Season of Embers

by Rachael Vaughn, Wendi Williams

Sofi and Darja seem like average teenagers, with one major difference--one of them is dead. The bond between them awakens an old magic, lost for generations from Vaikesti, the small, insulated community in which they live. But with impossible magic comes impossible questions--where did it come from? Why did it choose them? And should they use their newfound power to seek revenge for Darja's wrongful death? As they search for the answers to their questions, long-buried secrets begin to surface. And when a mysterious stranger starts poking around in the darkest corners of the town's history, Sofi and Darja must decide if he can help them make sense of Vaikesti's sordid past--before the whole town ends in ashes.

Genres: Fantasy, LGBT

402 pages, Paperback

Published October 17, 2021

About the author

Rachael Vaughn is the creative brainchild of a husband-and-wife writing duo. 

Rachael is the wordsmith of the pair. Her interests encompass all things creative, from mosaics to wood carving, and when she isn't writing she stays busy as a full-time tattoo artist. 
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Vaughn acts as the bookends of the writing process. He serves as the team's world-builder and plot developer on the front end, and acts as an editor and proofreader (plus the ultimate voice of reason) on the backside.
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The couple lives outside of Indianapolis with their daughter and cat, as well as more books than they could possibly read.

Reviews

[Debbie Eyre]

This grabbed me from the very start! A well written, fast paced original read about two girls, one dead, one alive who get thrown together under very strange and tragic circumstances. The world building is amazing and is a great mixture of magic and fantasy and is set in a small insulated town . The story is intriguing and full of secrets and twists and turns and I love the way the chapters switch between the two girls. I’m definitely hooked and so looking forward to reading more.

[Beba Andric]

Once I started reading this book, I was totally enthralled and immersed, so much so that any distractions taking me away from continuing reading, was simply annoying! I was like, hello, can't you see I'm reading a fascinating book and don't want to be disturbed? From the onset, this fast paced book gripped my very soul. It takes cults interspersed with magic to a level I could not have anticipated, absolutely mindboggling! The story, as told through Daria's and Sofia's eyes, explores a small town and it's inhabitants, steeped in rituals and so called traditions. But the lengths and means of these rituals is by no means innocent. Yet, it appears that everyone is complacent and doesn't acknowledge the horror of it all. It is so brilliantly spun, so realistically described, emotionally immersive. When Darija and Sofia realise what actually occurred at the ceremonial ritual, both are horrified and distraught, not only by what occurred during the ritual, but by the reaction and acceptance of the townsfolk. Darija's character evokes such sympathy in me, her entire existence is so sad and heartfelt. The other side of the coin, Sofia's life couldn't be more different, loved by family. The discovery, the developments, the interactions, the secrecy, all lead to a dramatic read. Looking forward to book 2

[Lynn G]

One of my favorite aspects of Racheal Vaughn’s previous books is her knack for weaving contemporary flavored worlds together with fantasy and magic. In Season of Embers, a new collaboration with Wendi Williams, they do it again to fine effect. Sofi and Darja , two girls from very different parts of the same community, find themselves thrown together under strange and tragic circumstances. Along the way, with several surprising twists and turns, they uncover long held secrets that turn their worlds upside down.
I enjoyed the story and the characterizations. It’s nice to read a fantasy novel that is in a more intimate setting as opposed to the usual whole universe approach. This story takes place in a small, tightly knit community with a long history where everyone knows or is related to everyone else. For me, this makes the magical parts more interesting and more immediate.
The chapters switch back and forth between the points of view of Sofi and Darja. While this makes perfect sense in the context of the story, I have to admit that I sometimes forgot who was talking and had to go back and check to make sure which one was narrating. But I think that’s just me.
Truth is, once I got into the story I just kept reading to see what was going to happen next; it certainly held my attention! I love the way the characters lives were woven together and the way the narrative took me by surprise a few times. I don’t want to give anything away, because it happens from the very beginning. The world building is convincing and detailed and effective. The narrative is engaging. I actually would have been happy had it been about 75 pages longer. I am hoping that some questions are answered in the second book of the series.
The premise of a specific connection between living and dead and what happens when long held beliefs are deemed more important than truth is very interesting and certainly relevant. It was a fun read and I look forward to the next installment.

[Jocelyn]

Season of Embers is the first in The Bonded series, by Rachel Vaughn. It’s about a person named Sofi, who lives in a small town with creepy religious traditions. She ends up in a ritual where she is magically connected to somebody named Darja, who is killed for the ritual. They both end up trying to stop more people getting killed.
I think it’s a pretty good book, although not my absolute all-time favorite. The small-town isolated setting is interesting, and I enjoyed the part about the practicalities of being mysteriously bonded with a dead person. I would appreciate more LGBTQIA+ and neurodivergent characters.

[Kat M]

I really enjoyed going through this book, the characters were great and I enjoyed the use of paranormal elements to use. It was a enjoyable read and I look forward to reading more from the author.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Mark King]

This had a smidgeon of "the town of Twin Peaks" -- wholesome on top but full of awful secrets -- and a unique twist on how the dead communicate with the living. I really got caught up in it!

[Sandie Hernandez]

this book had me interested from the first chapter. i didn’t have to read through a slow build to see if i wanted to continue reading it, which i liked. i enjoyed the alternating points of view from both girls. the living/dead bond is something different and refreshing. i found myself saying “one more chapter” multiple times because i really wanted to know what would happen next. overall i really enjoyed this book and i’m hoping some unanswered questions are in the second book. i’m excited to see what happens next.

[Seher]

Season of Embers is a fast-paced and easy read from an author who knows how to keep things going! I genuinely enjoyed reading this and finished it I'm under an hour! The story is original, I never imagined you could merge a cult and magic together like this, and I liked Darja.

Thank you Rachael for the chance to read and review the book!

[Allyssa Painter]

This book is definitely different than what I'm used to, but I enjoyed it. It was interesting and kept me guessing. I liked the dynamic and how the girls had to kind of work to understand each other and realize that they both had problems and that both of their situations were hard.

I'm not sure how I feel about the ending. I guess I'll have to wait for book 2 to see.

Overall, a good read and I'm looking forward to the next book. 4.5 stars.

[Talia C.]

This book had me right from the beginning! It starts off with a Spring ritual for Sofi and other girl in the community because they have all finally turned 18. The actual Ritual is what had me hooked, after that point I couldn't put the book down.

After the Ceremony Sofi and Darja are bonded and tossed into this new world of Magic that has been lost from the community for years. Together they have to learn how to navigate it while keeping it a secret. It is clear through the whole book that they are uncertain of who to trust. It makes for the whole thing that much more difficult to keep a secret.

I am blown away by this book. Sofi and Darja's story are played out and tied together so perfectly that I didn't see any of it coming. The magic, the betrayals, the sacrifice, the ending... none of it was expected. I need to read the next book of this series, I will be first in line !

[Suzanne]

Different than pretty much anything I've read. It did drag a bit in some parts. I think I'll read the next one, but maybe not yet.