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A review by momwithareadingproblem
Rise of The Witch by Rebecca Ethington
5.0
I received an eARC of this book from the author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.
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!
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!