Hello lovelies!
I was so nervous to start this one because I didn’t enjoy From blood and Ash as much as I wanted to. But let me tell you…this book!! was!! everything!!
Title: A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire (From Blood and Ash #2)
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Synopsis: 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.(Goodreads)
5 stars: Persephone – Queen of the Underworld and Goddess of Spring. Persephone is my favourite goddess because she is full of contradictions – she represents both strength as queen of the underworld and a softness as a floral maiden. She teaches me how it’s okay to be both. If Persephone appears, that means that the book was one of the best books I’ve ever read, that it holds a particular place in my heart and that it is now part of my favourite books ever.
This book is well worth the hype and more!!
I guess because the series is so loved, I went in with too many expectations and I didn’t feel the spark and excitement for From Blood and Ash as much as I would have wanted to (even if I really enjoyed it!!) But this book??? PHENOMENAL .
I think once we went past all the lies and betrayal we had more time to focus on the characters and the way their dynamic evolved. It was nice to see the chemistry between Poppy and Hawke come back full force while also going forward in the story and delving more into their world.
The world building in this one was amazing and we learned so so much. I love how curious Poppy is as it allows the reader to also find more about the customs and rituals of their world. I liked all the descriptions and the little nods to our world. With Atlantia having running water and roads or even having a clock telling the time; it was nice. I’m not usually a fan of description but it think it was beautifully done here; it was just enough to properly set the world and universe and colours which allowed me to draw up vivid images in my head. It was very clear. That is due to the excellent writing style of the author. They take their time with slower moments like when they share a meal or just do mundane stuff but it never feels boring or gratuitous and I found myself to be as captivated and entertained with the slower moments than with the action-packed ones. The storytelling was fluid and seamlessly followed a certain logic that kept me interested. I like how the author distills the tiniest details to keep us wanting more.
I love how much development we had from the beginning to the end in every aspect.
Of course as I said, the first book didn’t convince me of their possible romance; I think there were too many obstacles and everything seemed fake. But in this one? I believed every single word exchanged between Poppy and Hawke. It all felt real and that happened because the characters acknowledged everything that was in the past and decided to go forward. Poppy and Hawke’s chemistry is insane and I live for their banter. I laughed out loud several times. You could just see the love and attraction between them and I loved the steamy scenes. They are incredibly well-written and left me hot and bothered. It just made so much sense that they are heartmates. and I can’t wait to explore that aspect in the next books.
There was also a lot of development in terms of Atlantia and how much we strayed from the first narrative we were given. So many moments were eye-opening and I soaked up every tiny piece of information. I loved the explanations of the rituals and how things worked in Atlantia. Can I live there?? It seems like such a beautiful place. I like all the history of the place, the gods and the different bloodlines. I hope that in the future we get to encounter more of these bloodlines and learn more about the wolven who I’m fascinated with.
That leads me to my last point which is all the other characters. I think all of the characters are well fleshed out and have their own voice. Kieran is my hero and I love him! I live for his sarcasm. I like all the other wolven (except Alastir; there’s something wrong with him) . I think their group dynamic is hilarious and I like how they tease each other. I care so much about them that when they go into battle in makes me scared for them. That’s saying something.
The last chapters of the book were magnificent me and I flew through them! WOW. I am currently reading book 3 and enjoying it just as much!!
Anotherbookworm 