A Review of Embers by Laura Bickle

Embers is a hot debut novel for Laura Bickle.

Embers is the first book of a sizzling new series that is sure to leave you smoldering for more of Anya and Sparky.

Set in Detroit (which immediately drew me to this book since I am an hour's drive away from Motown), the book features Anya, a lantern, which is someone who can see, communicate with and devour spirits. She's part of a ghost hunting team though she doesn't really want to be since she is also an arson investigator and does not want the ghost hunting to jeopardize her job.

But now a serial arsonist is throwing her two worlds together and Anya is feeling more than a little conflicted- more like totally confused and torn as the flames threaten to consume her- along with all of Detroit, if she doesn't figure out how to stop the arsonist before Devil's Night.

Embers is the epitome of urban fantasy- this is what the genre is all about- a little hard and edgy, emotional, with a dash of romance thrown in- all tied together in a complex world peppered with supernatural creatures and phenomenon.

Sparky has to be the most unusual and one of the best sidekicks out there. I can honestly say I have never felt all cuddly about a salamander before but now after reading about Sparky, I am seeing them in a new light. Sparky is full of personality and pizazz which greatly adds to the story. A good sidekick can make or break a book sometimes and Sparky helped put this book in the keeper pile.

Embers is a great UF book filled with emotional turmoil, a character that is richly developed (but not complete which hopefully means we will get to see plenty of character growth in the upcoming books) and the world building is solid. The minor characters are great story supporters and I really look forward to reading more of this series.

One thing I really enjoyed about Embers other than the gritty story line and complex characters, is that the author got Detroit and the underlying turmoil that is currently running through many areas in Michigan. She addressed the depression, the emotion, the energy that runs through the areas around here. The economic crisis, the old and new butting heads while trying to blend together even though the odds are stacked against it. She also gets that Detroiters (and Michigan people in general) are tough. It was great reading a story set in practically in my own backyard.