Loved this book - fast paced and a little bit magic. I liked it SO much that even though I received an ARC from NetGalley (thank you) I bought book 2, Daughters of Lies and Ruin the day I completed book 1. Can't wait for Book 3!

Can we take a minute and celebrate a YA fantasy novel that's not 800 pages long? I love getting lost in a long book, but I also love what this book what able to accomplish in a reasonable number of pages. It's a pandemic, folks - and while it's a happy accident that this book fits into the new parameters many of us have for reading, it's reason to celebrate this book nonetheless.

First books in a series always have a heavy burden - build the world but also give us a full story. A Curse of Ash and Embers does exactly that. I loved the world, love the beginning of the relationships, and really enjoyed Elodie. She's not a surprise beauty with flowing long locks. She's her own person and I look forward to future books where she gets to come into her own.

OK, first of all, what is with titles like these? So many books have titles that are essentially: A ___ of _____ and ____./A verb of noun and noun. I suppose that's just the current trend. ANYWAY, about the book:
This would fit into the genre of "dark fairytale," with witches and potions and girls in run down cottages hidden in the woods. Like many current YA titles, it has world-building (done very well) and fantasy aspects, but the protagonist, Elodie. Oh, Elodie. Where have you been all my life? She doesn't have powers, she doesn't have a ton of secrets, she's not royalty. She's just...Elodie. She's just doing her best and doing what she can and it is simply awesome. Seriously, authors - write more characters like Elodie. Teenage girls need that.

I enjoyed this book! It was a short, quaint read filled with alluring descriptions and a solid story. I think that it could have been more fleshed out, but considering the length of this book, the amount it accomplished is great. I like the thrilling aspect of this book, and the darker side of YA fantasy. I wish it had been longer, and I think it could have been much more. However, the book was fleshed out in a splendid way, and the writing was great.

A book with that unique charm of fun fantasy stories. In this incredible world, there is the incomparable Gyssha Blackbone, she has a somewhat creepy activity, the fabrication of monsters. One day she passes away, and it's up to Elodie to clean up the mess. She is hired by the Black Oak Cottage for this titanic task. When Elodie arrived at her workplace she had no idea what she was going to do for a living. Elodie also does not know that she is going to work for a witch, her mistress had no idea either that she was going to receive a new housemaid. Gysha's latest curse left Aleida almost dead and now with monsters prowling the forest, the demonic tree hiding in the orchard and the angry warlock demanding pay for her debt. This series of events causes Adelaida to ask Elodie for help in solving these problems. A very entertaining book because of the atmosphere of magic that Elodie experiences. I really liked how the story begins, with Elodie at home with her mother and stepfather. I didn't expect her stepfather to ask her to go work at the house of someone Elodie didn't even know. Another aspect that I really liked is that the book is so entertaining that I didn't want to stop reading. I loved that it is part of a series, so I hope to read book 2 soon and know what will happen next. I thank NetGalley, HarperCollins Publishers, and Voyager - AU for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Entertaining read with classic world building and solid character development.
Monsters abound, threatening the peace of the forest. Elodie lives an isolated life, she mourns the loss of her father and has been estranged from her cold and distant mother.. When an unexpected job opportunity comes her she sees it as a chance to escape her predictable and sad life. Soon she crosses paths with Aledia, who fears being captured by an angry warlock; The story seems to be an introduction of more to come. Aleida and Elodie are competitive spirits and their opposite character traits make more an entertaining and intriguing match.
Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to review this ARC.

Jo Spurrier’s “A Curse of Ash and Embers” is the exact book I wish I had read as a teenager. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy it now—because I did—I just wish I could time travel to my past and hand fourteen-year-old me a copy of this book. She needed it.

This book was fantastic! The protagonist is a creature rarely found in young adult fantasy books—a girl who is sensible and humble. I adored Elodie. She takes everything in stride, without complaining. She’s naive at times, which is to be expected from one who is forced to make her way in the world for the first time, but she’s wise in her own way, and exceptionally kind and courageous. I loved her mentor/employer too. I appreciated the way her backstory unfolded slowly over the course of the book.

The thing I loved most about this book though, was how it didn’t center around a romance. This seems to be rare in young adult fantasy books, and it was quite refreshing.

Oh, and I definitely didn’t see that plot twist coming!

I can’t wait to read the next book in the series. I think I’ve found a new favorite author.

Thank you to NetGalley for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

The perfect sapphic fantasy!!!!!! I will take more please


This book was one I didn’t expect to live until I forced myself to pick it up and started to enjoy it immediately!! What a lovely surprise.

Thanks to Netgalley for a chance to read this book. A great start to what could be a really good book series. Kept my attention and had me wanting another book.

It's taken me a few days to figure out how to review this book without giving spoilers, or to phrase things in a way that makes it sound as if I didn't like or enjoy the book. But everything about this book was, in a word, unexpected. Kind of.
Elodie, or Dee as she prefers to go by, is very much the definition of 'unlikely hero'. She grew up in a pretty verbally abusive household at the hands of her step-father. While I wasn't a huge fan of how that part of the book was handled, and while it also didn't exactly take up a large portion of the book, I can see why it was there. It was to give the character something more enteral to overcome, but I don't fully feel like she did in this book. The self-doubt runs deep, and while I can relate to that on some level, I also some-what feel like the way it kept coming up in the story didn't move her along or past it the way I would have liked. I hope though, now that the threat from this book was defeated, she can overcome more of that now that she has time to focus on other things.

Aleida, I liked her character a lot. She was also somewhat of an unexpected character. Morally gray witch, I like that trope. She's not evil, but I wouldn't exactly call her kind either. Her brash, no-BS personality was enjoyable to read. She didn't beat around the bush when talking to Dee, she never held back when it was important. I just really liked that she was honest and upfront with Dee, letting her make up her mind on whether she wanted to stay or not, but also telling Dee that she should leave for her own safety.

There are a lot of side characters that I hope still have a role to play in the rest of the series. Mainly because I want Dee to have the friends her family never afforded her to have. I was on the fence when it came to the budding romance, and I still don't fully know how to feel about the reveal of who he actually was. I didn't feel like it was explained entirely, there is a tiny plot hole there that I would have liked filled in.

The climax of the book was pretty exciting, and the mystery of who sent the letter has yet to be explained but I hope it will be in the sequel. All-in-all, this was a really fun book, and I enjoyed the writing. I very much look forward to the sequel.

#ACurseofAshandEmbers #NetGalley #Edelweiss
Thank you to Netgalley, Edelweiss, and the publisher for the E-arc copy. A great read for teens and young adults. I really enjoyed this first book, can't wait until the next one.

A really fun and interesting read. I had an enjoyable time reading this and it held my attention the entire way through that I finished it within the day! I enjoyed every page and thought that the plot/story was very unique. Would recommend to anyone!

I would give this book 4.5 stars! I really enjoyed it.

The pace was the book was well kept. I never found myself bored with the story or trying to skip ahead. It was an easy and enjoyable read. The characters were brilliant. From the beginning, I felt myself becoming attached to Elodie and found myself hoping for a better life for her as soon as she jumped on the wagon. Aleida was also charming and they seemed to be a good match for each other, which was only proven true by the end of the book.

I thoroughly enjoyed the beauty and wonder of the magic, especially the possessions. At times, I find they can be a bit hokey or just downright scary. The author has quite the way with words that transforms you into this life as you breathe and feel what the characters are thinking and feeling. I am excited to read book 2!

I absolutely loved A Curse of Ash and Embers. Such a great story about a young woman who gets sent away to work, only to find she will be working for a witch. The story is really original and the characters are perfect. I loved Dee and Aleida, they make such a great team. One of my favorite things about it was exploring the witch stuff like the constructs and seeing how Dee changes throughout the story and embraces becoming a witch. I really can't say enough good things about this book. I look forward to reading the second one.

An absolutely fascinating read, definitely 5 stars read, such a delight for eyes and soul!
Beautiful, lyrical, very atmospheric writing! It is hard to push me to give 5 stars to a work of fiction and this delivered beautifully!

