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Between Darkness & Light (War of Destiny Book 3) by Theresa Van Spankeren

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Between Darkness & Light (War of Destiny Book 3) by Theresa Van Spankeren
Hosted by Itsy Bitsy Book Bits
Genre – Vampire Paranormal
Cover Designer – Jonathan Hunt

Plagued by people only she could see and hear, Julia betrayed her ka-tet, those she called family to Valentino, King of the Vampires. They think she is of unsound mind and shun her. As she tries to repair her relationships, she fears the apparitions’ return. Following her leader’s sudden disappearance, Julia is forced to seek help from fellow ka-tet member, Matthew. Their once-close bond has become unveiled hostility. Matthew has been living apart from the others since Julia’s betrayal. He has crafted a new life for himself within the powerful Medici family of Florence. Julia’s arrival is neither expected nor welcome. As enemies close in, Julia and Matthew realize that something much more sinister is at play. Destiny itself is being tampered with, and they must discover who or what is the cause before it destroys them.
** Trigger warning: This book contains descriptions of self harm and related issues. **

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Theresa Van Spankeren lives in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois with her husband. When she isn’t writing she enjoys hiking and swimming, and also loves checking out local haunted places. Some of her favorite shows over the years has included The X-Files, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Witch Hunter Robin.
  She has published several novels in the War of Destiny series with more to come. She has been influenced by authors among the lines of   Christopher Pike, Karen Robards, L.J. Smith,  and Stephen King.

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An Ember of Hope (War of Destiny Series) by Theresa Van Spankeren – Review by Jennifer Ramos

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An Ember of Hope: War of DestinyAn Ember of Hope: War of Destiny by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was hooked on the War of Destiny series and read every single one just eager to learn more on each of the different characters. As the years and years span forward and different characters are intermingled, the story continues to make such an impression on its readers. As this book emerges of Matthew and his backstory after book one and two, I definitely needed to give this one book a try. If you’re interested in this book, it is highly recommended that you read the first two books in the series for context and sequence of events. Starts out with Matthew dealing with so much anguish and grieving from the last of his soulmate and being tortured. Now without his ka-tet, he leaves lost and out of place being on his own now. He focuses on regaining his strength and power as he has been depleted from what he once was. In search of a new identity, Matthew goes from the Medici family from Tuscany to Valentino in Rome. Throughout the reader can truly experience all the emotions Matthew confronts through the adventure and action that he brings to his own storyline. Another War of Destiny addition!

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Pursuit into Darkness (War of Destiny Book 2) by Theresa Van Spankeren – Review by Felicia Belcher

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Pursuit into Darkness (War of Destiny #2)Pursuit into Darkness by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Pursuit into darkness was told from Julia’s POV. It follows her descent into madness from the abuse she endure as a human. After nearly a century of being a vampire and losing her soul mate, she also loses her sense of self worth.

Instead of trusting the members of her ka-tet, she gives into the voices and hallucinations of her violent ex-husband telling her she’s worthless, and joins Valentino in trying to bring down the Resistance.

Samuel and Kali are able to get through to her enough to spare Samuel and he kidnaps her back, which infuriates Matthew and he leaves the ka-tat because he does not trust Julia.

Reviewed by @fbelcher93

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An Ember of Hope (War of Destiny Series) by Theresa Van Spankeren – Review by Felicia Belcher

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An Ember of Hope: War of DestinyAn Ember of Hope: War of Destiny by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Where do I even begin!?!? The nail biting suspense? The character development? The plot? This was so good!

Matthew’s struggle of losing not only his soul mate, but also his ka-tat from harboring Julia after her betrayal and even his elemental super powers was heart wrenching! Living alone in the mountains only made his mental health worse. His soul mate finally convinced him in a dream to rejoin society where he meets the Medici brothers and becomes a valuable asset to both the Duke and the Cardinal.

Matthew has to continue to balance pretending to be human, while also not damaging his vampire anatomy. Valentino causes chaos in Rome and Matthew has to take the long way to avoid being spotted by Valentino’s clan to come help the Cardinal. Matthew fights alongside the humans to relinquish the clan that has infiltrated the Villa and has the humans enthralled and hypnotized to try to take over and rule Rome.

reviewed by @fbelcher93

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An Ember of Hope (War of Destiny Series) by Theresa Van Spankeren – Review by Tara Johnson Barnes

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An Ember of Hope: War of DestinyAn Ember of Hope: War of Destiny by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An Ember of Hope is Book Six in the War of Destiny Series. This book builds on previous books in the series, so I highly recommend reading previous books prior to reading this one. It is a paranormal fantasy full of action, danger, mystery, betrayal, tension, drama, conflict, high stakes, violence, suspense, vampires, and paranormal elements. The main character, Matthew is still reeling from the loss of the death of his soulmate, so he retreats to the mountains to live by himself. He continues to try to hide his powers and that he is a vampire, but it becomes increasingly more difficult to do so because Valentino is attempting to take control of more cities. Matthew becomes a protector and needs to use his powers to protect those he cares about. This was a wonderfully written story with complex, multi layered characters who continue to grow through their struggles and trauma. Along their journey to self-discovery, they learn about trust and friendship. As a warning, there are triggers in this book as it contains flashbacks of imprisonment and torture.

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An Ember of Hope (War of Destiny Series) by Theresa Van Spankeren – Review by Kerry Carr

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An Ember of Hope: War of DestinyAn Ember of Hope: War of Destiny by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the sixth book in the War of Destiny series. I suggest reading these books in order so that you get a complete understand of the story, the characters and how they all fit together also the plot carries on from one book to the next so if you don’t read them it may leave you feeling a bit lost.
There is also trigger warnings as in this story we have flashbacks to the time when our main character Matthew was imprisoned and the torture he suffered so just a heads up with regard to that.

This is a continuous and a fascinating fast paced paranormal story that I have loved since book 1.
After the death of his soul mate and his imprisonment, Matthew distance himself from those he feels betrayed him. While he is struggle to get his fire element working correctly he meets and starts to work for the Medici brothers. He fits in as mortal and likes how it feels, however he isn’t mortal he is a vampire.

Matthew now decides he is going to become a protector and when Valentino tries to take over more territory he steps right into his role at protector.
As time progresses Matthew realises that he is not alone and that their are people who want to help him vampire and human alike..but will he be able to let his guard down again and trust people after the betrayal he suffered last time?

This was another great adventure which I really enjoyed. I can’t wait to see what the author has instore for us next.

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An Ember of Hope (War of Destiny Series) by Theresa Van Spankeren – Review by Lucinda Morton-Phillips

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An Ember of Hope: War of DestinyAn Ember of Hope: War of Destiny by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is set within the War of Destiny series, between books 2 & 3. It tells the story from Matthew de la Roche’s point of view as he struggles to come to terms with his sense of loss and betrayal from those he considered family, whilst recovering from imprisonment and torture.
A chance encounter with members of the Medici family gives him some purpose in life and he starts to mend, always being conscious of the need to hide his vampiric nature whilst amongst the mortals.
A plea from Cardinal Medici takes him to Rome, a dangerous place for a lone vampire on the wrong side of King Valentino, but Matthew finds that he may have more allies than he knows.

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An Ember of Hope (War of Destiny Series) by Theresa Van Spankeren – Review by Hannah Porter

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An Ember of Hope: War of DestinyAn Ember of Hope: War of Destiny by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Having read the second book first I definitely had to read this as it takes place between the second and the third. I really enjoyed the second one and this one was no different.and just like the last Van Spankeren has built a richly imagined world , blending suspenseful action with deep, character-driven drama.The vampire lore is refreshingly original, and the plot is woven with intricate details that keep you hooked. The central conflict and its resolution are well-paced, maintaining a good balance between action and character development. With writing that will make you emotional while reading. I can not wait til i finish the rest of this series from this talented author.

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An Ember of Hope (War of Destiny Series) by Theresa Van Spankeren – Review by Lorralei Hoerner

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An Ember of Hope: War of DestinyAn Ember of Hope: War of Destiny by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

4.5 Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

An Ember of Hope is another exciting story part of the War of Destiny series. I definitely recommend reading this series from the beginning to get to know characters and the continuous story-line. This was a great read, enjoyable and I could not put this down..I needed to know what will happen next. The author does a great job of storytelling and I really did enjoy this fast paced read with drama, danger, betrayal and conflict but also self discovery.

Matthew struggles and distances himself from the Resistance, especially after the trauma he endured, feeling betrayed. What becomes into believing he can stop King Valentino….does Matthew have what it takes including allies with him…but does he have the trust in those who want to help….

Great story overall…I am looking forward to more from this talented author!!

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An Ember of Hope (War of Destiny Series) by Theresa Van Spankeren – Review by Deb Robinson

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An Ember of Hope: War of DestinyAn Ember of Hope: War of Destiny by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I absolutely loved this series. I read all 5 books one after the other and could not put them down. This is Matthew’s story and everything he has gone through. I don’t suggest reading this book until you have read the rest or you will be thoroughly confused. I loved the writing style as everything flows wonderfully together. A lot of inner dialogue in this story so I did have a harder time connecting with this one. The author definitely pulls at your heartstrings with the torture and pain Matthew is going through. It was a very interesting read and will always pick up anything from this author.

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An Ember of Hope (War of Destiny Series) by Theresa Van Spankeren – Review by Mandy Ott

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An Ember of Hope: War of DestinyAn Ember of Hope: War of Destiny by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An Ember of Hope is the Theresa Van Spankeren book I didn’t know I needed! This book is part of the War of Destiny Series, and is more or less a companion novel, as it is Matthew’s story, taking place between books 2 and 3 of the main series. Van Spankeren creates the same amazing world full of vampires, historical figures, and other fantastical beings. I found myself, once again, immersed in the conflict between Valentino and the Resistance, told from the unique perspective of Matthew, recovering from his time in captivity. I found Matthew’s nightmares following his dilemma brutal and heartbreaking, yet honest and realistic. Some of the same great characters emerge in this book, as well as some new ones. There is so much detail in this book, but it is woven together so seamlessly that it only adds to the overall drama of the story. What an amazing addition to the already great War of Destiny world!

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Pursuit into Darkness (War of Destiny Book 2) by Theresa Van Spankeren – Review by Tracy Greenhalgh

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<a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27400783-pursuit-into-darkness” style=”float: left; padding-right: 20px”><img border=”0″ alt=”Pursuit into Darkness (War of Destiny #2)” src=”https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1446314168l/27400783._SX98_.jpg” /></a><a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27400783-pursuit-into-darkness”>Pursuit into Darkness</a> by <a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8249753.Theresa_Van_Spankeren”>Theresa Van Spankeren</a><br/>
My rating: <a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6829573065″>4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
A really good read that continues from the first book in the series. After reading the first I found the flow of the book much easier to follow.<br />THis time we follow Julia, she is complex, struggling with loss and memories from the past that keep troubling her. <br />The author continues with the character development with Julia as it does that of the other characters. The depth of the characters and the insight into their lives is well described as in the previous book. Making this book another that is difficult to put down.<br />I will certainly be adding more from this author to my tbr list<br />
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An Ember of Hope (War of Destiny Series) by Theresa Van Spankeren – Review by Tracy Greenhalgh

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<a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/214344053-an-ember-of-hope” style=”float: left; padding-right: 20px”><img border=”0″ alt=”An Ember of Hope: War of Destiny” src=”https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1717702752l/214344053._SX98_.jpg” /></a><a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/214344053-an-ember-of-hope”>An Ember of Hope: War of Destiny</a> by <a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8249753.Theresa_Van_Spankeren”>Theresa Van Spankeren</a><br/>
My rating: <a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6829403884″>4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
This is the first book by this author that I have read and at the time of reading was a little thrown as things did not always make sense, after a bit of looking into this is part of a series, almost a sideline that although a good read I feel would be more enjoyable if read after or alongside the other books.<br />In this book the character development and growth is good and continues to move with the story which in itself is deep and enthralling.<br />Mathew, a vampire is disheartened after the death of his soulmate and pulls away and distances himself from his family, living alongside humans. Working for a prominent family where he can, seeking redemption where possible. <br />
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An Ember of Hope (War of Destiny Series) by Theresa Van Spankeren – Review by Julie Johnson

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An Ember of Hope: War of DestinyAn Ember of Hope: War of Destiny by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’ve enjoyed this series of books and this one did not disappoint either. There are some very dark moments for Matthew in this book but ultimately, he receives the redemption he’s been seeking. The writer of this series has put a lot of thought into the character development and storyline and I highly recommend reading these in order. While this book takes place between books 2 and 3, you could read this one out of order but should probably read those books first for better context.

