Jennifer L. Armentrout has built an impressive literary empire with beloved series like The Lux Chronicles, The Covenant Series, and The Dark Elements. Yet with From Blood and Ash, she ventures into uncharted territory that marks both a triumphant evolution and a stunning departure from her previous work. This isn’t just another paranormal romance—it’s a meticulously crafted high fantasy that challenges readers’ expectations at every turn.
After years of perfecting her craft in contemporary and urban paranormal settings, Armentrout’s leap into epic fantasy feels both natural and revolutionary. The author herself acknowledged this was unfamiliar ground, spending years developing the complex world that would become the foundation for what has grown into a six-book series.
The Heart of the Story: Duty Versus Desire
From Blood and Ash follows Penellaphe, known as Poppy, a young woman destined to serve as the Maiden—a role that demands complete isolation from human connection. Chosen from birth to usher in a new era through her Ascension to the gods, Poppy’s life has been dictated by rigid rules that forbid her from being touched, looked upon, or even spoken to directly.
The premise immediately establishes a suffocating atmosphere that mirrors the protagonist’s constrained existence. Armentrout masterfully captures the psychological weight of a life lived entirely for others, where personal desires must be completely suppressed in service of duty. This foundation creates an incredibly compelling character arc as Poppy begins to question everything she’s been told about her purpose and the world around her.
Enter Hawke Flynn, a golden-eyed guard assigned to protect Poppy as her Ascension approaches. His presence catalyzes a transformation in Poppy that goes far beyond simple romantic awakening. Through their interactions, Armentrout explores themes of agency, identity, and the courage required to forge your own path when everything you’ve believed begins to crumble.
World-Building That Breathes and Lives
The kingdom of Solis, with its towering Rises designed to keep out monstrous Craven and its complex hierarchy of Ascended rulers, feels both familiar and entirely fresh. Armentrout constructs a world where ancient gods have supposedly blessed certain individuals with immortality, creating a society built on religious devotion and fear of the cursed creatures lurking beyond their walls.
What sets this fantasy apart is how the world-building serves the story rather than overwhelming it. Every detail—from the Blood Forest to the intricate political structures—feels purposeful and lived-in. The mythology unfolds gradually, allowing readers to discover the truth alongside Poppy as her understanding of her world shifts dramatically.
The author’s background in paranormal romance proves invaluable here, as she understands how to balance complex supernatural elements with intimate character development. The result is a world that feels epic in scope while remaining deeply personal in its emotional resonance.
Characters That Leap Off the Page
Poppy emerges as a protagonist worthy of the epic journey ahead of her. Armentrout avoids the trap of creating a passive character waiting to be rescued. Instead, Poppy possesses an innate strength and curiosity that makes her constant questioning of authority feel natural rather than contrived. Her secret training sessions with weapons and her mysterious ability to sense others’ pain add layers to her character that extend far beyond her destined role.
The supporting cast enriches the narrative significantly. Tawny, Poppy’s friend and confidante, provides both emotional support and comic relief while representing the kind of normal life Poppy yearns for. Vikter, her guard and father figure, embodies the conflict between duty and genuine care. Each character serves a purpose in Poppy’s journey of self-discovery.
Hawke Flynn deserves particular attention as a love interest who transcends typical romantic hero archetypes. Armentrout crafts their relationship with patience and attention to emotional authenticity. Their connection develops through shared conversations, mutual respect, and genuine understanding rather than mere physical attraction. The romantic tension builds naturally, making their eventual intimacy feel earned and meaningful.
The Art of Romantic Tension
Armentrout’s reputation for creating swoon-worthy romance is well-deserved, and From Blood and Ash showcases her skills at their finest. The romantic elements never overshadow the fantasy plot; instead, they enhance and complicate the larger story in meaningful ways. The forbidden nature of Poppy’s feelings adds genuine stakes to every interaction, making simple touches feel earth-shattering.
The intimate scenes are crafted with Armentrout’s signature blend of emotional vulnerability and physical passion. She understands that the most powerful romantic moments arise from character development and emotional connection rather than simply physical attraction. The result is a love story that feels both epic and deeply personal.
Pacing and Plot Development
One of the novel’s greatest strengths lies in its expertly managed pacing. Armentrout builds tension gradually, layering mysteries and revelations throughout the narrative. Just when readers feel they understand the world and its rules, new information emerges that recontextualizes everything that came before.
