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samyinbookworld's review
4.0
If you like the TV series Supernatural then you are going to like this book as well. The author described a world where supernatural or paranormal (which ever you prefer) creature co-exist with humans. With her book The Curse which is a prequel to Heir of Ashes, she presents an ancient world with two clans who are in conflict. In the next book - Heir of Ashes - the author presents us Roxanne Fosch who is a supernatural being. Since she was a young girl, human scientists conducted experiments on her in a government lab.
You can really see that the author has put a lot of effort to create Roxanne who is also my favourite character. I admire her because despite living a in a facility where she was tortured for years, she never lost her spunk to fight for her own life or for life of other supernatural creatures. I also liked Rafael because he is very loyal to his friends and wanted to protect them no matter the cost. On the other hand, I didn't like Logan. Even though he helped Roxanne a lot and they had a spark between them, I didn't feel like he would fight for her after the mission. To me it more seemed that him and Roxanne only had a sudden attraction and nothing more. But who know what will happen between them later on in the series.
The story line was at first slow-paced and then fast. There was a lot of actions scenes, especially fighting ones and a few shooting ones. The later I didn't like. Why would you use guns if you are a supernatural being? Weakly humans use artillery not supernatural creatures.
Overall I enjoyed reading Heir of Ashes and I can't wait to see how the characters and their story develops further on.
You can really see that the author has put a lot of effort to create Roxanne who is also my favourite character. I admire her because despite living a in a facility where she was tortured for years, she never lost her spunk to fight for her own life or for life of other supernatural creatures. I also liked Rafael because he is very loyal to his friends and wanted to protect them no matter the cost. On the other hand, I didn't like Logan. Even though he helped Roxanne a lot and they had a spark between them, I didn't feel like he would fight for her after the mission. To me it more seemed that him and Roxanne only had a sudden attraction and nothing more. But who know what will happen between them later on in the series.
The story line was at first slow-paced and then fast. There was a lot of actions scenes, especially fighting ones and a few shooting ones. The later I didn't like. Why would you use guns if you are a supernatural being? Weakly humans use artillery not supernatural creatures.
Overall I enjoyed reading Heir of Ashes and I can't wait to see how the characters and their story develops further on.
popthebutterfly's review
4.0
Disclaimer: I received this book from the author! Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Heir of Ashes
Author: Jina S. Bazzar
Book Series: The Roxanne Fosch Files Book 1
Rating: 4/5
Recommended For...: dystopian and urban fantasy lovers
Publication Date: April 2018
Genre: Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (violence, slight gore, slight romance and sexual content)
Publisher: Creativia
Pages: 424
Synopsis: Roxanne Fosch had a perfectly normal life at the age of twelve. Cool, popular, pretty, smart. Her dreams of a perfect, successful and prosperous future seemed well within her grasp.
By the time she was twenty-two she had become a commodity. A fugitive. She was being hunted.
As Roxanne embarks on the dangerous quest to search for half-truths about her past, she discovers she’s not just an abnormal human, but a rarity even among her Fee peers.
She is hunted by scientists, keen to exploit her extraordinary abilities, as well as other beings far more dangerous whose plans for her she cannot fathom
Review: For the most part I liked this book. I thought this book had great writing for the most part and the world building was amazing. I liked the plot and the ending kept me wanting more. The book also did well to keep the twists and turns fresh and unexpected!
However, I did think that the character development could have been better, especially some of the romance. The book did well and I feel invested in these characters, but I would like more. The pacing was also slow in parts and it made it a little disjointed in reading it.
Verdict: This was a well done book and great beginning to the series!
Book: Heir of Ashes
Author: Jina S. Bazzar
Book Series: The Roxanne Fosch Files Book 1
Rating: 4/5
Recommended For...: dystopian and urban fantasy lovers
Publication Date: April 2018
Genre: Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (violence, slight gore, slight romance and sexual content)
Publisher: Creativia
Pages: 424
Synopsis: Roxanne Fosch had a perfectly normal life at the age of twelve. Cool, popular, pretty, smart. Her dreams of a perfect, successful and prosperous future seemed well within her grasp.
By the time she was twenty-two she had become a commodity. A fugitive. She was being hunted.
As Roxanne embarks on the dangerous quest to search for half-truths about her past, she discovers she’s not just an abnormal human, but a rarity even among her Fee peers.
