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Curse of the Dragons #2
Kingdom of Ash & Bone
The princes have lied. The queen controls everything, including the dragons. At first I just wanted to save my people in the mud quarter, but I can't do it alone. I'm not running away; I'm regrouping so I can return to finally free everyone from the dragon's curse. In order to defeat evil, I'm going to have to embrace the darkness, and journey into the abandoned mines on the outskirts of the kingdom, meeting the demons themselves. And the princes? If they have truly chosen me, then we will see in time just how much weight a dragon's promise holds. I won't end up like the king, discarded and forgotten. No one will forget the name of Marigold Mudthrice; Queen of Bones & Ashes.
238 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 21, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 165 reviews
February 22, 2024
As much as I loved this story and think book 1 Kingdom of Flames & Flowers was amazing, book 2 made me realize just how badly this series needs not just editing but a whole rewrite.
This High Fantasy Dragon Why Choose Romance was an Epic tale that I enjoyed a lot, but there are a lot of errors, not just grammar but parts of the story that changed or didn't fully make sense. For instance, at one point the Brother of a character stepped forward to make a speech but suddenly it changed from the Brother to the Father of that character making the speech. Super confusing and maybe I misread it but there were a couple of small similar areas that need to be rewritten. Without those errors, I would have given this 4 stars at least.
The story did end on a bit of a plateau. The main characters had found their happily ever after but some things had still been left open-ended because the author is writing a 3rd book in this series. I believe the main characters might change for that book? Not sure.
As long as editing errors don't bother you too badly I highly recommend trying out this series, if that sort of thing ruins your reading experience then steer clear.
This High Fantasy Dragon Why Choose Romance was an Epic tale that I enjoyed a lot, but there are a lot of errors, not just grammar but parts of the story that changed or didn't fully make sense. For instance, at one point the Brother of a character stepped forward to make a speech but suddenly it changed from the Brother to the Father of that character making the speech. Super confusing and maybe I misread it but there were a couple of small similar areas that need to be rewritten. Without those errors, I would have given this 4 stars at least.
The story did end on a bit of a plateau. The main characters had found their happily ever after but some things had still been left open-ended because the author is writing a 3rd book in this series. I believe the main characters might change for that book? Not sure.
As long as editing errors don't bother you too badly I highly recommend trying out this series, if that sort of thing ruins your reading experience then steer clear.
December 13, 2023
The storyline is unique, and I wanted to love it, but it just didn't sit well with me. The characters lacked depth, and there were major holes in the plot. It felt rushed and left a lot of questions unanswered. The chemistry is non-existent and then throw in some weird, spicy scenes that didn't make sense based on the interactions. There was a good amount of humor in the story and a wide cast of characters, but not enough to keep the story interesting.
December 16, 2023
I received an arc for an honest review.
I am sad I didn't like this book as much as the first one. We were left with more questions then answers I felt. And the battle that I was looking forward to ended rather anticlimacticly. I felt like at the end it was just one bad thing happening to the character after another. I still loved the writing and it was a nice short easy read.
I am sad I didn't like this book as much as the first one. We were left with more questions then answers I felt. And the battle that I was looking forward to ended rather anticlimacticly. I felt like at the end it was just one bad thing happening to the character after another. I still loved the writing and it was a nice short easy read.
December 14, 2023
**I received an advanced copy in exchange for a book review**
This is the second book in duology following the story of Mari. This book takes up where Kingdom of Flames and Flowers left off.
Mari has escaped from the Seat and finds herself in a tunnel faced with Shari who was her mentor/friend in the mud quarter. She is also faced with Orelia, another girl from the competition who has not been seen since she was burned by dragon fire. Together they lead Mari into a secret cave that contains nobles from the seat and everything she knows is about to change.
Overall, I would give this book about a 2.5 rating. This book left me with more questions, and feeling like the story was unresolved. This book had some very interesting premises that just fell flat and were mostly overlooked.
***SPOILERS**
Mari finds out about the curse on the Nobles and how they are turning into demons. Despite what could have been an interesting concept this isn’t really mentioned or resolved. All we know about the curse is that the queen and nobles were cursed because they profited off of slavery.
Who cursed them? Why did they curse them? Was this a witch from Hovartia (the home of the slave people)
Once the queen is dethroned (due to a spectacularly disappointing fight where Mari merely draws first blood and it’s over) the curse on the nobles is lifted. Why? Was this because the queen was defeated? Is it because Mari is special? We are left with more questions and an unfulfilled storyline.
We also find out about a secret son of the king used as an experiment to see how the curse affects diluted noble blood. No surprise it still affects him but in a different way (see sadistic asshole, who wants magic)
This is also left unfinished; except we fall under the impression that he murdered Shari; taking some of her organs to perform a ritual he mentions in passing to Mari.
The last 40 pages are even more disappointing. We are thrown a bunch of different things that barely have any relation to the storyline at present. This felt like a sad attempt to set up for The Draken Rising series.
**END OF SPOILERS**
Overall, I felt this book was a bit lacking in content. I enjoyed the first book and the first half of this one. The ending was just very rushed and left many things unfinished for me. I’ll give this book a 2.5 because I did enjoy reading it besides the last portion of the book. I think if this book was more thought out and developed it would have made a really interesting book.
This is the second book in duology following the story of Mari. This book takes up where Kingdom of Flames and Flowers left off.
Mari has escaped from the Seat and finds herself in a tunnel faced with Shari who was her mentor/friend in the mud quarter. She is also faced with Orelia, another girl from the competition who has not been seen since she was burned by dragon fire. Together they lead Mari into a secret cave that contains nobles from the seat and everything she knows is about to change.
Overall, I would give this book about a 2.5 rating. This book left me with more questions, and feeling like the story was unresolved. This book had some very interesting premises that just fell flat and were mostly overlooked.
***SPOILERS**
Mari finds out about the curse on the Nobles and how they are turning into demons. Despite what could have been an interesting concept this isn’t really mentioned or resolved. All we know about the curse is that the queen and nobles were cursed because they profited off of slavery.
