I was provided an ARC via the Author in exchange for an honest review. This book was released on September 1, 2020 and is available at your favorite retailer, purchase links are toward the bottom of the post if you still haven't purchased a copy. In this post you will find the synopsis of the book, my review, a nail look inspired by A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire, purchase links for the book, the author's bio, and a giveaway at the bottom for reading through all of it.
Synopsis:
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.
Review and Nail Look:
I won't do a huge recap in my review because the synopsis above does a
pretty good job setting the scene without spoilers.
I absolutely loved this. It does end with quite the cliffhanger so be
warned, but there were hints along the way that were kind of leading up to
that reveal and while it wasn't exactly what I was thinking, I was pretty
close. It leaves you wanting the third book right away, but as of now
it doesn't have a release date. I expect Jen won't keep us waiting too
long.
This leaves us off where the first book ends. Poppy is hurt and angry
with Hawke/Casteel for betraying her trust and she runs through the gambit
of emotions to work through that. They both have to deal with their
feelings for each other as well as how they are going to move forward with
their futures. Casteel has people counting on him to make the right
decisions, and it is no secret that he has ulterior motives when it comes to
Poppy. Poppy finally able to make her own choices in life outside of
her sheltered life as The Maiden, finds herself surrounded by people that
either don't trust her or outright hate her for what her title
represented. On top of all of that, her gifts are expanding and she
has to deal with her powers expanding and the fear that her abilities bring
forth in others. We get more background on Casteel and how it has
shaped him as well as more into the world of being an Atlantian.
A lot of time is spent on the relationship building and the world building
so the pace is a bit slower than I would have liked. This book is
fairly long to begin with, and there are times when the paces drags a bit
because it is character driven or descriptive versus being action
driven. I don't mind when the author takes time to actually explain
the world or magic system. There are still lots of unanswered
questions, but we have at least 1 if not 2 more books coming in this
series. The action scenes are fast paced, chaotic, and bloody.
Jen doesn't usually write more graphic action scenes but I thought she did a
good job with them here. As for the romance and the steam element,
this doesn't leave you wanting. The author is hinting at a possible
relationship between Poppy, Casteel, and Kieran which is something I haven't
seen from her yet and if the scenes between Poppy and Casteel are any
indication of what we are going to see in the future, sexual tension will be
high and will not disappoint. This is much more adult than the first
book, in both content and description. If you were expecting a YA
Fantasy novel, this isn't it. This definitely is an adult romance set
in a fantasy world.
The banter in this is wonderful. Whether it is Poppy with Casteel or
Poppy and Kieran, or really any of the characters the dialogue is a pleasure
to read. There is quite a bit of dialogue in this book, so if that
isn't your cup of tea you may not enjoy this. I enjoyed it and really
felt like I was getting to know the characters.
Overall, I gave this 5 stars. It has everything I want from a fantasy
and everything I want from a steamy romance. I think the characters
Jen has created, share traits with other fantasy/paranormal characters we've
seen before but they have unique elements making them her own
creation. I love her creativity in creating the Wolven, the Ascended,
the Craven, and the Atlantians as well as an entire pantheon of Gods and
Goddesses to complement the story.
Polishes used: Rica Whiteout, Avon Metallic Effects Gold and Silver,
Sinful Colors Tantalize, KL Polish Havana Nights, Sephora by OPI Blasted
Silver
Stamping Plates used: Bundle Monster BM-H22, Winstonia W102 &
W119, Pueen47
Purchase Links:
AMAZON: https://amzn.to/2FUOzZd
Audio (out 12/1/20): https://amzn.to/2EsoMXw
The audiobook is coming in December for those of you who prefer that
format. The link to preorder is above.
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, six judgemental
alpacas, two rude goats, and five fluffy sheep. 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.
Facebook Group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/JLAandFriends/
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/JLArmentrout
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2YTN4RQ
Giveaway Details
Prizes:
$100 Gift Card to The JLA ShopFIVE Signed Paperback copies of FROM BLOOD & ASH
Open Internationally
Runs 8/28-9/14
(ends at 11:59PM EST on the 14th)
a Rafflecopter giveaway >
