Embers (Wings of War Book 1)

I have read other books by Karen Ann Hopkins, but with Embers she is straying outside her normal genre into a whole new world. That does not always work for some authors, but for Karen she has managed to take the topic of Angels and make it her own. I am just glad this is only the first novel in the Wings of War series, because Embers defiantly left me wanting more.

Embers growth as a character and her discovery that she may not be as human as she always thought is what really drew me in. The concept of angels and their mix offspring having special powers has been used too many times to count. Karen Ann Hopkins takes this subject and adds her own twists and mythology on top. This is what really makes Embers so enjoyable and refreshing to read.

Obviously, with most angelical themed books, it is centered on the battle of good vs evil, but in Embers it is not always as black and white. This concept mixed with the oncoming end of days is what really solidifies this book as unique and well worth the read. Also Ember’s fire ability is amazing and something that I could have superpower I would want.

The Wings of War Series is off to a fantastic start in Embers, and I cannot wait until the next installment is released. I guess I will have to occupy my time catching up on more of Karen Ann Hopkins work, because I think this book has really made me an even bigger fan. I love her Amish settings in her other novels, but Embers setting and paranormal feel really just has its hooks in me right now.

Embers was so beautifully written. I think Karen Ann Hopkins can write anything and make it amazing. Angel paranormal series are one of my favorites, especially this one. It was easy to read and get into, and impossible to put down. Once I started reading it, I was loving it more and more, and I couldn't find anything to dislike. It completely captured me. I'm a huge fan of Ember and Sydney and I can't wait to read more of them in book 2. Sydney is now one of my favorite book heroes, just like Noah in Hopkin's Temptation series.

What I loved:
- The slow burning romance. I looked forward to every minute they spent together. From the first time Sawyer met Ember, he was drawn to her, and she him. She was more hesitant then him to have a relationship so it made him fight that much harder for her. I love that.
- The plot was fascinating. Everything so was so original and interesting. It never got boring.
- Every kissing scene. They gave me butterflies.
- Ember's family. Funny friends, caring, helpful, and knowledgeable 'Aunt,' and adorable pets.
- Sawyer. He was hot and sexy, but also sweet and cute. It made me want to cry right along with Ember by how lonely he seemed. He hated thinking he was evil but he wasn't. He had so much compassion for humans, and he stands up to the people who want to harm them. And he'll do anything to protect Ember. I also love his jealous and possessive side. He didn't show it much, but when he did, YUM!
- Ivan. He was a sweetie-pie and so lonely sometimes. I wanted to hug him. I'm happy he had Ember and Sawyer.

What I didn't love:
- Absolutely nothing

Favorite quotes:

"Angus didn't like to share me, and he picked just then to come trotting through the open door. He gave Riley a bothered look before flopping down against me. With a groaning whine he pushed his head into my lap. Before long, both dogs were lying next to each other having their bellies scratched."

"Undeniably, there was something about the girl that pulled at me. Even now, with her out of sight, I felt the invisible strings winding through the parking lot to her."

"The girl's face flickered in my mind and an unreasonable protectiveness washed over me."

"Never in my life had my insides throbbed with such desire. Ember had somehow eased the torment I'd felt for so long. Alive. I finally was alive."

"'Ember...my beautiful, Ember,' I whispered into her ear."

"I can't live without her. Once I can convince her that she belongs with me, I'm going to take her far away from here, to somewhere we can live in peace."

Aside from Vampires, one of my favourite types of supernatural stories is always about Angels and Demons. The classic story of Good versus Evil is such a draw for me. I adored Karen Ann Hopkins Amish series so when I heard she was doing something a little different and writing about Angel mythology I knew I had to get on that pronto!

Ember is a teenage girl who somehow managed to survive the tragic car accident that killed her parents. Living under the guardianship of her aunt and creepy uncle, a fateful incident with him proves that Ember isn’t all that she seems. For her safety her brother sends her to live with Ila, a family friend in the mountain ranges of Tennessee. There, Ember learns the truth. She’s a Watcher, a descendent of Angels and Man whose purpose in life is to keep the earth safe from the demons. As Ember embraces the powers of her ancestors, she comes across her sworn enemies in the form of handsome, alluring Sawyer. It’s a tale as old as time, can love cross the divide or is it doomed to the fires of hell?

