Blog Tour Review: Ember of Night by Molly E. Lee

I’m so thrilled to be part of the book tour for Molly E. Lee’s Ember of Night! I LOVED this immersive and captivating story and hope you do too!

About the Book:

Book Title: Ember of Night (Ember of Night #1)

Author: Molly E. Lee

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Release Date: May 4, 2021

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54860318-ember-of-night

Book Purchase link:

https://entangledpublishing.com/books/ember-of-night

Book Description: I’ve been told I was as useless as a weed most of my life. Mainly by my worthless father.

But I’d suffer anything to give my kid sister a better life—the minute I turn eighteen, I’m getting us the hell out of here. And some hot stranger telling me I am the key to stopping a war between Heaven and Hell isn’t going to change that.

Let the world crumble and burn, for all I care.

Draven is relentless, though. And very much a liar. Every time his sexy lips are moving, I can see it—in the dip of his head, the grit of his jaw—even if my heart begs me to ignore the signs.

So what does he want?

I need to figure it out fast, because now everyone is gunning for me. And damn if I don’t want to show them what happens when you let weeds thrive in the cracks of the pavement…

We can grow powerful enough to shatter the whole foundation.

About the Author:

Molly E. Lee is an author best known for her romance novels, the Grad Night series and the Love on the Edge series. Molly writes Adult and Young Adult contemporary featuring strong female heroines who are unafraid to challenge their male counterparts, yet still vulnerable enough to have love sneak up on them. In addition to being a military spouse and mother of two + one stubborn English Bulldog, Molly loves watching storms from her back porch at her Midwest home, and digging for treasures in antique stores.

Author Links:

My Review:

An intense, suspenseful, and immersive urban fantasy, Ember of Night follows Harley, an almost eighteen-year-old who wants nothing more than to take her sister away from their abusive father. Harley is so close to her goal. She works hard and has saved enough money to get her own place. However, a few nights before her birthday, Harley meets a mysterious stranger, and her entire world changes. Harley learns that she is part of a supernatural world that she knew nothing about, and she might be the key to releasing Hell on Earth. Now hunted by demons, Harley must train to perfect her newfound power if she has any hope of surviving.

There are so many things I love about this story. The supernatural elements, the dynamic character development, the great messages, and the fantastic writing are outstanding. Well-written and well-paced with the perfect amount of detail and action, the story flows smoothly. Furthermore, strong messages throughout about family, love, friendship, betrayal, and sacrifice are powerful and add such poignancy to the story.

Trust is both a gift and a curse. Heady in the right hands and a weapon in others.

Harley is a great protagonist, and I like how she slowly gains a stronger sense of self as the story progresses. Harley, abandoned by her mother and victim to terrible abuse by her father, has been beaten down her whole life. She doesn’t have much self-worth and mainly lives to protect her sweet younger sister. Harley doesn’t place much value in herself, and it takes time for her to realize how her past has deeply affected her. However, even though she has these feelings, Harley is a survivor. She needs to survive to protect her sister, and I think meeting and working with Draven gives her even more reason to fight.

Draven is the mysterious young man that Harley meets early in the story. From the start, it is clear that there is more to Draven than meets the eye. He is part of the supernatural world, but his intentions are unclear. Is he here to help Harley or to destroy her? Draven’s backstory is long and heartbreaking, and, much like Harley, his past deeply affects his interactions in the present.

Other characters are also well-developed, like Harley’s best friend Kai, her younger sister, her boss, and her old high school coach. As much as Harley often feels alone, she has a support system ready to help if she’d just let them in. A few men in Draven’s life are also introduced, and though they had minor roles in the story, I’m hopeful we’ll learn more about them in future books.

The supernatural elements are vivid and frightening and exciting! Many different entities want to destroy Harley, and the action that results is intense!! There are many unexpected twists and turns and heart-racing scenes. Harley is thrust so quickly into this supernatural world, and she is totally unprepared for all of the danger and life-threatening situations in front of her. However, like I said before, she’s a survivor.

He sees me. When no one else has even bothered to look.

I am a total sucker for a swoon-worthy romance, and this book brings it! Harley and Draven have amazing chemistry! They meet at a club and have an instant and strong connection, and there is a lot of sexual tension between the two. I love the whole “will they or won’t they” aspect of their relationship, as Draven keeps pulling away from Harley when they get too close. Many obstacles stand in their way, though Harley is ignorant to many of them, and it’s interesting to see them slowly grow closer. It’s also interesting to see Draven struggle with his feelings, which conflict with the expectations of his superiors. Harley and Draven make a great team and an even greater couple, and I’m curious to see how their relationship progresses, or if it can progress.

This is a captivating and immersive read that I thoroughly enjoyed. And that ending!! My word, I didn’t see that coming!! I can’t wait to read the next book in the series to find out how Harley and others deal with the shocking revelations at the end of this book! I’m so thankful to Molly E. Lee, Entangled Publishing, and Turn the Pages Tours for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.