jessicastaylor's reviews
471 reviews

Visions of Flesh and Blood: A Blood and Ash/Flesh and Fire Compendium by Jennifer L. Armentrout

4.0

VOFAB is a super great companion guide, which I think appeals to a lot of the more hardcore fans. To me, it’s going to be a great way to catch back up on what all has happened before reading the next books!

It was interesting reading from Miss Willa’s POV, but I admit I would have liked more bonus scenes from the characters POV, maybe alternate POVs that we haven’t had yet, like Kieran or other wolven or draken.

I loved the illustrations added, and I love how amazing it was for the artists involved too. It’s such a fun touch to add.

The organization of the “bible” was easy to follow, and I hope it gets updated after the end of the series to truly make it a complete world bible.

That said, definite must read for any big fan of the series!

A Fire in the Flesh by Jennifer L. Armentrout

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adventurous dark emotional tense fast-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

4.0

A reminder to please, please check your trigger warnings. This one is a bit darker than the previous books in the series, and please keep in mind where Sera was at at the end of book 2.

I am in this world now for better or worse, until the very end! This book was (IMO) a little overshadowed by other release news from Jen, but it is a really important book in the series, especially if you’re planning to read the Blood & Ash and Flesh & Fire series together.

We’ve gotten hints here and there of how the stories will eventually connect and collide, but oh buddy, those were nothing compared to the details in this one!

I wish there was more Nyktos and Sera together-ness, but I know it didn’t make sense for the story at this moment.

I’ve talked about Sera’s anxiety before in my reviews of book 1 and 2, but I really just am so, so impressed with how Jen wrote her. It’s accurate, it’s raw, and though it is a defining part of her character, it doesn’t define her. Sera is a badass because of her anxiety, not in spite of it, and I just love that.

The spice was delightful, Nyktos was delightful, it was a ll delightful. The world building was tiers above what we got in the early FBAA books, and it really just nailed down things so much better and made it all clearer.

I can’t wait for the next one!

I highly recommend reading these in JLA’s recommended/publishing order, which is:

From Blood and Ash (B&A 1)
A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire (B&A 2)
The Crown of Gilded Bones (B&A 3)
A Shadow in the Ember (F&F 1)
The War of Two Queens (B&A 4)
A Light in the Flame (F&F 2)
A Soul of Ash and Blood (B&A 5*)
A Fire in the Flesh (F&F 3)

If you haven’t read A Soul of Ash and Blood, it is book 5 in the Blood & Ash series, however, the majority of the book are flashbacks to FBAA from Cas’s POV. That said, it’s still important to be read for those moments between the flashbacks that really set up AFITF and what’s coming next.

Fall of Ruin and Wrath by Jennifer L. Armentrout

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adventurous 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

4.0

Another winner from JLA! Fall of Ruin and Wrath is her the first book in her new adult fantasy series, and it did not disappoint!

This dystopian meets high fantasy meets a little paranormal was a classic example of JLA’s intricate world-building style. The political system, the magic system, all of it was connected and detailed and well built-out. Sometimes it was a little hard to follow, but if you hang on, it does explain itself later on.

We also get our usual twists and turns throughout the plot, and it kept me on the edge of my seat. The first 10-15% was a little slow for me, compared to the rest of the book, but once it got past that, it kicked into high gear and I ended up staying up way too late to finish it!

The romance here is a little slower burn than usual for JLA’s new adult stuff, but the delightful tension and build-up more than made up for it.

Overall, this was a unique and fun read, and I can’t wait for the next one!

Thank you to Malissa, JLA, and Bramble for the ARC.

A Game of Gods by Scarlett St. Clair

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adventurous dark emotional 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

We’re almost to the end of this series, and the books just keep getting better!

Content warning:

There is explicit, on page, attempted (but ultimately unsuccessful) sexual assault in AGOG. There are also flashbacks to sexual assault, mentions of human trafficking, and the general death, murder, and alcoholism that Hades brings along for the ride.

AGOG is book 6 in the series, and the companion to A Touch of Malice, and boy oh boy, did Hades get up to some stuff while Persephone was off working.

Side bar: Hades needs a therapist. Like…badly.

~~Hades: God of the Dead~~ Hades: God of Sad Bois & Brooding

AGOG was such an emotional and dense book, but I still zoomed through it. I loved it, it made me feel all the feels. From crying, to heart bursting, to raging, all of it.

If you haven’t yet, you really need to read all 6 books in order before A Touch of Chaos comes out in November! The stories from Hades & Persephone’s worlds collide and we get multiple POVs in ATOC.

I can’t wait for the conclusion to this amazing series. It’s bittersweet; I want to stay forever.

Reading Order

- A Touch of Darkness

- A Game of Fate

- A Touch of Ruin

- A Game of Retribution

- A Touch of Malice

- A Game of Gods

- A Touch of Chaos

If you're looking for a full guide to the series, including special editions, tandem reading guides, and other fun goodies, check out my blog post: www.authorjessicastaylor.com/scarlett-guide

Content Warnings

A Soul of Ash and Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout

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emotional funny lighthearted mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

We’re back in the world of Cas & Poppy! And we’re taking it back to where it all started!

