Spark the Flames
Secret of the Syphon #1
By: Ivy Asher
Publisher: Self-published
Publication date: March 21, 2025
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Rating:
When it comes to dragons, there’s no such thing as safe.
I learned that the hard way when my kith and kindred were slaughtered right before my eyes.
Everyone thinks the wyverns and the sorcai did it, but I know the truth.
I’ve been hiding from The Horde ever since, existing under their radar, surviving.
And then one day, they find me…he finds me. Aeson Noctis, the king’s second son and my new captor.
Aeson thinks he can force me back to Paragon City. He thinks he can use me and claim my power for his own.
But the dragons should’ve been more careful about who they let inside their city. I’m not some weak little pawn. I’m here looking for answers.
I’m here looking for revenge.
When it comes to dragons, there’s no such thing as safe. I know because I am one, and now I’m going to make The Horde pay for what they’ve done.
They thought they killed all the Syphons.
They thought they hunted down every one.
They thought wrong.
My thoughts…
This world was full of dragons, wyverns, and magic wielders. Not only were their dragons, but there were sub-divisions of dragons. Each dragon’s affinity categorized them. So you had burners, thrashers, and other types based on their ability. Ever is a type of dragon that is thought to be extinct. She’s a siphon dragon meaning she can “suck” the ability of other dragons from them. Since someone in the kingdom betrayed them, and slaughtered (what they thought were) all siphons, Ever and the other surviving siphons have been on the run. That is, until Ever finds herself integrated into the Horde of dragons, under the watchful eye of the prince, and commander.
I really enjoyed the world this author created. There were a lot of things going on from the dragons, to the sorcai (magic wielders), and the wyvern. It appears that since the betrayal of dragons that wiped out the siphon race, the Horde has been a bit rocky on their public relations with the other species. So of course, when Ever pops up, it throws their world in chaos as they not only come to terms that she exists, but that there could be others out there. Not to mention, the intel that she gives them on what happened sends them into a frenzy that it wasn’t sorcai or wyvern that attacked their kind, but dragons from within the keep that were trusted. Which always leaves Ever exposed to more danger at every turn as you don’t really know WHO to trust in this situation.
While I did enjoy this story, Ever did get on my nerves. She’s supposed to be 60+ years old, even though she visually looks young. 60 years old…. and yet she’s impulsive, doesn’t think about her actions, and is convinced everyone is playing a game with her when it’s clear they are trying to help her. The things she did and said was more on par with a 13 year old than someone who has been around the block a ton of times already.
This story was really interesting to me and I found myself waiting to for a chance to pick it up and continue reading. However, towards the end, it just lost it’s spark. I was bored, and just ready for it to get to its conclusion, which of course turned out to a big cliffhanger.
