From Blood and Ash

I am torn between 3.5 and 4 stars. Before I get into this review, I was very nervous to start this book due to the hype surrounding the series. I started it two other times and could not get into it before this latest read. I actually accidentally read [b:A Shadow in the Ember|57282383|A Shadow in the Ember (Flesh and Fire, #1)|Jennifer L. Armentrout|https:i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1619448359l/57282383._SX50_.jpg|89639173] first because I didn't realize its supposed to be 4th in the suggested reading order of these two series.

Let's start with things I did not care for or understand:

- THE NAME SPELLINGS

- What was the purpose of the maiden? Even Poppy states in the book she cannot talk to others because her purpose is serving the gods but nobody will explain what that entails.

- Getting into this book was rough, it took me a very long time to want to continue to read this book with excitement.

- Poppy is described as being isolated her entire life. However, she is not written that way. She is written as daring and rebellious.

- There was so much world-building I lost sight of most of the actual plot, honestly.

Into the good:

- I started to get into it in the end and while others found the plot twists incredibly predictable, I had zero clue about Hawke and I really did enjoy the last 5 ish chapters.

- the last bit of the book is what saves the rating and possibly gets me to read the second one. It is a ride of passion, romance, and a wild ride. Plus, cliffhangers always get me.

I like this one due to the different nature of the characters and the reveal is fun but I couldn’t get fully into it

Predictable, but lots of fun to read - and we all need fun books to read.

Loved

This was one of those books that started out terribly, but began picking up the more you read. I almost dropped it, really. The first couple of chapters were so full of information, it was not only overwhelming for me, but boring. It felt rather awkward to read as a result, but the plot piqued my interest, so I continued. I guess it was every romance reader's dream to see Poppy and Hawke reunite after their first encounter ended so abruptly.

After that little scene, things began building up, not specifically in terms of their reunion, but of the world the author has built. It was really interesting to learn it all little by little. It got a little confusing for me along the way as the history of it all became clearer though. So many kings and queens, and the part they played that led up to this present moment. The author played a lot around fantastical beings we already knew about and created something original, and I felt that instead of it being pretentious, it was smart. A lot of unexpected moments.

The dynamic I love most between Poppy and Hawke is how much trust he has with her defense capabilities. Instead of being the man who protects her and tells her to keep out of danger all the time, he continues to let her live her life as she likes. And if she needs help, that's when he will come in to do just that, all for her. He's not some intolerable Prince Charming, and she's not a helpless maiden. Are they a Mary Sue and Gary Stu? Perhaps. But I still like them all the same.

Currently waiting in line for book two on my local library app. Looking forward to it! I live for the steam (hehe), the conversations and banter, the sweet romance, and the mysteries that are still unsolved. Most importantly, how would all this end?