A very challenging series but an enjoyable one!

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An Ember of Hope (War of Destiny Series) by Theresa Van Spankeren – Review by Heather Goodman

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An Ember of Hope: War of DestinyAn Ember of Hope: War of Destiny by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This one gives a little background on Matthew. It gives more insight into him and what he went through before all the other books and once again is so beautifully written. It has the perfect blend of everything. I have never been disappointed by this author and I wasn’t again. Be prepared to laugh and cry and go along for a ride with a great character.

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An Ember of Hope (War of Destiny Series) by Theresa Van Spankeren – Review by Amanda Swindle

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An Ember of Hope: War of DestinyAn Ember of Hope: War of Destiny by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

An Ember of Hope delves into the backstory of Matthew De La Roche, and is part of the War of Destiny series. You *can* read it as a standalone, but makes much more sense to read them in order. This time around, Matthew has left the powerful family of vampires he was surrounded with previously, lost his soulmate, and began working with the mortals. As things start to feel almost normal, and he blends in with the mortals, soldiers began to come up missing. It wouldn’t be Matthew if he wasnt drawn to the conflict and the need to help. I like that this book gives some more depth to Matthew but it feels unnatural that he would throw himself into the human world so easily. I did like that the author incorporated emotions of mourning and loss, as well as confusion and powerlessness into all of it, and gave him those human emotions to draw you in further, and make him more likeable and relateable. Overall, I liked this one more than I thought that I would, and enjoyed the story as it progressed. Definitely read the others that go with the series as well.

Reviewed by @zoltrixes
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An Ember of Hope (War of Destiny Series) by Theresa Van Spankeren – Review by Cindy Rushin

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An Ember of Hope: War of DestinyAn Ember of Hope: War of Destiny by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I did enjoy this book. It was a little bit different story about vampires and I like reading different takes on vampires. The author created a very vibrant world and I enjoyed reading about Matthew’s journey as he looked for answers in his life. The story had a few surprises and I enjoyed the ending. I will look forward to reading more from this author.

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An Ember of Hope (War of Destiny Series) by Theresa Van Spankeren – Review by Brandy Vaughn

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An Ember of Hope: War of DestinyAn Ember of Hope: War of Destiny by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is part of the War of Destiny series and even though you could read it as a stand alone novel, I think it should be read as part of the series for the best experience. This story is about Matthew and all of the chaos he goes experiences. It’s nice to see a character from the series be expanded upon.

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An Ember of Hope (War of Destiny Series) by Theresa Van Spankeren – Review by Tausha Treadway

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An Ember of Hope: War of DestinyAn Ember of Hope: War of Destiny by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An Ember of Hope: War of Destiny by Theresa Van Spankeren. This is such a fast paced vampire, paranormal story. I highly recommend reading the first book to get a better understanding of the characters and storyline. Its the continuing story of Matthew who is struggling to figure out where to go and what to do after losing his soulmate and being betrayed by a member of his ka-tet. He was kidnapped, beaten, and tortured the cost of his freedom was the death of his soulmate. Matthew retreats to the mountains to be by himself and try to figure out how to go on. He has severe PTSD, nightmares and flashbacks keeping him up for days. He knows his is the only one that can stop Valentino and his quest for destroying their world as they know it. This is a fast paced, vampire read that will keep you flipping pages late in the night. I can’t wait to read the next installation in this amazing paranormal series.

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An Ember of Hope (War of Destiny Series) by Theresa Van Spankeren – Review by Audrie Harrington

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An Ember of Hope: War of DestinyAn Ember of Hope: War of Destiny by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Matthew was a part of the main family of vampires in the last book, but after the death of his soulmate he retreats from those he is closest with and lives in the mountains by himself. He was struggling with his fire element and can only use it when he already has a fire going. He has become friends with some mortals, the Medici brothers, and has started working for them. He is able to hide that he is a vampire and helps when there is trouble in Rome. Valentino is trying to take control of more cities and Matthew becomes a protector. He saves a new vampire, Leo, and sends him to live with a vampire acquaintance. Matthew needs to keep using his powers and pulling from his former group for power to keep him safe. He starts to realize that he is not alone and he does have humans and vampires in the Resistance who are wanting to help him, he just needs to start trusting others. I liked that this book was similar in the series but focused on a new character.

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An Ember of Hope (War of Destiny Series) by Theresa Van Spankeren – Review by Carrie Reed

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An Ember of Hope: War of DestinyAn Ember of Hope: War of Destiny by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I don’t really know how to feel about Matthew, I get why he is so upset and I get why he feels so betrayed, because he was but, Julia wasn’t acting as herself, she was under the thumb of Valentino. Sometimes healing and accepting take time, but I feel like he isn’t even trying to understand Julia’s situation. I also don’t know why I am standing behind Julia so hard, I guess I just feel like she is treated differently and looked at differently. While out trying to heal his mind and heart from the loss of Christ, the betrayal from Julia and leaving his ka-tet, Matthew seems to have inserted himself into the role of a human with the Medici family. With them he forms friendships and bonds, it seems at times he wouldn’t have any problems being without his ka-tet permanently, but he struggles, with the loss of his power and the relationships he had with Samual, Mary Anne and Jeffrey. I am really hoping he can come to terms with his loss, deal with the turmoil he is feeling with his lost power and the betrayal and be able to connect and live with his ka-tet again. I know it will take time but I hope he can rekindle somewhat of a friendship with Julia, and I really want to see Valentine taken down.

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An Ember of Hope (War of Destiny Series) by Theresa Van Spankeren – Review by Crystal Brehant

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An Ember of Hope: War of DestinyAn Ember of Hope: War of Destiny by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love that we got a back story for Matthew. It was great seeing more about him and what happened to him. This is an epic story of self discovery, and forgiveness. I definitely think you should read the other books in order to really understand this one. The story of Matthew’s trauma and his struggles afterwards can be quite difficult to read. It is also relatable for anyone who has gone through trauma themselves. I really enjoyed this book!

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An Ember of Hope (War of Destiny Series) by Theresa Van Spankeren – Review by Kristin Boutelle

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An Ember of Hope: War of DestinyAn Ember of Hope: War of Destiny by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I don’t really know what I expected when I started reading this book. It was a great surprise to actually enjoy a genre that I normally don’t partake in. I do love how Matthew’s flashbacks make the present story more interesting. His past does make him who he is in the story. The overall story does flow really well and the reader can understand what’s going on pretty easily.

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An Ember of Hope (War of Destiny Series) by Theresa Van Spankeren – Review by Kerry Baker

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An Ember of Hope: War of DestinyAn Ember of Hope: War of Destiny by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book forms part of the War of Destiny series and is the backstory on a character we have become familiar with throughout the series. I would high recommend reading the books in the order the author intended to get full enjoyment out of it.
It was brilliant to get to know more about this character and his backstory. I thought the story was a really interesting one to read and it added so much to the overall series. The main character has so much pain and trauma, and it makes the journey he goes on so much more in depth. I was fully pulled into this story and enjoyed it from start to finish.

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An Ember of Hope (War of Destiny Series) by Theresa Van Spankeren – Review by Dawn Daughenbaugh

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An Ember of Hope: War of DestinyAn Ember of Hope: War of Destiny by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

5 Stars
An Ember of Hope (War of Destiny Series) by Theresa Van Spankeren

An Ember of Hope i( War of Destiny Series) is a wonderfully written Paranormal story that will have you turning the pages till the end. I’ve read several books by this author and this one may be my favorite yet. This is a story of the struggles and trauma one might have after imprisonment and the betrayal you feel. Matthew is struggling to move forward and having serious issues with trust and not knowing who he can and can’t trust. Those he thought he could turns out he can’t. He’s trying to find himself and in the process gets a new persona but what will happen when it’s threatened? I truly enjoyed reading this book and highly recommend reading it to find out what happens next? I can’t wait for more from this Author.

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An Ember of Hope (War of Destiny Series) by Theresa Van Spankeren – Review by Anastasia Dodson

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An Ember of Hope: War of DestinyAn Ember of Hope: War of Destiny by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book book is part of the War of Destiny series and in my opinion should be read as part of the series for the best reading experience. There is book is about Matthew and all of the craziness that he goes through. Kidnapping, torture and betrayal are some of the many hardships throughout this story. The writing was good and pulled me in and the overall story left me wanting to read more by this author! I would definitely recommend this to a friend.
Happy Reading!

