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Pure Gems of Betzaria #1
Ember in the Mist
NO ONE LEAVES SHILOH AND RETURNS.
Ever since her mother's disappearance, Neriah Rosewood has feared losing anyone she loves. Shiloh, her home, separates them from the ancient land of Betzaria. No one leaves or visits Shiloh without falling victim to the shadows in the darkness. Still, Neriah secretly wonders what freedom awaits her beyond the borders of her little haven.
When her grandmother reveals that the ancient tales of the fallen hero and the precious stones are true, Neriah can't bring herself to believe any of them. Until Neriah gradually discovers the dangers and secrets Shiloh has had all along.
Disaster strikes, and Neriah loses her brother to her mother's same fate. The heartbreaking incident devastates her and finally pushes Neriah to break the one rule she's been warned to keep– all her life.
Ember in the Mist is the first book of the Christian fantasy series of The Pure Gems of Betzaria. It is filled with themes like good vs evil (light vs dark), ancient legends & mysteries, portals & quests, divided kingdoms, adventure and hope.
Ever since her mother's disappearance, Neriah Rosewood has feared losing anyone she loves. Shiloh, her home, separates them from the ancient land of Betzaria. No one leaves or visits Shiloh without falling victim to the shadows in the darkness. Still, Neriah secretly wonders what freedom awaits her beyond the borders of her little haven.
When her grandmother reveals that the ancient tales of the fallen hero and the precious stones are true, Neriah can't bring herself to believe any of them. Until Neriah gradually discovers the dangers and secrets Shiloh has had all along.
Disaster strikes, and Neriah loses her brother to her mother's same fate. The heartbreaking incident devastates her and finally pushes Neriah to break the one rule she's been warned to keep– all her life.
Ember in the Mist is the first book of the Christian fantasy series of The Pure Gems of Betzaria. It is filled with themes like good vs evil (light vs dark), ancient legends & mysteries, portals & quests, divided kingdoms, adventure and hope.
- GenresFantasy
300 pages, Paperback
Published July 18, 2023
146 people want to read
About the author
Brendilynn Mantey-Annor
7 books13 followersBrendilynn Mantey-Annor was born and raised in Montreal to Ghanaian parents and has a degree in Education. Currently teaching elementary in Edmonton, Canada, she also writes bilingual children’s books and a Christian fantasy series called the Pure Gems of Betzaria. EMBER IN THE MIST is her first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
October 11, 2025
3 stars, personally ⭐️ (Light) Christian Fiction - YA Fantasy (with some sort-of-kind-of magic elements)
About this book:
“NO ONE LEAVES SHILOH AND RETURNS.
Ever since her mother's disappearance, Neriah Rosewood has feared losing anyone she loves. Shiloh, her home, separates them from the ancient land of Betzaria. No one leaves or visits Shiloh without falling victim to the shadows in the darkness. Still, Neriah secretly wonders what freedom awaits her beyond the borders of her little haven.
When her grandmother reveals that the ancient tales of the fallen hero and the precious stones are true, Neriah can't bring herself to believe any of them. Until Neriah gradually discovers the dangers and secrets Shiloh has had all along.
Disaster strikes, and Neriah loses her brother to her mother's same fate. The heartbreaking incident devastates her and finally pushes Neriah to break the one rule she's been warned to keep– all her life.”
Series: Book #1 in the “Pure Gems of Betzaria” series.
