User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
3 Conflicted StarsBefore I get started, I have a confession to make...
When requesting this book from NetGalley, I did not realize that Milla Vane is really Meljean Brook. All I saw were several glittering reviews from some trusted GR friends, the word "Dragons" in the title (more on that later), a hot barbarian on the cover, and the mention of a marriage of convenience in the blurb.
And so this was me:
Now, I have nothing against Meljean Brook. She is a wildly popular author who has written some much-beloved series...
It's just that I have DNF'd book one for two of those series.
After that, I never picked her stuff up again as I figured she just wasn't for me.
But enter NetGalley.
And Dragons.
And Barbarians.
And an arranged marriage.
And I have no self-control.
Plus, it wasn't until after I had already gotten the book from NetGalley that I learned it was authored by Meljean Brook. And, since I've already fucked up my "feedback" average with those fine folks enough already, I figured I should at least give this a shot.
My long-winded point in explaining all this?
Take this review with a grain of salt. Because it's probably just me. And I probably shouldn't have read this being that I already know this author just isn't for me.
But, let's do this anyway. On to my "review."
The first - and perhaps most important, dammit! - thing I want anyone to know is that there are NO
actual dragons in this book with Dragons in the title.
Instead, the "dragon" being referred to here is really a squad of barbarian warriors acting as the personal guard of someone royal or important. Or something. And they ride in a formation and "fly" AKA ride. And each warrior is referred to as a part of the "dragon." So-and-so is the wings and so-and-so is the tail. Or something.
But anyway, I digress.
There are no fucking dragons, people. Moving on.
Secondly, the whole time I was reading this book, I found it equal parts enjoyable and yet tedious.
I enjoyed the story line and I enjoyed the characters. And, despite my disappoint that there were no actual dragons to be had here, I really liked Maddek and his metaphorical "Dragon" (AKA his band of warriors). I am always a sucker for the band of brothers/sisters shtick. Because #squadgoals. And the world-building?
Excellent. Truly excellent.
I remember from my attempts at reading Brook's other books that she really does excel at world-building. The magic system and mythology got a little hazy at times, but overall, she does a really great job of building the world without the heavy info-dumping from which a lot of first-in-series books suffer. So bravo. That takes a lot of skill and I truly believe Brook is a talented author.
However.
As great as the world-building was and as much as I enjoyed the characters, I also felt like I never truly got to know them as well as I would have liked. I also never had any problems putting the book down or felt any urgency to pick it back up.
I attribute a lot of that to the aforementioned tediousness, which I feel stemmed from both the writing style and the fact that the romance between Maddek and Yvenne would go one step forward and three steps back all throughout the book.
But before I get into the square dance that was the relationship build here, let's go back to the writing.
Honest to God, I sometimes felt like I was in an episode of
Star Wars with Yoda as the narrator.
I mean, read some excerpts with me here, folks:
"So hot and hard he was, Maddek barely trusted himself to touch her."
"Hard Maddek must have slept. He knew not when Yvenne left their bed or their quarters."
"Rough he was, rougher than he'd ever been, his grip tight upon her arms and legs as he held her wrists..."
"So quiet the tent was, only filled with the sound of their breaths."
"How long Yvenne cried, she knew not."
"Patience you must have, my young padawan."
Okay, so obviously that last one was me fucking with you, but still. You get the idea.
Not only did said style make the writing feel stilted to me, but having Yoda-speak so often occur during the (super delayed) sex scenes?
The biggest annoyance to me in the book though, and what is probably my main reason for not rating it higher, is the aforementioned romance square dance.
I felt like Maddek and Yvenne took FOREVER to get anywhere. They kept hashing and rehashing the same shit - Maddek's inability to see past Yvenne's supposed "sly-tongued" nature. Now, I get that this was very important to Maddek's character. His people take lying and the truth VERY seriously. But I feel like they go back and forth about the same conversation for pretty much the entirety of the book.
And despite the fact that Yvenne's sole goal in this whole thing is to get knocked up with an heir, these two don't get really get busy until upwards of 80%. Eighty percent, people.
Now, I am all for a good slow burn every now and then. One of my favorite authors is Mariana Zapata - the QUEEN of the slow burn. But the situation in this book just left me super frustrated.
First it was that they wanted to make sure she wasn't already pregnant.
Then they had to wait for her "moon night."
Then there was a fight scenario.
And then there was me:
Now, I'm not trying to tear this book apart by any means. I DID rate it three stars - which means I "liked it" - I just didn't love it like I was hoping to. As solid as the world building was, it just didn't keep me captivated. As I mentioned earlier, I had no problem putting this book down and had to actually remind myself to pick it back up.
All that said, despite having have mad respect for this author, I truly think it just boils down to something about her writing style and construction just not being for me. But I know a lot of people for whom this book totally worked. And I think anyone interested in this blurb should give it a shot.
***ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***
Rating: really liked it
This book is a lusciously brutal foray into romantic fantasy, with a love story that burns so hot, you might singe your fingers while reading it. I devoured it in a single sitting and have been struggling to re-emerge back into the real world ever since. It’ll be a travesty if it doesn’t top the “Best Romance of 2020” lists.
“There are enemies, and there are monsters. Always slay the monsters first, because enemies may one day become allies – but monsters never will.”
I know we’re barely into January, but I’m just going to come right out and say it:
THIS WILL BE MY FAVORITE BOOK OF 2020I’m confident in that, because I have been waiting for a book like this for years. YEARS, I TELL YOU. My two favorite genres are romance and fantasy. Therefore, my favorite subgenre of all time is romantic fantasy.
Do you know how many romantic fantasy books there are? I do, because I have read all of them and there are simply NOT ENOUGH.
With
A Heart of Blood and Ashes, Milla Vane has crowned herself as the new queen of the genre for me. Seriously, this book was THAT good.
Okay, now let me try to get my shit together and do it justice in an actual review instead of just flailing all over my keyboard.
*deep breath*
This story is centered in a fantastical world. It has a sort of medieval setting, complete with towering castles, barbarian hordes, vengeful gods, and evil sorcerers. Also, dinosaurs are a thing. Just an FYI for those of you with shorter attention spans, this is definitely on the high fantasy side of the genre, with extensive world building.
The great thing about that world building is that it never once reads like an info dump. Milla Vane did a genius thing with this. The female lead, Yvenne, has spent her entire life locked away in a tower, so you see the lands and cities she travels through from her awed perspective. Everything is fresh and new, and because of this, the setting and history of all the places she visits unfolds in a natural, organic way.
The story opens with the murder of the king and queen of one of these nations. Their son and heir, Maddek (the male lead), is a military commander at the time, fighting on the front lines of the allied nations’ territory.
The message he receives about their deaths is cryptic. Because the leaders of the alliance council know he will freak out when he learns the truth. As much as these allied nations claim to be civilized and fair, they know the story they were fed about the deaths of his king and queen is total bullshit.
And so does Maddek.
Seeking vengeance, he abducts the daughter of King Zhalen, the man who had his parents murdered. That princess would be Yvenne, and whoo-boy do they have some instant chemistry.
Real talk: I’m not typically a fan of darker romances. In fact, I usually avoid the subgenre at all costs, because I almost always find the “romances” in them to read more like glorified tales of abuse and manipulation. Seldom do I understand the character choices.
That said, I loved the hell out of Maddek and Yvenne, regardless of the fact that their interactions sometimes dipped toward the darker side of romance. Because, through their perspectives, I understood them both, and though I might not agree with their choices, I could see why they made them.
Thanks to the book blurb, it’s not a spoiler to say that Yvenne is nothing like what Maddek expected. He’d been led to believe that she acted as an agent of her father and betrayed his parents by luring them to their deaths. Imagine his surprise when he finds out that her hatred for her father eclipses even his own. Instead of murdering her, he winds up betrothed instead.
From the moment they meet, they’re on the run. Because Yvenne’s father will do anything to keep the truth of what he did hidden. And he’s even more desperate to keep his motivations a secret.
Yvenne and Maddek are pursued through several nations, guarded by an incredible cast of side characters that I liked so much, I would gladly read a story from each and every one of their perspectives.
Another thing I’ll say is that this is not always an easy read. There are some harder themes in here. The violence is brutal and sometimes gory. I was so invested in these characters that every time one of them was hurt, I got a little bit ragey on their behalf. And it’s not always smooth sailing for our hero and heroine. It’s more like they chartered their course through a storm-swept sea. But what never flags is their heat.
Good lord, these two set the pages on fire.
One thing I loved, loved, LOVED about this book was how inclusive it was. More than half of the cast are characters of color, men and women hold equal power in leadership roles, and sexuality is so widely accepted as being fluid that it’s literally never made into a “thing”. It’s just written along the lines of “she took her to bed”, without further dissection, and amen for that.
Another thing I loved was the way that Yvenne was portrayed. She’s easily one of my favorite female leads of all time. I am sick to death of readers equating traditional male qualities as strengths in heroines. Like, a heroine is only ever deemed “strong” if she swears a lot, and is violent, and is short-tempered, and never cries, etc.
Yvenne is not physically strong. She spent her life locked in a room. She has chronic pain thanks to a knee that was once shattered. But Yvenne is not without strength. Her mind is an exquisite thing. Her political acumen is prodigious. She was cutthroat and manipulative and deceptive and did anything to get what she wanted – all for the good of her people – and I fucking adored her for it.
