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State of the Union #3
Ashes of Honor
The cost of love, is grief.
Covert Province may have claimed victory at Monterey, but Amaia and her found family refuse to surrender the war. Bound by sacrifices of life, limb, and love, they now face their greatest challenge yet—deciding if doing the right thing is worth losing their humanity.
With refugees flooding The Compound and new responsibilities weighing heavily on her shoulders, Amaia must rely on her fractured family more than ever. Yet trust is a fragile currency. Ronan’s demands for peace come with impossible conditions: crush a growing rebellion and supply resources at his whim.
A shocking reunion shatters their fragile equilibrium, exposing buried secrets and shifting loyalties. Amidst the chaos, Amaia and Alexiares grow closer, families form in the most perilous moments, and tensions flare as emotions run high.
When betrayal strikes in unexpected places, Amaia and her allies must face a harrowing truth: the line between ally and enemy has never been thinner.
In this world, survival comes at a price. The question is, how much are they willing to pay?
Covert Province may have claimed victory at Monterey, but Amaia and her found family refuse to surrender the war. Bound by sacrifices of life, limb, and love, they now face their greatest challenge yet—deciding if doing the right thing is worth losing their humanity.
With refugees flooding The Compound and new responsibilities weighing heavily on her shoulders, Amaia must rely on her fractured family more than ever. Yet trust is a fragile currency. Ronan’s demands for peace come with impossible conditions: crush a growing rebellion and supply resources at his whim.
A shocking reunion shatters their fragile equilibrium, exposing buried secrets and shifting loyalties. Amidst the chaos, Amaia and Alexiares grow closer, families form in the most perilous moments, and tensions flare as emotions run high.
When betrayal strikes in unexpected places, Amaia and her allies must face a harrowing truth: the line between ally and enemy has never been thinner.
In this world, survival comes at a price. The question is, how much are they willing to pay?
Paperback
Published May 22, 2025
11 people are currently reading
166 people want to read
About the author
Nelle Nikole
8 books159 followersNelle Nikole, a California native now based in Atlanta, has been writing thrilling stories since her early days in elementary school. With a background in Anthropology, Nelle’s passion for understanding diverse cultures took her on research journeys to Rio de Janeiro and Cuba. Her love for knowledge didn’t stop there—she later earned a Master’s degree in Public Policy, which fuels the complex societal themes in her writing. Nelle is the author of two gripping series: the Kuxtal Academy series and a separate dystopian fantasy romance series, featuring Rising, Echoes of War, and Before Their After, Ashes of Honor. Through powerful themes of survival, morality, and human resilience, her work resonates deeply with readers from all walks of life. Nelle finds herself inspired by all things fantasy, apocalyptic and anything in between. When she’s not writing, Nelle enjoys life with her husband Ben.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
May 25, 2025
Book 3 in the world of the zombie apocalypse with magic-wielding characters, but I wish there was more of the actual ~magic~ in this story.
This was one of my anticipated reads of 2025 since falling in love with the second book last year. After investing time into reading these books and getting to know these characters, I was left unsatisfied in the end.
While I did love the aspect of the found family in the first two books, picking this up a year after the second one & trying to remember all of the characters was rough. There were just too many to keep track of. Then there was more that kept getting added, or old ones that I thought we were done with that ended up spinning the block!!!! LORD!!!! I did not like all the different POV's. For this story I felt It was unnecessary and complicated my reading experience. It would have been much better written in third person.
Also, the smut was oddly placed in this book. Sorry author but I do not want to read about Riley and Yasmin getting it on. WHO. CARES. If there’s going to be romance or smut in this book, I would have preferred it to focus on Amaia & Alexei. Let them get their lil pockets of happiness where they can in that goddamn apocalyptic ass world of theirs since they sacrifice so much for others.
So then Amaia died. Okay, fine. But why deprive the readers of seeing how her found family grieved her and carried on without her? What the world was like after the dust had settled & there wasn't the constant threat of war looming in the background. In the first two books, Amaia’s love for Jax & Preston is clear, she fought tooth & nail to make sure their dreams for the compound would come to fruition. A great conclusion to her ending in this book would have been her found family picking up her torch and finally reaping the benefits of their motto "compound comes first." Without that, it felt like being robbed!!!!!! The current epilogue is just GUTTER!!! After all that happened, you really think the readers want to see a damned wedding. Bffr.
I don't have a problem with Amaia dying - in fact, this is terrible of me but I wish more of the characters would die in the books that I read. Jk but no- there had to be an end to the conflict somehow but it's just the way she died that I did not like. It felt so abrupt to me. So with all that being said, I rate this 3 stars. My love for the second book is carrying this review on its back really.
This was one of my anticipated reads of 2025 since falling in love with the second book last year. After investing time into reading these books and getting to know these characters, I was left unsatisfied in the end.
While I did love the aspect of the found family in the first two books, picking this up a year after the second one & trying to remember all of the characters was rough. There were just too many to keep track of. Then there was more that kept getting added, or old ones that I thought we were done with that ended up spinning the block!!!! LORD!!!! I did not like all the different POV's. For this story I felt It was unnecessary and complicated my reading experience. It would have been much better written in third person.
Also, the smut was oddly placed in this book. Sorry author but I do not want to read about Riley and Yasmin getting it on. WHO. CARES. If there’s going to be romance or smut in this book, I would have preferred it to focus on Amaia & Alexei. Let them get their lil pockets of happiness where they can in that goddamn apocalyptic ass world of theirs since they sacrifice so much for others.
So then Amaia died. Okay, fine. But why deprive the readers of seeing how her found family grieved her and carried on without her? What the world was like after the dust had settled & there wasn't the constant threat of war looming in the background. In the first two books, Amaia’s love for Jax & Preston is clear, she fought tooth & nail to make sure their dreams for the compound would come to fruition. A great conclusion to her ending in this book would have been her found family picking up her torch and finally reaping the benefits of their motto "compound comes first." Without that, it felt like being robbed!!!!!! The current epilogue is just GUTTER!!! After all that happened, you really think the readers want to see a damned wedding. Bffr.
I don't have a problem with Amaia dying - in fact, this is terrible of me but I wish more of the characters would die in the books that I read. Jk but no- there had to be an end to the conflict somehow but it's just the way she died that I did not like. It felt so abrupt to me. So with all that being said, I rate this 3 stars. My love for the second book is carrying this review on its back really.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 28, 2025
Let's talk about the ending first, because I think it was almost perfect. It was soo true to Amaia and who she was as a person, because even though as general she always spoke of "Compound first", in her heart it was always "Family first", which is exactly what made her soo lovable. I only wished for the ending to be a bit longer, it felt a little cut short with all that build up of the last book and this one. (The second reason for the "almost" is in the spoiler down below)
I loved Amaia's dynamic with Alexiares; the bond with Riley was unmatched; the connection with her sisters Reina and Moe sooo deeply characterized by love and her relationship with everyone else was just so focused on their safety and wellbeing. Alexiares and Amaia were the perfect match for each other, allowing the other to show weakness as well as letting them feel everything to the point of either rage-fueled sex or mass-unaliving people like a psycho power couple.
Amaia suffered through soo much, as has everyone else, but I think thats part of why she killed Ronan Moore the way she did. Because she wanted to make sure he felt her pain and know it was her that caused it and beat him. I'm a big dystopian girly so this was fun, especially with the added magic aspect, the undead and the mutations.
Little RAGE SPOILER about the bonus chapter:
In all honesty I did not care about a trip down memory lane for the wedding, I cared about seeing what the Compound and the Family did with the opportunity Amaia gave them. Or about how they each coped with her death, if they stuck together or if her death took a piece of everyone in a way they couldn't look at each other without falling apart.
I loved Amaia's dynamic with Alexiares; the bond with Riley was unmatched; the connection with her sisters Reina and Moe sooo deeply characterized by love and her relationship with everyone else was just so focused on their safety and wellbeing. Alexiares and Amaia were the perfect match for each other, allowing the other to show weakness as well as letting them feel everything to the point of either rage-fueled sex or mass-unaliving people like a psycho power couple.
Amaia suffered through soo much, as has everyone else, but I think thats part of why she killed Ronan Moore the way she did. Because she wanted to make sure he felt her pain and know it was her that caused it and beat him. I'm a big dystopian girly so this was fun, especially with the added magic aspect, the undead and the mutations.
Little RAGE SPOILER about the bonus chapter:
In all honesty I did not care about a trip down memory lane for the wedding, I cared about seeing what the Compound and the Family did with the opportunity Amaia gave them. Or about how they each coped with her death, if they stuck together or if her death took a piece of everyone in a way they couldn't look at each other without falling apart.
May 22, 2025
OH GOSH IM SUPPOSED TO WRITE A REVIEW RN IN MY STATE OKAY OKAY
—Action
—Vengeance
—Epic Team Ups
—Morally Grey Suicide Squad on steroids
Mix that all together and it’s not even close to the chaos greatness that this was. My neck was firmly stepped on and pushed into the gas pedal this whole novel. I feel like I’m still inhaling the same breath and I’m still too scared to release it. Wow. Just wow. I’m glad theres another book cause I need another, like preferably now after that ending that would be mighty helpful.
Thank you for the ARC Nelle. I appreciate it even with the roller coaster of emotions I faced 🫶🏼
—Action
—Vengeance
—Epic Team Ups
—Morally Grey Suicide Squad on steroids
Mix that all together and it’s not even close to the chaos greatness that this was. My neck was firmly stepped on and pushed into the gas pedal this whole novel. I feel like I’m still inhaling the same breath and I’m still too scared to release it. Wow. Just wow. I’m glad theres another book cause I need another, like preferably now after that ending that would be mighty helpful.
Thank you for the ARC Nelle. I appreciate it even with the roller coaster of emotions I faced 🫶🏼
May 18, 2025
Agghhhh I loved this! The character growth was awesome in a way that makes you want to scream at them. They are in the middle of war and that is not all sunshine and rainbows but the way she wove in the moments of happiness and the found family of it all it felt really genuine. The ending???? Goodbyeeeeee where are you taking us you best make it right!!!!! I can’t wait to see what happens.
May 14, 2025
I don't even have words! 😩 I'm so happy I was able to receive the e-arc for this book
Each character holds a special place in my heart and I just can't with the cliffhanger.... please tell me there will be more!?
Dystopian genre has always been a favorite of mine but you pair that with some Walking Dead and The Last of Us; this story really doesn't miss, checked off all of the boxes.
Oh, I cried myself into a headache the last 60 pages of this books so be prepared to have your heart ripped from your chest 😬
Each character holds a special place in my heart and I just can't with the cliffhanger.... please tell me there will be more!?
Dystopian genre has always been a favorite of mine but you pair that with some Walking Dead and The Last of Us; this story really doesn't miss, checked off all of the boxes.
