Embergold

By: Nelson, Rachelle

Fire dreamed of water, but the first sip would be its last.

Gilde has spent her life isolated in the wild marshlands, a place too wet for the dragon to go. She's safe there, according to her father. So why is he asking her to leave with him now that she has come of age? There is more to Gilde's family than she knows, and debts need to be paid.

Betrayed and shattered, she wakes in a crumbling mountain castle with the beast of her nightmares. Except this dragon speaks like a man and reads books. His kindness confuses her and opens a forgotten longing in her heart, all while Gilde plans her escape from a mountain full of secrets.

This place can unveil her past and why she was sacrificed to the beast--truths that may put both their lives in danger if they can't learn to trust each other. But how can Gilde ever trust again? Especially after she discovers what dragons truly are.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0DFLK9XWR
• ISBN13: 9798886051865
• Release Date: March 2025
• Publisher: Enclave Escape
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 5.7" x 8.8"
• Age Range: 13 to 18 years
• Grade Range: Grade 8 to Postsecondary

Customer Reviews

excellent YA fantasy

"Love couldn't be demanded or coerced, only given. This was the right kind of sacrifice." Rachelle Nelson has outdone herself. In an incredible world of enchantments and dragons, evil wizards and strange tainted magic, betrayals and secrets turn into friendship, loyalty, and freedom. Told strictly from Gilde's first person voice, the plot was textured, layered, and detailed. Gilde was easy to love and empathize with. Unloved, unappreciated, beaten into submission by those who are supposed to protect her, Gilde was the underdog who fought for her right to live but also desperately needed someone to show her what love is. I fell in love with Wil the moment he entered the story and his goodness, kindness, loyalty, and self-sacrificial devotion were lovely to behold. There were hints of Beauty and the Beast in their interactions, down to the memorable scenes in the library. Plenty of plot twists made the story fast-paced and intriguing. The biggest plot twist came at the end and truly made my jaw drop. The battle between fire and water was a metaphor I didn't fully understand until the end and it made me appreciate the entire storyline even more. I'm wondering if there will be a second book to make this into a series. There were some loose ends that were not tied up at the conclusion of the book (which didn't detract from the story) and I would love to follow Wil and Gilde into another adventure. I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Enclave Escape via Celebrate Lit Tours and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own.