It is no secret that in the rise of BookTok has greatly influenced readers, authors and publishers. Romance and Fantasy, aka Romantasy has taken bookworms by storm, with countless new publications each year. Young adult fantasy series like Sarah J. Maas’ A Court of Thorns and Roses, The Cruel Prince and Fourth Wing have created dedicated fantasy readers who swear by the genre and have started their own book collections or have started a book club to find kindred spirits and talk all about fantasy romance. However, with complicated fantasy series comes the question of the correct reading order. So, after successfully compiling our recommendations on the Throne of Glass reading order, we are here to help those who dare venture the thorny path of the Blood and Ash in correlation with its prequel series, Flesh and Fire.
Blood and Ash is a spicy new adult fantasy series by New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout and Blue Box Press, with an enemies-to-lovers trope and countless twists that will keep you at the edge of your seat. The story unfolds in the fantastical Kingdom of Solis, but as the series progresses the main character travels to the supposedly lost Kingdom of Atlantia and Iliseum, the homeland of the Gods. So it is our responsibility and pleasure to help you navigate this extraordinary and addicting world, dear bookworms.
The spoiler-free zone officially ends here, so proceed with caution, dear bookworms.
Penellaphe, the Chosen, the Maiden, is only a few months away from her ascension; the act of the Gods blessing the few chosen ones—which will bring upon a new era for the people of Solis after the War of Two Kings where the Ascended defeated the Atlantians and banished them to the west. But Solis is still plagued by the Craven, the Atlantians’ poisonous creations and the treat of the Dark One; the Atlantian Prince Casteel Da’Neer, lurks in every shadow and every dark alley. When she ventures out of Castle Teerman and into the dark world and dirty hallways of the Red Pearl, a pleasure den in Masadonia, she will stumble upon Hawke Flynn, the incredibly handsome guard everyone has been talking about since he arrived from the capital. Their encounter is passionate, to say the least, and a breath of life for the Maiden, who lives isolated and is not allowed to talk to or be touched by anyone.
Due to the tragic loss of one of her guards, Penellaphe, or Poppy as her friends call her, will be in need of a new personal guard and Hawke is the best for the position. As they spend more time together, their attraction and interest in each other cannot be denied, but an attack of descenters—the supporters of the evil Atlantians— will wreak havoc in Castle Teerman and will put the Maiden’s life in danger. Hawke will be tasked with accompanying her to Carsodonia to King Jalara and Queen Ileana. Their journey brings them even closer— as close as can be *wink wink*—, but bliss and happiness are not destined for the Maiden’s life.
Masks will fall and Hawke is revealed to be the Dark One, the Atlantian heir. Casteel’s betrayal will sting deep, and Poppy is unsure what to believe. His claim about the Ascended and their true nightmarish and bloodthirsty nature will raise too many questions. Poppy has never wanted to Ascend or be the Maiden, but can she cast off the shroud she has supposedly been born in and go against the Ascended and everything she’s been taught?
Becoming who she was always meant to be and exploring her feelings for Casteel will be a treacherous and dangerous ride, but Poppy, The Queen of Flesh and Fire, will not badge when faced with her demons.
To a better sinful taste of this intoxicating universe, join our Blood and Ash World.
So far, the Blood and Ash series has five books and an additional compendium. The books have been published in linear order, as a result, the books can be read as follows.
1. From Blood And Ash (Winner of the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Romance) - 2020
Poppy’s journey towards the truth and against the oppressors of the Solis starts. Her infatuation with Hawke Flynn will give her glimpses of the harsh truth behind the rotten Kingdom of Solis. She will be faced with a daring dilemma; return to the hands of the Ascended or uncover the secrets and fight for the greater good.
2. A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire - 2020
Penellaphe realizes that Casteel is telling the truth for the Ascended, so she has no choice but to ally with him. They will strike a deal; one that will provide Poppy with her freedom and Casteel with the Maiden as his bride and leverage against the Ascended. But how long can they keep up the facade and hide their true feelings?
3. The Crown of Gilded Bones - 2021
Upon reaching Atlantia, Poppy has decided to accept her role and marry the man she loves, but fate works in strange ways and when cornered by a treacherous crowd, Poppy’s powers seem to grow. Is she truly chosen by the Gods, or is she a God herself? A meeting with Nyktos, the King of the Gods himself, will give her some answers.
4. The War of Two Queens - 2022
Embracing her powers and true identity, Penellaph will risk it all to save Casteel from the Blood Queen’s dungeons. She will call upon the draken, the guardians of Iliseum and protectors of the Gods, to march with her and save her heartmate. But her ultimate goal is saving the whole Kingdom from the curse of the Ascended. Can she succeed, or will two kingdoms be bathed in blood?