Oh, I cried myself into a headache the last 60 pages of this books so be prepared to have your heart ripped from your chest 😬
August 17, 2025
Dedicated to all the girls who find themselves saying, “Fuck it, I’ll do it myself.”THIS. BOOK! Nelle gives us everything in this book & yet, I’ll always want more, more, more when it comes to the Misfits. Like, she starts the book detailing city planning & management as The Monterey Compound expands, & then ends the book with a battle unlike anything the Misfits have seen.
This is a story about hope and destruction.
The cost of love is grief.
I was tired of saying, “When this is over.” Alexiares was right. It never would be. Humanity had many chances to get things right. To act like we had some damn sense... We are what we always have been. Savages... The strong survived, yes, but the weak weren’t forgotten. Their stories were still told—just from a different angle. A carefully crafted one. Educational. Meant to enlighten. To indoctrinate. That was the other thing about humans. We were creatures of habit. There were three things that decided what we did every day: eat, shit, and sleep. One break in that routine, and it affected the others. The cost of one without the other two? A hell in which only savages could prevail.What a freaking JOURNEY we go on in these 650+ pages! As with her other work, I’m in total awe of Nelle’s talent & this book is no exception. My brain usually wonders obscure things while reading like “how do you get running water in the apocalypse?” or “what kinds of infrastructure are necessary to maintain once society as we know it ends?” She addresses all of that & then some. I mean, explaining the economic system, describing how to create a new “post-apocalyptic” curriculum for young minds, relying on the best battle plans from history to aide in the strategy of today... Nelle navigates this nuance brilliantly. I never feel lost & I never feel like there’s information I’m missing.
The girl I once was, carefree and optimistic … she had turned into a monster somehow, somewhere along the way. All in the name of preservation of others. My morality for theirs... That person was never coming back. It was painful. But now, it was time for me to turn my pain into power.And her POVs are clearly defined, so even if you didn’t pay attention, it’s obvious which Misfit’s POV you’re reading since their voices are unique to their character. This level of detail & complex story/world development is what puts her storytelling a level above the rest.
My mercy only extended so far before I was tempted to ask the devil for a favor.But because this is Nelle after all, it’s not some quiet, peaceful, book that lacks action. No. Every book in this series takes you on a journey through the stages of grief.
My grief was a quiet, unrelenting ache. A slow leaking wound that was impossible to stitch. It controlled my life. Haunted me, a ghost lingering in a graveyard. Grief seeped into my everything—my thoughts, my breaths, the damned spaces between my words. No one noticed it. I couldn’t let them. They had their own shit to deal with... And maybe that’s what made it worse. The fact that it lingered. Simmered. Waited and lurked until I was so beat down, I couldn’t hide it anymore.Throw in battles with zombies, a dash of sizzling romance, & a found family that will literally go to war for one another one minute, then make morbid jokes the next.
“Every day is an opportunity to become a little more badass, wouldn’t you agree?”It’s fantastic. It’s realistic. This book is grounded in a way the others aren’t & I absolutely LOVED every single chapter... even when I was cursing Nelle’s name for putting my favorite crew in danger or screaming about something devastating.
No matter how much I wanted to believe I could, I couldn’t save everyone. God knows I would try. But somehow all that trying had done nothing but carve out this empty, hollow space inside me, and now I was too damn tired to pretend it didn’t hurt.The State of the Union series will forever be my happy place, even when it's full of carnage & heartbreak. Let me lay it out... Before Their After is the prequel: all POVs from the Band of Misfits from the day the world ended through the 5 years that followed.
...
This wasn’t who I wanted to be. But who I wanted to be wouldn’t win this war. Who I was would not help people survive. That was how war worked. You sacrificed, and you sacrificed, until the only thing left to offer was your soul.
...the world either changes you or you change the world. There is no in between. No teetering over that thin, nonexistent line to your morality. Lion or sheep. Killers and those that are killed. Predators or prey. Everyone fell into a category, especially in the middle of a fucking apocalypse.Rising is the 1st book: introducing the Misfits, the world, found family orientated, & travel cross-country. Echoes of War is the 2nd book: something fishy's going on, anticipation for coming battle, magic is tested, & more travel back across the country towards home to regroup.
“I fell in love with you because of your fire—it would be unwise of me to ask you to dim your flame.”Ashes of Honor is the 3rd book: building strategy & forging allies, battles, & testing morality during war. This is a cinematic series & this book further proves that. I cannot recommend this masterpiece more.
Something fragile in my chest broke. That fire, the very thing that drove me, suddenly felt too hot. Too destructive... “I never meant to burn you.”
...
"... I love you. Fiercely. Completely. Till the end of my days and beyond them. I thank the stars every day for you. For loving me with as much ferocity as you do—no hesitations, no fears."
"... You’re not just love to me. You’re family. You’re peace. You’re home. Annoyingly so, you also happen to be the bravest, and most reckless, person I’ve ever met. The strongest too. You throw yourself into the fire for the people you love without a second thought. You are confidence and compassion and sheer fucking ferocity all in one. And I admire every part of you.”
And yet, this was the truth of war, wasn’t it? Victory wasn’t clean—it was carved from sacrifice. Some were chosen, others stolen. And in the end, you didn’t get to feel good about it. “War doesn’t care what it takes,” I muttered to myself. “Only that you’re willing to pay the price.” ... Today was what the history books would claim a victory. But victory wasn’t supposed to feel like this. It wasn’t supposed to taste like ash.
