Falling Ashes
By: Annie Anderson
4.5 Star review by Kristie K.
Synopsis (from Goodreads):
Mena Constantine is pissed off.
Finally freed from her fifty-year imprisonment by a maniacal leader, she is desperately trying to recover and get her life back. Problem is, the life she had is long gone. Struggling under the weight of her memories and healing from the wounds of her captivity, she can't seem to catch a break. Every waking moment, death seems like a relief she would welcome.
Asher Crane is a dead man.
As a Guardian to the King, his only purpose in life is to keep the King alive. And he's failing. Miserably. With the King ill, the Queen dying, and zero plans for a successor, he's pretty much screwed. Because if the King dies, the law says Asher dies, too.
As these two wounded souls collide in a series of bloody and unfortunate events, they will clutch to the last shreds of life before death beats down their door.
My Review:
After reading the first book in this series, Scattered Ashes, I didn’t think we could get a more bad-ass female lead than Aurelia Constantine. The petite little Phoenix is a smart-talking, ass-kicking woman that can hold her own in any fight. And though I can’t really say that her twin, Mena Constantine, has surpassed Aurelia….I would definitely say she is at the very least her equal. I mean, really….who can survive fifty years of constant torture and come out with their kind heart, compassion, and gentle soul intact? Let alone their sanity?! Mena manages to do exactly that, and does it with such grace and strength it left me in awe. Once she was released from her long captivity, her concerns were never for herself, but always for that of her sister Aurelia and the people she had adopted as her family. Even when nightmares of her torture haunt her dreams and cause her powers to decimate the medical floor, her first thoughts are of the only other patient in the room. A man she has never met, yet her concern for him outweighs any thoughts of herself.
“Don’t help me,” I choke out, “help him. The fire won’t kill me. Get him first.”
And these qualities don’t even scratch the surface on how totally cool she is. Watching as she slowly adapts to living again, as she accepts the love of her sister, and learns to live without guilt, was heartwarming. As if that wasn’t enough, seeing her open herself up to the love of a man, and discover her sexuality with her newfound mate? Wow! Sweet, sexy, and totally intense. In all honesty, a great deal of that is because Asher Crane is completely swoon-worthy. As one of the Wraith King’s personal Guardians, he is built like a warrior….tall, muscular, and completely gorgeous. Practically raised by the Wraith King and Queen, he is completely shattered by the knowledge that the people he loves as his own parents, are dying. Though Asher is no stranger to violence, pain, and death, the thought of losing them is only compounded by the fact that law states the Guardians of the King will follow him into death. Under normal circumstances, this wouldn’t have even been an issue for the noble Guardian….but when he first lays eyes on Mena, his world is turned upside down. How cruel is fate that it would give him his mate when his time is so limited? Ugh…the agony!! Unable to fight the pull between him and Mena, he gives in, and my Kindle app nearly caught fire from the heat! The man is seriously sexy, but gentle and sweet when Mena is near. Which, let’s face it, is always!
“I’ve wanted to kiss you since the second I heard your voice,” I murmur agains her mouth, and that pulls her eyes up to mine again. Disbelief colors them as if she doesn’t realize how gone I am for her.
This book took me on a roller coaster ride of emotions. From fear, to anger, to terror, to love, to sadness, to happiness, and I loved every minute of it! The only thing I would ask for if I could have anything else, would be more time with the sisters. I would love to have seen them bond more, talk more, hash things out. All in all, though…I absolutely loved this book, and absolutely can’t wait for book three! Ms. Anderson, if you are reading this….I’ll be waiting!!!! (Please hurry!)