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Kingdom of Ashes

(Nightfall #1)

Elena May (Goodreads Author)

4.19 · Rating details · 765 ratings · 81 reviews

Myra never witnessed the Nightfall. She has only heard stories from the eldest among them; tales of the Old World and of the scientists who invented the WeatherWizard - a technological innovation that controls the weather. Unfortunately, the device also gave an ambitious vampire prince the means to cover the world in impenetrable clouds, allowing his armies to crawl out of ...more

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Paperback, 540 pages

Published October 30th 2016 by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform

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Oct 23, 2016 Katerina rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc, dystopia, paranormal

“She had become the author of her own fate.”

And Elena May became the author of a remarkable debut!

I hadn't read a book focusing solely on vampires for a very long time. I went through my vampire phase in high school, meaning I attended every single Twilight premiere and hung Edward posters on my bedroom walls and fought Damon Salvatore's fans online (Stefan girl here) and dressed up as a vamprire on Halloween etc. Later, I decided that I grew up and was too old for this drama. So, wh ...more

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Jan 25, 2017 Wolf (Alpha) rated it it was amazing

I liked that Myra was confident and strong and did not give up. I liked how it explained Myra's part in defeating Vlad. I liked that the book explained how Myra was confident and I liked how it explained the positions all the characters were in. I really enjoyed this book and plan on reading the Nightfall series. I reaceived this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.

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Apr 17, 2017 Jeannette Nikolova rated it really liked it

Also available on the WondrousBooks blog.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

I have been very, very cautious with vampire books in the last couple of years. In fact, I don't remember the last vampire novel that I read, aside from re-reading The Historian and Dracula two years ago.

However, I read the synopsis of Kingdom of Ashes, and the many positive reviews, and I decided to give it a shot. And I'm glad I did!

This book reminded me why I ...more

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Aug 15, 2016 Minx rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, read-in-2016, fantasy

Utterly alluring and remarkable! This story was set in a dystopian future where humanity is at the brink of annihilation. When I started this book I was struck by how Ms. May created a terrifying reality for humans who survived a harrowing extermination attempt. I so enjoyed the attention to detail that explained the positions of both the side of the vampires and the humans in this conflict. I was drawn to feel compassion for both species in this war and it can be compared to many past events th Utterly alluring and remarkable! This story was set in a dystopian future where humanity is at the brink of annihilation. When I started this book I was struck by how Ms. May created a terrifying reality for humans who survived a harrowing extermination attempt. I so enjoyed the attention to detail that explained the positions of both the side of the vampires and the humans in this conflict. I was drawn to feel compassion for both species in this war and it can be compared to many past events that have occurred in our own histories.

Myra is a great character. She is naïve and overly confident and that leads her into absolute disaster. I enjoy her naiveté because given her role in the world she is living in I think she is spot on. She would be idealistic and hopeful having not truly experienced her reality beyond the caves but when she is faced with reality she develops into a ninja of subterfuge and I love it! Throughout everything she strives to maintain her humanity and keep her number one goal in mind.

The relationship between Prince Vladimir and Myra reminded me strongly of the relationship between Scheherazade and Shahryar from One Thousand and One Nights or as often known in English as the Arabian Nights. The parallel that I see is that Vlad spared the life of Myra because she captured his interest through a skill she exhibited and it is this skill set that he has become invested in and in turn keeps her alive. If you are unfamiliar with that story there is also a similarity with Wesley from The Princess Bride and the Dread Pirate Roberts. Who doesn’t love that book??

Very interesting that Vlad has such a focus on Myra. I spent much time trying to figure out what it was that he wanted from her. What was he preparing her for? Was it as simple as what they were suggesting? I loved that I did not know for sure! It was also a bit frustrating and confusing because it was so outside the norm for this genre but it was clearly what kept me fascinated! I found it appealing that there was so much focus on her unique skill set. I enjoyed that the focus was not fleeting and that there was much discussion and building around the subject. I am sorry to be speaking in such vague terms but it is a large part of the overall story development and I cringe to give it away. This was an amazing debut novel and I encourage you all to give this first installment in the Nightfall series a try. It is sure to delight you!

*Thank you to Author Elena May for this eARC of Kingdom of Ashes*

This review is based on an eARC I received from Author Elena May. It is an honest and voluntary review and the advanced receipt of it in no way affected my review or rating.

Find this review and more at The Genre Minx Book Reviews ...more

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Nov 21, 2016 Fleur rated it really liked it

First, I’d like to say thank you to the author, Elena May, for sending me a copy of her amazing new book. And chocolate. Chocolate and books are always appreciated.

Kingdom of Ashes focuses on Myra, a girl who starts off with the same headstrong determination, black-and-white views and passion for writing as Briony Tallis in Ian McEwan’s Atonement. Myra is a member of the Resistance, a dwindling pocket of humans trying to overthrow the world-ruling vampire, Prince Vladimir. She’s sent on a missio First, I’d like to say thank you to the author, Elena May, for sending me a copy of her amazing new book. And chocolate. Chocolate and books are always appreciated.

