Note: This read does hit drug abuse, some violence, and a rape scene

Ember's world has shattered with the death of her parents, and while she's trying to keep things together, it's like swimming upstream against the world. She no longer fits in, but then, her hobby of collecting pictures of officially missing individuals from around the country has always made her a bit different. Suffocated by her grandmother, she takes a chance to turn things 'off' and finds herself in the not-so-great-crowd agreeing to visit the forbidden Trinity forest, an eerie place where people disappear more often than they should. Drawn by something she can't explain, she wanders too far in and discovers a paradise. With a group of people, who enjoy having her around, and finding her every heart's desire delivered to her door, she's tempted to forget the world beyond the forest and stay. But the place holds secrets, and when she does try to leave, she discovers there is no escape.

This is quite the complex read in the sense that it weaves teen problems, battling through the loss of loved ones, ancient myths, magic, mystery, hard topics, releasing of spirits, and a touch of Hansel and Gretel all together in under 300 pages. So, it packs a fast-paced punch and definitely lays down enough ground for the series. I did find the mystic/magic side very foggy through most of the read, which could have used a bit more clarity, but then, I'm pretty sure this is intentional, since the book ends with revelations in that direction and uses these to catapult into book two. So, everything is nicely flipped on its head, promising a completely new adventure and excitement for the next read, while leaving off in a cliff-hanger. While I'm not usually a fan of cliffhangers, the huge change the plot brings does seem to be best handled by entering an new novel.

When we meet Ember, she's in a bad place. And that's fully understandable. Her choices aren't always great, but they do make her more realistic. The other characters are mostly fleshed out with personalities to love, hate, and doubt. I did wish to get to know some better, though, like the grandmother. But they add a wide array, which feeds toward the plot well.

There are more than a few harsh themes in this read. First, Ember's dealing with the loss of both parents. Her attempts to cope hit failure, since there doesn't seem to be really any help, and that drives her need to escape. The drug abuse builds into the plot with purpose and even foreshadows at things to come. The rape is built in with care, hitting as a memory flashback, which is summed up quick and slightly graphic-ish without going overboard. I wasn't a huge fan, but then, it's really a personal thing on that one, since it was also well handled and did work into some character relationships later on (not only the romance, which was refreshing). All of this does form and shape Ember as she heads into the paranormal mystery and danger, and I'm sure, it will hold more meaning as the series continues.

This is a harsher, darker read and packs bite. I do recommend it to darker YA fans, who love to dive into characters and face inner struggles as much as outer ones. I received a complimentary copy and found this to be an original and well woven read. ( )

Warning: Do not read unless the other two books are readily available, or suffer severe withdrawal. A great start to a creepy blend of dystopian and romance. The themes in it are scarily reminiscent of what's happening right now. This and the other two remind me of Jen Blood's Erin Solomon series which was equally addictive. ( )

So this was one of those books that I found myself thinking about during the times when I wasn’t able to listen to it. If life hadn’t gotten in the way, I would’ve easily binged this in one setting, it was that addicting.

Ember’s life hasn’t been the same since she lost her parents. Living with her grandmother, her life is lackluster, and she searches for anything that can make her feel alive again. She’s desperate for a place to belong. So when she finds a seemingly perfect group of friends in the forbidden Trinity Forest, she ignores her gut instinct to run away and follows them. As the saying goes, if something seems too good to be true, it usually is. There’s something wrong in the forest, and only too late does Ember realize it.

Ember was so real, I felt as if the author had merely written down her observations of someone. From the slow withdrawal of the world around her to her desperate need to find a place where she belonged, Ember was probably one of the most vividly created characters I’ve ever seen in a piece of fiction. From the very beginning of the story I found myself connecting to her and rooting for her. She’s not the only well-fleshed out character. Every person in the story has a unique personality.

The worldbuilding and plot were the icing on the already phenomenal cake. There was a lot of supernatural elements in the story, and at first, I was a little confused because there was a lot to it. At the end though, things got much clearer, and I loved the fresh angle the author took on the occult.

Narration was refreshing and beautifully done, giving the perfect amount of drama to the story. Words were easy to understand, and the cadence was smooth.

I will definitely be checking out the next book in the series.

This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
( )

*I WAS SENT A PHYSICAL COPY IN RETURN FOR A HONEST REVIEW*

Firstly, I want to give a gigantic thank you to Melissa Robles and Jennifer Alsever for providing me a chance to read and review this book. I also want to apologize for not putting this up last night like I had planned. I have so many things to say about it, and I can't wait to get into it all. So, let's start!

This book raised goosebumps on my arms, and I swear I had chills from the way it was written and how things were described. I actually felt like I was in the book, watching everything occur. It was so weird and cool, which is why I was immediately agreeing to get the second book.

The main character, Ember, has to be one of my favorites. Even though I'm nothing like her, I can still relate to her. Maybe it's like a secret code for brunettes? After losing her parents in an awful accident, she loses her way in life. This happened to me after I lost my step-grandpa. He and I were close, and losing him had a huge impact on me.

She begins getting into drugs with two guys and continues to make some bad choices. Eventually, she ends up in Trinity Forest with a group of teenagers. The longer she stays there, the weirder things get. All of them had character development, and it definitely made the story the best it could be.

I also really enjoyed the plot. I'm not a huge fan of things that have the Bermuda triangle or witchcraft involved, but I really enjoyed this book. Here are some things that I just couldn't not talk about:

Trinity Forest: The entire book is basically based on this one forest. It had the perfect amount of mystery and interest that helped the characters develop.

The Backstory of Ember: When talking about what happened to her parents, as well as the effects of Trinity Forest on Ember's mom, I feel that really helped build the story and piece the plot together.

Ember's Grandma: This lady is the actual definition of my Italian great grandma. She's rude, a bit uncaring, and doesn't pry. Seeing my great grandmother as Ember's grandma actually helped me read better.

Altogether, this book was amazing! I rated it 5/5 stars, and I seriously cannot wait to read Oshun Rising. Please, I highly suggest all of y'all to read it! This book was everything that I never expected it to be, and I loved it for that. ( )