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An Ember of Hope (War of Destiny Series) by Theresa Van Spankeren – Review by Shannen Kern

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An Ember of Hope: War of DestinyAn Ember of Hope: War of Destiny by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The War of Destiny series was definitely one of my favorites because the author has a way of crafting such an incredible experience with every detail, yet somehow they never seem to be too full of unnecessary filler. This book is just as intricately crafted and detailed as the previous in the series. As such, I wouldn’t recommend reading this without the other books as well. You would miss out on the big experience, but more importantly, you would be quite confused jumping in so far from the beginning. The author has also kindly provided trigger warnings, so please check those as well. I am extremely excited that we get to focus on Matthew and learn about the inner war he battles. The number of twists and turns within these pages had me on the edge of my seat! If you enjoy paranormal stories with vampires, plenty of action and suspense, then this is without a doubt the next book for you!

Reviewed by @shannlynn

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An Ember of Hope (War of Destiny Series) by Theresa Van Spankeren – Review by Rebecca Hill

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This book is part of the War of Destiny series. It is more of an offshoot story or character backstory. While it could technically be a stand alone, I wouldn’t recommend it. I think I would be lost if I tried to read it as a stand alone. But as part of the series, I loved it, as I do the entire series! This book centers on Matthew and the aftermath of Julia’s betrayal. It might be a touch tedious on Matthew’s angst, but it wasn’t so much that I didn’t want to read it. Matthew is understandably struggling to recover after being kidnapped and tortured by Valentino. His struggle with flashbacks and nightmares is relatable to anyone who has struggled with a trauma in their life. He is also feeling grief from losing his ka-tet or family. Overall, I highly recommend this book and series!

An Ember of Hope (War of Destiny Series) by Theresa Van Spankeren – Review by Desiree Ottinger

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An Ember of Hope: War of DestinyAn Ember of Hope: War of Destiny by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Matthew de la Roche is struggling with finding who he is without his ka-tet and his soulmate. He was betrayed by a member of his ka-tet which led to his capture, torture, and rescue. Unfortunately, his freedom resulted in the death of his soulmate, Christy, and the loss of his power over fire elements. Matthew walks away from his ka-tet and any resistance vampires in order to reset and figure out how to regain his power. As he is settling into his new city, he steps in to save a young girl from being trampled by a horse. In doing so, it puts him into debt with the Medici family. Matthew has never been one to spend a lot of time with humans, yet he finds himself drawn into their lives and becomes one of their closest friends. When strange attacks begin to happen and soldiers turn up missing, Matthew feels drawn into the conflict. He recognizes the type of attacks and begins to help train the Medici men on how to protect themselves and how to attack these strange men that only attack at night. However, he feels the lack in himself with the loss of his fire element. Can he regain what he has lost in time to protect those who gave him a safe haven to heal?

I have kept up with this series and I am really glad that the author added Matthew’s story to it. This book gives insight into what happens with Matthew when he walks away from his ka-tet members. It explains what struggles he has to overcome before he can even begin to forgive those who betrayed him. I think that he had a lot of self-discoveries to go through to get to a place of even considering forgiveness. I think the author did a lovely job of balancing the past with his present and defining his self-discovery path.

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An Ember of Hope (War of Destiny Series Book #6) by Theresa Van Spankeren – Review by Angela Hayes

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An Ember of Hope: War of DestinyAn Ember of Hope: War of Destiny by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

 

4 -4.5 Stars

 

An Ember of Hope is the sixth book in the War of Destiny series by Theresa Van Spankeren.
This is an original, clever, detailed, descriptive, and intriguing paranormal saga- with vampires, action, adventure, emotion, pain, trauma, high stakes, politics, agendas, atmospheric world building, danger, intrigue, tense developments, violence, drama, and plenty of suspense.
This story comes with a trigger warning, so if you have any issues/triggers, you will want to read them before plunging in. (there are flashbacks of torture and imprisonment etc)
This series really does seem to get better and better with each new instalment- building on what has come previously. I highly recommend reading the other books before starting on this one, because they all come together to create a ‘bigger picture’, not to mention they are all great reads int their own rights, while providing hours of entertaining adventure to dive into.
Happy Reading!

Thank you, Theresa Van Spankeren!

 

Reviewed by @angelahayes

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