From Blood & Ash #1

From Blood & Ash

Specs:

What The Vibes Are

What It’s About

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.

What I thought about it

***Possible Spoilers below

From Blood And Ash (FBAA) follows Penellaphe “Poppy”, who is the Maiden that is prophesied to be the salvation of her people. She resides at court, kept away from everyone and only allowed to speak to a handful of people. But she isn’t exactly one to follow the rules. Always sneaking out and getting into trouble, Poppy comes across Hawke while out on a “covert excursion.” Hawke is our MMC and a Royal Guard who eventually becomes her personal guard. As the story goes on, the plot is filled with battles and deception as Poppy’s world is turned upside down when the Dark One comes for her, and she doesn’t know who to trust.

Character Thoughts:

Penellaphe “Poppy:”

First of all, this is a dramatic way to spell Penelope. Second of all, I love her. While being the Maiden is an idolized position or “gift”, Poppy would rather be anyone else. Unable to socialize, show her face (She wears a veil that covers her eyes), or even learn to defend herself. Although she does all those things anyway. Rebelling any way she could without getting caught, Poppy is stubborn, fierce, deadly, and smart. She gives as much as she receives and is always quick to respond. After the loss of her parents, who left her physically and emotionally scarred, she dealt with traumas from both her past and present. Poppy met Hawke at the brothel/casino and ended up in his room. He believed she was someone else, which left things awkward when he became her guard. Watching her relationship with Hawke develop was both entertaining and endearing – that is, if you love an MFC who tries to murder the witty, sexy MMC.

Hawke Flynn:

This man gives me heart palpitations. Hawke was a complex character. He plays off this player persona. Sarcastic and witty with a killer smile, but as his character develops, we learn more and more about what made him who he is. When it comes to Poppy, his driving force was curiosity and attraction. He spent his time bantering, teasing, and bickering with Poppy just to piss her off for his amusement. He is protective, reassuring, funny, and charming. He reminds Poppy who she is, not what she is, and encourages her violent side. Enough to comment on it frequently with awe.

Favorite Quotes

“You’re an absolutely stunning, murderous little creature.” 

– Hawke, Chapter 15

“Remember that, I warned, sweeping down to pick up the fallen short sword. And this, I spat. Light and double-edged, I spliced open the throat of the next Descenter.”

– Poppy, Chapter 26

“Some truths do nothing but destroy and decay what they do not obliterate. Truths do not always set one free. Only a fool who has spent their entire life being fed lies believes that.” 

– Hawke, Chapter 27

Conclusion

From Blood & Ash was a fast-paced romantasy filled with an oppressive, religious-fueled government, a false chosen one, and forbidden romance that’ll leave you yearning for more.

The plot displayed a lot of world-building to help even out the romance and banter. The atmosphere of the world and the characters that Armentrout built were both amazing and infuriating, but that’s just because most of the characters were horrible people. The Duke and the Lord were the worst. Absolute sadists. I hollered when the Duke met his fate. And the absolute feminine rage that Poppy unleashed onto the Lord was *chef kiss*. It was the most beautiful display of brutality and revenge, and I am here for it.

And of course, the novel ended on a cliffhanger! So I sit here waiting till I can get the sequel. If you read it, comment below and tell me what you thought!

♡ G&P