Embers was a really interesting take on the Angel/Demon genre and I loved the mythology of the Watchers and how they drew their powers from the elements. Ember was a great character; strong although at times she was a little too frosty for my liking which was ironic considering her power was fire. Her relationship with Ila was fascinating and I enjoyed their partnership as well as the love they both shared for animals. The development of the different types of demons was also a hit and I adored the character of Ivan. I really hope we get to learn more about him in later books, he was such a sweetheart.

Embers was certainly action packed and tense as the story developed and I never felt any lull in the pacing. It was interesting to get the perspective of the demons especially through the POV of Sawyer, Ember’s love interest.

I did enjoy the romance overall although there was a strong case of instalove going on which disappointed me a little but it was clear that the attraction between the two sizzling and I liked the bond that developed between them. The description of live in Tennessee was great and I loved Karen’s strong sense of place that made it easier to visualise everything.

Embers is a strong introduction to a new series and held my interest throughout until an ending that will leave you frantically checking the publication date for book two! Great story!

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve never read anything by Karen Ann Hopkins, but I have several of her books on my Kindle. When I saw the gorgeous cover of this book, I knew it was something I had to try.

When I started Embers, I was immediately thrown into a world quite different from many angels books I read — the prologue definitely sets the tone for the entire book. It very much had the feel of those beautiful vampires in Twilight leading the soldiers to slaughter and caught my attention enough that I wanted to read more.

Embers has the same feel as Unearthly by Cynthia Hand, in the respect that I can actually physically place my being in the mountainous terrain that we are reading about. I love books that make me feel as if I’m really there; I can almost feel the breeze and smell the fresh air. Both Unearthly and Embers have succeeded in such vivid and magical descriptions of nature.

However, that is where the comparisons stop, because Embers is very much its own story. I was magicked by the gifts Ember realizes she has — they were interesting and unique. I remember asking so many questions as I waited to find out exactly what was happening to her. Luckily, the journey to self-discovery wasn’t long and we learn exactly what she is very quickly.

The supernatural and paranormal side of this book was done very well. Even when the book takes its time to tell the story, I still found myself wanting to keep reading. You want to know what is happening and the back story is just as compelling as the arc of our protagonist. I know a lot of people shy away from angel books, but this is one I think people would definitely enjoy — this world is not black and white, but very very gray.

As a protagonist, Ember is easy to fall in love with; she has a great personality and a great sense of herself. She doesn’t feel like she fits in with most people, which I very much could relate with, and has a strong bond with her animals. I enjoyed having her as the focus of the story. Sawyer, another main character, was someone I enjoyed getting to know. He’s a very conflicted character as he is “bad”, but has a good heart. We find that out very early on, so it was great to see that tension in his story.

The book’s romance is sweet, some might say ‘light’, but I was okay with that. There is SO much going on, that anything more would have muddled with what was happening. It left room for growth as the series continued and left me still a bit swoon, which is all that matters.

Overall, this book was captivating and compelling — even when I wanted to put it down to do normal things like eat, sleep, and go to work, I had a hard time pulling myself away from the story. The ending will definitely leaving you waiting for more in this fantastic start to what I expect to be a great series.

This was originally published on Such a Novel Idea.

First Impressions

Guess who's a procrastinator? I am! I definitely did not end up reading this Monday night. *wink-wink* I was pleasantly surprised by this book for sure! The book was fun and fluffy, a nice distraction from what I'm currently reading elsewhere.

Characters

I really liked the main character Ember. It took me a little while to warm up to her, as does the rest of the book. Once you get past the first fifty pages or so, the book flies by! I actually had to take a few moment to let stuff settle in partway through. As for Sawyer, he's, well, interesting. If you like the 'alpha male' type of character, he's for you. I liked how Ember also wouldn't take anything from Sawyer. If he did something that annoyed her, he knew it! Ember's Aunt Ila was amazing! I felt like she was keeping some secrets, and I'm excited to figure out what they are!

