I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
“Fear and bravery are often one and the same. It either makes you a warrior or a coward. The only difference is the person it resides inside.”
From Blood And Ash is a phenomenal High Fantasy novel by Jennifer L Armentrout and I am utterly obsessed with it.
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, and never experience pleasure. Forced to wait for the day of her Ascension, Poppy would rather be with the guards, fighting back the evil that took her family. But the choice has never been hers.
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. When Hawke, a golden-eyed guard honour 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.
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. 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.
“It carried the Dark One’s promise.” His promise. Air lodged in my throat as my gaze swung to Tawny’s. I knew what that meant. From Blood and Ash We Shall Rise.
I am so excited to be able to talk about this book! This was a secret release that no one knew anything about other than the initials of the title (FB&A) and that it was a high fantasy novel. Jennifer had released a few brief snippets on her Facebook page; JLAnders, as well as a peek at the tiniest section of the cover.
There was no real promotion, pre-order or even a Goodreads page for this book until the day it released. Not even a blurb.
Having to keep such an amazing book quiet was almost unbearable, but I can finally discuss it.
“Death is like an old friend who pays a visit, sometimes when it’s least expected and other times when you’re waiting for her. It’s neither the first nor the last time she’ll pay a visit, but that doesn’t make any death less harsh or unforgiving.”
I loved this book beyond words.
In the acknowledgements Jennifer mentions she first had the idea for this novel back in 2016 but was unsure if she should write it since she had never released a high fantasy novel before. And I am so thankful she did because this was an instant favourite for me.
I really shouldn’t have been surprised by how much I loved this book; I adore all of Jennifer L Armentrout’s books but there was just something about From Blood And Ash that just blew me away entirely.
I loved getting to know all the characters, and particularly adored the explosive chemistry and witty banter between Hawke and Poppy.
Several too-long moments stretched out between us and then he said, “I came back for you that night.… Just like I told you I would. I came back for you, and you weren’t there,” he continued. “You promised me, Princess.”
I would have liked to have more information about what The Maiden is specifically and her role in the world but I think we were kept in the dark a bit because there is a lot of secrecy surrounded the Maiden and the Ascension that even Poppy didn’t know everything about it.
The world & characters Jennifer created was so vivid and intriguing I started re reading it as soon as I had finish because I wasn’t ready to say goodbye.
“If I were to be found unworthy, I’d face certain death. I’d be exiled from the kingdom.”
From Blood And Ash is a magnificent novel with a captivating plot that’s interspersed with entertaining humour & witty banter. It will keep you on the edge of your seat and dying to get your hands on the next book in the series.
Purchase:
Amazon UK purchase link unavailable at the time of posting
Jennifer is also offering a gift with purchase—a temporary tattoo of Poppy’s dagger and a stunning, limited edition bookmark. You just need to use THIS LINK to fill out the form and provide proof of purchase. The gift is available internationally.
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