Kingdom of Ashes focuses on Myra, a girl who starts off with the same headstrong determination, black-and-white views and passion for writing as Briony Tallis in Ian McEwan’s Atonement. Myra is a member of the Resistance, a dwindling pocket of humans trying to overthrow the world-ruling vampire, Prince Vladimir. She’s sent on a mission to kill the Prince to wreak havoc among the vampires and so gain control. But Myra becomes a captive of Prince Vladimir, a vampire who is as complexly layered as an onion (or was that ogres…?), and who, in a surprisingly Sherlockian manner, desires to find an equal in the form of a worthy opponent. Myra realises that she can give the vampires the one thing they don’t have: human creativity.

At this point, you’re probably thinking “Oh no, not another book about vampires. When will this plague end? When will the world be rid of this clichéd creature?” But don’t fear. Kingdom of Ashes is an original and worthy addition to the genre.

For one, the story is unique as there is no romance between the main character and any of the vampires. Even without romance, this book does not feel lacking. I only wish there were more authors out there who realise YA doesn’t need to be synonymous with romance.

May also articulated the human need to create, more clearly than any other book I have read. Through Myra and Tristan creativity can be seen as it truly is – not a want, but a need. May has captured this theme in such a frank way. I find this easily relatable. So much so that I felt the need to attempt some music inspired by May’s book: https://soundcloud.com/user765062257/...

However, if I were Prince Vladimir, critiquing this book and making suggestions, I would suggest this: add more cliff-hangers. I understand that Kingdom of Ashes is more character-driven than plot-driven, but when you’ve got the Prince throwing his weight around by threatening Myra, you’ve got an opportunity to make the reader, well, read. As it is, the chapters in Kingdom of Ashes feel rather self-contained, similar to (though not the same as) Jennifer Egan’s A Visit from the Goon Squad; you can read any chapter at random and it would feel like a satisfying short story. If you were to move some of the text to the following chapter you could create tension. For example, when Prince Vladimir is about to kill the human boy to teach Myra a lesson - end the chapter there. Let us find out in the chapter after that whether he lives or dies.

Overall, I found this to be an interesting read. I’m hoping book two, Men and Monsters (not to be confused with Patrick Ness’ Monsters of Men), will fill in some of the blanks in characters’ backgrounds; see Armida transform from a quiet, somewhat submissive character to a powerful princess; and further the relationships of some of the characters. ...more

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Sep 01, 2017 ✶Rachelle✶ marked it as dnf · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal, dystopian

DNF at 52%

I will make him say he is proud of me, Myra thought. And then, only then, can I start thinking about killing him

That sentence was the last straw. I can't take it anymore. The MC is one of the dumbest I have ever read, and I read the first 3 books of Falling Kingdoms.

The dialogue was horrific. It was stilted, overly dramatic, and it had no natural flow. All of the humans in this book were just stupid. I'm not sure if this was on purpose or not. The only enjoyment I got out of the book ...more

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Sep 18, 2018 Kirsty (Amethyst Bookwyrm) rated it really liked it

Shelves: review, dystopia, author

Thanks to Elena May for giving me this book to review.

Kingdom of Ashes is a really good paranormal dystopian novel which is fast paced and raised good questions about morality and what it is to be human. I love the mix of post-apocalyptic with the gothic paranormal the book has. I also liked that where was not any romance between Myra and any of the vampires in this book as it was refreshing and would have been detrimental to the story.

Myra is naïve and creative but she is also very self-centre ...more

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Aug 01, 2016 Humay Mejidova rated it it was amazing

Shelves: owned, signed

I want to thank Elena May for sending me a free copy of Kingdom of Ashes.
To be honest I had some prejudices against YA novels and I expected it to have a dull and common storyline but after reading Kingdom of Ashes my opinion changed in a good way.
I think Myra shows us you do not need to be physically strong to be called a heroine. In fact Myra's writing skills are her only weapon. The parts I enjoyed most were witty conversations between Myra and Prince Vladimir. I hope the second book of Nig ...more

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Oct 29, 2016 Elizabeth Mathis rated it really liked it

Shelves: reviewed-paranormal, reviewed-dystopian, reviewed-fantasy

Myra never witnessed the Nightfall. She has only heard stories from the eldest among them; tales of the Old World and of the scientists who invented the WeatherWizard—a technological innovation that controls the weather. Unfortunately, the device also gave an ambitious vampire prince the means to cover the world in impenetrable clouds, allowing his armies to crawl out of their caves and conquer all.

