Review: The Jasad Crown by Sara Hashem

The Jasad Crown

Sara Hashem

(The Scorched Throne #2)

Publication Date: July 15, 2025

Paperback, 688 pages, Orbit

Genres: Adult, Fantasy

Goodreads

In the thrilling conclusion to the Egyptian-inspired Scorched Throne duology, a fugitive queen may be the key to restoring her lost kingdom of Jasad, but it could cost her everything and everyone she loves.

 

Held deep in a mountain refuge, Sylvia has been captured by the Urabi, who believe she can return their homeland to its former power. But after years of denying her legacy and a forbidden alliance with Jasad's greatest enemy, Sylvia must win the group's trust while struggling to keep control of both her magic and her mind.

 

In the rival kingdom, Arin is caught between his father's desire to put down the brewing rebellion and the sacred edicts he's sworn to uphold. Arin must find Sylvia before his father's army, but his search will call into question the very core of Arin's beliefs about his family and the destruction of Jasad.

 

War is inevitable and Sylvia cannot abandon her people again. The Urabi plan to raise the Jasadi fortress, and it will either kill Sylvia or destroy the humanity she's fought so hard to protect. For the first time in her life Sylvia doesn't just want to survive. She wants to win. The fugitive queen is ready to come home.

My Review

Wow. That's all I can think to say about Sara Hashem's The Jasad Crown. I think I sobbed through the final two hundred pages of this book. If you want an emotional gut punch of a fantasy story with vibes similar to S.A. Chakraborty's Daevabad and Sarah J. Maas's Throne of Glass series, combined with a tension-filled romance reminiscent of series like Serpent & Dove and The Crimson Moth, then you should definitely pick up The Scorched Throne duology.

Book two starts about where book one left off, with Sylvia's magic and lineage having just been revealed and Arin struggling to deal with the fallout of Sylvia being on the loose and all the political upheaval that creates. Book one stayed in Syliva's POV, but in this installment, we get three additional POVs: Arin's, Sefa's, and Marek's. And honestly, I thoroughly enjoyed each character's chapters. There wasn't a POV that dragged the plot down.

There was also plenty of action. There were badass sword and magic scenes with battles and monsters throughout. There was also pining. I love some pining. Especially when it's paired with actual enemies to lovers. Sylvia and Arin kick the crap out of each other, and I giggle and kick my feet every time. Now, the book did have a slight flaw in that some tasks did seem a bit too conveniently resolved, but I easily rolled with it. I wasn't going to question it too hard when I was having such a good time. The ending was also lovely, though it was abrupt. I wanted more! I guess I'll just have to see what Sara Hashem releases next. Sigh. I hope there's something new soon!

I honestly adored this duology, and I think I forgot how much I loved it because there was a big gap between release dates. In fact, that's probably my only real criticism. I didn't do a reread, so I couldn't remember the world or side character details, like the lands' histories and the monsters. I wish there had been more "refresher" language to subtly remind the reader what happened in book one.

Overall, The Jasad Crown is a fantastic sequel and series finale. If you need a book to destroy you, this is it. Add it to your TBR. But obviously read book one first and book two immediately after. You'll enjoy the journey. I'm actually very excited to reread these books one day and hurt my soul all over again, and that's something I don't say very often after just finishing a book.

*Note: I received a copy of this book to review from the publisher. This in no way affected my opinion/review.

Review: Born of Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Born of Blood and Ash

Jennifer L. Armentrout

(Flesh and Fire #4)

Publication Date: August 13, 2024

Hardcover, 770 pages, Blue Box Press

Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Goodreads

 

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout comes the thrilling conclusion to her beloved Flesh and Fire series…

 

The line between love and obsession has never been wider.

 

While Sera is finally free of Kolis and back with those she loves, not everything is calm. Memories of all she’s endured still haunt her, but Sera finally has hope for a future with the other half of her heart and soul. Nyktos desires, loves, and accepts every part of her—even the monstrous bits she still battles.

 

More than ever, Sera and Ash have everything under the realms to fight for, and Nyktos has no doubt Sera is fit to be the Queen of the Gods. But she must find that faith within herself if they hope to convince the other Courts to support them against Kolis and make Iliseeum and the mortal realm better, safer places for all.

