Tag Archives: Blood and Ash

A Soul of Ash and Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout – a Review

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A Soul of Ash and Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout – a Review

 

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Description:
Only his memories can save her…

A great primal power has risen. The Queen of Flesh and Fire has become the Primal of Blood and Bone—the true Primal of Life and Death. And the battle Casteel, Poppy, and their allies have been fighting has only just begun. Gods are awakening across Iliseeum and the mortal realm, readying for the war to come.

But when Poppy falls into stasis, Cas faces the very real possibility that the dire, unexpected consequences of what she is becoming could take her away from him. Cas is given some advice, though—something he plans to cling to as he waits to see her beautiful eyes open once more: Talk to her.

And so, he does. He reminds Poppy how their journey began, revealing things about himself that only Kieran knows in the process. But it’s anybody’s guess what she’ll wake to or exactly how much of the realm and Cas will have changed when she does.

 

 

 

Review:

A Soul of Ash and Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout is the 5th book in her wonderful Blood and Ash series.  Poppy has now become the Primal of Blood and Bone, the true Primal of Life and Death, with the gods beginning to awaken. But A Soul of Ash and Blood is mostly in Cas’s POV, especially when Poppy is now in stasis completing the culling. At the start, both Cas and Kieran knew something was not right with Poppy; Cas and Kieran are told to let her rest, but they were also told there is a possibility she may not remember them., when she wakes. Nextas gives them advice, when watching over her, Cas needs to talk to her, which brings us very much in the past. 

For most of the book, Cas reminds Poppy about their journey to what she has become, and their wonderful love for each other. I did enjoy the retelling from the past, as well as in the present when Kieran and Cas remembered things, while they talked to the sleeping Poppy.  It brought back such wonderful memories, which was fun to read, but also intriguing; as well as learning some new things.

I loved seeing in the past, with Poppy and Hawke. It was great to spend time again with so many of our favorite characters.  Kieran played a big part, especially when he worried about Cas falling for Poppy; I loved how Delano always followed Poppy and was so loyal to her. It was great to see many of the others; Vikter, Tawny, Emil, Naill, just to name a few.   

What follows is an in depth look in Cas’s POV, with so many memories from when Blood and Ash all started. The cliffhanger at the end left us holding our breath, especially with Cas desperately trying to save Poppy, and the final scene.  I know people are saying they can’t wait for the next book, but in February 2024, JLA is releasing the 6th book, Visions of Flesh and Blood: A Blood and Ash/Flesh and Fire Compendium.  My question, when do we get the real book 6?

A Soul of Ash and Blood is a wonderful look into this fabulous series, with us falling in love with Cas and Poppy all over again. There is a cliffhanger, as Poppy’s powers continue to grow to become the Primal of Life and Death.  If you are a fan of high fantasy, you would need to start with the first book, but for all of us who continue to followed JLA, we wait anxiously.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy purchased

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The War of Two Queens by Jennifer L. Armentrout – a Review

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The War of Two Queens by Jennifer L. Armentrout – a Review

 

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Description:
From the desperation of golden crowns…

Casteel Da’Neer knows all too well that very few are as cunning or vicious as the Blood Queen, but no one, not even him, could’ve prepared for the staggering revelations. The magnitude of what the Blood Queen has done is almost unthinkable.

And born of mortal flesh…

Nothing will stop Poppy from freeing her King and destroying everything the Blood Crown stands for. With the strength of the Primal of Life’s guards behind her, and the support of the wolven, Poppy must convince the Atlantian generals to make war her way—because there can be no retreat this time. Not if she has any hope of building a future where both kingdoms can reside in peace.

A great primal power rises…

Together, Poppy and Casteel must embrace traditions old and new to safeguard those they hold dear—to protect those who cannot defend themselves. But war is only the beginning. Ancient primal powers have already stirred, revealing the horror of what began eons ago. To end what the Blood Queen has begun, Poppy might have to become what she has been prophesied to be—what she fears the most.