Vampires rule over the New World, breeding humans for food. After fifty years of guerrilla warfare

...more

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Jul 19, 2016 Magda Żmijan rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2016, dystopia, ya-and-children, female-heroine, reviewed, paper-book, favorites, vampires

In a world, where vampires took over a weather-controlling device, people were reduced to small groups of resistance that hide and try fighting for their survival. They're becoming desperate. Hiding in caves, away from the sun is slowly killing them. The only way to win is to kill the vampire prince and try to take over the Weather Wizard.

Myra's mission is simple - ambush and kill the vampire leader. She volunteers for the task to prove she can be useful and strong. Their plan seemed to be good, In a world, where vampires took over a weather-controlling device, people were reduced to small groups of resistance that hide and try fighting for their survival. They're becoming desperate. Hiding in caves, away from the sun is slowly killing them. The only way to win is to kill the vampire prince and try to take over the Weather Wizard.

Myra's mission is simple - ambush and kill the vampire leader. She volunteers for the task to prove she can be useful and strong. Their plan seemed to be good, but it would be way too easy if it all worked out, would it?
Now Myra is prince's prisoner.
Why wasn't she killed or tortured for information about the resistance? The answer's simple - she's a writer. Grant it, she's got a lot to learn to become a good one, but there's one thing you loose while becoming a vampire - an ability to create.

It was hard to believe this was Elena May's first published novel. Her style was very appealing, I couldn't put the book down. I loved the moments when Vlad thought Myra how to enhance her writing skills, I loved the twisted Sheherezad reference :). I didn't mind the weird bloody scenes [after all, these are vampires we're talking about]. The twists, Vlad's plotting, and planning, all the support characters - I liked it all.

This was a very surprising read for me. First of all, it's a vampire novel, where a young heroine is the main character and there's no falling-in-love with the prince of evil [except maybe on my side, but it's still a love-hate relationship]. You have no idea how refreshing it was! No love at first sight, no triangles, forbidden love, etc, etc. I probably sound like a romance-hater, but don't get me wrong, I like a bit of love in the air, but after reading so many YA books it's fantastic to find one without it.

So, yes - a girl that hated vampires haven't fallen for the first one who trapped her and remained herself. All the time Myra was planning to kill him, just as she intended from the beginning.

It was great to read how she's growing, learning, discovering the world that was inaccessible to her earlier. She's still a dreamer, but at the same time, she keeps track on what's happening around her and how can she change, or at least help to change, the current situation.

And prince Vladimir is simply fantastic! A complicated, highly intelligent character. He plans, plots, deceives, but he also has hope and curiosity inside him. Yes, he's scary and dangerous, he does some horrible things to get what he wants, but somehow I can't hate him. He's one of those too-awesome-to-be-hated types :P. A fantastic creation! I'd love to read his story, maybe from earlier days?

Story moves at a steady pace, always interesting, always keeps you wanting more. It concentrates on character's interaction, Myra's development as a writer and the ideas how to help people, how to save them. It's just a first part and I love how it ended - not exactly with a cliffhanger, but in a way you simply need to read more.

Should you read this book? YES! And fast, because it's worth it. I'd recommend it to all young-adult, fantasy lovers especially if you need a rest from all the romance.

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
find my reviews at https://maginibooks.wordpress.com ...more

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Jul 17, 2016 Parnita Tolia rated it it was amazing

I received eARC of "Kingdom of Ashes" by Elena May
At first I thought this going to be a predictable paranormal dystopian work with a love triangle thrown in
.
Its not. It is so much more..
Its situated in a post apocalyptic world "Nightfall" where the vampires underneath the Prince Vladmir have overtaken the Weather Wizard, A technology which manipulate the weather (why am not surprised that humans developed something that caused them doom)
Our Protagonist is Myra born in the world of darkness & dre ...more

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Sep 18, 2017 William Bitner Jr. rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: epic-fantasy, young-adult, vampire, dystopia

Genre - Dystopian/Fantasy/Vampire/Young Adult
Pages - 400

Having just finished reading “Kingdom of Ashes (Nightfall, Book One)” by Elena May I continue to have faith in Young Adult Fiction and found this read to be quite entertaining. I want to thank Elena for providing me with an eCopy of this her debut book. I will say from the get go that if you are looking for a full stop ending to this story you will most likely be disappointed. You will have to continue the story in Book Two “Men and Monster Genre - Dystopian/Fantasy/Vampire/Young Adult
Pages - 400

Having just finished reading “Kingdom of Ashes (Nightfall, Book One)” by Elena May I continue to have faith in Young Adult Fiction and found this read to be quite entertaining. I want to thank Elena for providing me with an eCopy of this her debut book. I will say from the get go that if you are looking for a full stop ending to this story you will most likely be disappointed. You will have to continue the story in Book Two “Men and Monsters”, which I have yet to read. But, if it’s anywhere near as well written as this book, I look forward to the adventure. This was one of those multi genre books that for me came together beautifully. An interesting and unique spin on the vampire story with creative characters and an imaginative job at dystopian world building. The pace of the story was smooth and flowed nicely from one chapter to the next. All in all it was a great escape and a very enjoyable read. I look forward to reading more of Elena’s work in the future.

