by Lorie Lewis Ham

Details on how to win a copy of Fireborn at the end of this review.

Fireborn is the first in a brand new series from fantasy author Keri Arthur and features a Phoenix named Emberly Pearson. Emberly is capable of taking human form and has the ability to foresee death. The book opens with Emberly trying to save the life of her former lover, Sam, but when she does, she steps into something far more dangerous than she expected, and finds Sam has changed.

Emberly has lived many lives and done many exciting things, but this time around she’s trying to live a quiet normal life with her lifetime mate Rory. While he is the only one she can have children with and they have to have sex regularly to keep their fire strength up–they are not in love with each other, though they do love each other. Each lifetime Emberly has one person she is meant to love, but it never seems to end well and this time is no different. When she was with Sam and he found out what she was and about Rory, he did not take it well and left her.

Now they have been thrown back together because of the murder of her boss and this new being nicknamed the Red Cloaks. Sam now works for the Paranormal Investigations Team and they are trying to contain and stop the Red Cloaks, but scientists are dying and disappearing who were working on a possible cure for the strange plague that turned them into these vampire-like creatures.

While trying to lead a normal life Emberly got a job as an assistant for one of these scientists and never dreamed her humdrum job would turn into anything more. When he is killed and his research stolen there are those out there that think Emberly knows more than she does and go after her.

Emberly finds herself trying to stay alive and trying to find out what’s going on despite Sam’s objections. She ends up working with a sexy fire Fae who is a private eye and things really start to heat up.

This is the first book I’ve ever read featuring a Phoenix and it’s fun discovering a new paranormal creature. The mythology is interesting and I look forward to learning more as the series goes along. Fireborn is filled with action, mystery, interesting and complex characters, secret government agendas, vampires, scary new paranormal creatures the Red Cloaks, and loads of secrets. A few things are revealed at the end of this book, but much is left in the air for future books which I can’t wait to read! And be prepared, Phoenix are very sensual creatures so there are several big sex scenes.

If you love urban fantasy I highly recommend Fireborn, and anything Keri Arthur writes. I love her writing!

To enter to win a copy of Fireborn, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “Fireborn,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen October 11, 2014. U.S. residents only.

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Lorie Lewis Ham is our Editor-in-Chief and an enthusiastic contributor to various sections, coupling her journalism experience with her connection to the literary and entertainment worlds. Explore Lorie’s mystery writing at Mysteryrat’s Closet.