Reviews with content warning for War - From Blood and Ash

Reviews tagging 'War'

From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

74 reviews

dalenora's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

I really did not enjoy the resolution of this book. As many have covered the plot was very predictable, and I could have told you exactly what all the reveals would be within the first 100 pages. I also found it to be very poorly written, to an almost annoying extent. I don’t tend to expect much of my smutty fantasy novels, I tend to think of them kind of like reality tv where my expectations are pretty low for the prose/plot, but this one somehow set the bar even lower than it had been.

while I was kind of into the way the book explored organized religion and how harmful it can be when it’s used as a mechanism of control, I found the emphasis placed on the main characters virginity/purity to be incredibly uncomfortable, and it undermined any social commentary the book might have had. The way the male main character had what amounted to a fetish for her “purity” just really gave me the ick. I also really took issue with the end of the book and “Hawk’s” behavior. I had been anticipating some conflict when she finally found out the truth, expecting it to follow the same kind of trope where once she understands his motives she is able to forgive him, but with this book I found his behavior totally unacceptable. He didn’t even seem remorseful for hurting her as deeply as he had, and it seemed like he was almost gleeful to be completely shattering her reality. For how much the book focused on the way agency had been taken away from her, and the way Cas himself went out of his way to deconstruct her captivity and make her realize she deserved freedom, it was shocking to me that he turned around and inflicted the exact same trauma on her. He touched her without her consent, refused to listen when she said no, and completely tormented her. It’s just something I cannot excuse or get behind, and as far as I’m concerned he is the villain of the novel for that behavior. I have a feeling they’re going to completely overlook that abuse in future books in favor of continuing the romance, and I just cannot get behind a male love interest who treats the female mc like that. He was totally irredeemable whether they have “chemistry” or not.

I guess despite not really loving this book I was still incredibly protective of the Poppy, so I was still into it to some extent. I just don’t really want that kind of abuse in my fantasy novels, it’s not my cup of tea.

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cassie_heintz's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

This book made me feel like I was reading ACOTAR again in a way. Some of the main characters had a good amount of depth too them but wished I got more from others. It has a few plot twists that made me confused as to where the plot was gonna go but still really enjoyed it. Still upset that one of my favorite characters died but it’s ok, I’ll survive 🥲

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nicole222222's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark inspiring 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? It's complicated

5.0

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cait's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

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yera's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted 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? N/A

4.0

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wiley_coyote5's review against another edition

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adventurous dark fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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dancingdragon's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious relaxing fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I was looking for a more mature fantasy series. This leaned more young adult than had been explained to me in the book store, so some of the writing was a bit less challenging than I’d have hoped for. However, the fast pace, plot twists, and sexy interactions I wasn’t expecting seemed to pull me in, despite wanting not to like it early on. A third of the way into the novel it picked up and I couldn’t put it down. It was seductive and full of symbolism. The mystery of the plot and cliffhanger end left me anxious to read on in the series…plus it’s hot! Perfect for a summer reader. I’ll read the next one.

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poppybos109's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious 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

3.5

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beckyyreadss's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense 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

3.0

I wanted to read this book because I have seen it all over the book community and everyone has been raving about it. I don’t usually struggle with fantasy, but I didn’t connect with this book.

This book is based on Poppy, she is a maiden chosen from birth to usher in a new era, she has never been on her own. The life of the Maiden is solitary. Never to be touched. Never to be looked upon. Never to be spoken to. Never to experience life. Waiting for the day of her Ascension, she would rather be with the guards, fighting back the evil that took her family, than preparing to be found worthy by the gods. But the choice has never been hers. The entire kingdom’s future rests of Poppy’s shoulders, something she’s not even quite sure she wants for herself. Because the Maiden has a heart and a soul. And longing. And when Hawke, a golden-eyed guard honour bound to ensure her Ascension enters her life, destiny and duty becomes tangled with desire and need. He incites her anger, makes her question everything she ever believed in and tempts her with the forbidden. Poppy is not only on the verge of losing her heart and being found unworthy by the gods, but also her life when every blood-soaked thread that holds her world together begins to unravel.

I found with any fantasy series that the first book is always the toughest one, because you are learning a new world and new creatures and everything is confusing. The way I rate fantasy book is how quickly it takes for me to pick up on things and how the storyline manages to carry on with it. I feel like the first 40% is a struggle and a mountain to climb, the only think I wanted to do was smack the shit out of the duke. I found it a bit predictable that I actually thought it was a young adult book at first and then it got to the spicy scenes and realized it an adult book. Like this mysterious dark one has a double identity and it’s the love interest. It was like if Harry Potter was a girl and fell in love with Voldemort.

However, just because I thought it was predictable didn’t mean I didn’t love Hawke and how it just doesn’t give a shit about ranks and how sassy he is. I loved Tawny as well and wanted to see more of her which hopefully we will do in the upcoming series.

Hopefully now that the world and characters and creatures have been built, we will be able to see more action in the next book.

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xoxo_bookishbabe's review against another edition

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adventurous funny mysterious 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

5.0

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