Synopsis (from back cover): Myra never witnessed the Nightfall. She has only heard stories from the eldest among them; tales of the Old World and of the scientists who invented the WeatherWizard—a technological innovation that controls the weather. Unfortunately, the device also gave an ambitious vampire prince the means to cover the world in impenetrable clouds, allowing his armies to crawl out of their caves and conquer all.

Vampires rule over the New World, breeding humans for food. After fifty years of guerrilla warfare, the Resistance is fading, its supplies dwindling. They must rally and succeed—and soon—or all hope of restoring human civilization will be lost.

When Myra goes on a desperate mission to help the Resistance, she ends up a captive in the vampires’ palace. With time running out, she must find a way to stop Prince Vladimir, and every wrong step leads to the death of innocents. Her battle abilities prove useless, but Myra discovers she has another skill that can give her an edge over her captors. Now, Myra must defeat the vampire leader at a power game he has been playing for almost two millennia
...more

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Jan 07, 2017 Xochitl rated it it was amazing

Shelves: young-adult, vampires, dystopian, books-about-books, science-fiction, fantasy, paranormal

I didn't expect this book to be so good!!!!! I just really loved it!!!
I really liked how the tables are turned. The vampires are the one ruling the world and the humans are the ones in hiding.
Would really want to read the next book!!!! I HAVE TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT!!!!!!

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Nov 03, 2016 Lydia rated it really liked it

Shelves: vampires, future-society

I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
The novel, Kingdom of Ashes by Elena May, while not having an original title (I know of at least two others with the same name and have read one of them), is probably the most original book on vampires I have ever read. Sticking to the foundation of the original vampires in literature, Elena May builds a new layer on top of this already famous monster. What is this new layer? You’ll have to read to find out!
The story beg I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
The novel, Kingdom of Ashes by Elena May, while not having an original title (I know of at least two others with the same name and have read one of them), is probably the most original book on vampires I have ever read. Sticking to the foundation of the original vampires in literature, Elena May builds a new layer on top of this already famous monster. What is this new layer? You’ll have to read to find out!
The story begins in the future where thanks to the WeatherWizard, Earth is now covered with clouds and vampires rule the world. Myra lives with the Resistance, but when a botched mission goes awry, she finds herself captive at the vampires’ palace. There she meets Prince Vladimir, the ruler of all vampires and the one who conquered all humans during the Nightfall. Interactions take place, Myra learns Prince Vladimir needs her for something and while trying to survive living among the vampires, Myra plots her escape.
Like I said in the beginning, this is probably the most original book on vampires I have ever read, and I read quite a lot. Thanks to its originality, I never knew what was going to happen next and the characters kept surprising me. I enjoyed the secrecy at play during the novel. The author doesn’t reveal Prince Vladimir’s ultimate motives and keeps you guessing the whole novel and then begging her to write faster so that we might find it out in the next one. One favorite part of mine is that we are able to watch Myra grow during the novel. She starts out weak and cowardly but becomes more deceptive and strong towards the end.
I didn’t like the fact that the prince’s name in the book was Vladimir. I mean I know the author has Vladimir explain his name in the book but come on; you were doing so well with the whole “original story” concept and you basically ruined it by using a stereotypical vampire name. I would have accepted any old name like Joe or Peter. And also, while on the topic of Vladimir, the author in the beginning describes him to be insane like, yet that characteristic is dropped almost instantly and Vlad the insane is replaced with Vlad the easily relatable vampire. This change kind of ruined him for me because I was hoping for more unexpected and crazy things to happen in regards to the prince. There were also some parts of the story that were slow and consequently boring. I felt like I was on a rollercoaster, with slow parts followed by fast parts.
Overall, I greatly enjoyed this story and I am so grateful I was able to receive a free copy of it in return for an honest review. Hopefully the author will let us know soon when the sequel comes out because I will gladly review it to.
...more

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Mar 13, 2017 Marissa rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: books-to-get-on-kindle

Awesome read!

I loved the story. The main character was relatable and interesting and her inner struggles about the morality of her actions with the vampires was amazing to read. This book is definitely in my top 10.

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May 30, 2017 Cinder rated it really liked it

Kingdom of Ashes has an unique premise, as it is not as common to have a book about vampires that focuses on art and what makes humans "human." The book was pretty long and was at some points predictable, but the story flowed and was engaging. It was also surprisingly nice to have a book without a love interest, and the only romance was between side characters.

Myra was a relatable character, as she tried to conform to the rest of the Resistance (by being brave and volunteering to go on the miss ...more

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Mar 03, 2017 Kathy rated it really liked it

Disclaimer: I won this book on Goodreads.