ASOAAB was overall a fun read, and a very interesting way to do alternate POV re-write. It wasn’t a typical re-hash, but instead was Cas telling Poppy the story as he remembers it, with flashes of the present interspersed.

All in all, I loved it. It felt like coming home, and also still advanced the overall story from the end of TWOTQ.

Some parts were repetitive, as Cas and Poppy were together a LOT and there wasn’t a lot of new information, but overall getting to learn more about everything from Cas’s pov was an utter delight. The parts in the present as well were very engaging and both answered and raised quite a few questions.

I wouldn’t say you NEED to read this one to be able to understand the series, but if you’re a fan of the books, you’re definitely gonna want to.

Touch Her and Die by Jolie Vines

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adventurous funny fast-paced

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

5.0

If you’ve been around here for any length of time, you know I am a BIG fan of Jolie and her hot Scots…

And this newest series following the McRae bodyguards has scratched the itch, kept me up all night, and has (as always) left me wanting more.

Whenever a new McRae book comes out, it really does feel like coming home. The way Jolie pulls you into this madhouse family is just so easy and comfortable, you almost forget how dramatic they all are…almost.

Ben may not be a McRae by name, but he sure as hell is one by heart and this book proves it!

Touch Her and Die is an apt title, and Daisy and Ben are just amazing! This one dives right in faster than some of the other books, but hey, Ben knows what he wants (at times) and Daisy is secure in herself and a badass.

I devoured this, as usual, the same day Jolie and Liz sent out the ARC, and I will, as usual, tell you that you NEED Jolie’s hot Scots in your life.

I don’t read a lot of contemporary, and I post about it even less, but I will always, ALWAYS recommend these.

Getting our little cameos warms my soul, and our OG bad boy Gordain gets some much needed action as well!

Start your dive into the McRae clan with the Marry the Scot series (Storm the Caslte is book 1) and then follow the clan from there in the Wild Scots series, the Wild Mountain Scots series, the Dark Island Scots, and finally…get yourself back here to start the McRae Bodyguards series!!

Now, Jolie. You better be working on Ariel’s book immediately 👀

Burn by Jolie Vines

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I don’t know what Jolie puts in these books but I am ADDICTED.

Burn and Summer are amazing together, the family as a whole is amazing together, and the book is amazing, as usual.

The overarching storyline continued with the dark and twisty and did NOT disappoint as the conclusion to the Dark Island Scots series. It was so emotional, so intense, so so good. Wonderful resolution, even though I would give my left kidney for the series to just keep going forever.

But that’s okay, because I neeeeeeeeed a book for Arran and I have a feeling Jolie won’t let us be without our favorite Scots for long…

Thank you to Jolie for an ARC!

P.S. While Dark Island Scots series can be read without reading the other Scots books… I highly recommend starting from the Married to the Scots series and following the McRae clan until we get to hear! It won’t disappoint. Trust me.

Silver in the Bone by Alexandra Bracken

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3.75

This was a really intricate YA urban fantasy, and I did enjoy it a lot. I'd say it's more Arthurian-adjacent than a retelling, but you can definitely tell there are elements of the original Arthur story. The beginning of the story really hooked me, but I found the middle dragged quite a bit to the point that I was considering putting it down. Despite that, the last 1/4 of the book REALLY made up for it, and I loved the twists and turns at the end and now can't wait for the sequel. The characters were all quite interesting, but sometimes it felt difficult to keep up with everyone we'd been introduced to. All in all, I enjoyed it!

Received ARC from NetGalley.

Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

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5.0

Atmospheric, character-driven, engaging... In a word, this book was amazing! It drew me in quickly and didn't let up. The character's were the focus of the book I think, and it was so well done. Each relationship, romantic or otherwise, was well developed and explored. Each character had nuance and layers and felt realistic and well-rounded. The atmosphere added nicely to the plot and gave it such a unique vibe. Ross's writing was easy to follow, easy to get lost in, and easy to enjoy. Definitely recommend.

Received ARC from Netgalley

Mountains Made of Glass by Scarlett St. Clair

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I'm a fan of Scarlett and I don't think she could ever write something I didn't love, but this was just...next level. You can really tell just how much FUN she had writing this, and it came through. This is a longer novella, but it still felt too short. I wanted to stay inside this world with these characters forever! The character development was fantasticly done, adding nuance and layers to each character we met, no matter how briefly. The retelling aspect, mixed with Celtic folklore/mythology creatures was really cool and helped deepen the world building. Even in a shorter book, the world building was fantastic and pulled you in from the first line. Highly recommend, and can't wait for the next one!

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jessicastaylor's reviews 471 reviews

jessicastaylor's reviews
471 reviews