Fantasy romance is my favorite genre so I’m excited to review this book From Blood And Ash. I’m usually a fan of strong female leads and when I read the blurb of From Blood And Ash I immediately notice that this book suits my taste.
Well, I have read lots of fantasy romance books and I’m quite picky when it comes to standards. So, I’ll see if From Blood And Ash will keep up with it.
Fantasy romance books offer their readers lots of things to be excited about. And on my part, it’s basically the world-building that got my attention first, and the chemistry and the strong storyline between the main protagonists.
What makes a fantasy romance book successful for me is not just the incorporation of romance in a certain fantasy world but the substance of the plot too.
As there are actually lots of fantasy romance books out there, I’m looking for something that is a stand-out or at least a hidden gem. So, let’s see if From Blood And Ash is all worth our time.
Dark Queen: Rise Of The Hybrid Also Deserves A Read
- Part 1: From Blood And Ash Plot Summary
- Part 2: Plot Review of From Blood And Ash
- Part 3: The Maiden of From Blood And Ash
- Part 4: Recommending a Similar Book To From Blood And Ash
Part 1: From Blood And Ash Plot Summary
” Never to be touched. Never to look upon. Never to experience a pleasure. But because a Maiden has a heart. And a soul. And longing, when Hawke, a golden-eyed guard enters her life, destiny, and duty become tangled with desire and need. ”
From Blood And Ash follows the story of Penallaphe, also known as Poppy, Princess, or the Maiden. She must never be touched because she is the Maiden. She is not allowed to interact with people, celebrate her birthday, go on picnics, or defend herself.
Without being reminded of her obligation to the Gods, she is unable to live her life or experience whatever she desires for herself. She does not enjoy the same privileges as those around her. She defies expectations. She disregards the repercussions and does as she sees fit.
In From Blood And Ash, despite it being the highest honor, the Maiden must live alone until she is handed to the gods at her Ascension, a fate Poppy dreads. Things only become worse when she meets Hawke Flynn, a stunningly attractive Royal Guard.
Poppy is drawn to him while knowing that doing so would cause the gods to reject her. But with a fallen nation on the rise, she must now fear for both her life and the approval of the gods.
Part 2: Plot Review of From Blood And Ash
She can’t be touched nor she can love because she’s a maiden. This is the premise of From Blood And Ash. Here we have a strong heroine choosing between love and her mission. This is actually a very good premise for the plot to revolve around. The storyline is strong. The potential for plot continuity was there, but I find myself getting bored in the middle.
Why? It’s not the slow-burn romance between Poppy and Hawke. I like slow-burn romance. Maybe some scenes are just not as interesting as what has been promised to me in the blurb. Also, to be honest, though this book comes with a trigger warning but rape and some violent scenes aren’t just for me.
And also I am looking to see more about Poppy here in From Blood And Ash, to have my questions answered about her like why she’s a maiden.
So, I was looking to read more of her maiden arch. But it was lacking. There are more smut scenes that I think readers of sexy romance will enjoy in this book too. The world-building of From Blood And Ash intrigued me too.
I was expecting to see a more grand and wide world of fantasy since the premise draws us to the involvement of the gods, kingdoms, and Poppy’s mission. This is the thing that keeps me excited and the reason why I pick up the book. Yeah, From Blood And Ash is promising. This book promises to draw us to the maiden’s world.
Part 3: The Maiden of From Blood And Ash
Poppy The Maiden
Poppy is the main character of From Blood And Ash. She’s a strong female lead. She can fight. She can use daggers. And she has powers too but she was about to ruin her potential, her ascension by falling in love. This is where the cliche of her character is centered.
Poppy, of From The Blood And Ash is kept in seclusion, made to wear a veil, barred from social interaction, and constantly watched over for her safety.
She had a traumatic past that left her with a beautiful scar. She has two fantastic guards who are actually pretty pleasant, Tawny, a maid who is usually with her and with whom she communicates. Poppy, of From The Blood And Ash does, in fact, have challenges growing up as the maiden.
Poppy draws my interest. Here in From Blood And Ash, we got a female lead who can slay her own dragon, one who seemed not to need a man but then one day was forced to trust a man. I was expecting to get more of her heroic tough character but then I got more smut scenes instead.
Part 4: Recommending a Similar Book To From Blood And Ash
” She can’t be just anyone’s mate because she’s the Dark Queen.”
If you love the premise of From Blood And Ash, you will surely love Dark Queen: Rise Of The Hybrid. This is also a fantasy romance novel that tells the adventure of Dawn’s claiming the throne that was stolen from her and her clan.
Dawn is the Dark Queen because among the werewolves she’s the only one who can shift under a moonless sky. She’s strong. She can fight and she’s a healer. And like Poppy in From Blood And Ash, she’s caught between her mission and falling in love. What I really like most in Dark Queen: Rise Of The Hybrid is the world-building.
I honestly love the world-building in this story. All supernaturals collide here. If you are a lover of werewolf romance, this book will lead you to another level of the werewolf system.
The female lead here is crafted with unique powers and personality, plus the romantic interaction here isn’t the kind we usually read.
I love From Blood And Ash, but I love Dark Queen: Rise Of The Hybrid more because this book has no graphic content. The plot is deep and meaningful, plus the dialogues are worth quotable.
