ARC Review: The Beautiful Ashes by Jeaniene Frost

The Beautiful Ashes

Author: Jeaniene Frost

Series: Broken Destiny

Pages: 304

Publisher/Source: Harlequin

Amazon

Release date: 26^th August 2014

Synopsis (Goodreads): In a world of shadows, anything is possible. Except escaping your fate. 

Ever since she was a child, Ivy has been gripped by visions of strange realms just beyond her own. But when her sister goes missing, Ivy discovers the truth is far worse—her hallucinations are real, and her sister is trapped in a parallel realm. And the one person who believes her is the dangerously attractive guy who's bound by an ancient legacy to betray her. 

Adrian might have turned his back on those who raised him, but that doesn't mean he can change his fate…no matter how strong a pull he feels toward Ivy. Together they search for the powerful relic that can save her sister, but Adrian knows what Ivy doesn't: that every step brings Ivy closer to the truth about her own destiny, and a war that could doom the world. Sooner or later, it will be Ivy on one side and Adrian on the other. And nothing but ashes in between…

Review: 4 out of 5 stars

I am a huge fan of Jeaniene Frost’s Night Huntress series so I was super excited to see she was releasing an NA paranormal series about angels and demons, this was an instant download and read for me and I was riveted from the very first page.

Our MC is Ivy who has had strange visions since she was a child, always believing she was crazy she soon discovers that her sister is trapped in a parallel realm and her visions are in fact very real and the reality more disturbing than what she could have imagined. In order to save her sister she needs to put her trust in a guy who is ‘supposedly’ destined to betray her and find a relic to defeat the demons.

Adrian is bound by an ancient legacy and despises demons so he is hell-bent on destroying them and agrees to help Ivy to enter the realms in order to find the ancient artefact they need as well as save her sister but along the way he withholds a lot of important information so I wasn’t quite sure whether this guy could be trusted or not.

Ivy and Adrian were both interesting and I liked the way their fates were connected. Adrian came across initially as gruff and broody but as the book progressed we seenot only his dedication but also his vulnerability and I liked the way he devoted himself to protecting Ivy; in the initial stages I wasn’t sure if Ivy would be a character I would enjoy but I did – I liked how mature and capable she was despite the odds that were against her.

I am a sucker for forbidden romances and despite the relationship between Ivy and Adrian not being at the forefront of the story, their chemistry and attraction kept things entertaining. This is definitely no Cat and Bones romance but I’m really keen to see how it progresses; I want a few more gushy moments.

I really liked the overall premise of this story and the intricate world Jeaniene Frost has created which was quite disturbing and frightening at times, it was an interesting concept. The demons in this book were freaky and the angel aspect was unique. My only gripe with this book would be the ending seemed to be quite rushed.

Overall, I cannot fault Jeaniene Frost’s descriptive writing; the interesting plot, characters and the setting - it was all blended together beautifully. I was hooked from the very first page; the wait for the next book is going to be painful.

Thank you to Harlequin Publishing via Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review The Beautiful Ashes.

About the author: Jeaniene Frost is the New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author of the Night Huntress series, the Night Prince series, and the upcoming Broken Destiny series. To date, foreign rights for her novels have sold to twenty different countries. Jeaniene lives in North Carolina with her husband Matthew, who long ago accepted that she rarely cooks and always sleeps in on the weekends. Aside from writing, Jeaniene enjoys reading, poetry, watching movies with her husband, exploring old cemeteries, spelunking and traveling – by car. Airplanes, children, and cook books frighten her.

For information on Jeaniene's books, reading the first 20% of each book free, book trailers, deleted scenes, creature mythology, and more, please visit: www.jeanienefrost.com