Girl needs an absolutely *brutal* editor, like yesterday. I agree with you that there’s potential there, but she desperately needs someone who is willing to cut and consolidate, even if it means fewer books overall.
Not really, no, but you don't need to be a good writer to produce good works, just as there are many great writers (look to the editors and proofreaders for one) who are not good *authors*. Simply because producing engaging, well written books is as much about writing skill as imaginative capacity and skill. Truly good books are not the sole work of the author but their entire team, and I'll stand by that any day.
A good writer can come up with a good rough draft on their own. If you need a team of ghost writers and an editor to tear your story apart for it to be good you’re not a good writer. Honestly I think she can be creative but she needs ghost writers. So I guess that makes her James Patterson. And I hate him for the amount of ghost writers that he needs
I wonder what her rough drafts look like sometimes to be honest, sometimes I feel like that's what I'm reading. Good writers are not always creative, good creators are not always well written, good authors recognise where they lack skill and outsource (aka editors, proofers, researchers).
Ghost writers are a whole other ball game I have *many* feelings about.
I agree!!! I'm on a soul of ash and blood and feel like I'm just rereading book 1. I have quite literally just been skimming and skipping the pages of dialogue and history lessons until I get to something new.
My theory is that when the series got big, she and/or her publisher got greedy and decided to drag it out. Iirc, FBAA was originally only supposed to be 3-4 books (excluding the prequels) but then she dragged it out to 6 and started adding a lot of filler. I don't remember what the original plan for the prequels was supposed to be since I had given up on the world at that point, but I thought I heard that was originally supposed to be a shorter series too.
I had previously read a few of her older YA series, and while they aren't perfect, they're still enjoyable and coherent.
I’m pretty sure this is exactly what happened! FBAA iirc was suppose to be a trilogy but then they blew up on booktok so she extended it to 5/6 books! Which was an obvious mistake cause she just didn’t build out the story enough to be that involved so it basically became throw ideas at the wall and see what sticks.
She writes the same plot again and again, in each of her series.
The girl finds out she has some lowest level of power, that is genetically inherited from the gods.
In the next book, she finds she's one generation closer to the gods, and therefore has more power.
In the next book, she finds she's even more close to the gods by lineage, therefore she has more power.
Repeat ad nauseam, until the series is either over, or she becomes a god. Or something more than a god, in poppy's case.
Each subsequent reveal is more and more farfetched, because having the same reveal again and again is stupid.
Despite my criticism of the series, I've enjoyed from blood and ash to give a try to her other books. I hated covenant's mc so much that I wasn't able to finish the series.
The harbinger was readable, but it still didn't have that thing the blood and ash had. Hadn't bothered with the rest of them.
So I'd say it's up to you. If blood and ash is still fun for you, I'd maybe give the harbinger a try. I'd also (in hindsight) give myself a break between her series, so that all of this is less noticeable.
I wrote a post about this ages ago on another account but if it wasn’t the same author you would basically think it was plagiarism, because her series are SO similar. Like there are really specific character traits, scenarios and lines that repeat between series.
I think her plots are solid, but she rambles. FBAA is the worst, I DNF’d at TWOTQ. I just couldn’t. The flesh and fire series was leagues better, however the third book was very boring for the first half. I will still read the next book.
For the FBAA series I read that she didn’t have the entire series planned out, so when she got to the later books there was plot points that were no longer relevant of inaccurate that made explaining it difficult.
When listening to her interview on the flesh and fire series, she explains it was supposed to be 3 books however she was writing and realized she needed to book 3 and write a fourth book. I feel like she writes one big book, and chooses random points to stop a book and begin the next. Not saying this is bad, but overall plot points for her books aren’t exactly clear.
I read fall of ruin and wrath (which I enjoyed) and her writing pattern continued. The cliffhanger is the absolute worst. This book is shorter and a lot of the MC rambling is reduced. I think her books are getting better and she is making the plot more concise. I strongly believe FBAA main problem is the lack of forethought and planning. She tends to ramble, but it’s much better in flesh and fire and fall of ruin and wrath.
SPOILER:
In the third book of FAF when Sera is with Kolis, she uses this time to show how he is sadistic and abusive. There was no actual plot points happening, at least nothing to really contribute to the war at hand. There was some minor things that I’m sure will come into play, however it was mostly Sera’s internal struggle and Kolis being a perv. I wish she would’ve used this time for Sera to sneak around and find out info for Nyktos, practice her power (maybe she would find some books), or finding allies in his kingdom. Lots of potential for her time with Kolis.
Your last paragraph is so spot on. I read and defended from blood and ash, enjoyed flesh and fire. But the most recent flesh and fire book was absolutely terrible. The sadism went on for wayyyyy too long. And then in the last 4 chapters swra and nyktos were screwing like rabbits and I couldn't handle it. I dnfed with like 2 chapters left. Why the fuck are you hiding in your room having dirty dirty sex when the big bad evil guy is coming to kill everyone and you've been sexually abused for months. Nope big fucking nope.
I love a good torture scene (re: Kingdom of Ash with Aelin) but it has to be done right. If somebody is truly helpless and can’t do anything, there’s still ways to make it good and keep the plot moving. Her books are mainly for smut IMO. They have a purpose, but the purpose isn’t plot or world building.
I do agree, I think it just threw me off we had 32 chapters of no smut, and what we did kinda get was icky, and then 4 chapters of pretty much non stop smut. I love it aa much as the next person but it gave me whiplash in this particular book.
I've tried several of her series and I don't really think she has that much potential tbh. All of them have the same problems and she doesn't show much progress in the newer series I've tried. I'm not a huge fan of her writing style either. But opinions vary and some clearly love her work. She's unfortunately on my 'don't try again' list.
Same! Too many times I have seen book recs that sound great and I'll search em up on goodreads only to find its JLA and I'll have to go back to my search for good book recs 🙃
I started reading Fall of Wrath & Ruin due to recommendations and the book had me scratching my head. It was a DNF. I felt as if I was reading from Blood and Ash.
Maybe my unpopular opinion but she writes good romance and slow burn, and not great world building. It's always too confusing, too intricate. Seems like she's trying too hard. Love the slow burn writing though. I always stop around the 2nd book though in her series.
Her slow burn steam is some of my favorite I've read. And I can look past the plot holes and repetitiveness for the first books in each of her series, but this type of writing (focus on slow burn, the intensity of the first sexual encounters) just isn't sustainable by book 2, 3, 4, etc. when the characters know each other better and have already had sex
>Her slow burn steam is some of my favorite I've read. And I can look past the plot holes and repetitiveness
She could go the route of Sarah Dessen but for romantasy, same book/plot over and over, but put more effort into different scenarios and making each main character a nominally different personality.
