§Synopsis
01"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.
A Duty…
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.
A Kingdom…
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."-- Provided by Amazon
§Our take
This is a bet on patience, and whether it pays off depends on how much of it you have. Some readers say the slow first 40 percent is worth it. Others find it hard going. The opening is slow and the first chapter dumps a lot of exposition, but then the book picks up and doesn't let go. One reader finished the last 60 percent in a single six-hour sitting.
Poppy has lived shut away, watched and untouched, so you learn the world through a sheltered view. That explains why key information stays withheld for so long. Some readers call that clever mystery, others call it confusion. The real draw is the banter and slow-burn tension between Poppy and Hawke. It won the Goodreads Choice Award for Romance, not Fantasy, and that tells you who it's for. The heat is also milder than the genre's reputation suggests.
§Themes
- Chosen, not asked
- Poppy's future was settled at birth, and the book is about what that costs a girl who has a heart, a temper and opinions.
- Forbidden attraction
- A Maiden can't be touched, so every scene with her guard Hawke carries risk.
- A sheltered view
- Because Poppy is isolated, the world arrives in fragments and the mysteries linger.
- Duty against desire
- A fallen kingdom is rising, and Poppy has to weigh survival against what she wants.
§How it was received
Readers voted it the 2020 Goodreads Choice Award winner for Romance. A library staff reviewer praised the storytelling and worldbuilding and called it approachable for newcomers to fantasy. Blog reviewers love the chemistry and the fast second half, though some find the central twist guessable.
§Read it if
- You want slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers banter with a real payoff
- You're new to fantasy and want something character-driven and accessible
- You like romantasy but want less spice than the big-name titles
§Skip it if
- A slow first 40 percent and an early exposition dump will lose you before the pace arrives
- You want worldbuilding fully explained up front. Key details are held back until late.
§Before you start
- Reading experience
- The first 40 percent takes its time; once the book catches fire, the remaining pages go fast.
- Reading order
- Book 1 of the Blood and Ash series. A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire is book 2. The series has since grown to include prequels, spin-offs and companions, so start here.
- Content notes
- Sexual content, including roughly two explicit scenes according to one reviewer; Violence and vengeance tied to a fallen kingdom's rise.
§Common questions
- Is From Blood and Ash part of a series?
- Yes, it's book 1 of the Blood and Ash series. Book 2 is A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire.
- How spicy is it?
- Milder than much of the genre. One blogger counts roughly two explicit scenes, with most of the romance staying mild.
- Does it end on a cliffhanger?
- Yes. The ending sets up A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire right away, so have book 2 ready.
§If you liked this
- A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas — One blogger measures its sexual content against Maas's book, and another recommends this one to Maas fans.
- The Remnant Chronicles by Mary E. Pearson — One blogger lists it as a similar read, so it's worth a look if you want more fantasy with a romantic thread.
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