As the Harbinger of Death and Destruction.

 

 

Review:

The War of Two Queens by Jennifer L. Armentrout is the 4th book in her fantastic Blood and Ash series. When we last left off, in The Crown of Gilded Bones, Cas is now a prisoner, being tortured by the evil Blood Queen, and her handmaidens and a powerful Revenant. Poppy, our amazing heroine, is determined to find a way to rescue Cas, with help from Kieran, the Wolvens, Drakens, and the Primal of Life guards. But in order to take back control of the territories that are part of the Blood Crown, Poppy must convince all the Atlantians, including her father-in-law (Valyn) to join forces, as they make their way to Carsononia, and the war to destroy the Blood Crown. I did like how Valyn was supportive to Poppy.  Poppy wanted to prove to the mortals in those Blood Crown lands that she wanted peace, and was not The Harbinger.

Poppy’s powers continue to increase, as she nears the culling; something Reaver (Draken) explains more about. I loved Reaver, not to mention Kieran and the fantastic wolvens loyal to their Queen, Poppy; the secondary characters were all awesome, Vonetta, Delano, Emil, Naill, Hisa, Tawny, just to name a few. 

For at least more than half way through this book, we only saw through Cas’s POV during his imprisonment, and the things they did to him to try and force Poppy to rescue him.  I love their heartmate dreams between them, that was great, as his devotion to Poppy was awesome. It was also interesting to see Malik, learn more about Millicent, and who she really was.  I also got a kick out of Kieran and Reaver’s bickering between them.  Fun. 

What follows is an intense, exciting and wild almost last half of the book, especially once Cas was freed and back with Poppy, Kieran and their wonderful team. The mind-blowing action in the last ¼ of the book was heart-wrenching, with lots of violence, danger, deaths that had me holding my breath, unable to put the book down.  Isbeth (Blood Queen) was truly evil, and the twist she threw at them was a surprise, but Poppy was as equally as strong as she was, which led to an amazing twist.  To say too much more would be spoilers and I do not want to spoil anything for you.   I so look forward to how the next book will have Poppy and Cas, and Sera and Nykos.   Should be amazing.

I will note that the terrible reactions from people (are they really fans?) crucifying JLA for the Joining, was very disrespectful.  JLA created her story line, how she saw it fit. It was her creativity, her characters, her story; however, she imagined it to be. 

The War of Two Queens was another intriguing continuation to this fantastic series, with wonderful world building, and lots of action, suspense, violence, passion and fantastic characters.    As we race to the exciting heartbreaking, shocking, mindboggling climax, there are some amazing revelations.  The War of Two Queens was very well written by JLA, and also a romantic and intense story line that had a bit of everything.  I can’t wait for the next book.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

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The Crown of Gilded Bones by Jennifer L. Armentrout – a Review

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The Crown of Gilded Bones by Jennifer L. Armentrout – a Review

 

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Description:
She’s been the victim and the survivor…

Poppy never dreamed she would find the love she’s found with Prince Casteel. She wants to revel in her happiness but first they must free his brother and find hers. It’s a dangerous mission and one with far-reaching consequences neither dreamed of. Because Poppy is the Chosen, the Blessed. The true ruler of Atlantia. She carries the blood of the King of Gods within her. By right the crown and the kingdom are hers.

The enemy and the warrior…

Poppy has only ever wanted to control her own life, not the lives of others, but now she must choose to either forsake her birthright or seize the gilded crown and become the Queen of Flesh and Fire. But as the kingdoms’ dark sins and blood-drenched secrets finally unravel, a long-forgotten power rises to pose a genuine threat. And they will stop at nothing to ensure that the crown never sits upon Poppy’s head.