She is hunted by scientists, keen to exploit her extraordinary abilities, as well as other beings far more dangerous whose plans for her she cannot fathom
Review: For the most part I liked this book. I thought this book had great writing for the most part and the world building was amazing. I liked the plot and the ending kept me wanting more. The book also did well to keep the twists and turns fresh and unexpected!
However, I did think that the character development could have been better, especially some of the romance. The book did well and I feel invested in these characters, but I would like more. The pacing was also slow in parts and it made it a little disjointed in reading it.
Verdict: This was a well done book and great beginning to the series!
reeminbooks's review
3.0
This book is like one of those dark paranormal movies, where everything moves so fast you don’t even see it coming.
The storyline was new to me, different from my usual reads, it had something unique about it. But honestly I think the plot was a bit rushed, so not everything made much sense.
It was slow-paced at some parts, then action-packed at the others. The fighting scenes were one of my favourite things about it though, sometimes it was easy to expect what would happen, sometimes I ended up having a mini heart attack.
The writing style was so simple and easy, that helped me fly through the pages.
It took me half the book to make sense of what was happening and why it was happening. And even now I still have a few doubts about a couple of things.
I really, really liked the whole aura system mixed with paranormal creatures. That’s something you don’t see a lot in books, and in it’s a bit complicated and messy to write about. So I really admire Jina’s hard work to make it happen.
The characters were diverse and mysterious. I really liked Roxanne and felt sorry for her. I admire her determination to get her life back together, even after all she went through, and is still going through.
However I didn’t really feel the romance scenes between her and Logan. It was one of those rushed, doesn’t make a lot of sense things. Or maybe my cold heart doesn’t register these stuff so much anymore.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading Heir of Ashes despite my objections. And I still have hope for the rest of the series to get even better. Can’t wait to see what will happen in the next book
“The mind was a beautiful thing. A sea of lights, contrasting everywhere with shadows and colors, some like a dot on a map- barely significant, others shining as brilliant as the sun.”
The storyline was new to me, different from my usual reads, it had something unique about it. But honestly I think the plot was a bit rushed, so not everything made much sense.
It was slow-paced at some parts, then action-packed at the others. The fighting scenes were one of my favourite things about it though, sometimes it was easy to expect what would happen, sometimes I ended up having a mini heart attack.
The writing style was so simple and easy, that helped me fly through the pages.
It took me half the book to make sense of what was happening and why it was happening. And even now I still have a few doubts about a couple of things.
I really, really liked the whole aura system mixed with paranormal creatures. That’s something you don’t see a lot in books, and in it’s a bit complicated and messy to write about. So I really admire Jina’s hard work to make it happen.
“My rage had the control seat. For a timeless moment, I moved neither forward nor backward.”
The characters were diverse and mysterious. I really liked Roxanne and felt sorry for her. I admire her determination to get her life back together, even after all she went through, and is still going through.
However I didn’t really feel the romance scenes between her and Logan. It was one of those rushed, doesn’t make a lot of sense things. Or maybe my cold heart doesn’t register these stuff so much anymore.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading Heir of Ashes despite my objections. And I still have hope for the rest of the series to get even better. Can’t wait to see what will happen in the next book
thedutchbookreviewer's review against another edition
4.0
Original review can be found here.
“Being a monster doesn’t make you a monster.”
In Heir of Ashes we meet Roxanne Fosch. Her life was pretty normal at he age of twelve. Her dreams of a perfect, successful and prosperous future seemed well within her grasp.
By the time she was twenty-two, she had become a commodity. A fugitive. She was being hunted. As Roxanne embarks on the dangerous quest to search for half-truths about her past, she discovers she’s not just an abnormal human, but a rarity even among her peers. She is hunted by scientists, keen to exploit her extraordinary abilities, as well as other beings far more dangerous whose plans for her she cannot fanthom
“How can a monster tell if he’s a monster if he’s never known anything else.”
First of all, I want to thank Jina for getting me a digital review copy!
First I read the prequel to Heir of Ashes, which is The Curse. The Curse tells you the events that happened before Heir of Ashes. But The Curse confused me, and it made me dread Heir of Ashes a bit. But Heir of Ashes was so different! I fell in love with the writing style. It was an amazing book that I loved. It felt like a mix of a few (urban) fantasies that I loved. Thanks to this, the story felt very familiar. It sort of felt like coming home after a long day.
Roxanne is such a lovely character! She went through so much, and you know what events shaped her. It felt like she went through a few developments in this book and we as readers keep cheering on her from the sideline!
I loved the events that happened in this book, it was never boring, and there was always some sort of edge to the story. Because you knew something was going to happen, but you never knew what.
