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Book Review: Ash Princess

ASH PRINCESS by Laura Sebastian
5 Stars
Verdict: An unexpected page-turner.


When Theodosia was six, her country was invaded, her people enslaved, and her mother, the queen, was murdered before her eyes. The Kaiser crowned Theo 'Ash Princess', a joke to court and a prisoner to torture. As the rebellion suffers it's greatest fall yet, Theo decides now is the time for her to fight back.

I wasn't expecting much for this one. Pretty cover, pretty name, but make no mistakes, this is not a pretty book. Don’t let the word ‘Princess’ fool you, this is a cutthroat story from the very start. And, yes, pun intended, thank you very much.

As for trigger warnings, this book ticks a lot of boxes. It involves physical and emotional abuse. Rape is mentioned and there is a violent scene that's difficult to read through. It's a story of colonisation by a ruthless leader who humiliates and tortures a sixteen year old girl as a lesson to his enemies, so that's something for you to consider before buying it.

The gritter nature of this book is one of the things I quite liked. The threat of what the Kaiser might do was always, always there. The stakes were high, so every move Theo made, every time she worried or doubted herself, I really felt it. On top of that, the writing flowed well making it easy to get lost in. It's definitely a page turner.

The world building is a tease. The idea of the Gods and gems for power, and Theo not wanting to use her magic in case it upsets the balance… This book is playing the long game. We’re unable to see the bigger world as we, too, are trapped in the castle with Theo. I’m excited to see where the series goes and how the world opens up. I love what I've read so far!

All in all, this book had me flipping pages and plotting what might happen next, and I found it a gripping read. I can't wait for book two.

Source: Bought it.
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Comments

  1. Christina - Recipe & a Read5 November 2019 at 15:39

    This has been on my TBR for a while but I always pass it over. I may have to remedy that now based on your review!

    ReplyDelete
  2. DJ Sakata5 November 2019 at 15:45

    Yay - glad you liked it

    ReplyDelete
  3. Caffeinated Fae5 November 2019 at 16:46

    That cover has always caught my eye. I'm so glad you enjoyed it. I'm going to have to add it to my TBR!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Jenn @ Bound to Writing5 November 2019 at 16:57

    Great review!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Unknown5 November 2019 at 17:34

    I want this one!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Whispering Stories6 November 2019 at 09:46

    Great review it looks really good.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Katiria7 November 2019 at 11:10

    Great review, now I am really intrigued about this book after reading your review I must see if I can check it out one day. I'm really glad you fully enjoyed reading this book. Thank you so much for sharing your awesome post.

    ReplyDelete

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