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The Heart of Grim
Mortals cower from the Blood Moon's gaze. Monsters thrive from it.
Korbyn awakens amongst a ruined battlefield of two warring nations as the lone survivor. With no memories of his identity or past, he joins a group of monster hunters called Kendra Dawn, all while attempting to silence the strange, dark powers that begin to manifest within him.
As the war continues, Korbyn and his allies must survive amongst the lands plagued by wild creatures, war, magic, and the Blood Moon that strengthens the monstrosities that lurk beneath it.
In the midst of the chaos, an eerie voice within his mind calls out to him, reminding him of the inevitable:
"You are not meant to save."
Korbyn awakens amongst a ruined battlefield of two warring nations as the lone survivor. With no memories of his identity or past, he joins a group of monster hunters called Kendra Dawn, all while attempting to silence the strange, dark powers that begin to manifest within him.
As the war continues, Korbyn and his allies must survive amongst the lands plagued by wild creatures, war, magic, and the Blood Moon that strengthens the monstrosities that lurk beneath it.
In the midst of the chaos, an eerie voice within his mind calls out to him, reminding him of the inevitable:
"You are not meant to save."
- GenresFantasy
508 pages, Hardcover
Published July 2, 2025
26 people are currently reading
486 people want to read
About the author
Ashen Huston
1 book20 followersI am the author of The Heart of Grim, the first book in my Tales of Grim Trilogy. I'm passionate about all things fantasy, specifically action and adventure. In my free time, I'm either reading, at my favorite bookstore or playing games with my husband. I have a degree in communications and two wonderful cats named Lethe and Tobin.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
July 2, 2025
Korbyn awakens on a battlefield, surviving wounds that should have killed him, missing memories that should be there. He finds himself rescued and befriended by a group of mercenary monster hunters called The Kendra Dawn.
Caught between two waring nations Korbyn and his new allies must survive amongst the lands plagued by wild creatures, war, magic, and the Blood Moon that strengthens the monstrosities that lurk beneath it.
In the midst of the chaos, an eerie voice within his mind calls out to him, reminding him of the inevitable:
"You are not meant to save."
This is EXACTLY why I read Indie Books! Ashen does an amazing job here, the writing is lyrical and descriptive, the prose draws us in a pulls us along. The characters are lovable, relatable and fallible. The storyline is engaging throughout, I found myself adrenaline rush speed reading some chapters! Ashen gives us enough to keep us engaged and informed but certainly holds cards close to her chest, at no point did I feel totally in control of this ride 😅 I was shocked, I cried, I swooned, I hated and I would run through brick walls for some of these characters.
The Heart of Grim has Dungeons and Dragons lore with biblical garnish, monsters made stronger under the crimson light of a Blood Moon, great lore,LGBTQIA+ representation, found family and one heck of a storyline.
Caught between two waring nations Korbyn and his new allies must survive amongst the lands plagued by wild creatures, war, magic, and the Blood Moon that strengthens the monstrosities that lurk beneath it.
In the midst of the chaos, an eerie voice within his mind calls out to him, reminding him of the inevitable:
"You are not meant to save."
This is EXACTLY why I read Indie Books! Ashen does an amazing job here, the writing is lyrical and descriptive, the prose draws us in a pulls us along. The characters are lovable, relatable and fallible. The storyline is engaging throughout, I found myself adrenaline rush speed reading some chapters! Ashen gives us enough to keep us engaged and informed but certainly holds cards close to her chest, at no point did I feel totally in control of this ride 😅 I was shocked, I cried, I swooned, I hated and I would run through brick walls for some of these characters.
The Heart of Grim has Dungeons and Dragons lore with biblical garnish, monsters made stronger under the crimson light of a Blood Moon, great lore,LGBTQIA+ representation, found family and one heck of a storyline.
August 24, 2025
The little bit of patience I needed to get through the world, lore and character building at the beginning of this book paid off in spades!
I read this book between ARCs and it was like my emotional support book getting me through whatever heartache or frustration the previous book gave me until...it started to break my heart, in the best way possible.
Reading this book, I felt every emotion described. I cried! I laughed out loud, I longed, I mourned, I grumbled. Felt love, felt pity, felt anger and hatred. I was an NPC in this party's adventures.