June 21, 2025
📚BOOK REVIEW 📚
⭐️Goodread Rating: 4.72/5⭐️
💫My Rating: 4.5/5 💫
Rounded up for Goodreads
⚠️Trigger Warnings ⚠️
Graphic Language; Addiction, Alcoholism, and Recovery; Death/Violence; Explicit Sexual Content; Mentions of Forcible Breeding and Forcible Experimentation; General Wartime Atrocities; Human Experimentation;Mentions of Torture (past); War; War Crimes
📝My Review📝
The thrilling adventure continues in Nelle Nikole’s third installment of the State of the Union Series. Our favorite characters continue their tedious journey of war within “The After”. This is a novel that I would highly recommend reading after you have read the first two books in the series, which are The Rising (book1) and Echos of War (Book 2). It has been awhile since I have read the prior novels, so it did take a few chapters to remember where the last book ended. However, you will not be disappointed if you choose to put your time and energy into this series as it is well worth it!
Through the multiple POVs within this thrilling and haunting dystopian world, unfolds the story of individuals who rise like a phoenix from the ashes of loss and tragedy. With love, comes the inevitable grief. You cannot have one without the other, especially in the time of war. None of the MCs have been unscathed by love and grief. In these troubling times, our MCs struggle to navigate these emotions within themselves, but they also struggle to support, trust, and guide one another throughout the journey. Due to war leaving very limited time to process, each character is often met with some form of resistance and hurt. In addition, hard and strategic decisions must be made if they want to regain the upper hand in this war. Ethics, boundaries, and humanity are consistently being challenged within themselves and amongst others.
As a reader, you also will not be left unscathed as Nikole has depicted each experience with raw, vivid emotions that will immerse you in the morbid world of “The After”. In full disclosure, this book did take me longer to read not because of the quality, but how realistic and relatable it felt in relation to today’s world. If you are one who is struggling with today’s current events, this book may be triggering at some points due to the comprehension that Nikole demonstrates in her story building and narrative writing. However, I would not discount this book as it is phenomenally written and is quite enjoyable when you are in a good head space, but even in a good head space you will not be completely invincible to all the distress, anguish, and heartbreak. I was not necessarily surprised by some of the characters' actions at the end, but Nikole did leave it on a good cliffhanger that will make you yearn for book 4.
If you enjoy dystopian romance with elements of magic and strong character development, Nelle Nikole's State of the Union series , is just the series for you! Just make sure you start at book 1, The Rising,and not book 3, Ashes of Honor.
Follow me for more reviews! Coming Soon: -Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros
-When Hearts Remember
-Unbound By Shadows
🤍Thanks to Nelle Nikole for trusting me with their novel in return for my personal review.
⭐️Goodread Rating: 4.72/5⭐️
💫My Rating: 4.5/5 💫
Rounded up for Goodreads
⚠️Trigger Warnings ⚠️
Graphic Language; Addiction, Alcoholism, and Recovery; Death/Violence; Explicit Sexual Content; Mentions of Forcible Breeding and Forcible Experimentation; General Wartime Atrocities; Human Experimentation;Mentions of Torture (past); War; War Crimes
📝My Review📝
The thrilling adventure continues in Nelle Nikole’s third installment of the State of the Union Series. Our favorite characters continue their tedious journey of war within “The After”. This is a novel that I would highly recommend reading after you have read the first two books in the series, which are The Rising (book1) and Echos of War (Book 2). It has been awhile since I have read the prior novels, so it did take a few chapters to remember where the last book ended. However, you will not be disappointed if you choose to put your time and energy into this series as it is well worth it!
Through the multiple POVs within this thrilling and haunting dystopian world, unfolds the story of individuals who rise like a phoenix from the ashes of loss and tragedy. With love, comes the inevitable grief. You cannot have one without the other, especially in the time of war. None of the MCs have been unscathed by love and grief. In these troubling times, our MCs struggle to navigate these emotions within themselves, but they also struggle to support, trust, and guide one another throughout the journey. Due to war leaving very limited time to process, each character is often met with some form of resistance and hurt. In addition, hard and strategic decisions must be made if they want to regain the upper hand in this war. Ethics, boundaries, and humanity are consistently being challenged within themselves and amongst others.
As a reader, you also will not be left unscathed as Nikole has depicted each experience with raw, vivid emotions that will immerse you in the morbid world of “The After”. In full disclosure, this book did take me longer to read not because of the quality, but how realistic and relatable it felt in relation to today’s world. If you are one who is struggling with today’s current events, this book may be triggering at some points due to the comprehension that Nikole demonstrates in her story building and narrative writing. However, I would not discount this book as it is phenomenally written and is quite enjoyable when you are in a good head space, but even in a good head space you will not be completely invincible to all the distress, anguish, and heartbreak. I was not necessarily surprised by some of the characters' actions at the end, but Nikole did leave it on a good cliffhanger that will make you yearn for book 4.
If you enjoy dystopian romance with elements of magic and strong character development, Nelle Nikole's State of the Union series , is just the series for you! Just make sure you start at book 1, The Rising,and not book 3, Ashes of Honor.
Follow me for more reviews! Coming Soon: -Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros
-When Hearts Remember
-Unbound By Shadows
🤍Thanks to Nelle Nikole for trusting me with their novel in return for my personal review.
August 29, 2025
I want to start off thanking Nelle for sending me a copy of this book!
I really felt all the characters had such development and growth in this book. I feel this book really felt realistic, the characters are going through war but it is handled in such a way that you felt you were on the journey with them. It showed that not all stories have unicorns and rainbows. It showed the hard truth of being at war and going through hard times. There was still happy moments and even though they experienced tough times they still got through it! Showing strength and resilience.
The version of "zombies" in this series are equally terrifying and intriguing. I know I mentioned it in the pervious book of the series but there is no dystopian/zombie book quite like this. I liked how the characters interacted with each other and their goal. I was right there with them!!
