Raining Embers

Order and Chaos ##1

by Jessica Dall

Palmer Tash always follows the path of least resistance. He has an unusual disability involving his hearing. But in theocratic Latysia, being different isn’t a good thing, so he conceals his problem.

Brier Chastain’s malady is even more debilitating, and she often must take to her bed for long periods. Her days are spent in meaningless pursuits as she awaits an arranged marriage.

When Palmer and Brier are kidnapped on the same night, they meet and discover that their so-called disabilities are actually budding powers. They are the incarnations of Order and Chaos. With their country on the brink of war, the two must step into their predestined roles and learn to take control of their own destinies.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance

280 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2015

About the author

Jessica Dall finished her first novel at age 15 and been writing ever since. She is the author of such novels as Raining Embers and The Stars of Heaven and a number of short stories which have appeared in both literary magazines and anthologies. When not writing, she works as an editor in the Washington, DC metro area.

Reviews

[Dianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two children who grew up on opposite ends of economic spectrum each suffer from a form of disability. Palmer has an unusual hearing problem, so avoiding drawing attention to it and the suffering it causes, he takes the easiest paths in life. Brier becomes so ill because of her sense of smell and her reaction to different scents; she is bed-ridden for long periods, as she awaits her arranged marriage to another wealthy family. The night they were both kidnapped would be the night their paths would cross and destiny would change their lives forever. Is it true their “disabilities” are actually powers that have been hiding inside them? Have they met before in another life? Are they destined through the ages to keep finding each other and to take control of their powers when their world needs them most? Will their powers make them targets by enemies or those who fear what they can do? War is coming, are they the cause, the answer to peace or are they to become victims of circumstance and fate’s own plans?

Enjoy the pace of a wonderful buildup of the world Palmer and Brier live in in this character-driven plot. Watch as each character becomes more filled out, more lifelike and see how their new circumstances change the people they are as they must grow up quickly in a world that is growing darker and more dangerous by the minute.

From the striking cover to the last page, Jessica Dall’s Raining Embers is rich with intrigue, a variety of characters, a little romance and the dialogue of two young people who are bound to carve out a place together in a strange new world.

Jessica Dall’s characters are what makes this read so fascinating, is not the action or a rapid-fire pace. As things come to a head, the pace will pick up, but never so much as to leave the reader questioning what is happening or being exhausted from keeping up. Meet characters you may loathe, characters you may find difficult to like and characters you can’t help but want to know better. Ms. Dall has a slightly different spin on fantasy and reincarnation to sit back and enjoy.

I received this copy as part of a blog tour for Jessica Dall.

Series: Order and Chaos - Book 1
Publication Date: November 3, 2015
Publisher: Red Adept Publishing, LLC
ISBN-13: 2940152699012
Genre: Fantasy | Coming of Age
Print Length: 276 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble 
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[A Voracious Reader (a.k.a. Carol) · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Book source ~ A review copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

Palmer Tash and Brier Chastain-Bochard are different from other inhabitants of Latysia. They don’t know why or how, but they keep the knowledge to themselves because being different is not a good thing in their world. Living very different lives they have only crossed paths once before someone kidnaps them both taking them far from everything they’ve ever known. Now they must accept that they are the reincarnations of Order and Chaos and learn to control their growing powers or risk catastrophic destruction. But can they trust what they are being told? More importantly, with so much yet to learn can they trust themselves?

I had a hard time getting into this story. There are a lot of confusing names, weird happenings and not much exposition for me to grip tightly and hang onto for the ride. I felt a bit like Alice, tumbling down into a strange world with no guidebook and, I won’t lie, it frustrated me. However, at around 12% the story settled into a steady pace and things started to smooth out, so I hunkered down for the journey to discovery. Told from both Palmer’s and Brier’s POVs, the author gives a decent well-rounded perspective of what each is going through. There are some characters I really don’t like, some I trust not at all and others are interesting. And then there’s Nico. I’m not sure how I feel about him. I also want to know more about Rosie. I facepalmed at some of Palmer’s and Brier’s choices, but in the end I want to know more about who/what they are and what’s going to happen in Latysia now. When I closed the book I had a song from Buffy the Vampire Slayer (S6:E7 Once More, with Feeling) running through my mind: Where Do We Go From Here?

[Kirsty (Amethyst Bookwyrm) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Sage’s Blog Tours for giving me this book to review.

Synopsis
Palmer Tash always follows the path of least resistance. He has an unusual disability involving his hearing. But in theocratic Latysia, being different isn’t a good thing, so he conceals his problem.

Brier Chastain’s malady is even more debilitating, and she often must take to her bed for long periods. Her days are spent in meaningless pursuits as she awaits an arranged marriage.

When Palmer and Brier are kidnapped on the same night, they meet and discover that their so-called disabilities are actually budding powers. They are the incarnations of Order and Chaos. With their country on the brink of war, the two must step into their predestined roles and learn to take control of their own destinies.

Review
Raining Embers is an enjoyable YA fantasy novel, with adventure and magic. The first third of the book was slow but it did pick up. However, I was disappointed that Palmer and Brier’s disabilities were not as big in the story as they appeared in the synopsis and really played a very small role in the story.

Palmer is protective, smart and rule-abiding, and generally a good guy but I found it hard to connect with him, and the other characters. Brier is spontaneous and acts before she thinks, but I did not like how she was portrayed at the start as an alcoholic spoilt teen. I felt very sorry and protective of Rosette and I hope we get to see more of her back story in later books. Similarly I wish we knew more about Cerise and how she is able to shapeshift. I was confused about the romance in this book as I was unsure if Palmer and Brier were meant to be a couple or just friends.

Raining Embers had a very action packed ending and I would recommend it to fans of YA fantasy novels.

This and my other reviews can be found at Amethyst Bookwyrm

[Bee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Istyria book blog ~ A World of Enchanted Books

Now here's a review I'm happy to write! I went into Raining Embers not really expecting much of it and upon finishing it, I can say that I'm pleasantly surprised at how much I actually enjoyed it. Though, yes, I did have a few problems, but most of that wasn't the book's fault at all. So let's get to it, shall we?

Raining Embers is set in the world (land?) of Latysia and tells the story of Palmer and Brier. Palmer has an unusual problem with his hearing, while Brier often has to take to her bed for long periods of time for problems with her scent. Both are from very different circles but their lives intertwine when they are kidnapped on the same night and discover that their disabilities are budding powers. And that's not all, they are the incarnations of Order and Chaos. With their country on the brink of war, these two have to take on the roles they were destined for and learn how to control their powers.

I'm going to get the negative out of the way first, alright? Because I hate being negative so I want to get it over with. I had two problems with this book. And both actually are more for me personally and not really the book's fault. First off, this book started out a bit slow and it took quite a while for me to click with the characters & thus also the romance. Part of that was because problem number two. I felt like there wasn't enough information about this world. And I'm really honest here when I say that's probably just me! When I read a fantasy book, I want to know everything about that world. Even if that means having info dumps here and there throughout the book. As long as they're interesting, I don't care. I just need to know all of it. I wanted more details on how things worked in this world and with their powers. of course, there is potential for that in book 2. Like I said, things started slow for me, but once I got to the second half, things kicked into gear a bit more.

Now for the positives! This world and story has a lot of potential. Depending on where the story goes from here, this series could be amazing. The writing is good and it can only get better as the series goes on. I was also a bit surprised as to who turned out to be Chaos between Brier and Palmer, which I won't spoil for you. Also, while this book looked like it'd be about 3.5 stars, the last 50 or so pages kicked it up to 4. And yes, I did struggle to click with the characters at first, but I did like them from the start. I'm also very curious where Rosette will go from this point. She's a pretty big character that appears later in the story and I'm very fascinated and interested as to who or what she is exactly. The romance wasn't that great, but it didn't play that big of a role, so I didn't mind that.

Raining Embers really managed to surprise me, in a good way. The series has a lot of potential to be great and I'm very eager to see where it goes from here. I do really recommend it to fans of YA Fantasy and urge you to give it a try. It's a great start to a new series that could turn out to be pretty darn epic.

[Raquel (Rocki) · Rating 3 out of 5]

You can find a longer review on my blog: Raquel Gabrielle's Blog

Though I did have some issues with it I really think it could be a good series. Rosette is my favorite character and she can is going to be a strong woman once she grows into her powers hopefully she won't turn evil with them but definitely could be a possibility.

I think Order and Chaos work well together like it does in many of our day to day lives, because you can not have one with out the other. It leads to an equal and happy life for the most part, as well as keep it interesting.

[Nichole · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. Brier Chastain suffers from an increasingly debilitating malady. Palmer Tash has a strange hearing impairment that only allows him to hear one thing at a time. From seemingly different worlds, their paths cross once. Then, they are both kidnapped. What is so important about these two that they would be kidnapped? And together? The reason I gave it 3 stars and not 4 was that it started really slow. Once it picked up speed, it was really good.

[Anya]

The world and magic of this one are cool but the characters felt very flat and the writing seemed to skip the interesting events like magic training. I got to 50% and realized I just didn't have a connection and didn't care about what might happen.

[Sue Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Raining Embers by Jessica Dall.
Palmer Tash always follows the path of least resistance. He has an unusual disability involving his hearing. But in theocratic Latysia, being different isn’t a good thing, so he conceals his problem. Brier Chastain’s malady is even more debilitating, and she often must take to her bed for long periods. Her days are spent in meaningless pursuits as she awaits an arranged marriage. When Palmer and Brier are kidnapped on the same night, they meet and discover that their so-called disabilities are actually budding powers. They are the incarnations of Order and Chaos. With their country on the brink of war, the two must step into their predestined roles and learn to take control of their own destinies.
This was a really enjoyable read with great characters. It was a little slow in places so I stopped then went back to it and couldn't put it down. 4*. Netgalley and red adept publishing llc.

[Seraphia Bunny · Rating 4 out of 5]

***I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review of it. All of the opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s.***
Raining Embers by Jessica Dall is Book One in the Order and Chaos series. In this book we are introduced to a variety of characters but the two that are focused on are: Palmer, an acolyte of the Church and Brie, the daughter of the librarian. Everything seems normal about both of these characters in the beginning of the story but things aren’t what they seem. There has been a prophesy that the people of Augaria are waiting for…”When the darkness descends, the end shall begin. The old gods awaken to mete out our doom. Uncontrolled, uncontrollable, their vengeance will know no bounds until the land cracks open and the vessel succumbs, inside the walls of the city.”
Palmer is exceptional when it comes to his charting of the stars and astrology and it doesn’t go unnoticed by the Seers. They want to know if there is more to him but he hides that he has been having visions and seeing things that have happened. They know some of his past but he has shoved down his gifts and wishes to continue to hide them. Brie believes herself to only be the librarian’s daughter but when the eclipse that is foreseen comes she sees something…a vision…and faints. Change comes quickly for Brie and Palmer and they are told a truth about themselves that they themselves would never have guessed.
This book is a bit slow paced but it definitely has its moments of where it grabs you and pulls you. This book is labeled a: YA Romance but there is only a hint of romance in this book to be honest. The story focuses mostly on Brie and Palmer learning about these new identities as they are told the truth about who they truly are and discover what happened to them at certain points in their lives.
All in all this is a pretty good book. It’s engaging in spots more so than others but it does have a way of grabbing your attention and keeping you curious as to what is going to happen next. You get hints of danger here and there throughout the story that has you trying to figure out…”what is the catch”, or “where is the danger.” And of course there will be a few unanswered questions when you get to the end but that’s the point so that you read on to the next book when it comes out…which I very much intend to do. Raining Embers is a good read and I give it 4 out of 5 stars. This is a book that I would recommend to people but would also warn them…settle in because it’s not fast paced at all…it’s a moderate steady pace that flows along with a few bumps here and there but all in all is worth the time. After you're done the story sticks with you, haunting even and that is how you know at the end of the day it was really good.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Raining Embers is an original and intriguing story of Order and Chaos, Everything and Nothing. It’s a little hard to explain this more without giving away details of the story. It’s a fantasy full of adventure, magic, evil villains and battle scenes with curious characters and a dabble of romance set in a world which reminded me a lot of our medieval times.

The book is well written and the author’s writing style is nice and easy to read. The pacing is good all through the book except for the beginning which I found somewhat slow and the ending which was fast paced and action packed.

The synopsis of this book focussed on the main characters having disabilities however this didn’t really come across in the book. It was mentioned that each had an affliction of some kind, but I’m not sure I really understood how they played a role in the story. I sort of got Palmer’s hearing disability but couldn’t relate it to the plotline, and I didn’t really understand Brier’s disability of smelling rotten smells in summer and drinking lots of alcohol to combat this. I don’t think it was properly explained anywhere in the book.

The book is written from alternate points of view which helps to explain more of the story and gives further insights into each of the main characters. Palmer and Brier, who are in stark contrast to one another, did not seem to be fully developed making it difficult to connect with either of them, and I didn’t really like Brier at all. At times, the minor characters seemed more interesting than the two protagonists, in particular I found the little girl Rosette to be my favourite character.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read and had enough intrigue to keep me through to the end. It’s a good start to a new fantasy series and I would be interested in reading the next book to see where it goes from here. With more world building and more character development, and perhaps some more details about the disabilities of the main characters and how it relates to the story, this has the potential to be a great new series.

I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy fantasy stories or to anyone who is looking for something a bit different to read.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Setting up a new world for a fantasy novel always takes time as well as introducing the main characters. What I saw in Latysia, was an old world setting much like earth. Palmer Tash was a ward of the church after becoming an orphan during the last reclamation war. He is an acolyte who is disillusioned with the church and is biding his time until graduation from the university part of his education. The Seers and Professors see a lot of potential in him. Tash is straight-laced and disciplined, whereas Brier is from a privileged family living in the palace. She spends her days getting drunk with friends, which helps with the rotting smell that seems to plague her days.

I was immediately drawn into the story, I seem to have an affinity for creation myths and this one takes the reader to the beginning of time. I enjoyed the juxtaposition of Order and Chaos. Having been thrown together Tash and Brier had to accept each other and learn to cooperate to survive. Here it is easy to see an undercurrent of a budding romance. Brier is betrothed to a man from home and Tash is all about following the rules so there are obstacles to overcome. Chaos is a powerful force and Brier seems to be coming to terms with the power. I felt like Tash is having a few difficulties dealing with his powers and got tired of his answer always being, ”I don’t know.” I do understand free will can change the course of fate, so perhaps there were too many branches to follow to determine the best outcome? It will be interesting to watch him grow more into his powers.

FYI: Raining Embers is the first book in the Order and Chaos series. **Originally written for "BigAl’s Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy.** December 5, 2015

[Jess Crafts · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is exactly what I was expecting it to be. A fun, fast, exciting adventure. Exactly what I wanted it to be after reading a long book. Something to note: the blurb makes their disabilities sound like a large part of the plot but they aren’t, in fact, they disappear completely within the first few chapters.

I also thought that the magic was a bit unexplained towards the end. As if the author was just adding whatever sounded exciting with no reasoning. And there’s no doubt this is exciting, I finished it in two sittings, but it would have been nice to have the magic elements a little bit more explained.

[Janie · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Raining Embers (Order and Chaos Book 1)" by Jessica Dall is my first read by this author and it will not be my last. I am a classic romance kind of gal but from word of mouth I decided to read Jessica's book. This book is kind of fantay/ fiction. Palmer Tash is the ward of the church and a gifted young man. Briar Chastian has such a bad disability that it causes her to drink. They come together in an unexpected way, and find that they need each other.

[Ace Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally posted at: http://www.novelthoughts.org/index.ph...

I was asked by Jessica, to take part on the Blog Tour and review her book which she and Red Adept Publishing provided a free copy for. This in no way has influenced my review.

I'm a big fan of fantasy, especially Young Adult so I was excited for this book even if I wasn't so sure about the blurb I had high hopes for it. The book in itself has a lot of potential but I feel like it didn't live up to it in many ways.

The World: The world Jessica has created is fascinating and has so much potential. The book... It's just too short, you don't get a good feel for it. So many things are glossed over and not fully explained that it was a bit of a let down. It's like being handed a cake but only then being able to eat a small bit of it. There's just so much left that I was left wanting. Perhaps as the series progress we'll find out more about the world that the story takes place in

Plot: The plot is certainly unique and intriguing. I admit that the blurb left me slightly confused in what it had to do with the story. The idea of two characters being Order and Chaos, of having abilities relating to each of them is fascinating and was an interesting twist. What confused me was the disabilities. As I read the book I actually forgot that Tash was supposed to have hearing problems, it just didn't come across well for me in the book and Brier's 'disability' just confused me. I didn't see the point of it. Though I think it could have been explored more as I believe it had something to do with how she developed her powers but to me it wasn't all that clear.

What happened while they were kidnapped was certainly interesting though as was the aftermath and the conclusion of the book.

Despite that, I found the plot to be slow going and it took awhile for it to build up to a conclusion. While I understand in fantasy it is necessary to develop the world alongside the plot I felt that the plot could have moved a lot faster in places, especially the beginning. Though I understand why she did it the way she did, I had to force myself to read it. Partly though I just wanted to learn as much about the world of Raining Embers as possible. The introduction of Rosette was certainly interesting though and I quite liked her as a character.

The Characters Perhaps because it is a YA and a fairly short one at that coming in at just under 300 pages, I felt like we didn't get a good feel for the characters. Like the world building there is so much potential in regards to what is known for the characters. While we did learn a lot about them towards the end of the book it felt that for the rest of the book there were only small snippets given here and there. As I mentioned before, the disabilities that play such a large role in the blurb confused me as it didn't really impact the story a part from them being the powers.

I feel like Jessica could have handled this in a different way, made the powers manifest themselves another way or played up these disabilities more during the book. Then again, Brier confused me at times. At the same time her interaction with Tash seemed forced and awkward. While, a lot of this comes from the two of them being forced together in a situation where they rarely know one another I do think that she just took advantage of him and treated him rather poorly at times. That wasn't to say that he wasn't perfect in their behaviour either... Then again they are teenagers! Rosette on the other hand, for a minor character was really quite interesting. I loved reading her scenes and want to know more about her.

Over all, I believe that Raining Embers has a lot of potential but could have done well with being a longer book than it actually was. At the length it is, it teased us, gave us a lot of snippets about the world and the characters but wasn't all that fulfilling. Despite that I did enjoy the end of the book and thought it was an interesting way of handling things. I'm looking forward to seeing book two and hopefully some more development of the world.

[Stace · Rating 3 out of 5]

**I received a free copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review**

This story took place in a city called Latysia, which has an Ancient Roman/Greek feel to it, full of intrigue and on the brink of war. Palmer, one of the main characters, is a church ward currently studying in the University with a gift for star charts and predicting the future though he doesn’t believe in his visions.

Brier, the second main character plays a more central role to the story. She is a privileged young woman who is plagued by an unfortunate problem which causes her to spend most of the summer months either drunk or in bed. She has just found out that she has been pledged to an arranged marriage above her position and is sceptical as to the motivations of their parents.

Both Brier and Palmer are kidnapped one night from their home city of Latysia and wake up in a stone fortress high up in the mountains, held captive by a man and a woman with unusual powers.

It’s in this stronghold that they learn that they both have powers of their own, as they are the living embodiments of Chaos and Order. Brier, as the force of Chaos, is a destructive force and is training to learn how to use her powers properly so that she doesn’t accidentally cause harm and Palmer, as the embodiment of Order, is omniscient and is able to help calm and channel chaos.

While they are held in the stronghold, one of their captors’ brother arrives with a young girl with strange powers of her own.

One night, Brier, Palmer and the young girl, Rosette, manage to escape from the mountain and hide themselves in a small village where they start to make a home for themselves. Eventually, they are forced to go back to their home city and Brier is in mortal danger as someone attempt to harness her powers as a weapon to win a civil war and only the powers of the mysterious little girl can save her.

What I found appealing about this story was that the most active characters were all female and that the male characters played quite passive, emotive roles for a change – it was just subtle enough that it didn’t feel like a point was being made.

As a YA novel, I felt that this was particularly good as the main protagonist wasn’t the only strong female character though it felt that maybe the men were being undersold a little bit at times.

I enjoyed the concept of Chaos and Order being complementary forces in this book and that they could be incarnated in humans, though there were also other powers in this world that weren’t fully explained yet which will be interesting to read about in the next instalment of this series.

I’m particularly curious to see if the author will be continuing along the Greek Mythology thread, as I have particularly enjoyed this idea in books I’ve read this year.

The pacing of this book was excellent, we get to know the characters and their backgrounds before the main journey begins and each stage is fully laid out so that it doesn’t feel rushed. I particularly enjoyed the ending of this book, with the final battle bringing the characters together.

Of all the characters, Rosette is my favourite. She is a 6 year old girl with the power of wilfully causing sickness and disease to people, but she is a sweet girl who feels things very deeply.

Her powers are tied to the powers of Chaos by their nature, which is something that comes in handy at the end of the book (I’m not giving the game away here!).

The one thing that I did find a little confusing was that the political structure of Latysia was never fully explained, by which I mean that I’m not entirely sure why the city was going to war or what the previous wars had been about. It was quite difficult to fully invest in the conflict in the story as everyone’s motives for fighting were pretty unclear, though the battles themselves were enjoyable to read.

This story is quite formulaic and predictable, but I would recommend it for YA readers looking for a good adventure and strong female characters.

Reviewed by Nia at www.whisperingstories.com

[Yvone · Rating 2 out of 5]

SPOILERS BELOW. So many spoilers. SPOILERS EVERYWHERE.

Raining Embers was OK. It had some really strong points: Palmer's hearing disability was very intriguing, and once it was connected to the mysterious rotting smell issue, and then further connected to the big reveal (I won't spoil it that hard out of respect for the author,) it was definitely a hat's off moment. Unfortunately, I also had some big problems with this book.

I enjoyed Palmer's POV chapters, but not so much due to their own merit and mostly because I was so relieved to be out of Brier's. It was really hard to connect with a character whose primary goal prior to the inciting incident is to be drunk every second of their life even though she's not an alcoholic nor is this story about her battle with alcoholism.

Brier's behavior in general didn't make much sense to me, especially when it came to her relationship with Palmer. It felt forced and with nothing notable leading up to it. A tertiary character mistakenly assumes they're in love, and from that point on it's as if Brier tries her hardest to make it true (and she really did try, but they were so incompatible.) She'd try to flirt with him, be put off by his inexperience; initiate touch, be put off by his inexperience; finally she just plugs her nose and kisses him, and then goes right back to feeling pretty much nothing for him.

There were very few times Brier ever saw Palmer as truly admirable: his recurring and endearing trait of being protective she compares to being puppy-like and/or finds it amusing. She never sees him as a potential lover-- not even when they finally kiss does she entertain the idea of being his lover-- and from beginning to end of book, any intimacy they share is often accompanied by the mention that she's in desperate need of human touch and comfort rather than any desire or love she feels for him. The connection between their powers could have been responsible, but I got the impression it was supposed to be a genuine relationship rather than manufactured by magic.

The bizarre romance wasn't a deal breaker for me-- I don't read romance novels, so that wasn't what I wanted out of this book. Unfortunately, this awkward relationship was the only thing happening during a very saggy middle... And it was actually super surprising that the middle sagged like it did because there were so many potential rabbit trails, so many possible subplots, but everything fizzled out before it could begin.

While in Lantello, there was a chance Palmer might've become the next Sage/Seer. Palmer not wanting to be a seer/sage was mentioned on a number of occasions, but when Sage Visentin died, Palmer didn't become the next Sage, so there was no climax or resolution to that conflict even though the opportunity was there. There was also a chance the town folk were going to start a witch hunt over Rosette's powers, but that didn't happen either-- Palmer's omniscience allowed them to safely leave town before things could pick up in pace. The only things of consequence that happened in Lantello (a location which dominated the middle of the book) was the aforementioned awkward romance and a sliver of an event that happened off-screen and held no relevance until the end when you realize it was actually important because it was a turning point for Rosette.

The ending felt pretty abrupt. The outer conflict was resolved, but the two main characters didn't seem to have conquered any emotional conflict. Minor characters Rosette and Goebel actually had more complete character arcs, but unfortunately this book wasn't about them. Not even the love triangle was resolved: Brier never directly addresses it, and the book ends with her continuing to ignore it and/or symbolically choosing them both for a polygamist relationship? Which, if it's the latter, still doesn't address or resolve Palmer or Nico's jealousy.

TL;DR, there were a few goodies, but not enough to carry the book. Raining Embers really had a lot of potential, but it feels like it just didn't get the TLC it deserved by the beta readers and/or editor(s). Kind of a bummer.

[Lillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been meaning to pick up one of Jessica's books for a really long time, so I was very happy when I got the chance to read an online ARC of Raining Embers a little bit before the release date, in exchange for a review. Now it's time to discuss all of the things.

First things first! Let’s talk about characters.

Raining Embers follows the journey of two characters, Palmer and Brier, who are two very different people from very different backgrounds. While Palmer is a straightforward, rule-following type of person, Brier is more of a feisty I-do-what-I-want type. There’s such a great contrast between their characters, which makes for a lot of fun moments. I really like the way they balance each other out, and watching them learn to accommodate and eventually trust each other is really fun. I also love several of the minor characters, such as Cerise, who was snarky and mysterious and creepy, all in one. However, it was Rosette, the street-urchin child Palmer and Brier wind up traveling with, who I really fell in love with. She’s so adorable and fierce, and I love how Palmer and Brier become fill-in parents to her. The three of them are like a cute little family, and it’s completely adorable. Overall, all of the characters in Raining Embers are tons of fun, and I look forward to learning more about them as the series continues!

Now let’s discuss some plot things.

