This wasn't the book for me. The writing was fine I just wasn't into the character or the story. ( )

This was a great book. The story was riveting. There was some great character development that really pulled you in. My biggest complaint is the ending. It's too abrupt. I do plan to read more by Melissa Sercia.

I received a copy of this book for free. The review is my own, honest and unsolicited. ( )

Overall I think the story was written pretty well. The plot was engaging and there is some growth with the characters, however I did feel that some of the intimate scenes were in the most random spots where it distracted from the story. I also felt like the love interest came on FAST. That being said, I still enjoyed it and want to read the next book

Smoke and Ritual Book 1
Unexpected Gem. I just happened across this book when book two came up for an early review copy. I snagged book one,without knowing much about it, just in case I happened to receive an advanced copy of “Spark and Ember”. Low and behold I found that this book was right up my alley. Although there are some more “provocative” scenes that I didn’t quite expect, and the “romance” seemed to be a bit too deep, too quick, there was a lot that gained my favor. Sercia makes great use of cliffhangers to leave you wanting more. It was hard to put the book down. The character of Arya--the sense of wanting to belong, to want and fulfill a purpose, gaining inner strength, defending what you care about--is absolutely relatable for anyone who picks up the book. Although the fanciful elements, such as gods, witches, harpies, etc. are out of our normal day-to-day lives, Sercia creates a world where we can just jump into and lose ourselves as we read.
Definitely looking forward to reading the next book. ( )

I found this book to be a quick easy read and enjoyable. The main character, Arya Frost, is a witch that embarks on a quest to awaken her powers. Would read the next book in the series. ( )