Who cursed them? Why did they curse them? Was this a witch from Hovartia (the home of the slave people)
Once the queen is dethroned (due to a spectacularly disappointing fight where Mari merely draws first blood and it’s over) the curse on the nobles is lifted. Why? Was this because the queen was defeated? Is it because Mari is special? We are left with more questions and an unfulfilled storyline.
We also find out about a secret son of the king used as an experiment to see how the curse affects diluted noble blood. No surprise it still affects him but in a different way (see sadistic asshole, who wants magic)
This is also left unfinished; except we fall under the impression that he murdered Shari; taking some of her organs to perform a ritual he mentions in passing to Mari.
The last 40 pages are even more disappointing. We are thrown a bunch of different things that barely have any relation to the storyline at present. This felt like a sad attempt to set up for The Draken Rising series.
**END OF SPOILERS**
Overall, I felt this book was a bit lacking in content. I enjoyed the first book and the first half of this one. The ending was just very rushed and left many things unfinished for me. I’ll give this book a 2.5 because I did enjoy reading it besides the last portion of the book. I think if this book was more thought out and developed it would have made a really interesting book.
September 16, 2025
I wanted so badly to love this book like I did book one, but sadly, I did not. I felt like there were a lot of plot holes, and the flow didn't really work for me. There were some great parts to the story, but overall, it wasn't what I expected.
January 10, 2026
After the first book I was very excited to learn what happened. However it was very chaotic and not in a good way, especially the "plot twist" in the last few chapters did not make sense at all and was very rushed. I lost all immersion and interest, unfortunately I don't think I will be reading the next book.
December 31, 2023
Following straight on from the cliffhanger in book 1 this jumps into the action and danger faced from the demons and curse on the Kingdom. Mari tries to work together with her new found allies in the secret caves to try and uncover how to save the Kingdom. As if 2 dragon princes weren't difficult enough, we are introduced to a third mysterious Prince Zephyr, but his motivations are unclear.
This story is fast paced, action heavy and full of twists, and the steamy bond between Mari and her 2 dragon princes doesn't let up either, even amongst the chaos of the demon threat and the Queen's destruction.
This was a quicker read than the first and although it ends with a happily for now resolution it's open that there could be more with some questions still unanswered and threats still present. Whilst it felt a little rushed in some places the storyline was intriguing and entertaining, but book 1 is still my favourite.
This story is fast paced, action heavy and full of twists, and the steamy bond between Mari and her 2 dragon princes doesn't let up either, even amongst the chaos of the demon threat and the Queen's destruction.
This was a quicker read than the first and although it ends with a happily for now resolution it's open that there could be more with some questions still unanswered and threats still present. Whilst it felt a little rushed in some places the storyline was intriguing and entertaining, but book 1 is still my favourite.
October 14, 2024
I enjoyed this story with all the characters that were within this book. The main character
were Mari.
This book was the second in a series. The first book was called " Kingdom of flames and flowers." The second continues were the first book left off. Mari finds a secret tunnel underground and decides to investigate it. What does she find surprised her. With both of the princes lying to her, she wants answers to what is happening. So she decides to look for answers.
This story was fun to read or listen to. It had action, adventure, and suspense throughout. There were afew giggles within. I liked how the book ended.
Since I read and listened to the first book. I decided to continue with the second book in this series. This is my honest, unbiased opinion.
were Mari.
This book was the second in a series. The first book was called " Kingdom of flames and flowers." The second continues were the first book left off. Mari finds a secret tunnel underground and decides to investigate it. What does she find surprised her. With both of the princes lying to her, she wants answers to what is happening. So she decides to look for answers.
This story was fun to read or listen to. It had action, adventure, and suspense throughout. There were afew giggles within. I liked how the book ended.
Since I read and listened to the first book. I decided to continue with the second book in this series. This is my honest, unbiased opinion.
December 21, 2023
ARC Review
⭐️4
🌶️ 4
I really enjoyed the storyline and although book two is just releasing I’m already patiently waiting for book three!
The world building in both books 1&2 were great. Right off the bat in book one the story is dark and raw and sucks you in. Book two takes off with Mari being mated to both princes and navigating an entire underground system of demons and survivors, while also trying to break a curse, deal with a murderous queen, and bring her family (new and old) together. I was bummed to read about Zephyr, his background, and his subsequent plans, but it sets us up nicely for the third book. And the ending with Sabrathan was so sad but heartwarming at the same time. I know a lot of people hate the pregnancy thing but I think for this story it’ll make the boys’ protectiveness that much stronger.
If you like dragons, magic, royals, lots of spice, and don’t mind a bit of blood you’ll enjoy this series.
⭐️4
🌶️ 4
I really enjoyed the storyline and although book two is just releasing I’m already patiently waiting for book three!
The world building in both books 1&2 were great. Right off the bat in book one the story is dark and raw and sucks you in. Book two takes off with Mari being mated to both princes and navigating an entire underground system of demons and survivors, while also trying to break a curse, deal with a murderous queen, and bring her family (new and old) together. I was bummed to read about Zephyr, his background, and his subsequent plans, but it sets us up nicely for the third book. And the ending with Sabrathan was so sad but heartwarming at the same time. I know a lot of people hate the pregnancy thing but I think for this story it’ll make the boys’ protectiveness that much stronger.
If you like dragons, magic, royals, lots of spice, and don’t mind a bit of blood you’ll enjoy this series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 16, 2023
Wow, just wow!
Such a good second installment to a fantastic story. We get a fantastic wrap-up that is full of twists and turns, unexpected surprise, heart-wrenching deaths, and what an ending!!
The crossover is the icing on the cake. If you haven't dived into the world Storm has built, I strongly suggest you do. If you are not new to Storm's world, you are in for an awesome adventure!
Such a good second installment to a fantastic story. We get a fantastic wrap-up that is full of twists and turns, unexpected surprise, heart-wrenching deaths, and what an ending!!