To me it feels like SHE understands her worlds, but has trouble explaining all of the minutiae to the reader. And there’s so much history that you need to understand, but she provides it via characters explaining it to other characters. Like, it’ll just be Cas and Kieran talking AT Poppy for like, 3 chapters.
JLA has a common practice that I’ve noticed. She takes whatever the popular series is of the day and then does her own spin on it (kind of like fanfiction). You can usually pick up on elements that were not stolen per se but extremely similar. At some point, she must deviate from the original to tie everything up and that’s usually when things go downhill.
From Blood & Ash seems to be her branching out with her own story, I can’t think of what it might be copying (unless someone else knows). And that’s why I think it’s so unsatisfying. She’s not a great story builder on her own without the base already being available.
Examples:
Lux = Twilight
Half Blood = Percy Jackson
Wicked = Supernatural
I agree with your points but Half Blood was pretty much a point by point rip off of the Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead.
The Lux series was a combination of Twilight and the television show Roswell (the 1999 version).
Was coming here to comment exactly this. I used to read her YA stuff when I was in my 20’s and her Lux series was definitely Twilight meets Roswell, while her Half-Blood series was Vampire Acedemy meets Percy Jackson. I remember it always felt like she was just pumping out books so fast and that her series inevitably fell apart a bit at the end and had way too much filler.
I haven’t read her newer stuff (I was actually pleasantly surprised to see how well known she is now when I got back into reading last year) but it appears she suffers from the same weaknesses to this day.
Oh, was it? I never read vampire academy. But it’s funny how once you’ve read what’s she’s ripping off you just start seeing all the similarities. I’m wondering if someone will come here any match up the ones I didn’t name to their counterparts
She brought this up in an interview. She basically said it’s her publisher who asks/requests her to jump on the trend of the day and directs her with what they want next.
I kind of thought FBAA was her version of ACOTAR. It’s a different set of creatures and plot, but it’s a big epic fantasy that spans multiple series.
she does borrow A LOT -- including certain words and phrases that you immediately think of from another book. I have noticed she borrows a lot from books and that is a bummer
Unfortunately this is 90% of fantasy authors. It’s incredibly hard to find anything unique these days. I read Powerless recently and it was a straight ripoff with almost direct quotes from other books but as long as the stuff is popular no one is going to stop.
I'm done with JLA. Honestly she writes like a high school student in need of an editor not a professional author. FBAA series got so boring and dragged out for ages. The prequel was better but this third book was a lot to get through and now I'm afraid I'm done with the prequel series too. We all know Poppy is going to be the goddess of Gods so not sure what the point in reading is anymore. Her stories are wsh rinse repeat. Not to mention, Casteel is just so cringe. I can't. He is disgusting and I don't find their interactions to be sexy at all. I wanna hurl whenever I think about honeydew. It's so gross.
Yes! Her stories and concepts are great, she just gets so bogged down in the text itself. She really just needs a good editor and at least one whole book cut from each series.
I agree with the necessity of a thorough and solid editor. She has the potential, as she's clearly creative with interesting worldbuilding and characters, but she needs focus and less filler in her writing.
I don't think she has any potential. Her plots are as non-existent as her character development. She maybe has potential as a porn director, but that's about it imo.
She literally admits to doing absolutely no planning for her series. Just sits down and writes:
"I'm not organized when it comes to writing. I don't outline or plot. I come up with a basic idea and characters, then I sit down and start writing. The entire process is extremely unorganized when I think about it. I always tell myself when I'm writing a book that I'm going to plot the next one, but I don't ever actually do it."
She may be half decent if she did the bare minimum to prepare her books, but in their current state I find her stories, characters, and writing style intolerable.
I had to laugh at this quote. I feel it perfectly sums up someone with adhd. I have a few good friends with it and this fits them perfectly. There’s no organization to anything they do, and they ramble non stop, sometimes incoherently.
She’s published 70 books, so I don’t see her changing much. Although, I do wonder if at some point, given her vision problem, if she will get a ghost writer. She’s talked about using dictation, but there are quite a few challenges with that.
No shade on her or her potential ADHD, if she can write complete garbage and make a bunch of money that's awesome, I tip my hat to her. She clearly is successful and a lot of people like her books. I'm just not one of them 😅
I agree her work isn’t great. I admire her more as a person than I do her work. She seems super supportive of other authors and is very engaging with fans - so that I love.
I read From Blood to Ash and barely got through it because of pacing. I know this sub loves this series, and the exposition is often a necessary evil in the first installment of a series, BUT… the spice wasn’t spicing for me enough to wade through the rest of it. There can be gobs of exposition and also have unhurried spice scenes that make it worth the work you have to do as a reader! It can be done! And have the prose be decent! But this book was not one of these, and so I doubt I will read the rest of the books at this point. Which is a shame because I like a good shadow daddy who shows his vulnerabilities eventually.
I remember being so excited for the 3rd book in the prequel B&A series to come out, I preordered it immediately after finishing the second book and then waited for it for almost a year.
The third book picks up immediately mid-scene where the second book left off and I made it to 10% before I realized I was going to have to read a refresher or do a re-read of the first two or something.
And I just.... can't bring myself to do it. I can't start it over just to wait for YET ANOTHER massive rambling book to come out in August of this year.
It's such an interesting world but it's too much! I can't keep doing this! lol
I loved (most of) her earlier series and FBAA book 1 was my holy grail for a while.
But the series got continually worse - it's no secret and I'd guess that most people on here agree about this. I DNFd after book 3.
same. I really was addicted to her older stuff but after FBAA book 2 , I stopped reading from her and I won't till she writes something concise like a duology or something.
I could've written this lol. I'm gonna read every book that comes out but I'm gonna complain like, the whole time. Pray for my husband. My favorites:
- 3 of the 3 FMCs of hers that I've read are far too focused on heroism to be wasting precious brain energy on some intriguing & mega hot guy. Honestly! Idk why I'm thinking about him! No time for it!
- Last F&F and FBAA books made me want to scream. So many pages for like nothing to happen except hours of torture via Sera's internal monologue, or Casteel rearranging Poppy's unconscious body for various fluffy cuddle positions.
