At first, I struggled to read this quite a bit. Not because it's badly written, but because it is more violent than I anticipated. In fairness, there is a trigger warning at the beginning of the novel for issues of "emotional and physical abuse, violence and gore, suicidal thoughts, and some sexual context." I also felt that some of those issues could have been handled more maturely, but that is simply my personal opinion as a teacher who's protective of my students.

Well, that takes care of the negatives. Now, onto the positive!

The character development (especially of Harley) was perfection. The chemistry between her and Draven was excellent, and I appreciated that Harley's sister, Ray, was a fully-developed character rather than the plot device that I expected her to be. The world-building was also well done without long pages full of nothing but exposition, and those fight scenes were everything I could hope for.

Thanks NetGalley & Entangled for my ARC copy. Woooo. Still spinning from that ending lol. This was a book I didn’t know I needed. A new author to me. I really enjoyed reading about a Harley a strong female lead who can hold her own. Then cue in Draven with his dark handsome mysterious baggage. Their banter off and on, hot and cold kept the heat going throughout enough to keep me reading wanting more of their story. I really loved all the action packed twists, turns and the world building. I don’t want to say too much or give away anything! Now after that cliffhanger I need book 2 deets ASAP lol

Like always, I'm late with my thoughts about Arcs I read, but it wouldn't be me if I was on time. I finished this book last night and I really liked it! I would have loved more Draven pov and not only the first chapter, but I enjoyed it the same. So many pop culture references and I loved it! I was giggling whenever Harley brought up Marvel or Vampire Diaries. I didn't understand it wasn't a standalone and now I want the second book as soon as possible! 
"A story about an almost eighteen years old girl with an abusive father and a sister to protect, a dream of freedom and happiness. She doesn't know so many people want to kill her because she is the Key. A mysterious guy catches her eyes during a concert and everything will never be the same". 
For fans of JLA and Cassandra Clare!

Ember of Night is the first installment in author Molly E. Lee's Ember of Night series. Harley Ward is counting the days until she turns 18 and can leave the unhappy home she shares with her little sister and abusive father. Harley hides her bruises from her boss at work, her best friend Kai, while training in Krav Maga with her High School Coach Hale. Thanks to working full time at Nathan's Deli, she's slowly saved up enough money to finally be able to put a down payment on her own place.

One could say that the relationship between Harley and her sister Ray is the most beautiful thing you will find about this story. She literally stands in the path of pain just so Ray doesn't get in the way of her father's abuse. Then she meets Draven. As the story opens, Draven, it seems, has been sent to stop the apocalypse and Harley is fated to play a key role in it. Draven believes that Harley is the Key, something ancient and powerful, which will soon surface and create major chaos.

The prologue gives us a bit of insight to who and what Draven actually is, and let’s just say, he’s not human. The first thing he notices about Harley is that she's wound up tight and is hyper aware of her surroundings. Even with her alleged best friend Kai around, Harley is not the kind of girl who needs saving. She plans to save herself and her sister from whatever comes their way. When unexplained things start happening with mysterious beings seeming to have it out for Harley, she faces the tough decisions of whether she'll be the hunter or the prey.

Normal human beings don't notice the minions of Hell, so why can Harley? What makes her so special that every sort of Demon imaginable wants to sip of her blood? Could Harley be the answer to a major demons plans to escape from Hell? And, what part will Draven play when all is said and done? Harley's journey is quite a struggle. There are people around her who actually care, and there are those who are using her to get what they want.

As I stated above, the most beautiful part of this story is how protective and driven Harley is to protect Ray from danger. Even though they are half sisters, Ray is special. She's an artist who Harley helps get into a special school. She writes manga which is pretty impressive. And, she truly believes Harley is a super heroine. Unfortunately for Harley, she has a tough, hard road ahead of herself after that freaking ending and a betrayal that you could see coming from Pluto. The publisher and author have plans to release the second installment later this year. How many books in the series? Unknown.