The premise of RAINING EMBERS-- two people learning that they’re manifestations of Order and Chaos-- really intrigued me from the moment I first read the synopsis. While the story did have a bit of a slow start, once it got going, I found myself enjoying it a lot. It was pretty straightforward and didn’t hold too many twists and turns, but the story still held my interest and had enough romance and adventure to keep me happy. There’s only one thing that really bothered me: the discussion of Brier and Palmer’s ‘disabilities.’ There’s a brief mention of Palmer ‘only being able to hear one thing at a time’ and a few mentions of Brier ‘smelling rot’ and drinking alcohol for some reason, but those things aren’t mentioned again throughout the rest of the story, and that confused me. Other than that, however, I have no issues with the plot. If you’re a fan of traditional fantasy storylines (running from villains! learning to use magical abilities! dramatic battle scenes!) then you will probably enjoy Raining Embers just as much as I did.

Time to discuss another important aspect: writing.

To be completely honest… I love Jessica’s writing style! Because I’m an unreasonable person, I frequently get frustrated with fantasy novels, as a lot of them are filled with endless amounts of description. Raining Embers, which has the perfect balance of description and dialogue, makes for a very pleasant change! The pacing is great and the story is just so easy to read.

Overall, Raining Embers is a fun and fully engaging fantasy novel, filled with romance, adventure, and spunky, lovable characters. I recommend it to anyone looking for a fast, character-driven fantasy read. 4/5 stars.

[Lisa Dinsmore · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review and this review is also posted to my blog.

"Raining Embers" was, on the whole, an enjoyable read.

We're introduced to the two protagonists separately, although it's clear their destinies are interlinked. The fantasy world was well detailed and, to me, spoke of Renaissance Italy, with opulent palaces and quiet religious enclaves alike.

Palmer's disability didn't really seem to affect him, while Brier's malady seemed to have her getting drunk to drown out the smell rather than, as the blurb says, taking to her bed. I was slightly confused about Palmer's early Seer abilities and the mixing of two disciplines; astrology as a means of predicating the future was fine, for example an eclipse being an omen of peace or war, but predicting an eclipse itself comes to me under the heading of astronomy.

These concerns aside, the story picked up the pace in chapter seven when the two heroes were thrown together and discovered their true identities, giving us answers to some of the questions posed in the earlier chapters. The rest of the book details their adventures as they train, escape, and finally return home to try and save the city.

I liked Rosette and how Palmer and Brier adopted her into their lives, and I liked Nico and felt bad for how he was so easily cast aside for Palmer; the affection between Palmer and Brier seemed to come more from their destinies and abilities rather than any actual attraction. I could accept the romance but it wasn't my favourite part of the book. The story felt somewhat YA to me, possibly because of the ages of the characters, which isn't a minus for me, but could be to other readers.

I'm pretty sure the author didn't intend it, but Brier seems to go without wine until they go home and sees Nico. Then there's a couple of line where she could do with a drink. It comes across as when she's with Palmer their love means she is sober and in control of her skills but with anyone else she wants alcohol to dampen her abilities. If you're truly in love you won't drink? It left a nasty puritanical taste in my mouth.

The action-packed final chapters were fantastic as all the threads finally came together, Palmer, Brier, and Rosette's abilities came to the forefront, and there were further revelations made. The story ended with some nice nods to friendship, rebuilding, and preserving knowledge.

Finally, while it’s clear that this is the first book in a series, this novel does stand alone. Rather than end on a cliff-hanger, there's a moment of respite that gives the book enough closure to satisfy the reader, which I very much appreciated.

Again, an enjoyable enough read, a story that's good for a few nights entertainment in a well drawn fantasy setting. I'd award it 3.5 stars out of 5.

[PortlandAvidReader · Rating 2 out of 5]

A sword and sorcery for juveniles or early teens

The book is not marked Y/A on Amazon but reads like that genre. The needy protagonists fight the world and each other, but in the end the girl retains her virginal purity.
They are supposed to be two incarnations of pre-titanic gods, but there is little primal about them.

[Hobart · Rating 3 out of 5]

This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
I hate books like this -- I just don't know what I can say without taking too much from the book, and then I look at the blurb/publisher's description/etc. and everything I don't want to say is there in a paragraph or two. So what do I know?

Palmer Tash is a theological/prophetic student who doesn't believe in deities or prophecy, but he's penniless and an orphan, so what else does he have to do? Brier Chastain is a bored daughter of a wealthy family, who seemingly won't be allowed to do anything with her life other than get into trouble while waiting to hear who she's supposed to marry.

The two of them are kidnapped and taken to some strange castle in a country they've never been -- there, they're told that they're actually the current embodiments of Order and Chaos -- the forces that predate time are living within them and give them supernatural powers. The two learn to depend on each other -- and attempt to lean on each other for support and guidance as they fight their destinies to keep from destroying their home.

There's a very rocky beginning to this -- you have to make it to 15% or so before things start working. It seems like Dall is trying so hard to be mysterious that it ends up feeling like she's playing games with the reader to obfuscate what's going on. Shortly after that, we get the big reveal shortly about their actual identities, which just helps things get more interesting.

I like the main characters -- and another powered being they meet -- a lot. Most of the rest of the characters are too sketchy to get a real handle on. The characters are the strength of this novel so much that the plot suffers. Most of the novel is too surface-y and fast paced that you don't really get into things the way you should. Dall created a great world, but we only get to see a small part of it. If the last 2/3 were better developed, it's help the book so much.

It's an entertaining read with some characters that are very appealing -- Dall's got some real talent here, I just wish she'd let it do more.

Disclaimer: This was provided to me in exchange for my honest take on the book -- note that I said "honest" and not "timely." I was supposed to have this done months ago. My thanks for the book and apologies for the tardiness, Ms. Dall.

[Katelin Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted to A Bookworm's Confessions

I was pleasantly surprised with this book. I went into it with an open mind and I found it really enjoyable. I like the premise of Order and Chaos living through human hosts.

We have two main characters, Briar and Palmer. Both have grown up with some form of a physical disability. Palmer has a hearing problem; he can only hear one thing at a time. Briar is plagued with the smell of rot in her nose, especially during summer. After they are kidnapped, we find out there are reasons behind these disabilities; they are the manifestations of Chaos and Kosmos. Each has their own special abilities and they have been kidnapped so they can learn to use those powers.

The beginning was very slow. I wasn't really sure where the book was going. Briar is the spoiled rich girl living in the palace who likes to get drunk, apparently to help with the rot smell. Palmer is a poor little orphan who just wants to graduate from the Church and leave. There wasn't much world building. We aren't given much of a history. We don't know why the upper class has two last names. We don't really know anything about how the government and the Church functions. Basically, you just have to focus on the characters and not the world they live in.

Once Briar and Palmer are kidnapped, their disabilities disappear and suddenly they're living in a mansion learning to control their power. Then a secret is discovered and Briar and Palmer are on the run with a little girl, Rosette, who has her own special ability.

Palmer was hard to connect with. Briar seemed more fleshed out and had a wider range of emotion. I don't know if this is because of who they are as Order and Chaos but I found myself enjoying the parts from Briar's point of view more than Palmer's. There was some romance between them in the end but it wasn't a major component of the plot.

Overall this book was really good and I would recommend it for people who like fantasy. I'm not sure if this falls under YA or New Adult. Either way, I liked the plot and I am looking forward to the next one.

[Anna Tan · Rating 4 out of 5]

To be honest, I started reading Raining Embers without expecting anything much from it. Jessica Dall had emailed me and offered me a copy of the book for review, so I browsed the site, skimmed the sample pages casually and figured that it would probably be a generic 3-star read. Sure, I'd review it, I said.

Raining Embers starts off painfully slow. Dall shifts between Palmer Tash's life as a poor Ward of the Church and Brier Chastain-Bochard's privileged decadence with something of a disconnect. They meet once. Strange things happen. Palmer sees visions, Brier faints. Then these two very disparate people are kidnapped - and find out from their kidnappers that they are the incarnations of Chaos and Order.

The story only really takes off then as the things that have been shrouded in mystery are progressively revealed. You find yourself becoming engaged with this myth, navigating the push and pull of Palmer and Brier's relationship both as humans and as gods, gripped by their fears and worries.

The world-building doesn't always feel fully fleshed out. Latysia seems to be based on an Italian culture, which I am personally unfamiliar with. The society has a very medieval, religious-based European feel, with the centrality of the Church, though it isn't quite the Christian church we are currently familiar with; there is a reliance on Seers, star-charting and visions. It isn't exactly Knights Templar because it's very not-British; Signoras and Signorinas are bandied about in greetings. Chaos & Order seems to be more Greek mythology, but this isn't exactly earth as we know it, so it doesn't matter. Whatever it is, it isn't enough to pull you out of the story. Rather, it makes you want to delve more into it to find out how this myth works in this world that Dall has created.

I ended up really liking the book - it really would have been a 5-star one if it weren't for the beginning. Well, it is what it is - a promising start of a new series.

*As stated earlier, I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for review purposes.

[Viking Jam · Rating 2 out of 5]

https://koeur.wordpress.com/2015/12/0...

Publisher: Red Adept

Publishing Date: November 2015

ISBN: 9781940215563

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: 2.4/5



Publishers Description: When Palmer and Brier are kidnapped on the same night, they meet and discover that their so-called disabilities are actually budding powers. They are the incarnations of Order and Chaos. With their country on the brink of war, the two must step into their predestined roles and learn to take control of their own destinies.

Review: Brier and Palmer are speshul. How speshul? Fuggin’ reincarnated Chaos and Order to be specific. Of course they can’t help but be attracted to each other and fumble around kissing and hearing shjt and making shjt disappear and there is a war and a street urchin girl with black eyes and a shape shifter that fits in I don’t where. The story line is barely cogent but is constantly bogged down with inner and outer dialogue just when the movement starts picking up. Then the storyline will shift in some vague way and you’re left wondering “How did I get here?”.

I just don’t know on this one. Yeah the writing is good and the talent is there but the character development was practically non-existent. They lacked depth, personality and vitality. They failed to pull you along through the storyline as proponents to their plight. The tingling of spines , grinding of teeth and “said softly” do not a character(s) make.

I see a good talent with a creative idea that never fully blossomed. This needed a good Beta read by an established group of reviewers.

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
**This review also appears on my blog.

I give Raining Embers 3 stars! As much as I liked the story, it wasn’t enough to really suck me in or leave me with a “wow!” feeling.

Positives:

-I thought the story was interesting and well put together.
-I enjoyed the Italian and German(?) inspiration in the dialects.
-The alternating POVs were easy to follow.
-I enjoyed how Brier and Palmer were opposites, but worked well together.