This is a good dystopian fantasy story. The characters are well-described and have their own backstories. I could see the castle rooms and the surrounding lands in my mind. The vampires were manipulative and mostly evil. The one human who did want to be a vampire seemed shoehorned into the plot. There was no human-vampire love story. However, that makes the main character's actions even more incomprehensible as the book progresses. Her incessant need for ...more

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Aug 15, 2017 Coral rated it really liked it

What I really liked about this book was that there was no "good" or "evil", and everyone was somewhere in between. You don't often get that in this kind of book.

The reason why I haven't given it 5 stars, though, is that I felt there was sometimes something a bit awkward in the writing, but it is still definitely worth reading.

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May 22, 2017 Mark rated it it was amazing

Shelves: owned, fiction, fantasy, young-adult, elena-may, paranormal

It’s been a while since I last read a young adult fantasy book. You might have noticed the lack of that genre in this blog. The reason being is, aside from I want to make this blog as diverse as possible, meaning I want to read different books of different genres, I am more of a contemporary type of YA reader. The last young adult fantasy book that I can remember reading was Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas which was like ages ago. But from time to time though, when my mood switches, I crave for It’s been a while since I last read a young adult fantasy book. You might have noticed the lack of that genre in this blog. The reason being is, aside from I want to make this blog as diverse as possible, meaning I want to read different books of different genres, I am more of a contemporary type of YA reader. The last young adult fantasy book that I can remember reading was Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas which was like ages ago. But from time to time though, when my mood switches, I crave for young adult fantasy books and be lost in an imaginative dystopian settings. And if you ask me about this book? It gave me that Throne of Glass feel with its strong bad*ss character and crazy but definitely immersing world.

I receive this book from the author last year and I am quite guilty that I was only reviewing it now. I have been meaning to read it after I received it but I don’t know, there’s always like a force that makes me put it down. I believe it might be because the book is really a chunker. If you don’t know me, I don’t usually go well with chunky books as I easily get intimidated. I added this book to my TBR for this year as I really want to get to it already and I know that there will come a day that I will crave for a fantasy book and this is definitely on top of my list. And that day finally arrived, so I immediately plunged into this book with my eyes shut but full of optimism that I will finish it and not get bored. Did I get bored? NO. Did I want more after finishing it? OH YES.

The book describes the world where it was overtaken by vampires. Man created a device that eventually was used against them, the Weather Wizard. The device controls the weather and Prince Vladimir, the leader of the vampires, seeing their chance to overpower the humankind, devised a plan which they called the Nightfall to attack every place in the world. Eventually able to control the Weather Wizard, they controlled the clouds and hid the sun. The captured humans were either turned to vampires or captured to be taken to Farms to bred to provide their food supplies. The main character of the book, Myra, belongs to the Resistance which is a group of people who were able to escape and hide from the vampires. They live in hideouts untraceable to vampires. The vampires and the Resistance members story became a cat and mouse chase. Each capturing a member of the other, torturing and killing one another.

“She had become the author of her own fate.”
– Elena May, Kingdom of Ashes (Nightfall #1)

With food supplies dwindling and suffering terrible losses, the Resistance decided to make a plan to kill Prince Vladimir. They believe that by killing Prince Vladimir, the leader, will cause chaos among the vampires which will make it easier for the Resistance to kill them all. Myra volunteered and what she thought as an easy plan became the opposite. She was captured by the vampires. She was expecting to be tortured by the vampires but it turned out the other way around. She was treated like a princess and provided with the luxuries of the world before it was overtaken. Being a lover of art and literature, Myra can’t help but be amazed with plays that were staged and the castle’s million books. She became entangled with the affairs of the palace and, though, she doesn’t want to admit it, she’s enjoying her stay. She eventually came to understand the vampires’ complexities and be astonished how they act and feel the same way as humans. As her connection with the vampires continue to go deeper, he was caught in a dilemma of what to do. Will he follow the original plan or kill or Prince? Or will she follow her heart and instincts as it tells her otherwise? The plot thickens when she learned the reason why the Prince is keeping her alive. The Prince wants a favor from her. A favor she believes she can use to make the Prince follow her. But in a place where it’s politics is as complicated as her situation, how will she know whom to trust? Will she be able to carry out her plans without any complications? Who will win the battle between the vampires and the Resistance?

I connected with the main character as she’s always thirsty for new stories. She loves art and literature. Growing up, having not being born before the Nightfall, she can only imagine what it feels like during those days when all were in its normal state. Her only resort for her literary cravings were the books that were salvaged by the Resistance during their rounds outside their hideout. Lacking resources, she decided to create her own stories. I was able to feel her elation when she was introduced to her captor’s library. I like how she became so curious about the world and its literary wonders. I can’t imagine myself being deprived of books. Her discourses with Prince Vladimir about writing novels are really insightful. I felt like I was also being given advises about how to write better. As per her actions at the palace, some of here decisions became questionable at first but I definitely still understood where she’s coming from. The author was able to make me to eventually understood her actions.

