A Soul of Ash and Blood

Jennifer Armentrout’s epic fantasy romance series takes its name from the series’ first book, From Blood and Ash (2020). Preceded by A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire (2020), The Crown of Gilded Bones (2021), and The War of Two Queens (2022), A Soul of Ash and Blood is the fifth book in the series, with at least two subsequent novels planned. The series includes a compendium novel and one spinoff series (Flesh and Fire), with more potential spinoff series discussed by Armentrout.

The series follows the evolution of Penellaphe Balfour and Casteel Da’Neer’s romantic relationship as they face political turmoil and a developing war between the two main kingdoms in the known world. Poppy is from Solis, ruled by the oppressive vampry (vampire-like creatures) called Ascended and Queen Ileana (Isbeth). She experiences a controlled and abusive adolescence as Solis’s Maiden, where she is lied to about her identity, parentage, and destiny. The Kingdom of Atlantia is ruled by a mixed monarchy, Atlantians (fast, strong creatures with long lifespans and various bloodlines) and wolven (werewolf-like creatures), who hope to expand their territory and bring peace to the mortals in Solis. Cas and Poppy fall in love, marry, and become King and Queen of Atlantia just as Poppy discovers she is the Primal God of Life and Death, a powerful ruler of the gods.