I ended up giving this book 4,5 out of 5 stars
“Being a monster doesn’t make you a monster.”
In Heir of Ashes we meet Roxanne Fosch. Her life was pretty normal at he age of twelve. Her dreams of a perfect, successful and prosperous future seemed well within her grasp.
By the time she was twenty-two, she had become a commodity. A fugitive. She was being hunted. As Roxanne embarks on the dangerous quest to search for half-truths about her past, she discovers she’s not just an abnormal human, but a rarity even among her peers. She is hunted by scientists, keen to exploit her extraordinary abilities, as well as other beings far more dangerous whose plans for her she cannot fanthom
“How can a monster tell if he’s a monster if he’s never known anything else.”
First of all, I want to thank Jina for getting me a digital review copy!
First I read the prequel to Heir of Ashes, which is The Curse. The Curse tells you the events that happened before Heir of Ashes. But The Curse confused me, and it made me dread Heir of Ashes a bit. But Heir of Ashes was so different! I fell in love with the writing style. It was an amazing book that I loved. It felt like a mix of a few (urban) fantasies that I loved. Thanks to this, the story felt very familiar. It sort of felt like coming home after a long day.
Roxanne is such a lovely character! She went through so much, and you know what events shaped her. It felt like she went through a few developments in this book and we as readers keep cheering on her from the sideline!
I loved the events that happened in this book, it was never boring, and there was always some sort of edge to the story. Because you knew something was going to happen, but you never knew what.
I ended up giving this book 4,5 out of 5 stars
kazuchuu's review against another edition
3.0
➳Full review now posted.
(This review can also be found on my blog!)
(Note: Thanks to the author, Jina, for sending me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and are not influenced by this factor.)
[3/5]
Heir of Ashes is a book with an interesting magic system – one that, in my opinion, is well-developed. I always appreciate fantasy books with proper world-building, and Heir of Ashes is definitely one of them.
Roxanne is a well-thought-out character, too. I love her independence, her fierce fighting technique, and her ability to stand up for herself and for others. For everything that she goes through in the book, it’s clear she’d rather just give in and lose her mind already, but she keeps it together, and I admire that kind of courage.
One of the best things about this book are the action scenes. We’re thrown into one right from the get-go, and while every reader might not agree with me, I often like that if it’s done right. It grabs my attention immediately, and in this novel, showed me just how dangerous Roxanne’s life is. If you think things can’t get worse from there, then trust me, they do. Poor girl.
I think Roxanne is the only character I actually really like—her, and Kincaid, even if he only makes small appearances. But Logan? I can’t get myself to even like him. Not at all, and here’s why:
At one point in the book, Roxanne and Logan get into a fight. Throughout the fight, Roxanne compares Logan to a predator, and his anger scares her. She’s wary of him, is prepared to strike him down if he oversteps his boundaries, and tells him to stay away from her.
“My talons were at the ready, in case he decided to get more physical.”
And then Logan actually kisses her during the fight. And I’m not talking about the ‘I’m-sorry-I-was-wrong’ kiss either. I’m talking about the aggressive, forceful kind of kiss, one that Roxanne really doesn’t want, and yet he still does it even though she’s clearly against it. Just look at these quotes:
“Before I could react, his lips crushed mine with bruising force.”
“Terror choked me, keeping my struggles feeble. I tried to knee him but he blocked expertly.”
“—and my eyes were huge with terror – a response predators pounced upon.”
And then he expresses that he’s been meant ‘to protect her’ and that he won’t hurt her, and won’t touch her if she doesn’t want him to, even though he did just that.
I will say that one good thing about this situation is that Roxanne calls him out on it. I was so happy when I saw that because for once, for once, the female protagonist in a fantasy novel calls out the male protagonist about his violent ways of showing “affection.”
The bad part?
They become a couple after that.
I mean, what?? How?? Why??
I found the romance to be completely sudden and abrupt, with barely any build-up—and the scenario I just described only angered me further. It feels as though Logan keeps forcing it to happen until Roxanne gives in. Comparing a male to a ‘predator’ or a ‘wolf’ or some other ferocious animal is not ‘romantic’. It’s disgusting. This is one trope that is especially found in fantasy that I really hope stops soon. It’s not okay, and young girls reading books like these should know that consent is a must and that it’s a basic human right.
Another male in this story who, in my opinion, is quite problematic is Rafael. Whenever Roxanne wears anything revealing, he gives her weird looks. I’m not sure what that’s supposed to mean, but I didn’t appreciate it.
Other than that, this book is fairly intriguing – there’s more than what meets the eye in this world that Roxanne has to live in, and as you read on you discover that you can’t really trust anybody. I think that makes the book more surprising and thrilling, having us trying to guess who’s friend and who’s foe. Roxanne is a character you want to root for, and every time she kills someone badass-style, I imagine some heavy metal music playing in the background. She’s just that cool.
So, I’d say if you’re a fantasy-lover, you can give this one a go, but please be aware of the problematic themes in it. This book isn’t perfect, but it’s got potential – I’m hoping Logan at least recognises his mistakes in the sequel, and Rafael stops giving Roxanne those judgemental looks of his.
(This review can also be found on my blog!)
(Note: Thanks to the author, Jina, for sending me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and are not influenced by this factor.)
“Time was so precious, and it just kept ticking away.”
[3/5]
Heir of Ashes is a book with an interesting magic system – one that, in my opinion, is well-developed. I always appreciate fantasy books with proper world-building, and Heir of Ashes is definitely one of them.
Roxanne is a well-thought-out character, too. I love her independence, her fierce fighting technique, and her ability to stand up for herself and for others. For everything that she goes through in the book, it’s clear she’d rather just give in and lose her mind already, but she keeps it together, and I admire that kind of courage.
One of the best things about this book are the action scenes. We’re thrown into one right from the get-go, and while every reader might not agree with me, I often like that if it’s done right. It grabs my attention immediately, and in this novel, showed me just how dangerous Roxanne’s life is. If you think things can’t get worse from there, then trust me, they do. Poor girl.
I think Roxanne is the only character I actually really like—her, and Kincaid, even if he only makes small appearances. But Logan? I can’t get myself to even like him. Not at all, and here’s why:
At one point in the book, Roxanne and Logan get into a fight. Throughout the fight, Roxanne compares Logan to a predator, and his anger scares her. She’s wary of him, is prepared to strike him down if he oversteps his boundaries, and tells him to stay away from her.
“My talons were at the ready, in case he decided to get more physical.”
And then Logan actually kisses her during the fight. And I’m not talking about the ‘I’m-sorry-I-was-wrong’ kiss either. I’m talking about the aggressive, forceful kind of kiss, one that Roxanne really doesn’t want, and yet he still does it even though she’s clearly against it. Just look at these quotes:
“Before I could react, his lips crushed mine with bruising force.”
“Terror choked me, keeping my struggles feeble. I tried to knee him but he blocked expertly.”
“—and my eyes were huge with terror – a response predators pounced upon.”
And then he expresses that he’s been meant ‘to protect her’ and that he won’t hurt her, and won’t touch her if she doesn’t want him to, even though he did just that.
I will say that one good thing about this situation is that Roxanne calls him out on it. I was so happy when I saw that because for once, for once, the female protagonist in a fantasy novel calls out the male protagonist about his violent ways of showing “affection.”
The bad part?
They become a couple after that.
I mean, what?? How?? Why??
I found the romance to be completely sudden and abrupt, with barely any build-up—and the scenario I just described only angered me further. It feels as though Logan keeps forcing it to happen until Roxanne gives in. Comparing a male to a ‘predator’ or a ‘wolf’ or some other ferocious animal is not ‘romantic’. It’s disgusting. This is one trope that is especially found in fantasy that I really hope stops soon. It’s not okay, and young girls reading books like these should know that consent is a must and that it’s a basic human right.
Another male in this story who, in my opinion, is quite problematic is Rafael. Whenever Roxanne wears anything revealing, he gives her weird looks. I’m not sure what that’s supposed to mean, but I didn’t appreciate it.
Other than that, this book is fairly intriguing – there’s more than what meets the eye in this world that Roxanne has to live in, and as you read on you discover that you can’t really trust anybody. I think that makes the book more surprising and thrilling, having us trying to guess who’s friend and who’s foe. Roxanne is a character you want to root for, and every time she kills someone badass-style, I imagine some heavy metal music playing in the background. She’s just that cool.
So, I’d say if you’re a fantasy-lover, you can give this one a go, but please be aware of the problematic themes in it. This book isn’t perfect, but it’s got potential – I’m hoping Logan at least recognises his mistakes in the sequel, and Rafael stops giving Roxanne those judgemental looks of his.
samyinbookworld's review against another edition
4.0
If you like the TV series Supernatural then you are going to like this book as well. The author described a world where supernatural or paranormal (which ever you prefer) creature co-exist with humans. With her book The Curse which is a prequel to Heir of Ashes, she presents an ancient world with two clans who are in conflict. In the next book - Heir of Ashes - the author presents us Roxanne Fosch who is a supernatural being. Since she was a young girl, human scientists conducted experiments on her in a government lab.