The crossover is the icing on the cake. If you haven't dived into the world Storm has built, I strongly suggest you do. If you are not new to Storm's world, you are in for an awesome adventure!
April 25, 2024
Like this whole series probably had the potential to be good… but there were no details - just huge plot points happening endlessly. This book would need to be like 500 pages for me to enjoy it at the right pace. Also absolutely do not like rh type of books I’ve found out
December 21, 2023
I received an arc copy.
I thought the book did a wonderful job at picking up where we left off while also driving Mari and the other characters forward by introducing new questions and dilemmas. I felt was such a wide range of emotions while reading. Sadness, determination, hope, and curiosity for where the story will go in the next book. The spice was also nice. I look forward to seeing what the future has in store for Mari, the princes and the kingdom as a whole.
I thought the book did a wonderful job at picking up where we left off while also driving Mari and the other characters forward by introducing new questions and dilemmas. I felt was such a wide range of emotions while reading. Sadness, determination, hope, and curiosity for where the story will go in the next book. The spice was also nice. I look forward to seeing what the future has in store for Mari, the princes and the kingdom as a whole.
September 12, 2024
DNF 39%
Es war mir zu hektisch und nicht ausgereift genug. Es ging alles sehr hin und her, nicht immer hat der Ablauf für mich Sinn ergeben, da es oft wichtiger scheint, Antworten zu liefern...
Es war mir zu hektisch und nicht ausgereift genug. Es ging alles sehr hin und her, nicht immer hat der Ablauf für mich Sinn ergeben, da es oft wichtiger scheint, Antworten zu liefern...
December 30, 2023
I got this as an ARC for fair review
I managed to finished this book in one sitting in just a few hours, and I thought it was a very good second instalment. It wasnt quite as good as the first but it was still a good read. It was written and put together well but I do feel that it maybe wrapped a bit too quick. I liked that there was a few unanswered questions to leave room for, im hoping, another book.
It was short and sweet and i, again, did enjoy it so i gave it 3 stars with a level 4 spice rating cause hot damn ! 😈🥵
I managed to finished this book in one sitting in just a few hours, and I thought it was a very good second instalment. It wasnt quite as good as the first but it was still a good read. It was written and put together well but I do feel that it maybe wrapped a bit too quick. I liked that there was a few unanswered questions to leave room for, im hoping, another book.
It was short and sweet and i, again, did enjoy it so i gave it 3 stars with a level 4 spice rating cause hot damn ! 😈🥵
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 23, 2023
Thank you for allowing me to read an ARC for this book. This is the first series I have read by Raven Storm, and I can't wait to read the rest of her collection. I loved Kingdom of Ash & Bones, I really enjoyed the first book too. I love how easily the book flowed, and how effective the world-building is in this book. This is one of those series that draws you in easily and is consumed so quickly. I read both books in less than 48 hours. I enjoyed the storyline and love the strong FMC. This book explored their relationships more and I love a good why choose! I can't wait to see what happens next!
April 5, 2024
Also not good, not reading the next
February 15, 2024
I only read this book because I hate read the first one. I figured there was no way it could be worse… boy was I wrong. The plot holes were as big as the Grand Canyon and the spice was as mild as a green pepper. Within the first 25-pages I wanted to quit reading, but I trudged on, if only to add to my already bewildered review.
Zion, Zariah, Zephyr and all the other male characters continue to be dull.
The thing about the first few chapters is the reintroduction of a character then a few pages later that character is killed. What was the point in bringing her back to begin with? She did not propel the plot in any way. Along with this, Zephyr comforting Mari? What was the point of that? Honestly at this point I skipped a few pages and tried to pick out the plot points that I needed to know.
One point I picked up was that the demons were in fact, not demons. Also, the queen is a dragon. Which makes sense… and she’s the “alpha” dragon which is why the boys listen to her when she “whistles”. So she’s a dragon, and she has a mate far away? Then the mate shows up? What.
After the whole thing with the demons, then the mom dragon… the dome fell? What is even happening in this book. The smut parts were just all over the place as well. And then the boys left with Mari to some island? She’s pregnant? THE QUEEN THEN GOT PREGNANT? AND HAD A DRAGON BABY? WHAT THE HECK.
I’m so glad I just skipped through the rest of the book. I honestly can’t even bring myself to read the third one because the first two were so… bad. I honestly don’t know how this book received anything higher than three stars.
Zion, Zariah, Zephyr and all the other male characters continue to be dull.
The thing about the first few chapters is the reintroduction of a character then a few pages later that character is killed. What was the point in bringing her back to begin with? She did not propel the plot in any way. Along with this, Zephyr comforting Mari? What was the point of that? Honestly at this point I skipped a few pages and tried to pick out the plot points that I needed to know.
One point I picked up was that the demons were in fact, not demons. Also, the queen is a dragon. Which makes sense… and she’s the “alpha” dragon which is why the boys listen to her when she “whistles”. So she’s a dragon, and she has a mate far away? Then the mate shows up? What.
After the whole thing with the demons, then the mom dragon… the dome fell? What is even happening in this book. The smut parts were just all over the place as well. And then the boys left with Mari to some island? She’s pregnant? THE QUEEN THEN GOT PREGNANT? AND HAD A DRAGON BABY? WHAT THE HECK.
I’m so glad I just skipped through the rest of the book. I honestly can’t even bring myself to read the third one because the first two were so… bad. I honestly don’t know how this book received anything higher than three stars.
March 13, 2024
Ok this is terrible
I tried so hard to like this book. There are so many errors and wrong wording. It's like reading my child's school work, choppy sentences and the story doesn't get explained or worded correctly. It's all over the place
I tried so hard to like this book. There are so many errors and wrong wording. It's like reading my child's school work, choppy sentences and the story doesn't get explained or worded correctly. It's all over the place
December 18, 2023
I was given an ARC of Kingdom of Ash and Bones in exchange for an honest review.