I'm trying very hard to not say spoilers! So I won't dive too deep into the plot but I will say this series has a hold on me and I need to know what happens next! I love Nelle's writing and feel she is such a talented author and deserves so much praise! The guides at the start including name pronunciation, magic guide and the playlist were brilliant too! Even the Pinterest guide to have an idea of how the characters looked. I always appreciated when that is in a book, it really shows how much work and effort an author has put into their work to include these things along side the story. Also if you know me you know how much I love a map in a book! The message to Harley was the sweetest it really warmed my heart. And the dedication?? I SAY YES WE GOT THIS!!
Thank you again Nelle 💜
I really felt all the characters had such development and growth in this book. I feel this book really felt realistic, the characters are going through war but it is handled in such a way that you felt you were on the journey with them. It showed that not all stories have unicorns and rainbows. It showed the hard truth of being at war and going through hard times. There was still happy moments and even though they experienced tough times they still got through it! Showing strength and resilience.
The version of "zombies" in this series are equally terrifying and intriguing. I know I mentioned it in the pervious book of the series but there is no dystopian/zombie book quite like this. I liked how the characters interacted with each other and their goal. I was right there with them!!
I'm trying very hard to not say spoilers! So I won't dive too deep into the plot but I will say this series has a hold on me and I need to know what happens next! I love Nelle's writing and feel she is such a talented author and deserves so much praise! The guides at the start including name pronunciation, magic guide and the playlist were brilliant too! Even the Pinterest guide to have an idea of how the characters looked. I always appreciated when that is in a book, it really shows how much work and effort an author has put into their work to include these things along side the story. Also if you know me you know how much I love a map in a book! The message to Harley was the sweetest it really warmed my heart. And the dedication?? I SAY YES WE GOT THIS!!
Thank you again Nelle 💜
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 14, 2025
Blood-curdling and unnerving, to say the least. Grisly and spine-tingling. So. Much. More. Horror. More gore. More death. I was simultaneously loving it and terrified out of my mind.
The romance and heartfelt scenes? Equally intense. Every single character poured out raw emotions: joy, grief, love, rage, and they all hit hard. And the Pansies (zombies)? Somehow even more terrifying than before. Yes, there’s a Walking Dead vibe, but HOLY HELL these things are as if World War Z and I Am Legend had a zombie lovechild. Terrifying doesn’t even begin to cover it.
You know that trend: “The last book you read is the world you’re now stuck in”? Yeah, screw that. I would NOT want to be stuck here. I don’t care if I had all the elemental powers—that’s a hard pass from me.
I thought I was ready for whatever book three had in store. Yeah… no. I was absolutely NOT prepared. Internally screaming, crouched in a corner, and gently rocking myself trying to process the emotional rollercoaster this book just hurled me through. And seriously, are you kidding me!? *sighs* I genuinely don't know how I'm supposed to survive this uncertainty. I need book 4 now.
Anyway… go read this book so we can suffer together and bond over the shared trauma it just inflicted. Misery loves company, and this will give us peak book trauma bonding.
Thank you so much, Nelle Nikole, for the ARC. I absolutely LOOOOVE this series. All opinions of this review are my own.
The romance and heartfelt scenes? Equally intense. Every single character poured out raw emotions: joy, grief, love, rage, and they all hit hard. And the Pansies (zombies)? Somehow even more terrifying than before. Yes, there’s a Walking Dead vibe, but HOLY HELL these things are as if World War Z and I Am Legend had a zombie lovechild. Terrifying doesn’t even begin to cover it.
You know that trend: “The last book you read is the world you’re now stuck in”? Yeah, screw that. I would NOT want to be stuck here. I don’t care if I had all the elemental powers—that’s a hard pass from me.
I thought I was ready for whatever book three had in store. Yeah… no. I was absolutely NOT prepared. Internally screaming, crouched in a corner, and gently rocking myself trying to process the emotional rollercoaster this book just hurled me through. And seriously, are you kidding me!? *sighs* I genuinely don't know how I'm supposed to survive this uncertainty. I need book 4 now.
Anyway… go read this book so we can suffer together and bond over the shared trauma it just inflicted. Misery loves company, and this will give us peak book trauma bonding.
Thank you so much, Nelle Nikole, for the ARC. I absolutely LOOOOVE this series. All opinions of this review are my own.
December 29, 2025
I need everyone to go read this series immediately !
I was kept on my toes and intrigued on the story line the whole time, and there were so many twists and turns. The way this book deals with so many things such as morality vs mortality, grief, mental health, addiction and what you’re willing to do to survive is so well done.
The politics and how we must learn from history - incredibly relevant to today.
Nikole in her writing will make you feel everything so deeply, and this whole series will put you through the wringer emotionally, so come prepared. But you'll be happy about it. :D
Nikole's State of the Union series also has by far one of my fave found families, and all the characters we love are real, flawed and relatable. Reina has one of my favourite character arcs ever. I also love the magic system in this series - both the magic system and the pansies (zombies), are part of what make this dystopian series unique. And the slow burn romance is absolutely delicious (and I’m obsessed with Alexi). The FMC Amaia is a bad ass and I love her and proud of how far her character came through out the series. The way this book ended was diabolical, and I have been trying to be patient as possible waiting for the fourth and final book!
I was kept on my toes and intrigued on the story line the whole time, and there were so many twists and turns. The way this book deals with so many things such as morality vs mortality, grief, mental health, addiction and what you’re willing to do to survive is so well done.
The politics and how we must learn from history - incredibly relevant to today.
