Book #1 in "From Blood and Ash" series.
Rating: 5/5
Spoiler Alert: Low
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 a 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.
Praises:
Plot:
Armentrout never fails to amaze me. She is one of the greatest fantasy and contemporary writers to this day. I LITERALLY FEEL SO NUMB FROM THIS BOOK. Please excuse my shouting. This book brings readers right into the very beginning of the plot, captivating and engaging readers. I am so engrossed! Multiple conflicts are happening at once, yet it all flows together. The plot is absolutely creative and comprehensive, making every single detail worthwhile.
Characters:
I will be doing a specific review for each character. Though, I would like to say that this book's character development is phenomenal. Every character is given a lifelike, three-dimensional quality. I am rendered SPEECHLESS.
Poppy
Poppy is a beautifully-created character with so many complex aspects. Her ability to be brave, caring, and fearful shows how real she is. She has internal struggles and conflicts, but that doesn't hinder her from being her heroine. Poppy dreams of being free from the clutches of the Duke and from being a Maiden. This book revolves around Poppy's desire for freedom and how she is conflicted if she wants to be a Maiden or not.
Hawke
Hawke is such a swoon-worthy and mysterious character. We meet him right away when Poppy sneaks off to the Red Pearl and he has a very dark quality around him. Armentrout has created another complex character in addition to Poppy. Hawke makes this book incredibly interesting as we barely know him. We only know him as Poppy's "golden-eyed" guard. This brings me to my next point that I imagine fog machines in the background whenever I think of Hawke because he's just that mysterious.
Romance:
This book largely revolves around the romantic relationship brewing between Poppy and Hawke. All I want to say is that the romance aspect was absolutely delicious. They have a push and pull relationship, both challenging and caring for one another. This is a slow-burn romance that doesn't rush into anything, causing the romance to be EXTREMELY satisfying to read.
Writing Style/Narrative:
Written in first person, this book is told from Poppy's point of view. We get to meet Poppy and the world around her in a very descriptive and comprehensive way. Armentrout's writing style gives me rushes of various emotions—sadness, sympathy, anger, joy, and frustration. You can tell that every single scene is written with so much care, concentration, and detail. Also, her writing style is quite similar to Sarah J. Maas'. I cannot even think at this point because I'm awestruck by this book.
Critics:
None. I have zero critics.
Final Review:
Armentrout will forever be one of my favourite writers. Her creativity has made me starstruck. I'll admit that I'm a bit biased since I've read basically all the books she's written so far. BUT...that's besides the point. The point is, From Blood and Ash deserves all the raving reviews. I one-hundred-percent recommend this book to EVERYONE.
P.S. This isn't really a young-adult novel. I feel like it's more for adult audiences.
Happy Reading!
Cheers,
Jessica
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