A dead witch. A bitter curse. A battle of magic. Some people knit socks by the fire at night. Gyssha Blackbone made monsters.But the old witch is dead now, and somehow it’s Elodie’s job to clean up the mess.When she was hired at Black Oak Cottage, Elodie had no idea she’d find herself working for a witch; and her acid-tongued new mistress, Aleida, was not expecting a housemaid to turn up on her … housemaid to turn up on her doorstep.
Gyssha’s final curse left Aleida practically dead on her feet, and now, with huge monsters roaming the woods, a demonic tree lurking in the orchard and an angry warlock demanding repayment of a debt, Aleida needs Elodie’s help, whether she likes it or not.
And no matter what the old witch throws at her, to Elodie it’s still better than going back home.
Praise for Winter Be My Shield:
‘Unlikely heroes, villains you will cheer for, and cold that eats your bones. “Winter Be My Shield” will take you to an unforgiving place, but you won’t want to leave it.’ Robin Hobb
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A curse of ash and amber is one of these books that you can easily read in one sitting. It tells the story of Elodie and her journey into the unknown.
Being mistreated by her stepfather, Elodie receives a letter with a job proposal; without hesitating, her stepfather sends her away.
Upon arriving at the place, she is surprised to find out that no letter had been sent and Aleida, the witch, decides to take on the girl.
As the story unfolds, it becomes clear the reason why this simple girl, who can’t read nor write was called to this place.
An ideal book to read in a grey day.
A Curse of Ash and Embers, the first book in the Tales of the Blackbone Witches series, follows Elodie as she leaves home to work as a servant for people she doesn’t know. Weirdly, no one remembers when or how she was hired. Leaving the abusive and confined life with her family, Elodie journeys to Oak Cottage determined to make the best of a mysterious and confusing situation.
Elodie finds Oak Cottage in shambles, a victim of an epic battle between Gyssha and Aleida, the Blackbone witches. Aleida, the victor of the battle, is now cursed and full of regret for her past malicious actions. As Elodie and Aleida begin to repair the cottage, they must also address the malicious monsters that Gyssha left behind. Aleida also has to face the evil warlock who has come to collect. Will Elodie stay with Aleida and help her handle the supernatural upheaval, or will she return to the home and family that she so desperately misses?
When the story begins, Elodie is very unsure of herself. This isn’t surprising considering how terribly her step-father treated her and how sequestered she was from the outside world. As the eldest daughter, she was treated more as a servant than a child. Her parents didn’t allow her to go to school, go to town, or have friends. So, Oak Cottage is the first semblance of freedom she’s had in years.
As Elodie adjusts to her new, unusual, and supernatural surroundings, she becomes more self-assured and confident in her abilities. Much of this can be attributed to her growing friendship with Aleida, which is one of my favorite parts of the novel.
Aleida is smart and sarcastic and brave. Though most everyone sees Aleida as a villain, Elodie sees past her dastardly deeds. Conversely, Aleida sees Elodie as more than an uneducated servant. I think their friendship helps both of these women heal and grow, and, though they are very different, they complement each other well.
Elodie is a dynamically developed character whose experience is full of new friendships, unexpected surprises, and unique supernatural elements. Monsters, magical creatures and elements of nature, warlocks, witches, curses, spells, and more create a fascinating world for Elodie to explore. Unfortunately, it also comes with danger around every corner, and Elodie and Aleida usually find it.
This is a unique coming-of-age novel with excellent supernatural elements and a strong female friendship. I enjoyed Elodie’s story and look forward to many more of her and Aleida’s adventures. Thanks so much to Netgalley and the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
Elodie receives a letter from a mysterious sender offering her work as a housemaid and when she was hired at Black Oak Cottage, she had no idea she’d find herself working for a witch—Aleida—who was not expecting a housemaid to turn up on her doorstep. Amidst her employment, no matter what the old witch throws at her, to Elodie it’s still better than going back to her abusive home even if it means dealing with the consequences of a dead witch—Gyssha Blackbone, who made monsters—, a bitter curse and a battle of magic. Somehow, someway it’s Elodie’s job to clean up the mess the old dead witch made which lead readers on a otherworldly journey filled with magic, monsters, witches and more.
… and based on the reviews, ‘A Curse of Ash and Embers’ was not as terrible as I thought it would be. I actually quite enjoyed myself. From the relationship between Elodie and Aleida, the cause the death of Gyssha and her resurrection, Dee’s upbringing, outstanding world-building, and the characters themselves had me hooked from the get-go.
The likable characters, refreshing and unique premise, and lack of romance really brought this story together. Though this could really end as a standalone, I am really excited to continue the ‘Tales of the Blackbone Witches’ series to see how Dee and Aleida grow and evolve.