Nikole in her writing will make you feel everything so deeply, and this whole series will put you through the wringer emotionally, so come prepared. But you'll be happy about it. :D
Nikole's State of the Union series also has by far one of my fave found families, and all the characters we love are real, flawed and relatable. Reina has one of my favourite character arcs ever. I also love the magic system in this series - both the magic system and the pansies (zombies), are part of what make this dystopian series unique. And the slow burn romance is absolutely delicious (and I’m obsessed with Alexi). The FMC Amaia is a bad ass and I love her and proud of how far her character came through out the series. The way this book ended was diabolical, and I have been trying to be patient as possible waiting for the fourth and final book!
May 7, 2025
I was not ready for the emotional roller coaster this book took me on. I had my heart broken then put back together just to shatter it the next time. It’s been fun and empowering to see Amaia grow and morph into not just who she is comfortable being, but who she needs to be… all while trying to stay true to who she wants to be.
I would have liked more from the ending, but it could simply be I want more of the book to keep reading. I am not ready for it to be over yet and the idea of waiting for the final book is adding to that heart break.
Nelle is a fantastic writer who has a very special way of making her characters relatable and real. Thank you for the diversity, from race to sexuality to something as simple as people’s diets. Writing addiction into a character and not make the entire story line about their addiction takes skill.
The only thing that would have made this a better read is if we got a little more spice. Alexiares is the kind of book boyfriend I want to hear more about!
I would have liked more from the ending, but it could simply be I want more of the book to keep reading. I am not ready for it to be over yet and the idea of waiting for the final book is adding to that heart break.
Nelle is a fantastic writer who has a very special way of making her characters relatable and real. Thank you for the diversity, from race to sexuality to something as simple as people’s diets. Writing addiction into a character and not make the entire story line about their addiction takes skill.
The only thing that would have made this a better read is if we got a little more spice. Alexiares is the kind of book boyfriend I want to hear more about!
May 19, 2025
One thing about Nelle Nikole is that she will put her readers and her characters THROUGH IT when it comes to the State of the Union series. This has become my favorite one in the series because of Nikole’s writing, the growth and complexity of every character, and the events that take place. There are side characters that have more page time that will rip your heart out, along with the main characters of course. Meanwhile those Pansies? They seem to be getting scarier and scarier.
As with every installment of this series, you will go through all the stages of grief, you will have moments of joy, you will be betrayed and hurt, you will be scared for everyone, you will be angry, and you will be messed up by the end and want more.
What more can I say? Because I’m a little speechless to be honest. I needed a moment to recover from this one. haha If you haven’t read this series yet, why haven’t you? Don’t miss out.
Thank you to Nelle for giving me an ARC copy to review.
As with every installment of this series, you will go through all the stages of grief, you will have moments of joy, you will be betrayed and hurt, you will be scared for everyone, you will be angry, and you will be messed up by the end and want more.
What more can I say? Because I’m a little speechless to be honest. I needed a moment to recover from this one. haha If you haven’t read this series yet, why haven’t you? Don’t miss out.
Thank you to Nelle for giving me an ARC copy to review.
May 24, 2025
Ashes of Honor is the third book in the State of the Union series. It’s an action packed diverse dystopian fantasy romance that you won’t want to put down. I have been loving this series so far and this book was a great addition to the series. The book is told in multi pov and continues where book 2 left off. This book is dark and war themed with magic elements and zombies. The character development and plot were very well written and executed. This book took me through so many emotions. I was up, down, scared, mad, sad, frustrated, and inspired. The journey showcased the strength, resilience, and determination of these characters. I loved the bonds that these characters created with one another. This was a read worth the heart palpitations.
Themes & Tropes:
🩶Dystopian Fantasy
🤍Enemies to Lovers
🖤Magical Elements
🩶Badass FMC
🤍Good Vs. Evil
🖤Slow Burn
🩶Found Family
Overall, loved this read. ❤️ If you are seeking a well written dystopia romance, I highly recommend giving this series a try!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Themes & Tropes:
🩶Dystopian Fantasy
🤍Enemies to Lovers
🖤Magical Elements
🩶Badass FMC
🤍Good Vs. Evil
🖤Slow Burn
🩶Found Family
Overall, loved this read. ❤️ If you are seeking a well written dystopia romance, I highly recommend giving this series a try!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
May 24, 2025
WHAT. THE. HELL?!
how am I supposed to function now, after that intense, emotional, heart shattering ending?!
AND THE CLIFFHANGER
I don't even know what to really say about this book without spoiling anything, but OMG!
I was absolutely not prepared for what unfolded. Was I prepared for some intenese craziness...of course.
Was I prepared for some emotional painful wreckage, yes.
but I was NOT prepared for heart stopping, completely shattering pain in those last 30 pages or so.
The build up to what unfolded was intense.
and than BAM, all hell breaks loose and you don't know what just happened. you're sitting there like 😱😮😭
in desperate need of the next and final book, because Nelle, ma'am, that cliffhanger was brutal.
but seriously, add this series to your tbr. don't let my pain scare you away. 🤣
thank you Nelle for allowing me to arc read. 🫶🏻
how am I supposed to function now, after that intense, emotional, heart shattering ending?!
AND THE CLIFFHANGER
I don't even know what to really say about this book without spoiling anything, but OMG!
I was absolutely not prepared for what unfolded. Was I prepared for some intenese craziness...of course.
Was I prepared for some emotional painful wreckage, yes.
but I was NOT prepared for heart stopping, completely shattering pain in those last 30 pages or so.