As a DnD player, I found myself imagining what rolls the "players" made and what I think the outcome was based on the rest of the story. It added a nice little flavouring to the whole story.
I forgot that I got this book via KU when I had the trial account so when it ended and the book disappeared from my Kindle library, I panicked, thinking it was gone forever. That is how desperately I loved this book. (Yes, I realised what the issue was and purchased the ebook)
Thank you, Ashen, for writing this book and not listening to the demons in your own head.
I read this book between ARCs and it was like my emotional support book getting me through whatever heartache or frustration the previous book gave me until...it started to break my heart, in the best way possible.
Reading this book, I felt every emotion described. I cried! I laughed out loud, I longed, I mourned, I grumbled. Felt love, felt pity, felt anger and hatred. I was an NPC in this party's adventures.
As a DnD player, I found myself imagining what rolls the "players" made and what I think the outcome was based on the rest of the story. It added a nice little flavouring to the whole story.
I forgot that I got this book via KU when I had the trial account so when it ended and the book disappeared from my Kindle library, I panicked, thinking it was gone forever. That is how desperately I loved this book. (Yes, I realised what the issue was and purchased the ebook)
Thank you, Ashen, for writing this book and not listening to the demons in your own head.
July 9, 2025
This one took me out of my comfort zone — it's a dark, dreamy fairytale with heavy folklore vibes and a lyrical writing style that fantasy fans will likely love. It's not my usual go-to genre, and I found myself struggling to connect with the story at times, but I can absolutely appreciate the atmosphere and emotional depth the author poured into it.
If you enjoy moody fantasy with a touch of the eerie and poetic, this might be a hidden gem for your shelf. 🖤
If you enjoy moody fantasy with a touch of the eerie and poetic, this might be a hidden gem for your shelf. 🖤
October 30, 2025
There are books that entertain you, and then there are books that consume you - heart, mind, and soul. “The Heart of Grim” by Ashen Huston is the latter: a dark, luminous masterpiece that paints the picture of a realm trembling under the weight of faith, power, and consequence.
What makes “The Heart of Grim” so striking is how it bridges the sacred and the cinematic. You can feel the echoes of modern mythology and tabletop legend in every scene; the mix of divine lore, human struggle, and moral grayness that feels both ancient and contemporary. Angels and demons clash not just as symbols of good and evil, but as beings bound by laws, love, and loss. The faith that threads through this world feels deeply familiar, a reflection of our own belief systems reimagined through the lens of fantasy. It is a place where destiny is both holy and horrifying, and where even the righteous are forced to question their gods.
“The Heart of Grim” is a haunting meditation on what happens when divine purpose and mortal will collide. Huston’s worldbuilding is nothing short of breathtaking, complex, spiritual, and deeply human.
At the end, it’s a crescendo of pain and purpose that leaves you breathless, haunted, and desperate for book two!
What makes “The Heart of Grim” so striking is how it bridges the sacred and the cinematic. You can feel the echoes of modern mythology and tabletop legend in every scene; the mix of divine lore, human struggle, and moral grayness that feels both ancient and contemporary. Angels and demons clash not just as symbols of good and evil, but as beings bound by laws, love, and loss. The faith that threads through this world feels deeply familiar, a reflection of our own belief systems reimagined through the lens of fantasy. It is a place where destiny is both holy and horrifying, and where even the righteous are forced to question their gods.
“The Heart of Grim” is a haunting meditation on what happens when divine purpose and mortal will collide. Huston’s worldbuilding is nothing short of breathtaking, complex, spiritual, and deeply human.
At the end, it’s a crescendo of pain and purpose that leaves you breathless, haunted, and desperate for book two!
August 4, 2025
I had the pleasure of finishing Ashen's epic dark fantasy today. As a former DM from years long past, this tale had all the hallmarks of a tabletop campaign gathering brought to life. Many failed saving throws were as well as a few 1's rolled. However, the natural 20's had the same effect as they would during play. (If you know, you know)
I especially enjoyed the second half of the book, which left me yearning for more... Ashen, we need more!
I love the twists that take place and am delighted with the direction she is taking us on. Salem and Korybn's character development has their hooks in me for sure. I was not ready for a few of the revelations, and more than once yelled out, "No way!"
Well done Ashen! P.S. We need more!
