Book Review: From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout
“From this moment until the very last moment, I am yours.”
Title: From Blood and Ash
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Series? Blood and Ash (#1)
My Rating: ★★★★
Genre(s): Romantasy
Age Range: New Adult
Publication: 20 March 2020 (Blue Box Press)
CW: torture, sexual harassment, blood/gore, body horror
Y’all were not kidding with this book, were you?
Ever since becoming acquainted with fantasy novels, and then subsequently falling in deep, unabashed love with it, I’ve slow dipped my toe further into the genre, exploring corners I never imagined. To think, I once believed I’d never enjoy fantasy, and now it’s my favourite genre!
One book in particular I’ve heard everyone and their mother praise is From Blood and Ash. I tend to fall into the trap of buying whichever book everyone’s talking about at the moment, which is bad for my bank account and wonderful for me. All this to say, I devoured From Blood and Ash without a second thought.
Poppy is the Maiden.
Her sole purpose, her entire existence, is to usher in a new era. As Maiden, she lives in total isolation with only a few trusted guards and a lady-in-waiting for company, and she must always wear a veil to protect her purity. But when a new guard called Hawke enters her service, mere moments before her much-awaited Ascension, everything in Poppy’s life begins to change.
Our main character is Penallaphe, aka the Maiden, aka Poppy. With so many names, it can get confusing, so for the purpose of this review, I’ll be using “Poppy”. From the get-go, I liked Poppy. She’s a rulebreaker, a strong female protagonist who dares to push the envelope and seek adventure wherever she can.
Her whole life has been one long stretch of solitude and servitude. Most people aren’t even permitted to see her face. Her only joy comes from learning to fight from her gruff but loveable guard Victor, who acts as a sort of father figure to her. Poppy doesn’t overtly challenge authority (at least, she doesn’t try to), but her simple acts of defiance are admirable nonetheless.
Enter: Hawke Flynn.
Mysterious. Handsome. Charming. All the qualities you’d want from a guard if you were a sexually repressed and wretchedly bored Maiden. Best of all, he supports Poppy’s personal autonomy, something she’s sorely missing in a lot of ways. I love how he abruptly appears in Poppy’s life, infiltrating her comfortable existence and shaking things up a bit. There’s so much more to Hawke I wish I could say, but no spoilers here!
I see this book in two halves.
The first half is more about worldbuilding—a little info-dumpy, sort of slow in the pacing and build up. It set up the story, provided some necessary context to the kingdom and its history.
But the second half? Totally unputdownable.
The second half is what had me staying up until 4AM, promising myself “just one more page, just one more chapter” until the birds started singing. Once Hawke entered the picture, there was no turning back.
Armentrout’s worldbuilding was interesting, albeit sometimes confusing. As a history major who’s quite partial to royal history, the Kingdom of Solis and the Atlantians was fascinating. There’s nothing better than a heir legitimacy showdown, in my opinion.
If you love a slow burn, you’ll enjoy this.
if you know me, you’ll know I’m a sucker for forbidden lovers, slow burn romance, and most of all, witty banter. This book had all those necessary elements. It was the perfect balance of fantasy and romance, with an attention-grabbing premise and a mystery that somehow toes the line of being both predictable and surprising.
I will say, this is definitely an adult book. Smut city, y’all. And it only gets spicier from this book on, so definitely think twice before buying this for the younger readers in your life!
Synopsis: 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.
Are you a fan of slow burn romances in fantasy? Leave a comment and let me know!
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