Reviews with content warning for Blood - From Blood and Ash

Easy read, predicable elements. Interesting premise and storyline, intriguing religious elements. Not sure if it's enough to make me want to read the second book, especially with the last sentence of the novel

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debbri22's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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kittykels's review against another edition

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dark tense slow-paced

3.75

What I liked:

The MMC; wanting to know what happens next with him is the main thing convincing me to read the next book.

What I don't like:

The intense focus on the FMC being THE Maiden and most of the book being her introspection. I'm okay with introspection, but there was more of it than of action. The most interesting parts of the book were when we got to see the "consequences" of being The Maiden in action. I wish we would have been shown more rather than just being told all of her thoughts. Thoughts are so boring.
Many things were predictable
Mentioning her brother a lot but never meeting him and it not being clear if we will ever meet him. I'm sure we will since there are multiple books in this series, but it's really frustrating to have to hear about characters we've never met and having to take the main character's word that not only do they exist, but that they are at all the way they're being described. (I'm like, 20 minutes away from actually being done with this book as I'm writing my review so I'm gonna be mad if we meet him at the end lol)
Idk how the term is spelled in the book or how it's supposed to be pronounced, but in the audiobook, the narrator is saying "vamprees" instead of "vampires." I'm not saying this is wrong or anything since I don't know what the author intended, I just really don't like it. It's grating to my ears and brain.
Atlantia is starting to seem very Velaris-esque. If the parallels continue, I'm going to be disappointed. Not because I think there's any copying going on, I don't think that at all, I just don't love SJM books and I don't want this series to end up being as big of a let down as those were.

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wrinnola's review against another edition

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funny mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Predictable and mildly infuriating at times, but overall an enjoyable read.

I wish I hadn’t figured out all the plot twists in the first half of the book. Waiting for Poppy to figure it all out was tedious, and I kept finding myself asking “is there a plot to this book?” Felt like nothing was happening between the Red Pearl and Victor’s death. I understand the need to show a slice of her life, with the Duke’s abuse and her gilded cage, but it probably could’ve been half the length it was.

Not my favorite YA romantasy, but I will be reading the second book, so take that as you will.

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