Review: A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire by Jennifer L. Armentrout
“He was the first thing I’d ever truly chosen for myself.”
The Basics
Title: A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire (Blood and Ash #2)
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Published: 2020
Publisher: Blue Box Press — Evil Eye Concepts
Pages: 626
Format: Paperback
Genres: Fiction — Fantasy, High fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Fantasy romance, Paranormal romance, New adult
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Book Synopsis
After learning that everything she has ever known about her land and its people is a lie, Poppy decides to form an alliance with the man who she thought was Hawke Flynn but is actually Casteel Da’Neer, the Dark One and Prince of Atlantia. After all of his deceit, she does not trust him, but she knows that she is more likely to find her brother, Ian, with his help. Plus, she is not too keen to return to the Ascended, who seek to use her, or rather her half-Atlantian blood, for their future Ascensions.
As Poppy travels to Atlantia with Casteel, her ability to sense others’ emotions begins to grow in unexpected ways, and try as she might to use her new powers for good, the Atlantians remain wary of her. Some, including the king, still want to use her to send a message to the Ascended. As if that were not enough, Poppy must also sort through her feelings for Casteel. In spite of his betrayal, she still finds herself drawn to him, but can she forgive him for what he has done? And are her feelings even reciprocated?
My Review & Overall Thoughts
TLDR: A badass female protagonist and a swoon-worthy romance set against the backdrop of a mythical world – what’s not to love?
Armentrout has done it again. A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire is every bit as entertaining as its predecessor, From Blood and Ash. In some respects, it’s even better.
Poppy, the series’ protagonist, truly comes into her own over the course of this book. Not only does she discover who she is beyond the Maiden, but she begins to chart her own future and stand up for herself. As her power evolves, she also becomes even more of an imposing, not-to-be-toyed-with heroine.
Her relationship with Hawke (a.k.a. Casteel) is another highlight. Their trademark banter, as well as palpable sexual tension, continue in this book. Their relationship also deepens as the two become both physically and emotionally closer. All in all, the relationship has everything you could want out of a book romance and then some (including plenty of steamy scenes 🔥).
The secondary characters are equally enjoyable. I love Kieran and his dry sense of humor, as well as how he pushes Poppy to examine her true feelings for Casteel. His sister, Netta, is another great character. She’s a no-nonsense, strong female character. I wish she could have been featured more; hopefully, we’ll see more of her in the next book.
Moving on to the plot, it’s more character driven than that of the first book. That’s not to say that there isn’t any action (there is); it’s just that the book places more of an emphasis on the development of Poppy’s character and her relationship with Casteel. It also does a fair amount of world expansion, building upon our understanding of Solis and Atlantia’s histories and mythos. In spite of being less action driven, the book’s pace moves at a good clip. The story never stalls or feels sluggish.
The writing itself is very easy to read, which helps to move the story along. Just like the first book, this is written in the first person from Poppy’s point of view, which adds to its enjoyability. The first-person narrative builds suspense (you only know what Poppy knows) and allows you to more easily imagine yourself in the story.
The not so good
Poppy’s blindness to Casteel’s feelings for her is a bit exasperating at times. There were several times when I wanted to reach in and shake her. Also, every now and then, the dialogue can come off as somewhat cheesy, but it doesn’t really detract from the book’s enjoyability. Lastly, a word of warning: the book ends on a major cliffhanger. So, if that’s not your thing, you might want to wait until the third book is released before you pick up this one.
Overall
A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire is a highly addicting read. It develops the characters while including just enough action and suspense to move the story along. Once you start this book, you won’t want to put it down.