Spiritual Content- Psalm 119:105 at the beginning; A few Scriptures are references (but not called Scriptures); Prayers & Blessings over food; God is called the Almighty and the Creator in this book (someone also says “Thank God” once); A few talks about the Creator; Mentions of the Creator & having faith; Mentions of prayers, praying, & blessings over food; Mentions of hope & having faith (which will defeat the darkness); A few mentions of blessings & being blessed; A couple mentions of thanking God/the Creator;
*Note: Neriah’s tribe lives away from others and stay in the boundaries of their village because of the darkness surrounding their area; When near the darkness or in it, it whispers negative things to the person (mainly of their failures; which is both seen and experienced on-page; *Spoilers* ; up to semi-detailed); Some believe that the darkness is growing but one day the “light will return with a powerful force to end the darkness once and for all”; Neriah is told that faith is the key to overcoming the darkness; There are stones that were “imbued with a divine majesty” that have the “power to alter history” and when brought together, have the “power to banish the darkness” which Neriah is told about and an important part of the book; These stones represent “joyfulness, gentleness, faithfulness, kindness, peacefulness, endurance, discipline, and goodness” (similar to the Fruits of the Spirit); *Spoilers* ; The phrase “Have faith. Seek truth. Keep peace. Give mercy. Show love.” is said throughout the book and helpful to Neriah and others; A couple people call Neriah a “bad omen” and she is shaken by it (she also calls herself a “wicked charm”); Neriah has an illusion of a loved one touching and encouraging her in a dream; The villains are able to jump over Neriah and the others in a battle scene & also use a dark crystal to disappear; Many mentions of the light, the darkness, the pure gemstones, & sacred pendants; Mentions of dark crystals that villains use from the “Realm of the Lost” to transport them to other places; A mention of a cursed land.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘heck’, two ‘dumb’s, and four ‘stupid’s; Eye rolling & Sarcasm; Some sibling bickering; Fighting/Attacking someone, Being held at arrow-point and threatened, Being held hostage, Pain, & Injuries (up to semi-detailed); An earthquake (up to semi-detailed); A nightmares (of a loved one saying harsh words, barely-above-not-detailed); Seeing fighting, someone held at knife-point, & knocked unconscious (barely-above-not-detailed); Neriah feels grief over missing family members & recalls the day her mother disappeared (she has anxiety-like symptoms when thinking about that day; up to semi-detailed); Many mentions of missing family members, assumed deaths, deaths, & grief (including Neriah’s family for her mother and how their father has distant himself from her and siblings, up to semi-detailed); Mentions of sicknesses, injuries, pain, & blood/bleeding (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of thieves/bandits & stealing; Mentions of lies, lying, & liars; Mentions of hunting; A few mentions of ambushes & someone being beaten; A few mentions of rumors; A couple mentions of poison & a poison that will paralyze someone; A couple mentions of hatred;
*Note: Neriah’s father has become emotionally distant from her and her siblings after their mother’s disappearance (which Neriah believes is his way to keep from further heartbreak); Neriah’s father also says a few harsh things to Neriah and blames her for something she didn’t do; A side character’s mother is controlling towards her (teenager) children & the character searches her mother’s room for answers when she thinks her mother is lying; Tribes/groups of people do not want others to speak out against their group or leave their designated boundaries (leading to an almost cult-like setting); A comment about a group of children draining “the life right out of people” sometimes.
Sexual Content- Some touches, embraces, nearness, & blushes (barely-above-not-detailed); Some noticing & staring (not detailed).
-Neriah
P.O.V. of Neriah & a few others
300 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- Two Stars
New Teens- Three Stars
Early High School Teens- Four Stars
Older High School Teens- Four Stars
My personal Rating- Three Stars
I’ll admit I’ve had my eye on this book for a while because of two reasons 1. it’s Christian YA Fantasy and 2. the very pretty cover. It ended up not being my exact cup of tea, but I appreciate the clean content and think other fantasy readers would enjoy it more.
It took me a while to warm up to our main character, Neriah, because of her prickly personality and her lack of love for being around kids (something I didn’t understand, but tried to for her sake). We instantly jump into this world as soon as the book starts with a cool map, but also very little explanations of what is going on. It worked at times to just follow along, but it would have been nice to have more backstory (such as why and when did Neriah’s family/tribe come to their area? was there a reason for separating themselves from other people? where did the gems come from? how do they work? what happened to Neriah’s mother really? who are the villains and what do they want?). Hopefully these questions and others will be answered in the next book of the series.
I will say there were a few times the story dragged a bit or characters seemed out of character, but it was overall a clean and interesting book. I was able to follow along pretty easily and I enjoyed the author’s writing style which made events and places easy to picture when reading. On that note, I did find a couple name typos, though, that were in the wrong place and confused me when reading along with some parts that didn’t fully feel explained. I enjoyed the first half of the story more because towards the end there was some silly teen arguments/drama that dropped my personal rating.
There’s some “magic”, I suppose you could say, but it’s not the typical type of magic with wands or special powers; it’s more of a belief system and special items that can shine a light or make paths visible that are supposed to be from the Creator. When the characters use the special pendant necklaces and believe in their mission, they can float in the air or go through impossible paths. A villain is also able to jump high in the air (unnaturally) and has dark crystals for their purpose of deceiving our heroes.
Because of the fantasy setting, it had a mix of different elements that I usually wouldn’t think would work together, but mostly did. It might be strange to say, but it reminded me of the Moana movie at times because of the adventure outside of one’s tribe and being the chosen one to save her people. Not really an island setting, but similar in the broad details.
I was very shocked when the book ended because it felt very abrupt. There’s no cliffhanger (yay for that!) but it ends very suddenly and there’s still a lot more for our main character and her new friends to do. I would be curious to read the next book whenever it releases. Because of this book being clean and the main characters feeling on the younger side, I think this book could work for ages 14/15+ as a suggestion for fantasy book with very light romance and lots of adventure.
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
About this book:
“NO ONE LEAVES SHILOH AND RETURNS.
Ever since her mother's disappearance, Neriah Rosewood has feared losing anyone she loves. Shiloh, her home, separates them from the ancient land of Betzaria. No one leaves or visits Shiloh without falling victim to the shadows in the darkness. Still, Neriah secretly wonders what freedom awaits her beyond the borders of her little haven.
When her grandmother reveals that the ancient tales of the fallen hero and the precious stones are true, Neriah can't bring herself to believe any of them. Until Neriah gradually discovers the dangers and secrets Shiloh has had all along.
Disaster strikes, and Neriah loses her brother to her mother's same fate. The heartbreaking incident devastates her and finally pushes Neriah to break the one rule she's been warned to keep– all her life.”
Series: Book #1 in the “Pure Gems of Betzaria” series.
Spiritual Content- Psalm 119:105 at the beginning; A few Scriptures are references (but not called Scriptures); Prayers & Blessings over food; God is called the Almighty and the Creator in this book (someone also says “Thank God” once); A few talks about the Creator; Mentions of the Creator & having faith; Mentions of prayers, praying, & blessings over food; Mentions of hope & having faith (which will defeat the darkness); A few mentions of blessings & being blessed; A couple mentions of thanking God/the Creator;
*Note: Neriah’s tribe lives away from others and stay in the boundaries of their village because of the darkness surrounding their area; When near the darkness or in it, it whispers negative things to the person (mainly of their failures; which is both seen and experienced on-page; *Spoilers* ; up to semi-detailed); Some believe that the darkness is growing but one day the “light will return with a powerful force to end the darkness once and for all”; Neriah is told that faith is the key to overcoming the darkness; There are stones that were “imbued with a divine majesty” that have the “power to alter history” and when brought together, have the “power to banish the darkness” which Neriah is told about and an important part of the book; These stones represent “joyfulness, gentleness, faithfulness, kindness, peacefulness, endurance, discipline, and goodness” (similar to the Fruits of the Spirit); *Spoilers* ; The phrase “Have faith. Seek truth. Keep peace. Give mercy. Show love.” is said throughout the book and helpful to Neriah and others; A couple people call Neriah a “bad omen” and she is shaken by it (she also calls herself a “wicked charm”); Neriah has an illusion of a loved one touching and encouraging her in a dream; The villains are able to jump over Neriah and the others in a battle scene & also use a dark crystal to disappear; Many mentions of the light, the darkness, the pure gemstones, & sacred pendants; Mentions of dark crystals that villains use from the “Realm of the Lost” to transport them to other places; A mention of a cursed land.