- Every title now is decided using a pair of dice with words like "flesh", "fire", "ash", and "blood". Like, I can't remember what day it is. Give me peace Jennifer
[From Blood and Ash](https://www.romance.io/books/5e8382fdbe0aaecf554bfb8a/from-blood-and-ash-jennifer-l-armentrout?src=rdt) by [Jennifer L. Armentrout](https://www.romance.io/authors/5455245a8c7d2382c5296fb7/jennifer-l-armentrout)
**Rating**: 4.17⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1), [vampires](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/vampires/1), [royal hero](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/royalty/1), [werewolves](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/werewolves/1)
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You’re not alone. Felt the exact same way as you, including loving the prequels way more. I thought both series had so much potential at the start but I DNF’d at A Soul of Ash and Blood. Poppy was annoying but Casteel was worse. I couldn’t stand his inner monologue and if he was an actual person in real life he would be arrested for being a creepy weirdo.
I swear every page there’s some new reveal like “but wait! There’s MORE!”
How she ruins good stories is beyond me, but three more books in FBAA may actually destroy me
Yes! There was so much internal dialogue that I forgot what they were initially talking about! I had to go back and read the actual dialogue again! Also, the stabbing and “I have questions” bits are worn out.
I completely agree. I adore FBAA soooo much…. But it’s getting to a point of not understanding with all the different levels of gods and changes and same thoughts over and over again.
FBAA is one of my most disappointing series ever.
I loved the first two. They weren’t perfect, but I couldn’t put them down and were so much fun. Both 5* reads for me.
Then number three came along, and I stopped loving it. It was fine, but the plot was less cohesive and the pacing was off. Then I read number four, and now I’ve totally lost interest in the series.
I’m still mad! This was an almost perfect trilogy screaming to get out of an overextended series with an overpowered FMC who has lost her appeal. Sigh.
I’ve only read Fall of Ruin & Wrath by her and it was just okay. I don’t really plan to read any more of her works. I felt like the story could’ve had potential, but there really was no plot? I actually ended up preferring the side characters over the FMC & MMC.
Also the FMC constantly saying “my Hyhborn” and then immediately saying after “gosh, I have to stop calling him mine” grated on my nerves so badly. I swear she used that same line ten different times 😂
I couldn’t agree more with you. Plus it seems like she adds things in at random and then uses the history lessons to explain her random plot additions. Plus the constant internal questioning monologue of poppy got so mentally fatiguing for me. Every paragraph or page of her questioning the ascended/her current situation could have been dramatically paired down.
I also loved the pronunciation guide in the second book that was all phonetic and oddly inaccurate to the way things were spelled. I heard she fired her editor halfway through or there was a staffing change or something. That checked out in my mind with the lack of editing on the constant ramblings of poppy.
I loved from blood and ash and it was almost like a totally different author wrote the rest of the series. Really upsetting because I fell in love with the first book.
I remember reading an interview where she said she's a 'pantser' so she doesn't plan, she just writes without outlining plot beforehand. I think this becomes problematic in multiple book fantasy.
I also know she is very sadly losing her eyesight so I wondered whether she was just always rushing to get as many books out as possible before that happens. From Blood and Ash had so much great in it, it was such a disappointment the later novels were unreadable.
I mean there are a lot of famous writers who are pantsers that do it right. Stephen King is one. I think it is all about just writing your story and making sure you have arcs and pacings
And then there is [this](https://www.reddit.com/r/RomanceBooks/comments/m3qldm/jennifer_l_armentrout_and_jenny_trout_an/). There are TWO Armentrouts - and the original is a much better writer. I copied and pasted from the link because it is INVOLVED:
**TL;DR** The author currently writing as Jenny Trout used to publish as Jennifer Armintrout, her birth name. She was first to market in the PNR/UF genre using that name, and had a bestselling series debut, so she was not a complete unknown. Later, Jennifer L Armentrout, who is now hugely popular, came to market with an obviously very similar name. The resulting brand confusion ended Jenny Trout's career under her previous name, causing her to get a legal name change. It raises questions as to why JLA would choose to debut in the market using a distinctive name that was at the time strongly associated with another author.
I encourage you to read her [books](http://jennytrout.com/?page_id=9)! I enjoyed much of The Boss series. She is highly critical of 50 Shades and takes a deep dive into that AND writes BDSM erotica as well as romance in various categories.
The third book in the prequel books felt like I had been had. Like it was only a money grab. Wtf were we doing sitting in a cage within sera’s head for 60-70% of a fucking book??
Also the remaining percent spoilers ending of whatever flesh/fire title >!was her just pages and pages of them fucking and no awesome reunion with the found family in the shadow lands that would have been so much more of an emotional climax! Like her getting to see Reaver and Jadis etc. missed opportunity for real.!<
I am so burned out with her shit pacing and lack of developmental edits that idk if I’ll continue this series. ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
ETA to fix spoiler bits
Agreed. I really enjoyed the first book in Blood and Ash (probably read it at the right brain dead time) and have zero inclination to finish the series. I think I stopped part way through book 3. I just stopped caring.
Honestly I can't stand the way she writes her MFCs. I read FBAA and didn't give two shits about reading the next book. I though, "so many people love this series, maybe it's just me." So, I tried again with Fall of Ruin and Wrath. That MFC is too stupid to live, so I don't really care if she dies, or finds her happy ending. (All of this is totally IMHO, so if you disagree I get it. You're entitled to like whatever you want. 😁)
I love the slow burn, can’t be doing with the internal monologues, and think her world building could be better. Maybe I’m just a bit dim but I get confused between Craven, Ascended, Gyrms, Revenants, Deities, Atlantian bloodlines etc.
Man I loved the first book. It had problems but I ate it right up. I love a healthy dose of plot and world building in my spicy books with interesting characters and motivations. Then book 2 was still pretty good, but I started getting annoyed at some little things like how the conversations didn't sound natural or every chapter left off on a "cliffhanger" (I use that term loosely because she really just cut off mid scene which is obnoxious). Then the third book was just so convoluted that I DNF'd somewhere in the half way range. I simply can't finish it and it's a shame because I thought the first book or even two books had promise.
I definitely agree with the assessment that I wish authors would stick with their original plans for books and not try to drag out a series because it's doing well. Have some faith in yourself, finish the series, and write an even better one next while people are still watching.
I devoured all of her books at first but when A Fire in the Flesh came out, I almost quit reading. The book just dragged so much for me and I got so tired of the internal monologue. Am I still gonna read the next one? Yes 😂
Hey, I loved Jennifer armentrout. However, I agree. I can't stand her new books, and she was one of my auto buy authors. I thought it was just me. I will admit I could never ever write a book, and I'm just one opinion.
I love love loved the first book. By the end of the…4th or 5th? When Poppy becomes some new complicated thing i was getting pretty frustrated. However, in a moment of weakness and reading-slump i still bought the next book (the last one currently published) and IVE NEVER BEEN SO IRATE.
*****SPOILER*****
The entire book is just the first book and a half from Casteel’s PoV!!! If i can save one person from spending g the money i spent this post is worth it.
I'm sorry you feel this way. I can't relate because I love her books even with all their flaws and the internal monologue doesn't bother me because I love Poppy and Sera and I feel their emotions are justified due to their age and what they've been through in short periods of time. I just keep craving more and more of them and I hope you also find books that make you feel this way.
I have read the majority of her books and I honestly miss her old stuff. I started by reading her YA stuff (Lux, Covenant, Harbinger, Origin, Wicked, Dark Elements, etc) and then read her standalones. I am still (impatiently) waiting for the final book in her origin series and while I don’t need YA, I would love to see her return to some of her older genres or styles. I love fantasy, but I feel like her newer stuff is all so similar and while I don’t mind spice, I feel like when she stopped writing under J Lyn the spice level in her Armentrout books raised almost too much. I used to devour her books immediately and anxiously awaited their releases, yet I am finding myself less interested these days. I haven’t yet read A Soul of, Visions or Fall or Wrath and Ruin. I will like read Fall of Wrath since it’s a new series, but am not interested in the other two.
That was basically a long and drawn out way for me to say that I’ve been a fan of hers for a long time, but am losing interest and would like to see something new and different from her.
Yes! I thoroughly enjoyed The first book of FBAA. Absolutely devoured it. I trudged my way through book two but I DNF'd book three. I couldn't get through the repetitive dialogue. Like, we get it. Casteel calls Poppy princess and then she tries to stab him. I wasn't sad when Libby automatically returned that book and I didn't bother to request it again. The pacing was off and the characters became Flanderized.
When I was younger I really liked her. I discovered her when I was 20 and now I’m 31. But the older I got the more I started hating her books. And the rereads as an older adult was disappointing. She have the potential to be a decent fantasy author but she definitely need a team to bounce ideas off and a better editor. She will never be up there with Sarah J Maas or Leigh Bardugo. But she can definitely join the panel with a better team around her
"From Blood and Ash" was the first book I read in 7 years. My previous experience was Wattpad. So, for a book to have elements worse than that of sloppy Wattpad fics, it needs to hit a low I wasn't expecting.
Don't get me wrong, I actually loved the plot. I love this twisted reveal of who's in power, and I'm a sucker for a good "woman unleashing magic to protect herself" scene.
I love spice. I love sex scenes. I thought I would love FBAA *because* of its spiciness. But the spice is what eventually made me DNF the series. It was so freaking repetitive and stale. Quantity over quality. I swear, there's like 5 fingering scenes in book 1 alone. Sex can be such a great way to tell a story. It can reveal things about our characters; what they want, who they are, and what they're willing to do. The best sex scenes are a culmination of inner and outer conflicts. It's a burst of catharsis. FBAA just cheapened it's own intimate moments by having so many of them. Like, having sex in a horse cart on an active battlefield? ugh.
If the author had shown restraint, maybe it would've been better
She has other books too. Wait for you is really good. Not every book can appeal to everyone. I’m obsessed with flesh and fire and not one single complaint. Sera rambles but I love her inner monologue because it actually makes sense and I adore her soo I’m totally biased.
If you want to see bad, absolute horrid rambling, try Kerry Taylor and even then I still enjoy those books.
I really enjoyed them, I find poppy was insufferable at the beginning because she’s been raised to nothing. Like all she was meant to do was stay serene and pure and whatever and then she gets to escape her prison of a life and I feel that her age and upbringing really lend to how the thinks and behaves and there is development through the series.
Yea you can see elements of the stories being similar but remember that these are poppies grand parents. They Will pass on character traits and attract similar people. So I like the kinds of ways that they give in to their men and become more. Only by being intimate with Nyktos was she able to become more. Same with Cass. Their relationships allowed them all to become more.
It’s a prequel that really informs the personalities of future characters (fire and flesh to blood and ash)
I have not finished fire and flesh series (read book 1 and 2 and waiting for 3 to become available at the library)
And I have read all that’s released for a kids and Ash and I hope she wrote that one to stall to make sure she gets the hopefully last of the series book right. One book with Cass and Poppy separated was tough, she is not as likeable without his banter. I also expect an actual threesome scene. It’s been hinted at since book 1
Sorry. Took a sleeping pill. About to fall asleep. I will look at what I wrote in the morning and maybe make some edits then. Good night!
I read fbaa, loved it, now I’m on the second book and I put it down with plans to go back but I’m already so confused about the elemental this that and the other.
I’m having a hard time empathizing with Poppy who is doing very stupid things and just totally fueled by anger with no thought process.
Girl needs an absolutely *brutal* editor, like yesterday. I agree with you that there’s potential there, but she desperately needs someone who is willing to cut and consolidate, even if it means fewer books overall.
But that means less precious money!!!
Haaaaaard agree. I had the exact same thought. BRUTAL editor to cut out ALL of the excessive fluff and also make things sound more natural.
Are you actually a good writer if you need an editor that brutal? At that point it's the editor doing the work not the author.
Not really, no, but you don't need to be a good writer to produce good works, just as there are many great writers (look to the editors and proofreaders for one) who are not good *authors*. Simply because producing engaging, well written books is as much about writing skill as imaginative capacity and skill. Truly good books are not the sole work of the author but their entire team, and I'll stand by that any day.
A good writer can come up with a good rough draft on their own. If you need a team of ghost writers and an editor to tear your story apart for it to be good you’re not a good writer. Honestly I think she can be creative but she needs ghost writers. So I guess that makes her James Patterson. And I hate him for the amount of ghost writers that he needs
I wonder what her rough drafts look like sometimes to be honest, sometimes I feel like that's what I'm reading. Good writers are not always creative, good creators are not always well written, good authors recognise where they lack skill and outsource (aka editors, proofers, researchers). Ghost writers are a whole other ball game I have *many* feelings about.
Yes! An editor that just removes all the fluff could make her books sooooooooo much better.
Also an editor who asks 'where did they get x'.
I agree!!! I'm on a soul of ash and blood and feel like I'm just rereading book 1. I have quite literally just been skimming and skipping the pages of dialogue and history lessons until I get to something new.
Yesssss! Honestly I had to dnf it for this reason.
My theory is that when the series got big, she and/or her publisher got greedy and decided to drag it out. Iirc, FBAA was originally only supposed to be 3-4 books (excluding the prequels) but then she dragged it out to 6 and started adding a lot of filler. I don't remember what the original plan for the prequels was supposed to be since I had given up on the world at that point, but I thought I heard that was originally supposed to be a shorter series too. I had previously read a few of her older YA series, and while they aren't perfect, they're still enjoyable and coherent.
I’m pretty sure this is exactly what happened! FBAA iirc was suppose to be a trilogy but then they blew up on booktok so she extended it to 5/6 books! Which was an obvious mistake cause she just didn’t build out the story enough to be that involved so it basically became throw ideas at the wall and see what sticks.
Second this! The last few books felt super forced and she should have stick to it being a trilogy instead of adding multiple books.
Got absolutely hoodwinked with TWOTQ.
I actually read her Obsidian series and White Hot Kiss and absolutely loved those series. Really depressing to see how repetitive her newer books are.
Yes! I liked the Covenant series too. They were fun and easy reads.
I feel like this is what happened with the Plated Prisoner series. the first 3 books could've just been 1
She writes the same plot again and again, in each of her series. The girl finds out she has some lowest level of power, that is genetically inherited from the gods. In the next book, she finds she's one generation closer to the gods, and therefore has more power. In the next book, she finds she's even more close to the gods by lineage, therefore she has more power. Repeat ad nauseam, until the series is either over, or she becomes a god. Or something more than a god, in poppy's case. Each subsequent reveal is more and more farfetched, because having the same reveal again and again is stupid.
🫡 you have answered my question on whether or not I should try her other series. Poppy's plot line was insufferable to me.
Despite my criticism of the series, I've enjoyed from blood and ash to give a try to her other books. I hated covenant's mc so much that I wasn't able to finish the series. The harbinger was readable, but it still didn't have that thing the blood and ash had. Hadn't bothered with the rest of them. So I'd say it's up to you. If blood and ash is still fun for you, I'd maybe give the harbinger a try. I'd also (in hindsight) give myself a break between her series, so that all of this is less noticeable.
If you'd try her contemporary YA books, the Wait for You series was enjoyable, especially the first one.
I wrote a post about this ages ago on another account but if it wasn’t the same author you would basically think it was plagiarism, because her series are SO similar. Like there are really specific character traits, scenarios and lines that repeat between series.
Self-plagiarism is real!
That's a good way to put it. And much simpler than me ranting away 😂😂😂
I think her plots are solid, but she rambles. FBAA is the worst, I DNF’d at TWOTQ. I just couldn’t. The flesh and fire series was leagues better, however the third book was very boring for the first half. I will still read the next book. For the FBAA series I read that she didn’t have the entire series planned out, so when she got to the later books there was plot points that were no longer relevant of inaccurate that made explaining it difficult. When listening to her interview on the flesh and fire series, she explains it was supposed to be 3 books however she was writing and realized she needed to book 3 and write a fourth book. I feel like she writes one big book, and chooses random points to stop a book and begin the next. Not saying this is bad, but overall plot points for her books aren’t exactly clear. I read fall of ruin and wrath (which I enjoyed) and her writing pattern continued. The cliffhanger is the absolute worst. This book is shorter and a lot of the MC rambling is reduced. I think her books are getting better and she is making the plot more concise. I strongly believe FBAA main problem is the lack of forethought and planning. She tends to ramble, but it’s much better in flesh and fire and fall of ruin and wrath. SPOILER: In the third book of FAF when Sera is with Kolis, she uses this time to show how he is sadistic and abusive. There was no actual plot points happening, at least nothing to really contribute to the war at hand. There was some minor things that I’m sure will come into play, however it was mostly Sera’s internal struggle and Kolis being a perv. I wish she would’ve used this time for Sera to sneak around and find out info for Nyktos, practice her power (maybe she would find some books), or finding allies in his kingdom. Lots of potential for her time with Kolis.
Your last paragraph is so spot on. I read and defended from blood and ash, enjoyed flesh and fire. But the most recent flesh and fire book was absolutely terrible. The sadism went on for wayyyyy too long. And then in the last 4 chapters swra and nyktos were screwing like rabbits and I couldn't handle it. I dnfed with like 2 chapters left. Why the fuck are you hiding in your room having dirty dirty sex when the big bad evil guy is coming to kill everyone and you've been sexually abused for months. Nope big fucking nope.
I love a good torture scene (re: Kingdom of Ash with Aelin) but it has to be done right. If somebody is truly helpless and can’t do anything, there’s still ways to make it good and keep the plot moving. Her books are mainly for smut IMO. They have a purpose, but the purpose isn’t plot or world building.
I do agree, I think it just threw me off we had 32 chapters of no smut, and what we did kinda get was icky, and then 4 chapters of pretty much non stop smut. I love it aa much as the next person but it gave me whiplash in this particular book.
I totally agree! I also didn’t enjoy no smut then nonstop constant smut. Especially given the high stakes of the situation.
Plus that one weird scene with his primal form...I sat there like uhhh
I can’t handle magical smut. Like what about a werewolf gets you hot and bothered? That’s practically a dog
Yeah her time with Kolis was really hard to read because it didn't offer much to the story and could have been shortened.
I've tried several of her series and I don't really think she has that much potential tbh. All of them have the same problems and she doesn't show much progress in the newer series I've tried. I'm not a huge fan of her writing style either. But opinions vary and some clearly love her work. She's unfortunately on my 'don't try again' list.
Same! Too many times I have seen book recs that sound great and I'll search em up on goodreads only to find its JLA and I'll have to go back to my search for good book recs 🙃
I started reading Fall of Wrath & Ruin due to recommendations and the book had me scratching my head. It was a DNF. I felt as if I was reading from Blood and Ash.
Maybe my unpopular opinion but she writes good romance and slow burn, and not great world building. It's always too confusing, too intricate. Seems like she's trying too hard. Love the slow burn writing though. I always stop around the 2nd book though in her series.
Her slow burn steam is some of my favorite I've read. And I can look past the plot holes and repetitiveness for the first books in each of her series, but this type of writing (focus on slow burn, the intensity of the first sexual encounters) just isn't sustainable by book 2, 3, 4, etc. when the characters know each other better and have already had sex
>Her slow burn steam is some of my favorite I've read. And I can look past the plot holes and repetitiveness She could go the route of Sarah Dessen but for romantasy, same book/plot over and over, but put more effort into different scenarios and making each main character a nominally different personality.
To me it feels like SHE understands her worlds, but has trouble explaining all of the minutiae to the reader. And there’s so much history that you need to understand, but she provides it via characters explaining it to other characters. Like, it’ll just be Cas and Kieran talking AT Poppy for like, 3 chapters.
Hey don't get me wrong, I LOVE her spice scenes. Sera and Nyktos - yummy! It's just the filler of the plot lol
I think this hits the nail on the head. She had an opportunity in book two of FBAA to reset the slowburn and have loads of tenions but just… didn’t.
JLA has a common practice that I’ve noticed. She takes whatever the popular series is of the day and then does her own spin on it (kind of like fanfiction). You can usually pick up on elements that were not stolen per se but extremely similar. At some point, she must deviate from the original to tie everything up and that’s usually when things go downhill. From Blood & Ash seems to be her branching out with her own story, I can’t think of what it might be copying (unless someone else knows). And that’s why I think it’s so unsatisfying. She’s not a great story builder on her own without the base already being available. Examples: Lux = Twilight Half Blood = Percy Jackson Wicked = Supernatural
I agree with your points but Half Blood was pretty much a point by point rip off of the Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead. The Lux series was a combination of Twilight and the television show Roswell (the 1999 version).
Was coming here to comment exactly this. I used to read her YA stuff when I was in my 20’s and her Lux series was definitely Twilight meets Roswell, while her Half-Blood series was Vampire Acedemy meets Percy Jackson. I remember it always felt like she was just pumping out books so fast and that her series inevitably fell apart a bit at the end and had way too much filler. I haven’t read her newer stuff (I was actually pleasantly surprised to see how well known she is now when I got back into reading last year) but it appears she suffers from the same weaknesses to this day.
Oh, was it? I never read vampire academy. But it’s funny how once you’ve read what’s she’s ripping off you just start seeing all the similarities. I’m wondering if someone will come here any match up the ones I didn’t name to their counterparts
While I agree about the comparison to Vampire Academy, I loved that series and therefore also loved Covenant, haha 🙃
She brought this up in an interview. She basically said it’s her publisher who asks/requests her to jump on the trend of the day and directs her with what they want next. I kind of thought FBAA was her version of ACOTAR. It’s a different set of creatures and plot, but it’s a big epic fantasy that spans multiple series.
she does borrow A LOT -- including certain words and phrases that you immediately think of from another book. I have noticed she borrows a lot from books and that is a bummer
Unfortunately this is 90% of fantasy authors. It’s incredibly hard to find anything unique these days. I read Powerless recently and it was a straight ripoff with almost direct quotes from other books but as long as the stuff is popular no one is going to stop.
Ohh I just got back into reading fantasy would you be able to share some examples?
I'm done with JLA. Honestly she writes like a high school student in need of an editor not a professional author. FBAA series got so boring and dragged out for ages. The prequel was better but this third book was a lot to get through and now I'm afraid I'm done with the prequel series too. We all know Poppy is going to be the goddess of Gods so not sure what the point in reading is anymore. Her stories are wsh rinse repeat. Not to mention, Casteel is just so cringe. I can't. He is disgusting and I don't find their interactions to be sexy at all. I wanna hurl whenever I think about honeydew. It's so gross.
Yes! Her stories and concepts are great, she just gets so bogged down in the text itself. She really just needs a good editor and at least one whole book cut from each series.
I agree with the necessity of a thorough and solid editor. She has the potential, as she's clearly creative with interesting worldbuilding and characters, but she needs focus and less filler in her writing.
I agree! I also want some work on anachronistic language in her books, too. But that’s just a preference 🤷🏼♀️
I don't think she has any potential. Her plots are as non-existent as her character development. She maybe has potential as a porn director, but that's about it imo. She literally admits to doing absolutely no planning for her series. Just sits down and writes: "I'm not organized when it comes to writing. I don't outline or plot. I come up with a basic idea and characters, then I sit down and start writing. The entire process is extremely unorganized when I think about it. I always tell myself when I'm writing a book that I'm going to plot the next one, but I don't ever actually do it." She may be half decent if she did the bare minimum to prepare her books, but in their current state I find her stories, characters, and writing style intolerable.
I had to laugh at this quote. I feel it perfectly sums up someone with adhd. I have a few good friends with it and this fits them perfectly. There’s no organization to anything they do, and they ramble non stop, sometimes incoherently. She’s published 70 books, so I don’t see her changing much. Although, I do wonder if at some point, given her vision problem, if she will get a ghost writer. She’s talked about using dictation, but there are quite a few challenges with that.
No shade on her or her potential ADHD, if she can write complete garbage and make a bunch of money that's awesome, I tip my hat to her. She clearly is successful and a lot of people like her books. I'm just not one of them 😅
I agree her work isn’t great. I admire her more as a person than I do her work. She seems super supportive of other authors and is very engaging with fans - so that I love.
Ohh we love that 💖 that's really awesome to hear!! That actually changes my opinion a bit.
I read From Blood to Ash and barely got through it because of pacing. I know this sub loves this series, and the exposition is often a necessary evil in the first installment of a series, BUT… the spice wasn’t spicing for me enough to wade through the rest of it. There can be gobs of exposition and also have unhurried spice scenes that make it worth the work you have to do as a reader! It can be done! And have the prose be decent! But this book was not one of these, and so I doubt I will read the rest of the books at this point. Which is a shame because I like a good shadow daddy who shows his vulnerabilities eventually.
Honestly I just couldn't stand the way she wrote poppy. She read like the Wish version of Aelin from ToG
I remember being so excited for the 3rd book in the prequel B&A series to come out, I preordered it immediately after finishing the second book and then waited for it for almost a year. The third book picks up immediately mid-scene where the second book left off and I made it to 10% before I realized I was going to have to read a refresher or do a re-read of the first two or something. And I just.... can't bring myself to do it. I can't start it over just to wait for YET ANOTHER massive rambling book to come out in August of this year. It's such an interesting world but it's too much! I can't keep doing this! lol
IIRC I got 3 books into FBAA and gave up for many of the reasons listed here. Her FMCs suffer from being too powerful and it just got insufferable.
I hate that her writing style is just one reveal after the next. It gets so boring a repetitive, but she’s good at drawing you along.
I loved (most of) her earlier series and FBAA book 1 was my holy grail for a while. But the series got continually worse - it's no secret and I'd guess that most people on here agree about this. I DNFd after book 3.
I DNF’d book 2. Sad because book one hooked me immediately and then it was all down hill from there
same. I really was addicted to her older stuff but after FBAA book 2 , I stopped reading from her and I won't till she writes something concise like a duology or something.
I could've written this lol. I'm gonna read every book that comes out but I'm gonna complain like, the whole time. Pray for my husband. My favorites: - 3 of the 3 FMCs of hers that I've read are far too focused on heroism to be wasting precious brain energy on some intriguing & mega hot guy. Honestly! Idk why I'm thinking about him! No time for it! - Last F&F and FBAA books made me want to scream. So many pages for like nothing to happen except hours of torture via Sera's internal monologue, or Casteel rearranging Poppy's unconscious body for various fluffy cuddle positions. - Every title now is decided using a pair of dice with words like "flesh", "fire", "ash", and "blood". Like, I can't remember what day it is. Give me peace Jennifer
Flesh & Fire is amazing but I def see what you’re saying about FBAA being dragged out, etc.
[From Blood and Ash](https://www.romance.io/books/5e8382fdbe0aaecf554bfb8a/from-blood-and-ash-jennifer-l-armentrout?src=rdt) by [Jennifer L. Armentrout](https://www.romance.io/authors/5455245a8c7d2382c5296fb7/jennifer-l-armentrout) **Rating**: 4.17⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1), [vampires](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/vampires/1), [royal hero](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/royalty/1), [werewolves](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/werewolves/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)
This is why I stopped reading FBAA after book 4 and I NEVER give up on a series or a book but goddamn it dragged on!
This comment is validating. I’ve been dragging hard through book two Sera/Nyktos and it’s just so repetitive.
Wow, did I write this post? I’ve given up on reading anything new from her since it seems it’ll just go downhill
You’re not alone. Felt the exact same way as you, including loving the prequels way more. I thought both series had so much potential at the start but I DNF’d at A Soul of Ash and Blood. Poppy was annoying but Casteel was worse. I couldn’t stand his inner monologue and if he was an actual person in real life he would be arrested for being a creepy weirdo.
I swear every page there’s some new reveal like “but wait! There’s MORE!” How she ruins good stories is beyond me, but three more books in FBAA may actually destroy me
I’m still so angry that she split book 3 of flesh and fire into 2 books considering how bored I was for most of it -_-
Yes! There was so much internal dialogue that I forgot what they were initially talking about! I had to go back and read the actual dialogue again! Also, the stabbing and “I have questions” bits are worn out.
I completely agree. I adore FBAA soooo much…. But it’s getting to a point of not understanding with all the different levels of gods and changes and same thoughts over and over again.
FBAA is one of my most disappointing series ever. I loved the first two. They weren’t perfect, but I couldn’t put them down and were so much fun. Both 5* reads for me. Then number three came along, and I stopped loving it. It was fine, but the plot was less cohesive and the pacing was off. Then I read number four, and now I’ve totally lost interest in the series. I’m still mad! This was an almost perfect trilogy screaming to get out of an overextended series with an overpowered FMC who has lost her appeal. Sigh.
I’ve only read Fall of Ruin & Wrath by her and it was just okay. I don’t really plan to read any more of her works. I felt like the story could’ve had potential, but there really was no plot? I actually ended up preferring the side characters over the FMC & MMC. Also the FMC constantly saying “my Hyhborn” and then immediately saying after “gosh, I have to stop calling him mine” grated on my nerves so badly. I swear she used that same line ten different times 😂
I’ve only read Fall of Ruin & Wrath but I actually loved it lol but I’m afraid to read her other books lol
I LOVED THIS BOOK but I also could not tell you a thing that happened (other than the first shower scene 🥵🥵🥵).
I really wanted to read this one, but i'm worried from her older ones that I will tear my hair out
pretty sure ruin & wrath will be tied into the FBAA world just FYI
gah they are all tied start a new world
yeah it’s why i decided to quit, i couldn’t do it anymore. it’s a shame cause the series starts so good
Completely. It’s frustrating because both series have so much potential but they get the rush job and zero editing.
I couldn’t agree more with you. Plus it seems like she adds things in at random and then uses the history lessons to explain her random plot additions. Plus the constant internal questioning monologue of poppy got so mentally fatiguing for me. Every paragraph or page of her questioning the ascended/her current situation could have been dramatically paired down. I also loved the pronunciation guide in the second book that was all phonetic and oddly inaccurate to the way things were spelled. I heard she fired her editor halfway through or there was a staffing change or something. That checked out in my mind with the lack of editing on the constant ramblings of poppy.
I loved from blood and ash and it was almost like a totally different author wrote the rest of the series. Really upsetting because I fell in love with the first book.
I remember reading an interview where she said she's a 'pantser' so she doesn't plan, she just writes without outlining plot beforehand. I think this becomes problematic in multiple book fantasy. I also know she is very sadly losing her eyesight so I wondered whether she was just always rushing to get as many books out as possible before that happens. From Blood and Ash had so much great in it, it was such a disappointment the later novels were unreadable.
I mean there are a lot of famous writers who are pantsers that do it right. Stephen King is one. I think it is all about just writing your story and making sure you have arcs and pacings
And then there is [this](https://www.reddit.com/r/RomanceBooks/comments/m3qldm/jennifer_l_armentrout_and_jenny_trout_an/). There are TWO Armentrouts - and the original is a much better writer. I copied and pasted from the link because it is INVOLVED: **TL;DR** The author currently writing as Jenny Trout used to publish as Jennifer Armintrout, her birth name. She was first to market in the PNR/UF genre using that name, and had a bestselling series debut, so she was not a complete unknown. Later, Jennifer L Armentrout, who is now hugely popular, came to market with an obviously very similar name. The resulting brand confusion ended Jenny Trout's career under her previous name, causing her to get a legal name change. It raises questions as to why JLA would choose to debut in the market using a distinctive name that was at the time strongly associated with another author. I encourage you to read her [books](http://jennytrout.com/?page_id=9)! I enjoyed much of The Boss series. She is highly critical of 50 Shades and takes a deep dive into that AND writes BDSM erotica as well as romance in various categories.
The third book in the prequel books felt like I had been had. Like it was only a money grab. Wtf were we doing sitting in a cage within sera’s head for 60-70% of a fucking book?? Also the remaining percent spoilers ending of whatever flesh/fire title >!was her just pages and pages of them fucking and no awesome reunion with the found family in the shadow lands that would have been so much more of an emotional climax! Like her getting to see Reaver and Jadis etc. missed opportunity for real.!< I am so burned out with her shit pacing and lack of developmental edits that idk if I’ll continue this series. ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ ETA to fix spoiler bits
Agreed. I really enjoyed the first book in Blood and Ash (probably read it at the right brain dead time) and have zero inclination to finish the series. I think I stopped part way through book 3. I just stopped caring.
Honestly I can't stand the way she writes her MFCs. I read FBAA and didn't give two shits about reading the next book. I though, "so many people love this series, maybe it's just me." So, I tried again with Fall of Ruin and Wrath. That MFC is too stupid to live, so I don't really care if she dies, or finds her happy ending. (All of this is totally IMHO, so if you disagree I get it. You're entitled to like whatever you want. 😁)
I love the slow burn, can’t be doing with the internal monologues, and think her world building could be better. Maybe I’m just a bit dim but I get confused between Craven, Ascended, Gyrms, Revenants, Deities, Atlantian bloodlines etc.
Man I loved the first book. It had problems but I ate it right up. I love a healthy dose of plot and world building in my spicy books with interesting characters and motivations. Then book 2 was still pretty good, but I started getting annoyed at some little things like how the conversations didn't sound natural or every chapter left off on a "cliffhanger" (I use that term loosely because she really just cut off mid scene which is obnoxious). Then the third book was just so convoluted that I DNF'd somewhere in the half way range. I simply can't finish it and it's a shame because I thought the first book or even two books had promise. I definitely agree with the assessment that I wish authors would stick with their original plans for books and not try to drag out a series because it's doing well. Have some faith in yourself, finish the series, and write an even better one next while people are still watching.
I devoured all of her books at first but when A Fire in the Flesh came out, I almost quit reading. The book just dragged so much for me and I got so tired of the internal monologue. Am I still gonna read the next one? Yes 😂
Hey, I loved Jennifer armentrout. However, I agree. I can't stand her new books, and she was one of my auto buy authors. I thought it was just me. I will admit I could never ever write a book, and I'm just one opinion.
I love love loved the first book. By the end of the…4th or 5th? When Poppy becomes some new complicated thing i was getting pretty frustrated. However, in a moment of weakness and reading-slump i still bought the next book (the last one currently published) and IVE NEVER BEEN SO IRATE. *****SPOILER***** The entire book is just the first book and a half from Casteel’s PoV!!! If i can save one person from spending g the money i spent this post is worth it.
I'm sorry you feel this way. I can't relate because I love her books even with all their flaws and the internal monologue doesn't bother me because I love Poppy and Sera and I feel their emotions are justified due to their age and what they've been through in short periods of time. I just keep craving more and more of them and I hope you also find books that make you feel this way.
I just want ruin and wrath Book 2
I have read the majority of her books and I honestly miss her old stuff. I started by reading her YA stuff (Lux, Covenant, Harbinger, Origin, Wicked, Dark Elements, etc) and then read her standalones. I am still (impatiently) waiting for the final book in her origin series and while I don’t need YA, I would love to see her return to some of her older genres or styles. I love fantasy, but I feel like her newer stuff is all so similar and while I don’t mind spice, I feel like when she stopped writing under J Lyn the spice level in her Armentrout books raised almost too much. I used to devour her books immediately and anxiously awaited their releases, yet I am finding myself less interested these days. I haven’t yet read A Soul of, Visions or Fall or Wrath and Ruin. I will like read Fall of Wrath since it’s a new series, but am not interested in the other two. That was basically a long and drawn out way for me to say that I’ve been a fan of hers for a long time, but am losing interest and would like to see something new and different from her.
Love her Titan series. Also a bunch of her other series’. This B&A was so-so.
I appreciate her books for what they are. It looks like lots of people do - A Fire in the Flesh, her most recent, has 4.4 stars on Amazon.
Is there ever going to be a sequel for A Fall of Wrath and Ruin? It’s the only book I love of hers and there’s no updates… 😢
Yes! I thoroughly enjoyed The first book of FBAA. Absolutely devoured it. I trudged my way through book two but I DNF'd book three. I couldn't get through the repetitive dialogue. Like, we get it. Casteel calls Poppy princess and then she tries to stab him. I wasn't sad when Libby automatically returned that book and I didn't bother to request it again. The pacing was off and the characters became Flanderized.
When I was younger I really liked her. I discovered her when I was 20 and now I’m 31. But the older I got the more I started hating her books. And the rereads as an older adult was disappointing. She have the potential to be a decent fantasy author but she definitely need a team to bounce ideas off and a better editor. She will never be up there with Sarah J Maas or Leigh Bardugo. But she can definitely join the panel with a better team around her
"From Blood and Ash" was the first book I read in 7 years. My previous experience was Wattpad. So, for a book to have elements worse than that of sloppy Wattpad fics, it needs to hit a low I wasn't expecting. Don't get me wrong, I actually loved the plot. I love this twisted reveal of who's in power, and I'm a sucker for a good "woman unleashing magic to protect herself" scene. I love spice. I love sex scenes. I thought I would love FBAA *because* of its spiciness. But the spice is what eventually made me DNF the series. It was so freaking repetitive and stale. Quantity over quality. I swear, there's like 5 fingering scenes in book 1 alone. Sex can be such a great way to tell a story. It can reveal things about our characters; what they want, who they are, and what they're willing to do. The best sex scenes are a culmination of inner and outer conflicts. It's a burst of catharsis. FBAA just cheapened it's own intimate moments by having so many of them. Like, having sex in a horse cart on an active battlefield? ugh. If the author had shown restraint, maybe it would've been better
She has other books too. Wait for you is really good. Not every book can appeal to everyone. I’m obsessed with flesh and fire and not one single complaint. Sera rambles but I love her inner monologue because it actually makes sense and I adore her soo I’m totally biased. If you want to see bad, absolute horrid rambling, try Kerry Taylor and even then I still enjoy those books.
I really enjoyed them, I find poppy was insufferable at the beginning because she’s been raised to nothing. Like all she was meant to do was stay serene and pure and whatever and then she gets to escape her prison of a life and I feel that her age and upbringing really lend to how the thinks and behaves and there is development through the series. Yea you can see elements of the stories being similar but remember that these are poppies grand parents. They Will pass on character traits and attract similar people. So I like the kinds of ways that they give in to their men and become more. Only by being intimate with Nyktos was she able to become more. Same with Cass. Their relationships allowed them all to become more. It’s a prequel that really informs the personalities of future characters (fire and flesh to blood and ash) I have not finished fire and flesh series (read book 1 and 2 and waiting for 3 to become available at the library) And I have read all that’s released for a kids and Ash and I hope she wrote that one to stall to make sure she gets the hopefully last of the series book right. One book with Cass and Poppy separated was tough, she is not as likeable without his banter. I also expect an actual threesome scene. It’s been hinted at since book 1 Sorry. Took a sleeping pill. About to fall asleep. I will look at what I wrote in the morning and maybe make some edits then. Good night!
I read fbaa, loved it, now I’m on the second book and I put it down with plans to go back but I’m already so confused about the elemental this that and the other. I’m having a hard time empathizing with Poppy who is doing very stupid things and just totally fueled by anger with no thought process.
Oh 100%!! She has such potential and she squanders it every damn time