“A dead witch, a bitter curse, a battle of magic.”
Monsters, witches and curses… oh my! This was a wonderfully unique read with an exciting, page-turning plot. Elodie comes from a small village with a verbally abusive father and submissive mother. When a letter arrives accepting her for hire at Black Oak Cottage, she leaves behind that life not knowing who (or what) she’ll be working for.
I struggled a little in the beginning getting used to the way Elodie spoke and the initial build-up to the meat of the story. Pretty sure this stems from my dislike of her family and her servant-like demeanor. It was an excellent platform for character growth though. And grow she does! Elodie has a hidden strength that blossoms by the end of the novel. A good theme of believing in yourself rode the coattails of her journey too.
The magic system was perfectly witchy, and I adored all of the atmospheric and craft-like vibes as Elodie gets deeper into her position under Aleida. What sucked me in the most was the unique creation of monsters, the folklore creatures and deadly magical plant life existing in the woods. Literally spellbound as I zipped through the chapters waiting for what came next.
Perfect for readers who enjoy witches, curses and beasts alongside character growth and magic. Thank you Harper Voyager for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are solely my own. Now to journey into book two!
A Curse of Ash & Embers by Jo Spurrier is an excellent fantasy fiction that is the first of two books (Tales of the Blackbone Witches). This was so impressive that I am already excited to read its follow up.
This one is unique in that it is a slow burn at first, giving the reader a backstory, character thoughts, developments, and a “method to the madness “ if you will. This book has complex characters, action, fantasy, witches, monsters, magic, and intrigue.
We get to see what life was like for Elodie before she was unknowingly sent to a witch’s residence to work. Here we see the main character learn, interact, grow, and change in the presence of the witch: Aleida. Interesting enough, one thinks that these two women are insanely different, however both have more in common then one realizes. Both have been marginalized, abused, in fear of others, and both have talent, intelligence, and a fire within that is only slowly being realized. Elodie has the past traumas of her home life that she has fled from, and Aleida from the grips of Gyssha, so evil and powerful that even after death, threats continue to ripple through.
This slow churn of world building dramatically speeds up towards the end to leave the reader impressed with the twists, turns, action, and ending.
I really enjoyed this book and look forward to the next one.
5/5 stars
Thank you EW and Voyager/HarperCollins for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR, Bookbub, and Instagram accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, B&N accounts upon publication of this edition 1/19/21.
A Curse of Ash and Ember was not what I thought it would be. I had many high expectations for it and, unfortunately, it fell flat.
Pacing & Story
This most significant issue with this novel is the pacing and story development. These are two crucial aspects of a novel that drive a story and engage the reader, but the plot development stretches into many directions making it hard for the reader to lose themselves.
The story follows Elodie as she is sent off by her parents to work. There seems to be an enchantment on the letter, and her parents have no recollection of sending it but go along with it. So Elodie is sent off to Black Oak Cottage, home of the Blackbone Witches. There is a mystery surrounding this letter, even the Witch Aleida cannot solve, which creates one of the story arcs.
However, then there is another part of the story focused on the death and curse of Aleida’s mentor Gryssha, and another about an invading warlock.
The issue here is that there lacks cohesion. Events tie together these three stories, and yet they still feel disjointed. It feels like one story starts and ends quickly before moving on to the second part of the story. It lacks fluidity, creating a slow disjointed pace that is less than engaging for the reader.
Characterization
As for the characters, Elodie is an okay character, but she lacks charisma. There is strength to her character, a resilience that never fails and a commitment to keep her mind open. However, this is not enough to make her shine on her own.
Elodie’s tone is bland, and she often comes off as a monotonous character. There is passion, but it dwindles like a flame in the wind. It does not resonate off the pages to connect to the reader.
The moments when Elodie shines are when she is interacting with Aleida. Those are the moments where the reader gets lost in the story because there is energy there. There is humor and drama and tension to make them fun to read. However, they are few and far between.
Final Thoughts
A Curse of Ash and Embers has promise, but it ultimately failed to be engaging with a disjointed plot and less than engaging characters.
I think the publisher’s blurb misses the mark on this book. This is an interesting story of searching for self in a world with a lot of potential. I really enjoyed Jo Spurrier’s earlier trilogy and the writing here is as descriptive, creating wonderful worlds and characters. While the trilogy was dark and uncomfortable at times, this story so far is more of a fairy tale with conflicts with monsters, but not dwelling with them. The fact that Robin Hobb recommended this author is what drew me and I have been delighted with the originality of the story telling. Give it a try! You may also become a fan.