From Blood & Ash | Jennifer L Armentrout (book 1)

Star Rating: 4/5
Spice Rating: 9/10
Art Rating: 8.5 / 10 

Favourite Quote: “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.”

Synopsis;

“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.”

Review (spoilers);

From Blood & Ash has been a highly anticipated read for me. I put off reading it when it first got released as i wanted to see what others thought of it. Since its release, it has become a sensation on Bookstagram and Booktok - however there are still some major mixed reviews about it! So i decided to finally buy book one and check it out for myself. 

If you were / are a fan of the Twilight series, you will enjoy the narrative and the world that Armentrout has created. The story focuses on Poppy, a strong female character who is struggling to take control of her life due to the circumstances she is born into. Her world is then turned upside down and we follow her on a journey as she begins to unravel the truth about herself, her childhood and those around her. It is full of shock, heartbreak and love - a perfect adventure to escape into.

i absolutely loved that Poppy grows and learns how to break out of her chains and become a strong character in her own right. Her relationship with Hawke is a whirlwind, and Armentrout really captured the emotions of when you fall in love for the first time and i personally couldn't get enough of their growing passion towards each other. Hawke is this tall dark and handsome character with an obvious past and as the reader, you want to figure him out so badly! When we find out that he is not who he says he is, Poppy is heartbroken and to be honest, so was I! I had an inclining that he wasn't who he said he was, but when the truth came out, it still was a shock. As the narrative continues, we find out more about the world that the characters live in; the Ascended are the blood-sucking vampires we are used to and the Atlantian's are still vampires but are born rather than created & are able to walk in the sun & anything a human can do (bit confusing at first but it all ties in nicely towards the end)! 

Over all, i loved it. Fast paced with a brilliant love story. However, i understand how some people would be irritated by the narrative. There is ALOT of inner monologue from Poppy and if you removed most of that, you'd still understand the story - however, i personally enjoy that as you get to understand in depth her thoughts and feelings towards a situation AND as the narrative progresses, you also see a difference in how she reacts due to her character growth. Poppy also asks ALOT of questions to other characters and even though i had the same questions and welcomed the answers, it was frustrating at times when every other page was 'i have a question'. This is why i only rated it 4 stars. I think if i wasn't a fan of vampires, werewolves and a battle between two Kingdoms, this would have gotten lower stars!

Let me know your thoughts about From Blood & Ash!