The From Blood and Ash series by Jennifer L. Armentrout tore up my heart and not always in a good way. I loved certain moments in this series whereas others incredibly frustrated me. First, for some reason I thought this series was only a trilogy.
Goodreads Summary
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.
Personal Review
From Blood and Ash was slow but I chopped that up to world-building and the introduction of characters as well as plot. All of the characters were great, “ideal” characters. Whenever you met someone, whether they were friend or foe, they would stay that way. I was really looking forward to having a snarky/bitchy character that would end up evolving.
Something else that peeved me (I’m not sure if that’s a word) was the dialogue. I wasn’t expecting a super sophisticated dialogue but I was expecting consistency. At some points it was high caliber and refined dialogue that showcased wisdom. Then, other moments started with certain phrases that seemed too contemporary and modern for that kind of world.
The books lacked action and purpose until over half way through. Each book needed to have over hundred pages less.
But there were positives to these books and they were great. I love Casteel (obviously) and Poppy. Their chemistry was great and the tension in the first book was phenomenal as well as into the second book. I loved that Poppy was a bad ass female despite her position in From Blood and Ash.
In the end, who am I kidding? I’m looking forward to the next books in the series!
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