Gift of Ashes A Barrier Witch Story
LGBT, Gay Fiction, Paranormal, Suspense/Thriller, Witches/Wizards
Independently Published
April 3, 2020
131
Death is no escape from the grasp of a malevolent necromancer.
Five hundred years ago, Angelo was burned at the stake and reborn as a phoenix. That’s when his true suffering began. For more than a century, he has born the brand of necromancer Rutherford Bromley. Bound by magical ties even death can’t escape, Angelo is a slave to the mad man’s vile whims. It falls to him to find victims Bromley can harvest organs from. If he fails, he pays with his own flesh.
Curse worker Wes is the first person to recognize the necromancer’s brand for what it is. Desperate to be free, Angelo eagerly partners with Wes in search of a spell that will kill Bromley once and for all.
But Bromley anticipates their attack, and Angelo’s chance at escape goes up in flames. Left smoldering in his hatred, Angelo now seeks more than freedom.
He longs for fiery revenge and vows to claim it, no matter the cost.
Note: This book is set during Gift of Shadows and may contain spoilers.
Available at Amazon.
Reviewed by Aethena Drake
Member of the Paranormal Romance Guild Review Team
Most of this story takes place during the first book of the Barrier Witch Trilogy and focuses on the phoenix, Angelo. The theme is a bit darker than the first book because Angelo has lived a very long and challenging life. In this book, we get to see glimpses of his life that lead up to his appearance in The Gift of Shadows.
Some of the scenes were very graphic and a touch gruesome, however, the scenes were well constructed and necessary for the story. I could almost feel the character’s pain as they endured some very agonizing moments. These moments help the reader understand why the characters make the choices that they do. The author does an amazing job of getting the reader to empathize with the characters.
This installment didn’t seem to have as many editing issues as the first book, but I was too engaged in getting to the next page to really pay close attention. So much tension!
I loved the cover. I can’t get enough of the carefully constructed imagery, and I am excited for the next book in this series. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys complex characters, and a vividly written fantasy plot with a dark theme.