I had high hopes for the sequel and was intrigued how it would fare compared to the first book, however; I agree with the other ARC reviews that this story is lacking.
First, let’s talk length. Kingdom of Ash and Bones is 55 pages shorter in length than the first book. While that wouldn’t necessarily be a huge issue and sequels tend to either be shorter or longer than the flagship novel, there is entirely too many plots/storylines crammed into this book to sufficiently tie them all up considering the majority of the fight, etc., starts about 50-60% in. The pace of the entire book feels very rushed and just jumps from thought to thought without really answering any of the existing questions, but whilst also introducing more. When you do get closure on a storyline, it is overly simplistic. There is this looming build up and then very simply “they died, we buried them. Next.”
Secondly, this book clocks in at 209 pages but the author’s use of repetitive words/phrases and dialogue does nothing for the story/context. This isn’t limited to a certain part of the book, but rather is in every chapter, on most pages which seems more like filler text than anything else.
Third, the building conflict from book 1 through book two, leading to the final battle, is entirely anticlimactic. Spoiler: Our MFC basically wins the battle based on a technicality by “booping the snoot” of the queen. From there, everything literally just solves itself. Our Main Characters move on to allow the kingdom to heal, then there’s Drakens, and finally the story ends on basically an announcement of the Draken Rising series.
Due to the aforementioned items, and also some other ones I haven’t shared, this book falls flat as a highly anticipated sequel and reads more as a feral novella that hasn’t quite decided what it wants to be when it grows up.
I had high hopes for the sequel and was intrigued how it would fare compared to the first book, however; I agree with the other ARC reviews that this story is lacking.
First, let’s talk length. Kingdom of Ash and Bones is 55 pages shorter in length than the first book. While that wouldn’t necessarily be a huge issue and sequels tend to either be shorter or longer than the flagship novel, there is entirely too many plots/storylines crammed into this book to sufficiently tie them all up considering the majority of the fight, etc., starts about 50-60% in. The pace of the entire book feels very rushed and just jumps from thought to thought without really answering any of the existing questions, but whilst also introducing more. When you do get closure on a storyline, it is overly simplistic. There is this looming build up and then very simply “they died, we buried them. Next.”
Secondly, this book clocks in at 209 pages but the author’s use of repetitive words/phrases and dialogue does nothing for the story/context. This isn’t limited to a certain part of the book, but rather is in every chapter, on most pages which seems more like filler text than anything else.
Third, the building conflict from book 1 through book two, leading to the final battle, is entirely anticlimactic. Spoiler: Our MFC basically wins the battle based on a technicality by “booping the snoot” of the queen. From there, everything literally just solves itself. Our Main Characters move on to allow the kingdom to heal, then there’s Drakens, and finally the story ends on basically an announcement of the Draken Rising series.
Due to the aforementioned items, and also some other ones I haven’t shared, this book falls flat as a highly anticipated sequel and reads more as a feral novella that hasn’t quite decided what it wants to be when it grows up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 15, 2024
I received this as an arc copy but I unfortunately didn’t get on with it.
We left the first book on a cliffhanger with several reveals, jumping straight into book two was a continuation of the story with some new plot developments and twists and turns.
Sadly I just found it too chaotic and rushed and it had too many plot holes for me to enjoy it. Paired with multiple scenes with the fmc with two partners who were twins going at her at the same time, it just didn’t work for me.
I am really disappointed that I didn’t enjoy this as I really liked the first book!
I just had so many unanswered questions by the end of this and the latter part of the book especially didn’t resolve the plot logically for me. There were too many instances of something just appearing to sort out the issues and the main plot from the first book just sort of fizzled out with no real explanation of how it resolved or why it was there in the first place.
We left the first book on a cliffhanger with several reveals, jumping straight into book two was a continuation of the story with some new plot developments and twists and turns.
Sadly I just found it too chaotic and rushed and it had too many plot holes for me to enjoy it. Paired with multiple scenes with the fmc with two partners who were twins going at her at the same time, it just didn’t work for me.
I am really disappointed that I didn’t enjoy this as I really liked the first book!
I just had so many unanswered questions by the end of this and the latter part of the book especially didn’t resolve the plot logically for me. There were too many instances of something just appearing to sort out the issues and the main plot from the first book just sort of fizzled out with no real explanation of how it resolved or why it was there in the first place.
January 23, 2024
So Many Unanswered Questions
Duology Review:
Ok so I am assuming this story is over, I don’t actually know for sure just based on the “ending”.
This started as an interesting world with a lot of strife and brutality to survive. But the reasons why are literally never answered. At All.
There is no answers for anything, why mud people were enslaved, why the witches cursed the queen, life spans, magic, mating, hell anything. It’s just so very frustrating but this was an interesting idea it just needed to answer questions beyond why the kids were always taken.
We got a supposed reason to why the queen was cursed but that was guess work. Then we obviously got a bit of info on dragon breeding for no particular reason. Of the hundreds of questions I want answers too though I got nada.
I mean you can plow through these quickly so it’s fine fantasy read but like prepare to be annoyed deeply too.
Duology Review:
Ok so I am assuming this story is over, I don’t actually know for sure just based on the “ending”.
This started as an interesting world with a lot of strife and brutality to survive. But the reasons why are literally never answered. At All.
There is no answers for anything, why mud people were enslaved, why the witches cursed the queen, life spans, magic, mating, hell anything. It’s just so very frustrating but this was an interesting idea it just needed to answer questions beyond why the kids were always taken.
We got a supposed reason to why the queen was cursed but that was guess work. Then we obviously got a bit of info on dragon breeding for no particular reason. Of the hundreds of questions I want answers too though I got nada.
I mean you can plow through these quickly so it’s fine fantasy read but like prepare to be annoyed deeply too.
July 30, 2025
I originally did this review based on the combined special edition of books 1 and 2. So this review will be based on both books!
This book was a great buy. The special edition is not only GORGEOUS with the gilded pink edges and foiling, but the story itself really captivated me. I would have to give the spiciness a 3.5/5.