A lover and heartmate…

But the greatest threat to them and to Atlantia is what awaits in the far west, where the Queen of Blood and Ash has her own plans, ones she has waited hundreds of years to carry out. Poppy and Casteel must consider the impossible—travel to the Lands of the Gods and wake the King himself. And as shocking secrets and the harshest betrayals come to light, and enemies emerge to threaten everything Poppy and Casteel have fought for, they will discover just how far they are willing to go for their people—and each other.

And now she will become Queen…

 

 

 Review:

The Crown of Gilded Bones by Jennifer L. Armentrout is the 3rd book in her fantastic Blood and Ash series. I loved the first two books in this series, and could not wait to read more about Poppy and Cas, and I am happy to say I loved this book even more.

The story begins immediately after the last book ended, with Poppy receiving a harsh introduction to Cas’s parents (The Queen and King of Atlantia), as well as the people of Atlantia. Though she is now the wife of Atlantia’s prince (Cas), as well as the Chosen one, she is the true ruler of Atlantia, as she carries the blood of the gods.  But many do not respect her, and someone she considered a friend betrays her and puts her life in danger; because of her uncontrollable powers, the bond between Cas and Kieren has been broken, as all the wolvens are now fully bonded to her. It will take Cas, Kieran and the other wolvens to find a way to rescue her, and learn more about her powers and true heritage.

Poppy will embark on a journey to stop the Blood Crown from destroying Atlantia, but first she needs to find a way to meet with the King of the Gods to ask for help, as well learn her heritage and how to deal with her powers.  She and Cas must decide to step forward to take over her rightful crown, in order to defeat the enemy.   

Poppy and Cas are just so great together, as their steamy scenes were fun and cute. The camaraderie between them as well as Kieran, makes this such a fun enjoyable story, especially releasing the tension with all the dark and violent scenes throughout the entire book.  Armentrout continues to give us great secondary characters, Kieran, Vonetta, Delano, Naill, Emil, Hisa, as well as the god awful villians.

As I have noted previously, Poppy was a fantastic heroine, being strong, feisty, independent, a fierce warrior in her own right; and I got a kick out of her many questions, which Kieran teased her a lot about.  Cas was equally as wonderful as Poppy, being strong, loyal, and totally in love with Poppy.   

What follows is an exciting action filled adventure that had me holding my breaths so many times.  The last half of the book was mind-blowing, with intense violence, danger, constant action, heart wrenching and surprising twists, making me unable to put the book down. There were so many reveals, shocking twists along the way, especially the last third of the book, which was mind blowing and filled with many emotions. 

The Crown of Gilded Bones was another intriguing continuation to this fantastic series, with wonderful world building, and lots of action, suspense, violence, passion and fantastic characters.    As we race to the exciting heartbreaking, shocking, mindboggling climax, there are some amazing revelations.  The Crown of Gilded Bones also a fun, enjoyable, romantic and intense story line that had a bit of everything.

Bravo to Jennifer L. Armentrout, who has once again written such an amazing high fantasy, that kept me glued to my seat. Though the ending was a cliffhanger, it was so well done, with me cheering Poppy on. I was surprised to learn that this is no longer an trilogy, and will end up with 6 books in this series.   I suggest if you enjoy fantasy, you need to read this series, but you must start with the first book.

Reviewed by Barb

Owned Copy

 

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A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire by Jennifer L. Armentrout – a Review

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A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire by Jennifer L. Armentrout – a Review

 

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Description:
A Betrayal…

Everything Poppy has ever believed in is a lie, including the man she was falling in love with. Thrust among those who see her as a symbol of a monstrous kingdom, she barely knows who she is without the veil of the Maiden. But what she does know is that nothing is as dangerous to her as him. The Dark One. The Prince of Atlantia. He wants her to fight him, and that’s one order she’s more than happy to obey. He may have taken her, but he will never have her.

