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Heart of Smoke #4
Ash of Ages
One choice will change the world.
The Incorporation promised its people safety as they waited out the apocalypse. The Incorporation lied.
With the torment of Project Progeny wreaking havoc inside the domes, a single chance for freedom offers Lanni more hope than she’d dared to dream of. A life outside the glass without the threat of starvation or violence. A place where Mari can be safe. A love that can heal Lanni’s shattered heart.
But happily ever after must be bought with blood.
Will the cost of paradise be more than Lanni can pay?
The Incorporation promised its people safety as they waited out the apocalypse. The Incorporation lied.
With the torment of Project Progeny wreaking havoc inside the domes, a single chance for freedom offers Lanni more hope than she’d dared to dream of. A life outside the glass without the threat of starvation or violence. A place where Mari can be safe. A love that can heal Lanni’s shattered heart.
But happily ever after must be bought with blood.
Will the cost of paradise be more than Lanni can pay?
266 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 20, 2022
16 people are currently reading
55 people want to read
About the author
Megan O'Russell
52 books495 followersFrom the epic fantasy world of Ilbrea to the vampire and werewolf-plagued dystopia of the domes, author Megan O'Russell offers readers thirty-two books across nine series.
With a passion for building immersive worlds, uncovering each character’s unique voice, and discovering innovative ways to bring stories to audiences, Megan has created and presented workshops across the country helping fellow authors along their journey, including facing the Indie Publishing process with clear eyes and a workable plan.
Megan's newest novel, Sketchbook of a Wayward Seer, is presented in partnership with the podcast Page by Page: Writing the Book in Real Time, where you can listen to a new, full chapter of the series every week. Other titles include Ember and Stone, Girl of Glass, The Cursebound Thief, and How I Magically Messed Up My Life in Four Freakin' Days.
With a passion for building immersive worlds, uncovering each character’s unique voice, and discovering innovative ways to bring stories to audiences, Megan has created and presented workshops across the country helping fellow authors along their journey, including facing the Indie Publishing process with clear eyes and a workable plan.
Megan's newest novel, Sketchbook of a Wayward Seer, is presented in partnership with the podcast Page by Page: Writing the Book in Real Time, where you can listen to a new, full chapter of the series every week. Other titles include Ember and Stone, Girl of Glass, The Cursebound Thief, and How I Magically Messed Up My Life in Four Freakin' Days.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
January 17, 2022
This is the final book in this series and like all of Megan’s books I couldn’t put it down until I’d finished it!
Lanni, Mari and Harper escape the domes thanks to Walsh and end up with the pack where they share their knowledge with others about the domes. Plans are being drawn up to attack the domes but Lanni and Harper get a feeling that this may be exchanging one form of oppression for another.
This is a page turner for sure and the pages fly by so quickly you’re finished with the book before you know it. I read it in one day and you will as well! Lanni meets two other people in the domes when they return she knew and once again the one saves her but his fate is unknown if he lives or dies due to the battle raging at the time.
Monsters come in any form, whether it be human, werewolf or vampire. It really just depends on what their objective is!
I recommend you read this series! You can’t just read this book. You need to read about the people who are the main focus of this story to understand where they are coming from and who they are. It’s a story you’ll be enthralled with and a wake up call to be aware of what is happening around us as we speak!
Megan is a masterful story teller! Her words and descriptions make you feel you are truly in these stories you read about and living in those conditions as well! It is easy to see such things coming if people aren’t aware and if no one stops them.
This story is enjoyable, exciting pulse pounding adventure and one I’m sure you’ll tell your friends to read as well! It’s not to be missed!
Lanni, Mari and Harper escape the domes thanks to Walsh and end up with the pack where they share their knowledge with others about the domes. Plans are being drawn up to attack the domes but Lanni and Harper get a feeling that this may be exchanging one form of oppression for another.
This is a page turner for sure and the pages fly by so quickly you’re finished with the book before you know it. I read it in one day and you will as well! Lanni meets two other people in the domes when they return she knew and once again the one saves her but his fate is unknown if he lives or dies due to the battle raging at the time.
Monsters come in any form, whether it be human, werewolf or vampire. It really just depends on what their objective is!
I recommend you read this series! You can’t just read this book. You need to read about the people who are the main focus of this story to understand where they are coming from and who they are. It’s a story you’ll be enthralled with and a wake up call to be aware of what is happening around us as we speak!
Megan is a masterful story teller! Her words and descriptions make you feel you are truly in these stories you read about and living in those conditions as well! It is easy to see such things coming if people aren’t aware and if no one stops them.
This story is enjoyable, exciting pulse pounding adventure and one I’m sure you’ll tell your friends to read as well! It’s not to be missed!
January 22, 2024
Lanni's journey in this installment of the Heart of Smoke series delves deeper into the rebellion, offering unexpected surprises at every turn. The author effectively ties up loose ends from the previous books, leaving readers with a satisfying yet somewhat unforeseen conclusion. While the ending may feel abrupt, it leaves room for another captivating series set in this intriguing world. The fast-paced plot, sprinkled with moments of romance, presents a riveting read that will keep you hooked until the final pages. As the protagonist experiences the various communities within the dome world, her character development and compassion shine through, forging a connection with readers. Alongside exhilarating action scenes, this series remains true to the post-apocalyptic genre, delivering a compelling narrative that will captivate fans of such tales. Overall, the Heart of Smoke series presents an enthralling journey through a dystopian world, making it a must-read for those seeking an amazing series.
January 22, 2022
Wow. The last book of the series, and what a book it is!
Firstly, don't try to read this as a standalone - you do need to have read the series first. But do read the series! Definitely worth it, and really good.
There are vampires and werewolves of a sort in this book, so those who like paranormal will enjoy that. Personally, paranormal is not for me, yet I have really enjoyed this series, as the altered humans have a scientific reason for having been altered - to say that, and that it is to cope with the environment, is not, I think, too much of a spoiler. Normal humans too, and our heroine is one of those, together with her little sister. This series is about how they survive - where is safe for them to live - and who should they trust?
What is brilliant is that there is plenty of action, which I love, and rather than one huge twist, there are lots of little ones throughout the book. That's great! Personally, I sat down and read it in one day, because I really wanted to find out what happened, but may go back and read it again, slower, to enjoy the smaller bits of it too. This book has various different settings, which make for interest, and the author has the knack of giving the background information without it being too intrusive. She also is excellent at writing compelling and interesting characters, that made me care about them - vital for a book to keep my attention. I can thoroughly recommend this series to anyone!
Firstly, don't try to read this as a standalone - you do need to have read the series first. But do read the series! Definitely worth it, and really good.
There are vampires and werewolves of a sort in this book, so those who like paranormal will enjoy that. Personally, paranormal is not for me, yet I have really enjoyed this series, as the altered humans have a scientific reason for having been altered - to say that, and that it is to cope with the environment, is not, I think, too much of a spoiler. Normal humans too, and our heroine is one of those, together with her little sister. This series is about how they survive - where is safe for them to live - and who should they trust?
What is brilliant is that there is plenty of action, which I love, and rather than one huge twist, there are lots of little ones throughout the book. That's great! Personally, I sat down and read it in one day, because I really wanted to find out what happened, but may go back and read it again, slower, to enjoy the smaller bits of it too. This book has various different settings, which make for interest, and the author has the knack of giving the background information without it being too intrusive. She also is excellent at writing compelling and interesting characters, that made me care about them - vital for a book to keep my attention. I can thoroughly recommend this series to anyone!
January 29, 2022
This is it! The fourth and final book in the Heart of Smoke series and the conclusion to Lanni’s journey that we’ve all been waiting for!
Lanni is offered a chance to escape the Arc Domes with Walsh, and it’s an offer she can’t refuse. Walsh has a plan to get her and her sister Mari out of the domes and to the safety of his pack, but that’s only the beginning in her journey towards a happily ever after.