I loved all the twists and turns of the Queen, the dragon(s) and the curse. The information that was given to bring context on the different ways of living (the Mud people’s way of life versus the bread(?) people’s way of life are vastly different). Although, I do not have the superpower to imagine what places/people look like in any book, I was definitely able to feel the atmosphere of the book. It may not make sense, but I have no idea how to explain this.
My favourite character would have to Mari. Despite everything she has been through, - lack of education, love, REAL friendship, etc. - she did not give up even when she felt like it. She stood up for what was right and always tried to help others, even though people never did that for her. Now mind you, there were a lot of times I thought that Mari was behaving very childish and like the dullest crayon in the box - like some of her reactions to the Prince’s. However, then I remind myself that the way she grew up did not allow her to have normal/common experiences that most people would have and that the experience she does have is not very common to others who did not grow up/survive in the Mud village.
My only criticism would have to be that the last 3/4 of the book felt a bit rushed and raised unanswered questions. It was a bit disheartening when I read that book 2 was going to be the last book about Mari and her men. The third book in the series (Kingdom of Rot & Ruin) is about the other older jerk brother - Prince of Rats (who I absolutely despise) and not include Mari. HOWEVER, I found out the other day that Book 4 (Kingdom of Foes & Fears) WILL be back to Mari and her men. I am hopeful that it will answer all those questions I have! Book 4 is to be released on February 13, 2026 and is available for preorder!
Also, I do realize that I have not read book 3 and all my questions could very well be answered there. The only problem is that I am petty and since I am mad at this dickhead (Prince of Rats), I am not ready to read this story yet. I WILL be reading it - I just need to not be angry with his stupidity…
Despite my anger toward the Prince of Rats, I highly suggest picking up these books and giving them a read! I can definitively say that I will for sure be picking up more books by Raven Storm!
Happy reading! 📖
This book was a great buy. The special edition is not only GORGEOUS with the gilded pink edges and foiling, but the story itself really captivated me. I would have to give the spiciness a 3.5/5.
I loved all the twists and turns of the Queen, the dragon(s) and the curse. The information that was given to bring context on the different ways of living (the Mud people’s way of life versus the bread(?) people’s way of life are vastly different). Although, I do not have the superpower to imagine what places/people look like in any book, I was definitely able to feel the atmosphere of the book. It may not make sense, but I have no idea how to explain this.
My favourite character would have to Mari. Despite everything she has been through, - lack of education, love, REAL friendship, etc. - she did not give up even when she felt like it. She stood up for what was right and always tried to help others, even though people never did that for her. Now mind you, there were a lot of times I thought that Mari was behaving very childish and like the dullest crayon in the box - like some of her reactions to the Prince’s. However, then I remind myself that the way she grew up did not allow her to have normal/common experiences that most people would have and that the experience she does have is not very common to others who did not grow up/survive in the Mud village.
My only criticism would have to be that the last 3/4 of the book felt a bit rushed and raised unanswered questions. It was a bit disheartening when I read that book 2 was going to be the last book about Mari and her men. The third book in the series (Kingdom of Rot & Ruin) is about the other older jerk brother - Prince of Rats (who I absolutely despise) and not include Mari. HOWEVER, I found out the other day that Book 4 (Kingdom of Foes & Fears) WILL be back to Mari and her men. I am hopeful that it will answer all those questions I have! Book 4 is to be released on February 13, 2026 and is available for preorder!
Also, I do realize that I have not read book 3 and all my questions could very well be answered there. The only problem is that I am petty and since I am mad at this dickhead (Prince of Rats), I am not ready to read this story yet. I WILL be reading it - I just need to not be angry with his stupidity…
Despite my anger toward the Prince of Rats, I highly suggest picking up these books and giving them a read! I can definitively say that I will for sure be picking up more books by Raven Storm!
Happy reading! 📖
December 21, 2023
This book is set in an engaging world where magick (author’s spelling) exists, as do dragons and curses. Book one can be summarised as a series of The Bachelor if it was set in the Hunger Games universe, with a mad queen and dragons. We pick back up with our female main character (Mari) having won the competition in the previous book to marry the prince (who turns out to be a twin, both of which are suffering from a dark dragon transformation curse) and are living with the consequences of that.
This book is all action. It’s fast-paced with wild swings, lots of blind bends and plot twists you don’t see coming (many that we’ve been waiting for since book 1), and it doesn’t let up until the very last page. It raises plenty of questions and ends on a cliffhanger, leading onto other series in this universe.
Since book 1, I have done a complete 180 with regards to characters I like and which I don’t so much. Mari has changed significantly since the first book. She is incredibly bold in her moves, with seemingly little planning, which leads to her reacting constantly to new information and changing her mind about things often only a few pages after doing something drastic in the opposite direction. This makes it seem as though she has lost her wits and self-preservation instincts that made her compelling in book 1. It makes for a heck of a ride, even if it is a little frustrating to lose interest in a character I previously liked.
On the other hand, I’ve grown fond of the princes (who I had reservations about in the last book) - especially towards the end of this book. Are they walking red flags? Absolutely! Do they have major mummy issues? Yep. Do they say and do punchable things often? Oh yes and Mari is the first to dish said punches out. Do I need a lot of therapy? Also probably yes. But I’m here for the drama, and the why choose and touch her and die tropes. This book is also a gentle entry into the world of dominance play and monster love for those who haven’t tried that before.
I was glad to have received an ARC copy of this book and supported its development. I love the story and world building, and was glad to have the answers to the burning questions from book 1. Would recommend to anyone who likes light-touch, fast-paced stories that don’t get bogged down in magical mechanics and complex political plots.
This book is all action. It’s fast-paced with wild swings, lots of blind bends and plot twists you don’t see coming (many that we’ve been waiting for since book 1), and it doesn’t let up until the very last page. It raises plenty of questions and ends on a cliffhanger, leading onto other series in this universe.