The vampires became this intriguing characters that were so hard to decipher. I believe that the author purposely did that to add mystery to the book. I like how the author was able to make me questions each other’s motives and be anxious for their next moves. I don’t know who will make the biggest movement and who’s who in who’s side.

What I like best about this book is how it was able to maintain the intensity throughout until it ends. That’s what I dread the most when I read a thick book. I am not sure if the author will able to make me interested with the story or will bore me midway. For this book, I like how the author was able to balance drama, suspense and thrill. I did not experience any dull moment. It kept me hooked and engaged in the story. The world building was not done in a way that is not too overwhelming. The author slowly introduced facts about the world and describe the world in a very vivid way which made it easier for me to understood the world she wants me to visualize.

Overall, this is a good first novel. If you’re looking for an intense, fast paced and intriguing read with a lot twists and turns, you should definitely pick this one up. It made me think about a lot of things particularly about the actions that we do. There’s that But please take note that this is the first in a series, so expect that after finishing the book, you’ll definitely crave more.

5 stars out of 5.

Note: My gratitude to the author for providing me a review copy in exchange for a honest and unbiased review. In no way was my opinion about the book influenced. ...more

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Jun 08, 2018 Vy rated it really liked it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. NOTE: I got a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.

This book is very thought provoking and has parallels in this world as well. Just as we humans farm animals, so do vampires farm humans. Knowing and being aware are two different things. We humans know where our food comes from but we are not aware of it to the extent that it is in the forethought and conscious part of our minds. We do not actively think about it. Here, we are forced to confront that. What is different about our NOTE: I got a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.

This book is very thought provoking and has parallels in this world as well. Just as we humans farm animals, so do vampires farm humans. Knowing and being aware are two different things. We humans know where our food comes from but we are not aware of it to the extent that it is in the forethought and conscious part of our minds. We do not actively think about it. Here, we are forced to confront that. What is different about our relationship with vampires as say pigs or chickens? What does it mean to be human or even sentient? How do we know? And if we don't, does it make it right for us to do the things we do? What is our justification for our actions? If we can justify it, can the vampires use the same reasoning?

Each race seems to think of himself/herself as superior and so it comes into question: On what grounds? Through their thoughts and ideologies pertaining beauty, love, wrong and right and how one deals with hurt and pain, it highlights how you can see the human tendencies within the vampires, and the wrongs the vampires suffer by human hands reflect a lot of how humans suffer by vampire hands. After witnessing the point of view from both sides and the atrocities, as well as the redeeming qualities of individuals and the race as a whole, it becomes increasingly difficult to see morality as black and white and which side is the more evil. Shockingly, one may even find one questioning one's own morality and if there is truly good and evil or if it is relative to one's society.

The next theme is the nature of writing and creativity and ultimately: truth. Vampires cannot create new works. Vlad has lived much longer than Myra and have read many different works of fiction to the extent where he can predict the story line. This suggests that there is nothing new under the sun and that creativity cannot be creating "new" things. Myra, with her limited knowledge, can only write based on the things she has read or things she experienced. Yet, she was able to create "new" works. This made one question what is true creativity and whether it is "seeing something in a new way from pre-existing things" instead of creating something purely new never thought of before. The truth element is that both humans and vampires are "writing" their own truth about the other side without experiencing what it is like to live as the other. Moreover, each person has their own version of their truth, their background. This leads to conflict as no one wants their version of the truth to be wrong and so abhors and denies anything that detracts from their views. Both sides are trapped in an internal struggle to accept their own individual truths as well as the truth of their society and the other side. Therefore deeper reflections reveal that there is more than two sides present in this war between vampires and humans.

The last but not least important is the nature of time and change. One of the ways in which time and change is demonstrated is through fashion and machinery. Although the world is set far into the future, there is glimpses of the world we recognise and also world that have long gone and worlds that will be. The way in which humans live is like it is in the past and yet the WeatherWizard is obviously something of the future. The more bizarre thing is the fashion in which the vampires don. Some have there sense of fashion frozen in time while others mix and match the clothes of eras they have gone through. Additionally, one starts to wonder if things will change as one is reminded of the cyclic nature of change and time. First the humans triumphed over the vampires, and now the vampires triumph over the humans. And so, will things end and is there an end? Or will history only repeat itself and humans and vampires will be locked in a constant struggle in which there is no hope for both to live side by side peacefully?

My favourite character is admittedly Vlad. He is brilliant and versatile in his thinking. It is his mysteriousness that makes me intrigued. He is not above using lives like tools to achieve his means, or torture, but one cannot hate him because one feels that there must be a grand motive behind his actions. The torture scenes were vivid and horrible, but people do need to be reminded of the horrors of war. However, i do feel the child killing and the torture serve a plot of some kind. It feels as if everything is being cultivated towards a particular end that only Vlad is privy to. The board game he plays, the throne room scene in which his enemies are identified, the escape of the man and his capture (and torture), Lucy being alive and why Vlad teaches and trains Myra with the most flimsiest excuse. His advice seems laden with hidden meaning. I think the finishing his book might be an excuse for something more, and that he is teaching her to lie, manipulate and sympathise with vampires because he needs her to be that way to achieve the plan. That was why he tested her, why he does not want a born and bred warrior but someone who can understand how he thinks. I think he means for Myra to take him down somewhere in the plan. I don’t believe this whole fiasco is for the thrill, or because the reasons he put forth such as: liking a challenge, boredom or insanity. Vlad is a skilled manipulator, and he is not perfect or infallible. He can get hurt, be surprised and forced to make sacrifices (such as Tristan).

Overall this is a very good book, with a realistically flawed and understandable take on what vampires are. Stripped of the romanticised view, this book has a lot of potential in terms on development. I would like to see more character development in Myra and for her to explore more of her dark side. ...more

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Jun 09, 2018 Sulime rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, 2018

After "Twilight", I had given up on vampire fiction. I was sick of the old “teenaged girl falls in love with sexy dark lord who abuses her, but it’s okay because he loves her” paranormal romance trope.

And, boy, was I glad to find out that this book is different.

Well, Myra is still a teenager and self-proclaimed "Prince" Vladimir is still pretty attractive for a mass murderer. There’s also some “Beauty and the Beast” in here, with Myra being held in a castle by her enemies and slowly growing to ...more

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Oct 15, 2016 Simeon Minev rated it it was amazing

Truly a great book, very entertaining and interesting story.By the end of it I felt as if I knew the characters personally and was there the entire time.Having a rather different taste in literature I was pleasantly surprised of how intrigued I was in this book and it's ability to keep me entertained throughout.I can't wait to see how the story goes after this book.

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May 29, 2017 Tina.Reads rated it really liked it

i have to say, i'm a big vampire fan and read many books of the genre. most of the times they are hidden in the night in a world of humans. this book gave it a different twist, in which humans had to stay hidden.
i really enjoyed this book, loved the worldbuilding and the dynamic between the lead caracters. so looking forward to how this story continues!!

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Apr 30, 2018 Hennessy (Angel_of_Wyrd) rated it really liked it

Shelves: reviewed

Rating: 4 Stars
Kingdom of Ashes by Elena May is an apocalyptic novel that questions the resilience of humanity not just in body but in spirit. I actually chose to read this book because I stumbled across an incentive from the author saying that she would be sending out e-arcs of the second book to anyone who reviewed this first book. This e-book was also 99 cents at the time so I figured what the heck I like vampires and apocalypses so why not give it a shot.
Fifty years ago the vampires came p Rating: 4 Stars
Kingdom of Ashes by Elena May is an apocalyptic novel that questions the resilience of humanity not just in body but in spirit. I actually chose to read this book because I stumbled across an incentive from the author saying that she would be sending out e-arcs of the second book to anyone who reviewed this first book. This e-book was also 99 cents at the time so I figured what the heck I like vampires and apocalypses so why not give it a shot.
Fifty years ago the vampires came pouring out of the shadows and used a human device called the Weather Wizard to cloak the planet in clouds and set up their own regime of terror. Led by vampire Prince Vladimir the vampires hold humans under their thumb either by breeding them like cattle for food or hunting the small band of resistance humans mercilessly. Myra is a nineteen year old resistance member who, like so many humans, has never seen the sun, eater proper food, or lived a normal life. She loves to read and write though and longs to see the world, dismal as it may be. When the opportunity arises to be part of a strike team set to take down Prince Vladimir and destroy the Weather Wizard once and for all she jumps on the chance. Everything goes well… until she's captured and taken to the prince himself.
Okay so I think this is one of those books that clinically might not be widely considered a four star read but for me hit all the right pressure points. Something about this book took me back to my childhood and I'm sure after my description of this book you must be thinking I had a pretty whack childhood if that's the case. I'm laughing because my childhood was hilarious but no that's not what I mean. This book took me back to the dime a dozen, full of tropes, squarely in their genre books I used to enjoy so much when I first got into YA literature. Sometimes I miss those days when love triangles didn't irk me, insta-love seemed logical, and chosen ones' didn't make me want to slap them. Ah, those were the days. This book took me back to all that but somehow in the best way possible.
Myra is such an annoying protagonist but I say that in the fondest way possible. This girl had her priorities so screwed up but in such a way that I kind of related. Like she and I had the same screws loose. Writing and experiencing life were at the top of her priority list which in a contemporary novel would have been perfect but in a book about the vampire apocalypse seemed a little out of place. That being said though, she was funny and snarky and at least 50% of the time she gave as good as she got.
Vladimir, well I don't want to sound crazy but that character was so relatable for me. Yes he was a 1,700 year old vampire prince who destroyed the world as we know it but he loved books and he had a good sense of humor. Call me crazy but that endeared me to him. Also he was clever and dastardly and every time I thought he was going too soft he would do something horrible that reminded me he wasn't the good guy but a villain… or an anti-hero. Read the book and take your pick.
This book had a certain Beauty and the Beast feel to it and I spent half the book thinking that was exactly where the story was going and I was right… but I was also wrong. This book takes that fairy tale storyline, uses it as an outline, then chews it up, spits it out and throws it in the wash machine for a spin cycle. I liked that. I like the subtle little twists that kept reminding me this wasn't a retelling, this wasn't a happy story, this wasn't a fairy tale. This story was blood and literature and deep philosophical questions.
The supporting cast were fluffy and amusing. They had a sort of caricature feel to them which normally would have made me dislike them but in this book I found myself enjoying their banter and cheesiness. Tristan even grew on me and showed layers I wasn't expecting to find in his character. The pacing of this book was off at times, the story lulled on and off not staying consistently engaging, and there were times when their was just something off about the writing and dialogue that I couldn't quite put my finger on. That sense of offness persisted from the first page to the last but again I found it to be part of the charm of the book.
All in all this book was a very satisfying read for me on a personal level. It had bloodlust, and moral dilemmas, and end of the world stakes which kept their promises. The characters were charming and terrible which I found to be a good balance and I liked the relationship dynamics. Perhaps I was just in a very specific mood when I read this book but I enjoyed it immensely and would recommend it to anyone who likes a little vampirical nonsense in their TBR.