And Maddek. Oh, Maddek. At times I wanted to punch him in the face. Then half a page later I wanted to climb him like a tree. What I’m saying is that I understood why Yvenne lusted after him and was pissed at him in equal measure.
It’s important to point out that I never, ever gave up on him. I rooted for him as hard as I did Yvenne, and his character arc is as strong as hers. He learns from his mistakes. He strives to be a better man. While he sometimes pissed me off, I totally got why he acted the way he did, and I never stopped believing that he would work through his demons.
Which he does, and lord is it worth it. I damn near cried when this ended.
One last note is that while their romance is a dominant part of the story, it shares space with one gloriously complicated plot. This is a highly political fantasy setting, with kings and queens and gods all vying for power on the same playing board. Just when you think you know what is going on, the rug is pulled out from under your feet. Just when you think these characters have finally made it to safety, a new threat emerges.
I was honestly terrified that this was going to end on a massive cliffhanger and I’d be left waiting in breathless desperation for the next one to come out.
Fear not, fellow reader! This ends with the HEA we expect from romance, but with room for more installments.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I think I’m going to avoid the massive book hangover this will give me by just picking it back up and reading it all over again.
What a way to start the year!
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Rating: really liked it
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DNF @ 30%To clarify, I'm not giving this a low rating because I was offended by the content. I've read everything from Omegaverse erotica to bodice-rippers, and there's very few things that are so
bad that I will stop reading a book because of the content alone (unless it's handled incredibly badly). There are many things I'm willing to forgive a book for, but one thing I can't forgive a book for is being
boring.
I'm honestly SHOCKED that I didn't love this. It's been a while since I went into a book expecting it to be one of my faves but then hated it instead. This book is all over Instagram. I had like five friends recommend this one to me personally. I thought it would be so good, and instead I pick it up and it's so dry, it's like someone preserved the words and let them desiccate right there on the page. This reads like Dothraki fanfiction, and don't be fooled by the series title: there are no dragons. It comes from the way the warrior dudes fight in formation: his men (and women) are his "dragon."
The premise is enemies-to-lovers. Maddek, the hero, is seeking revenge for the death of his parents. He comes across the caravan of the princess of his enemies, Yvenne, and originally he plans to kill her but she makes him a better deal: her society is matrilineal so if he marries her and gets her with child, he'll steal the kingdom out from her evil relatives' feet (she doesn't like them either, for her own reasons). It's the perfect revenge. He agrees, but not without threatening her a few more times to remind her of her place. Again, not something I really had a problem with. I like dark romances and in enemies to lovers, I fully expect some unpleasant interactions between h and H. At first, it seemed like maybe I might get what I wanted. There is one lurid scene right in the beginning that I'm sure will be an instant-DNF for some. But then it passed, and nothing really came of it, and the book slowed to a molasses trickle.
I was promised a dark and luscious world filled with savagery and war, and instead got a mess of very derivative "warrior" fantasy fiction that feels a lot like WARPRIZE, only with more violence and swearing. And that could have been amazing, except the way that this is written, it all feels very "1970s fantasy speak," to me, all overwritten and overwrought, to the point where it bogs everything down, like someone was integrating their D&D characters and their theater degree into a book, while
Conan the Barbarian was playing in the background. The characters don't really stand out to me. Yvenne is more interesting than Maddek, but the tension between them dissolves
pretty quickly, turning into something that's supposed to be sexual tension but just feels tepid instead.
I am so unbelievably disappointed by this book that I'm actually having a hard time conveying just how upset I really am. I paid full price for this fully expecting to love it, which makes it extra painful. I'm sure others will love this but I couldn't stand it and I
strongly encourage you to read the sample before buying this to make sure the writing style is for you before purchasing it.
1 star
Rating: really liked it
Audio - 4 Stars. I would have preferred a male narrator, but that's just me.
Story - 5 +++ Stars
This book was FRIGGIN' SPECTACULAR!!!
My kind of action-adventure romance because there's equal parts action and romance.
Read the blurb it’s all that and more with a fierce, fearless, strong of mind and heart heroine who doesn’t back down from an asshole-ish alpha hero. Instead her actions and words make him realize she is the SHERO, and he needs to COME CORRECT!!! And he does!!
Can't wait for the next book in the series.
Rating: really liked it
How can this be awesome yet boring and bloody frustrating at the same time? :( Also, what kind of genius do you have to be to name a series
‘A Gathering of Dragons’ when there’s not one lick of said creature found in it? The
Milla Vane kind of genius, obviously. Boo! That’s deceptive marketing right there! I—
*Calling the police.Well, I guess... Serves me right for being a dim bulb; it didn’t occur to me that the word
‘dragon’ can actually refer to a number of things (at least according to Google Dictionary). To be fair, tell me how many of you would see/hear the word
‘dragon’ and not automatically think of…
Equally fierce, she said, “All I have ever known is pain. So use me to avenge your queen and king, if you must. Through your vengeance I will also have mine. To see my people freed, to see my father and brothers destroyed, I will bear anything.”