You can really see that the author has put a lot of effort to create Roxanne who is also my favourite character. I admire her because despite living a in a facility where she was tortured for years, she never lost her spunk to fight for her own life or for life of other supernatural creatures. I also liked Rafael because he is very loyal to his friends and wanted to protect them no matter the cost. On the other hand, I didn't like Logan. Even though he helped Roxanne a lot and they had a spark between them, I didn't feel like he would fight for her after the mission. To me it more seemed that him and Roxanne only had a sudden attraction and nothing more. But who know what will happen between them later on in the series.
The story line was at first slow-paced and then fast. There was a lot of actions scenes, especially fighting ones and a few shooting ones. The later I didn't like. Why would you use guns if you are a supernatural being? Weakly humans use artillery not supernatural creatures.
Overall I enjoyed reading Heir of Ashes and I can't wait to see how the characters and their story develops further on.
You can really see that the author has put a lot of effort to create Roxanne who is also my favourite character. I admire her because despite living a in a facility where she was tortured for years, she never lost her spunk to fight for her own life or for life of other supernatural creatures. I also liked Rafael because he is very loyal to his friends and wanted to protect them no matter the cost. On the other hand, I didn't like Logan. Even though he helped Roxanne a lot and they had a spark between them, I didn't feel like he would fight for her after the mission. To me it more seemed that him and Roxanne only had a sudden attraction and nothing more. But who know what will happen between them later on in the series.
The story line was at first slow-paced and then fast. There was a lot of actions scenes, especially fighting ones and a few shooting ones. The later I didn't like. Why would you use guns if you are a supernatural being? Weakly humans use artillery not supernatural creatures.
Overall I enjoyed reading Heir of Ashes and I can't wait to see how the characters and their story develops further on.
libraryofbecca's review against another edition
5.0
Heir of Ashes is the first book in the Roxanne Fosch series by Jina S. Bazzar. It’s an epic, exhilarating fantasy journey and I can't wait to see where the rest of the series leads.
At 400 pages this novel might seem long and drawn out but it was anything that. I read 200 pages in nearly one sitting without even realizing how much I was reading. Each and every page of this novel was important for understanding the plot, the story and Roxanne.
The story centers around main character Roxanne Fosch as she runs for her life from crazed scientists who seek to keep her locked up. The book starts would with a bang and event after event after that kept me on my toes and at the edge of my seat.
The story was a bit confusing at first, but what fantasy novel isn't? Creating a world and culture takes time and craft, something Bazzar mastered beautifully. Little details sprinkled in here and there kept the gears turning in my head, wondering the truth behind Roxanne’s life and what she really was. The end of the novel weaved together wonderfully, all the little pieces falling into place perfectly. I wouldn't say everything in this book was unpredictable, I did see a few things coming, but this book contained the perfect mix of predictable and unpredictable.
Roxanne Fosch is an interesting heroine. Bazzar crafted her to be a strong, independent woman who didn't need a man (okay, but the man she did allow to help her was swoon worthy anyhow). It was refreshing to see Roxanne fight back again and again, never giving up.
I'd recommend this book to anyone who's looking to read the start to a unique fantasy series with a kick-ass heroine.
At 400 pages this novel might seem long and drawn out but it was anything that. I read 200 pages in nearly one sitting without even realizing how much I was reading. Each and every page of this novel was important for understanding the plot, the story and Roxanne.
The story centers around main character Roxanne Fosch as she runs for her life from crazed scientists who seek to keep her locked up. The book starts would with a bang and event after event after that kept me on my toes and at the edge of my seat.
The story was a bit confusing at first, but what fantasy novel isn't? Creating a world and culture takes time and craft, something Bazzar mastered beautifully. Little details sprinkled in here and there kept the gears turning in my head, wondering the truth behind Roxanne’s life and what she really was. The end of the novel weaved together wonderfully, all the little pieces falling into place perfectly. I wouldn't say everything in this book was unpredictable, I did see a few things coming, but this book contained the perfect mix of predictable and unpredictable.
