Title: From Blood and Ash
Series: Blood and Ash #1
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Genre: Fantasy Romance, New Adult
Published: March 29, 2020 by Blue Box Press
Kindle Page Count: 622 pages
Audio Length: 19 hours and 46 minutes (Brilliance Audio)
Goodreads: 4.21 (out of 5)
My Rating: 4 (out of 5) [Read my review here]
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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.
TROPE GUIDE: Chosen One | Enemies to Lovers | Forbidden Romance | Forced Proximity | Secret Identity
QUICK LINKS: From Blood and Ash Recap by Chapter 8–20 | 21–35 | 36–41 // Book Review // Blood and Ash Book 2 Summary
Disclaimer: This is a From Blood and Ash summary. The original work is the property of Jennifer L. Armentrout and Blue Box Press.
From Blood and Ash Book Summary
This Jennifer L. Armentrout From Blood and Ash by chapter summary contains spoilers.
From Blood and Ash Chapter 1
Poppy Balfour is the Maiden, a figure of purity who lives a heavily restricted life behind a veil. One night, she throws all of that out the window and slips into a notorious club called the Red Pearl in disguise.
At a card table with off-duty soldiers, Poppy overhears something disturbing. A man named Finley was found near the Blood Forest, mutilated and drained of blood. The guards shut it down before she hears more, but it stays with her.
Deeper in the club, Poppy notices someone watching her and ducks behind a curtained area. An employee there sees through her mask but recognizes her as the Maiden and promises to stay quiet.
Then Vikter Wardwell, Poppy’s mentor and personal guard, walks through the door. Getting caught would mean serious consequences, so Poppy follows the employee’s advice and slips upstairs to hide.
Poppy thinks she’s safe. Then a stranger grabs her from the dark, pulls her close, and murmurs that he wasn’t expecting her.
From Blood and Ash Chapter 2
Poppy realizes the man holding her is Hawke Flynn, a guard from the capital she has noticed at the castle before. Hawke mistakes her for someone else because of the borrowed cloak, and things turn physical. When he realizes his mistake, he tries to get her name.
They banter and flirt, but the conversation drifts into heavier territory around loss and death.
Even as the mood shifts, Hawke moves in for another kiss. Poppy knows what’s at stake. She’s the Maiden, and acting on her feelings could mean exile or death. But for once, Poppy doesn’t pull away. She wants to choose for herself.
From Blood and Ash Chapter 3
Poppy stays despite her better judgment. Hawke removes her cloak, touches her gently, and tells her he’s fascinated by her. He asks her to take off her mask, which makes her nervous about how he’ll react to her scars.
Hawke finds the hidden dagger on her thigh and seems surprised when she says she knows how to use it. Their time gets cut short when Kieran knocks to announce that an envoy has arrived. Hawke promises to return, and Poppy says she’ll wait. She slips away the moment he leaves.
The next morning, Tawny Lyon notices Poppy came in late. Poppy admits she went to the Red Pearl but keeps the details about Hawke to herself. Tawny is thrilled and jokingly insists on tagging along next time.
The conversation shifts to the upcoming Ascension. Tawny sees it as a wonderful new beginning, which gives Poppy a pang of guilt. She worries her dread of the future is casting a shadow over Tawny’s excitement.
That evening, Vikter shows up with an urgent summons. There’s a new victim of the curse.
From Blood and Ash Chapter 4
Poppy and Vikter sneak out of the castle and head into the Lower Ward, looking for a house marked with a white handkerchief, a secret sign for those who need a mercy death.
They find Agnes, whose husband Marlowe came home from a hunt showing signs of a deadly curse. Poppy senses her suffering and uses her ability to ease her grief.
Vikter stays in the main room, suspecting a child is nearby. Poppy goes into the bedroom alone and finds Marlowe close to turning. She reveals she’s the Maiden, then uses her dagger to give him a quick and dignified death.
Just before he dies, Marlowe warns Poppy that a guard named Ridley has also been bitten. If Ridley turns inside the military dorms, it will be a bloodbath. Poppy leaves immediately.
From Blood and Ash Chapter 5
Poppy and Vikter arrive at Ridley’s home to find his father has already killed him to stop the turning. On the walk back, Vikter confronts Poppy about her recent behavior and suggests she’s taking these risks because she secretly wants to be found unworthy and escape her fate. The idea stays with her through the next day.
That evening, Poppy heads out for her usual walk with her guard, Rylan. Before they reach the gardens, a cruel Ascended lord named Lord Mazeen corners her. He enjoys harassing her and threatening her with the Duke‘s punishments. He turns physically aggressive, but terrified screams cut the encounter short. Poppy breaks away and runs toward the noise. She finds the body of a woman killed by something with sharp teeth.
From Blood and Ash Chapter 6
The castle went into lockdown after the discovery of Malessa Axton‘s body. That evening, Poppy discussed the murder with Tawny and Rylan. The wounds were too clean for a typical Craven, and there was barely any blood. Vikter arrived and told Poppy that the Duke had blamed Descenters, but both suspected an Atlantian had gotten inside. Before Vikter left, Poppy used her gift to ease his headache.
The next morning, Poppy went to the library and read that Atlantians could pass among mortals easily. They looked human, lived for thousands of years, and created Craven through their bites. She also snuck into the murder room and found a single jasmine petal, odd because there were no jasmine flowers in the arrangements.
That evening, Poppy took her usual walk in the Queen’s Garden with Rylan. An arrow hit Rylan in the chest. He collapsed and told Poppy to run.
From Blood and Ash Chapter 7
The ambush happens fast. Rylan dies before he hits the ground. Poppy fights off a hooded man who tries to kidnap her and stabs him twice before he lands a few heavy punches. A whistle from the forest signals his retreat.
Back inside, a healer confirms Poppy’s injuries are minor. Vikter says Rylan died because he let his guard down. Duchess Teerman points out that the arrow bore the insignia of the Dark One and believes the attacker was connected to a group that visited the castle the day before. She warns Poppy that she’s now a primary target and that King Jalara and Queen Ileana may soon order her to the capital.