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘heck’, two ‘dumb’s, and four ‘stupid’s; Eye rolling & Sarcasm; Some sibling bickering; Fighting/Attacking someone, Being held at arrow-point and threatened, Being held hostage, Pain, & Injuries (up to semi-detailed); An earthquake (up to semi-detailed); A nightmares (of a loved one saying harsh words, barely-above-not-detailed); Seeing fighting, someone held at knife-point, & knocked unconscious (barely-above-not-detailed); Neriah feels grief over missing family members & recalls the day her mother disappeared (she has anxiety-like symptoms when thinking about that day; up to semi-detailed); Many mentions of missing family members, assumed deaths, deaths, & grief (including Neriah’s family for her mother and how their father has distant himself from her and siblings, up to semi-detailed); Mentions of sicknesses, injuries, pain, & blood/bleeding (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of thieves/bandits & stealing; Mentions of lies, lying, & liars; Mentions of hunting; A few mentions of ambushes & someone being beaten; A few mentions of rumors; A couple mentions of poison & a poison that will paralyze someone; A couple mentions of hatred;
*Note: Neriah’s father has become emotionally distant from her and her siblings after their mother’s disappearance (which Neriah believes is his way to keep from further heartbreak); Neriah’s father also says a few harsh things to Neriah and blames her for something she didn’t do; A side character’s mother is controlling towards her (teenager) children & the character searches her mother’s room for answers when she thinks her mother is lying; Tribes/groups of people do not want others to speak out against their group or leave their designated boundaries (leading to an almost cult-like setting); A comment about a group of children draining “the life right out of people” sometimes.
Sexual Content- Some touches, embraces, nearness, & blushes (barely-above-not-detailed); Some noticing & staring (not detailed).
-Neriah
P.O.V. of Neriah & a few others
300 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- Two Stars
New Teens- Three Stars
Early High School Teens- Four Stars
Older High School Teens- Four Stars
My personal Rating- Three Stars
I’ll admit I’ve had my eye on this book for a while because of two reasons 1. it’s Christian YA Fantasy and 2. the very pretty cover. It ended up not being my exact cup of tea, but I appreciate the clean content and think other fantasy readers would enjoy it more.
It took me a while to warm up to our main character, Neriah, because of her prickly personality and her lack of love for being around kids (something I didn’t understand, but tried to for her sake). We instantly jump into this world as soon as the book starts with a cool map, but also very little explanations of what is going on. It worked at times to just follow along, but it would have been nice to have more backstory (such as why and when did Neriah’s family/tribe come to their area? was there a reason for separating themselves from other people? where did the gems come from? how do they work? what happened to Neriah’s mother really? who are the villains and what do they want?). Hopefully these questions and others will be answered in the next book of the series.
I will say there were a few times the story dragged a bit or characters seemed out of character, but it was overall a clean and interesting book. I was able to follow along pretty easily and I enjoyed the author’s writing style which made events and places easy to picture when reading. On that note, I did find a couple name typos, though, that were in the wrong place and confused me when reading along with some parts that didn’t fully feel explained. I enjoyed the first half of the story more because towards the end there was some silly teen arguments/drama that dropped my personal rating.
There’s some “magic”, I suppose you could say, but it’s not the typical type of magic with wands or special powers; it’s more of a belief system and special items that can shine a light or make paths visible that are supposed to be from the Creator. When the characters use the special pendant necklaces and believe in their mission, they can float in the air or go through impossible paths. A villain is also able to jump high in the air (unnaturally) and has dark crystals for their purpose of deceiving our heroes.
Because of the fantasy setting, it had a mix of different elements that I usually wouldn’t think would work together, but mostly did. It might be strange to say, but it reminded me of the Moana movie at times because of the adventure outside of one’s tribe and being the chosen one to save her people. Not really an island setting, but similar in the broad details.
I was very shocked when the book ended because it felt very abrupt. There’s no cliffhanger (yay for that!) but it ends very suddenly and there’s still a lot more for our main character and her new friends to do. I would be curious to read the next book whenever it releases. Because of this book being clean and the main characters feeling on the younger side, I think this book could work for ages 14/15+ as a suggestion for fantasy book with very light romance and lots of adventure.
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
August 8, 2023
The village of Shiloh is a sanctuary in a world otherwise consumed by darkness. But it is also Neriah's prison, and she's destined for more.
**I received a free copy of this book courtesy of the author and Reedsy Discovery. Receiving a free copy of this book did not affect my review in any way. This is an honest, spoiler-free review, and all opinions expressed within are solely my own.**
Neriah is the daughter of a Chief in a village whose constant fear of darkness hides the mirage that darkness is encroaching on them faster than ever.
After losing loved ones to the whispering mists in the forests surrounding their village and earning herself a reputation as a pariah due to her link to the lost, Neriah is charged in secret with a quest that holds the weight of the entire world in the balance.
Through strange portals into all kinds of lands, Neriah and the friends she meets along the way must work together to assemble missing gems of legend and rise to become the heroes their world needs before the darkness truly destroys them all.
Ember in the Mist is a unique epic fantasy tale about light VS dark (good VS evil) and what happens in the gray areas in between the two extremes. With portals, quests, betrayals, a cast of multiple chosen one characters, and an expansive world filled with magic, battles, spies, and more, this tale swept me away from the very beginning and left me wanting to read more.
While there are some dark moments, there was no graphic gore or violence, and it introduced several great talking points. Big-picture themes such as faith VS reality, overcoming stigma and hatred, coping with the loss of loved ones, wanting to change the world even if you don't feel like a hero, dealing with lack of parental love/approval and overcoming that by finding one's inner purpose and worth are all clear and repeated themes throughout the book.
Neriah is an underdog and technically a 'chosen one', but such a realistic, human main character that it actually painted a refreshing spin on the reluctant heroine trope.
With its questing adventure against an ancient darkness that once defeated prior heroes, and its main character's journey to find and befriend those who can help her save her village (and the worlds), readers who enjoy storylines similar to Moana and Legend of the Seeker will be swept away by this masterful fantasy epic.
**I received a free copy of this book courtesy of the author and Reedsy Discovery. Receiving a free copy of this book did not affect my review in any way. This is an honest, spoiler-free review, and all opinions expressed within are solely my own.**
Neriah is the daughter of a Chief in a village whose constant fear of darkness hides the mirage that darkness is encroaching on them faster than ever.
After losing loved ones to the whispering mists in the forests surrounding their village and earning herself a reputation as a pariah due to her link to the lost, Neriah is charged in secret with a quest that holds the weight of the entire world in the balance.
Through strange portals into all kinds of lands, Neriah and the friends she meets along the way must work together to assemble missing gems of legend and rise to become the heroes their world needs before the darkness truly destroys them all.
Ember in the Mist is a unique epic fantasy tale about light VS dark (good VS evil) and what happens in the gray areas in between the two extremes. With portals, quests, betrayals, a cast of multiple chosen one characters, and an expansive world filled with magic, battles, spies, and more, this tale swept me away from the very beginning and left me wanting to read more.
While there are some dark moments, there was no graphic gore or violence, and it introduced several great talking points. Big-picture themes such as faith VS reality, overcoming stigma and hatred, coping with the loss of loved ones, wanting to change the world even if you don't feel like a hero, dealing with lack of parental love/approval and overcoming that by finding one's inner purpose and worth are all clear and repeated themes throughout the book.
Neriah is an underdog and technically a 'chosen one', but such a realistic, human main character that it actually painted a refreshing spin on the reluctant heroine trope.
With its questing adventure against an ancient darkness that once defeated prior heroes, and its main character's journey to find and befriend those who can help her save her village (and the worlds), readers who enjoy storylines similar to Moana and Legend of the Seeker will be swept away by this masterful fantasy epic.
July 4, 2023
Thank you to Brendilynn Mantey-Annor for this ARC. I appreciate being part of your 1st novel. I honestly really enjoyed this book.
Its genre is Christian fantasy. I'm not religious, and I didn't feel like it was trying to preach anything or trying to shove religious down my throat. There seemed to be a continuous theme through the novel that showed the power of positive thinking and not letting those negative thoughts bring you down.
I feel like it's written to be geared towards a preteen group. I feel like this book would be fun reading to a class or together with your child.
This book follows 3 young people as they battle darkness and light. Niriah, Asher, and Tamara make a great team and balance each other's faults and strengths. By the end of the novel, there was some character development that i hope continues in future novels. My favorite character may have been Ezra, and I wish he was more throughout the book.
The Book gives you teases of talks of legends, kingdoms, special gems, significant necklaces, and portals to other lands.. There is great visual storytelling that as I was reading, I could see the locations in my mind. The book ends with you feeling like you need to know what happens next.
There were a few times I had to re-read a sentence or paragraph as they didn't flow as nice or felt like I missed something. But overall, I really enjoyed this book.
Its genre is Christian fantasy. I'm not religious, and I didn't feel like it was trying to preach anything or trying to shove religious down my throat. There seemed to be a continuous theme through the novel that showed the power of positive thinking and not letting those negative thoughts bring you down.
I feel like it's written to be geared towards a preteen group. I feel like this book would be fun reading to a class or together with your child.
This book follows 3 young people as they battle darkness and light. Niriah, Asher, and Tamara make a great team and balance each other's faults and strengths. By the end of the novel, there was some character development that i hope continues in future novels. My favorite character may have been Ezra, and I wish he was more throughout the book.
The Book gives you teases of talks of legends, kingdoms, special gems, significant necklaces, and portals to other lands.. There is great visual storytelling that as I was reading, I could see the locations in my mind. The book ends with you feeling like you need to know what happens next.
There were a few times I had to re-read a sentence or paragraph as they didn't flow as nice or felt like I missed something. But overall, I really enjoyed this book.
July 25, 2023
Thank you to the author, Brendilynn Mantey-Annor for the ARC of Embers ln The Mist!
Well, this was a fun read! I really enjoyed getting to know Tamara, Asher and Neriah and going along on their adventure on embracing their destiny. The world building was really good as well as the lore or should I say history of the gems. The story weaving was pretty good as well although there was a point where I got confused because I thought Tamara and Asher were big sister-little brother combo but a few chapters in, they were twins? That was just something I noticed. Neriah is such a sweet character that would do anything for her family. Tamara, not gonna lie, annoyed me at first but she really grew on me as the story evolved. Asher is just so cheery and nice to everyone that there are times that I adore him and times where I want to smack him. I really enjoyed this story a lot and I can't wait to see what else is in store for our trio of heroes.
Well, this was a fun read! I really enjoyed getting to know Tamara, Asher and Neriah and going along on their adventure on embracing their destiny. The world building was really good as well as the lore or should I say history of the gems. The story weaving was pretty good as well although there was a point where I got confused because I thought Tamara and Asher were big sister-little brother combo but a few chapters in, they were twins? That was just something I noticed. Neriah is such a sweet character that would do anything for her family. Tamara, not gonna lie, annoyed me at first but she really grew on me as the story evolved. Asher is just so cheery and nice to everyone that there are times that I adore him and times where I want to smack him. I really enjoyed this story a lot and I can't wait to see what else is in store for our trio of heroes.
July 4, 2023
This book was given to me as an ARC, and I want to thank the author for this!
Now, I have to be honest, this book was not for me.
First of all, I’d like to say that the story has soooo much potential! The blurb really intrigued me and the idea of the darkness, the gems, the history behind Betzaria could have resulted in an incredible story. I think it fell flat, though :/
I felt like reading a children’s book disguised as a fantasy novel. The characters had no real depth and had such big emotions with no nuance whatsoever that it felt like nothing was really plausible. As for the actions, everything was too slow, but also too fast; it was really weird for me. A lot of things were not explained, or were explained quickly in a not-so-natural dialogue…
Also, although the lessons of the book (say the truth, have faith, love each other) are incredibly good, I felt like the execution was lacking and it was redundant over the course of the story.
