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4.17 AVERAGE
4.17 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Enemies-to-lovers? ✔
A fierce alchemist heroine? ✔
Brooding warrior with trauma? ✔
Slow-burn tension and high-stakes magic? ✔✔✔
But the ending?? 😤
After all the emotional build-up between Wren and Torj, the soul bond gets severed in the final act… and honestly, it felt like a betrayal—not a twist.
No payoff. No catharsis. Just heartbreak.
Still, I can’t lie: I was hooked the whole way. Helen knows how to write tension, angst, and atmosphere. I’ll probably read Book 2, but I’m entering with serious trust issues 😅
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
Damn you Helen Scheuerer!!!!
Just ripped my heart out so hard my sternum hurts, I’ll be sending you my therapists bill.
My review is nothing but curse words and pain, yet I’d still do it all over again.
Just ripped my heart out so hard my sternum hurts, I’ll be sending you my therapists bill.
My review is nothing but curse words and pain, yet I’d still do it all over again.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
🌶🌶
adventurous
challenging
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Okay, I loved Iron & Embers! It’s a romantsy spin-off from The Legends of Thezmarr, but this one follows Wren and Torj - and honestly, I think I might love it even more than LOT. Helen does a great job catching you up on everything that happened in the end of the original series, so you could technically jump in here, but I really recommend reading LOT first for the full emotional impact (and so you truly appreciate the returning characters!).
Wren and Torj completely stole my heart. Their banter, the tension, the chemistry - it was everything. I also loved seeing Wren’s character grow and overcome her grief. The academy setting was such a fun backdrop, and getting more of the alchemy element in this book was a highlight for me. I really enjoyed the new characters that were introduced, but seeing familiar faces like Cal and Kipp made it even better (they had me laughing out loud, as usual). And don’t even get me started on that ending... I’m already desperate for book two!
Wren and Torj completely stole my heart. Their banter, the tension, the chemistry - it was everything. I also loved seeing Wren’s character grow and overcome her grief. The academy setting was such a fun backdrop, and getting more of the alchemy element in this book was a highlight for me. I really enjoyed the new characters that were introduced, but seeing familiar faces like Cal and Kipp made it even better (they had me laughing out loud, as usual). And don’t even get me started on that ending... I’m already desperate for book two!
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
I adored this book! I was really looking forward to Torj and Wren’s story, and it absolutely delivered.
I especially loved following Wren’s journey - her healing, her study of alchemy, and her gradual acceptance of love after all the trauma she endured.
Torj was the perfect counterpart: patient, steady, and always accepting her for who she is, helping her navigate the PTSD and emotional scars left by the war.
I really enjoyed the academy setting, though I found myself wishing for just a bit more - more lessons, more poisonings, more sabotage (because who doesn't love a bit of chaos).
I do think reading Legends of Thezmarr helped me appreciate Iron & Embers even more as I knew the history world and familiar faces.
Kipp and Cal still have my whole heart. I hope we get a standalone for all their antics someday!
Already counting down the days until book two!
I especially loved following Wren’s journey - her healing, her study of alchemy, and her gradual acceptance of love after all the trauma she endured.
Torj was the perfect counterpart: patient, steady, and always accepting her for who she is, helping her navigate the PTSD and emotional scars left by the war.
I really enjoyed the academy setting, though I found myself wishing for just a bit more - more lessons, more poisonings, more sabotage (because who doesn't love a bit of chaos).
I do think reading Legends of Thezmarr helped me appreciate Iron & Embers even more as I knew the history world and familiar faces.
Kipp and Cal still have my whole heart. I hope we get a standalone for all their antics someday!
Already counting down the days until book two!
Look - this is not a bad book by any means. I'm just over some of the things that happen in this book. So this is very much a case of not for me. I'll explain in more detail below.
- First, Wren's inferiority complex really has no place. Why does she keep comparing herself to Thea? That didn't seem to bother her in the first series. And even if it did start bothering her now, we never hear why that would be a thing - how did it come to be that way?
- I'm over soulbond/mate/predetermined by something relationships. Alas, we get one here and I do not see why it was necessary. It wasn't necessary for Thea and Wilder.
- WHY did Torj not tell her about the soulbond and why when he broke it did he turn away from her like that? even without the soulbond existing there was no reason for that. That really did make me substract a whole star because it's just a setup for drama, that's all.
- The twist about Xavier was so obvious I guessed when I heard the academy was in Narva.
- The way the academy treats their students makes 0 sense. Why the secrecy? We never find that out. And then they TORTURE their students to test them. It's like fourth wing - you want alchemists, right? And then you treat them that way? Poh, no wonder you're falling behind. Honestly it feels like it was just done to create a dark academia atmosphere.
Below this is a story about healing and accepting help that has merit, but personally, I wasn't able to overlook a lot of the things mentioned in favor of that.
I doubt I'll pick up the second book.
- First, Wren's inferiority complex really has no place. Why does she keep comparing herself to Thea? That didn't seem to bother her in the first series. And even if it did start bothering her now, we never hear why that would be a thing - how did it come to be that way?
- I'm over soulbond/mate/predetermined by something relationships. Alas, we get one here and I do not see why it was necessary. It wasn't necessary for Thea and Wilder.
- WHY did Torj not tell her about the soulbond and why when he broke it did he turn away from her like that? even without the soulbond existing there was no reason for that. That really did make me substract a whole star because it's just a setup for drama, that's all.
- The twist about Xavier was so obvious I guessed when I heard the academy was in Narva.
- The way the academy treats their students makes 0 sense. Why the secrecy? We never find that out. And then they TORTURE their students to test them. It's like fourth wing - you want alchemists, right? And then you treat them that way? Poh, no wonder you're falling behind. Honestly it feels like it was just done to create a dark academia atmosphere.
Below this is a story about healing and accepting help that has merit, but personally, I wasn't able to overlook a lot of the things mentioned in favor of that.
I doubt I'll pick up the second book.
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes