fantasy, romance
Poppy is the chosen one, the Maiden, a pure gift from the
gods who will ascend to greatness and save humanity from the blood-sucking
monsters that roam the world. Orphaned, she lives with members of royalty who speak with
the gods on behalf of their people. But, since Poppy is special and revered,
she is protected and hidden from almost everyone. She lives a very isolated
life, friendless except for her private maid and body guards. Thankfully, she has been able to frequently secretly
escape the confines of her “safety” to experience a little adventure and to
learn how to defend herself. But once her main guard is killed, her handsome
new guard is both frustrating and exciting with his keen insight and ability to
truly see her.
From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout had been frequently recommended to me on Goodreads so I finally gave it a try. It was a fun read. The main coming of age story was appealing but often felt very gratuitous. I liked it even though it’s mainly just a story about a sheltered girl having a sexual awakening. I can see many readers rolling their eyes at some of the situations and cliche character comments. But I can also see why it won the Goodreads Best 2020 Romance Novel. :) Oh, and there are vampires although the story doesn't focus much on them.
I was reading this at the right time—on a beach vacation. I might not have liked it as much otherwise. I’ll probably read the next one. It’s got a fierce, albeit naive, young woman and a forbidden romance.
fantasy, romance
The first half of this one was a slog. It was so repetitive and circular. Poppy's inexperience and insecurity grew tiresome. She kept have the same conversations with herself over and over. And then, just when she finally began admitting to herself how she felt about Casteel, she received new information that threw her back into uncertainty and anxiety. It was exhausting.
The second half had action and suspense which made it more interesting. I'm inclined to read the next one despite all the repetitive comments Poppy and Casteel say to each other. I'm now curious to learn about Poppy's past.
No comments:
Post a Comment