I received an Advanced Readers Copy of City In Embers by Stacey Marie Brown from Mark My Words Book Publicity, via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way impacts my review.
THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS.
Trigger Warning: Sexual Abuse Mention, Child Abuse Mention, Rape Mention, Blood
Zoey Daniels has been tossed from foster home to foster home, where she grows up fast and tough. When she is placed in her “last-chance” home, she finds a reason to stay and turn her life around: her foster sister, Lexie, who is paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair. Zoey will do anything to keep her safe.
After high school, Zoey is hired by a special government agency, the Department of Molecular Genetics (DMG), where she meets the other reason to remain: Daniel, her co-worker. The man she loves.
But there is something unique about Zoey. She can see fae. Because of this, the DMG hires her to work as a Collector: catching, researching, testing, and using the fae to save human lives. The work never registers on her sympathy radar. She was raised to think of fae as beasts that feed on humans and want to destroy them.
When devastation hits Seattle, Zoey’s whole world is turned upside down. The electric storm connects her to a ruthless fae, a Wanderer named Ryker, whose dealings expose them to even more trouble and danger. They embark on a journey, running and hiding from both the government and fae, both of which threaten their lives and those they love.
Publication Date: February 04, 2015.
What initially drew me to City In Embers was the fact that this book is a New Adult Sci-Fi/Fantasy. Now I don’t know about you, but it is difficult for me to find a New Adult Fantasy novel. So I decided to give this book a try.
I’m not going to lie to you: I had incredibly high hopes for City In Embers.
What I liked about City In Embers is that the pace of the story moves incredibly quickly. The plot also moves quickly as well. Once I realized I reached the 60% mark of this novel, I wanted this story to go on longer, so I’m glad that City In Embers is the first of a series.
I also liked that –even though I’ve never been to Seattle– the story doesn’t feel like it takes place in Seattle.
I genuinely enjoyed reading Zoey and Ryker’s relationship. I was amused seeing them hate each other, and I became fond of them when their walls started crumbling. I also really enjoyed the race against time that these two are in. Of course, how could I forget about Sprig? Sprig is the character that this story needed, to stop the story from becoming so gloomy.
I loved the fantasy aspects of this novel. I like fact that City In Embers is an Urban Fantasy, and that there’s “Earth,” and then there’s the “Underworld.” Hopefully in the next book we’ll get to see the Underworld. On top of this story being one of an Urban Fantasy, there’s also a huge dystopian feel because of what happens to Seattle.
Something that struck me about my feelings towards City In Embers was that it wasn’t predictable at all for me. So I give props to Stacey for creating and writing such a compelling story.
Overall, City In Embers is a great read. I highly recommend this novel to you if you enjoy Urban/ Fantasy novels.
I give City In Embers, 4.5 stars.
Happy Reading!
— Adele
Adele Is Reading 
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