I received this book via the author, Rebecca Ethington. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.
Rise of the Witch by Rebecca Ethington Series: Phoenix's Ashes #1
Published by Imdalind Press on 2018-09-21
Length: 353 pages
Reviewing eARC Rating:
Reading Challenges: 2018 New Release Challenge
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Phoenix Shifters are rare. They also hold the key to eternal life. No wonder the Dragon King wants the last one on earth for himself.
My entire life has been spent tucked away in a traveling circus, concealed by the powerful spell of an old witch. It would be just my luck that a streak of rebellion would land me in the hands of three sexy dragon shifters.
I am in so much trouble.Dragons aren’t supposed to know I exist, let alone make me feel this… warm.
Turns out that these three might be the only ones who can protect me from the Dragon King.
We are playing a dangerous game, and if we don’t get our act together and defeat the tyrant who is hunting me I am going to lose more than the three Dragon Gods that have claimed my heart, and my soul.
Rise of The Witch is a full-length Shifter Story, full of action, adventure, three sexy shifter men and all the slow burn romance to make your insides squirm. At 98k words, this paranormal romance ready to be devoured.
Rise of the Witch by Rebecca Ethington is the first book in her new series Phoenix's Ashes about shifters. But not just any shifters, DRAGON shifters. DRAGONS!!! Have I ever mentioned how much I LOVE dragons?! Surely at some point this has been mentioned, but in case not…..I LOVE DRAGONS!!!! Y’all this book is fan-freaking-tastic! If you enjoy urban fantasy and don’t mind (or really love) reverse harems, you’ve got to read this book.
A Phoenix and Her Dragons
Rise of the Witch opens with a vivid scene of Elliot, Ellie for short, and a cliff. This swan dive leaves Ellie open to those that hunt her. You see, Ellie’s shifter is unique. She’s a phoenix, the only one of her kind. Her entire life Ellie has been forced to hide. Hide herself. Hide her phoenix. Hide her true nature. Why? Because some want her blood, which if legend is true, holds the key to immortality. Just shy of 18, Ellie is becoming frustrated with her guardian and friend. She wants a little freedom. She thinks she knows what she needs to know about the shifter world, yet she couldn’t be more wrong. And she finds this out the morning after her swan dive.
In less than 24 hours, Ellie meets not one, not two, but three dragon shifters after spending her entire life hiding from them. Killian, Jarron, and Drake are brothers who could not be more different from each other. Killian is the eldest, heir to the Dragon King, and on the outside seems merciless and cold. Jarron is the middle brother, beautiful, and a smooth talker. Drake is the youngest and shyest of the three, yet more relatable to Ellie than his elder brothers. Personally I couldn’t choose a favorite if I tried. At first I really liked Drake, then towards the middle I fell for Jarron, and in the end my heart broke for Killian. Luckily I don’t have to choose 😉
The Circus, a Dragon King, and Mates
A majority of the book is set in a circus. This circus has been Ellie’s home her entire life. Suvi, a witch, is the owner of the circus and Ellie’s guardian. I loved this setting. I’ve always enjoyed the performers and sideshows. Ellie herself performs on the silks and reading this through her eyes it’s like you are flying. The circus provides ample protection from the outside world and keeps Ellie moving so she never settles in one place. Important for someone in hiding.
Who is she hiding from? The Dragon King, Ceres. Ceres is responsible for the death of her father and thousands of fae. He is cruel and wants to rule forever. His main focus is to find the phoenix and drink her blood, becoming immortal himself. However fate has provided Ellie with not one, but three mates who will protect her at all costs.
I’ve never been a big fan of reverse harems. I’m a one man kind of girl. However it works in this urban fantasy setting, especially with how Suvi settles the dragons who are ready to fight for Ellie. Suvi says that she needs all three of them if they are to defeat Ceres which happens to be everyone’s goal. The chemistry among Ellie and her dragons will heat your cheeks, however with Ellie still being under 18, not much happens except for some steamy kissing. That being said I do expect Ethington to ramp up the heat in the coming books, as she’s warned her readers on her social media.
Melting Point
Overall I loved Rise of the Witch! This is the first new series Rebecca Ethington has released in several years and I was ecstatic to get my hands on it. It was well worth the wait. These dragons are hot! Ellie’s struggle with having three mates, the dragons’ struggle with protecting her and defeating their father culminate in an explosive ending. I’m SO thankful book 2 comes out in just a few weeks. I’m not sure I could handle waiting longer. If you enjoy urban fantasy, reverse harems with a slow burn romance, I highly recommend you grab a copy of this one ASAP. It does not disappoint!
About Rebecca Ethington
Rebecca Ethington is an internationally bestselling author with almost 700,000 books sold. Her breakout debut, The Imdalind Series, has been featured on bestseller lists since its debut in 2012, reaching thousands of adoring fans worldwide and cited as "Interesting and Intense" by USA Today's Happily Ever After Blog.
From writing horror to romance and creating every sort of magical creature in be-tween, Rebecca's imagination weaves vibrant worlds that transport readers into the pages of her books. Her writing has been described as fresh, original, and groundbreaking, with stories that bend genres and create fantastical worlds.
Born and raised under the lights of a stage, Rebecca has written stories by the ghost light, told them in whispers in dark corridors, and never stopped creating within the pages of a notebook.
Three mates, I can hardly handle one. 🙂
sherry fundin recently posted…Comment on The Mechanic and The Teacher – Vlad by Kristine Mason @KristineMason7 by Laura Thomas
I had seen this cover around, but this is the first review I read for it. This one sounds very good and I added it to my wishlist. That sounds interesting with how she’s phoenix shifter and most of it takes place in the circus. And I am glad to hear you liked all three of the men she meets and they all sounds different in personality too, which I find important in reverse harem reads. And I like a good slow burn romance. Great review!
Lola recently posted…Review: Pirate Consort by Carysa Locke
It is really good Lola! I loved the dragons. They were very distinct and easy to tell apart. I think you’ll enjoy it ☺️
I actually bought a copy of this one yesterday thanks to your review :). I hope I’ll enjoy it.
Lola recently posted…Review: Trial of Three by Alex Lidell
Yay! I hope you enjoy it too. You’ll have to let me know what you think. I love Ethington and felt she did a good job setting up this harem 😀