Since book 1, I have done a complete 180 with regards to characters I like and which I don’t so much. Mari has changed significantly since the first book. She is incredibly bold in her moves, with seemingly little planning, which leads to her reacting constantly to new information and changing her mind about things often only a few pages after doing something drastic in the opposite direction. This makes it seem as though she has lost her wits and self-preservation instincts that made her compelling in book 1. It makes for a heck of a ride, even if it is a little frustrating to lose interest in a character I previously liked.
On the other hand, I’ve grown fond of the princes (who I had reservations about in the last book) - especially towards the end of this book. Are they walking red flags? Absolutely! Do they have major mummy issues? Yep. Do they say and do punchable things often? Oh yes and Mari is the first to dish said punches out. Do I need a lot of therapy? Also probably yes. But I’m here for the drama, and the why choose and touch her and die tropes. This book is also a gentle entry into the world of dominance play and monster love for those who haven’t tried that before.
I was glad to have received an ARC copy of this book and supported its development. I love the story and world building, and was glad to have the answers to the burning questions from book 1. Would recommend to anyone who likes light-touch, fast-paced stories that don’t get bogged down in magical mechanics and complex political plots.
December 18, 2023
The second installment of an action filled quick read. What I found interesting was the steady progression of the characters, none of them stagnated, in fact, as they evolved, so did their likeability. I had serious reservations about the twins, Zion and Zariah, would they be able to break the shackles of their mother's control or not. And boy was I rooting for them! Two very distinct personalities who were forced to do unspeakable tasks, now do everything to attone. I must admit I enjoyed seeing how they try, how their love and need for Mari is all encompassing, consuming their every movement and thought. The motivation to DO the right thing. The MC, Mari, who's strength grew throughout, struggles to make sense of the curse that has befallen the nobles and the twins. And her determination to help her people, all the people of the kingdom, motivates her to take huge risks.
But nothing is as it seems, the nobles, the rebels, the friendships she clung to, all are put to the test and the revelations as each cog falls into place, threw it all out the window. While she could collapse and wallow in self pity and despair, Mari is resolute, no matter what is thrown at her and goodness is there a lot shovelled her way! Wading through it all together with her, I was as mystified as she was, as disheartened as she was, as excited as she was. The author writes a really engaging story, a plot that twists every which way, that when it does unravel, it elicits an "oh..." from me. And becomes crystal clear.
The drama in the caves when she's confronted by Zephyr is tight with tension, another who isn't who he appears. And that plot only thickens... There's loss, there's tears, there's joy , there's resolve, there's hope. Is it steamy? Sure, but tasteful, is it corny? Yes, in parts but Ms Storm diverts it away, making the "corny" interesting. I enjoyed both books in this series and I do enjoy a Raven Storm read!
But nothing is as it seems, the nobles, the rebels, the friendships she clung to, all are put to the test and the revelations as each cog falls into place, threw it all out the window. While she could collapse and wallow in self pity and despair, Mari is resolute, no matter what is thrown at her and goodness is there a lot shovelled her way! Wading through it all together with her, I was as mystified as she was, as disheartened as she was, as excited as she was. The author writes a really engaging story, a plot that twists every which way, that when it does unravel, it elicits an "oh..." from me. And becomes crystal clear.
The drama in the caves when she's confronted by Zephyr is tight with tension, another who isn't who he appears. And that plot only thickens... There's loss, there's tears, there's joy , there's resolve, there's hope. Is it steamy? Sure, but tasteful, is it corny? Yes, in parts but Ms Storm diverts it away, making the "corny" interesting. I enjoyed both books in this series and I do enjoy a Raven Storm read!
March 5, 2024
**This review contains spoilers**
I'll admit that I was excited to read this after enjoying the first book. That being said, it is nowhere near as good. The story's pacing doesn't have a good flow and it feels very jumping. There are a few major errors in the book regarding which characters are in place in a scene and there are more noticeable grammatical errors than the first.
I could understand some of the deaths in this book, really, I could, but killing off every tie Mari had to her childhood, her parents and her childhood best friend/protector, just felt like a quick way to take away anything that might make Mari want to stay after the Queen was defeated.
The end is also a bit of a cluster of time skips that make little sense. What was the point in having the Queen's dragon mate show up with a baby saying the Queen had died birthing the little girl? That added absolutely nothing to the story at all. Especially when Sabrathan (the Queen's mate) only showed up after Mari had defeated her to take her away since she was his mate and she was injured.
Which, for the record, having an entirely human girl able to defeat a literal dragon by drawing blood with her fingernails is insane and the blood pact between the two in the first book had been in regards to Mari fighting Zariah to the first blood, not the Queen.
The way magic works in the books is confusing at best and downrigt ass backwards at worst. The first book did not delve as much into that aspect of things otherwise I would have had something to say about it then.
Truthfully, I wish a good portion of this book had been cut out and the first book had been a slightly longer stand alone. I personally feel that would have worked much better.
I'll admit that I was excited to read this after enjoying the first book. That being said, it is nowhere near as good. The story's pacing doesn't have a good flow and it feels very jumping. There are a few major errors in the book regarding which characters are in place in a scene and there are more noticeable grammatical errors than the first.
I could understand some of the deaths in this book, really, I could, but killing off every tie Mari had to her childhood, her parents and her childhood best friend/protector, just felt like a quick way to take away anything that might make Mari want to stay after the Queen was defeated.
The end is also a bit of a cluster of time skips that make little sense. What was the point in having the Queen's dragon mate show up with a baby saying the Queen had died birthing the little girl? That added absolutely nothing to the story at all. Especially when Sabrathan (the Queen's mate) only showed up after Mari had defeated her to take her away since she was his mate and she was injured.
Which, for the record, having an entirely human girl able to defeat a literal dragon by drawing blood with her fingernails is insane and the blood pact between the two in the first book had been in regards to Mari fighting Zariah to the first blood, not the Queen.
