Embers (Anya Kalinczyk, #1) in SOS: Serious Overload of Series

May 09, 2010 Larissa rated it really liked it · review of another edition

My Rating: 3 & 1/2 stars out of 5!

I absolutely love the Urban Fantasy (UF) genre, along with Paranormal Romance, it definitely gets the top spot in my heart as for my taste in reading. It is specially amazing when a new book or series comes along with a new take on an old theme or deals with a subject that hasn’t been written about before.

Embers is all about fire and fire creatures, it tells the story of Anya, a Arson Investigator for the Detroit Fire department that is also a Lantern. She can ...more

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Jun 30, 2010 Steph rated it liked it

Shelves: series-book1, year-read-2010, series-ongoing, author-웃

Embers introduces us to Anya Kalincyzk, an arson investigator for the Detroit Fire Dept by day and a medium for the Detroit Area Ghost Researchers (DAGR) by night. Anya is the rarest type of medium: a Lantern. "Spirits are inexorably drawn to her, like moths to a flame." Lanterns are unusual. She's never met another one. "Like a human bug zapper, she took spirits into her inner elemental light and devoured them, incinerating them."

DAGR is made up of Jules, Brian (techie), Max, Katie (witch) Embers introduces us to Anya Kalincyzk, an arson investigator for the Detroit Fire Dept by day and a medium for the Detroit Area Ghost Researchers (DAGR) by night. Anya is the rarest type of medium: a Lantern. "Spirits are inexorably drawn to her, like moths to a flame." Lanterns are unusual. She's never met another one. "Like a human bug zapper, she took spirits into her inner elemental light and devoured them, incinerating them."

DAGR is made up of Jules, Brian (techie), Max, Katie (witch) and Ciro (demonologist). She doesn't like for her day job and night jobs to "intersect". But that's just what ends up happening as she begins to notice strange shapes and symbols at the arson sights. Anya investigates the fires for the DFD while trying to solve the mystery behind the symbols with DAGR.

Katie works as a cake designer by day and witch within DAGR at night. She also helps Anya cleanse her aura after "incinerating" souls. Anya is haunted by the thought of what happens to the souls she devours. What happens to them? Where do they go? She tries to only take spirits who cause harm to others, leaving the "just minding my own afterlife business" spirits alone.

There are three men in Anya's life, Brian, DAGR's techie who has been after her forever, Drake Ferrer and Sparky, her protector, a fire elemental salamander. Of those three, Sparky stole the show! He was just adorable sleeping with his little Gloworm to keep him company, sucking the electricity out of anything he could get his tongue on and playing with Katie's cats. Brian seemed like an interesting character, even though we are only shown little about him and his life. Drake, while making a great "bad guy", didn't fit for me. I could understand his pull, but I wasn't happy with how that played out.

Although I rated this low(er than my usual 4-5★), I did enjoy parts of the story and the interaction throughout with the spirits around the city. I will give book 2, Sparks, a shot and see how it is, but sadly this was a little bit of a let down for me.

LOL Scene:
Having had some frightful clothing store experiences myself, I could totally relate to her hunt for a dress.

The saleswoman was no help and states, "I don't really have anything else that will fit you, dear." Anya's brows shot up. "What the hell does that mean?" "That means," the saleswoman said, "that we don't have anything else in season in your size." "I wear a size eight," Anya said frostily. "Of course you do, dear." The saleswoman's mouth turned upward in a patronizing smile. "You can have this monstrosity back." Anya yanked the dress over her head, heedless of the sequins. "There's no need to be huffy, dear," the saleswoman said. Anya sneered at her. "And there's no need for you to be a complete and utter bitch."

Oh, how many times I would have LOVED to have had the nerve to say that to a snarky saleswoman. Although, I know I would've felt like crap afterwards. LOL!

Favorite Quote:
"If I was a winner, I'd be wearing a Steelers helmet." Whoop Whoop! Go Steelers! :) ...more

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