 

But as Sera begins to piece together the importance of her bloodline and the true meaning behind the foreboding prophecy, it becomes clear that everything that has happened and is yet to come is much bigger than Kolis and his dark obsessions.

 

They cannot help but wonder exactly how much influence the Fates have had and what their ultimate goal is. What Sera does know for sure is that they can trust very few—including her.

 

A battle between the gods is brewing, and heartbreaking losses are imminent with the true Primal of Death strengthening. With a family of the heart willing to battle by their side, can Sera and Nyktos stop Kolis before he destroys the realms, or will it all disappear in a fiery inferno of blood and ash?

 

And the line between justice and vengeance has never been so thin.

My Review

Spoiler warning: This is the 4th book in a spinoff series. There won't be any major spoilers if you're familiar with the FBAA world, but there might be a few.

This one managed to surprise me. Not because I don't normally like JLA's books (I actually love them and own too many), but because I'm more of a Kieran/Poppy/Cas girly than a Sera/Nyktos girly. I've historically had a tougher time with the Flesh & Fire books simply because my main trio isn't involved. But honestly Born of Blood and Ash was great! All of the storylines for both series have really started forming and coming together.

  Sera has just become a baby primal in this one and is dealing with some traumatic events from previous books. But she's being her badass self through it all. I found her reluctance to talk to others relatable. Nyktos/Ash was also badass. He was sweet too. And all the side characters always make me smile. And yes, that includes Callum. The other three major villains aren't smile worthy though. Kolis is a very bad primal. He needs a timeout. 🤭

 Everything in this last book just flowed so smoothly with only a bit of a rush in the last 100 pages. I was certainly never bored despite it being a 720-page brick. I do recommend finding a recap somewhere though if you haven't done a reread lately. Like the Visions of Flesh and Blood chapters. Recaps definitely helped me appreciate the story more.

 Overall, I'm gonna miss baby Reaver and Jadis. And all the messiness Attes manages to find his way into. I can't believe there are only two more planned books left in this main series. It hurts. I may not survive when it officially ends.

*Note: I purchased a copy of this book for myself. This in no way affected my opinion/review.

My Most Anticipated 2023 Sequels

There are A LOT of 2023 book releases I'm looking forward to, and my top 10 changes each day based on what genre I'm in the mood to read. But I also noticed a lot of my most anticipated books are sequels, so I'm making three separate posts for my most anticipated books (similar to what I did last year). This is the list of sequels. Next week, I'll post my list of books by authors I haven't read before and later, I'll post my list of new books/start of series by authors I've read before. It's a working title. Haha.

For your reading pleasure, here are my ten most anticipated sequels of 2023. There are a few honorable mentions that I couldn't fit in the list. They include Spice Road #2, Cherish, A Power Unbound, A Grim and Sunken Vow, and if it actually releases, I'm looking forward to Reign by Cora Carmack.

***

A Fire in the Flesh by Jennifer L. Armentrout

I'm not the biggest fan of JLA's FBAA spinoff. I much prefer the original series. But I still enjoy the Flesh and Fire series and the discussion it brings on JLA's Facebook group about the overall Blood and Ash world. Plus, I do love me some dragons (draken) and I'm hoping for some wolven to appear in this last installment of the trilogy.

The Ashfire King by Chelsea Abdullah

I should probably note that books 5-10 in this list aren't really in any strict order. They can definitely fluctuate. I'm saying that under this particular book because this one is a sequel I want to read, but I'm not freaking out about it. So it could also be number ten on a different day, or, maybe it'll move to number eight closer to its release. Only time will tell.

Mysteries of Thorn Manor by Margaret Rogerson

While I did loooove Sorcery of Thorns, this is another installment that could fluctuate in regards to its place on the list. Since it's a novella, and not a direct full-length sequel, I'm a little disappointed already. I think it'll be fun, but it won't give me the same feels as the original.

