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A review by brooksie03051
A Shadow in the Ember by Jennifer L. Armentrout
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
tense
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
This ongoing series is the prequel to the From Blood and Ash ongoing series. Apparently, there is a suggested reading order, however, I was unaware of that and read all the currently published From Blood and Ash books before reading this one.
The proposed reading order I found would be:
1. From Blood and Ash
2. A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire
3. The Crown of Gilded Bones
4. A Shadow in the Ember
5. The War of Two Queens
6. A Light in the Flame
7. A Soul of Ash and Blood
8. A Fire in the Flesh
9. Born of Blood and Ash
Then there is VISIONS OF FLESH AND BLOOD: a Blood and Ash/Flesh and Fire Compendium that is a comprehensive companion guide for background, history, reader-favorite information, art, and reference materials. Combined with original short stories and scenes from some of the popular characters in the books. Do not read this book until you have read the others if you want to avoid spoilers. I am waiting for both of the series to be complete until I look at that book.
If you want to read this series to be in the dark as Poppy aka Penellaphe was in From Blood to Ash, read that series first and then start the prequel Flesh and Fire books. Otherwise, you will already know who she is and what the other characters are which would make for a somewhat boring read. Now that I think of it, I am glad I read the From Blood and Ash series first. I am not a fan of spoilers and like to be surprised.
That is my hot take on the matter. Now, down to business with this prequel...
Seraphena Mierel’s future has never been hers. She is a princess, before her birth her future has been planned. Since her birth, she is known as "The Maiden" and her life has been promised to uphold the desperate deal her ancestor struck to save his people. To give the first daughter of the king to the Primal of Death as his Consort. Her life was to never know love, affection, and kindness, from not only her family but also her people. Hidden like a dirty secret and always covered with few who even knew who she was and what she looked like. Sera grew up knowing who and what she was to her kingdom. The Princess Chosen, Consort to The Primal of Death, a Weapon, and an Assassin. Failure is not an option. Her duty has been drilled into her every day of her life. Make the primal of death fall in love with her, make her his weakness, and when he least expects it, kill him. In doing so, it was supposed to stop the rot in the realm. Regardless if she succeeds in killing him or not, her life will be over. If she fails to kill him, he will end her life. If she can kill him, the gods will strike her down soon after.
She must not fail this task and her kingdom has been rotting since her birth. What she and the royals in her family did not expect when presented to The Primal of Death was his immediate rejection. He left as quickly as he arrived, dismissing Sera stating he had no use for a consort. After he arrived and made the statement, he left and never returned. As relieved as she was to be released from the duty that she has always known, the rejection also falls on her and the slow demise of the lands continues. Her step-brother the prince is sure to remind her of that fact daily since she was rejected years ago. Although she no longer has to hide herself now that the Primal of Death made his choice clear, she still was expected to keep her identity hidden and not be treated as the princess that she was. She continued to train in self-defense and battle and tried to help anyone who was in need.
An unexpected meeting with a god has her mind whirling. In his presence, she is drawn to him and can't seem to keep her sharp tongue to herself. Surely speaking back to and insulting a god would end in her death, but this god, introduced as Ash, seemed amused by her boldness. Never has he met a human so bold and without fear regardless of their situation. They happen to run into each other often as if drawn to each other. She doesn't listen to his warnings to stay out of trouble, her instinct to help all who needed it was strong and it was beyond her control to stop. Ash had stepped in to stop her from making foolish mistakes that would ultimately end her short life on numerous occasions. He shouldn't care if she lived or died, but he cannot help but intervene. Before they exchanged names, he referred to her kindly as Leissa. A name she has never heard before. A name that sounded intimate and loving.
Sera - "What does Liessa mean?"
Ash - "It has different meanings to different people. But all of them mean something beautiful and powerful."
One thing that very few knew about Sera, even less than those who knew her true face and station in the royal family was the power she held to heal. Humans have no power, not like the gods, not like the Primals. It was a power that would bring attention to the gods and not in a good way. A fear drilled into her that it is forbidden to take a soul from the Primal of Death and bring them back to health or back to life from death. It is forbidden to interfere with life balance, but when she could not say no to save someone who was dear to her family, it was like a beacon to the gods and put a target on her back. She kept that secret from her new god acquaintance Ash, and she finds that he is more than she realized. Her story goes even further than anyone imagined and the fates could not intervene.
"From the desperation of golden crowns and born of mortal flesh, a great primal power rises as the heir of the lands and seas. To the skys and all the realms. A shadow in the ember, a light in the flame, to become a fire in the flesh. When the stars fall from the night, the great mountains crumble into the seas and old bones raise their swords beside the gods. The false one will be stripped from glory until two born of the same misdeeds, born of the same great and primal power in the mortal realm. A first daughter, with blood full of fire fated for the once promised king, and the second daughter with blood full of the ash and ice, the other half of the future king, together they will remake the realms they usher in the end."
This is an enemies-to-lovers story with a slow-burn and spice. An FMC that is a fearless and deadly weapon to a not so ruthless MMC Golden Retriever Primal unless you hurt someone he cares about. This is the story of how Sera and Ash meet, and the beginning of it all. Her life's purpose and what her relationship with Ash was foretold as well as the future that their lives are intertwined. She was not meant to live long in this realm, but her fate unexpectedly changes and the future of her life may have a different outcome than what the prophecy originally determined.