Until next time, stay passionate and excelsior!
...more

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Sep 03, 2018 Aud rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Bloody good time

First off, I won this in a Goodreads giveaway.

Second, I feel this book might need some trigger or content warnings. The main character is subject to much emotional abuse from the vampires including violence and torture to other humans to get her to bend to their will and to isolate her from her fellow humans. That being said this IS a vampire story and not you sparkly vegetarian vampire story either so that's kinda par for the course.

I think my favorite thing in the book was this ...more

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Apr 24, 2018 Tina rated it liked it

I both liked and disliked this book. The parts I disliked, I really disliked. But the parts I liked I utterly loved and they had me glued to my Kindle screen when I was supposed to be sightseeing in, coincidentally, the city where the author lives!

What I liked most about the book were the interactions between Myra, Vladimir, Armida, and Tristan. I loved the relationships between the four of them and look forward to seeing how they develop further in the sequel. I've seen some dislike of Myr ...more

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Sep 30, 2018 Mkittysamom rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: para-luv, vamp-suckers, ya-luv-all

Fantasy with Real World Values

Amazing Powerful Story About War Sacrifice Prejudice Peace... the importance of hearing both sides of a story, humanity.. oh I could just go on!
Even learning how to write from a Vampire lol! I love love love this story! Read it straight through! The MC grows so much! There I so much packed into this dystopian fantasy war between humans and vampires. Things are not as black and white as they seem, and I think even Vampires still have humanity even though they see hu ...more

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Sep 24, 2018 Alyssa rated it really liked it

Rating 3.5 stars.
I feel like I should start out by saying I love the novel Dracula. It's a book I re-read almost every year, as a sort of Halloween treat to myself. Because of this, I'm typically wary of new vampire-centric novels. However, I'm glad I gave this book a chance, since I ended up really enjoying it. Cuddos to the author for making the vampires sympathetic, while not shying away from the monstrous things they sometimes did. I also enjoyed the way she explored how sometimes humans can ...more

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Apr 28, 2018 Kim Ledford rated it it was amazing

Need book 2 now please! Got really into the world building, borrowing from mythology while remaining its own world. Loved the details on just enough history, description of the environment, animals, and art. It was easy to get inside Myra's head. Story is a little far-fetched to me with the focus on art instead of fighting the vampires. But I thought the focus on art made this unique and not just another vampire story. Did NOT appreciate the torture scene! It was probably a good climactic scene ...more

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May 29, 2018 Shelby rated it it was amazing

I really liked how described the characters were and how they had their own back story. I also liked how strong and self-assured Myra was, she also did not give up on what she was doing. The Part that drew me in was how the vampires ruled the world and not humans. I loved the book!
(Sorry my first review not much of one to give feedback but I liked the book so much just wanted to say)

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About Elena May

Elena May

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Elena May writes fantasy in dystopian and historical settings. Born and raised in Bulgaria, she has studied in New Zealand and the US, worked in Germany and the UK, participated in various research or volunteer projects in Israel, Liechtenstein and Turkey, and traveled to over forty-five countries. In 2020 she relocated once again, this time to the land of little mermaids, ugly ducklings and snow ...more