A Soul of ASH and Blood: A Blood and ASH Novel: 5

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Malik also tells Cas why he stayed for so long and again it's all because of Millie and he would never leave her no matter what but again she hates him because of the things he has done (which we don't know what he is referring to). I knew Cas would eventually be rescued, I also know that he would persevere and endure, no matter what because he’d rather be the one suffering than Poppy. But among all that despair and rage, there was also hope because he knew that his Queen would come for him. March 19th 2022: Apparently people think the Joining was a one time thing and there won’t be a throuple. Which baffles me because, nothing changed after the Joining because things had already started changing before it.

Casteel on Kieran’s feelings for Poppy: “I knew his face well enough to know when he looked upon someone he cared deeply about. Those fine, barely noticeable lines of tension around his mouth disappeared. Kieran softened. He’d done that when he looked at Elashya—whenever he spoke of her. He softened in almost the same way now when he looked upon Poppy.� The long separation is the main reason why I didn’t love this book, cause the first half of the book didn’t feel like Poppy & Cas’ story anymore. Casteel was pretty much pushed to the sideline. But on another note, I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Casteel’s POV chapters!! Been waiting 3 books for his POV and his chapters didn’t disappoint me, cause reading how much he loves Poppy always makes me feel 🥰🥰🥰. Even tho his POVs are a little one-dimentional, since they focus so much on his devotions to Poppy and how perfect she is, I didn’t mind it that much, cause there are worse things to read about than an obsessed Hero completely whipped for his queen. 🤷🏽‍♀️💅 Disclaimer: All thoughts are my own and how *I* interpret the events in this book. If you disagree that’s fine, everyone is entitled to their own opinion about his book, if you can disagree in a civil manner great, but refrain from leaving hate comments on here. 😪 We find out a lot about Cas and how his mind was working when he was trying to successfully become her guard and everything else that occurred between them.Overall, the characters were pretty good. Poppy is interesting, although she is not nearly as sheltered as JLA tries to make her out to be. She's an excellent fighter, she's witty, and swears. She is definitely naive, but I think that's because she's 18. Hawke was of course hot, but his idea of consent was definitely in the grey area.

Edit ✍️: It's also kind of funny to see people get upset about someone's opinion or my rating of this series. It's okay if you agree with me or not, there are also five stars for this unpublished book, lol 😅. I want to end by saying, I’m not really sure why or when it became ~cool~ or “funny” for people to be needlessly cruel about this series. If you don’t like it or were mad about the Joining or are weirdly angry that it’s popular, that’s fine and you’re entitled to that,…but what is the obsession with talking shit about it and tearing down others who do like it? I’ve seen several people on this app with some sort of status like “I am reading this book so that I can absolutely rip it to shreds” …just like, why? You have no other books to read? Nothing better to do with your time then tear down an author and bully any readers who do enjoy it? I don’t really get it…I also saw one reader give 1 star and write a review about how mad they were that they read this book because they didn’t realize it was Book 1 but from Casteel’s POV. I truly don’t understand how you cannot have realized that. This book has been so heavily marketed as Cas’ POV book for years...not sure if that rationale deserves 1 star. Besides, Malik and Millicent make an appearance in this book as well. They aren't active in Casteel's storytelling, of course, but appear in the present. Both are fascinating characters, not just individually, but as a pair as well. There isn't enough information on what happened between them that is keeping them apart, other than Malik trying to kill Poppy that is, but they are heartmates and I want them to be together. It is a bit funny to me that Casteel and Malik, two brothers, fell in love with Poppy and Millie, two sisters, but it isn't unheard of and doesn't bother me at all. I am fully invested in both Malik and Millie's relationship with each other and the relationship they have with their respective siblings. If their relationships aren't solidified by the end of the series there will be protests. Fair warning: I can be incredibly annoying! I reached over, clasping his shoulder. “We are not brothers of the same blood. We are not friends due to some bond,” I told him, and his gaze met mine. “We are not loyal to each other because of courtesy or tradition or title. We have always been above all that. And, in a lot of ways, we’re two halves of the same whole. Different than Poppy and me, but not that much different. You know that.”Don’t forget what he means to me, Poppy. I’ve known him my whole damn life,” he said. “We shared the same crib more times than not. We took our first steps together. Sat at the same table most nights, refusing to eat the same vegetables We explored tunnels and lakes, and pretended that fields were new, undiscovered kingdoms. We were inseparable. And that didn’t change as we grew older.” His voice roughened, and he dropped his forehead to mind. “He was and still is a part of me.” Then the whole Poppy having feelings mess. This is where it gets complicated and messy. This is the point where I can understand the concerns of some readers, because my biggest concern after TWOTQ is not knowing where the romance aspect is going. Poppy is young, Cas is her first love and she has not much experience with love, so I kinda get that she’s feeling confused about her feelings about Kieran. But at the same time she described it as not romantic love like she has for Cas, but more than she felt for Delano/Vonetta. I just think as humans, we like to label things. So there is either platonic love or romantic love. If it doesn’t fit in neither category it’s hard to grasp, but that’s exactly what I think Poppy & Kieran have. He is a good choice. For both of you.” There was a pause as he looked at his son, clearing his throat.” Most of us [wolven] have fostered friendships that can’t break. So, we just…we just made room for you.” He would be annoyed to find me in here.” A ghost of a smile appeared. “And then he’d be…intrigued .”

I’m trying to hold off my judgement for now, cause we don’t know where this is going and JLA is getting enough hate as it is and I don’t need to add more to it. But when I’m reading Book 5 and it’s going to be a poly relationship, then I’m going to write a (respectfully 😌) rant review for sure, but until then let’s wait and see where this story will take us. And this is where Poppy was an easy character to sympathize with, after all she is a young woman of barely eighteen, who is stripped of all the usual choices in life and all the usual privileges that we take for granted. Her life is not her own, and nor is that by choice, and I thought Armentrout did a good job of capturing just how stifled a life Poppy leads, and the internal conflicts and struggles that imposes upon her. Furthermore, whilst Poppy is merely expected to be this dutiful, virtuous symbol, she is in fact a courageous and spirited young woman, with a natural curiosity and thirst for life, that I think shone through.I did enjoy revisiting FBAA, it reignited the love for these characters I started to feel let down by. We forget how swoon worthy the romance between Poppy and Cas was 🥺 To see Cas go through that angst was PERFECT 🤌 I fell in love with them and Cas again 😍

From Blood and Ash is the first book in the Blood and Ash series and this was just a great way to start off a new series. Oh my gosh this was just such a great book to read. I was just drawn into this new world with it’s characters. I just was taken on a journey and I didn’t want it to end. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series. Blood and Ash Series 5 Book Set (From Blood and Ash, A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire, The Crown of Gilded Bones, The War of Two Queens, a Light in the Flame) by Jennifer L. Armentrout ReviewThis book is filled with heartache, rage, sorrow, angst, and love. The suffering Casteel endures broke my heart, and seeing Poppy and Kieran in pain and desperate to find him and save him before it was too late was painful. I do love angst, and I had a good dose of it in this book. Oh, how I wanted to see Callum and The Blood Queen die a painful and slow death. I hate them so much, but at the same time, I’m happy that I hate them because it means that I am so much more involved in the story. I did enjoy book 1 and 2. Book two is my favorite in this series. However, the writing started going downhill from book 3.