Anyway, the story is of military commander/warrior royalty Maddek (H) who is seeking to avenge the deaths of his parents; but in a twisted turn of events, he receives a proposal instead from Yvenne (h)—the secret daughter of the king responsible for his parents’ murders. Yvenne despises her cruel, abusive father as much as Maddek wants to chop off his head; thus, begins their unlikely, tempestuous alliance.
Safety details: H has been celibate for eight years; h is a virgin; no cheating or OM/OW drama, but there’s a bit of jealousy involved; third person, dual POV; considering the nature of the book, some blood and gore are warranted.
One of the best parts about this book is the characters. More specifically Yvenne, who’s akin to the barbarian version of
Rapunzel. Except, she isn’t like anyone you’d imagine growing up locked in a tower. For her body might be frail, but her mind (and tongue) is sharp. She is not meek because she has a backbone made of steel. Meanwhile, Maddek is a formidable warrior who values truth above all else; hence, his straightforward nature. He can be annoyingly stubborn though, especially when it comes to his
misguided convictions of Yvenne.
Their first meeting was intense, violent, and hostile, but they had instant chemistry. Watching them banter, argue, and fall in love was a sweet descent to Romance Cloud Nine. It was also a slow burn that at times proved to be more
vexing than it was worth for the two of them would rehash the same argument over and over. Their relationship would reach a breakthrough, only to have it regressed some time later. It was mainly Maddek’s fault and his continued refusal to believe and see things from Yvenne’s point of view. Honestly, he was a total
*bum* half the time.
“There are enemies, and there are monsters. Always slay the monsters first, because enemies may one day become allies—but monsters never will.”
The budding friendship in this book is also something worthy of note—amicable and heartwarming. Maddek & Yvenne are on the run from the king, and they’re guarded by a group of Maddek’s warrior guards. These people are what the book refers to as
‘dragons.’ Yes, now you know the mystery behind the series title is finally unveiled. In regards to world building, it’s marvelous without being too info-dumpey or suffocating and has a medieval type of setting complete with belief systems, barbarian hordes, and palace politics. I didn’t really understand the magic though.
Ultimately, I’m a plot person. While the premise of this book (marriage of convenience, forced proximity, enemies to lovers) is to die for, it’s too bad that there is SCARCELY any excitement or action to be had in the plot. For the majority of the book, the characters are travelling across the realm, and they spend time conversing and
strategizing—which is the epitome of snoozefest for my thrill seeking, bookish spirit. Surely, that hardly conveys the magnitude of danger of the situation these people are trapped in. *SMH*
She had promised to make his life a misery. He still believed she would. But in that moment, he’d realized his life would also be a greater misery if Yvenne wasn’t in it.
On another note, the writing is impeccable. There’s an old timey, historical feel to it that I adored. Some might consider it stilted, but I think it’s rather beautiful and fits the ambience of the story. You must know, the author truly does love her euphimisms, LOL. Not only does she uses
‘dragon’ as a metaphor for royal guardsmen, but the words
‘nipple’ and
‘clitoris’ are also substituted with
‘ruby’ and
‘pearl’ respectively. I mean no criticism by it. In fact, I dug it. I think it was playful and sexy without being too vulgar, haha.
All that being said, this book was good (top notch writing, solid world building,
mostly wholesome romance), but in a way that was disheartening and unfulfilling because it didn’t keep me invested all throughout or made me want to compulsively flip the pages and read on out of the urgency to find out what happened next. Instead, I was exasperated a few times by the couple’s push & pull and bored of the flat plot. In any case, I won’t be reading the rest of the series. Oh, and I thought that
A Heart of Blood and Ashes reminded me of
Comanche Moon by Catherine Anderson.
(Read as an Audiobook)
Rating: really liked it
5 STARS!! "What have I done, that you do not know how I would ride across the world just to lay my gaze upon your face?"
I savored every word! There's nothing I love more than two strong characters going head-to-head in forced proximity. Then, add in a historical-fantasy road trip and I'm on cloud 9.😍😍
Plot in a nutshell: So historical fantasy plots generally elude easy summary, lol, so I won't bother. I will tell you that the world building was top-notch here and it wasn't dumped all at once.
Maddek is the son of a murdered king and queen, and a warrior in his own right.
Every Parsathean warrior knew life was too uncertain to leave important words unspoken.
He's the epitome of strength, and his culture makes him blunt and extremely straight-forward.
In his quest to avenge his parents, he ends up with Yvenne - the heir to her own throne - in his custody. Maddek is convinced she's involved in their murders.