To finish, the typos and the inconsistencies really took me out of the story.
As I said, the idea is full of potential! But the execution let me down :/
Thanks again to the author 🩵
Now, I have to be honest, this book was not for me.
First of all, I’d like to say that the story has soooo much potential! The blurb really intrigued me and the idea of the darkness, the gems, the history behind Betzaria could have resulted in an incredible story. I think it fell flat, though :/
I felt like reading a children’s book disguised as a fantasy novel. The characters had no real depth and had such big emotions with no nuance whatsoever that it felt like nothing was really plausible. As for the actions, everything was too slow, but also too fast; it was really weird for me. A lot of things were not explained, or were explained quickly in a not-so-natural dialogue…
Also, although the lessons of the book (say the truth, have faith, love each other) are incredibly good, I felt like the execution was lacking and it was redundant over the course of the story.
To finish, the typos and the inconsistencies really took me out of the story.
As I said, the idea is full of potential! But the execution let me down :/
Thanks again to the author 🩵
July 9, 2023
I want to thank the author for the advanced copy of this book!
This book has an interesting premise. I felt that the plot was predictable and the characters lacked depth, making it difficult for me to become fully invested in the story. While some parts were enjoyable, the book as a whole felt too simplistic and childish for my taste. However, I can see how it might appeal to a younger audience or someone looking for a light and easy read.
With all of that in mind, I did enjoy my time and look forward to the second book.
This book has an interesting premise. I felt that the plot was predictable and the characters lacked depth, making it difficult for me to become fully invested in the story. While some parts were enjoyable, the book as a whole felt too simplistic and childish for my taste. However, I can see how it might appeal to a younger audience or someone looking for a light and easy read.
With all of that in mind, I did enjoy my time and look forward to the second book.
July 6, 2023
4⭐️ ⭐️⭐️ ⭐️
World Building: 🗺 🗺
Romance: 🧐
Action: ⚔️
Pacing: ⏳⏳
Friendships: 👯♀️👯
I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Ember in the Mist follows fourteen year old Neriah on her quest to banish the evilness in Betzaria with the help of magic gems and her friends. EitM is a solid YA debut that focuses more on friendships than romances and laying trust in those around you. At times, the latter can comes across as naivety, but then I remembered that these characters are adolescence from very secluded upbringings. There are still lots of questions to be answered and I am sure they will be revealed in coming books.
World Building: 🗺 🗺
Romance: 🧐
Action: ⚔️
Pacing: ⏳⏳
Friendships: 👯♀️👯
I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Ember in the Mist follows fourteen year old Neriah on her quest to banish the evilness in Betzaria with the help of magic gems and her friends. EitM is a solid YA debut that focuses more on friendships than romances and laying trust in those around you. At times, the latter can comes across as naivety, but then I remembered that these characters are adolescence from very secluded upbringings. There are still lots of questions to be answered and I am sure they will be revealed in coming books.
July 23, 2023
I want to thank author Brendilynn Mantey-Annor for the ARC of Ember in the Mist. This review is my honest opinion in exchange for the eARC I received.
I enjoyed this book and liked getting to meet Neriah, Asher and Tamara. This story is a Christian fantasy that I felt was a great middle grade read. With themes of darkness and light, faith, friendship and adventure, I am looking forward to where the next books will take readers.
Neriah lives in Shiloh in the land of Betzaria with her father, brother, sister and grandmother. Those that live in Shiloh know that they are to never leave Shiloh or they will be lost to the mist. Neriah’s Mother had gone missing in the mist years ago, and years after an unfortunate event occurs in which Neriah’s brother also goes missing.
Neriah’s Nana reveals that Neriah is a chosen one who has the power of faith and love, and she is to complete what the fallen hero of Betzaria couldn’t do and save Betzaria with the help of the pure gems.
