Cinders of Yesterday

by Jen Karner

5 out of 5

Synopsis

Paranormal Hunter Dani Black wants nothing more ardently than she does revenge. A year ago, the rogue Necromancer Spectre murdered her partner during a hunt gone wrong, and she’s been looking for a way to kill him —and keep him dead — ever since. When rumors of a weapon capable of killing anything surfaces in Dawson Maryland, she sets out on a mission to get her hands on it. While unraveling a web of clues about her own past, Dani runs into the alluring Emilie Lockgrove, eldest daughter of a magical family who are inexplicably tied to Spectre.

Emilie Lockgrove survived the catastrophic fire that killed her mother and hospitalized both her and her sister. Ten years later, she has returned to Dawson, expecting to confront the trauma of her past and move on. Instead, she discovers magic is real and encounters actual ghosts, namely the necromancer who has been hunting her family for 200 years.

Dani intends to kill Spectre, or die trying. Emilie wants to reclaim her life and her memories of the magic protecting her from Spectre. To survive, they’ll need to work together to confront their past, break the spell holding back Emilie’s magic, and destroy Spectre once and for all.

Review

Dani is a hunter of monsters; and her newest mission is to track down a weapon that can kill the worst thing she's faced. The mission turns out to be more complicated that she could have ever dreamt.

I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

This story follows two main characters in the town of Dawson - an idyllic little place that has more secrets than you can believe.

Dani Black is only in her late-twenties, but is already a veteran hunter. Alongside her partner, she has killed countless monsters and stopped magic-users when they turn dark.

After her partner is killed by Spectre - a monster that refuses to stay dead - Dani knows that it's only a matter of time before Spectre tracks her down and finishes the job. She's pointed in the direction of a legendary dagger that might be powerful enough to stop Spectre, but when she arrives in Dawson, she finds so much more.

Emilie Lockgrove has spent the last ten years running from her life, crippled by the memory of her mother burning to death, and a gaping hole in the rest of her memories.

When her grandad offers an olive branch, Emilie decides that she can't truly get on with her life, until she puts her ghosts to rest. Hopefully, a trip back will restore her memories, and answer her questions.

The two of them end up being thrown together in a haunted house, and realise they need to work together if they're going to get rid of Spectre.

I really enjoyed this. It made a nice mystery, with Dani and Emilie slowly filling in the blanks, they discover just how much everyone has been hiding from them.

There's plenty of danger and action, and I was never bored.

I loved all the hints of magic about the town of Dawson, you get the feeling that it's not quite as it appears, and could easily turn into the setting quite dark.

I really liked the level of romance in this book. There is an attraction between Dani and Emilie, but it never overwhelms the story. It's really sweet how they slowly connect with each other - especially Dani, who has been a constant loner.

I liked that the characters stay focussed on the job at hand, and don't waste time mooning over one another, which is a pet peeve of mine.

Overall, this was a great start to a series, and I can't wait to see where it goes next!

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