"Sometimes the only justice is burning rule and law to the ground."
After years of abuse at the hands of her father, Yvenne is physically weak, but she attempts to use her sharp mind to convince Maddek of her version of the truth . . . something he's not disposed to believe.
A queen did not cry when there was someone to see her tears.
Oh, these two! Watching them fall in love against all the odds was wonderful; the banter, the chemistry, their knee-jerk reactions, their remorse, their moments of vulnerability - all of it, such good stuff!
"My only prayer is that your wounded heart will one day heal enough to love me in return."
Yes, Maddek was a total ass half the time, but Yvenne had a backbone of steel. And I loved how it all played out against a backdrop of intrigue and magic. I enjoyed the heck out of this one!
Rating: really liked it
Nothing is better than a man who is loyal & honorable
TBH this book made me love the Romance Genre again
Another example of "Don't judge the book by its cover"
I will explain my problem with cover later on in the review...
Let's start with the review...
I knew the Hero was going to end up being my favorite when he straight away refused to take any lover
His reason was ..that his parents were searching a bride for him & while they had NOT selected a bride for him..he STILL thought it would be insulting his "Future vows"
He won't insult his bride like that...
Stark Maddek(Hero)
Add to the fact that he was NOT a playboy!!!!
Now..this might sound stupid BUT the main reason why I got tired of the romance genre was the
PLAYBOY TROPEI understand if there were a "few" books out there with this trope BUT looks like almost every author was using this trope
So obviously having the HERO who was dedicated ONLY to the h made me do the happy dance
I don't mean the Hero was
PERFECT but that's what made him more realistic in my eyes
MANYTIMESsometimes I wanted to hit him BUT then he would do something really sweet which made me go...
The main character (heroine)Yvenne
I ADORED HER!!!!
She was NOT a doormat
DID NOT suffer from
"BODY BETRAYING SYNDROME"Was not a "warrior"
She had this quiet strength which made me respect her even more
The girl suffered sooo much YET she took her future in her own hands
The banter she had with the H had me smiling all over
Another thing I appreciated as that she had self-respect*thanks romance Gods*
She
did not let anyone walk over her
Also, the scene where she stabs her brother.....(Don't worry not a spoiler .It happens early on)
Sooo..overall a great experience!!!
My fav part was obviously the fantasy element
The world was amazing
Hopefully, we will get more world-building in future books!!*fingers crossed*
The tropes included in this book were
1) Enemies to lovers
2)Kinda slow burn
3)marriage of convenience
4)Shared bed trope *laughs giddily*
5)Opposites attract
Now the cover...
I only saw this part at first...
It looked like an alien wearing clothes..
That was his pecs btw..
BUT the image stuck with me & every time I started this book it reminded me of the "alien eye/pec" dude😂😅
That's it..nothing funny BUT it did make ME laugh
Enjoyed this "it was kinda BR but not actually a BR" with my Best friend Joey Tribbiani
Rating: really liked it
4.5 STARSI’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
Rating: really liked it
What do you get if you combine fantasy + captive romance + angst + dinosaurs + singe-your-eyeballs sexiness into one book? Well, you get A Heart of Blood and Ashes of course!
This book had me from the very beginning until the end. The world building, the characters, the romance—every element I wanted in a fantasy romance is in this book. Maddek and Yvenne are characters I won't soon forget.
If you're a reader of fantasy, you would recognize some of the tropes that Milla Vane used & subverted in this book. Yvenne is the hidden heir. She's literally Rapunzel hidden in the tower but instead of waiting for the prince to rescue her, she schemed her way into getting kidnapped by him.
And then there's Maddek. The conquering barbarian king hell bent on revenge after his parents were brutally murdered by the Syssian king. He's just as compelling as Yvenne. His journey from warrior to king was Vane's answer to Martin's "Kill the boy, Jon Snow and let the man be born" and I loved it.
But what sets this book apart from other fantasy stories out there is the romance. One of my frustrations with fantasy is often how romantic elements or love stories were treated. This book did it justice. It's emotional, sexy, and satisfying. The alliance between Maddek and Yvenne is the heart of this book. Period.
Don't get wrong. I loved the dinosaurs and the battles and the magic and the political machinations but if the romance had failed, I probably wouldn't have loved it as much. The romance between Maddek and Yvenne was truly breathtaking and unforgettable.
Whether you're a fantasy fan or a romance fan, or both, I would highly recommend you check this book out. It's fantastic.
CONTENT WARNINGS: (view spoiler)
[rape, not on page but it was a big part of the story. There's also sexual coercion/dub-con when the hero made the heroine jack him off when they first met. (hide spoiler)]ARC provided by Berkley Romance
Rating: really liked it
5 STARS 
There are enemies, and there are monsters. Always slay the monsters first, because enemies may one day become allies but monsters never will.