5. A Soul of Ash and Blood - 2023
For Poppy to complete the culling, she has to go into the deep sleep known as stasis to successfully ascend as the one true Primal of Life and Death. All Casteel can do is talk to her and keep her close to him. He will narrate the events of the first book from his point of view, adding details previously unknown. In an attempt to protect her, he will have to dig deep and let his connection with Poppy awaken his primal instincts.
6. Visions of Flesh and Blood: A Blood and Ash/Flesh and Fire Compendium - 2024
Teaming up with Rayvn Salvador, Jennifer L. Armentrout gives us some bonus material and scenes from Miss Willa’s POV. Extra material and information about the characters is presented in the form of a journal.
However, J. Lynn—Armentrout’s pseudonym—has graced us with the Flesh and Fire series, which is a prequel to Casteel and Poppy’s story narrating how Nyktos came to be the King of Gods and madly in love with his Consort. The series can also be ready linearly and before or after Blood and Ash.
1. A Shadow in the Ember - 2021
Seraphena Mierel has been groomed since her birth to become the Primal of Death’s consort, thanks to a deal her ancestor made to save her kingdom; Lasania. But her plan is spoiled when the Primal decides he has no need for a consort. The charming God Ash has been showing up here and there, but when he slaughters her tyrannical stepbrother, Sera realizes he is death himself, her husband-to-be, and thus starts her journey to Iliseum as the Primal of Death’s Consort.
2. A Light in the Flame - 2022
The only thing that can save Sera’s life and the last true embers of life is the love of a man who cannot truly love. Kolis, the false King of the Gods, will try Nyktos’ patience and Sera’s bravery. The tension in Iliseum culminates with an attack on the Shadowlands, that will leave perish in its wake and will bring Seraphena to Kolis’ gilded cage.
3. A Fire in the Flesh - 2023
Sera watches the world move on from behind the golden bars of her cage. While Kolis is thought invincible, the soul of Sotoria that lies inside Sera is the only thing that can defeat him. To destroy Kolis and save the mortal lands and Ilisuem, Sera must remain in Dalos and become what she was trained to be; a Primal’s weakness and slayer.
4. Born of Blood and Ash - 2024
Sera is freed and the true Primal of Death is stronger than ever, but not all in the realm is calm. Sera must overcome her trauma and convince Iliseum she is fit to be the Queen of the Gods. Can Kolis be stopped before he destroys the realms and everyone in them? This book just hit Amazon, so we shall read it together and find out.
Not the time for the ultimate reading guide of this series has come!
Reading the two series separately is the easiest of paths, but bookworms are used to treacherous paths. To elevate your reading experience and achieve maximum emotional damage, we are here to propose that you read the two series together.
So the proposed reading order would be:
Poppy and Casteel are still at the forefront, but Sera and Nyktos’ romance unfolds and fills in the gaps regarding the Gods and Poppy's true identity. Reading the two series this way guarantees unending intrigue, incredible suspense, and a more complete picture of the realm. Bookworm’s oath, give this a try and you will not regret it.
We are sure that by now many of you have been tempted to read this JLA masterpiece, if not then we propose you screenshot our recommended reading order of the two series and save it for later, when the book hangover hits bad, and you are in need of your new obsession.
For more articles and BookTok deep dives for your favorite romance books join our crewfiction and for even more sizzling exclusive content, subscribe to our Newsletter.
The Blood and Ash series has five books published, but there are four more books in the Flesh and Fire prequel series. So in total, the Blood and Ash universe consists of nine books that cover both Casteel and Poppy’s story and Nyktos and Sera’s romance, along with a compendium from Miss Willa’s perspective.
Yes, there will be a sixth book in the Blood and Ash Series. The next book will be The Primal of Blood and Bone exploring Poppy’s new reality as the Primal of Life and Death, but there is no official release date yet. The latest installment of the Flesh and Fire series, Born of Blood and Ash, has just been published, though concluding the prequel series.
Yes, the Blood and Ash series is spicy. As the story goes along, there are more and more detailed and graphic, spicy scenes that complete the epic romance of the protagonists. The Flesh and Fire series is also categorized as a spicy series.
Always living in her own enchanted little world, Christina discovered the magic that can be hidden within the pages of a book when one dares to take a closer look from a tender age. An avid reader, she is constantly inspired to delve into the secrets woven between the lines and challenges herself to find her own voice amidst the chaos. She is a dedicated fan of the classics, but the supernatural creatures that have tormented readers for years are her kryptonite. The mastery it takes to infuse the author's essence, molded by the era they grew up in to their innermost desires fascinates her. Undoubtedly, putting her passion and knowledge on paper has a mesmerizing allure on her, and following the steps of so many other dreamers before her she wishes to leave her mark in the literary world. Guided by T.S Eliot’s haunting words: “I will show you fear in a handful of dust” she intends to wreak havoc in the minds of her future readers.