The build up to what unfolded was intense.
and than BAM, all hell breaks loose and you don't know what just happened. you're sitting there like 😱😮😭
in desperate need of the next and final book, because Nelle, ma'am, that cliffhanger was brutal.
but seriously, add this series to your tbr. don't let my pain scare you away. 🤣
thank you Nelle for allowing me to arc read. 🫶🏻
May 22, 2025
I received this as an Advanced Reader Copy, but this review is honest and voluntary.
I love the way this series has evolved. The complexity of the war and the strategy and the moving pieces are so interesting to watch. What keeps me coming back are the characters. The human element in this world of zombies and magic is the best part. Seeing people still want to love and live and plan for a future is what it's all about. And when an evil threatens that, these people will go to the ends of the earth to protect their loved ones and keep hope alive for the future.
This one ends on a cliffhanger and a half! I am so curious how this next book (the final in the series) will go! Nelle hold no punches in this one, and I had a great time reading it.
I love the way this series has evolved. The complexity of the war and the strategy and the moving pieces are so interesting to watch. What keeps me coming back are the characters. The human element in this world of zombies and magic is the best part. Seeing people still want to love and live and plan for a future is what it's all about. And when an evil threatens that, these people will go to the ends of the earth to protect their loved ones and keep hope alive for the future.
This one ends on a cliffhanger and a half! I am so curious how this next book (the final in the series) will go! Nelle hold no punches in this one, and I had a great time reading it.
May 13, 2025
One more to go!
The war is heating up. Allies. Enemies. Can the different territories follow the general
and work together to end Ronan and Covert? Can they pull it off? Battles with weapons and magic. And a look at behind the scenes of a war. There are no real winners, even if one side wins. And we have a glimpse into the struggle a leader goes through when making decisions in war.
This series is so good and depicting life after an apocalyptic event. With zombies. And mad scientists. And death. And betrayal. And love. And kindness.
And that ending!!!
The war is heating up. Allies. Enemies. Can the different territories follow the general
and work together to end Ronan and Covert? Can they pull it off? Battles with weapons and magic. And a look at behind the scenes of a war. There are no real winners, even if one side wins. And we have a glimpse into the struggle a leader goes through when making decisions in war.
This series is so good and depicting life after an apocalyptic event. With zombies. And mad scientists. And death. And betrayal. And love. And kindness.
And that ending!!!
June 1, 2025
you’re kidding right?😭
Im gonna start sobbing. Someone say sike RN.
This book was beyond good. It is on the longer side but it’s worth it. There’s so many layers to this book & I truly love that we get pov’s from every character.
I really enjoyed the dystopian plot in general. I feel lost now that I’ve finished this book.
lYou are confidence and compassion and sheer fucking ferocity all in one. And I admire every part of you.” Probably one of my fav quotes in this book. I love when Amaia calls Alexi where sun, moon & infinity😭
Im gonna start sobbing. Someone say sike RN.
This book was beyond good. It is on the longer side but it’s worth it. There’s so many layers to this book & I truly love that we get pov’s from every character.
I really enjoyed the dystopian plot in general. I feel lost now that I’ve finished this book.
lYou are confidence and compassion and sheer fucking ferocity all in one. And I admire every part of you.” Probably one of my fav quotes in this book. I love when Amaia calls Alexi where sun, moon & infinity😭
July 25, 2025
I love this book and this world but the heartbreak is too much sometimes 🥲🖤 I’m still into it, but I’m a sucker for an HEA and not having one takes away the some of the love I feel for a book sometimes - even when it’s appropriate and can make sense/ fit the storyline. I can only hope there’s some wild ass miracle in the one more book we have left to heal my sadness at this ending haha.
Ugh. I’ll read it regardless who am I kidding.
The rest of the book was great, it was nice to see those relationships unfold and the old/new characters appear.
I’ll always highly reccomend Nelles books!
Ugh. I’ll read it regardless who am I kidding.
The rest of the book was great, it was nice to see those relationships unfold and the old/new characters appear.
I’ll always highly reccomend Nelles books!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 24, 2025
EXCUSE ME NELLE what did you just do to me???
That book was such a rollercoaster. There was healing and recovery, BETRAYAL, more heartbreak, and lots of action. I’m so obsessed with the found family in this book. That last 15% had my heart racing the entire time! I can already tell that book 4 is gonna be wild and I cannot wait!
Thank you so much to Nelle for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!
That book was such a rollercoaster. There was healing and recovery, BETRAYAL, more heartbreak, and lots of action. I’m so obsessed with the found family in this book. That last 15% had my heart racing the entire time! I can already tell that book 4 is gonna be wild and I cannot wait!
Thank you so much to Nelle for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!
May 19, 2025
I absolutely cannot deal right now. This book really pulled out all emotions. So much pain, heartache, betrayal, anger, desperation, loss, blood, gore, death; my heart literally hurts. Nelle Nikole is officially in TIME OUT until further notice because I can't.
Seriously at a loss for words.
Fix it Nelle.....FIX IT!!! LOL!!!!!
Seriously at a loss for words.
Fix it Nelle.....FIX IT!!! LOL!!!!!
May 25, 2025
I literally have no words… this book made me like Finely a little bit after hating her for so long! I am still in shock from what I read in AOH and still have not processed a damn thing! I need the next book ASAP! The ending????? THE ENDING!? Nelle come on girl you can’t keep breaking my heart like this!!!
June 17, 2025
I’m fine. No really I’m fine. Nelle what are you doing to my poor heart. I loved this book. The world has gotten so big and scary and I know no one is ever safe and that makes every second of this book exciting. These characters are strong and yet so flawed and I love them for working through it all in their own way. The ending. Sure. Yeah. That’s fine. 😶
July 22, 2025
The best book in the series so far. While the emotion doesn’t hit the same fever pitch as book 2, the big picture questions of authoritarianism vs democracy, us vs them, and the moral relativism of a world without law and order really make you think in a whole new way. If you love war strategy, you won’t want to miss out on this book!
