A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire, the second book in the stunning Blood and Ash series by Jennifer L. Armentrout is live!

 

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Blurb

A Betrayal…

Everything Poppy has ever believed in is a lie, including the man she was falling in love with. Thrust among those who see her as a symbol of a monstrous kingdom, she barely knows who she is without the veil of the Maiden. But what she does know is that nothing is as dangerous to her as him. The Dark One. The Prince of Atlantia. He wants her to fight him, and that’s one order she’s more than happy to obey. He may have taken her, but he will never have her.

A Choice…

Casteel Da’Neer is known by many names and many faces. His lies are as seductive as his touch. His truths as sensual as his bite. Poppy knows better than to trust him. He needs her alive, healthy, and whole to achieve his goals. But he’s the only way for her to get what she wants—to find her brother Ian and see for herself if he has become a soulless Ascended. Working with Casteel instead of against him presents its own risks. He still tempts her with every breath, offering up all she’s ever wanted. Casteel has plans for her. Ones that could expose her to unimaginable pleasure and unfathomable pain. Plans that will force her to look beyond everything she thought she knew about herself—about him. Plans that could bind their lives together in unexpected ways that neither kingdom is prepared for. And she’s far too reckless, too hungry, to resist the temptation.

A Secret…

But unrest has grown in Atlantia as they await the return of their Prince. Whispers of war have become stronger, and Poppy is at the very heart of it all. The King wants to use her to send a message. The Descenters want her dead. The wolven are growing more unpredictable. And as her abilities to feel pain and emotion begin to grow and strengthen, the Atlantians start to fear her. Dark secrets are at play, ones steeped in the blood-drenched sins of two kingdoms that would do anything to keep the truth hidden. But when the earth begins to shake, and the skies start to bleed, it may already be too late.

 

 

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Review

5 stars!

From Blood and Ash is one of my favourite reads from 2020, so I have been delirious with excitement waiting for this book, the second in the Blood and Ash series, and it was just as amazing as I was hoping! Funny, exciting, action packed, unexpected and romantic, I loved being back in this paranormal/fantasy world with its incredible characters, and I absolutely loved this one!

Just a warning that this review does contain some minor spoilers for the first book.

This book picks up immediately where the last book finished off – literally, from that cliffhangery final sentence, and we are thrown right back into the chemistry-filled, banterific and sexually charged stand-off between Polly and Casteel. These two have a sensational dynamic, and with Polly still reeling from recent revelations, and both of them planning conflicting courses of action, it’s an explosive situation that is highly entertaining to watch… especially with their sizzling attraction influencing each and every encounter.

He smiled up at me, his eyes twin golden flames. “I do so prefer hand-to-hand combat with you,” he said, catching my other wrist when I swung my fist down. “I like how close it brings us, Princess.”
I shrieked my frustration – my irritation – at him. At myself. “There is something so wrong with you!”
“Probably, but you know what?” He lifted his head off the ground. “That’s the part you like the most.”

Poppy’s life was completely turned upside down in the last book, and she is understandably still trying to figure out who she is, her new world, and her place in it, and Cass’s secrets aren’t helping – neither is all of the anger and distrust that she is faced with by pretty much everyone around her. And with a violent and deadly terror looming, and even her plan to get safe from it all leading her into danger, she’s in an unimaginable position. But luckily, she does have some friends on her side.

“He may hate being called the Dark One, but he has earned that name.” Kieran’s pale eyes met mine as a shiver curled its way down my spine. “But he’s the one thing in all the kingdoms that you, and only you, never have to fear.”

Shivers. Seriously.

It’s exciting and unexpected, with lots of action and violence, and we come to understand a lot more about the history of the kingdoms and those who inhabit them. I found it all really fascinating, and my head was (and still is) spinning madly with theories as each piece of information we learn leads to more questions and conspiracies, and I can’t wait to explore more!

And, of course, alongside all of this, is the romance, and just… wow.

“I don’t want to pretend,” I whispered. “I’m Poppy and you’re Casteel, and this is real.”

“He was the first thing I’d ever truly chosen for myself.”

Sexually, emotionally and romantically frustrating, the angst-filled romance works so well with the story and provides this fantastic sense of anticipation as we wait for Poppy and Cas to quit their bickering and finally open up to each other and get on the same page! There are scenes between them that had me laughing out loud at their antics, but also, I literally screeched out loud at one point because I was so beyond ready for declarations, I just wanted to lock them in a room and make them talk it all out!

“His gaze searched mine, and a long, tense moment passed. “There is so much we still need to talk about.”
“I know,” I whispered. “But it has to wait. I know that, too.”

Gah!! The build-up is epic, and every moment between them is dripping with chemistry. But blessedly, we do get some resolution in this book, and when it finally comes… damn, it was worth it.

“You don’t deserve everything that I’ve laid at your feet, and you sure as hell don’t deserve the fact that I’m still trying to hold onto you. That when it comes time for you to leave, I’m still going to want you. Even when you inevitably do leave, I’ll still want you.”

It’s angsty and intense, and it’s sexy as all hell, and I was feeling it all with them as they started to figure it all out.

“Your heart, Poppy? It is a gift I do not deserve.” He placed his hands on his knees as he lifted his gaze to mine. “But it is one I will protect until my dying breath.”

The book has a bit of a slow start, but it turns out to be a wild ride, with twists and turns, excitement, drama, action, and a lot of laughs. It’s very much a middle-of-the-series book which progresses the story and has its own exciting climax, while setting the scene for more to come.

The book ends in a great place, though on another cliffy that shifts the story off into yet another unexpected direction, and I can’t wait to see where it all goes from here.

5 stars!

An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

 

 

Blood and Ash

 

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About the Author

#1 New York Times and #1 International Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true.  When she’s not hard at work writing. She spends her time reading, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, hanging out with her husband and her Border Jack Apollo. In early 2015, Jennifer was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a group of rare genetic disorders that involve a breakdown and death of cells in the retina, eventually resulting in loss of vision, among other complications. Due to this diagnosis, educating people on the varying degrees of blindness has become of passion of hers, right alongside writing, which she plans to do as long as she can.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Tor, HarperCollins Avon and William Morrow, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her Wicked Series has been optioned by PassionFlix. Jennifer has won numerous awards, including the 2013 Reviewers Choice Award for Wait for You, the 2015 Editor’s Pick for Fall With Me, and the 2014/2015 Moerser-Jugendbuch- Jury award for Obsidian. Her young adult romantic suspense novel DON’T LOOK BACK was a 2014 nominated Best in Young Adult Fiction by YALSA. Her adult romantic suspense novel TILL DEATH was a Amazon Editor’s Pick and iBook Book of the Month. Her young adult contemporary THE PROBLEM WITH FOREVER is a 2017 RITA Award Winner in Young Adult Fiction. She also writes Adult and New Adult contemporary and paranormal romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

She is the owner of ApollyCon and The Origin Event, the successful annual events that features over a hundred bestselling authors in Young Adult, New Adult, and Adult Fiction, panels, parties, and more.

 

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