It will be interesting to see how their story unfolds and ultimately jump-starts Penellaphe's life in the future in the From Blood and Ash series. This is a long series that paves the way to the ending of a centuries-old prophecy that changes as choices are made along the way.
The proposed reading order I found would be:
1. From Blood and Ash
2. A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire
3. The Crown of Gilded Bones
4. A Shadow in the Ember
5. The War of Two Queens
6. A Light in the Flame
7. A Soul of Ash and Blood
8. A Fire in the Flesh
9. Born of Blood and Ash
Then there is VISIONS OF FLESH AND BLOOD: a Blood and Ash/Flesh and Fire Compendium that is a comprehensive companion guide for background, history, reader-favorite information, art, and reference materials. Combined with original short stories and scenes from some of the popular characters in the books. Do not read this book until you have read the others if you want to avoid spoilers. I am waiting for both of the series to be complete until I look at that book.
If you want to read this series to be in the dark as Poppy aka Penellaphe was in From Blood to Ash, read that series first and then start the prequel Flesh and Fire books. Otherwise, you will already know who she is and what the other characters are which would make for a somewhat boring read. Now that I think of it, I am glad I read the From Blood and Ash series first. I am not a fan of spoilers and like to be surprised.
That is my hot take on the matter. Now, down to business with this prequel...
Seraphena Mierel’s future has never been hers. She is a princess, before her birth her future has been planned. Since her birth, she is known as "The Maiden" and her life has been promised to uphold the desperate deal her ancestor struck to save his people. To give the first daughter of the king to the Primal of Death as his Consort. Her life was to never know love, affection, and kindness, from not only her family but also her people. Hidden like a dirty secret and always covered with few who even knew who she was and what she looked like. Sera grew up knowing who and what she was to her kingdom. The Princess Chosen, Consort to The Primal of Death, a Weapon, and an Assassin. Failure is not an option. Her duty has been drilled into her every day of her life. Make the primal of death fall in love with her, make her his weakness, and when he least expects it, kill him. In doing so, it was supposed to stop the rot in the realm. Regardless if she succeeds in killing him or not, her life will be over. If she fails to kill him, he will end her life. If she can kill him, the gods will strike her down soon after.
She must not fail this task and her kingdom has been rotting since her birth. What she and the royals in her family did not expect when presented to The Primal of Death was his immediate rejection. He left as quickly as he arrived, dismissing Sera stating he had no use for a consort. After he arrived and made the statement, he left and never returned. As relieved as she was to be released from the duty that she has always known, the rejection also falls on her and the slow demise of the lands continues. Her step-brother the prince is sure to remind her of that fact daily since she was rejected years ago. Although she no longer has to hide herself now that the Primal of Death made his choice clear, she still was expected to keep her identity hidden and not be treated as the princess that she was. She continued to train in self-defense and battle and tried to help anyone who was in need.
An unexpected meeting with a god has her mind whirling. In his presence, she is drawn to him and can't seem to keep her sharp tongue to herself. Surely speaking back to and insulting a god would end in her death, but this god, introduced as Ash, seemed amused by her boldness. Never has he met a human so bold and without fear regardless of their situation. They happen to run into each other often as if drawn to each other. She doesn't listen to his warnings to stay out of trouble, her instinct to help all who needed it was strong and it was beyond her control to stop. Ash had stepped in to stop her from making foolish mistakes that would ultimately end her short life on numerous occasions. He shouldn't care if she lived or died, but he cannot help but intervene. Before they exchanged names, he referred to her kindly as Leissa. A name she has never heard before. A name that sounded intimate and loving.
Sera - "What does Liessa mean?"
Ash - "It has different meanings to different people. But all of them mean something beautiful and powerful."
One thing that very few knew about Sera, even less than those who knew her true face and station in the royal family was the power she held to heal. Humans have no power, not like the gods, not like the Primals. It was a power that would bring attention to the gods and not in a good way. A fear drilled into her that it is forbidden to take a soul from the Primal of Death and bring them back to health or back to life from death. It is forbidden to interfere with life balance, but when she could not say no to save someone who was dear to her family, it was like a beacon to the gods and put a target on her back. She kept that secret from her new god acquaintance Ash, and she finds that he is more than she realized. Her story goes even further than anyone imagined and the fates could not intervene.
"From the desperation of golden crowns and born of mortal flesh, a great primal power rises as the heir of the lands and seas. To the skys and all the realms. A shadow in the ember, a light in the flame, to become a fire in the flesh. When the stars fall from the night, the great mountains crumble into the seas and old bones raise their swords beside the gods. The false one will be stripped from glory until two born of the same misdeeds, born of the same great and primal power in the mortal realm. A first daughter, with blood full of fire fated for the once promised king, and the second daughter with blood full of the ash and ice, the other half of the future king, together they will remake the realms they usher in the end."
This is an enemies-to-lovers story with a slow-burn and spice. An FMC that is a fearless and deadly weapon to a not so ruthless MMC Golden Retriever Primal unless you hurt someone he cares about. This is the story of how Sera and Ash meet, and the beginning of it all. Her life's purpose and what her relationship with Ash was foretold as well as the future that their lives are intertwined. She was not meant to live long in this realm, but her fate unexpectedly changes and the future of her life may have a different outcome than what the prophecy originally determined.
It will be interesting to see how their story unfolds and ultimately jump-starts Penellaphe's life in the future in the From Blood and Ash series. This is a long series that paves the way to the ending of a centuries-old prophecy that changes as choices are made along the way.