From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

“Hawke?” I whispered, my heart crashing like thunder. “Kiss me. Please.”

Poppy

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.

---

CW: Sexual content, physical abuse, sexual assault, violence, gory scenes

Rating

Review

So, it’s not my first J. L. A. book as I read years ago, the Lux series. I wanted to discover this series but was afraid to do it as it was hyped. I didn’t want to read it and be disappointed because everyone was saying good things and my expectations were maybe too high at that moment. So I waited, and it was the best thing to do. This time between the hype and my read allows me to really appreciate it.

I struggled a little with the world-building; you have many elements that happened in the past and have consequences now. Also, it took me a little time to understand the idea of the gods, the children, the different rites, their aims, and the various creatures that populate this world. Nevertheless, this world is a lot more developed than I initially thought.

The very beginning of the book says a lot about what will happen in the book. The sexual tension was at its peak, but as you move in the story, you have a more mundane life, and then at some point, you have this tension again, and I loved it. I like that you have a little break in the book because after, it’s non-stop sexual tension. The daily life part isn’t dull as you have many events that disturb everything. However, I won’t say there are no dragged parts because you have some, but it’s in the whole book, not only in the quiet ones.

From the end of the book’s first half, I was starting to predict who was who and what could happen. Except for one element, I was correct. I know it’s not the aim of this book to make you guess things, but it’s a little frustrating when you discover almost everything in less than 50% of the book. Toward the end, I found the story significantly dragged, but as I have a ton of suspicions, I just wanted them validated or not, and I think that’s why I found it long.

For the characters, what I liked the most was the interactions between them. Especially between Poppy and Hawke, like duh, it’s the primary purpose of the book. But I also like how she is with Tawny; they are like best friends, but at the same time, there is something like she can’t believe it. I like a lot Tawny; she may be a secondary character, but when she interacts with Poppy about Hawke or with the two of them, she is just a gem.

For a maiden that couldn’t be touched at all, it happened a lot (even without her consent), I sometimes forgot this fact, and you have a sentence reminding you that, and the surprised, each time.

My favourite chapter is the 26; even if it’s gory, even if a part is sad, the pleasure of what is happening is here; this character merits it.

I had a great time reading this book. Even if it’s a slow book to read, you don’t see the time goes as you’re so engrossed in it. However, I don’t care enough for the story or even the characters to continue the story. In my edition, I have the synopsis for the following three books, I read them, and it was enough for me; I don’t want the details.

Liz.