Book Synopsis:
From the author of the Legends of Thezmarr series, Iron & Embers by Helen Scheuerer is the first book in The Ashes of Thezmarr series. Perfect for fans of The Witcher and The Bridge Kingdom, Iron & Embers is filled with a sizzling enemies-to-lovers romance, dark magic and a world of assassins and warriors.
Alchemist. Poisoner. Storm wielder.
Wren Embervale, alchemist-turned-assassin, finds solace in only one thing: seeking vengeance for the death of her friends from wars past. But when an unknown form of alchemy is used to attack a king of the war-torn midrealms, Wren is charged with finding a cure for the strange new poison. Offered a place at the ancient alchemy academy of Drevenor, she must claim her spot by conquering the Gauntlet – a gruelling series of deadly trials that could cost her sanity, or her life.
Yet the biggest threat of all might come from the man assigned to protect her – Torj Elderbrock, the silver-haired war hero who has hated her since she assassinated his last charge. Their shared history ignites a simmering tension that threatens to consume them both. With peace between the kingdoms as fragile as ever, and enemies lurking around every corner, Wren will discover whether love can truly heal all wounds – or if it is in fact the most lethal poison of all . . .
Set five years after the events of the Legends of Thezmarr series, Iron & Embers by Helen Scheuerer is the breathtaking first instalment in an epic new fantasy romance trilogy.
My Review:
Iron & Embers is a gripping, fast paced, absorbing read from a fantastic new romantasy series.
Firstly I loved the world the author has created in this book and I really enjoyed exploring it alongside the characters. I loved learning more about the different parts of Thezmarr but my favourite part was definitely the academy that Wren attends. It seemed to be a mix of Hogwarts with the magical elements and the Zodiac Academy for the brutality of some of the lessons which made for a really interesting read.
The story is told from the point of view of both Wren and Torj which helped me get to know both of them. I started off not liking Wren and feeling sorry for Torj but that completely flipped as the story continued. It was lovely to see Wren change from quite a prickly character who’s determined to do everything herself to a more lovable character who has a group of friends which I loved to see.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and I look forward to reading more in the series. The book is very gripping and I quickly found myself drawn into the story with the fast pace making it hard to put down. The romance side of the book is a bit of a slow burn and I did groan out loud at one point at Wren & Torj constant skirting around each other as I just wanted them to get together. The ending was very surprising and not at all how I expected the book to end but I think sets up the story nicely for the next book in the series which I’ll definitely be reading. I’m now excited to go back and read The Legends Of Thezmarr series which is set in the same world.
Huge thanks to Book Beat and Pan Macmillan for inviting me onto the read-along and for my copy of this book.
About The Author:
Helen Scheuerer is the fantasy author of the bestselling series, The Oremere Chronicles, the Curse of the Cyren Queen quartet and The Legends of Thezmarr. Her work has been highly praised for its strong, flawed female characters and its action-packed plots.
Helen’s love of writing and books led her to pursue a creative writing degree and a Masters of Publishing. She has been a full-time author since 2018 and now lives amidst the mountains in New Zealand where she is constantly dreaming up new stories.
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