From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout: A Book Review
Genre: Fantasy
When I first started reading From Blood and Ash, I could not help but nerd out over the physical pages. The weight of the paper and ratio of white space to ink really appeal to me. I am not ashamed to admit that I gushed over it for a couple hours. Besides the format Blue Box Press published the story in, Armentrout caught me hook, line, and sinker in her introduction of Poppy.
Forced to be someone she isn’t for a kingdom that gives her nothing, Poppy has no idea what her future holds. All she knows is that she must do what is expected; something all those growing up can understand. Coming into her own, Poppy is a strong girl character; feminine while still a warrior inside and out. Her courage is welcoming as well as her ability to still be a bada** while still being wholly feminine. I have to applaud Armentrout for that. It is too often the case that girl warriors are depicted as one or the other, most often with their feminine side being viewed as a weakness. Through Poppy though, Armentrout was able to detail how being a woman is neither a weakness or a liability (unless you think of it as one) and neither have to be sacrificed to be who you are.
I normally do not do sequels as the second is never as good as the first, but I think I am going to make the exception for this. By the end of From Blood and Ash, I was already looking for the next chapter found in A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire. Unfortunately, a hardcover copy of this book is around forty dollars and my library does not hold it in stock, so I am going to have to wait even as it hurts my soul. I think I can speak for everyone that Armentrout has a new fan just waiting for her next book to come out.
Who would most enjoy the work:
Fans of Sarah Maas: A Court of Thorns and Roses
Fans of George R. R. Martian: A Game of Thrones
Fans of Justin Travis Call: Master of Sorrows
Other books like the one reviewed:
A Queen in Hiding by Sarah Kozloff
She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan
Song of the Crimson Flower by Julie C. Dao
| Plot: | 10/ 10 |
| Characters: | 10/ 10 |
| Writing: | 10/ 10 |
| Editor: | 10/ 10 |
| Total | 40/ 40 |
Title: From Blood and Ash
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Edition: Hardcover
Published: May 25, 2021
Publisher: Blue Box Press
ISBN: 9781952457463
If you want to get it: Amazon; Barnes&Noble
Rosey Reviews 