ice dragons. Perhaps the tracker Demitri since he was in this book quite a bit. I hope so because I really liked him. I’d also like to see more of the dragon world beyond the Burkhard castle.

On a final note, this is the first book I’ve read with a non-binary main character. I’ve read a few with gender-fluid characters though. I feel like the authors may have struggled a bit with it. Now, I’m not sure if the ARC copy I received was completely corrected but there were several instances of he/him/his instead of they/them/theirs. Other than that I think they did a good job with it. My only complaint is that I wish there was more mention of Nikki’s clothing. I mean it should have been exciting dressing however they wanted after being in captivity so long right? But that’s not really a big deal I suppose. I just like to get a good picture of a character in my mind.

~I received an ARC of this book from the authors through Gay Romance Reviews in return for an honest review. Always nice to read a book from my list early. Thank you!

[Janet (iamltr) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook Review

The audio made me bump up a star.

In this story we have Nikki, who was a captive of the bad mages and Gunter, a dragon who gets lost in books.

Nikki has issues with being locked up, like Tory (from a previous story) and Gunter who is clueless with how to express anything. They both finally actually communicate and admit that they are mates and no one is leaving anyone.

The overarching storyline is wrapped up in here, but I really wish that this world would continue. I mean, we really need to really get to know the I've dragons next.

At the end, the babies do return to the castle and everyone gets their HEA.

Joel Leslie was perfect here and I really enjoyed his performance.

_______________________________


Huh...

I loved the story and the fire dragon clan. I was not really sold on the main mcs chemistry, but it was done ok. I did love the epilogue though. Made my heart very happy.

Does anyone know if this is the end or will we finally get to go to the sexy icy Daddy dragons lair next?