Roxanne Fosch is an interesting heroine. Bazzar crafted her to be a strong, independent woman who didn't need a man (okay, but the man she did allow to help her was swoon worthy anyhow). It was refreshing to see Roxanne fight back again and again, never giving up.
I'd recommend this book to anyone who's looking to read the start to a unique fantasy series with a kick-ass heroine.
andrewl600's review against another edition
4.0
Hello dear readers, I want to share a surprisingly fun read that came across my proverbial bookshelf a few weeks ago.
I was contacted by the author or Heir of Ashes about a month ago and I was asked I was interested in reading the book.
After reading the synopsis, I quickly said yes and added the book to my then small list of upcoming reads.
After I finished a few other books I was obligated to read, I opened up my Kindle App and quickly hacked away at Heir of ashes, and I am glad I did.
If you like this review, make sure to follow me on social media for more! Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Facebook
Title: Heir of Ashes (The Roxanne Fosch Files Book 1) Author: Jina S. Bazzar Rating: ★★★.5☆☆
Roxanne Fosch had a perfectly normal life at the age of twelve. Cool, popular, pretty, smart. Her dreams of a perfect, successful and prosperous future seemed well within her grasp. By the time she was twenty-two she had become a commodity. A fugitive. She was being hunted. As Roxanne embarks on the dangerous quest to search for half-truths about her past, she discovers she’s not just an abnormal human, but a rarity even among her Fee peers. She is hunted by scientists, keen to exploit her extraordinary abilities, as well as other beings far more dangerous whose plans for her she cannot fathom.
Magical Elements
I love a good magic system. Magic systems can make or break a fantasy book. They are important in creating a world that follows different rules than the ones we understand. Without the magic system, we are left with big holes in our understanding.
Heir of Ashes takes some very typical magical creatures; vampires, werewolves, faeiries, etc. and gives them a unique twist.
Though we don’t get to dive too deeply into the different creatures, we do get to a little bit, and I like the direction that Bazzar is taking it.
Setting Up a Series
Heir of Ashes is obviously the first book in the Roxanne Foshe series, and there are a lot of holes in the story. There are so many questions I have and plot lines that don’t get finished.
It doesn’t feel wrong, it feels natural. Bazzar doesn’t leave loose ends open just for the sake of a sequel, she leaves them open because it makes sense to.
There’s no time to tie up all the loose ends because of the way it is written. Bazzar does a great job of making sure the story flows nicely, allowing sequels to feel more natural and not forced.
Non-stop Action
If I had to give Heir of Ashes credit on only one thing, it would be its intensity. There are plenty of things that I enjoy in Heir of Ashes, but I was not ready for the non-stop action.
It never lets up. There are two main parts of the story, the first is the parts where there is direct action, the second is when the action is being built up to.
The action will leave you on the edge of your seat, wracking your brain to figure out how the protagonist could possibly survive threat after threat after threat.
Even when the action takes a back seat, you are bombarded with setting up the next plot line, solving any remaining issues, or giving readers tension by introducing potential threats.
Unique Take on Magic
I like a magic system that is different from others that I have read. Usually authors do a pretty good job, in my opinion, of differentiating their magic systems, but some do rely on old established principles.
Bazzar takes the older than time classics; vampires, werewolves, and what have you, and gives them a unique twist. They have hybrids, they have new magical creatures, but they had one aspect that I really liked.
Instead of giving characters the obvious designation of magical creature by showing them changed or showing certain traits, Bazzar added a nice touch that differentiated each magical creature.
She came up with the idea that each living thing had an aura. That way, she didn’t have to have out of place scenes where people were shifting or using magical powerful. Instead she can do it subtly, and focus more on character development.
Final Thoughts
I really enjoyed Heir of Ashes. It was a much faster read than I thought it was going to be, but I would say that was because of the non-stop action, and I didn’t want to wait to see what was going to happen.
If you like spy action thrillers mixed with magical creatures this is definitely a book for you.
If you have read Heir of Ashes, what did you think of it? Let’s chat in the comments, or tag me in something on social media. Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Facebook
I was contacted by the author or Heir of Ashes about a month ago and I was asked I was interested in reading the book.
After reading the synopsis, I quickly said yes and added the book to my then small list of upcoming reads.
After I finished a few other books I was obligated to read, I opened up my Kindle App and quickly hacked away at Heir of ashes, and I am glad I did.
If you like this review, make sure to follow me on social media for more! Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Facebook
Title: Heir of Ashes (The Roxanne Fosch Files Book 1) Author: Jina S. Bazzar Rating: ★★★.5☆☆
Roxanne Fosch had a perfectly normal life at the age of twelve. Cool, popular, pretty, smart. Her dreams of a perfect, successful and prosperous future seemed well within her grasp. By the time she was twenty-two she had become a commodity. A fugitive. She was being hunted. As Roxanne embarks on the dangerous quest to search for half-truths about her past, she discovers she’s not just an abnormal human, but a rarity even among her Fee peers. She is hunted by scientists, keen to exploit her extraordinary abilities, as well as other beings far more dangerous whose plans for her she cannot fathom.
Magical Elements
I love a good magic system. Magic systems can make or break a fantasy book. They are important in creating a world that follows different rules than the ones we understand. Without the magic system, we are left with big holes in our understanding.
Heir of Ashes takes some very typical magical creatures; vampires, werewolves, faeiries, etc. and gives them a unique twist.
Though we don’t get to dive too deeply into the different creatures, we do get to a little bit, and I like the direction that Bazzar is taking it.
Setting Up a Series
Heir of Ashes is obviously the first book in the Roxanne Foshe series, and there are a lot of holes in the story. There are so many questions I have and plot lines that don’t get finished.
It doesn’t feel wrong, it feels natural. Bazzar doesn’t leave loose ends open just for the sake of a sequel, she leaves them open because it makes sense to.
There’s no time to tie up all the loose ends because of the way it is written. Bazzar does a great job of making sure the story flows nicely, allowing sequels to feel more natural and not forced.
Non-stop Action
If I had to give Heir of Ashes credit on only one thing, it would be its intensity. There are plenty of things that I enjoy in Heir of Ashes, but I was not ready for the non-stop action.
It never lets up. There are two main parts of the story, the first is the parts where there is direct action, the second is when the action is being built up to.
The action will leave you on the edge of your seat, wracking your brain to figure out how the protagonist could possibly survive threat after threat after threat.
Even when the action takes a back seat, you are bombarded with setting up the next plot line, solving any remaining issues, or giving readers tension by introducing potential threats.
Unique Take on Magic
I like a magic system that is different from others that I have read. Usually authors do a pretty good job, in my opinion, of differentiating their magic systems, but some do rely on old established principles.
Bazzar takes the older than time classics; vampires, werewolves, and what have you, and gives them a unique twist. They have hybrids, they have new magical creatures, but they had one aspect that I really liked.
Instead of giving characters the obvious designation of magical creature by showing them changed or showing certain traits, Bazzar added a nice touch that differentiated each magical creature.
She came up with the idea that each living thing had an aura. That way, she didn’t have to have out of place scenes where people were shifting or using magical powerful. Instead she can do it subtly, and focus more on character development.
Final Thoughts
I really enjoyed Heir of Ashes. It was a much faster read than I thought it was going to be, but I would say that was because of the non-stop action, and I didn’t want to wait to see what was going to happen.
If you like spy action thrillers mixed with magical creatures this is definitely a book for you.
If you have read Heir of Ashes, what did you think of it? Let’s chat in the comments, or tag me in something on social media. Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Facebook
onebookmore's review against another edition
4.0
Roxanne Fosch is on the run from the Paranormal Scientists Society, which she escaped from over a year ago. Now she is hunted by mercenaries that want to drag her back to PSS to be further experimented on, tortured, and tested. Roxanne will do whatever it takes to evade their clutches and avoid capture.
Roxanne is a survivor. Strong and brave, she never backs down from a fight even when she knows the odds are stacked against her. I love her determination and willingness to stand up for what is right, as well as her adaptability. Roxanne continually finds things out about herself and others, and she remains strong. She is a bad-ass protagonist dealing with unbelievable obstacles, and she never knows who she can trust.
The action scenes in the book are varied and plentiful. And I mean plentiful!! This is a non-stop action kind of book. From the first chapter, the reader is thrust into a world of the hunter and the hunted, and the hunted isn’t going down without a fight! The romance is a bit inst-love for me, but Logan and Roxanne have a strong connection, and I did come to root for them as a couple.
What I liked most about the story, besides the intense fight scenes, awesome protagonist, and unique supernatural elements, is that the plot isn’t predictable. The story is unique, and I never knew exactly what was about to happen, which I loved. Will Roxanne get caught? Why does the PSS want her so bad? Why is she considered dangerous? Does she have power? Who can she trust? These questions an more are answered, but the answers surprised me.
