Monday, December 20, 2010

Embers by Laura Bickle





Blurb:
Unemployment, despair, anger--visible and invisible unrest feed the undercurrent of Detroit's unease. A city increasingly invaded by phantoms now faces a malevolent force that further stokes fear and chaos throughout the city.

Anya Kalinczyk spends her days as an arson investigator with the Detroit Fire Department, and her nights pursuing malicious spirits with a team of eccentric ghost hunters. Anya--who is the rarest type of psychic medium, a Lantern--suspects a supernatural arsonist is setting blazes to summon a fiery ancient entity that will leave the city in cinders. By Devil's Night, the spell will be complete, unless Anya--with the help of her salamander familiar and the paranormal investigating team --can stop it.

Anya's accustomed to danger and believes herself inured to loneliness and loss. But this time she's risking everything: her city, her soul, and a man who sees and accepts her for everything she is. Keeping all three safe will be the biggest challenge she's ever faced.

Review:

If you love the urban fantasy genre, then Laura Bickle's Embers must be put on the top of your purchase list. Set against the perfect gritty Detroit background, Bickle expertly creates a world within a world. I instantly fell in love with Anya. She is so normal in her thoughts and her wants, and the fact that she has a dark side makes her even more human. Just like us, she interacts with her co-workers at the Detroit Fire Department, her friends, and even has a love interest. And just like us, she has to find a way to balance it all. 

This novel is so suspenseful, intense and full of drama due to Anya's nighttime activities with the Detroit Area Ghost Researchers, where she hunts evil spirits. Did I mention that Anya can devour souls too? Oh yeah, Embers is a really amazing novel that will pull you head first into a dangerous and adventurous world that you will not want to leave. I enjoy the depth of Bickle's characters the most. Anya is clearly my favorite heroine, but I loved Sparky, Anya's needy but protective familiar, just as much. Fabulous world. Wonderfully developed characters. I couldn't ask for more. This is a story that I would love to be turned into a television series because I could sit and watch Anya's life unfold for many seasons to come. Embers is a must read that I encourage  you to run out and devour right now! 

9 comments:

Jeffe Kennedy said...

oh, I loved this one, too! And you're so right - it *would* make a killer TV series.

BonBon Rose Girls Kristin said...

That sounds like a fun read!

Anne said...

I love Urabn Fantasy and have read several great reviews for this book, but haven't gotten around to reading it yet.

Julia Barrett said...

Sounds great! Nice review!

Christina Crooks said...

Oh this sounds so good! Great review.

Anonymous said...

You're right, it does sound like something that would be perfect for TV. Along the lines of Buffy or Alias :)

Laura Bickle said...

Thank you SO MUCH for taking the time to read and review EMBERS! I'm so thrilled that you enjoyed it! :-)

Jen D. @ Not Now...I'm Reading! said...

Glad to hear you liked Embers. Makes me want to move it from the wish list to the TBR. *sigh*

Anonymous said...

Hola, Todo dinŠ±mica y muy positiva! :)

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