A Spark from Embers is the first book in the epic fantasy series Tears of Flame, the debut novel of Kaylea Prime (who previously published A Ballad of Hate and Hope, a novella set in the same universe); comped as Narnia meets the Ten Thousand Doors of January, it was the perfect comp for me. And I can say that it fulfilled my expectations, being an excellent portal fantasy proposal, with a great female main character, a world full of secrets and a secondary plot that kept me hooked to the page.

Sadie's ambitions have faded to embers. In 1914, women are just expected to become wives, and that's not an exception for Sadie's family; except she would love to avoid a conventional life and get into adventures. Far seems the world that her great-grandfather described in his book; however, when she finds an anonymous note, she ends finding a mirror that acts as a portal to that world, Arwé.
At the moment of crossing it, the portal closes behind her, caught in this new world and in the company of Tristan, a man sent that guided her to Arwé. Together with Tristan, she will start a journey through the world, getting to learn more about the magic inside herself, and that threatens to consume her like a fire. Sadie soon finds herself in the middle of a civil war that will put her between the wall and the rock, when her enemies offer her the possibility of returning home; an intense POV that allows us to learn more about Arwé and the immensity of this world.

In the background, we have Connor, Sadie's brother, who is devastated by the disappearing of his sister; especially after the funeral for his sister is organized. Moved by hopelessness, he decides to alist into the war; but soon he discovers there's a conspiracy rooted in the new electrical science. Prime excellently portrays the relationship between both siblings, how the bond between them is, and how deeply it goes (it is really relatable).

The world of Arwé is imaginative, taking some elements from classical fantasy but modernising it; Prime's prose does an excellent job of creating images of the different locations, with a great focus on descriptions. The conflict itself goes hard, giving nuances to the classic bad versus good. It is also worth to mention that it is original to see Canada being used as the Earth location, a rather unexplored place in fiction.

A Spark from Embers is an excellent first instalment in this series; if you loved Narnia like me, this book is perfect for you. Kaylea Prime has created a special world that I hope I can return to the next books.