Language: 5*-very lyrical, delightful choice of words, Captivating writing!
Idea/Plot: 4.5*- despite the fact that the plot is not as unique and can be found in various fairy tales, the writing really makes it interesting
Evolution: 4.5* - we are moving through scenes pretty fast and yet not missing on details
Interest keeping: 5*-read in almost one sitting, that says it all!
Conclusion: 5*- answers given to all questions that were verbalized in the beginning of the book. The climax was beautifully done and answers delivered and interest is still kept.

The feminist witchy novel of my dreams. A Curse of Ash and Embers is an unforgiving novel with an unforgettable cast of characters. Elodie and Aleida are heroines who tug at your heartstrings trying to survive in a world that has been overly cruel to them. It was also a breath of fresh air not including a romance for either heroines. I look forward to checking out the next book in the series

I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun book to read! Elodie or Dee as she likes to be called receives a mysterious job offer to work at Blackbone cottage, far from home and a stepfather that despises her. Little does she know that it is no ordinary job. This book and the way it went, reminded me a bit of Dealing with Dragons. It was a smooth and easy read with exciting bits, funny bits, and a little bit of scary (with the earthbeasts and the warlock). Dee is a sensible girl however and remains up to the challenge of it all with her new mistress, Aleida.

I enjoyed the story and I definitely would not mind reading more when the next book comes out!

This was such an interesting take on a tale about a witch.
Elodie's family gets a mysterious letter sending her away to Blackbone Cottage to be a handmaid. After quite a journey, where she meets a wizard and a warlock, she arrives to find out the one who sent for her is a witch. Although it turns out Aleida didn't send for her, and it's still unknown who sent the letter.
Much of the story revolves around trying to get rid of that warlock she met on the road, with plenty of other twists and turns thrown in.
Overall a pretty interesting story and am interested to see where the story goes from here.

"'This is a witch's cottage,' I reminded myself. 'Strange things happening is the normal state of affairs around here, I should think. Might as well get used to it.'" ~ A Curse of Ash and Embers

This book is vastly underrated! After the first chapter, I was drawn in immediately to Elodie's adventures. She's such a spitfire for a main character! Besides a few scenes, it's women who run the show in this book and I love every minute of it. What's excellent about Elodie as a character is that she takes pride in her work; even though this novel has feminist themes, Elodie working as a servant and cooking and cleaning never felt sexist. Elodie likes to take care of Aleida and it's what makes me admire her. All the women in this book do everything - including kick butt!

One of my favorite moments in the book:
"'I would murder someone for a cup of coffee right now,' she said by way of greeting.
'Can't help you there, I'm afraid. Tea?'
'Sure.'"
I love this moment between Aleida and Elodie! They've just settled into an unsteady, hesitant friendship. They are sharing a rarely calm moment in the cottage. Their everyday sarcasm is perfectly hilarious! This scene is important enough for there to be a break in the plot's action; at this moment, the reader sees how well Aleida and Elodie work together. They have a shared humor and natural chemistry which foreshadows how their relationship will be if Aleida teaches Elodie magic.

I'm excited to see how the rest of the series turns out. I want to know more about the wizard Elodie met in the first part of the story - his predictions turned out to be true, so he has to be more than just some background character. How will Elodie and Aleida's relationship be moving forward? Is Elodie going to become good friends with the earthspirit that's helping her? I'm dying to know more information about the earthspirit's powers! I can't wait to discover why Elodie was sent to Aleida! One final thought: I was picturing Gyssha as Madam Mim from Disney's "The Sword in the Stone" the entire time I was reading!

From the first pages, A Curse of Ash and Embers caught my attention and carried me through. No Spurrier has an effortless gift for world building and character Arcs that kept me interested and immersed the entire time. The twists and turns were subtle and kept you going until the very end. With stories steeped in mystery, often the authors slip hints here and there. This story it was Unnecessary to do so for the writing itself played the mystery’s up enough that the reader didn’t need hints to keep them reading. Thank you to netgalley for the ARC in exchange for a free honest review!