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doahdancer's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I loved the ending. Very satisfying. If you like stories that show a woman's value outside of marriage and childbirth, but still want the feel of historical medieval/viking/barbarian fiction, this will do it.
The FMC of this story is neither powerful nor sassy, but she is quick of wit and courageous. The MMC is sometimes a brute and often closed minded, but he is also honorable and soft hearted. Love them both.
Warning: if the idea of things not going well resulting in permanent damage for the FMC hurts your heart, this will not be your book. However, if you love the realistic outcome of battling against the odds, where not every victory comes without cost, then I highly recommend this book. I am looking forward to the next, the writing was exactly the tone and quality I look for.
The FMC of this story is neither powerful nor sassy, but she is quick of wit and courageous. The MMC is sometimes a brute and often closed minded, but he is also honorable and soft hearted. Love them both.
Warning: if the idea of things not going well resulting in permanent damage for the FMC hurts your heart, this will not be your book. However, if you love the realistic outcome of battling against the odds, where not every victory comes without cost, then I highly recommend this book. I am looking forward to the next, the writing was exactly the tone and quality I look for.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Animal death, Vomit, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Confinement, Misogyny, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Murder, Abortion, Blood, Domestic abuse, Torture, and Violence
vohak's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
An excellent fantasy with very hot romance, fun + interesting world building (dinosaurs?!), loveable characters, and triumph over tyrants. Definitely check trigger warnings.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Miscarriage, Grief, Gore, Death, Blood, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Confinement, and War
Minor: Rape
lesliea's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I'm hooked.... 🤭 I've had this book in my TBR for so long, and now i know why it was so highly recommended. This book was amazing! The characters, the world building, the story... Chefts kiss 😘. I loved Yvenne and Maddek, the development of their relationship to me felt very real given the circumstances. Also, their love for one another at the end and throughout 😍😍. Yvenne is a (excuse my French) bada$$ queen! She is so strong given everything she's been through and I loved that just because she was born/raised in isolation she wasn't naive (obviously she was reasonably unaware of somethings but she wasn't an idiot and a princess to be waded). Maddek was great too, he was strong yet not as if often written "man's man", he was sentitive and a good guy but with flaws which I really enjoyed reading and seeing him evolve from a warrior to a king. I loved all the characters really! It took me some time to get into the groove of things and remember who was who but I feel every side character really played a crucial role and/or was written with purpose (they weren't just stand in side characters, they had personalities). I honestly cried with Banek 😔, I knew someone from the group would have to die but Banek!? 😭 10/10 recommend, especially if like me, you have read the horde kind series by Zoey Draven and you need a new series like it to sink your teeth into. 😉
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, and Gore
Minor: Sexual violence, Rape, Miscarriage, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, and Confinement
naaytaashreads's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
"Whether you rule or lead, with your people, it is always better to keep an open hand. For even in sour times, with an open hand you will be able to carry them all - and their loyalty will remain with you. But the moment you tighten your grip, no matter how strong or weak you are, they will begin slipping through your fingers."
I want to put this book on a throne and say, "THIS IS WHY I LOVE READING FANTASY BOOKS!"
Especially for a fantasy book, a lot of things can make or break the read.
No lies, but we readers expect so much in fantasy reads; romance, action, side characters, suspense, world-building, magic, and so much more.
Best believe A Heart of Blood and Ashes gave us that.
I picked this read up because, from the synopsis and the cover, it gave me the Viking vibes that I had been searching for.
However, I did not expect this read to blow up my mind.
It's been a while since I last read an amazing fantasy romance and this swoon my heart.
Firstly, how brilliant Milla Vane is with her writing.
From the start, she pulled me with her world-building, introducing the word, characters and what we were fighting against. The plotline was non-stop as each page turned, I was getting more and more, and it made me addicted to it.
There was such a good balance of the world, characters and magic.
Secondly, as come her brilliance in writing was her character. They all shine their own way through their flaws, strengths, weaknesses, and growth throughout the read.