A Choice…

Casteel Da’Neer is known by many names and many faces. His lies are as seductive as his touch. His truths as sensual as his bite. Poppy knows better than to trust him. He needs her alive, healthy, and whole to achieve his goals. But he’s the only way for her to get what she wants—to find her brother Ian and see for herself if he has become a soulless Ascended. Working with Casteel instead of against him presents its own risks. He still tempts her with every breath, offering up all she’s ever wanted. Casteel has plans for her. Ones that could expose her to unimaginable pleasure and unfathomable pain. Plans that will force her to look beyond everything she thought she knew about herself—about him. Plans that could bind their lives together in unexpected ways that neither kingdom is prepared for. And she’s far too reckless, too hungry, to resist the temptation.

A Secret…

But unrest has grown in Atlantia as they await the return of their Prince. Whispers of war have become stronger, and Poppy is at the very heart of it all. The King wants to use her to send a message. The Descenters want her dead. The wolven are growing more unpredictable. And as her abilities to feel pain and emotion begin to grow and strengthen, the Atlantians start to fear her. Dark secrets are at play, ones steeped in the blood-drenched sins of two kingdoms that would do anything to keep the truth hidden. But when the earth begins to shake, and the skies start to bleed, it may already be too late.

 

 

Review:

A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire by Jennifer L. Armentrout is the 2nd book in her fantastic Blood and Ash series. I loved the first book in this series, and could not wait to read more about Hawke/Casteel and Poppy; and amazingly I loved this book even more. 

The story begins immediately after the first book ended, with Poppy having learned who Hawke really was, as well as learning the truth of Ascendeds, Vamprys and being the Maiden.  Despite her defiant anger at learning that Hawke is indeed the Dark One, the Prince of Atlantia, she goes with him to escape those who are after her. Casteel (Hawke), Kieran (his bonded guard) and others head to their home, and along the way Poppy will discover the horrific truths of what the Ascendeds were doing. She will also learn more about her surprising newfound powers that she truly does not understand.  The banter between Cas and Poppy was fun to watch, especially as we can see how much both are trying to ignore the strong feelings they have for each other; though Cas already knows how he feels about Poppy, and tells her they will home to Atlantia and they will marry. I loved both Poppy and Cas, as they not only were a great couple, but so much fun to watch them, not to mention over time the sensual sizzling chemistry between them.  Poppy was a fantastic heroine, being strong, feisty, independent, a fierce warrior in her own right; and I loved her many questions, as well as her recognizing that she fully loved Cas.  Hawke (Cas) was equally as wonderful as Poppy, being strong, loyal, and totally in love with Poppy; you can’t help but fall in love with him.  Jennifer has created a super couple and many wonderful secondary characters. 

The Prince (Cas) has his own small army of Wolvens, sworn to protect him, as well as Poppy.  During their time of traveling, Poppy manages to heal some injured people with her powers, with some afraid of her, and others happy to be healed.  Cas, Kieran, and all the wonderful men travelling with them are in awe of what Poppy and do; especially later on when she begins to glow when healing.  No one knows why, neither does Poppy, as some suspect maybe she is an empath (all destroyed many years ago).

What follows is an exciting action filled adventure that had me holding my breaths so many times.  The last half of the book was mind-blowing, with intense violence, danger, constant action, heart wrenching and surprising twists.  I loved when Poppy would join to help Cas and his group, as she was so well trained on swords, knives and bows; the fight scenes were awesome. As they get closer to Atlantia, the stakes are higher, as the Ascendeds army are getting close, killing anyone in their way. 

A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire was another intriguing continuation to this fantastic series, with wonderful world building, and lots of action, suspense, violence, passion and fantastic characters.  The romance between Cas and Poppy is great, and the overall story is so well done by Armentrout. As we race to the exciting mindboggling climax, there are some amazing revelations, and of course, a cliffhanger that blows our mind. 

A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire was also a fun, enjoyable, romantic and intense story line that had a bit of everything. Bravo to Jennifer L. Armentrout, who has once again written such an amazing high fantasy, that kept me glued to my seat, unable to put the book down. If you have not read the first book, Blood and Ash, you need to read that one before you move on to A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire.

