coven of fire – Siobhan's Novelties

Rise by Sierra Cross

Published by: Enigmatic Books

Publication Date: June 15, 2017

Genre: New Adult, Urban Fantasy

Page Count: 258

Rating: 4/5

Source: eARC from Xpress Book Tours

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I closed the door on magic long ago…the day it made me an orphan.

Ten years ago, the Coven of Fire sacrificed their lives—my mother among them—to hold off an overwhelming demonic force. Now it’s back.

As a poorly-paid bartender, how can any of this be my problem? But Callie, another orphan of that battle, swears I’m the key to reviving the coven. And there’s an incredibly sexy guardian stranded on my couch who’s promising to help me stop the demons and keep the veil between the realms standing.

One problem: I’ve never been able to use magic. Our local bad boy warlock assures me I have the talent, but even if I did, we don’t have enough witches to complete a coven. The only way to survive is to pull together this pack of magicborn misfits, who have more secrets than spells, into a makeshift coven.

Can we—three untrained witches, a sarcastic warlock, and an overly intense guardian—take back the city…before the demongate falls and the forces that killed my mother destroy us too?

I’ve received an eARC for an unbiased and honest review. Thank you Xpresso Book Tours and the author/publisher for providing the eARC.

With a touch of a budding romance, lots of forbidden love, and a fast-paced storyline, Rise will make you remember why you love witches. This high-risk fantasy will hook you back into the witch’s spell.

Alix Hill lost everything when her coven and family gave up their lives to thwart a demon from taking control. Years later, she discovers it’s back, and she must revive the coven in order to defeat it. However, she can’t use magic. Except a guardian from her past believes she can. Together, with the help of two witches and a sarcastic warlock, they are the only ones who may finally stop the demon that killed everyone they loved.

I’m always down for a good witch novel. I have moved away from that section in fantasy that I’m starting to miss it. And Sierra introduces enough sexual tension that you’re just dying to see how a certain witch and her guardian will fight off their attraction. And the author injects the right amount of action to keep the urban fantasy lovers interested.

I would have liked to have seen more POVs. Alix hasn’t been in the magic scene since her mother, father, and coven died. And with most situations, she doesn’t know how to process or how to deal with certain issues. She’s naive. However, that innocence adds to the story though. For years, she believes she’s a Wont, a non-magical person. But you see how she evolves as the story progresses. That evolution is a trademark I love about New Adult novels. You grow along with the characters.

Rise is a solid beginning to this new series. Even though there were some scenes that were predictable, I loved reading it. I wasn’t expecting this amount of world building in a debut series. But Sierra excelled in doing just that. So expect everything and more in Coven of Fire. The characters stand out among themselves, yet the bond they develop while forming the coven is what hooked me in.

Alix, an orphan, is the quintessential adult who doesn’t know where she’s heading. Haunted by her past, she feels she’s failed her family. And with a little angst and self-doubt, she’s one character you can easily relate to. Matt, the guardian, feels that same pull. He, too, lost everything and is determined to protect Alix, even if doing so may just kill him. Their chemistry is strong, and it affects everything they do. And the forbidden love between this witch and guardian amplifies the tension in the story. The secondary characters also add a flare, which I loved.

I’m glad I took a risk in signing up for this book tour. Rise gives you that magic-filled action with just a taste of romance and satisfies your need for fantasy. I may have just found a new series to follow.

Author’s Bio

Spells and skyscrapers. Warriors and warlocks. Coven secrets and forbidden romances. Sierra Cross lives for urban fantasy, for modern magic and the bold supernatural beings who stalk our contemporary world. Her Spelldrift universe stars kickass witches and their heroic guardians, as well as vampires, shifters, mages, Fidei, and the dark demonic forces that threaten them all.

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