Ashes

The Kindred #2

by Erica Stevens

For the past four years Cassie has only known vampires as her enemy. With the revelation of Devon’s true nature she must come to terms with the fact that not everything she knows is right, especially when the source of her Hunter powers is revealed. Slowly, Cassie begins to unravel the mystery that enshrouds Devon as the bond between them grows and intensifies. It’s not until a woman from his past walks into their present, that Cassie realizes there are far more layers to Devon than she ever realized. Layers that may very well destroy her, and everyone that she loves. Thrown off by the new arrival in their town, and struggling to survive, Cassie is not prepared for the devastating blow that leaves the world she knows nothing but a pile of rubble and ashes. Ashes that may very well give rise to something else inside of her, something that’s not entirely human.

Note: This is a young adult fictional story that includes some language, violence, and mild sexual situations. Recommended for ages fifteen and up.

Genres: Vampires, Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult, Paranormal Romance, Fantasy, Supernatural

274 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Erica Stevens is the author of the Captive Series, Coven Series, Kindred Series, Fire & Ice Series, Ravening Series, and the Survivor Chronicles. She enjoys writing young adult, new adult, romance, horror, and science fiction. She also writes adult paranormal romance and historical romance under the pen name, Brenda K. Davies. When not out with friends and family, she is at home with her husband, son, dogs, cat, and horse.

She loves to speak with readers and can be found:

Erica Stevens/Brenda K. Davies Mailing List: http://bit.ly/ESBKDNews

Reviews

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (11/10/2019)! 🎁

[Gail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, BUT… I am beyond mad that the teen bullies, especially M & M did not die. At the very least they should have had their asses whooped. How dare they escape to go live happy and breathing.
As for the rest of the book, really good. Way better than book 1, which was seriously SLOW AS F. This book had great pace! Really enjoy it.

[Deena Deranleau · Rating 4 out of 5]

SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!

Kindle Edition
3 1/2 stars

Another quick read. I liked the book but again wasn't blown away by it. The last book introduced a new character, Dani, & her brother Joey. They're both hunters too.
Cassie & Marcy heal from Julian's attack.
Cassie, Devon, Chris & Melissa go to the homecoming dance at school. Devon is crowned king & Marcy is crowned queen. Cassie can't stand to watch Marcy paw her boyfriend during the king & queen dance so she retreats to the bathroom alone. Julian surprises Cassie & Cassie fights for her life. Devon, Chris & Melissa finally show up & Devon & Julian fight. Then another vampire, Isla, who happens to be an ex-girlfriend of Devon joins them. Julian called her to help him destroy Devon.
During the fight, Devon becomes so enraged he loses all control. Chris takes Cassie's hand to pull her out of danger but to Devon it looks like he's hurting Cassie. Devon turns to Chris to attack him but Cassie steps in the way & is able to calm Devon down. Julian is hurt bad & kids from the dance are coming their way, so Julian & Isla flee.
Devon & Cassie have a long talk. Devon divulges his past to her & some of the horrible things he did.
Police show up at Cassie's house to tell her her grandmother was killed in a car accident. Cassie demands to see her body & sees the telltale signs that Julian killed her. Cassie completely loses it & blames Devon for her grandmother's death because Devon made Julian into the monster he is today. Cassie not only shuns Devon but everyone in her life. She's so devastated with the death & doesn't want to hurt anymore so she shuts everyone out. She's only filled with rage & the need for revenge. They all worry about Cassie. Cassie plans to leave them all & kill Julian, even if it means dying also.
Devon turns to Luther for some answers about Cassie. In the morgue, he saw Cassie's eyes turn red. He never believed Cassie didn't have special powers & now believes she may be part vampire. Luther tells Devon there have only been a few hunters like Cassie. They need to find out what happened to those other hunters so they can help Cassie.

[Becca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely better than book 1, but still so many aggravating things. I just don't know how to feel about Cassie. She is so dramatic about the stupidest things. Yes, I suppose when you are a teenager being jealous of your 750-ish year old boyfriend's past girlfriends seems reasonable. 🙄 It's not.
And the whole thing with Mark and Marcy. So ridiculous. I went to high school. No one (especially a boy) was screaming "whore" in the middle of the cafeteria. Mostly you just got ignored. Even as the "social piranha", Cassie still managed to make everything about herself. And I can't decide if she's tstl. She annoys me.

So, with that in mind, I am thankful this book wasn't all from her pov. We got quite a bit of Devon and a little Chris as well.

[HK · Rating 1 out of 5]

Really not a fan of this second novel 🤨. I reckon it started off really well continuing from the first novel. The writing was a lot better than the first book. But there really was no climax in the plot of the story.
Julian is a character I want more information on. Again this book has given me no more information about the characters. Also what I find really funny is I have not imagined Devon and Cassie to look like they do on the cover. I imagine Devon almost like James Dean and Cassie like Zoey Deutch 😅.
I'm still deciding whether I should just continue reading to see if it gets better because I own the ebooks😩.

[Jocelyne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book of five in the Kindred Series, a YA Vampire Romance. The story continues where the first book left off. I loved to follow Cassie, Devon, Chris and Melissa in their journey, with the addition of some new characters. Julian is an intriguing and dark character. We learn more about Cassie and Devon's past. Their relationship developed into something stronger and beautiful. The story has action and intrigue. Once again, the story ends with a cliffhanger. Karen Bachman did a great job with the narration. She has a beautiful voice, easy to understand. The voices were easy to distinguish. Looking forward to listen to Kindled, the third book in the Series.

[Jeraca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was full of twists and turns for the characters. I found myself wondering if Cassie, Chris and Melissa are ever going to fight though. They are these Hunters but except for the very first scene in the 1st book, we haven't seen them so much.

I feel bad for Cassie during this novel. She gets one thing after another shoved at her until she finally just gives up. I honestly don't blame her for the way she is reacting at the end of this novel. I am curious what Devon find out though. Its definitely a mystery I'm eager to figure out.

[Witzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just amazing. Way into a state of hyper-book hypnosis! My dream condition... reading and forget I'm reading!!! Awesome. Love it. Love these personalities and since I didn't stop until I finished the series I'll say the entire series is embracing and full realistic twists and turns that propel you forward! I can't say enough about the flow. Seem less but tugging by end of each book. Well done! Well written! Well read!

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This picks up right after the last book. The story is still moves along at a good pace. As for the characters...Cassie and Devon are laying it all on the line with each other. There is trouble in paradise in one particular area and that character starts pulling away. We do meet a new character and new powers. They are becoming more of a group now in stead of just three. They are still looking for Julius and he is looking for them.

[Nicole Henderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 2 ashes has the guys coming to terms that Devon is a vampire. Cassie’s and Devon’s relationship is growing but the evil is still lurking. Her supposed friends at school have turned in her and well prom could be interesting but it turns out it’s going to be more interesting than they all planned. Then to top it all off one of the lovely characters gets killed and well that’s where the story ends but things are changing. And the next book promises to be another great story.

[Whitney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ashes is the second book in the Kindred series and I just absolutely loved getting to reenter this world with these great characters. I just can’t get enough of these amazing characters. They have just dragged me into their world and I just didn’t want this story to end. It was just so easy to get lost in and I hope there are many more stories to come in this series.

[Cherish Thyot · Rating 5 out of 5]

hunters tragedy

Great follow up. In this one you learn more about the vampire Cassie loves but it comes with a steep price that no one expected. A new ally joins the team as well as a new for joins the cruel vampire team. I cannot wait to read the next book to see what happens next. Enjoy!

[Oriana vega · Rating 3 out of 5]

still a lot of thinking going on but oh well and cheesy still but in a good way and i liked a few of the twists going on even though i'm mad about her attitude in the end and yes i know because of what happens in the end but OMGOD! like someone slap her please and than hug her

[Nicole De Marzo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another i waa unablw to put down

I waa unable to put this book down, I want to know what happens next. The story line picks up where the first one ends. Just when you think everything is going to work out, you're hit with a new twist

[Kristy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series keeps getting better and better. I wish the books were longer however, I'm glad she isn't wasting a ton of time recapping the previous books because I'm reading them back to back. I love Cassie, she is so spirited and sweet, I'm curious to see how this all plays out.

[Dianne Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read

This book series has a bit of everything, love, adventure, supernatural beings, and much more! Every time I am nearing the end of a book I am already excited to see what happens In the book.

[Miz Emz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it.

[Gemma Shepherd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoying this series

I'm really enjoying this series of books, the characters are great and the story is great. Looking forward to reading the next one xx

[Helene · Rating 5 out of 5]

It started with action but soon dragged on. I was not so much into the story as before and it shows as it took five days to finish. I do not think I will purchase the last installment.

[Debra James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mysterious

Lots of questions that need answers. I'm very curious about the turn the story has made. The next book is already out. Yay!

[heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

❤❤❤

[Barbara Dunbar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ashes

Vampire elders bent on the destruction of the hunters. Only Devon stands any chance of their destruction. Too much death and sadness.

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a story!

There is so much going on in this story. Love heartache and destruction. Following these kids through is emotional. On to read the next. I have to know!

[Fiona]

Brilliant

I just purchased book 3 of this exciting series. This story has me totally hooked. Amazing characters and plenty of action and suspense, very hard to put down.💜

[Tina Kimble · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS REVIEW IS FOR BOTH THE AUDIOBOOK AND EBOOK VERSIONS
Another good performance by the narrator as well as an intense and well written story. This has been a difficult series to put down.

[Magdalena · Rating 3 out of 5]

I find myself losing interest in this series.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this one as soon as I finished Kindred, the first book in the series. I was completely drawn into Cassie and Devon's story and couldn't wait to see what happened next. Like the first book, this was an enjoyable read and action packed. As soon as I finished, I started the next book...

