Title: Ember Burning (Trinity Forest #1)
Author: Jennifer Alsever
Narrator: Moira Todd
Link: https://www.audible.com/pd/Ember-Burning-Audiobook/B0759XTXC3
Summary
Author Jennifer Alsever delivers an addictive story ideal for fans of The Uglies, We Were Liars, and Before I Fall about a teen grieving over her parent’s tragic death who becomes entangled with a mysterious forest teeming with urban legends of strange disappearances and witchcraft.
Ember Trouve used to be alive, driven to become a musician and on a path to college. That was before her parents died. One day, after venturing into the fabled Trinity Forest, she goes missing. Now, Ember must confront the truth behind her parents’ death – or lose herself to the forest forever.
In this fresh and compelling novel, Jennifer Alsever creates a paranormal world of loss, mystery, love, and survival as Ember searches for escape – and a path back to herself. Ember Burning is the first installment of the three-book Trinity Forest series.
My Review
5/5 Stars
So this was one of those books that I found myself thinking about during the times when I wasn’t able to listen to it. If life hadn’t gotten in the way, I would’ve easily binged this in one setting, it was that addicting.
Ember’s life hasn’t been the same since she lost her parents. Living with her grandmother, her life is lackluster, and she searches for anything that can make her feel alive again. She’s desperate for a place to belong. So when she finds a seemingly perfect group of friends in the forbidden Trinity Forest, she ignores her gut instinct to run away and follows them. As the saying goes, if something seems too good to be true, it usually is. There’s something wrong in the forest, and only too late does Ember realize it.
Ember was so real, I felt as if the author had merely written down her observations of someone. From the slow withdrawal of the world around her to her desperate need to find a place where she belonged, Ember was probably one of the most vividly created characters I’ve ever seen in a piece of fiction. From the very beginning of the story I found myself connecting to her and rooting for her. She’s not the only well-fleshed out character. Every person in the story has a unique personality.
The worldbuilding and plot were the icing on the already phenomenal cake. There was a lot of supernatural elements in the story, and at first, I was a little confused because there was a lot to it. At the end though, things got much clearer, and I loved the fresh angle the author took on the occult.
Narration was refreshing and beautifully done, giving the perfect amount of drama to the story. Words were easy to understand, and the cadence was smooth.
I will definitely be checking out the next book in the series.
This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
Author Kayla Krantz 