Review – A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire (Blood and Ash, Book 2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout (5/5 stars)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Length: 637 pages
Publisher: Blue Box Press
Release Date: September 1, 2020
ASIN : B08BZ61HDF
Stand Alone or Series: 2nd book in the Blood and Ash series
Source: Bought for Kindle
Rating: 5/5 stars
“ A Betrayal…
Everything Poppy has ever believed in is a lie, including the man she was falling in love with. Thrust among those who see her as a symbol of a monstrous kingdom, she barely knows who she is without the veil of the Maiden. But what she does know is that nothing is as dangerous to her as him. The Dark One. The Prince of Atlantia. He wants her to fight him, and that’s one order she’s more than happy to obey. He may have taken her, but he will never have her.
A Choice….
Casteel Da’Neer is known by many names and many faces. His lies are as seductive as his touch. His truths as sensual as his bite. Poppy knows better than to trust him. He needs her alive, healthy, and whole to achieve his goals. But he’s the only way for her to get what she wants—to find her brother Ian and see for herself if he has become a soulless Ascended. Working with Casteel instead of against him presents its own risks. He still tempts her with every breath, offering up all she’s ever wanted. Casteel has plans for her. Ones that could expose her to unimaginable pleasure and unfathomable pain. Plans that will force her to look beyond everything she thought she knew about herself—about him. Plans that could bind their lives together in unexpected ways that neither kingdom is prepared for. And she’s far too reckless, too hungry, to resist the temptation.
A Secret…
But unrest has grown in Atlantia as they await the return of their Prince. Whispers of war have become stronger, and Poppy is at the very heart of it all. The King wants to use her to send a message. The Descenters want her dead. The wolven are growing more unpredictable. And as her abilities to feel pain and emotion begin to grow and strengthen, the Atlantians start to fear her. Dark secrets are at play, ones steeped in the blood-drenched sins of two kingdoms that would do anything to keep the truth hidden. But when the earth begins to shake, and the skies start to bleed, it may already be too late.”
Series Info/Source: This is the second book in the Blood and Ash series. I bought this book for my Kindle.
Story (5/5): I absolutely devoured this book. However, this is more of a romance where Poppy and Casteel are getting to know each other better than anything else. There are a lot of politics surrounding this and Poppy and Casteel must protect the Atlanteans from the Ascended. Poppy spends a lot of time learning to understand the true history of the Atlantean people and trying to gain their trust. There is a huge surprise at the end of the book and I am eager to see where this leads us in the final book of the series. This is one of those books that I loved and devoured but it’s hard to review because when you think back not a ton of actual plot happened.
Characters (5/5): This book is 100% about the characters and their relationships. Watching Poppy and Casteel uncover each other’s truths and get to know each other again is engrossing. The chemistry between them is amazing and pretty much perfectly written. Some of the wolven and other side characters are also well done. Armentrout does an amazing job with characters and excels at creating absolutely engrossing tension between them. These characters are lovable and just pull you into the story completely.
Setting (5/5): There is very solid world-building here and I enjoy it a lot. In the first book Poppy (and thus us as the reader) is pretty sheltered from the broader world, but in this volume the detailed world-building and lush history are revealed in a lot more detail. This is a very well built world full of a deep mythology and history and I loved it.
Writing Style (5/5): I am not sure what it is about Armentrout’s writing style but it is just so effortless to read. These books pull me right through the story and I find myself unable to put them down. Despite the long page length I always find myself just breezing through these. In addition to amazing characters and amazing scenes with these characters, Armentrout’s other great talent is her action scenes….she does an amazing job creating heart-pounding action scenes that are just so engrossing. The balance between the romance, friendships, world-building, and breathtaking action is really well done.
My Summary (5/5): Overall I loved this book and can’t wait to see what the third book brings. Those who are looking for a fantasy romance that is well balanced with solid world-building and excellent action should definitely check this book out. I am loving this series even more than Armentrout’s Harbinger series (which I also love).