Light Bringer by Pierce Brown

So yes, I haven't read Iron Gold or Dark Age yet. However, I'm still eagerly anticipating this book, if only because it brings the Red Rising series one step closer to being complete. Only one more book to go after this one, and then I'll do a reread of the original trilogy and finish off the last four books. I'm looking forward to it.

From the Grave by Kresley Cole

I can't believe the final book is actually coming out in April. I honestly didn't know if it was ever going to release. I still need to read the last two books in the series, though, so I think I'm going to do a complete reread before I get to this one. It's been years since I picked them up.

Prince and Pawn by Tavia Lark

This one is a new addition to my normal lists. I read the first two books in the Perilous Courts series in October-ish, and I thought they were super fun. The final book comes out in January, so it's a great way to start out the year. I get to have a light, fun romantasy to set the tone for 2023.

Zodiac Academy #9 by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti

I finished book eight last month, and book nine doesn't have a cover or release date yet. While ZA 8 wasn't my favorite installment of the series, as I hate it when the characters aren't all together in one location (when they're all separate, it's just not as fun), I am extremely excited to see how things play out in the last book.

Gold by Raven Kennedy

The last book in the Plated Prisoner series. Wow. It's been over a year since I read the first three books (half a year since book four), but it feels like it was just yesterday. I'm excited to see what happens in this conclusion.

The Midnight Kingdom by Tara Sim

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, so I"m ready to read book two. And, even better, it comes out on my birthday! Guess I know what I'll be buying myself to celebrate. ;)

A Soul of Ash and Blood & Visions of Flesh and Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Is it any surprise that these are my most anticipated books of 2023? And yes, I'm totally cheating by putting two titles as my #1. Well, I just can't help myself. I'm really, really, really excited for Visions but ASOAAB, Cas's POV book, comes out in July. So I get to be excited for that one sooner. It's all just too far away right now, and I need both of them!

***

Alright, there you have it. My most anticipated 2023 sequels. What 2023 books are you looking forward to? Let me know in the comments section.

Review: Heat Wave by TJ Klune

Heat Wave

TJ Klune

(The Extraordinaries #3)
Publication Date: July 19, 2022

Hardcover, 384 pages, Tor Teen

Genres: Young Adult, Sci-Fi, LGBTQ+

Goodreads

Heat Wave is the explosive finale to the thrilling and “uproariously funny” (Sophie Gonzales) Extraordinaries trilogy by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author TJ Klune!

Nick, Seth, Gibby, and Jazz are back in action bringing justice, protection, and disaster energy to the people of Nova City.

An unexpected hero returns to Nova City and crash lands into Nick's home, upturning his life, his family, and his understanding of what it means to be a hero in the explosive finale of the thrilling and hilarious Extraordinaries trilogy by New York Times bestselling author TJ Klune..

My Review

TJ Klune once again delivers a cute and hilarious installment in his fun and unique YA series about teen superheroes. There are twisty mind games, laugh-out-loud "talks" with parental figures, and an adorable romance to keep readers on their toes.

At the end of book two, Flash Fire, Nick and co. were in a somewhat stable place. Yes, the bad guy was still out there doing bad guy things, and yeah, his traumatic past was still coming back to mess with him in more ways than one, but all four characters—Nick, Seth, Jazz, and Gibby—were working together to figure it out. Now, they're trying to figure it all out while also attempting to make the most of their last high school summer together. 

And boy do those plans get derailed. There is a huge twist in the plot development from book two to book three that I did not see coming. I thought Klune had gone with a very familiar, overdone trope at the end of book two, and instead, he shook it up and made it something completely different. I give major kudos to that. I'm not going to go into any details for fear of spoilers, but just know that everything is not as it appears...

As for our main cast of characters, Nick is still an adorable and awkward disaster. Seth is a solid and reliable guy. And Gibby and Jazz are a great support system for their hero companion and Nick's antics in general. I will say that I'm a little sad we didn't get more Seth and Nick fluffy, domestic scenes. They are a very cute couple, and they only get a few on-page moments together. Though the ones they did get were awwwww-worthy. Also, the plot wrapped up really nicely with this final book. There weren't any open endings or confusing climaxes. Though, I do think some of the political elements, while not overbearing or wrong to include, did take me out of the moment sometimes. Nothing major, but it did happen once or twice.