Walsh’s pack has plans that Lanni isn’t privileged enough to know about before it’s too late. There’s a lot of innocent lives lost in this war against the Incorporation, and it’s unclear to Lanni who the real monsters are when everyone seems to be out for blood.
This was a fast-paced and exciting read from beginning to end! I absolutely love the way this author writes, creating a world that sucks you in, where you can get lost in the pages and imagine yourself right there with these characters!
I was a tiny bit disappointed that we didn’t get a little bit more information regarding the outcome at the end and the fates of a couple of the side characters in the story, (I don’t want to give away spoilers so I feel like I can’t elaborate more than that) but overall I really loved this conclusion and the entire series as a whole! ❤️
Lanni is offered a chance to escape the Arc Domes with Walsh, and it’s an offer she can’t refuse. Walsh has a plan to get her and her sister Mari out of the domes and to the safety of his pack, but that’s only the beginning in her journey towards a happily ever after.
Walsh’s pack has plans that Lanni isn’t privileged enough to know about before it’s too late. There’s a lot of innocent lives lost in this war against the Incorporation, and it’s unclear to Lanni who the real monsters are when everyone seems to be out for blood.
This was a fast-paced and exciting read from beginning to end! I absolutely love the way this author writes, creating a world that sucks you in, where you can get lost in the pages and imagine yourself right there with these characters!
I was a tiny bit disappointed that we didn’t get a little bit more information regarding the outcome at the end and the fates of a couple of the side characters in the story, (I don’t want to give away spoilers so I feel like I can’t elaborate more than that) but overall I really loved this conclusion and the entire series as a whole! ❤️
January 24, 2022
A great ending to the Heart of Smoke series.
Even with vampires and werewolves, so many things felt realistic in this dystopian series. Lanni is a complex protagonist who goes through so many things during this series and all she is trying to do is keep her sister alive.
In this final book we get to learn more about the resistance and see how one faction of it functions. I'd love to have more stories in this world from other parts of the country during this same timeline. Being able to see how the other domes deal with the increasing threats as well as how those just outside the other domes live their lives - especially those in other climate zones.
The romantic relationships in the whole series were incredibly believable and made a lot of sense. I don't want to give away any potential spoilers, so I'm going to stop right there😉
But, the piece that was so fantastic to me was how the letters from "C" were being written.i absolutely loved the scene where we officially see who is writing the letters, how they are written them, and why they're writing them. So. Good.
Definitely recommend this series.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Even with vampires and werewolves, so many things felt realistic in this dystopian series. Lanni is a complex protagonist who goes through so many things during this series and all she is trying to do is keep her sister alive.
In this final book we get to learn more about the resistance and see how one faction of it functions. I'd love to have more stories in this world from other parts of the country during this same timeline. Being able to see how the other domes deal with the increasing threats as well as how those just outside the other domes live their lives - especially those in other climate zones.
The romantic relationships in the whole series were incredibly believable and made a lot of sense. I don't want to give away any potential spoilers, so I'm going to stop right there😉
But, the piece that was so fantastic to me was how the letters from "C" were being written.i absolutely loved the scene where we officially see who is writing the letters, how they are written them, and why they're writing them. So. Good.
Definitely recommend this series.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 1, 2022
Oh my heck!! I am dying here!! Let me start by stating that I was given an ARC copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. But now I just don't know what to say without spoiling the book. I have loved post-apocalyptic tales for many, many years. So I'm always excited to see what the next author comes up with for the future of a doomed human kind. And Megan O'Russell did not disappoint. Lanni is an amazing heroine. I literally read all four books in this series in 11 days. Lanni had unique experiences of living in three different "communities" in the dome world. She gained an insight that could not be gained by living in only one. And she developed into a wonderful, compassionate human being. The character development in this book was amazing. I found myself really connecting with many of the characters and their situations, cheering some on, boo-ing others. The action scenes often had me sitting on the edge of my seat waiting to see what happened next. But the ending!!!! ARGH!!! Overall, an amazing series of books!!
February 20, 2022
This part of Lanni's story takes her deep into the rebellion which is full of surprises, both good and bad. Even with everything she has discovered so far, this world still has secrets to reveal. More romance, difficult decisions, edge of your seat action scenes that will keep you riveted to the end. This book did a good job wrapping up many of the threads from the previous three books, and circled around to a satisfying, if somewhat unexpected ending. The ending was rather abrupt though, and many questions, especially from book 3 are still out there. Definitely more room for another series in this world.
This is the fourth book in the Heart of Smoke series. While each book has a complete story arc, there is also a larger overarching plot that builds throughout and this series is best read in order. If you are interested in earlier years in the domes, be sure to check out the Girl of Glass series as well.
This is the fourth book in the Heart of Smoke series. While each book has a complete story arc, there is also a larger overarching plot that builds throughout and this series is best read in order. If you are interested in earlier years in the domes, be sure to check out the Girl of Glass series as well.
February 11, 2022
To be honest I was given an ARC copy of this without reading the rest of the series.
That being said I was a little lost in the beginning, but the author had background tid bits through that caught me up quickly.
This book was hard to put down because it was filled with a quick paced story and action. This book contains some paranormal, vampires and werewolves, which to be truthful is not the type of books I would normally pick, but the author did not make this a central focus. For that reason I would say this book is an enjoyable read for many different readers.
I will be going back and reading the rest of the series now.😀
That being said I was a little lost in the beginning, but the author had background tid bits through that caught me up quickly.
This book was hard to put down because it was filled with a quick paced story and action. This book contains some paranormal, vampires and werewolves, which to be truthful is not the type of books I would normally pick, but the author did not make this a central focus. For that reason I would say this book is an enjoyable read for many different readers.
I will be going back and reading the rest of the series now.😀
January 27, 2022
You guys, I’m literally mind blown at how this series turned out. I was hoping for the best and O’Russell delivered epic! I was grabbed from the first page and I never let go. I dove in headfirst just completely immersed in Lannie’s Dome life and how she and her sister would escape. The action and suspense were addicting. The slow burn chemistry between Lannie and our hero was so off the charts. I have never rooted so hard for a group of characters. I laughed, I cried, and I cheered each one on to freedom. Best one of the series!
January 25, 2022
Another amazing read. I was lucky enough to be an ARC reader for an honest review.
This YA series is hard to put down and her newest book in the series is the same I tried guessing what was going to happen and she would go the complete opposite which I love. I strongly suggest this book for anyone who enjoys love triangles, enemies to lovers, friends to lovers, dystopia reads.
This YA series is hard to put down and her newest book in the series is the same I tried guessing what was going to happen and she would go the complete opposite which I love. I strongly suggest this book for anyone who enjoys love triangles, enemies to lovers, friends to lovers, dystopia reads.
March 2, 2022
This was such a great series and I could not wait for this last book to be released! I don't like reviews that give too many details so you'll have to read how Lanni and Mary find freedom, and who they find it with. You will not want to put it down!
April 24, 2022
Ahhhh, why did it have to end? I hope there’s more books that come out because I want? No, I need more than how this book ended. I have so many questions that I need answered about some of the characters. I can’t mentally deal with cliffhangers, lol.
February 23, 2023
Great finish to the series. Lanni has to make some big choices. The action was still jam packed. I wished the ending was a little more detailed. I wanted to hear the descriptions of the place they ended up at.
July 31, 2022
Just like it's predecessors in this series, this is an AMAZING book with an incredible story full of fast paced action and great characters. I really enjoyed reading this.
January 17, 2023
sad ending
I wish Alec came with and everybody was okay and I hope there is more of lanni’s story to come.
I wish Alec came with and everybody was okay and I hope there is more of lanni’s story to come.
March 26, 2023
More 4.5 stars.
I would of loved more details in the epilogue.
I would of loved more details in the epilogue.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews