Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

289 reviews

adventurous dark emotional tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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adventurous dark emotional tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

So many mixed feelings…I feel like the author went overboard with world building and there are so many confusing moving pieces and lore evolving. There were parts I was so lost - and never got an answer to what something was. Even though it makes no sense, this book is hard to put down. I enjoyed the spicy and conflicting scenes. However, Poppy’s internal monologue was kind of grating at times especially towards the end of the book when things pick up heavily. And our male main character has a lot of shockingly creepy lines…lacking polished editing but still an addictive read.  This almost feels twilight x GOT with random other new stuff thrown in. I am interested in what comes next. 

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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adventurous challenging dark emotional 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

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adventurous dark emotional 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: Yes

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense slow-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: Complicated

I am at a loss for words about where to begin with this book because it has left me in utter awe. The plot development is so intricate that I couldn't help but get lost in the story. The author throws a lot of information at you, but as the story progresses, the pace picks up, and the story becomes more engaging. 

There are also a lot of crumbs throughout the book which gave me an idea of what would happen next. Although some aspects of the story were predictable, I found it satisfying when I guessed correctly! There were also moments when I was caught off guard by unexpected twists and turns,
such as the murders of some of the most likable characters.

It is a slow-burning romance, making it all the more satisfying when the characters finally come together. The author has also thrown in an enemies-to-lovers plot, adding an extra layer of complexity to the romance.

Poppy, is a force to be reckoned with. She is charming, strong-willed, and knows her way around a dagger! I found myself becoming more and more invested in her story as the book progressed. I could see why Hawke falls for her, despite his rough exterior. Hawke is a gray character and complex
with a heartbreaking backstory that explains his motivation to save his brother.


Reading this book was an emotional rollercoaster, and I cannot wait to read the next one! 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous dark tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

What was that ending?

This book started out pretty shaky BUT I was won over by the amazing work of the narrator. She had a way of narrating things so that the banter and characters flowed in a way that the prose didn’t. I will also credit the book with the fact that Poppy felt like an 18-year-old girl scrabbling for control in her own life. The themes and exploration of them was interesting. Poppy’s character lent to these themes and it was fairly well done. Aside from that, the foreshadowing as fairly well done.

What really tanked this book for me was the last quarter of the book roughly. While it was declining slightly before the twist was revealed, that’s what destroyed the book for me. Everything about the characters and who they were felt like it vanished. Their actions stopped making sense and while I thought some changes after the reveal of the twist were well some, most didn’t. I stopped understanding Poppy and her actions. I found myself so frustrated with her and what she was doing that it tanked the book for me.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark emotional 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: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings