It wasn't unusual that I didn't want to leave the book alone, nor was it strange I'd spend most of the hours I normally used to slumber to read the piece of literature. I had no desire to go back. I didn't want to go back to reality,where everything seemed so complex and exhausting. I wanted to be were I was, the world of fiction. I wanted my eyes staring at the letters they were looking at and my mind in an entirely different world. I was obsessed. Literally and figuratively. It has been a while since I was this captivated by a book. I was constantly thinking about it when I wasn't reading it,I was dreaming about it and fantasizing too.
From Blood and Ash is a mythological fiction fantasy and thriller book written by Jennifer Armentrout. It's the first book in the ongoing series,Blood and Ash. The book revolves around a female character, Penellaphe Balfour. Penellaphe is 18 years old,lives amongst the ascended and she is a representative of the gods to the people of Solis. The queen's favourite. The maiden. The chosen.
As the maiden, Poppy is well protected and untouched,in all ways possible,veiled and kept hidden. She is banned from most things people her age are allowed to do;which involves socializing,going to school,reading books other than history books. She is a symbol of purity and hope for her people who live under the fear of the creatures known as the Craven. The Craven are monstrous creatures created by the actions of the Ascended. The Ascended are the ones who rule over Solis.
Penellaphe is unaware of all these and has been blinded about what the Ascended really were. This changed when she met Hawke Flynn.
Her new Royal guard is called Hawke Flynn and has resumed his duties after the immediate loss of her former one due to the attack of an Atlantian. An atlantian are supposedly the ones who created the Craven with their poisonous kiss. Lies told by the Ascended to soiled the minds of the people of Solis and make them turn against and hate the Atlantians of Atlantia,the once fallen kingdom,after the war of the two kings.
Penellaphe's world flips from worst to better? She wasn't sure. But now, she is aware of what the Ascended really are and what they did to the mortals living in Solis. Innocent people. She was recoiled and thought herself stupid for not seeing it earlier. But one couldn't blame someone who has been raised by the Queen of the Ascended herself since she was a babe. The queen had always been there after the incident between her parents and what led to the permanent scars on her face and body. So she was oblivious of the whole situation and things the Ascended stood for and did.
Her only confidant and companion now, is Hawke Flynn who becomes a significant figure in her life. Although, Hawke isn't just a guard. He also has his own secret motive and eventually causes Penellaphe pain.
Now,I could keep going and going but I don't want to go too deep and spoil the book. Whilst reading this book I felt... different. At one point, I started speaking like the characters in the book spoke and made up a lot of scenarios in my head. One would say I was low-key going crazy. I loved and lived for the entertainment. I wasn't sleeping properly anymore cause I was obsessed with the thrill,the feeling of want and desperation that fueled Poppy's journey, her relentless pursuit of freedom, and her all-consuming passion for Hawke. The Blood and Ash book had taken over my every waking thought, and I found myself longing for the next installment, the next revelation, and the next heart-stopping moment. I specifically loved Jennifer's writing style..I loved her description throughout the entire book. I loved the main character and although I'm not a fan of books relating to vampires and werewolves,this one hit different. It was quite spectacular. I can roughly remember the first werewolf book I read on Wattpad, Alpha Loren. I think 
I loved everything about it. We're talking about the romance between Hawke and Poppy,the thrilling suspense, the world building and mythology,the twists and the characters development,which is still in process because apparently, it's part of a book series and this is just the first book. It has four other books extra and I am seated and sat!
Now, I'd like to give the book my ratings and blessings. I'd start with rating it on a scale of 1-10 and my answer to that would be an 8.5 to almost a 9. And then I'd continue with the five stars rating and I would give it 4.5 stars.
Thanks for reading. I genuinely hope you try it out as I've already made two of my friends to read it with me;)