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From Blood and Ash
493 pages
A swoony, high-stakes romantasy where rigid duty clashes with forbidden desire amidst a backdrop of deadly secrets and sharp-tongued banter.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like standing on the edge of a cliff, waiting for the inevitable, thrilling drop. It is a masterclass in romantic tension, wrapping the reader in a dangerous, secretive atmosphere where every lingering glance and sharp exchange of banter feels loaded with consequence. The prose is highly accessible and emotionally immediate, prioritizing visceral feelings and breathless pacing over dense world-building. As the protagonist sheds her repressed, duty-bound existence, the narrative accelerates into a propulsive rush of sexual awakening, shocking betrayals, and fierce rebellion. It is catnip for readers who devour high-stakes romantasy, offering a deeply satisfying blend of enemies-to-lovers angst, hidden identities, and a heroine who finally learns to wield her own power.
- Mood
- sensual
- dangerous
- secretive
- tension-filled
- Tone
- passionate
- angsty
- suspenseful
- snarky
- Pace
- propulsive
- Themes
- duty versus desire · questioning authority · sexual awakening · forbidden love · hidden identities
- The writing
- Accessible, dialogue-heavy, and emotionally immediate, the writing prioritizes visceral reactions and romantic tension over lyrical world-building.
- The arc
- The journey moves from repressed duty and profound isolation to explosive rebellion, sexual awakening, and fierce self-determination.
- Who it's for
- Fans of high-stakes romantasy who crave enemies-to-lovers tropes, witty banter, and a fierce heroine discovering her own agency.
Content notes
- graphic violence
- explicit sexual content
- blood and gore
- emotional manipulation
About the book
Chosen from birth to usher in a new era, Poppy’s life has never been 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 pleasure. 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 on Poppy’s shoulders, something she’s not even quite sure she wants for herself. Because a Maiden has a heart. And a soul. And longing. And when Hawke, a golden-eyed guard honor bound to ensure her Ascension, enters her life, destiny and duty become tangled with desire and need. He incites her anger, makes her question everything she believes in, and tempts her with the forbidden.
Forsaken by the gods and feared by mortals, a fallen kingdom is rising once more, determined to take back what they believe is theirs through violence and vengeance. And as the shadow of those cursed draws closer, the line between what is forbidden and what is right becomes blurred. 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.
Description from Open Library.
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