A Heart of Blood and Ashes

To be honest, the book really wasn’t that terrible. It just… wasn’t my type. By the time I realized I didn’t really care enough to finish it, I was already too far to stop reading, so I finished it anyway. It took me a really long time to get used to the writing style, and the tone/phrasing was rather inconsistent. I found the characters quite frustrating, and the plot even more so. Simple misunderstanding that could have been solved through even the slightest communication blew out of proportion because the characters were too stubborn to speak honestly to themselves and to each other (though I suppose that’s because the characters were supposed to be too stubborn… but I still didn’t really like that lol). The pacing was also really weird… it was both too slow and too quick at the same time. The ending felt very rushed, and the epilogue skips two years into the future so I was kind of exasperated by the end. All in all, it wasn’t the worst thing I’ve read, but I’m not going to continue the series… might look up a synopsis just to see what happens though 😂 Now I’m off to reread a book that I actually enjoyed so I can refresh my palette!

This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance A Heart of Blood and Ashes is the FIRST book in a THRILLING adventure series by Milla Vane. Now this is the first time I have actually read this author, I, of course, have seen her name around since she has done some anthologies and other writing projects but I was so thrilled to see a full length (really full length at almost 600 pages) epic fantasy romance. I am sure I have mentioned this before but there just isn't enough of this genre to satisfy me in any way and I am so happy to see that this author come out with such an exciting premise to a story. I took way too long getting to this book and I honestly am baffled at my own behavior in wondering why it took me so long to read this book here. I simply loved every single page. Our delightful story begins with our hero, Maddek, who is a fierce warrior and heir to his father's throne. But when his parents are murdered.....Maddek's driving force is revenge against those who killed him parents so viciously. When a missive from a servant of another kingdom informs him that Yvenne is the one who brought his family to danger, he is out for blood. When he finds her, she is traveling in a caravan on her way to a betrothal but when he confronts her and her brother, Yvenne is not the woman he expects and even though she convinces him to marry her to regain her powerful kingdom and get his true revenge against her father ....their truce isn't an easy one but these two enemies soon become lovers in the most beautiful of ways. Soon Maddek and Yvenne will have to face off enemies they never imagined..... what a truly astounding book this turned out to be. I do want to warn readers though, this book starts out a bit slow as the author is setting the stage of the worldbuilding. It picks up quickly once you get through the first few chapters. So I highly recommend you stick with it and you will be golden. It also has some darker elements at times, but when you see what these two are both battling with, it definitely makes sense in that. There is so much to this book I don't even know where to start to be honest. The world building alone is extensive and so well balanced, I love how vividly its portrayed and you can definitely see how much thought this author went in going into writing this novel. And so many great mixes of characters and creatures that you are confronted with. I loved that this was a whole NEW world that this author creates...so expect plenty of details to open the eyes of your imagination even more. The romance that builds between these two is so sensual and fabulous in all the swoony ways we expect to see in a romance. Now there is plenty of angst especially the first half of the story, but its not too much. I really loved how these two entangled with each other. It was quite a delight to see them stand on their own and against each other and seeing little by little becoming endeared to each other. Its not instant love in any way, these two really have to work to receive their happy ever after....but it does happen and its delicious. Overall I found A Heart of Blood and Ashes to be an astounding read that will captivate the reader from the first page....stunning picturesque detail, sensuality dripped on each page, characters that steal your heart and a love tale so rich in its design you won't be able to put this page turner down until the very end.....HEART AND SOUL ---BEAUTIFUL IN EVERY WAY!

Let me start by saying that this was an enjoyable read. The plot was very interesting. The emotions and character actions felt high-stakes. The romance was very steamy. There was a good found-family relationship and travel aspect that I enjoy in my Fantasy novels. The female main character although having been through so much suffering in her life, and becoming disabled due to the cruel actions of her family still manages to be a strong bad-ass warrior-queen with integrity, wisdom, and compassion. Yvenne is one of the best female main characters I've read in a long time. However, the male main character Maddek (can go jump off a bridge) is heavily flawed. He is so overcome by grief and rage that he lets it affect his every interaction with Yvenne, and let me tell you he is a grade-A dick throughout the majority of the book. He resembles every issue I have with alpha-male characters. Although the whole of the book is a good time, and there are some things I can like about Maddek, his character is what held me back from giving this 4.5 or 5 stars.

Additionally, there were some issues with the writing for me. The writing style felt off at times but I can chalk that up to a stylistic choice. The beginning is so heavily info-dumpy that it is hard to get through or even understand. Also, some of the main historical events are incredibly hard to understand or distinguish between such as the difference between the scourge and the destroyer or how the alliance was formed versus how the clans were united. Finally, the chapter lengths were a serious issue for me. Some of the chapters were almost 40 pages long, and others only 4 to 11 pages. It made the book feel really inconsistent in pacing.

Despite all of those issues, I did really end up enjoying the book. I would recommend it to others who are willing to look past the issues I mentioned for an overall good time.

3.5 ⭐️ While super enjoyable and perfect for fans of drogo/dany I could have done without some of the overly dramatic (?) sexual wording

wow this is one good fantasy romance. It has the best of romance and the best of fantasy! Not to mention Maddek, an alpha hero that’s after my own heart! He will have to fight for it though because Yvenne definitely stole my heart in the very first few pages when she’s introduced. This was so good, it has made its way in my top 5 of the year and maybe even top 5 of all time! Let’s talk about Yvenne first. She comes from a long line of warrior queens blessed by their goddess, and she is no warrior in terms of her physical strength. She is frail and weak and broken and that’s what makes her such a strong character. Her body might be weak but her mind is not and she is perhaps one of the most clever, brilliant characters I’ve ever read. Her courage and her perseverance is astonishing and I was cheering her on the entire time. She never balks in the face of hardship and terrifying challenges. Her story and what she’s been through broke me and how she remained strong and hopeful throughout everything was something to admire. Maddek is an alpha hero if I’ve ever read one. He is brutish, angry, and oh so sexy. After his parents death, he is hell bent on getting his revenge on those responsible and he will stop at nothing to achieve his goals. I am always a fan of a headstrong hero who’s too strong and angry for his own good and he is my ideal romance hero! If alpha heroes aren’t your think though, this book might not be for you because he is 100% alpha. He does have a softer side to him that comes from his need to protect the ones he cares for and watching him care for Yvenne and teach her how to be a warrior was so cute. I also LOVED all the scenes where Yvenne was teaching him how to be not just a warrior but also a king and I loved how she wasn’t afraid to knock him down a few pegs and how he listened to her when she was right even when she said some things to him that must have been hard to hear. This is a book I think everyone should read, though it’s definitely not for everyone. I know a few who weren’t the biggest fans of it and it’s definitely because of Maddek’s strong, sometimes overbearing personality and Yvenne’s physical weakness. Their power imbalance in terms of physical strength was compensated for Yvenne’s mental strength though some might not feel like it’s enough. not only that but Maddek, for lack of a better word, hates Yvenne for a majority of the book because of her family and his stubbornness to listen to her, and that is another reason why some might not like it. One of my favorite aspects was how Yvenne was the heir to the throne and how the throne could only be passed to the first born daughter! Down with the patriarchy! This whole book was a refreshing read in terms of gender roles and feminism, and I LOVED IT!! I plan on listening to the fated mates podcast episode for a better breakdown of this book and all it’s doing in terms of feminism and character structure because I don’t take notes when I read and I suggest others to do the same if you want more on just how amazing this book is! So if you haven’t read this book yet, GO DO IT NOW!! SERIOUSLY!! I LOVE IT SO MUCH!! *EDIT: I just found out the author has trigger warnings for this book on her website so before you read this book, I would go look at the trigger warnings because this is definitely a heavy book with a lot of abuse and violence in it. also very happy that she has trigger warnings for it!*

no more booktok recommendations

This was so good! Love love love myself a good fantasy romance and this one is nice and spicy. The only reason this isn’t five stars is because I feel there was something missing from the main characters, perhaps a deeper understanding of them? (It all felt very surface level, but it’s hard to put my thumb on.) Nonetheless, this was fantastic and I’m definitely going to be continuing the series.