The way magic works in the books is confusing at best and downrigt ass backwards at worst. The first book did not delve as much into that aspect of things otherwise I would have had something to say about it then.
Truthfully, I wish a good portion of this book had been cut out and the first book had been a slightly longer stand alone. I personally feel that would have worked much better.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 29, 2023
3.5 ⭐️ Kingdom of Ash and Bones is the follow up book to Kingdom of Flames and Flowers. It is also, apparently, the final book in a duology, which surprises me. I didn’t feel like all of my questions were answered, and the book ended on a bit of a cliffhanger, which leads me to assume it is being used to set up another series. I don’t like when authors do this; I’m all for a spin off series, but at least make me feel like all of the main issues for our MCs were clearly resolved.
Kingdom of Ash and Bones picks up with Mari having fled the castle and made her way into the hidden tunnels that run underneath the kingdom. There she sees old friends and new faces, and begins to learn a little more about the effects of the curse and the Queen’s actions to dilute it. It was here that I felt like quite a bit of information was given to us without us actually learning much. We learned a little more about the origins of the curse, but not a lot. Things pick up when Mari is reunited with Zariah and Zion, and the princes did redeem themselves in my eyes. There are some predictable twists and turns and some surprises. And Mari continues to be a likable heroine overall. Her naivety and seemingly inability to figure things out until the answer is right in front of her did begin to get annoying, but her big heart and passion for helping her people kept me rooting for her.
We do see a resolution to most of the big issues, but it felt like things with the Queen and ending the curse were glossed over and resolved too quickly and easily. The final confrontation was pretty anticlimactic, and again, we’re not given much explanation as to why/how things worked the way they did. And while things work out for MCs in the end, it seems we are left with more questions than answers.
As far a spice goes, I’d rate this book as a 2.5-3, as there are a few open door scenes.
I’m a bit sad because I thoroughly enjoyed Kingdom of Flames and Flowers, and I don’t feel like Kingdom of Ash and Bones met the standard set by the first book. That being said, it was a quick and enjoyable read, and despite the aforementioned issues, the premise of the book is interesting and kept me engaged. If some things were a little more fleshed out, this would’ve been a solid 4 star read for me.
I received a free, advanced copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving my review.
Kingdom of Ash and Bones picks up with Mari having fled the castle and made her way into the hidden tunnels that run underneath the kingdom. There she sees old friends and new faces, and begins to learn a little more about the effects of the curse and the Queen’s actions to dilute it. It was here that I felt like quite a bit of information was given to us without us actually learning much. We learned a little more about the origins of the curse, but not a lot. Things pick up when Mari is reunited with Zariah and Zion, and the princes did redeem themselves in my eyes. There are some predictable twists and turns and some surprises. And Mari continues to be a likable heroine overall. Her naivety and seemingly inability to figure things out until the answer is right in front of her did begin to get annoying, but her big heart and passion for helping her people kept me rooting for her.
We do see a resolution to most of the big issues, but it felt like things with the Queen and ending the curse were glossed over and resolved too quickly and easily. The final confrontation was pretty anticlimactic, and again, we’re not given much explanation as to why/how things worked the way they did. And while things work out for MCs in the end, it seems we are left with more questions than answers.
As far a spice goes, I’d rate this book as a 2.5-3, as there are a few open door scenes.
I’m a bit sad because I thoroughly enjoyed Kingdom of Flames and Flowers, and I don’t feel like Kingdom of Ash and Bones met the standard set by the first book. That being said, it was a quick and enjoyable read, and despite the aforementioned issues, the premise of the book is interesting and kept me engaged. If some things were a little more fleshed out, this would’ve been a solid 4 star read for me.
I received a free, advanced copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving my review.
January 14, 2024
📚Book Review📚
⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Starting where book 1 ended, Mari finds herself underground with the Queens castaways and the people the Princes were able to save, praying that she has found a place and people that understand what it takes to survive and fight for change. However, she soon learns that everything is not as it seems and the allies she is searching for can't be found underground. With some questions answered but more added to the list, Mari flees the underground encampment determined to find a way to kill the queen and hopefully break the curse but she doesn't get that far. The plan and her world falling into ruin, she reunites with her Princes, together learning about the curse and thinking of ways to break it.
This was a fast read, filled with twist and turns and action-packed scenes. It was a nice wrap up and semi-ending for book one. However, this book doesn't have the same delicious tense that the first book has. This book focuses more on the plot of the book than character and character development that the first book had. I missed having that connection with the characters and the characters themselves lost the connection between themselves too. Or it wasn't believable, I just didn't feel it.
This book opens up the world though and deepens the history of it. I enjoyed learning able seeing the world expand as Mari's options of her future expand.
Idk if I'll continue on with this series or not. I enjoyed it and I think I would like to continue to be in this world and learn about it but I have other worlds I want to revisit more than I do this one. So, we'll see what the future holds.
*If you read book 1 read this one immediately after.
⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Starting where book 1 ended, Mari finds herself underground with the Queens castaways and the people the Princes were able to save, praying that she has found a place and people that understand what it takes to survive and fight for change. However, she soon learns that everything is not as it seems and the allies she is searching for can't be found underground. With some questions answered but more added to the list, Mari flees the underground encampment determined to find a way to kill the queen and hopefully break the curse but she doesn't get that far. The plan and her world falling into ruin, she reunites with her Princes, together learning about the curse and thinking of ways to break it.
This was a fast read, filled with twist and turns and action-packed scenes. It was a nice wrap up and semi-ending for book one. However, this book doesn't have the same delicious tense that the first book has. This book focuses more on the plot of the book than character and character development that the first book had. I missed having that connection with the characters and the characters themselves lost the connection between themselves too. Or it wasn't believable, I just didn't feel it.
This book opens up the world though and deepens the history of it. I enjoyed learning able seeing the world expand as Mari's options of her future expand.
Idk if I'll continue on with this series or not. I enjoyed it and I think I would like to continue to be in this world and learn about it but I have other worlds I want to revisit more than I do this one. So, we'll see what the future holds.
