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A review by abookgoblin
From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout
4.0
Actual rating: 3.5/5 stars
I think I have a love-hate relationship with From Blood and Ash. I tried to read this book 2 times over before actually pushing through and, boy, am I glad I stuck with it. If you've never truly put the older YA books, enemies-to-lovers trope, and the hot anti-hero plots behind you, then this book is for you. It's a story about the 'Maiden', an untouched, rapunzel-esque character who is not allowed to experience...literally anything. She just needs to be quiet and do what she is told, because the gods say so. Obviously, this wouldn't be a hot paranormal romance if she didn't at least sneak out once in a while. Fast forward about 100 pages of continuous info dump and boring bits, we meet Hawke, the irresistible, charismatic, and typical 'love interest written by a woman' (aka the man of our dreams?). Insert a plotpoint that I still not get, Hawke becomes her personal guard and things ensue from there.
Not gonna lie, the first 300 pages were excessive and didn't need to be there at. all. I'm currently little over halfway through the second book and I'm sensing a pattern: Jennifer loves to stay in certain places for a long time. Every bit of action is packed within the last 100 pages and boy did it deliver. I'm not saying this book isn't predictable from beginning to end, but I'm enjoying it nonetheless. I cannot stay away from it for more than an hour before I'm back on the couch and opening the book again to read some more. It's addictive, suuuuper hot, and just overall a good time. Yes, it's an ACOMAF ripoff, but it's a GOOD ripoff. There, I said it.
I think I have a love-hate relationship with From Blood and Ash. I tried to read this book 2 times over before actually pushing through and, boy, am I glad I stuck with it. If you've never truly put the older YA books, enemies-to-lovers trope, and the hot anti-hero plots behind you, then this book is for you. It's a story about the 'Maiden', an untouched, rapunzel-esque character who is not allowed to experience...literally anything. She just needs to be quiet and do what she is told, because the gods say so. Obviously, this wouldn't be a hot paranormal romance if she didn't at least sneak out once in a while. Fast forward about 100 pages of continuous info dump and boring bits, we meet Hawke, the irresistible, charismatic, and typical 'love interest written by a woman' (aka the man of our dreams?). Insert a plotpoint that I still not get, Hawke becomes her personal guard and things ensue from there.
Not gonna lie, the first 300 pages were excessive and didn't need to be there at. all. I'm currently little over halfway through the second book and I'm sensing a pattern: Jennifer loves to stay in certain places for a long time. Every bit of action is packed within the last 100 pages and boy did it deliver. I'm not saying this book isn't predictable from beginning to end, but I'm enjoying it nonetheless. I cannot stay away from it for more than an hour before I'm back on the couch and opening the book again to read some more. It's addictive, suuuuper hot, and just overall a good time. Yes, it's an ACOMAF ripoff, but it's a GOOD ripoff. There, I said it.