A Maiden… 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.
From Blood and Ash Series
From Blood and Ash is a fantasy series that focuses on dark and magical elements in the struggle for power. The main characters strive to survive in a dangerous world where magic and betrayal play a key role. The story is filled with tension, intrigue, and unexpected twists. The series explores how power and the desire for it can destroy relationships and humanity.
Recommended Reading Order
A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire
- 571 pages
- 20 hours of reading
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout comes a gripping new installment in her Blood and Ash series. Poppy's world is shattered as everything she believed, including her feelings for a man she loves, proves to be a lie. Now seen as a symbol of a monstrous kingdom, she struggles to understand her identity without the veil of the Maiden. The Dark One, the Prince of Atlantia, poses the greatest threat, yet she is determined to resist him. Casteel Da’Neer, known for his seductive lies and truths, needs Poppy alive to fulfill his ambitions. Despite her mistrust, he offers her the chance to find her brother Ian, who may have become a soulless Ascended. Collaborating with Casteel is fraught with danger, as he tempts her with desires that could lead to both pleasure and pain. Their connection could bind their fates in ways neither kingdom anticipates. Meanwhile, unrest brews in Atlantia, with whispers of war growing louder. The King aims to use Poppy as a pawn, while enemies seek her demise. As her abilities intensify, fear spreads among the Atlantians. Dark secrets threaten to emerge, rooted in the blood-soaked sins of two kingdoms. With the earth trembling and skies bleeding, Poppy may find herself at the center of a storm that could change everything.
The Crown of Gilded Bones
- 625 pages
- 22 hours of reading
"Poppy never dreamed she would find the love she's found with Prince Casteel. She wants to revel in her happiness but first they must free his brother and find hers. It's a dangerous mission and one with far-reaching consequences neither dreamed of. Because Poppy is the Chosen, the Blessed. The true ruler of Atlantia. She carries the blood of the King of Gods within her. By right the crown and the kingdom are hers. Poppy has only ever wanted to control her own life, not the lives of others, but now she must choose to either forsake her birthright or seize the gilded crown and become the Queen of Flesh and Fire. But as the kingdoms' dark sins and blood-drenched secrets finally unravel, a long-forgotten power rises to pose a genuine threat. And they will stop at nothing to ensure that the crown never sits upon Poppy's head. But the greatest threat to them and to Atlantia is what awaits in the far west, where the Queen of Blood and Ash has her own plans, ones she has waited hundreds of years to carry out. Poppy and Casteel must consider the impossible, travel to the Lands of the Gods and wake the King himself."--Page 4 of cover
The War of Two Queens
- 570 pages
- 20 hours of reading
In the fourth book of Jennifer L. Armentrout's Blood and Ash series, Poppy fights to free her King and confront the Blood Queen's devastating revelations. With the support of allies, she must navigate ancient powers and embrace her destiny, even if it means becoming the Harbinger of Death and Destruction.
#1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout revisits the first novel in her phenomenal Blood and Ash series. But this time?it's Hawke's turn to tell the story.Filled with new scenes, insights, and a few surprises, A Soul of Ash and Blood is a must-read for fans of From Blood and Ash and the love story of Poppy and Hawke.