Jennifer L. Armentrout published From Blood And Ash as a surprise, no one knew it was coming out until the day it was actually released (obviously). I wasn't really interested in the book at first but it kept popping up on Instagram and so I thought - is this a sign, should I read it? And then I was like why not? I have read books by JLA before (specifically the Wicked Trilogy) and loved them so I started researching how to get an ARC (that was a pretty complicated process, I will spare you of it). I contacted the publisher, The Blue Box Press, and they were generous enough to send me a copy to my kindle. So, thank you very much, Blue Box Press!

Before I started reading and before I even contacted the publisher, I checked FB&A's ratings on Goodreads, which I never, ever do, 'cause I don't want to get accidentally spoiled. My bad luck made sure I re-learn the lesson and get spoiled. It was a detail, really, but even that little detail made me question and predict certain things. But still, even in this spoiler detail, there was still something (more like somethings) that left me mind-blown.

Anyway, let's get to the thing y'all came here for, the review! The first thing I noticed while reading was how extraordinary the world—and the society within—are. I loved and admired how thought-through it all was. In the beginning, you get a society divided by hierarchy. 

Just like in many other fantasy books, there are Gods that "rule" the world. Their... let's say, earthly versions and messengers, are the Ascended, they are these near-gods, immortal, and powerful, they are the only ones who talk to the gods (that's why I said messengers). Then there are the ordinary people, the mortals, they don't possess any power. The "trash" of society, considered by the Ascended and their subjects, are the Descenters. They are not even a "part" of the society, more like their enemies. They are the followers of the Dark One, who is enemy #1. They're all from Atlantia, a fallen kingdom that wants to rise again.

Society is not the only thing I loved about the world, the other thing was its history. There are many, as I call them, "history lessons" throughout From Blood and Ash that explain how the society came to be. You think you know everything, thanks to those lessons, about how it all works and how it was created, you think you know who are the bad guys and the good guys, you don't. But let me tell you, everything is not what it seems. There is so much more to it than what you see, so many hidden secrets. In the end, you realize that everything you've known got blown apart.

I want to write every single thing, every single plot twist that happened in this book because, man, there were so many of them! The plot was just amazing, I got into the story immediately. I liked the way the story was building up. You get more information and hints as the story comes along. The thing with things not being what they seem to be doesn't apply just to the history and plot but also characters.

Some characters hide their other side. Especially one character and that character didn't have just one identity (?) twists but two! Thanks to the spoilery detail I predicted the first one and I must admit, the second one crossed my mind but then I forgot about it. Since I already began talking about the characters... I loved them. Poppy and Hawke had me enjoying their scenes from their first interaction.

Remember when I said some characters have their hidden sides? Well, Poppy has a side hidden from society. Secretly, she is pretty badass, she very skilled in fighting and she is a strong and fierce heroine. Poppy is the Maiden and that involves many rules she must follow and many duties she must fulfill even though she is scared. Don't let it fool you, she is no dutiful girl, she is kind of rebel. Hawke had me falling for him instantly. He is sweet and protective, he would do anything for Poppy, he doesn't stop her from protecting those she loves, and he is also cocky, pretty hot, and seductive. Shortly, Hawke is totally swoon-worthy.

To end this review properly, I have to say that when I finished it I didn't know what to do next. The ending left me with my mind all over the place, I couldn't even think properly. This was definitely a five-star read. from Blood and Ash was truly a wonderful read. I can't wait for the second book, I hope it comes out soon.

Just like with the first book, The Lies We Tell, I received an advanced copy and the book has been released today, 30th April! I was waiting a couple of months to read The Secrets We Hide and I finished it in a day. Just like that, it was over. I don't think I've managed to finish a book in a single day, this is the first time. It was worth it, though, the waiting.

Anyway, as you probably have probably deduced, I loved this book! It was as good as the first one. The Secrets We Hide mostly focused on Winter and Caiden's relationship. I loved seeing their relationship developing and them discovering the depth of their feelings for each other. But it wasn't all sweet, nice and beautiful—it never is. There were some trust issues to solve. But it was part of their relationship developing.

The book wasn't spinning just around Winter and Caiden's relationship, not just their relationship. Friendships that were made in the previous book were strengthened. I loved discovering the new-found dynamics between Winter and the guys of The Four. Especially with Weston and Winters's brother-sister relationship. 

Just like the previous book, this one too, ended with a cliff hanger that brought even more questions and opened new mystery, we didn't get many answers on neither. As much as I would love having finally some answers regarding Winter's father, mother and everything going on, I don't necessarily wish to have them.

As the book went along, many more questions came to light and I have a feeling everything is somehow connected and some big plot twists will be in the third book. I hope the 3rd will come soon, 'cause those cliff hangers are going to kill me.

-----------------------------------------------

Title: The Secrets We Hide
Series: The Four #2
Author: Becca Steele
Release: April 30, 2020
Genre: New adult college/romantic suspense/stepbrother
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49995702-the-secrets-we-hide
Cover is by Net Hook & Line Design - FB page is https://www.facebook.com/nethooklinedesign/

Blurb:
Eeny, meeny, miny, mo.
I’ve got a secret you don’t know.

Caiden Cavendish is under my skin. The Four have switched from being my enemies to my closest friends.
But not everything has changed. Two truths remain...my life is still in danger, and my mother is hiding something.
So many questions, and no answers.
What secrets lie buried in Alstone?

The lies, the secrets, they’ll come undone
I'm the monster you can't outrun.

Buy Links (Kindle Unlimited):
Universal: http://mybook.to/tswh
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2K3lRnA
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/3b5Yiq1
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2Xwr6UY
Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/2y9Qfu0

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STAŽENÍ ZÁLOŽEK

Na tuto knihu jsem dostala doporučení od kamarádky. Nevím proč, ale moc se mi knihu číst nechtělo, opravdu nevím proč... Každopádně se ve mě po nějaké době něco zlomila a rozhodla jsem se, že si ji tedy přečtu a požádala jsem e-shop Megaknihy o poskytnutí knihy v rámci naší spolupráce. Docela jsem se bála, že se mi kniha nebude líbit, nerada poté píšu negativní recenze, ale One Night: Promised je opravdu něco. Rozhodně ne zklamání! Kniha skrývá tolik tajemství, že mi to až hlava nebrala.

Olivia "Livy" Taylor není úplně typická 24-letá holka. Livy nechodí moc do společnosti, veškerý svůj čas stráví staráním se o svou babičku a prací, má jen pár přátel. Je ale milá, obětavá a přátelská. M, neboli Miller, je v určitých směrech pravý opak Livy. Často chodí do společnosti, je velmi (někdy až příliš) sebevědomý, arogantní a uzavřený člověk. Miller byl po mě po většinu knihy záhadou, nic moc o sobě nedal vědět a bylo kolem něj mnoho záhad. Poté, co Livy potká Millera její život a snad i ona sama, není, jaké to bývalo. Už od samého začátku mají ti dva nesmírnou chemii, což je něco co ani jeden z nich nikdy nezažil. Ani jeden ale nemůže zabránit fascinaci, kterou jeden pro druhého cítí, a tím se od sebe nemůžou držet dál.

Jejich "vztah" začal docela jednoduchou dohodou, ale co se začalo dít poté rozhodně nebylo jednoduché. Ze začátku se zdá, že žijí v úplně jiných světech a společně jim to nemůže nikdy fungovat. Hlavně proto, že Miller není po většinu času zrovna upřímný, má své démony z minulosti i přítomnosti, které jej neustále pronásledují. Dokonce i Livy má svou minulost, na kterou není přes příliš pyšná, ale část její minulosti se vrátí. 

Jak už jsem zmínila, jejich světy se ze začátku zdály, že nemůžou být odlišnější, ale později se ukáže, že věci nejsou, jak se na první pohled zdají. Řekla bych, že to platí pro vše, co se v téhle knize/sérii stalo, vše má nějaké skryté pozadí. One Night: Promised neobsahuje jen jednu dějovou linku, ale postupně se k ní přidávají další, které nesou samé otázky a tajemství. Líbí se mi, jak autorka kráčí v této knize poměrně úzkou linii mezí romancí a něčem mnohem temnějším a tajemnějším. 

Díky tomuto jsem se od knihy nemohla vůbec odtrhnout, rozhodně patří mezi nejlepší/nejzajímavější knihy, co jsem letos (a možná vůbec) četla. Příběh se postupně stává temnějším a odkrývá více skrytých tajemství. V momentě, kdy se zdálo, že je vše v pořádku, přišlo velké a nečekané baaang a všechno bylo najednou jinak, velké tajemství je venku. Upozorňuji, že kniha končí opravdu nečekaně a je potřeba mít u sebe hned druhý díl, nebo radši rovnou i ten třetí, protože budete jednoduše potřebovat vědět, co se stane dál.

Hrozně moc chci poděkovat e-shopu Megaknihy.cz za poskytnutí k přečtení tohohle úžasného příběhu. 

Knihu One Night: Promised si můžete zakoupit zde.
Další knihy Jodi Ellen Malpas zde (česky), zde (anglicky a německy) a zde (slovensky a anglicky).

The Lies We tell is an enemies-to-lovers novel. This book does not have just one hot-as-hell guy but four! Caiden, Weston, Casius, and Zayde. They are called the Four and the leader is Caiden, you could say he is the "king" (or His Highness) as the main character, Winter, calls him. I really loved the dynamics (and chemistry, of course, :D) between the characters. 

Since I already mentioned Winter, I will say more about her. She is a very confident woman and also sassy. Her confidence shows very often, I liked the way she is comfortable in her own skin and knows how to show it. 

Caiden is the hot bad boy every girl wants but none of them has him. He is not looking for commitment and does not let people in, does not show emotions. That changes with Winter. He immediately hates her, can not stand her, but something about her draws him. 

As I already mentioned, the Four are devilishly hot and powerful. But each one of them is different, I already talked about Cade, so I will skip him. Weston is Cade's younger brother, unlike his brother, he is friendly and kind. Cassian is the funny one it the group and maybe even too friendly sometimes, but I absolutely adored him. Zayde is even worse than Cade. When you look at him, you can see from his look he is the danger itself.

The story of Cade and Winter was amazing, I found it pretty adorable when they came up with nicknames for each other. Cade had Snowflake for Winter and Winter His Highness for Cade. They had insane chemistry but their "relationship" was not quite so easy. They both had their own trouble/problems they needed to deal with. 

The way the whole plot and story worked was admirable. Nothing was rushed or overwhelmed but something was always happening, whether it was Winter-Caiden drama, family drama or a problem/plot twist to be solved. It was so captivating I could not put it down and after it was over I wished for another book.

That fu*king cliff hanger! Seriously, even now, days after I finished TLWT I still think about it. I have no idea when the second book is coming out and I already want to know how it is going to continue. The last couple of pages were pretty full of plot twists. Anyway, I highly recommend reading this book, definitely worth it and also thank you, Becca Steele and Enticing Journey Book Promotions for this ARC.