Each of them had a story to share, intertwining their emotions, actions and relationships with others. You grow to care for their story and purpose, which keeps you on edge.
This brings me to the next point, chemistry. While individually, they had their personality and story, their chemistry, especially Maddek and Yvenne, made me speechless.
I love that their character is not perfect, and they learn through one another, dependent on each other, and together they find themselves individually and together. They were so powerful.
You don't just feel their chemistry through the storytelling but through their emotions, actions and dialogues. The quotes they speak of, and such emotions put butterflies, warmth and heartbreak throughout the read.
Lastly, in all fantasy reads, we all hope for action. That A Heart of Blood and Ashes definitely gives. In not just waiting when the war came or when two enemies came to fight. It came throughout their journey. The action described gets me excited while learning of the character's strengths, weaknesses and how they were together. Throughout that journey, we learned much more that got us even more attached to them.
By the end, I was exhausted with excitement and ended the book with tears of joy. There was so much I wanted to remember, quotes, scenes, moments and growth that I can't wait to reread this book and not forget to read the rest of the series!
"You are already a fine leader, Maddek. And you will be Ran. But just as I will see to making your life a misery, I will also see to your becoming a great king."
I want to put this book on a throne and say, "THIS IS WHY I LOVE READING FANTASY BOOKS!"
Especially for a fantasy book, a lot of things can make or break the read.
No lies, but we readers expect so much in fantasy reads; romance, action, side characters, suspense, world-building, magic, and so much more.
Best believe A Heart of Blood and Ashes gave us that.
I picked this read up because, from the synopsis and the cover, it gave me the Viking vibes that I had been searching for.
However, I did not expect this read to blow up my mind.
It's been a while since I last read an amazing fantasy romance and this swoon my heart.
Firstly, how brilliant Milla Vane is with her writing.
From the start, she pulled me with her world-building, introducing the word, characters and what we were fighting against. The plotline was non-stop as each page turned, I was getting more and more, and it made me addicted to it.
There was such a good balance of the world, characters and magic.
Secondly, as come her brilliance in writing was her character. They all shine their own way through their flaws, strengths, weaknesses, and growth throughout the read.
Each of them had a story to share, intertwining their emotions, actions and relationships with others. You grow to care for their story and purpose, which keeps you on edge.
This brings me to the next point, chemistry. While individually, they had their personality and story, their chemistry, especially Maddek and Yvenne, made me speechless.
I love that their character is not perfect, and they learn through one another, dependent on each other, and together they find themselves individually and together. They were so powerful.
You don't just feel their chemistry through the storytelling but through their emotions, actions and dialogues. The quotes they speak of, and such emotions put butterflies, warmth and heartbreak throughout the read.
Lastly, in all fantasy reads, we all hope for action. That A Heart of Blood and Ashes definitely gives. In not just waiting when the war came or when two enemies came to fight. It came throughout their journey. The action described gets me excited while learning of the character's strengths, weaknesses and how they were together. Throughout that journey, we learned much more that got us even more attached to them.
By the end, I was exhausted with excitement and ended the book with tears of joy. There was so much I wanted to remember, quotes, scenes, moments and growth that I can't wait to reread this book and not forget to read the rest of the series!
"You are already a fine leader, Maddek. And you will be Ran. But just as I will see to making your life a misery, I will also see to your becoming a great king."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Cursing, Death, Torture, Body shaming, Bullying, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, War, Violence, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Gore, Animal death, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Medical content, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Medical trauma, Kidnapping, Emotional abuse, Rape, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Blood, Body horror, Fire/Fire injury, and Sexual violence
kponturo's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, War, Blood, Child abuse, Death of parent, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Animal death
emma_poesy's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
A lot of content warnings.
This one was hard for me. I was so excited when I picked up the book because enemies to lovers is one of my favorite tropes, but at the end I didn't care much about the characters.like when one of the dragons die, I felt nothing
I really liked the politics, the worldbuilding and culture. In the end, I didn't believe the couple loved each other even though we spend 500 pages building their relationship.