Heir of Ashes is an action-packed, fast-paced story filled with unexpected twists and turns and a unique and interesting supernatural world. Thanks so much to the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
Roxanne is a survivor. Strong and brave, she never backs down from a fight even when she knows the odds are stacked against her. I love her determination and willingness to stand up for what is right, as well as her adaptability. Roxanne continually finds things out about herself and others, and she remains strong. She is a bad-ass protagonist dealing with unbelievable obstacles, and she never knows who she can trust.
The action scenes in the book are varied and plentiful. And I mean plentiful!! This is a non-stop action kind of book. From the first chapter, the reader is thrust into a world of the hunter and the hunted, and the hunted isn’t going down without a fight! The romance is a bit inst-love for me, but Logan and Roxanne have a strong connection, and I did come to root for them as a couple.
What I liked most about the story, besides the intense fight scenes, awesome protagonist, and unique supernatural elements, is that the plot isn’t predictable. The story is unique, and I never knew exactly what was about to happen, which I loved. Will Roxanne get caught? Why does the PSS want her so bad? Why is she considered dangerous? Does she have power? Who can she trust? These questions an more are answered, but the answers surprised me.
Heir of Ashes is an action-packed, fast-paced story filled with unexpected twists and turns and a unique and interesting supernatural world. Thanks so much to the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
jessbookishlife's review against another edition
5.0
Before I really start reviewing this books let me tell you guys something. If I love a book, I love it; if I like it, I like it; if I think that books just touched my heart I will say that too. And with this book, I liked somethings and love others. I liked that we had mystery until the very end. I loved that there was a lot of action, because I could feel Roxanne's panic and fear and it makes me want to read about her future even more now, because I feel like I was in that journey with her.
This book is in the 1st person, so we get to see things in Roxanne's POV, which I actually liked. Not that I could relate to her, I have never been in her position, but I felt like as a woman I could understand somethings. Plus, as we keep reading, we start getting to know her more and understand why she react in some ways.
So, as you probably read in the blurb the book is about Roxanne Fosch, and we get to the story after her escape, which means she's a fugitive and she's afraid they will find her.
Meanwhile, she ends up meeting Logan and he's awesome and I really want to know more about him and figure out what will happen in his life. Anyway, Roxie and Logan end up going on this action filled journey, each one of them with a goal in mind.
And, of course, this book not only had the action and mystery aspect, it had the paranormal one too. And I really do want to know more about that, because there are some many questions still unanswered, but that's because Jina (the author) is now working on the second book. And I can't wait to get my hands on that one.
The book had a quick pace in some chapters, especially the ones that got me on the edge of my seat, and there were other chapter that were slower and mysterious, or cute, or funny, or just to give us some needed information. And I liked that, I was never bored and I was really intrigued and entertained. For me that was awesome.
I liked the action, loved the mysterious, liked the paranormal aspect, loved this new path and I want to know how this new chapter in her life is going to turn out, liked that it was in the 1st person POV. So, as you can see... Liked some things, loved others.
Is this a book I recommend? Yes, it is.
Why? Because if you like action, mystery and paranormal you should enter this rollercoaster and have fun in it.
This book is in the 1st person, so we get to see things in Roxanne's POV, which I actually liked. Not that I could relate to her, I have never been in her position, but I felt like as a woman I could understand somethings. Plus, as we keep reading, we start getting to know her more and understand why she react in some ways.
So, as you probably read in the blurb the book is about Roxanne Fosch, and we get to the story after her escape, which means she's a fugitive and she's afraid they will find her.
Meanwhile, she ends up meeting Logan and he's awesome and I really want to know more about him and figure out what will happen in his life. Anyway, Roxie and Logan end up going on this action filled journey, each one of them with a goal in mind.
And, of course, this book not only had the action and mystery aspect, it had the paranormal one too. And I really do want to know more about that, because there are some many questions still unanswered, but that's because Jina (the author) is now working on the second book. And I can't wait to get my hands on that one.
The book had a quick pace in some chapters, especially the ones that got me on the edge of my seat, and there were other chapter that were slower and mysterious, or cute, or funny, or just to give us some needed information. And I liked that, I was never bored and I was really intrigued and entertained. For me that was awesome.
I liked the action, loved the mysterious, liked the paranormal aspect, loved this new path and I want to know how this new chapter in her life is going to turn out, liked that it was in the 1st person POV. So, as you can see... Liked some things, loved others.
Is this a book I recommend? Yes, it is.
Why? Because if you like action, mystery and paranormal you should enter this rollercoaster and have fun in it.