"There are enemies, and there are monsters. Always slay the monsters first, because enemies may one day become allies - but monsters never will." Let's preface this review with a couple of things. First of all, despite the series being called A Gathering of Dragons, there are in fact, no dragons. At least of the reptilian kind since the word "dragon" here refers to bodyguards/personal soldiers. Second of all, this is an adult enemies-to-lovers fantasy novel. Check those trigger warnings, people! The writing in this book can be very wordy and lengthy in its descriptions. Admittedly, there were times I would skim a lot to get back to dialogue and action scenes. I can't complain too much though because the world-building is very well done and intricately put together. Just be warned that there are some lines that are kinda odd and worded funky. The characters are really well done, but there are a few members of the dragon that I would've liked to see more of since there's still so much to learn to figure them out. The lead characters could be frustrating at times, but they were still likable for the most part. I liked the strong female lead, Yvenne, and how she was portrayed. She was cunning and very willing to learn everything possible to be the best version of herself, which was nice. Watching her overcome her obstacles as her friendship with the dragon blossomed was cool and I love how they welcomed her in. It had great found family vibes and made me enjoy reading their interactions. Seeing our grumpy barbarian commander soften over time towards her was enjoyable. It's all about a marriage alliance forged in revenge with the sole purpose to produce an heir to usurp family. So you'd think it'd be extra spicy because of that right? Nope, we don't get much spicy action until towards the end. Hope you like a slow burn, because that's what this is. If you're looking for spice from the first few chapters, this isn't it. Sure, there's lewd speak, but the barbarians are apparently very respectful of their women (we love feminist barbarians!) so Maddek never really forces anything that Yvenne isn't okay with. But alas, it's not as spicy as one might be led to believe. In a nutshell, I really enjoyed it. I loved the world-building and the characters for the most part. It's just the writing style that isn't for everyone, and while I didn't mind it, it made it a tedious read at times. Alas, I can safely say that I recommend this for anyone who loves a good adult fantasy book with some lovely enemies-to-lovers (like I'm half a second from killing you with this knife I have at your neck) and tension. I'm very interested in seeing where the sequel takes us.

Before you even get started with this book, make sure to read the CWs on the author's website if you need them. This is a brutally violent fantasy romance that explores the boundaries of what can be forgiven for a romantic pairing. That said, I found the story utterly compelling and the heroine, Yvenne, absolutely one to root for. I am unable to comment on whether there was an ableist issues with her story line, as she is disabled from the violence wrought on her body by her father, but she was definitely my favorite character. I will definitely be interested to read more in this series. The world building was lush and just dense enough to really fulfill that Game of Thrones level immersion into a world I was craving. And whew did it keep me on my toes. I will never ever get over the blood blow job and that's about all I'm going to say about this book. Go forth and read, if you can. **I checked this out from Overdrive for Libraries!

4.5 STARS I’ve had so much hype ever since A Heart of Blood and Ashes got on my radar. I’m always on the looking for an epic fantasy romance, and this one sounded so promising. Plus, I’d read Milla Vane years ago not just under her pseudonym Meljean Brook (The Iron Duke is still one of my favorite fantasy romances!), but also when she published a novella under MV in an anthology. So I knew she could write incredible fantasy worlds – and she didn’t disappoint with this first A Gathering of Dragons book. It was a fantastic start to a new series that I already need more of! An enemies to lovers romance, slow burn, political intrigue, spilled blood, and barbarian warriors – this fantasy romance has it all. AHoBaA kicks off with the murder of our hero Maddek’s parents, who were king and queen of their barbarian kingdom and part of an alliance council that formed out of a truce between all five kingdoms. Now Maddek is next in line for the throne, but first he wants revenge against the rival king he believed killed his parents… starting with their daughter. But Yvenne offers herself up as his bride instead, because the one thing she wants most in the world is her corrupt father’s death. Neither of them expects the insane amount of chemistry to build between them or that they would start falling for one another. This book was SO FREAKING GOOD! It was a little slow to get into in the beginning, with all the world-building and info dumping we’re getting hit with straight off. There are a ton of characters and kingdoms to keep track of. But once I hit my reading stride I couldn’t put this book down. I’ve been wanting a new, epic fantasy (romance) to get obsessed with, and AHoBaA hit all the right buttons for me. Alpha, barbarian warrior; heroine who uses her words and brain to kick ass; a delicious, sexy slow burn in a marriage of convenience; and some epic world-building. The pacing is fairly slow but it’s never boring. I loved the amount of steam we got as well as a good dose of angst between our main characters. I was HOOKED onto the romance – I was so glad that despite everything going on, Milla Vane made the romance the main focus of the story. I do have to say, sadly, there are no actual dragons in this book (they used to exist, but not anymore), but there are Dragons! They are basically Maddek’s bodyguard/friends. Other than that, I can’t wait to read more of this fantasy world. I’m so glad we don’t have to wait too long for the next book (only five months!). Even though this first book concludes Maddek and Yvenne’s romance and revenge subplot, there is still an over-arcing plot that deals with a dangerous, powerful being that’s about to wreak havoc. I’m so looking forward to where Milla Vane will take us next Amazon ebook: https://amzn.to/37gYwZL Amazon paperback: https://amzn.to/2ttCuEx