When I realized that Milla Vane is also Meljean Brook, I knew I had to read this book. I've loved some of her steampunk books (even though I read them ages ago) and the one thing that always stood out to me was her ability to create unique worlds. And when I read fantasy and barbarian in this blurb, I was on it like a sex addict at a porn convention. Or white on rice for all of you clutching your pearls right now.
When it comes to unique and rich world building, no one does it quite like this. I was immediately enraptured in this world of magic and warring kingdoms. Think Withcher meet Game of Thrones. I'll warn you that this book is not for the faint of heart. It's graphic, violent, and deliciously gritty. It spares no bloody detail and I was so here for it. Not the blood, but the details. Oh you know what I mean, stop judging.
Granted, the dialogue took a bit to get used to. I get we're in olden times here, but the fact that everyone speaks like Yoda took me a hot minute to look past. Not going to lie, it seriously took me a minute to get used to. Weird it was. Not used to it was I. But all that began to pale in comparison to the story.
Now look, if you love a good captive romance, this one deliver in spades. SPADES I tells ya. Picture this: Maddek of Parsathe, a barbarian warrior, leader of the Parsathe army and soon to be king finds out his beloved parents have been brutally murdered and their good name smeared. The man responsible for their death seems untouchable due to politics. A man desperate for bloody revenge gets the chance through the daughter of his enemy when she offers him a deal. Save her from her father and take her for a bride so that she may take the throne from her father and Maddek can wreak his vengeance. The only problem is she may also be who lured his parents to their death. A deal forged through fragile bonds. A woman desperate to escape a certain hell that's been her life only to walk into the flames of fire and into the arms of the man that sees her as nothing but a tool for his vengeance. GAH. Delicious, right?
Yvenne was like gravel between his teeth. A splinter beneath his skin. The steel in his cock.
Theirs was an arrangement full of distrust and bitter anger. Maddek refuses to believe that anything Yvenne says is true. She's the daughter of a liar and a murdering king. He sees her only as a tool and treats her no better. You want to hate him for his cold and brutal treatment of her, but being in his head makes it impossible. You understand where that distrust comes from.
Yevenne has survived certain hell in her young life, yet she's fierce as hell. This woman is a warrior, even if she doesn't look it. Held captive, tortured, she sees no other escape but to offer herself as a bride to man that distrusts her almost as much as he hates her. Yet none of that took away her fierceness. She chips away at Maddek's walls and defenses little by little, and nothing has felt more gratifying than watching his unwilling fall.
If you love a good alpahole with a splash of hate to love and an epic grovel, this one will tick every box for you. I'm totally addicted on this new series and salivating for more. If you're looking for something utterly unique and completely addictive, you found your next read.
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Rating: really liked it
“There are enemies, and there are monsters. Always slay the monsters first, because enemies may one day become allies—but monsters never will.” Firstly, Thank you so much, Chandler for recommending me this fabulous book!
That being said, when I first started this book, I don’t think I was really invested into it not until the third chapter anyway, which was probably one of the reasons for my four star rating
I’ll come back to this soon, but other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed the book! Even though the start was a little slow, it all went up hill from the time Maddek and Yvenne met! These two were just so combustible and you could see the sparks flying from miles away!
Both main characters are amazingly written and I think the author did a great job of portraying their personalities.
Maddek:Maddek was the son the king and queen of Parsatheans and commander of the army. Naturally, since he was the son of the king and queen, he was a prince, but that’s not how the Parsatheans decided their kings, no, instead the tribes voted. But either way, Maddek was truly deserving and had proved himself on numerous occasions but, in his heart, he knew that he was a warrior and to rule his people, he needed a warriors thinking and a king’s heart, the latter, something he lacked.
Yvenne:Yvenne is daughter of king Zhalen, the king of Syssia. Her existence is a secret and she is his most guarded secret, someone very few people know about. From the day she born, she was locked up in a tower, not knowing about the world existing outside those walls, except for what her mother told her, who was imprisoned in the same tower, poisoned and left her there to rot, dying slowly and painfully by her father.
Yvenne’s mother had moonstone eyes, that allowed her to see beyond, a gift which she used to entertain and warn Yvenne by telling her stories of the outside worlds and about people’s life. That was how Yvenne knew about the outside world, through her imagination and through her mother’s descriptions.
She had the moonstone eyes too, which showed her as Nyx’s heir. She didn’t have the ability to see beyond like her mother, nor was she a warrior-queen, instead she was frail and weak, tortured by her own father and brothers. But even though she didn’t know how to yield a sword, she had her tongue, which was sharp as a whip, and her most important weapon.
Plot:Maddek receives news of the death of his parents, and soon learns that they were killed by Zhalen. He is furious and when he hears the news and wants revenge but the alliance council takes Zhalen’s testimony that the king of Parsatheans assaulted a women and Zhalen therefore had to kill him while in reality, nothing like such had happened. Nevertheless, the alliance council took his testimony as the truth and forbade Maddek from extracting his revenge.
Maddek refused to listen to them. And when he learned that his parents were lured to Syssia by a letter written to his parents by the princess, he is livid and see’s his chance to exact his revenge when he is informed that she’d be journeying to Toleh to marry the king of Toleh. He then journeys with the Dragon’s to get Princess Yvenne and ambushes her on her way to Toleh.
The Dragon are Maddek’s group of warrior guards; there are six of themHis original plan was to kill Yvenne and toss her over the wall of Syssia as revenge but she persuades him to marry her instead, and in return she promises to help him kill her father for her thirst for revenge burns brighter than his. Maddek had decided to kill Zhalen either way, but marrying her would humiliate Zhalen to the deepest level and well, it would help Yveene too because if her father and all of her brothers are dead, then she can take up the throne of Syssia.
Syssia is a matriarchal kingdom.Reason it was a 4 star read for me:↪︎The beginning was slow as I mentioned before and I wasn’t really invested in it, not until they met anyways.
↪︎Maddek really hurt her at times even though unintentionally. He refused to see things from Yvenne point of view which was something I didn’t like.
↪︎Maddek was unwilling to hear out Yvenne where his mother is concerned and her side of the story which was unpleasant, especially when he almost ripped her tongue out.
Final Thoughts: This story was beautifully told with it’s amazing characters and a mind-blowing storyline. I loved both of them so much, Yvenne with her insightful and strategic mind and Maddek with his warrior heart. I also loved how they strived each other to be better and how both of them gave each other lessons; Maddek teaching her to be a warrior-queen and Yvenne helping him to have a king’s heart and helping him towards ruling as a king. The side characters were just as amazing and I loved how close they were and didn't treat Yvenne as an outsider and instead welcomed her, albeit gradually because they still had their doubts about her killing their king and queen. Needless to say, I would highly recommend this book!
Rating: really liked it
RELEASE DAY!!!
This book. This book is fucking amazing. It was, honestly, a perfect read for me.
2019 was the year of re-reads for me. But 2020 looks to be the year of amazing new books - if they follow in the path of
A Heart of Blood and Ashes.
I've read books by Meljean Brook, and I've LOVED them - especially her Iron Seas series - so I was excited when I first heard she has a new
barbarian romance series coming out under her pen-name, Milla Vane. So much so that I pre-ordered the book.<
The cherry on top was when we got it for review from Berkley. And so started the impromptu buddy-read between Navessa, Sarah, and I. We've spent the last couple of days texting amongst ourselves our thoughts, feelings, and favorite quotes.
I began reading in fantasy when I was just a child. I migrated to romance for the relationships and depth of characters that so many other genres lack. Finding an amazing fantasy story together with a heart-stopping romance? It's the best of the best. There are so few fantasy-romance books out there. And fewer still that do it so exceptionally well.
A Heart of Blood and Ashes is definitely on the high-fantasy end of the spectrum. There's a vaguely medieval setting, complete with barbarians, gods and goddesses, sorcerers, magic, monsters, revenants, and deeply political machinations. It gets dark. This isn't an easy world, with easily defeated enemies and challenges. But the journey through this world, with these characters is so very worth it.
Milla Vane has done the world-building perfectly. It's so subtly done that you are never stuck in information dumps on places or peoples. I viewed the world through (newly free) Yvenne's eyes, and through Maddek's widening sight. We learned of people and places as we traveled with them. We camped with them in the open, were stuck behind walls, rode through cities. We met people at inns, in fields, and through memories. Every moment moved the story forward, moved Yvenne and Maddek.
Yvenne and Maddek's love story is strong, and fraught with hope. It's also hot as hell. Their chemistry fairly burned off the pages. And more than once I had to stop and breathe.
It starts with blood and vengeance, and misunderstanding. I usually hate the hell out of misunderstandings in a romance book, but it works really, really well here. There's good reason, on both Yvenne and Maddek's parts to act and believe as they do.
When Maddek receives word that his parents are dead, with no other explanation, it's immediately obvious that no one is going to like the
how of their deaths. Least of all Maddek, who immediately vows vengeance on Zhalen. How to get that vengeance? By taking his only living daughter, Yvenne, and destroying her.
Except Yvenne isn't what he expects either. When Maddek thinks to capture her, kill her, and toss her over her home city's walls, she surprises him. And us. Yvenne has more reason than anyone to hate her father, and she seeks her own vengeance upon him. Yvenne is one of the best female characters I've read in a long, long time.