May 5, 2025
An emotional wild ride. I thought I knew what was coming and had no idea. The way Nelle writes these characters is a thing of beauty. Now I need book 4, but maybe some therapy to recover first. Absolutely amazing.
May 20, 2025
Now that I’ve had time to recover.
What. A. Masterpiece.
This series is so underrated.
Thank you so much Nelle for the ARC.
The stakes are much higher. I genuinely didn’t know who would be safe. I was scared there’d be a pansie attack at any given moment. And now we have super pansies!?! Like it had me scared, shook, panicking!!!
And I lived for the tender moments between Amaia and Alexiares. The romance is done so well it’s believable within the harsh world they’re in.
But my god, as perfect as this was… THAT ENDING!!!??!!!!!!
NELLE WHAT DO YOU MEAN!?!?!?!
I’m upset!!!!
I will be licking my wounds until book 4 is out. But do yourself a favor and read this series IMMEDIATELY.
What. A. Masterpiece.
This series is so underrated.
Thank you so much Nelle for the ARC.
The stakes are much higher. I genuinely didn’t know who would be safe. I was scared there’d be a pansie attack at any given moment. And now we have super pansies!?! Like it had me scared, shook, panicking!!!
And I lived for the tender moments between Amaia and Alexiares. The romance is done so well it’s believable within the harsh world they’re in.
But my god, as perfect as this was… THAT ENDING!!!??!!!!!!
NELLE WHAT DO YOU MEAN!?!?!?!
I’m upset!!!!
I will be licking my wounds until book 4 is out. But do yourself a favor and read this series IMMEDIATELY.
May 25, 2025
ARC REVIEW
Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice:🌶️🌶️🌶️
OMG NELLE NIKOLE YOU DID YOUR BIG ONE WITH YOUR BOOK OMG MIND BLOWN.
Firstly I would love to thank you for giving me the opportunity to read Ashes of honor like after reading the other two books I highly recommend others to give the book a read.
Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice:🌶️🌶️🌶️
OMG NELLE NIKOLE YOU DID YOUR BIG ONE WITH YOUR BOOK OMG MIND BLOWN.
Firstly I would love to thank you for giving me the opportunity to read Ashes of honor like after reading the other two books I highly recommend others to give the book a read.
May 22, 2025
I got an arc, but my rating/review are my own!
I need to process ...
review coming soon...
I need to process ...
review coming soon...
July 30, 2025
OMG!!!! THAT ENDING!!!!!! Holy cliffhanger!!!! I am so distraught, I need the next book immediately 😭😭
Such a roller coaster of emotions!!!!
Such a roller coaster of emotions!!!!
May 21, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
🌶️.5/5
“The hero in our story is a villain in the next,”
🔥Dystopian
🖤Fantasy/Magic
🔥War/Politics
🖤Badass FMC
🔥Found Family
Are you looking for a dystopian story with badass diverse characters and elemental powers?? This series is for you! I love dystopian and zombies stories and this one just hits a little different than most. The complex character dynamics with the added magic system just make the post apocalyptic world that much more interesting. If you’ve read the rest of this series already, just know this book continues the chaos and intensity of the previous books. You’ll get to see all your favorite characters continue to navigate the complex world and may be swearing a little (or a lot) at the end of the book. Can’t wait for the next one!
& these quotes with the current political environment just hit a lot harder 🔥🔥🔥
“All of it is right here! Documented. Thousands of years of warnings, lessons, obvious fucking patterns—wasting trees, ink, people’s time. And for what? For us to keep repeating the same goddamn mistakes.”
🖤
“You don’t get to rewrite history just because you don’t like how it’ll make you look.”
🖤
“Facts can’t be biased, Ronan. They’re just facts.”
🌶️.5/5
“The hero in our story is a villain in the next,”
🔥Dystopian
🖤Fantasy/Magic
🔥War/Politics
🖤Badass FMC
🔥Found Family
Are you looking for a dystopian story with badass diverse characters and elemental powers?? This series is for you! I love dystopian and zombies stories and this one just hits a little different than most. The complex character dynamics with the added magic system just make the post apocalyptic world that much more interesting. If you’ve read the rest of this series already, just know this book continues the chaos and intensity of the previous books. You’ll get to see all your favorite characters continue to navigate the complex world and may be swearing a little (or a lot) at the end of the book. Can’t wait for the next one!
& these quotes with the current political environment just hit a lot harder 🔥🔥🔥
“All of it is right here! Documented. Thousands of years of warnings, lessons, obvious fucking patterns—wasting trees, ink, people’s time. And for what? For us to keep repeating the same goddamn mistakes.”
🖤
“You don’t get to rewrite history just because you don’t like how it’ll make you look.”
🖤
“Facts can’t be biased, Ronan. They’re just facts.”
December 28, 2025
Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy. The following review represents my honest opinion.
The romance in this book blew me away. Even with the backdrop of an apocalypse, the characters exhibit so much humanity and love. The worldbuilding too is excellent. And the plot twist at the end?? Oh my god. What a way to leave readers wanting more! I'm on the edge of my seat for the next book!
The romance in this book blew me away. Even with the backdrop of an apocalypse, the characters exhibit so much humanity and love. The worldbuilding too is excellent. And the plot twist at the end?? Oh my god. What a way to leave readers wanting more! I'm on the edge of my seat for the next book!
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