Blurb:
The Flesh and Fire series is set in the beloved Blood and Ash world.
Born shrouded in the veil of the Primals, a Maiden as the Fates promised, Seraphena Mierel’s future has never been hers. Chosen before birth to uphold the desperate deal her ancestor struck to save his people, Sera must leave behind her life and offer herself to the Primal of Death as his Consort.
However, Sera’s real destiny is the most closely guarded secret in all of Lasania—she’s not the well protected Maiden but an assassin with one mission—one target. Make the Primal of Death fall in love, become his weakness, and then…end him. If she fails, she dooms her kingdom to a slow demise at the hands of the Rot.
Sera has always known what she is. Chosen. Consort. Assassin. Weapon. A specter never fully formed yet drenched in blood. A monster. Until him. Until the Primal of Death’s unexpected words and deeds chase away the darkness gathering inside her. And his seductive touch ignites a passion she’s never allowed herself to feel and cannot feel for him. But Sera has never had a choice. Either way, her life is forfeit—it always has been, as she has been forever touched by Life and Death.
My Thoughts:
A Shadow In The Ember is the first book in the prequel series (Flesh and Fire) to the widely popular Blood And Ash series. It is meant to be read after The Crown of Gilded Bones and before The War Of Two Queens. Many questions that the FB&A series left you with are answered and the two series will eventually come together so don’t pass this one up!
ASITE follows Seraphena (Sera) & Nykots. Sera was chosen at birth to become The Primal of Death’s consort. Her whole life, she has been taught that she must marry The Primal of Death to save her kingdom from a terrible disease that is killing the lands and the people who live there. However, marriage alone will not save her kingdom, she must make the Primal of Death fall in love with her and then kill him.
I have to be honest, the first half of the book seemed a bit slow to me mostly because there’s quite a bit of world building that happens. However, once the foundation was laid, I found myself consumed by the rest of the book.
I loved Sera and Nykots. Sera is a badass, like so many JLA heroins, but my heart hurt for her. She has spent her life isolated and unloved with the weight of saving her kingdom on her shoulders, but she hasn’t let that break her. She’s fierce, passionate, and the perfect match for Nykots which, given the positions she’s in, makes for one angst filled journey.
Now, lemme tell you about my new obsession Nykots! He’s everything you’d expect from the Primal of Death. He is intimidating, powerful, and a little scary at times, but there’s so much more to him than meets the eye. He’s also sexy AF and has an endearing quality that will have you falling in love with him immediately. He and Sera had fantastic chemistry. The banter between them was exceptional, and the steamy moments… burned right off the page!
Seriously, once the world building had been established, I could not put this book down. I found myself in a position where I needed more of Sera and Nykots and couldn’t read fast enough to get it. They’re relationship is a bit of a slow burn, but oh my gods it’s worth the wait. A Shadow In The Ember, is a fantastic prequel to the Blood & Ash series full of banter, swoon, and adventure that will leave you wanting more.
Grade A-
About The Author:
# 1 NEW YORK TIMES, # 1 International, and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout lives in West Virginia. She also writes under the name J. Lynn. When she’s not hard at work writing, she spends her time, reading, working out, watching zombie movies, and pretending to write. She shares her home with her husband, his K-9 partner named Diesel and her hyper Border Jack Apollo, and a slew of farm animals that include alpacas, goats, and sheep.