She's a strong woman, without the physical strength that so many "strong" women get. She's frail, has a permanent knee injury, and struggles with physical tasks. But she is also vicious, manipulative, honest, so very intelligent with a head for politics. Yvenne sees to the truth of a matter and isn't afraid to say what needs to be said; she also knows when to hold her tongue.
I love her. She's extraordinary, magnificent, and absolutely formidable.
So begins an unlikely betrothal and race. Yvenne and Maddek's journey is fraught with danger. Not simply from outside, not only from pursuers, but from each other. And those hurts are the ones that sting the most. Never did I stop rooting for Yvenne and Maddek. I always
hoped they would come together, in love and trust.
It's a hard road to get there. Maddek makes many mistakes. I wanted to strangle him more than once. However, he is constantly growing and learning, AND he APOLOGIZES when he's wrong. Not just at the end, but right away. In the moment. He works to change the behavior that he had to apologize for. He's not perfect. He stumbles. He makes some mistakes more than once. But he never stops working at having the heart of a king - of being worthy of his to-be queen. This alone makes me adore him. If I hadn't already I certainly would have by the end, with his speech of words he'd left unspoken for too long to Yvenne.
There were many other things here to love - the easy banter between characters; the relationship between Maddek and his Dragon; the inclusivity and diversity; the way love was simply love, without qualifiers or explanations; far too many things to go into them all in one review.
A Heart of Blood and Ashes, I already know just 6 days into the year, will be my favorite book this year. If everything else I read is only half as good as this, I'm going to have an amazing year of books.
Rating: really liked it
Perfect for fans of JLA and SJM and anyone who likes rich fantasy worlds with their spicy romance!
Rating: really liked it
4 StarsOverall Opinion: This was a fun read! I enjoy it when authors just throw us into the new world and have us get caught up as we go instead of bombarding us with backstory to start-- and that is what happened here. That being said, I did struggle with getting into it at the beginning. It might have just been my mood or other things going on at the time though and that fact is not fully attributed to the story itself. I enjoyed the magic/fantasy/adventure/ suspense aspects, the couple's development of stronger feelings, and the heat was hot! My only gripe is the end. But! I get that this is the first to a series and they have a lot to still do, so I really hope we get to see some closure with these two in the future.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Yvenne and Maddik's story. Yvenne is a royal heir and she has been hidden away and abused most of her life. Maddik is out to seek revenge for his parents death caused by her family, but is surprised to find himself agreeing to marry her instead of killing her like he had planned. Yvenne is desperate to free her people from her evil father and brothers and Maddik is just the man to help her. There are some magical aspects to their world that prove to be obstacles, some political relationships that need strengthening, and their own relationship that needs to be smoothed out...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Yvenne and Maddek's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good for the most part, but I did find it a little slow at the very beginning.
Instalove: No, they take a while to develop stronger feelings.
H (Hero) rating: 4 stars. Maddek. He is a warrior's warrior. So, there absolutely were times where I wanted to smack him upside the head for being so inconsiderate at times -- but I grew to care for him.
h (heroine) rating: 4.5 stars. Yvenne. She was so strong considering how weak her body was. I really liked her, especially her ability to hope even though she had been through so much.
Sadness level: Low/moderate. I shed a few stray tears but it is mainly because I'm a sucker for unrequited love type feelings.
Push/Pull: Yes (view spoiler)
[ They both have moments of pushing away and also pursuing the relationship. (hide spoiler)]Heat level: Hot. They have some hot tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Not really (view spoiler)
[The H finds out that there are OM that the h's mom thought were better suitors for her and this causes some jealousy. (hide spoiler)]Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: Yes, but only physically (view spoiler)
[They are separated shortly, but there was no mention or suggestion of other partners during this time. (hide spoiler)]Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)
[Graphic Violence/murder/magic (on page) and loss of loved ones (on and off page) (hide spoiler)]Closure: This had what I would call a HFN ending, (view spoiler)
[they are married (hide spoiler)] but others might be fine saying it's a HEA. It's just that I had so many unanswered questions (that I'm sure will be answered as the story continue through the rest of the series) in the end.
Safety: This one should be either
Safe or
Safe with exception for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences.
(view spoiler)
[
- Does Not have cheating
- Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with OW/OM
- Does have both the h and H pushing away
- Does have a (physical) separation between the h and H
- Does have abuse
- Does Not have a HEA ending (see above) (hide spoiler)]
Rating: really liked it
This series scratches the part of my id that is satiated by Old Skool romances. I do not deny the problematic aspects, but I’m self-aware enough to know when I love problematic shit. I cannot stop thinking about these books. Totally obsessed with the worldbuilding and overarching series conflict.
As I said in the novella review, A Gathering of Dragons is very dark and I would not recommend it to everyone. I also think book 2 is a better starting point to the series (especially if you have a low tolerance for infuriating/asshole heroes).
Disclaimer: I received a free e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