Neriah leaves Shiloh and along the way meets Asher and Tamara who are two more warriors for Betzaria, and they journey together growing in friendship and faith to save those they love.
I really liked the addition of the Glossary of Names at the end of the book as I had wondered what the author had intended for pronunciations.
Being honest though, and likely because it was an eARC, I did find that there were several editing issues in regards to plot issues, and flow of the story. This did distract from the reading a bit, and hopefully will be corrected in the official copy.
I enjoyed this book and liked getting to meet Neriah, Asher and Tamara. This story is a Christian fantasy that I felt was a great middle grade read. With themes of darkness and light, faith, friendship and adventure, I am looking forward to where the next books will take readers.
Neriah lives in Shiloh in the land of Betzaria with her father, brother, sister and grandmother. Those that live in Shiloh know that they are to never leave Shiloh or they will be lost to the mist. Neriah’s Mother had gone missing in the mist years ago, and years after an unfortunate event occurs in which Neriah’s brother also goes missing.
Neriah’s Nana reveals that Neriah is a chosen one who has the power of faith and love, and she is to complete what the fallen hero of Betzaria couldn’t do and save Betzaria with the help of the pure gems.
Neriah leaves Shiloh and along the way meets Asher and Tamara who are two more warriors for Betzaria, and they journey together growing in friendship and faith to save those they love.
I really liked the addition of the Glossary of Names at the end of the book as I had wondered what the author had intended for pronunciations.
Being honest though, and likely because it was an eARC, I did find that there were several editing issues in regards to plot issues, and flow of the story. This did distract from the reading a bit, and hopefully will be corrected in the official copy.
July 19, 2023
An overall fun read.
Ember in The Mist is the first book in a new Christian fantasy series geared towards a younger audience (think preteen or early teens).
Overall, I enjoyed the premise of this book and loved the continual motivational/positive message.
An easy and fun read that will keep you entertained.
Thank you Brendilynn Mantey-Annor for the ARC copy (received in exchange for an honest review).
Ember in The Mist is the first book in a new Christian fantasy series geared towards a younger audience (think preteen or early teens).
Overall, I enjoyed the premise of this book and loved the continual motivational/positive message.
An easy and fun read that will keep you entertained.
Thank you Brendilynn Mantey-Annor for the ARC copy (received in exchange for an honest review).
April 25, 2025
3.75/5
this was a really enjoyable read! i feel like it did need a bit more editing (I came across some formatting mistakes and some prose wasn't as smooth as it could be) but overall, the story, the plot and characters were great!
this was a really enjoyable read! i feel like it did need a bit more editing (I came across some formatting mistakes and some prose wasn't as smooth as it could be) but overall, the story, the plot and characters were great!
July 6, 2023
This is a really cute and fun YA fantasy! The beginning of this book felt like a Moana retelling to me… Which I found super cool! I feel like series will just keep getting better, and better! And the story could take so many interesting turns. One thing that I think could be improved on would be the length and the impact of character dialogue. Sometimes it felt like a conversation was ended a little early or breezed over when it could’ve gone a little longer to create a more emotional connection to the characters. Overall, I really love the book and definitely recommend that you pick it up!
PS this book is written in 3rd person POV (in case that matters to you) ☺️
PS this book is written in 3rd person POV (in case that matters to you) ☺️
July 12, 2023
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I’ve never read a Christian based book, but was pleasantly surprised. I loved the motivational messages throughout the book. It is a young adult book, so I know younger readers will get some positive messaging while reading this book. The story kept me entertained and I found it to be an easy read. I’m eager to follow Neriah on in her continued adventures through the land of Betzaria.
October 25, 2025
This book was so cute!
I love occasionally reading book that I would’ve picked up when I was younger. This book made me feel so nostalgic and happy! I don’t think I’m going to be continuing the series as more books come out but I definitely enjoyed this one for what it was!
I love occasionally reading book that I would’ve picked up when I was younger. This book made me feel so nostalgic and happy! I don’t think I’m going to be continuing the series as more books come out but I definitely enjoyed this one for what it was!
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