[Joyce Wetherbee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having bought the other four books in the series as soon as I finished book one, I was anxious to dig into this one. Ashes picked up where Kindred left off, with Devon rushing Cassie to the hospital. The intensity was ramped up right from the beginning and didn't disappoint. In his stress for her to survive, Devon healed the worst of Cassie's injuries before they got to the emergency room. Now faced with questions from doctors that shouldn't be answered, he has to use powers he'd rather not on unsuspecting humans.

When the rest of her friends arrive, knowledge of what they all are hits each one of them differently. Chris immediately attacks Devon; Luther keeps his opinion to himself while Melissa falls apart. Devon figures out who Luther is not only to Cassie, but to Chris and Melissa as well. Now they each have to come to terms with that knowledge for the sake of their friendship and love for Cassie. (Quite the conundrum she's written here. I love it!)

I can understand why some people might think this is her personal take on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but aside from a few similarities, this is entirely her own work. There's only so many ways a vampire story (or any story for that matter) can be written, only so many ways to write the protagonist. Inspiration must come from somewhere.

Ever wonder where vampire slayers come from? Stevens answers that question in a way that makes complete sense to me. This part of the story really caught my attention. Stevens came up with an original way to answer that question. Kudos for that!

What ultimately brings Cassie's friends around to accepting him in her life is how alive she's become since meeting him. She's no longer going through the motions every day. Backed up by Cassie's grandmother, the teens have no choice but to stay close enough to Devon for him to protect them. Cassie gains a new friend and several new enemies as well as learns more about Devon's past. What she learns explains why he is so unique among vampires.

I bought this book immediately after finishing Kinded, the first book in the series. As soon as I got home from work, I promptly sat down and devoured this one. I had an incredibly difficult time setting it aside for anything; dinner, laundry, supper. Her characters have continued to develop from the first book, as did the plot that took me from one book to the next.

The reality of my reading this series is that I plowed through them like a person needing water in a desert. I just couldn't take time to write the reviews. I absolutely HAD to get to the next book to see what happens. Stevens likes cliff hangers. Me? Not so much. However, I was fortunate in being able to purchase the last four books at one time. So in this case, cliffhangers were no big deal.

I loved this book from start to finish.

[Elisabeth Wheatley · Rating 5 out of 5]

After the cliffhanger ending of Kindred, I simply had to read this, there was no question about it! This book takes off minutes after the first left off, with Devon :SPOILER FOR FIRST BOOK: rushing the wounded Cassie to the emergency room. :SPOILER OVER: As I said before, I read the first four books of this series in a four day marathon, downing one after the other because I was having too much fun.



The plot:

Characteristic of Stevens’ writing, the plot is fast and doesn’t disappoint. It read very quickly and very easily, never letting the reader sink into a sense of boredom, but at the same time giving plenty of pauses. While reading I tried not to compare this to Stevens’ other PNR vampire series, The Captive (which has a secure seat on my Shelf of Awesome), but there is definitely the same style of heart-stopping romance interspersed with intense action.



The characters:

There is a level of development among the characters, particularly in their relationships. Cassie and Devon become closer in lieu of sharing their secrets and battling Julian. Meanwhile, Cassie’s Hunter friends, Melissa and Chris, as well as Luther, their mentor, and her grandmother, must learn to deal with the newfound knowledge that Devon is not only a vampire, but an exceptionally powerful Elder.



In this book, we also meet Isla, a completely despicable antiheroine who crawls up from Devon’s past. Julian is more prominent in this book, though he still stays mostly in the shadows without much chance to really get to know him. Nonetheless, he makes a prize villain and I was gaping at my eReader screen in horror of what he might do next.



Overall, I greatly enjoyed this book, I am a massive fan of this author, and I highly recommend this series to readers of upper YA paranormal romance who like vampires!

[Courtney (Bookish Blonde Barista) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am the type of person who buys all the books in a series just so I can find out how it ends and this series was no exception. This book picked up right where Kindred had ended. Devon had healed the worst of Cassie’s injuries but it still wasn’t enough so he rushed her to the hospital. Since there were many questions from the doctors about what happened and how she has survived, Devon needed to use his mind control to change what they saw.

Once Cassie’s friends all arrive, it hits them what Devon is and they first instinct is hatred and killing him. They all have different opinions, but they come to terms with one another for Cassie’s sake. The true reason Cassie’s friends have accepted Devon is because of how alive and happy she is with him around. She is no longer going through the same motions every day since meeting him. Cassie’s grandmother took a liking to Devon immediately and told them they all need to stay close to him as he will protect all of them. While Cassie learns more about Devon’s past, she gains a new friend but she also gains a few enemies.

You meet two of Devon’s friends from the past, Julian and Isla. I really enjoy what happens and their reunion… I don’t want to say more and completely give it away, but wow! When you read this book focus on the details of Cassie’s eyes and every detail about her because it is important.

I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to start the next book in the series!

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