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pomoevareads 's review for:

King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby
4.5
adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
As someone who watched The Sopranos twice and loves a good gritty book or film, King of Ashes was right up my alley. 

Cosby writes southern grit lit like no other. His books are action-packed, violent (so violent!), deeply entrenched in their settings and have characters who are often ruthless but underneath this have a reason they have come to be this way. 

In King of Ashes, Roman has returned to the small town (actually a city but like a town) that has become crime-ridden after the fall of a factory that drove the town. His father is in a coma, his brother is in debt to a gang and is addicted to every drug and alcohol he can get his hands on. His sister is trying to keep the family crematory working on her own and Roman, who moved to Atlanta some years earlier and is a successful but not necessarily lawful money man who needs to be dominated, is the eldest of the siblings and will go to any lengths necessary to keep his family safe. 

Cosby has written a clever story with some great twists. I understand the rights to turn this into a Netflix show have been acquired by some big names (Obama and Spielberg) and I cannot wait to watch the adaptation. I think it will be just as jaw-dropping and edge of your seat as the book. 

I have read all of Cosby’s novels and would love to read some of his short stories. King of Ashes is the first book of a three book deal with Flatiron’s new imprint Pine & Cedar and I will now eagerly await his next book!
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