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wackly93's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Blood
Moderate: Death of parent and War
clapyourshands's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, and Classism
ayomallama's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-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? No
4.75
I did not think I was going to end up liking this book as much as I did. This book is 10x better than From Blood and Ash. We get a map, and we see that this world is so much bigger than we think. Poppy grows so much in this book, and so does Casteel. The ending of this book left me feeling another type of way, lol. As soon as I finished reading it, I ordered the 3rd book. The ending had me shook to the core, like what! I CANNOT wait for the 3rd book to arrive, but I'm also sad that I'm going to be finishing the wonderful series. It's pretty bittersweet.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Child death, Blood, and Death of parent
Minor: Cursing
beansbookshelf's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25
i blew through the first book, but this one took me a little longer. honestly poppy’s internal struggles and descriptions are very lengthy compared to actual events happening.
plenty of spicy scenes though ;)
i love hawke (casteel) and poppy’s relationship. i can’t wait to see them grow together in the series
plenty of spicy scenes though ;)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Violence
Moderate: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Grief, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Vomit, Sexual harassment, and War
abipereira's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
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
5.0
If I were not so busy with school, this book would have been finished in a day or two!
I don't know how she did it, but this was better than the first book. I was hooked from the beginning of the first sentence. I highly recommend that you purchase all books at one time because now I don't know what to do with myself.
I did have to read the last chapter twice... but thats on me; I stayed up until 4am to finish the book. LOL I suggest to stop reading when all the words are blending together.
I can't wait to read the next book!
I don't know how she did it, but this was better than the first book. I was hooked from the beginning of the first sentence. I highly recommend that you purchase all books at one time because now I don't know what to do with myself.
I did have to read the last chapter twice... but thats on me; I stayed up until 4am to finish the book. LOL I suggest to stop reading when all the words are blending together.
I can't wait to read the next book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body shaming, Confinement, Kidnapping, and Death of parent
Minor: Bullying, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Blood, Grief, and War
kellicat94's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Cannibalism, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
lunsbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-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
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Kidnapping
Minor: Sexual assault and Death of parent
nicolekyprin's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Minor: Gore and Death of parent
alleya's review against another edition
dark
emotional
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
2.5
After how much I loved From Blood and Ash, this book was a real letdown. First of all, I found the relationship dynamics between Poppy and Castiel to be extremely troubling. He exhibited very controlling behavior which was justified by his desire to protect her. This reasoning was never seriously questioned. Her resistance to his control always took the form of childish temper tantrums, throwing things, and screaming, so I couldn't even sympathize with Poppy. And worse, those temper tantrums were portrayed as something Castiel found sexy. And there was way too much sex. I love a good sex scene, but I prefer at least a little plot between them.
Finally, the plot -- which is almost nothing. The attraction of a good fantasy series is to immerse in a world and explore it. But we spent large portions of the book just a couple locations. There was also way too much exposition through dialogue. Every time Poppy has "questions" I know that the author is about to do another info dump on us, and it happened way too often. My eyes glazed over after a while. I spent the entire book waiting to get to Atlantia and see what it's like, and it was incredibly disappointing. This felt like a connector book, and I really hope that these problems will all be left behind in this book because it's only my enjoyment from the first book that's going to be enough to get me to try book 3.
Finally, the plot -- which is almost nothing. The attraction of a good fantasy series is to immerse in a world and explore it. But we spent large portions of the book just a couple locations. There was also way too much exposition through dialogue. Every time Poppy has "questions" I know that the author is about to do another info dump on us, and it happened way too often. My eyes glazed over after a while. I spent the entire book waiting to get to Atlantia and see what it's like, and it was incredibly disappointing. This felt like a connector book, and I really hope that these problems will all be left behind in this book because it's only my enjoyment from the first book that's going to be enough to get me to try book 3.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement and Kidnapping
Moderate: Violence and Gaslighting
Minor: Death of parent
michellemaas's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
tense
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
5.0
First read: 5 - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Second read: 5 - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Third read: 5 - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I wanted to shout it from the rooftops, but I am content with just typing it in this review: I LOVED this book!
Going into it, I was excited to read the book as I enjoyed the first installment in the series but I was quite frankly blown away. My main problem with the first book was that it dragged at the beginning and felt quite rushed at the end. A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire suffered from none of those pacing problems and was constantly moving quick enough that I didn't get bored, but slow enough that I was still able to comfortably follow what was happening. Another issue I had originally was with the world-building. I didn't understand most of the lore and that left me confused at times (especially during the end) but with this book, I was just in a nice rhythm where I was starting to understand the things that were unclear previously while not adding too many new worldbuilding type facts.
The story picks up directly after Hawke's announcement that he intends to marry Poppy and then deals with Poppy's adjustment to this new world while deepening her relationship with Hawke (who is no longer Hawke, I might add).
Going on to some more specifics, the romance was there, the humor was there, the action was there and ahhhh I just loved it. This may be my post-finishing-a-book-high doing the typing, but I just thought there really was a perfect amount of everything. I have always thought that you don't read a fantasy book to be enlightened or to appreciate "good writing". You read it for the escapism, to appreciate the creativity of another human, and to be entertained. I can honestly say that I was engrossed in the world and thoroughly entertained for the entire 639 pages and being that that's what I look for in a good fantasy book is why I think so highly of it.
Furthermore, Jennifer L. Armentrout has the power to bring my mind to a place that not many authors can. There was a scene in the book where the Ascended used the heads of Poppy and Casteel's friends as catapults and I do not remember being that thoroughly horrified while reading in a long time. I love that Jennifer L. Armentrout has the guts to describe both the sex scenes and the fighting scenes in all their gory, gruesome glory. I don't want to fill in the blanks because I've been told that they're "super bad people and that's why I should hate them". Give me a reason to actively root against the villain.
Lastly, I want to talk about Poppy and Casteel's relationship. I am a pretty dramatic person, but I'm not trying to be dramatic when I say that Poppy and Casteel's relationship may be the most realistic depiction of falling in love and learning to care for someone I have seen in all of the entertainment industry. Now that may be on the books I've read and the movies/shows I've watched but even if I had read every book and watched every show/movie I still don't think my opinion would change (much). Poppy and Casteel's relationship was messy and complicated, and really not because of some unnecessary and unwanted miscommunication trope but because of their circumstances, their choices, and who they are as people. I often see love portrayed as you fall for this person and it's never hard again. That gives people unrealistc expectations of love and life and is just really annoying. Love is scary and there will often be doubts and regret but you stick it out because the other person is worth it. The fact that both Poppy and Casteel can be described as morally grey characters is also very appealing to me as everyone has a different sense of right and wrong.
I cannot wait to reread this book in a couple of months, and until then I will recommend the series to anyone who will listen. It gives me such Game of Thrones X Twilight vibes (taking into account that I have never seen nor read either of those two) and I know that Jennifer L. Armentrout is going places.
Second read: 5 - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Third read: 5 - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I wanted to shout it from the rooftops, but I am content with just typing it in this review: I LOVED this book!
Going into it, I was excited to read the book as I enjoyed the first installment in the series but I was quite frankly blown away. My main problem with the first book was that it dragged at the beginning and felt quite rushed at the end. A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire suffered from none of those pacing problems and was constantly moving quick enough that I didn't get bored, but slow enough that I was still able to comfortably follow what was happening. Another issue I had originally was with the world-building. I didn't understand most of the lore and that left me confused at times (especially during the end) but with this book, I was just in a nice rhythm where I was starting to understand the things that were unclear previously while not adding too many new worldbuilding type facts.
The story picks up directly after Hawke's announcement that he intends to marry Poppy and then deals with Poppy's adjustment to this new world while deepening her relationship with Hawke (who is no longer Hawke, I might add).
Going on to some more specifics, the romance was there, the humor was there, the action was there and ahhhh I just loved it. This may be my post-finishing-a-book-high doing the typing, but I just thought there really was a perfect amount of everything. I have always thought that you don't read a fantasy book to be enlightened or to appreciate "good writing". You read it for the escapism, to appreciate the creativity of another human, and to be entertained. I can honestly say that I was engrossed in the world and thoroughly entertained for the entire 639 pages and being that that's what I look for in a good fantasy book is why I think so highly of it.
Furthermore, Jennifer L. Armentrout has the power to bring my mind to a place that not many authors can. There was a scene in the book where the Ascended used the heads of Poppy and Casteel's friends as catapults and I do not remember being that thoroughly horrified while reading in a long time. I love that Jennifer L. Armentrout has the guts to describe both the sex scenes and the fighting scenes in all their gory, gruesome glory. I don't want to fill in the blanks because I've been told that they're "super bad people and that's why I should hate them". Give me a reason to actively root against the villain.
Lastly, I want to talk about Poppy and Casteel's relationship. I am a pretty dramatic person, but I'm not trying to be dramatic when I say that Poppy and Casteel's relationship may be the most realistic depiction of falling in love and learning to care for someone I have seen in all of the entertainment industry. Now that may be on the books I've read and the movies/shows I've watched but even if I had read every book and watched every show/movie I still don't think my opinion would change (much). Poppy and Casteel's relationship was messy and complicated, and really not because of some unnecessary and unwanted miscommunication trope but because of their circumstances, their choices, and who they are as people. I often see love portrayed as you fall for this person and it's never hard again. That gives people unrealistc expectations of love and life and is just really annoying. Love is scary and there will often be doubts and regret but you stick it out because the other person is worth it. The fact that both Poppy and Casteel can be described as morally grey characters is also very appealing to me as everyone has a different sense of right and wrong.
I cannot wait to reread this book in a couple of months, and until then I will recommend the series to anyone who will listen. It gives me such Game of Thrones X Twilight vibes (taking into account that I have never seen nor read either of those two) and I know that Jennifer L. Armentrout is going places.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror and Violence
Moderate: Child death, Cursing, Death, Gore, Sexual content, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail