Title: Gift of Ashes
Series: Barrier Witch
Author: Amir Lane
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Mystery
LGBTQ+ Category: Gay
Publisher: Self
Pages: 131
Reviewer: Aethena, Paranormal Romance Guild
About The Book
Death is no escape from the grasp of a malevolent necromancer.
Five hundred years ago, Angelo was burned at the stake and reborn as a phoenix. That’s when his true suffering began. For more than a century, he has born the brand of necromancer Rutherford Bromley. Bound by magical ties even death can’t escape, Angelo is a slave to the mad man’s vile whims. It falls to him to find victims Bromley can harvest organs from. If he fails, he pays with his own flesh.
Curse worker Wes is the first person to recognize the necromancer’s brand for what it is. Desperate to be free, Angelo eagerly partners with Wes in search of a spell that will kill Bromley once and for all.
But Bromley anticipates their attack, and Angelo’s chance at escape goes up in flames. Left smoldering in his hatred, Angelo now seeks more than freedom.
He longs for fiery revenge and vows to claim it, no matter the cost.
Note: This book is set during Gift of Shadows and may contain spoilers.
The Review
Most of this story takes place during the first book of the Barrier Witch Trilogy and focuses on the phoenix, Angelo. The theme is a bit darker than the first book because Angelo has lived a very long and challenging life. In this book we get to see glimpses of his life that lead up to his appearance in The Gift of Shadows.
Some of the scenes were very graphic and a touch gruesome, but the scenes were well constructed and necessary for the story. I could almost feel the character’s pain as they endure some very agonizing moments. These moments help the reader understand why the characters make the choices that they do. The author does an amazing job of getting the reader to empathize with their characters.
This installment didn’t seem to have as many editing issues as the first book, but I was too engaged in getting to the next page to really pay close attention. So much tension!
I loved the cover. I can’t get enough of the carefully constructed imagery, and I am excited for the next book in this series. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys complex characters, and a vividly written fantasy plot with a dark theme.
4 Stars.
The Reviewer
Lives in the Pacific Northwest and vacations in the desert as often as possible. She is allergic to garlic, sleeps during the day whenever possible, and breaks out in an allergic rash when exposed to excessive sunlight. She has a degree in engineering, works at a comic book store, and goes for long bike rides at night during the full moon because of the sun allergy. Aethena was forced to switch to mostly e-books and audio books when the last floor to ceiling bookcase started to overflow. She is on her fifth e-reader, and is contemplating using her engineering degree to design an e-reader that can withstand her capacity for destruction.
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