Ember of Night is Molly E. Lee’s new teen/YA (young adult) paranormal novel. It’s been a hot minute since she’s given her fans a new book, but it was totally worth the wait! I used to say that I wasn’t a huge teen/YA fan or a huge paranormal fan. Twilight reminded me I’m more of a paranormal fan than I wanted to admit, but I’m still not a huge teen/YA fan in general. Although, I’d venture to say that’s changing a bit. However, when it comes to this author’s words, I AM a huge fan of whatever she writes. Molly has a fantastic talent for writing adventurous characters who take you on wonderful journeys throughout each story. Her Love on the Edge series hooked me on her writing style, and I haven’t looked back since. (Seriously…go check that one out, too!)

Please be aware that there are some pretty heavy themes to this book, so if you struggle with abuse or thoughts of suicide, please be aware there may be triggers in this story, and it may not be for you.

Harley is fierce. She doesn’t think she’s fierce, but she is. She’s fiercely loyal to the few she lets close to her, hardworking, determined. And full of untapped power until Draven enters her life. He’s broody, moody, and wildly handsome. And full of secrets he’s keeping close to his vest, so to speak. There’s something that keeps them tethered, no matter how hard Draven wants to fight it. With the weight of the world literally on their shoulders and the fate of the world in the palms of their hands, it’s a huge question mark as to whether Harley will survive much past her 18th birthday.

This story was nothing short of an emotional roller coaster. It’s chocked full of highs, then lows, then twists and turns that will leave your head spinning. It also evoked some weighty emotions. Hate for her father, worry for her sister, heartbreak for her. It’s more than an underdog story. It’s about never giving up despite the odds stacked against you. And some angels and demons to really pack a one-two punch.

Oh… and do yourself a favor. Do NOT start this book at bedtime. Not because the paranormal aspect could be a little scary (it’s not). But because this story is 100% unputdownable. Even though I felt a few places could have been cut, I still saw 3 am that morning. And the ending had me nearly yelling out loud and throwing my iPad, but I somehow managed to restrain myself. (OK, OK. More like it was 3 am, and the hubs would not have been happy with me!).

If you’re a YA paranormal fan, this book should be one you run, not walk, to grab. For those that aren’t, I challenge you to give it a try anyway. I’ve been a fan of Molly’s for a few years, and Ember of Night is just one more reason why she’s still on my automatic 1-click list.

NICUnurse’s Rating: I give Ember of Night by Molly E. Lee 5 out of 5 stars!

Wow! This was such a fun read! Perfect for breaking you out of a reading slump. I did not think I would be very into this book, as the demon genre was never really my style but this book changed that!

The world building and the characters were fantastic! I can’t wait for the next one. Harley is such a bad-ass main character, I love the banter between all of the characters. Give me a book with some good banter, and I am hooked! This book was so addictive, and I could not put it down. It has definitely become one of my new favorites and one I will recommend (force) all of my friends to read!

Thank you to Entangled Teen and NetGalley for the E-ARC of this book, I loved every minute!

2.5 stars
First, a warning: the physical and verbal abuse from Harley and Ray’s father is on page, making parts of this book very difficult to read. So please know that going into it (there is a trigger warning on the very first page of the book, which I really appreciate that the author did). This is a pretty entertaining book, albeit with some confusing issues. So Draven is a demon, informs Harley that she is the key to something and has magical powers, and there are many many demons chasing after her trying to kill her. Harley accepts all this pretty easily, and seems to master her powers within just a couple days like it’s nothing. One thing that makes zero sense is that every time a demon attacks her, and even Draven does this, they’ll bite her or something and then stop and say “what are you?” None of the demons seem sure of what Harley actually is or what she actually does, so why on earth do they all want to come for her? Why would it not occur to any of them that harming her would either harm the demon too or harm your goals? I just don’t get it. And there is no real resolution at the end of the book, it ends on a cliffhanger (sequel coming at the end of the year).

