From Blood and Ash is an adult fantasy and is the first book in the Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout. I loved this book so much! I stayed up until 2:30 in the morning reading because I just. could. not. stop. reading! (and trust me, I do not stay up late. haha) From Blood and Ash is easily my favorite read of 2020, and I know this will become one of my favorite fantasy series. When I tell you that I was enthralled with this book, I am serious. From Blood and Ash gripped a hold of my heart and did not let go. Not even after I was finished reading.

I am going to try my very best to not include any spoilers in this review. Short review- If you are a fan of fantasy and paranormal romances, then you NEED to read From Blood and Ash. If you still need convincing, then read on.

In From Blood and Ash, we meet our main character, Poppy. Poppy is her kingdom's chosen maiden. Chosen by the gods to participate in a ceremony, called the Ascension. The ascension is a mysterious ceremony that helps to anoint the new royals of the country, but no one knows too much about it. Being the maiden comes with some perks, like living in the palace, but mostly it comes with huge restrictions. No one is allowed to see, touch or speak to Poppy other than her ladies maid and her royal guard.

Poppy is a fantastic main character! I loved her so much. She is brave and plucky and resourceful. She loves to ask questions and she takes very little at face value. She is the type of heroine that I love. Poppy is no wallflower, and she is not afraid to get right into the action. When Poppy's current guard is killed by an enemy group in a kidnapping attempt, Poppy gets assigned a new guard- Hawke. Hawke and Poppy have sparks right from their very first meeting. I loved their fiery fighting and interactions. I couldn't get enough of these two. And the romance was everything I was hoping for and then some. It is fantastic!!

In addition to great characters, and a fantastic romance that sizzles through the pages, the world building is also really interesting. There are warring factions, dangerous creatures called the Craven and plenty of mystery and secrets. I will admit that I did figure out a a few aspects of the story, but that didn't detract from my enjoy at all. I think this book is a must read for all fans of fantasy romance and paranormal romance. If all Jennifer Armentrout books are like this one, I need to read them all ASAP! From Blood and Ash is my favorite read of the year...and further, it is my favorite book that I have read in a long time! The second book in this series comes out September 1st, so now is the perfect time to pick up book one if you have not read it yet! I think you will fall in love just like I did!