*If you read book 1 read this one immediately after.
December 18, 2023
*** received as an ARC, May contain spoilers****
Ummm…. I have no idea what just happened. I read the first book and liked it to where I was intrigued for the second book. First off this isn’t my type of genre, I’m not into shifter books but I was intrigued.
This second book left me with way more questions than answers. So many unfinished story lines. Let me just start with these questions:
Why cursed the queen? Who did it? More back story on the queen as to why she’s a royal bitch? Zephyr and his huge temper tantrum? Babies when told not to? Sabarathan? Just so many story lines with no explanation of who, what, when, where, and why.
Don’t get me wrong I enjoyed the plot but I wished there was more fluff, more information, and more knowledge about EVERYTHING.
Her mother dies suddenly? Oleria dies randomly after 10 minutes of being reintroduced? Shava appears randomly just to end up love struck, hating her old bff, being a total bitch over a man, and then dies tragically with 0 answers (cliffhanger for next series I think?). Dragon dick - caught off guard on that one. Should have known it was going to happen.
And to be honest the dialogue and conversations just seem to either be lacking something. They were either too blunt and wtf or I was lost and confused. For example - in the mine tunnels - Mari just randomly decided out of the blue (no explanation as to how she decided this) decided to change the entire camp and start killing off the demons, wtf? RANDOMLY.
But the plot and premise is GOOD. I’m just use to more fluff and more information.
Ummm…. I have no idea what just happened. I read the first book and liked it to where I was intrigued for the second book. First off this isn’t my type of genre, I’m not into shifter books but I was intrigued.
This second book left me with way more questions than answers. So many unfinished story lines. Let me just start with these questions:
Why cursed the queen? Who did it? More back story on the queen as to why she’s a royal bitch? Zephyr and his huge temper tantrum? Babies when told not to? Sabarathan? Just so many story lines with no explanation of who, what, when, where, and why.
Don’t get me wrong I enjoyed the plot but I wished there was more fluff, more information, and more knowledge about EVERYTHING.
Her mother dies suddenly? Oleria dies randomly after 10 minutes of being reintroduced? Shava appears randomly just to end up love struck, hating her old bff, being a total bitch over a man, and then dies tragically with 0 answers (cliffhanger for next series I think?). Dragon dick - caught off guard on that one. Should have known it was going to happen.
And to be honest the dialogue and conversations just seem to either be lacking something. They were either too blunt and wtf or I was lost and confused. For example - in the mine tunnels - Mari just randomly decided out of the blue (no explanation as to how she decided this) decided to change the entire camp and start killing off the demons, wtf? RANDOMLY.
But the plot and premise is GOOD. I’m just use to more fluff and more information.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 20, 2023
I really wanted to like the book. I think the author is very creative and has a great imagination with the ability to give some real twists and turns. The book however just seemed rushed and never really seemed to hit the mark never seeing things though.
To start I feel that the editor has done the author a bit of injustice by not spotting the sheer volume of spelling or grammatical mistakes. Some inconsistencies in the storyline such as, In one part one character seems to switch relation to the MFC on the same page. These kinds of mistakes really detract from the story being told.
I feel that there were some really good developments in the book however no time was afforded to really do these developments justice. There were character arcs that seemed to take place over a couple of pages which left you scratching your head to what was going on. I felt this about the first book too. The character personas all seem very shallow and one dimensional not really capturing the complexity of the human mind.
I feel when reading this, this would make a good plot for the book but with much more time invested to the development of the twists and turns. The book would have been albeit longer but would have given the readers a more gripping story. I felt compelled to continue reading because I was invested in the plot but for all these reasons I couldn't wait for it to be over by about 60% in.
To start I feel that the editor has done the author a bit of injustice by not spotting the sheer volume of spelling or grammatical mistakes. Some inconsistencies in the storyline such as, In one part one character seems to switch relation to the MFC on the same page. These kinds of mistakes really detract from the story being told.
I feel that there were some really good developments in the book however no time was afforded to really do these developments justice. There were character arcs that seemed to take place over a couple of pages which left you scratching your head to what was going on. I felt this about the first book too. The character personas all seem very shallow and one dimensional not really capturing the complexity of the human mind.
I feel when reading this, this would make a good plot for the book but with much more time invested to the development of the twists and turns. The book would have been albeit longer but would have given the readers a more gripping story. I felt compelled to continue reading because I was invested in the plot but for all these reasons I couldn't wait for it to be over by about 60% in.
September 9, 2025
While I appreciate the story itself, it’s like the author didn’t want to write a full 500+ page book, so many plot points wrap too quickly or in odd ways. It starts building towards this epic showdown where you would expect twists, turns, the main character almost losing, etc. but instead it is resolved in one or two pages and I was left thinking “wait… that’s it? That’s all it took?” The final chapters left me confused as well. Are we wrapping the story or not? Even if it was being wrapped, it left plot holes and kept calling out the plot holes.
On an infuriating side note— the first book only had a couple of spelling errors, but this book kept naming people who weren’t supposed to be in a scene, had sentences that made zero sense as if it was translated from another language, and overall made me want to edit the book myself. For example, Mari calls for Zariah, Zion lands next to her, and then she has an entire conversation with Zariah until Zariah goes to get Zion. Very clear that it was supposed to be Zariah who landed, and Zion was not actually there at all for the conversation.
I haven’t read the 3rd book yet, but now I’m questioning if I even want to.
On an infuriating side note— the first book only had a couple of spelling errors, but this book kept naming people who weren’t supposed to be in a scene, had sentences that made zero sense as if it was translated from another language, and overall made me want to edit the book myself. For example, Mari calls for Zariah, Zion lands next to her, and then she has an entire conversation with Zariah until Zariah goes to get Zion. Very clear that it was supposed to be Zariah who landed, and Zion was not actually there at all for the conversation.
I haven’t read the 3rd book yet, but now I’m questioning if I even want to.
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