Book Review: From Blood and Ash by JLA (reread)

Title: From Blood and Ash

Series: Blood and Ash

Author: JLA

Genre: Romantasy

Year of publication: 2020


This was a reread for me and, 6 years later, I still enjoyed every word, paragraph and chapter! Thanks to Netgalley for my ecopy!


BLURB

A Maiden…

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.

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.

You know it’s times like this when I wish I woild allow myself to add a swear in a review. A short, sharp, swift swear bomb to actually explain how I am feeling. To just express the feelings I am dealing with that only a swear bomb could do.

Alas I cannot. As I won’t let myself! So I’ve decided just to chuck some words down to try and explain how utterly fab this book is but I doubt even that will do it justice.

But before we get to the ‘words’ I have to say this. In the words of Buddy the Elf, I’m in love, I’m in love and I don’t care who knows it! (Sorry, had to say that to further encompass my feelings!)

Hooked
Line and sinker.
Mind blown
Obsessed
Absolutely loved.

I didn’t even write any quotes of this book which is very unlike me, that’s how sucked in I was (and I’ll regret that later!)

I’m very aware there is nothing in here about plot, story or characters, just an info dump of my feelings. And I don’t care. Read it. You won’t regret it.

And can we talk about that ending. Swoon City

⭐ Rating: 5 out of 5


Sound like something you’d like?

TTT – Books That Live in My Head Rent-Free

Top Ten Tuesday is featured by That Artsy Reader Girl. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

Topic: Books That Live in My Head Rent-Free

Only 10?

I could’ve got at least 30 I think!

So here are 10 of my 30 🤣

Throne of Glass by SJM
Chaos MC by Kristen Ashley
Illuminae Files by Jay Kristoff
House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
Fear Me by BB Reid
Rock Chicks by Kristen Ashley
The Three Series by Kristen Ashley
Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare
Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff
Green Creek by TJ Klune

What are yours?

The Sunday Post! Heat begone!

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted by Caffeinated Reviewer  It’s a chance to share news, a post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received.

Hope you’ve had a good week!

I’ve been spending a lot of time in my garden in the evenings this week because my house feels like an actual oven in this heat! While I’ve been out there, I’ve made a new friend! Every evening, as soon as I sit down, he appears and happily pecks around the grass, staying with me for most of the evening. I’ve named him Wilbur the Wood Pigeon! (I think he’s a juvenile wood pigeon but I am no bird expert!!)

Reading wise, I saw the below beauty on Netgalley and decided to get it for a reread so I don’t have to weightlift with my hardback! I wanted to catch up on this series so this was well timed!


From Blood and Ash by JLA (reread)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

See my review soon!


Feature – August Book Releases
Holiday – Italy


Book Review – Ravenous by Kresley Cole

What have you read lately?

Lake Garda is stunning – I need to go back!

After landing in Verona, Italy, we hopped on a coach for the hour long journey to Lake Garda.

We were completely blown away! We had never seen somewhere so breathtakingly beautiful!

We spent plenty of time relaxing by the pool, exploring the shores of the Lake and wandering through the picturesque town, browsing the local shops and soaking up the atmosphere. We also went to Venice…

Despite the heat, Venice was fascinating!  Its history, medieval engineering and networks of canals made it unlike anywhere we’ve ever visited.

We took a guided tour around St Mark’s Square, the Basilica, Doge’s Palace, the Bridge of Sighs and the Rialto Bridge. We also went on a gondola and took a boat trip to see the Islands of the Lagoon.

Alas my son fell ill a day later and we had to get him a doctor, strep throat and an ear infection so we had a couple of days in the air conditioned room (which actually was quite nice!!)

I’ll leave you with these cuties we met by the lake!

TTT – Books I Want to Read by New to Me Authors

Top Ten Tuesday is featured by That Artsy Reader Girl. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

Topic: Books I Want to Read by New to Me Authors

Kresley Cole
Mai Corland
Stacia Stark
Dani Francis
Akwaeke Emezi
LK Steven
Antonio Hodgson
LR Lam
Nisha J Tuli
Sara Hashem

What are yours?

The Sunday Post! Back to reality.

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted by Caffeinated Reviewer  It’s a chance to share news, a post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received.

Hope you’ve had a good week!

Back from Italy and back to reality….a mountain of washing and back to work!

We are having our 3rd heatwave and it is so horrible with no ac! Yesterday I was sat in my lounge and my glass fire exploded. Luckily I wasn’t hit but there was glass everywhere. I think it was because of the heat but who knows because it wasn’t even plugged in!

I didn’t read a word on holiday but this week I got stuck in to an arc…and it was so good!

I’m hoping that this is the end of my book slump. I’m also taking drastic action and uninstalling Tik Tok so I don’t doomscroll all the time!


🎧 Ravenous by Kresley Cole
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

See my review soon!


Feature – Stacking the Shelves – June
Tag – Mid-Year Book Freak Out


Feature – August Book Releases
Holiday – Italy

What have you read lately?

Mid-Year Book Freak-Out Tag!

I haven’t done this tag for a few years so that coupled with the fact that it’s the middle of the year, I thought I’d do the Mid-Year Book Freak-Out Tag. It was created by Chami and Ely Jayne.

I’ve read 30 books so far this year so have a few to choose from!

BEST BOOK I’VE READ SO FAR

Empire of the Dawn


BEST SEQUEL I’VE READ SO FAR

Princess of Blood by Sarah Hawley


NEW RELEASE I HAVEN’T READ YET BUT WANT TO

Rites of the Starling by Devney Perry


MOST ANTICIPATED RELEASE FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR

Captive Traitor King by Brigid Kemmerer


BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

Bonds of Hercules by Jasmine Mas


BIGGEST SURPRISE

Your Knife My Heart by KM Moronova


FAVOURITE NEW AUTHOR

Tessonja Odette (The Lies That Summon the Night)


NEWEST FAVORITE CHARACTER

Chasin (One Small Echo – Jane Washington)


BOOK THAT MADE ME HAPPY

We Burned So Bright by TJ Klune




What have been yours?


Stacking the Shelves – June 2026

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks! And audiobooks. Don’t forget audiobooks!

In other words, if you can read it or if it can be read to you – no matter how you got it – it belongs in Stacking the Shelves.

The Stacking the Shelves meme was originally hosted at Team Tynga’s Reviews. It is currently hosted by Reading Reality.


I’m actually quite impressed (of myself!) Only 3 books! Who am I?!

Books I Bought

Daggermouth by HM Wolfe
Rune Breaker by Mila Finch 

Advanced Reader Copies

Fields of Asphodel by Callie Rowland

I’d better get reading!