Negatives:

-Characters, although they did show a little growth, lacked complexity.
-Palmer’s disability, mentioned in the first paragraph of the description, ceases to be an issue even after they leave Ruhegipfel.
-With as much importance as seemed to be put on the “Church” in the beginning, it fizzled out quite easily.
-In general, I think I would have liked more details. More insight to Brier and Palmer’s powers, how they worked together and apart, more -world details.
-The Goebel story line seemed to take a back seat for a long while, showing back up towards the end as convenient after several “months” of Brier and Palmer seemingly unconcerned about them.

Other:

-I guess there’s a chance that some of my negatives could be solved in later installments in the series. As it is, I would read them, but I’m not sure I’d actively seek them out.

[Shelley Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of Raining Embers in exchange for an honest review via Rosie’s Book Review Team #RBRT

The story follows two main characters who come from very different walks of life. Brier lives in luxury in a male domain, but can hold her own and drink most of them under the table, and Palmer is an acolyte living in a small cell, set on finishing his study and leaving Latysia as soon as he can.

Their stories slowly unfold until they are brought together under strange circumstances. Both taken against their will, they wake up in a strange place (that I struggled to pronounce!) and told by their captors that they are the reincarnation of Order and Chaos.

I like Brier for her subtle humour and Palmer for his quietly dependable nature, but my favourite character is Cerise, who is one of the captors. I would have liked to see her personality explored at a deeper level and find out why she is the way she is. I also liked Rosette, the young child who has a few secrets of her own. She is another character that I would like to see developed.

Dall has painstakingly crafted her world and its laws and religion, making this a realistic fantasy land. The battle scenes are well thought out and beautifully crafted with an added twist that could have changed the entire direction of this novel.

I did feel that it started quite slowly, and it took me a while to get into the story, but the reason I gave Raining Embers four stars instead of three was down to the final battle and the gripping conclusion. An excellent fantasy novel.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

[This review can also be read at RachelPoli.com]

Palmer and Brier go on a long quest as they figure out who they truly are and come to the realization that not everything is quite what they thought.

The description throughout the novel was great. I really got the sense I was in a different world. Being a fantasy novel, that was certainly a plus. The characters themselves were fun and likeable. They each went through their own development throughout the novel. I was happy with how they were developed, as well.

I did feel like Palmer and Brier (and Rosette) were on the run throughout most of the novel and we didn’t always have a clear understanding as to why. The running got a bit repetitive and felt like it was just too much build-up to the final chapters.

I enjoyed the last few chapter as that’s when the action really plays its role in the story. The ending itself was satisfying, but I didn’t feel as though there was much of a cliff-hanger. This being the first book in a series, I don’t really know what Palmer and Brier are going to do next.

Will I get the next book when it comes out? Probably. The overall story was well thought-out and unique and I really enjoyed my journey with the characters.

Raining Embers by Jessica Dall gets 4 out of 5 stars.

Favorite Quote:

“An end. A beginning. Everything and nothing. Together.” –Jessica Dall, Raining Embers

[Crystal Rafuse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Palmer Tash is no one. An orphaned ward of the city, an average student, with a talent for Astrology, but no heart in the work, and no plan for the future.

Brier Chastain-Bochard is the young, vibrant, and very beautiful librarian's daughter, about to be married to one of the city's most important sons.

The pair wake up one morning in a strange castle, miles from home, the strangely benevolent and mysterious Goebel and the magically transforming beauty, Cerise, keeping them contained within.

Can the pair escape and return to the home they both once knew? Is it possible for one to go back home, after everything has changed? Once sleeping Gods have awakened, is it possible for the world to return to order?

I have not read a fantasy/sci-fi book this good in a long time! The characters are well-thought out, with complex and intricate feelings and emotions. The plot of this story is so amazing and kept me guessing at every turn! I am VERY much looking forward to whatever Miss Dall has in store for us dear readers next!

[Runa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for a review.

The concept of this book was interesting. It dealt with two opposite God or God like forces being thrown together for a higher purpose. The book's primary weakness in my opinion was that it seemed like a complete set up for a larger series. As a result, the beginning moved very slow, the middle was much better, and the end was rushed.

Character development was uneven. I felt that I got to know Brier quite a bit, but did not know much about Palmer, Nico, Cerise, or Goebel. Perhaps some of that was deliberately saved for the next book?

A strength of the book is that it leaves you with questions. What are the destinies of Palmer and Brier? How does Rosette fit in? What about Goebel and Cerise? What was Nico's father up to? Having some mystery is a good thing for a YA fantasy.

[Katie Hamstead · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really do struggle to read fantasy. For me, there has to be something really outstanding to get me to love it. Unfortunately, this book didn't have that. I kept stopping and starting, never really able to get a good flow going or garner a strong interest.
The writing is strong, so that wasn't the problem. I just couldn't connect with the world or the characters. I do really want to read other books by Dall that fit more into my genre preferences, but this one just wasn't for me.
I read this book on request by the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Meghan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt this started kind of slow. And honestly, I felt my attention drifting in spots, which is why it took me a bit longer to finish (I had to talk myself into pushing on instead of grabbing another book). I did like the main characters, Brier and Palmer. I just felt that the action could have maybe been spread more throughout the book than towards the end. Overall, it was a so-so read, can't decide if I will pick up a second in this series.

**I received a copy from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for a review**