The plot moves between intimate character moments and larger action sequences with remarkable fluidity. Training scenes with weapons feel as important as romantic encounters, while political intrigue weaves seamlessly through personal drama. This balance keeps readers engaged on multiple levels while building toward revelations that completely reshape the story’s foundation.
Writing Style and Prose
Armentrout’s prose style has evolved considerably since her earlier works, showing increased sophistication while maintaining her accessible voice. She employs rich sensory details that bring the fantasy world to life without becoming overly descriptive. The dialogue feels natural and character-specific, allowing each person’s personality to shine through their speech patterns.
The first-person narration through Poppy’s perspective creates an intimate reading experience while effectively limiting information to maintain mystery. Armentrout skillfully uses this constraint to control the flow of revelations, ensuring that readers discover crucial information at precisely the right moments for maximum impact.
Themes and Deeper Meaning
Beneath the romance and fantasy adventure, From Blood and Ash explores profound themes about autonomy, questioning authority, and the courage required to live authentically. Poppy’s journey from obedient Maiden to self-determined individual mirrors many readers’ own struggles with societal expectations and personal desires.
The novel examines how institutions use fear and tradition to maintain control, while questioning the narratives we’re told about history and purpose. These themes resonate particularly strongly in contemporary discussions about individual agency and institutional power.
Areas for Improvement
While From Blood and Ash succeeds on many levels, it isn’t without minor flaws. The sheer volume of world-building information occasionally slows the narrative pace, particularly in the middle sections where exposition temporarily overwhelms character development. Some readers may find certain plot conveniences slightly convenient, though these moments rarely detract from the overall experience.
The novel’s length—over 600 pages—might intimidate some readers, though most find themselves completely absorbed once the story gains momentum. A few secondary characters could benefit from additional development, though this issue is likely addressed in subsequent books in the series.
The Broader Blood and Ash Universe
From Blood and Ash serves as the foundation for an expanding universe that currently includes five additional books: A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire (2020), The Crown of Gilded Bones (2021), The War of Two Queens (2022), A Soul of Ash and Blood (2023), and the upcoming The Primal of Blood and Bone (2025). Each installment builds upon the world and relationships established in this first book, creating an increasingly complex and engaging fantasy saga.
The series demonstrates Armentrout’s commitment to long-form storytelling, allowing character arcs and plot threads to develop across multiple volumes rather than rushing toward quick resolutions. This approach rewards invested readers while maintaining the high-stakes tension that makes each book compelling.
For Fans Of
Readers who enjoyed Sarah J. Maas’s A Court of Thorns and Roses series will find much to love in From Blood and Ash. Both series feature strong female protagonists discovering their power while navigating complex romantic relationships and political intrigue. Similarly, fans of Elise Kova’s Air Awakens or Stephanie Meyer’s The Host will appreciate the blend of romance and fantasy elements.
Those who enjoyed Armentrout’s previous series, particularly The Dark Elements or The Harbinger Series, will recognize her evolved writing style while discovering new depths in her storytelling abilities.
Similar Book Recommendations
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black offers a similarly complex fantasy romance with political intrigue and a strong-willed heroine. Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard provides another story about a young woman discovering her power while questioning everything she’s been told about her world.
For readers seeking more mature fantasy romance, Hunt on Dark Waters by Katee Robert delivers similar romantic tension within a fantasy setting, while One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig offers gothic fantasy elements with romantic undertones.
Final Verdict
From Blood and Ash represents Jennifer L. Armentrout at her absolute best—a master storyteller working at the height of her powers to create something genuinely special. This isn’t simply another entry in the fantasy romance genre; it’s a redefinition of what that genre can accomplish when handled with skill, creativity, and genuine respect for both the fantasy and romantic elements.
The novel succeeds because it treats both its world-building and character development with equal importance, creating a story that satisfies on multiple levels. Whether you’re drawn to epic fantasy adventures or emotionally complex romance, From Blood and Ash delivers an experience that will leave you eagerly reaching for the next book in the series.
Armentrout has created something truly remarkable here—a fantasy world that feels both entirely original and comfortably familiar, populated by characters whose journeys will stay with readers long after the final page. For fans of fantasy romance or readers looking to explore the genre, From Blood and Ash serves as both an excellent entry point and a shining example of what the genre can achieve at its finest.