Writing

The writing style was fairly fluffy, but in a good way. The novel is a wonderful read if you're stuck in a reading rut or simply need a book that'll lighten your mood. There's dark bits and happy bits, and some confusing bits, but it really keeps you on the edge of your seat!

World-Building

It's interesting seeing the world-building in this sense. A lot of it was teaching Ember about the history her kind, not the actual world around her. Readers get a lot of vague imaging, green fields, lots of trees, and the like, and it manages to paint a picture in your mind without actually having to go into too much detail. The novel relies on the reader's previous experiences, which means that the book may be interpreted a little differently to each reader.

The gorgeous cover of EMBERS was what motivated me to want to read this story. It is definitely captivating to the eye so I had to get my hands on it. This is the first book by Karen that I have ever read and I am keeping my eyes on this author. I enjoyed EMBERS a lot, especially because it is entirely different from what angel books usually are.

The vivid description of the story makes the reader feel as if they were inside the story, watching everything happen on the sidelines. I always like to imagine the books settings and with EMBERS, it was fairly easy to do with all the great description it had. The reader travels to a whole different world, one we are not used to reading about but definitely enjoy.

Embers is gifted with magick and it was interesting to read about her discovery of what she was able to do and to what extent were the force of her powers. The paranormal aspect of the story was written extremely well and different, as mentioned before. The reader won’t want to stop reading until the book ends. It keeps drawing your attention and leaving you in this world of paranormal magick.

If you are not a fan of paranormal or angel stories, I advise you to read EMBERS. It is definitely dark and extremely thrilling. You will love this story and will want more when the book ends. This series will be a fantastic one.

I received this book through Goodreads First Reads.

"Embers" is the story of a Watcher, descendant of the angels who goes to live with her Aunt Ila in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. Ember soon learns of the mysterious creatures who live in the house next door and must make many tough decisions to do what is right.

Wow! I am absolutely blown away by this story! I loved reading every bit of it from beginning to end. I did not want this story to end! It was completely captivating! I have never read any books by Karen Ann Hopkins previously. However, I can see from reading "Embers" that I need to read everything she has written like now. Hopkins definitely shows that she has the gift of a master storyteller. If you're a fan of paranormal fantasy stories, this is for you! Similar books would be "The Alchemyst" book series by Michael Scott, and yes because of the romance I would have to say "Twilight," as well, though "Embers" has a much better, more believable storyline than "Twilight" ... as believable as you can get in the paranormal fantasy genre, anyway.

I've always loved books about Angels- may they be good, bad, fallen or righteous. I mean, beautiful, winged, immortal creatures? How can you possibly NOT love them?

Ember pulls you in pretty quickly, with Ann Hopkins's explosive and mystery filled writing, taking you from the streets of Ohio to the haunted mountains of Tennessee, from perverts to paranormal revelations! And you know, this is just the first eighty in the 400 or so page book.

Oh, and EMBER? Like the dying Embers of a fire, the name of a girl whose soul is part fire? A girl who can survive the hottest fires, along with starting and extinguishing her own? AWESOME! Not to mention that she's a descendant of the Fallen Angels, a 'Watcher' of the highest rank.

I guess I've been talking loads about Angels, but that's not a genre preferred my many- so, I can honestly say, that even though I'm an angel fan, these angels and the way they are portrayed are SO different, and ANYONE will absolutely LOVE it!

Before I give away something I shouldn't give away in all my excitement, I'm going to end with- THAT ENDING. HOLY GOD.

My Verdict:

For Fans of the Paranormal Genre- and for the haters as well- Ember is a one of a kind book!

For the most part, I liked this book. The writing is good and the story intriguing. My problem is the way the relationship between the two main characters works. He comes on too strong and it feels coerced. If I had a YA daughter, I don't think I'd let her read this without a discussion about the right to say NO.

For the most part, I liked this book. The writing is good and the story intriguing. My problem is the way the relationship between the two main characters works. He comes on too strong and it feels coerced. If I had a YA daughter, I don't think I'd let her read this without a discussion about the right to say NO.

A truly fantastic and original read, so compelling and captivating that I stayed up late three nights in a row...and on the last night, I started reading book two of the series. Sheesh, Karen Ann Hopkins, your writing is so not good for my beauty sleep. ;)

But, seriously, love this book! Strongly recommend!

Wow. This was simultaneously nothing I was expecting and everything I could have hoped for. I'd say it's geared for the younger-ish crowd, but the story is superbly fulfilling. I very much look forward to seeing how it plays out!

Omg, I just finished your book: Ember, I'll leave you a review on good reads. And post it on the store. It's 5 stars.

In the beginning of Ember, it starts off a little slow. But it picks up when she starts going to school and saves Ivan, soon to be her new friend. Ivan lives in the area where Ember was told to stay away from (by her Aunt). There are two points of views: Ember's and Sawyer's. Sawyer is the man (if you can call him that) infatuated with Ember, and guardian to Ivan (sort of).
When the tides are changing, Sawyer and Ivan will be there for Ember. But when Ember goes to save someone's life; another life is taken away.

Ember and Sawyer will take you on a journey where there is loss, pain, love, and hopefulness.

This is a great paranormal book. Rated pg-13. Nothing graphic in it (sexually explicit). It's a good read. So, sit back, check the book out on the store.com, one click it, and read away!

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is about a girl named Ember. Her parents die in a car accident while she walks away without a scratch and is sent to live with an "aunt" she barely knows. Come to find out, she is a decent of the angels and has some magical powers. The author does a wonderful job in describing the scenery. She really makes you feel like you're living right there in the mountains with Ember. She has quite a way with words. I did enjoy this book I just wish it moved a little faster. I would recommend it to anyone interested in angels and the paranormal. :)

-396 pages
-Strong main characters, Amber and Sawyer. Who both are extremely strong opposites who just as strongly attract to each other in an almost fanatical way.
-Good storyline, lots of action and some mystery thrown in.
-Karen, am downloading Gaia (Wings of War Book 2) with excitement!!

This book had a different take on angels vs demons. It made for a very interesting read. I really appreciated that. I am very curious to read the next book. The heroine was one tough cookie, as was her pseudo aunt. Demon boyfriend and the growlers were a great addition also.

Embers is a predictable story about a basic girl who turns out to be a type of Watcher, a person with angel blood, and her time with a new school and a handsome boy who of course is her enemy. Overall it's very cliche, focuses too much of the romance, and really is just a run of the mill fantasy romance. I did enjoy the beginning of the book though, and the biblical references. But it's not a Christian story, nor is any amount of original. Essentially, a meh book to read only is bored.

Ember is a very interesting character. She's strong and stubborn. I liked interactions with the other characters although the romance could've developed better. Good story. Good world. Lots of magical powers.

I actually enjoyed this story. I felt for Ember and Sawyer. The supernatural elements were intriguing and scary at the same time. I love a book that keeps me on the edge of my seat, that I can't stop reading.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book! I could not put it down. It hooked me from the start. I have never read anything from this author. I am now going to check out her other books. I cannot wait for book 2!

I have been reading Karen Ann Hopkins' work since Temptation. Then I read her murder mystery and now she wrote so ething TOTALLY different and it is awesome! without giving too much away:
Ember isnt sure why she survived the crash that killed her parents and should have killed her as well. But when her brother sends her to live with an aunt she never really knew she learns why. She is a watcher. She makes two friends and a romance begins, however she soon learns that they are on opposite sides of a war that includes Ember. She must find the side that she believes in. The ending absolutely leaves you wanting the next book like RIGHT NOW!!!
I also enjoy that this author has a way with transporting you into the story. Without giving you every nit-picky detail you can still feel like you are there taking the journey with the characters. It is nice that she can effortlessly take you through two different points of view without making it confusing to the reader.

This was an excellent read! The story flowed and the imagery was stunning! I liked the way the author switched the point of view between the main characters. The book is an amazing combination of the supernatural, suspense, fantasy, and romance. I am looking forward to Book 2.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was hard to put it down because I wanted to know what would happen next! I would recommend it to anyone, especially if you like science fiction/fantasy or if you just like romance because it also contains relationships and romance.