Thank you to NetGalley & Entangled Publishing for this advanced reader copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Wow! Just wow! What an emotional ride this book took me on! This book was fast-paced and an amazing start to a new series. The MC, Harley, hasn't had an easy life. Her father is abusive and an alcoholic. Harley would do anything to protect her younger sister. As soon as Harley turns 18 she plan on getting them away from their situation. Once Harley meets Draven, her world begins to change.

This book drew me in from the first word to the last. I love fantasy stories with strong heroines and this one was all that and more. The author had great conflict, amazing world building and solid writing. I can't wait for more!! I want to thank the publisher and Netgalley for being able to read and review this book.

Ember of Night is the first book in the Ember of Night series by Molly E. Lee. An intriguing young adult paranormal fantasy that pulls you in from the beginning and holds your attention until the very shocking end. You get sucked into the world of Harley and Draven and never want to leave. Lee's writing is superb with dynamic character development. I can't wait to read the next book in the Ember of Night series.

I really enjoyed this book. The only real complaint I have is I feel like the age of the protagonist's sister is off. I understand her home life could cause her to act more mature than she is, but considering I have an 8 year old, I just feel it's a bit of a stretch, especially for her to have such incredible artistic skills. I also felt disgruntled by the part where the protagonist stated how she basically took care of getting groceries and whatnot at 4. Even coming from an abusive home, it just felt too young. Like too exaggerated? But maybe that was the point, I don't know. Otherwise, it was a fun concept and I can't wait to read the (hopefully) next book.

Shoutout to Netgalley and Entangled Teen for giving me a digital arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was throughly surprised at how much I like this book. Harley is almost 18 and her main goal in life is to get an apartment and apply for custody of her little sister. The reason? To get them away from her abusive father.

But her life is turned upside down when Draven, the dark haired hot guy, walks into her life and she's suddenly thrust into a world where daemons exist, and they are coming after her in droves.

This book has so much angst and I love it! There's Kai, Harley's best friend since childhood, who is trying to take their relationship out of the friend zone, and he doesn't like Draven. And there's a little bit of an enemies to lover's vibe with Draven.

Ember of Night also tackled some hard topics like mental health struggles and suicidal thoughts. These topics were handled very well and I appreciate the author for adding them to her story.

Along with the hard topics and the angst, this book was also funny! The ending just cracked me up. I do think that the ending is open for another book so be prepared for the cliffhanger!

"Even an ember of night can be a beacon in the darkness"- quote from an uncorrected text

If your looking for the next dark and mysterious guy after reading the Crave series by Tracy Wolff. This is the book for you! As soon as I received my eARC to this book, I read the whole thing in one blow! I was hooked just by reading the prologue. The characters are so GOOD that I now have a strong with them. We get see all kinds of demons and monsters in this book that I just might consider making a glossary for myself. That ending was so unexpected I had to turn off my tablet for a second and then turn it back on to see if I read that correctly. Anyway, I highly recommend this book and I can't wait to see what will happen next!

Thank You, entangled teen, netgalley, and Turn the Pages Tours for the book!!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the arc of this book. All opinions are my own.

TW: Emotional and physical abuse, violence, gore, suicidal thoughts, sexual content

Coming into this knowing nothing at all not even reading the synopsis made this one amazing!! The way the author shows you things really makes for amazing story telling. Also with making you love characters so much even though you know what could happen in the end!

Harley is an amazingly strong female character that struck a lot of chords with me. I love reading about powerful females that know what to do to protect themselves and others. The dynamic between her and the guys makes this novel 100% the best to read. If you need a love triangle it’s in here hardcore! I LOVE IT! Harley can be strong but be tough at the same time and that’s what I love about her. I see a lot of myself in her and I think that’s what helping me enjoy it so much!!! Draven and Kai make the triangle a lot of fun they all play off each other well. Knowing what could happen make this one worth reading. Knowing that Harley is just along for the ride with them and is truly only looking out for her and her little sister make that even better. Harley just wants to get away when she turns 18 with her sister. She truly doesn’t care about anything else.


This one is worth it if you like Fantasy and Romance. It’s got all the aspects of a teen drama but cut with the amazing writing from Lee has me sitting at the edge of my seat. You never know what could happen next but you should find out!

TW: Emotional/physical abuse, violence and gore, suicidal thoughts, and some sexual content.
This story follows 17-year-old Harley who thinks of herself as worthless because of her alcoholic and abuse father. She just wants to make it to her 18th birthday when she can finally take her little sister and herself away to make a new start together. When she meets magnetic, and infuriating Draven, she is told that there is a key to stopping a war between Heaven and Hell and that she is the key. Will she be able to resist her attraction to Draven and the power she holds? Read it to find out!
Diving deeper I will tell you that if you are looking for a strong female main character than this book is definitely for you. Harley is an aspiring main character who will do anything for her little sister while staying strong through the tough choices she has to make in life. She gives as good as she gets. I haven't read a book with such a strong character like Harley in a while and it was awesome. She will push you to want to get up and go after what you want in this life. Then there is Draven, the boy that makes you dream while questioning that dream. With his golden eyes that turn you to molten lava and his wicked grin that promises...
He is all mystery and intrigue and I loved every second of it. Then there are the side characters that I enjoyed reading about as well such as Nathan, Ray, Kai and even Coach Hale. Want to know who they are well... you'll have to find out for yourself (wicked grin inserted here). The writing flowed so well that I just could not put this book down. Every time I told myself that it was enough my eyes stayed glued to the words and the mesmerizing way Molly Lee draws you in and leaves you wanting more. I was immersed from beginning to end.

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book and I honestly didn’t know quite what to expect going in but boy did I enjoy the ride! While there are trigger warnings to be careful to check ahead of time, none of these were an issue for me to read about and while seeing Harley’s tough upbringing and current status in an abusive household was difficult, all while protecting her little sister, a talented young artist named Ray, there was a compelling journey of finding your worth and believing in yourself that was so lovely to watch unfold throughout the novel. Plus, the unbreakable bond between sisters and the lengths one will go to to protect those they love was inspiring.

We lead in with Harley and bestie Kai at a concert and soon meet the dark, brooding, mysterious, and sexy Draven and the story unfolds from here. There’s more to Harley than meets the eye and Draven just might be the key to the answers she needs, all while a battle of wills and an undeniable connection unfolds.

I also loved the supportive character of Nathan offering work and shelter to the sisters. Harley works to finally reach her freedom at 18 for her and her sister, but when the clock strikes midnight, what secrets are suddenly revealed?

Don’t miss this adventure filled with the paranormal and romance—and boy that end will blow your mind!

There was a lot about this book I wanted to like: the premise drew me in almost as much as the stunning cover. But in the end, there were several aspects of Ember of Night that fell short for me.

The most important, and the one that kept me from being able to truly enjoy the book is the reveal at the end of the epilogue. To me, reveals should make you want to re-read the book and go "OH!!!! Of course! How could I not have known? It's so obvious!" All the reveal did for me was make me confused. It doesn't fit with anything that had happened so far and to me, Harley is a girl so unlike what the reveal says she is as to make it unbelievable to me. It ended up ruining what had been an enjoyable paranormal romance before that point.

To be fair, it makes me want to read the second part of the duology just to see what's done with this reveal, but with not much optimism for how it's handled.

That aside, the demons and many of the twists to the plot were enjoyable and fun, even the ones I saw coming, like who the Second they were searching for ended up being. I appreciated the worldbuilding and the fight scenes. Harley's growth in her power over the book makes sense and works, especially when she releases the last of the bond that seemed to hold her power back. That moment was one of my favorites in the book.

The romance was fine, but fell flat for me. Draven and Harley seemed to have two modes—fighting or kissing—and the kissing was all exactly the same heat level. Every kiss but one was aggressive and passionate, which meant by about kiss four I wasn't getting much from their chemistry because all the kissing scenes read the same.

I loved Harley's little sister and hope she features prominently in the next book as there's definitely more to her than made it on the page in book one. I also liked Nathan, but his goodness fell so flat that I almost don't trust him to be as good as he is.

Overall, I found the book enjoyable, if tropey, and would have been even better without the epilogue that made me question everything that had happened before it.

Thank you Entangled for the arc.

Do you love books that remind you of the books that got you into reading YA? My entry into YA started with Twilight, as it has with MANY readers. Twilight gets a ton of flack, but it's classic and I loved it. Now, Ember of Night doesn't have vampires, but it does have the same type of romance that a lot of us adore.

Harley's life isn't ideal. She lives with her younger sister, Ray, in a trailer with her abusive father. She counts down the days until she's eighteen and is able to get an apartment and apply for custody of Ray. When she meets a guy at a concert, she thinks she'll never see him again until he shows up at work as a new employee. Draven is mysterious and prone to agitation and silence, but Harley finds herself drawn to him, much to her best friend Kai's annoyance. Things get a little crazier when she discovers the presence of demons and that she may be the key they hold to unlock an ancient and dangerous enemy. With Draven as her protector, she comes into her own power and finds out how far she's willing to go to save those she loves.

First things first. The romance is sorta insta-love, but sorta not if that makes sense. Harley has A LOT on her plate and romance isn't something she's willing to give her time to. BUT it happens to her anyway. Draven is the perfect mix of brooding and sexy. He wants to protect Harley, but he also gives her the space to be independent and trust that she can handle things to an extent. He's more of a "what can I do to help?" rather than, "I'm here to help you, step aside." I love, loved him. He has secrets he has to keep from Harley, much like Edward Cullen, and he's scared of doing it until he finds himself so drawn to her that he has to spill the beans for her sake.

There are some heavy themes throughout the book including abuse, alcohol use, Harley's self-worth has been broken down by her own father, and it was so hard to see what she thought about herself. But it's marvelous to see how she breaks free of her father's hold and realizes how bold, strong and beautiful she truly is, despite what her father has drilled into her head.

There were some minor issues such as some of the phrases Draven makes that were SO Edward Cullen, but I didn't really care because he was an amazing character.

As the story comes to its conclusion (for book one) we find out A LOT that is left unsaid. There is so much I want to know that we never got to discover, so book two is going to be explosive. I am so ready.

I admit I couldn’t finish the book. Not because it was horrible but because I just cannot seem to get into another teen based book right now. I think that it would be greatly enjoyed by young adults and adults that are into this genre. It had good premise. The writing was great and the characters were likable. Thank you for giving me a chance to read and review.

I really liked Ember of Night. I enjoyed all the characters. A story about a girl named Harley, brave and abused by her father, she vows to protect her little sister Ray at all costs. I really liked Draven. An exciting read with plenty of surprises, nothing is what it seems. All will be revealed by the end.

I give Ember of Night 4 stars for its surprising read.
I would recommend this book to Paranormal/Fantasy Fans.
#NetGalley #EmberofNight

First of all thank you Entangled Teen and NetGalley for the ARC of this book, these are all my honest opinions.

4.5/5

This book follows the story about a Harley, a girl about to turn 18, that loves her sister Ray more than anything in the world, they face a lot of difficulties at home so Harley’s priority is protect her little sister.

But soon she finds out that is part of this paranormal world and a lot of bad guys are after her, so life is not easy on her but she is still such a strong and loving girl that I honestly felt in love with her character.

Also the chemistry between the main characters is so beautiful, so if you like fantasy/paranormal books with some romance in it this is the book for you.