From Blood and Ash

Poppy has been destined since birth to serve as the Maiden chosen for Ascension, a noble honor of self-sacrifice for the good of her country.

Yet, feisty Poppy—secretly trained with the sword by a knight who was a close friend of her late father—would rather fight alongside the royal guards, battling the evil that took her family, than preparing to be found worthy by the gods.

I loved how Poppy defied convention and secretly trained to be a knight rather than remain a sweet, innocent maiden. The passion between Poppy and Hawke, the knight assigned to ensure her Ascension, is… show more.

I foresaw the majority of the plot twists at the beginning of the book, thinking I truly knew mostly everything. Well, that was until one certain chapter. It’s a book I binge read, unable to put it down for a whole day. You really don’t know you fall in love with the villainous character until it’s too late.

The only thing I need to say is: Poppy and Casteel. I was immediately struck by this book and have followed up with the whole series.

Casteel is the man of any woman’s dreams and you won’t go wrong in delving into the world that Armentrout created. There is something about a story where the lead MMC knows, without a doubt, that his woman is strong enough to handle her stuff, but protective enough to still be beside her through it all.

This is an epic tale of not only romance and adventure, but personal growth, battling one's demons, and… show more.

This book starts slowly, but don’t give up on it so quickly. The chemistry between Poppy and Hawke is out of this world, and the plot and twists will keep you on the edge of your reading nook. This is an epic fantasy romance that will certainly leave you breathless.