A Curse of Ash and Embers (Blackbone Witches – Book 1)
A Curse of Ash and Embers (Blackbone Witches – Book 1) by Jo Spurrier
368 Pages
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers, Voyager AU
Release Date: September 24, 2018
Fiction, Sci Fi, Fantasy, Witches, Teens, Young Adult, Coming of Age
Elodie lives with her mother, stepfather and her siblings. A letter arrives with a job offer at Black Oak Cottage. Her stepfather has not allowed her to learn how to read and write so her options for employment are limited. For this position, she must leave immediately without saying goodbye to her siblings. It will take several days to get to the cottage, and she must travel with the teamster leaving now. When she arrives at the town, she learns the cottage is the home of the Blackbone Witches. Aleida is the young mistress of the house. She is weakened after a death fight with Gyssha, the elder Blackbone. Should Elodie stay and help Aleida or leave? She cannot go home so where else would she go?
The book has a steady pace, the characters are developed, and it is written in the first-person point of view. Elodie is a strong young woman determined to honor her commitment to Aleida. The author does a fine job of confusing the reader with the personalities of the characters. It keeps you guessing which one is the good person. If you like young adult sci fi and fantasy books with a good versus evil theme, you will enjoy reading this book.
