From Blood and Ash

The character development in this book was one of my favorite things ever. From the beginning the female protagonist is brave, but as she goes through all of these changes, you see her grow into her newfound place in the world and that bravery only grows with it.

I loved this book because although she is strong and powerful, she has a very real and emotional side, giving her character so much depth and relatability. 

This book got me back into reading after some years of never picking up a book, and it’s the book that got me into reading fantasy. I loved the mix of the strong female main character, the steamy romance, the unique fantasy world, and the incredible plot that had me gasping every fifty pages.

I fell headfirst into this book and never wanted to come back out of it. I would read it whenever I could, and it gripped me, so I stayed up until ungodly hours just to finish it. I also adored the main female character. I felt… show more.

This book is the start of a spicy romantic fantasy series that hooked me from the first page. It fed into my love of spooky vampires, dark mysteries, and a fun love story with snarky dialogue.

I devoured this book and the rest of the series during the pandemic lockdown. The complicated Kingdom of Solis provided the perfect escape. The high drama of this fantasy echoed the stress of the uncertainty of the stressful time I was living through. The promise that things can work out, even when everything is falling apart, proved to be the balm I so desperately… show more.

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.