A Soul of Ash and Blood: A Blood and Ash Novel

Jen Oddo

A Soul of Ash and Blood wove an enchanting tale between the past and the present

"A Soul of Ash and Blood wove an enchanting tale between the past and the present. It was a phenomenal addition to the From Blood and Ash Series! I thought I was prepared for this story, I was so wrong. New light was shone on scenes we thought we knew, things arose that left us with burning questions, and those final pages cumulated into a heart stopping ending! Cas' story will capture your heart! A Soul of Ash and Blood was intoxicating, gritty, smile inducing and absolutely impossible to put down! The story started out in the present and within those first few pages my heart was already in my chest. I shouldn't have been surprised that it was emotionally intense, or that I cried within that first chapter. Because while some of those tears were happy, there were others filled with sadness and scared of the unknown. Something wasn't right with Poppy. Cas and Kieran knew it, and Nektas seemed to possessive knowledge that I wanted to pry out of his brain. That draken could be so blunt, but he cracked me up time and again! So as Poppy went into stasis, Cas took us back to before he met Poppy. I loved how JLA skillfully immersed us in a world we already loved, but through Cas' eyes it was unique, addictive and so much more than I ever could have hoped and dreamed! As we alternated between the past and the present, this book turned out to be EVERYTHING I didn't realize I needed! Cas took us back to before he met Poppy and was a guard. I loved his moments with Vikter, oh how I have missed him. Their interactions were phenomenal! But most of all I loved getting to hear Cas' preconceived notions about Poppy, even as he got clues of who the Maiden truly was from others around him. And when he got to meet her in person, his reactions were all consuming and I always had to know how he would handle the next moment they were together! I could not stop smiling, I could not stop my shouts and screams of happiness, and it was impossible not to laugh at the most inappropriate things. Seeing violence through Cas' eyes, well it was hard not to think how he thought haha. His anger and vengeance were electrifying and it seemed to bubble under the surface at times. I loved when things would get violent and each time I fell even harder for him. One thing that hurt so much though, was getting to see deeper into who Cas was. His past. The horrors. And how it haunted him in the present. It literally ripped me apart and I felt like I was drowning at times. I know Poppy said in FBAA what she had felt from him, but I didn't realize how much it truly consumed him. Getting to hear Cas' explanations for the whys he did something was absolutely phenomenal! His dark, humorous thoughts were addictive! And watching him do things I had no clue he was doing, ohhhhhh be prepared to be surprised again and again by this story! But one of my favorite things was seeing Poppy through Cas' eyes. How she affected him. How she seeped into his thoughts. And how his progression of thoughts towards her changed. It was consuming and will fill your heart with joy! You know how in FBAA we got to learn the world right along with Poppy? I felt that all over again with Cas. Yes he has knowledge for what is truly going on, but he was in the dark for other things. And watching as light was shown on certain aspects to Cas, it blew my mind. We got to see so many different sides of Cas. How he could be his own worst enemy. How he could be someone's savior. How he could be their demise. And most of all, how he was able to enchant Poppy's heart and soul. As the story unfolded, we got to see lots of fan favorite moments from FBAA, and scenes that weren't in FBAA too. But some of those scenes that are our favorites, oh we were none the wiser. So when Cas filled in certain things, wow. You think you know something, but you truly don't! And seeing how he felt through each of those times, fans of this series are going to be clinging onto his every word and thought! We also got to see Kieran through Cas' eyes and watching Kieran handle certain situations was epic and shocking. There are no other words! And Emil. Oh poor Emil. I laughed so hard in a certain situation with him that I should probably feel guilty about, but I don't haha. And while I went from desperately wanting to stay in the past, there came a point in the story where the present had us hanging onto every word and moment. And those final pages?! Hold on because it is heart pounding and left us desperately wanting that next book! A Soul of Ash and Blood will have you falling in love with Cas, Poppy, and this series all over again. Plus the steam in this book through Cas' eyes *fans face*, it was scorching hot! I'm so grateful we got this story! And now I'll be counting down till that next book releases! ["

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July 18, 2023 Verified Purchase

Shannon Nilest

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A Soulful Journey Through Love and Memory

"Review for A Soul of Ash and Blood (Blood and Ash #5) by Jennifer L. Armentrout This installment is a truly emotional and beautifully crafted addition to the Blood and Ash series. With Poppy in stasis, we experience much of the story through Casteel’s point of view, as he speaks to her in hopes that she’ll remember their love and life together when she awakens. Jennifer L. Armentrout does an incredible job of weaving past and present, allowing us to revisit pivotal moments in Cas and Poppy’s relationship—this time from his perspective. It’s a heartfelt tribute to Cas’s deep love, devotion, and gratitude for Poppy. Beyond the emotional depth, this book also pushes the series plot forward, offering fresh insight into character development and the ongoing saga. It’s the perfect setup for the final book in the series, and that cliffhanger left me absolutely counting down the days until September’s release! Highly recommended for fans of the series—you’ll fall even more in love with Cas and be fully immersed in the emotional and narrative build-up to the epic conclusion. ["

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August 26, 2025 Verified Purchase

talid217

It was everything I was hoping for and more!

"So good! Did not want it to end! Petition for kingdom of flesh and fire Casteel pov. I am still flabbergasted that she didn’t just give us a couple of highlights from Casteel’s POV she rewrote the whole first book, scene for scene with new material. So to all those saying it was lazy, it absolutely was not. I have known this book was coming out for a while and knew exactly what it was, and I loved it. Not every book is for everyone, But I am confused that many have either not followed the series or didn’t know what they were getting and ended up leaving a 1 star review, because she told us for months what this book was about. Also, the ending was so insane, the call back had my jaw on the floor for the whole last chapter. ["

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July 21, 2023 Verified Purchase

Alyssa M.

5/5

"This book was such a gift. Seeing the events of From Blood and Ash through Casteel’s eyes made everything feel fresh and intimate again. I loved how Armentrout wove past and present together, showing both the depth of Cas’s love and the pain that shaped him. It was slower paced but beautifully reflective—a chance to breathe and truly understand his heart. The emotional vulnerability was what made this one shine for me. A Soul of Ash and Blood was tender, nostalgic, and full of love—a perfect addition to the series. ["

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October 28, 2025 Verified Purchase

Ruby

this is for people who LOVE this series and its characters

"was it totally necessary? no. did i eat it up and leave no crumbs? yes. if you love casteel and love this story and love all the characters, this is a must read. it filled the hole in my heart that is waiting for the final book, but also gave a lot of fun insight into casteel's perspective. it revealed answers to parts of the story i otherwise wouldn't have known and i really enjoyed it a lot! ["

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May 11, 2025 Verified Purchase