Review by Barb

Own copy

 

 

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From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout – a Review

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From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout – a Review

 

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Description:
A Maiden…

Chosen from birth to usher in a new era, Poppy’s life has never been her own. The life of the Maiden is solitary. Never to be touched. Never to be looked upon. Never to be spoken to. Never to experience pleasure. Waiting for the day of her Ascension, she would rather be with the guards, fighting back the evil that took her family, than preparing to be found worthy by the gods. But the choice has never been hers.

A Duty…

The entire kingdom’s future rests on Poppy’s shoulders, something she’s not even quite sure she wants for herself. Because a Maiden has a heart. And a soul. And longing. And when Hawke, a golden-eyed guard honor bound to ensure her Ascension, enters her life, destiny and duty become tangled with desire and need. He incites her anger, makes her question everything she believes in, and tempts her with the forbidden.

A Kingdom…

Forsaken by the gods and feared by mortals, a fallen kingdom is rising once more, determined to take back what they believe is theirs through violence and vengeance. And as the shadow of those cursed draws closer, the line between what is forbidden and what is right becomes blurred. Poppy is not only on the verge of losing her heart and being found unworthy by the gods, but also her life when every blood-soaked thread that holds her world together begins to unravel.

 

 

Review:

From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout is a fantastic fantasy novel, which is her first foray into High Fantasy. After finishing the book last night, I was thrilled, as I loved every moment of this story, and discovered that this is the beginning of a wonderful new series.   

We meet our heroine, Penellaphe (Poppy), from the start, as she is secretly in a bar, hidden by a mask, to check out the men and women enjoying each other’s company. Poppy does not have a normal life, as she is the “Maiden”, who is the chosen one, as her destiny is to Ascend to her place with the gods.  She has a year before she ascends, and lives mostly in solitude, with only her guards and her maid.  Despite her circumstances, Poppy is a strong, smart, independent heroine, and has been secretly trained by her lead guard how to fight and defend herself if needed. When she is hiding in a room in the bar, she meets a handsome stranger, who will in time change everything about her life. 

Hawke, our hero, becomes one of Poppy’s main guards, when one of them is killed in an attack by Descenters, who want to kill Poppy.  In a short time, Poppy will quickly realize that Hawke is the man she met at the bar.  Hawke was such an awesome character, whom you could not help fall in love with.  He was determined to win over Poppy, and nothing would stand in his way; even if he was very protective of her.  I loved Poppy and Hawke together, as the chemistry between them was sizzling.   Poppy tries very hard not to fall in love with Hawke, as he constantly teases and makes advances on her.  Wonderful couple, but do they really have a chance to be together?

Armentrout does an amazing job with this world-building, with gods, royalty, the mystery of ascension, as well as those the war against those they need to fight, such as Descenders, Atlantians, Cravens, Wolvens etc.  I do not want to tell too much more, as it would be spoilers, and this is too good to ruin it for you.

From Blood and Ash is an intriguing fantasy story, in a world filled with secrets, betrayals, suspense, action, mystery, passion and a wonderful cast of fantastic characters.  The last half of the book was mind-blowing, with tense violence, danger, constant action, heart wrenching and surprising twists.   In the forefront of this story is this wonderful romance between Poppy and Hawke; which will change everything about Poppy’s life as she learns the horrific truths along the way.  Who does she trust?

Bravo to Jennifer L. Armentrout, who has written such an amazing high fantasy, that kept me glued to my seat, unable to put the book down. From Blood and Ash was also a fun, enjoyable, as well as intense story line that had a bit of everything.  I am so happy to know that there will be another book, and possibly more in a series that is not to be missed.  I recommend you read From Blood and Ash, as I cannot wait for the next book.

Reviewed by Barb

Own a copy

 

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