This one was hard for me. I was so excited when I picked up the book because enemies to lovers is one of my favorite tropes, but at the end I didn't care much about the characters.
I really liked the politics, the worldbuilding and culture. In the end, I didn't believe the couple loved each other even though we spend 500 pages building their relationship.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Animal death, Death, and Blood
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Torture, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Death of parent, and Confinement
Minor: Rape, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Torture
spines's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I fully neglected studying for my hardest final to finish reading this book and I do not regret it at all. This is a fucking tearjerker, and I say this as someone who has not cried in like months.
It starts off a bit lore-heavy with a big exposition dump but it gets into the main action fairly quickly and it is spellbinding from then on. The world feels so alive both in the richness of the lore and in the descriptions of the places, the characters have so much depth and the relationships are fucking beautiful.
The angst is intense, the humour and joy is sweet, the romance and smut are heated and it just feels like the perfect adventure, like a classic high fantasy but so much more intense and amazing. My only complaint is that it ended too soon, I need to see the next 5 years of their lives, don't leave me hanging!!!!
There is so much grimness and suffering and pain in this book yet there is so much lightness as well? As much as I remember the awful sorrow I also remember the adventure. I remember the beautiful vistas that Yvenne saw for the first time and Maddek's joy at seeing her so happy. I remember the whole gang joking around around campfires and supporting Yvenne and scolding Maddek and working together. The descriptions were so fun and bright and the book was about HOPE throughout the devastation the characters faced, they kept getting up and fighting again.
A perfect example of one of my favourite genres of book: man is a huge asshole to a woman due to misunderstandings and hurts her and then spends the rest of his life grovelling and pampering and cherishing her. I will be thinking about this book for the next fucking decade ong
also i never know how detailed to make my content warnings lol but it's definitely a lot
It starts off a bit lore-heavy with a big exposition dump but it gets into the main action fairly quickly and it is spellbinding from then on. The world feels so alive both in the richness of the lore and in the descriptions of the places, the characters have so much depth and the relationships are fucking beautiful.
The angst is intense, the humour and joy is sweet, the romance and smut are heated and it just feels like the perfect adventure, like a classic high fantasy but so much more intense and amazing. My only complaint is that it ended too soon, I need to see the next 5 years of their lives, don't leave me hanging!!!!
A perfect example of one of my favourite genres of book: man is a huge asshole to a woman due to misunderstandings and hurts her and then spends the rest of his life grovelling and pampering and cherishing her. I will be thinking about this book for the next fucking decade ong
also i never know how detailed to make my content warnings lol but it's definitely a lot
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Confinement, Gore, Murder, Physical abuse, Violence, War, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Animal death, Body shaming, Abortion, Miscarriage, Vomit, Torture, Rape, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault
Minor: Ableism
murph1026's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
The writing in this book was SO GOOD. However, the book itself was just…not. The pacing was WAY too slow. Nearly 50% of this book focused on a cross-country journey where all they did was sit around a fire and talk. And they didn’t even talk about anything important. An actual conversation was had about trees that lasted multiple pages…
If the author had cut half of this book out, added a few more big events to the plot, and focused on more character depth and development, then I think this would have been a great book. However, the editing on this book was poorly done and resulted in a book that was boring (the word torturous comes to mind) and badly executed. Unless the author and editor can step up their game (and for the love of literature cut out all the long, dry info dumps), I don’t think I will be finishing the rest of the series.
If the author had cut half of this book out, added a few more big events to the plot, and focused on more character depth and development, then I think this would have been a great book. However, the editing on this book was poorly done and resulted in a book that was boring (the word torturous comes to mind) and badly executed. Unless the author and editor can step up their game (and for the love of literature cut out all the long, dry info dumps), I don’t think I will be finishing the rest of the series.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Violence, and War
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