A Shadow in the Ember by Jennifer L Armentrout

A Shadow in the Ember (Flesh and Fire, #1)

by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Born shrouded in the veil of the Primals, a Maiden as the Fates promised, Seraphena Mierel’s future has never been hers. Chosenbefore birth to uphold the desperate deal her ancestor struck to save his people, Sera must leave behind her life and offer herself to the Primal of Death as his Consort.

However, Sera’s real destiny is the most closely guarded secret in all of Lasania—she’s not the well protected Maiden but an assassin with one mission—one target. Make the Primal of Death fall in love, become his weakness, and then…end him. If she fails, she dooms her kingdom to a slow demise at the hands of the Rot.

Sera has always known what she is. Chosen. Consort. Assassin. Weapon. A specter never fully formed yet drenched in blood. A monster. Until him. Until the Primal of Death’s unexpected words and deeds chase away the darkness gathering inside her. And his seductive touch ignites a passion she’s never allowed herself to feel and cannot feel for him. But Sera has never had a choice. Either way, her life is forfeit—it always has been, as she has been forever touched by Life and Death.

Reviewed by marciemarie on

3 of 5 stars

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Honestly floored this has a 4.5 start rating?? My issue with this book is the same as all the others in this vampire-gods-smut universe: if it was shorter, I would have SO much more fun. It just took so long for each new plot point to be revealed, and we’d get, like, paragraphs about a tailor inventing leggings in the meantime. I still listened to the entire 25 hour audiobook (am I unwell? Maybe) but a lot of that time I was completely spaced out because pretty much nothing was happening. Also someone please take away the phrases “inherent knowledge” and “sheer will” from Armentrout’s vocabulary. All that being said, she’s got me for life with this dang world and I’m going to keep eating up everything she publishes

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  • Started reading
  • 21 March, 2022: Finished reading
  • 21 March, 2022: Reviewed