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A review by bribreez
Born of Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
5.0
*Potential Spoilers Ahead! Don’t read if you haven’t read this book or previous book in this series!
*Check Trigger warnings before reading
5⭐️/ 5🌶️
This spin off series started off with two characters who unbeknownst to me at the time would become two of my all time favorites, Sera and Ash a.k.a. Nyktos! Sera and Ash have gone through A LOT! From a secret plot of trying to unalive Ash, finding out Sera had Sotoria’s soul living inside of her, Sera having the embers of life in her and therefore her life and everything was at stake, oh and a crazy, obsessive tyrant who was Ash’s uncle, Kolis, trying to get all the power he wanted. Phew, like I said a lot has happened over the course of this series, but through it all, Sera and Ash have come a long way from the first book to now the final book! Now, Sera was the new Primal of Life, and Ash was reunited with the love of his life. Ash may have found a way around to saving Sera, but there was still other things to deal with namely Kolis was still out there. This final book was filled with action, drama, suspense, plot twists, danger, romance, passion, unaliving left and right, and a whole lot of Sera and Ash being the ultimate Primal power couple!
I had somewhat of an idea going into this book that it was going to show Sera dealing with her new role as Queen of the Gods, but it also tackled some of the heavier aspects from when Sera was imprisoned in Kolis’s palace. I don’t think people realize truly how much Sera became traumatized by Kolis and how her way of survival during that time meant she had to mentally and physically endure all that he did and acted towards her. With that in mind, this book did cover heavy topics so check trigger warnings before reading. Sera struggled with trying to keep a strong facade in front of Ash, but Ash being the best husband ever and able to detect Sera’s emotions, he could see what Sera wasn’t willing to talk about which was, her fear and all that Kolis did to her.
Also, can we take a moment to appreciate that JADIS AND REAVER WERE BACK! OMG I MISSED THOSE TWO DRAKENS! I mean, I also missed Nektas, but the little youngling drakens have a special place in my heart just as I’m sure many others adore them too. The first scene where Reaver and Jadis were reunited with Sera and Ash was a sentimental and emotional moment that I couldn’t help feeling awed in how much Reaver and Jadis had missed Sera and Ash. Any moment when Reaver and Jadis appeared in a scene, I was loved every moment of it, but also learning some wisdom from a young Reaver.
With this being the final book in Sera and Ash’s story, there was a lot to unpack. I’ll admit that while reading this book took its toll on me sometimes with the amount of information about Sera, Ash, and the other characters revealed throughout the book. Nonetheless, I was able to understand and get the gist of things especially when it came to Sera figuring out her new abilities as the Primal of Life. The thing this book didn’t disappoint on was the way everything was balanced out from the mystery, action, romance, fantasy, drakens (duh), and the found family that Sera had with Ash and the others. When I think back to the overall book, I remember certain moments that stood out to me such as, seeing the close knit family Sera and Ash formed with those they were surrounded by, the impressive lengths Sera went to protest those she loved, and even in the midst of some epic action scenes, there was also still that ever present passionate love between Sera and Ash that was utter perfection.
When I say this was an addictive story, I really do mean that because, I refused to stop reading! The way this story kept getting better with each page, I felt like I was constantly learning something new or even gasping in shock as well as genuinely feeling so much love for these characters that I’ve absolutely adore! Just when I thought I knew what to expect with Sera and Ash, I was once again proven wrong that there was even more that they needed to overcome and obviously deal with when it came to Sera being the Primal of Life and more. Phew, I cannot even begin to tell you how much went down in this book, but rest assured everything that happened was part of the bigger picture hence why this book was SO DANG THICK!
The best way I can describe this book was a mix of epic and a perfect send off to Sera and Ash’s story. This final book was the culmination of everything that was part of Sera and Ash’s story, but also giving even more in depth knowledge on the prophecy which later ties into Poppy’s story from, “The Blood and Ash” series. This book took me on a wild ride, and JLA didn’t disappoint! This was a lengthy book, but it was worth the book hangover after finishing it. The action in this story was by far so impressive and iconic with Sera and Ash’s skill worthy fighting styles coming together as they fought side by side as wife and husband! I got to see my favorite darkens, Reaver, Jadis, and Nektas, and see even more of the found family formed within Sera and Ash’s home. Everything from book one to this final book was worth the wait, and I’m still reeling from all the plot twists, and things that occurred from the beginning to the end. While Sera and Ash’s story may be over, but there’s more to happen in Poppy’s story, and just how much everything is connected. Crazy to think that before Poppy was even born, her grandparents were dealing with their own battles, Primals, and all sorts of things that little did she know would play into her future. Nonetheless, this was a FANTASTIC book and I can’t recommend this series highly enough! LONG LIVE THE QUEEN AND KING OF THE GODS, SERA AND ASH!!!