Overall, The Extraordinaries trilogy is a perfect read for young readers—queer, straight, unsure, or questioning—to not only possibly see themselves in a superhero story, but to see a loving and caring family dynamic fight crime together versus one vigilante taking on the world. Everyone needs help now and then, and the parents in The Extraordinaries make sure their kids know they have their backs! I think every junior and high school library should have this series on their shelves.

*Note: I received a NetGalley ARC of this book to review from the publisher. This in no way affected my opinion/review.

Review: Vows of Empire by Emily Skrutskie

Vows of Empire

Emily Skrutskie

(The Bloodright Trilogy #3)
Publication Date: June 14, 2022

Hardcover, 288 pages, Del Rey Books

Genres: YA, Sci-Fi, LGBT+

Goodreads

Two young princes on opposite sides of a war must decide between loyalty and love in this galaxy-shaking finale of the Bloodright Trilogy.

 

Gal and Ettian have never been farther apart. Once, they were roommates and best friends, each suffocating under a secret of galactic consequence. When Gal’s came to light—that he was heir to the Umber Empire and all of its brutal conquest—the two were forced to flee their military academy, fall in with a brewing rebellion to reclaim the Archon Empire from Umber’s grasp, and face their long-held feelings for each other.

 

Then the rebellion discovered Gal’s identity and to save his life, Ettian had no choice but to unveil his own secret: that he was the long-lost heir to the Archon throne. With Gal as a political prisoner, Ettian began the fight to restore his own empire—and to open Gal’s eyes to the possibility of a galaxy reclaimed from Umber’s greed. But just when Gal was starting to come around, a team of Umber operatives rescued him from Archon’s clutches and dragged him home to take up his crown.

 

Now, separated for the first time and in full command of the might of their respective forces, the star-crossed rulers find themselves truly at odds. And with the war reaching a tipping point, the time has finally come for Gal and Ettian to confront what they owe their empires, their friends, and each other if they’re ever to forge a universe where the two of them can be together.

My Review

The final book in The Bloodright Trilogy is here, and Gal and Ettian are back and trying to stop all the chaos the world has left them with. Gal is trapped with his empress mother and her evil rule, while Ettian is trying to play the game of thrones when he only took up the leader mantle to save his friend's life. It's all a giant mess, and somehow they have to fix a whole galaxy in only 288 pages.

So Vows of Empire jumps a little in time from where the events of the second book, Oaths of Legacy, left off. But it's not a large time jump. The book starts out with Gal and Ettian on separate sides of an ongoing war and it follows them throughout their political decisions to find their way back to each other. However, here's the thing, the plot at the end was obviously fake. It was told to us beforehand that certain events weren't real, so I'm a little confused as to why the author decided to lean into that storyline like we didn't know what was going on. It was frustrating. Now, for those of you who haven't read this book, you'll have no clue what I'm talking about. Basically, all you need to know is that Gal and Ettian come up with a plan to "win the war" and, as the reader, you know the broad strokes of what that plan is as it plays out. Yet the author acts like we, as the reader, have no idea what's happening. It's an odd writing choice.

And while the first half of this book was a solid four stars, I just didn't enjoy the rest, which is sad, considering this was one of my most anticipated books of 2022. Unfortunately, everything was just too obvious and that obviousness made it seem like the adults were completely incompetent. Plus, I found the overabundance of battle strategy explanations tedious. I wanted more interactions between the main characters instead. I'm primarily a character reader. Without good characters, I can't enjoy a book, even if the plot is amazing, and especially if it's so heavy on the politics that the character dynamics are kind of left to the wayside. Now, if you like a ton of political sci-fi elements, this will definitely be the series for you; though, I will say that the first book didn't start out that way at all. It was more of a fun action/adventure romp.

Sadly, towards the end of the book, I also didn't enjoy the characters as much. This includes Gal, Ettian, and Wen. All of them made weird decisions. I'm not sure if it was the situation they were in or if they themselves changed between books two and three, but I simply didn't like them in this final story. Maybe it's because they couldn't get into hijinks together as a fun trio since they were all apart for a large portion of the book... Or maybe its because I hated the plan they came up with in general and no one really stepped up like I had hoped for. What I think I'm getting at is I wanted more time with the three main characters together to solve a problem, and things didn't go down that way.

Now, despite my complaints, I will say the last two chapters of the book were good. They ended how I predicted they would based on the big plan Ettian and Gal set up. But the predictability didn't hurt the story, as it finally got back to Ettian and Gal, not just endless battle tactic discussions and political maneuvering. While sometimes I do like political-esque books, for this series, I had grown attached to the main characters, so it was super disappointing not to have time with them together as a unit like books one and two.

All in all, Vows of Empire was a book with an eh end. A lot of questions about the state of the galaxy are still up in the air, and the book doesn't have a very climactic finale. But there's a kind of happily-ever-after, which makes it an okay ending in my mind.

*Note: I received a NetGalley ARC of this book to review from the publisher. This in no way affected my opinion/review.

Review: The Exiled Fleet by J.S. Dewes

The Exiled Fleet

J. S. Dewes

(The Divide #2)

Publication Date: August 17, 2021

Paperback, 432 pages, Tor

Genres: Adult, Sci-Fi

Goodreads

J. S. Dewes continues her fast paced, science fiction action adventure with The Exiled Fleet, where The Expanse meets The Black Company--the survivors of The Last Watch refuse to die.

The Sentinels narrowly escaped the collapsing edge of the Divide. They have mustered a few other surviving Sentinels, but with no engines they have no way to leave the edge of the universe before they starve.

Adequin Rake has gathered a team to find the materials they'll need to get everyone out.

To do that they're going to need new allies and evade a ruthless enemy. Some of them will not survive.

My Review

We're back with Adequin Rake, Cavalon Mercer, and the Sentinel crew in this witty and epic sci-fi series that I just can't get enough of! Seriously, book three better be on its way, or I will have some words with Tor. I must have the next installment!

Okay, I'm going to stop (jokingly) threatening publishing companies and instead focus on my review. The Exiled Fleet picks up close to where The Last Watch left off. Some time has passed, though more time has passed for Cav than for Rake. That darned Divide messing with time again. I will straight up say that Cav is still a giant mess in this book, and for some very strange reason, I really enjoy that. He has so much going on in that brain of his, that sometimes he just forgets how to take care of himself. He's a disaster cinnamon roll, and I love him.

As for Adequin Rake, surprisingly, she was a bit of a mess in this book as well. Which totally makes sense given the events of book one. Lots of PTSD and trauma to sort through, as well as survivor's guilt for both Rake and Cav. However, Rake still had her badass moments, and Cav had his scientific HA-HA moments for his major brain blasts.

The plot for this installment started off a little slow at first, but it picks up fairly early on, and even when the book is slow, you can tell a new, faster development is coming in the next few pages. There are some major revelations going on in The Exiled Fleet, and things go topsy-turvy. (Poor Cav....)

While I did very much enjoy myself with this sequel, I will say that there were a couple of events that I found myself a little iffy about. One was a small time jump in the middle of the book that really confused me. I actually thought it was a dream sequence or a hallucination at first. Then, later, a very convenient "save the day" moment happened that kind of took me out of the story a bit. However, these were pretty minor interruptions to my overall reading experience.

So, was book two better than book one? Yes and no. Yes because major plot points happen, and no because it wasn't as funny as book two, in my opinion. Definitely still fun, but that opening line for The Last Watch still kills me every time I think about it. Now for the important question: do I still want to be a member of Adequin Rake's crew? Also yes and no. Yes because they're awesome. No because bad things happen to them. Often. That being said, I'm still 100% recommending this series for fans of Game of Thrones and The Expanse, as well as Star Trek and even YA sci-fi fans. It's just a good time all around.

*Note: I received a NetGalley ARC of this book to review from the publisher. This in no way affected my opinion/review.

Review: A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire

A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire

Jennifer L. Armentrout

(Blood and Ash #2)

Publication Date: September 1, 2020

Paperback, 576 pages, Blue Box Press

Genres: New Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal

Goodreads

A Betrayal

Everything Poppy has ever believed in is a lie, including the man she was falling in love with. Thrust among those who see her as a symbol of a monstrous kingdom, she barely knows who she is without the veil of the Maiden. But what she does know is that nothing is as dangerous to her as him. The Dark One. The Prince of Atlantia. He wants her to fight him, and that’s one order she’s more than happy to obey. He may have taken her, but he will never have her.

A Choice

Casteel Da’Neer is known by many names and many faces. His lies are as seductive as his touch. His truths as sensual as his bite. Poppy knows better than to trust him. He needs her alive, healthy, and whole to achieve his goals. But he’s the only way for her to get what she wants—to find her brother Ian and see for herself if he has become a soulless Ascended. Working with Casteel instead of against him presents its own risks. He still tempts her with every breath, offering up all she’s ever wanted. Casteel has plans for her. Ones that could expose her to unimaginable pleasure and unfathomable pain. Plans that will force her to look beyond everything she thought she knew about herself—about him. Plans that could bind their lives together in unexpected ways that neither kingdom is prepared for. And she’s far too reckless, too hungry, to resist the temptation.

A Secret

But unrest has grown in Atlantia as they await the return of their Prince. Whispers of war have become stronger, and Poppy is at the very heart of it all. The King wants to use her to send a message. The Descenters want her dead. The wolven are growing more unpredictable. And as her abilities to feel pain and emotion begin to grow and strengthen, the Atlantians start to fear her. Dark secrets are at play, ones steeped in the blood-drenched sins of two kingdoms that would do anything to keep the truth hidden. But when the earth begins to shake, and the skies start to bleed, it may already be too late.

My Review

I shouldn’t be reviewing this book right now. I have 10+ other books I need to be writing reviews for, but I desperately want to talk about this one. JLA, you’ve done it to me again. You’ve turned me into an obsessed fangirl over fictional characters. And in this case, morally gray fictional characters. Yeah, Poppy and Cas aren’t terrible people, but they’re not as nice and uppity as some of JLA’s other protagonists. It’s refreshing, but can sometimes be conflicting. In a good way.

While this installment in the series didn’t have a ton of plot, it was still a fast-paced, super easy read. A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire is mostly about Poppy and Casteel running from the bad guys and giving some background information on who everyone is and what terrible deeds they’ve done in the past. Also, there are the feeeeeelings. Poppy and Cas are so angsty. I love it.

This brings me to my favorite part of the story: the relationships. So, if it’s not obvious, I really enjoy Poppy and Cas’s romance. Poppy is p*ssed at Cas and stabs him on a regular basis. LOVE IT. And Cas is broody, apologetic, and protective. Again, LOVE IT. However, JLA introduced a new concept that I really, REALLY want to come to fruition somehow someway. The bond relationship that’s mentioned has me hoping beyond hope that Kieran gets more page time in the sequels. A polyamorous relationship written JLA style would be awesome! Especially if it means protective Casteel to both of the other bond members. If nothing happens with this, I’m not sure why JLA would even mention it in the book. Like why even go there if nothing comes of it? I’m probably hoping for too much, but it would just be so cool to have a REAL love triangle in a fantasy romance series.

Though I did love 90% of this novel, there’s a small 10% that I’m slightly confused about. Is there a difference between vampry and an Ascended? I’m sure this was mentioned at some point, but sometimes the history explanations had me zoning a little. Same for the gods and goddesses explanations. Which brings me to the ending. It was great. Major cliffhangers all around, but I feel like I missed something in terms of the significance to all of the goddess history. This didn’t affect my enjoyment too much, because I’m still way more interested in the romantic relationships (and possible actual love triangle) than the powers and vampires, but it was befuddling nonetheless.

All in all, this is just another JLA series I’m addicted to. She’s given me sexy aliens, sexy demons, sexy gargoyles, sexy demigods, and now sexy vampires. I can’t wait to see what kind of sexy comes next. After she finishes this series, of course.

Oh, and bonus points for that GORGEOUS cover.

*Note: I purchased a copy of this book myself. This in no way affected my opinion/review.