I especially enjoyed the second half of the book, which left me yearning for more... Ashen, we need more!
I love the twists that take place and am delighted with the direction she is taking us on. Salem and Korybn's character development has their hooks in me for sure. I was not ready for a few of the revelations, and more than once yelled out, "No way!"
Well done Ashen! P.S. We need more!
August 13, 2025
The Heart of Grim is a Dark fantasy, dnd inspired masterpiece.
To say the author has put her heart and soul into this book is an understatement. The character and world building is phenomenal! The authors original use of magic is amazing!
Is the book perfect? No no book is ever perfect. Let alone a first release. But the book itself is very well done. I have read this book at least 6 times since I got it and I only had one issue but it was minor.
So if you want to see a Dnd inspired world filled with horror and magic. You better pick yourself up this book and give it a try! You won't regret it!
To say the author has put her heart and soul into this book is an understatement. The character and world building is phenomenal! The authors original use of magic is amazing!
Is the book perfect? No no book is ever perfect. Let alone a first release. But the book itself is very well done. I have read this book at least 6 times since I got it and I only had one issue but it was minor.
So if you want to see a Dnd inspired world filled with horror and magic. You better pick yourself up this book and give it a try! You won't regret it!
July 31, 2025
A debut novel that revels in its grimdark roots. While the writing style sometimes overly uses a thesaurus, the development of characters is excellent and forces the reader to care about these characters before breaking hearts. The author wants us to care about the characters but at no point do we feel this care will be rewarded with their safety, like George RR Martin but without his softness and willingness to let some avoid trauma.
I will absolutely look for future stories of Korbyn and Salem. Outstanding.
I will absolutely look for future stories of Korbyn and Salem. Outstanding.
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September 1, 2025I'm not sure how I'm going to rate this yet. There's good bones; if you like TTRPG's, you'll find something to like here. I enjoyed most of the characters (Veeris is loathsome, but it's supposed to be that way). The scope of the story and setting expands as time goes on, and I'm interested to see where it goes.
Unfortunately, the prose suffers from too much thesaurus. It got better towards the end, but it was hard to immerse myself in the story at times.
Unfortunately, the prose suffers from too much thesaurus. It got better towards the end, but it was hard to immerse myself in the story at times.
September 10, 2025
This was absolutely awesome!! I was hooked straight away from the start, its a beautifully dark tale of friendship, love, DEATH and of course the Grim!
The fantasy creatures/ monsters were straight fire! The fight scenes were absolutely insane, the last 100 pages are breakneck. I couldn't come up for air..
Also wanna say THAT ENDING?!?!? I NEED MORE PLS AND THANKS ASHEN.
The fantasy creatures/ monsters were straight fire! The fight scenes were absolutely insane, the last 100 pages are breakneck. I couldn't come up for air..
Also wanna say THAT ENDING?!?!? I NEED MORE PLS AND THANKS ASHEN.
September 14, 2025
Fantastic (and appropriately grim) action-packed fantasy featuring loveable characters and terrifyingly high stakes. Perfect for fans of D&D who love well-crafted lore, this story will take you on a journey that is at turns thrilling, mysterious, and devastating. I'm eagerly awaiting the next book!
January 1, 2026
Well written Dark tale of love, loyalty and friendship. The fantasy creatures were excellent.
Great fight scenes. Unexpected twists. I really enjoyed the journey.
That ending…. Ashen I need book 2!
Great fight scenes. Unexpected twists. I really enjoyed the journey.
That ending…. Ashen I need book 2!
July 8, 2025
This book grabbed my attention from the get go. The descriptive writing made me feel as if I was in the book watching everything unfold. It's definitely a must read in my opinion!
September 28, 2025
3.5 stars
July 17, 2025
“You are not meant to save.”
Ashen Huston weaves a marvelous tale of camaraderie, with all of the hallmarks of the greatest of stories. The characters are breathed to life in a way as such to leave one longing for more, as is the world and vision that is on display in this debut novel.
From hope to loss to doubt to joy. This humorous and also tragic story is one that not only should anyone who enjoys a dark tale read, but is one that any reader could pick up and fall in love with.
Despite the many reasons to relish this book however, there is one line that always draws me in with its tone, promise and threat. A line so weaved with the narrative that I doubt I will ever not feel it’s chill when reading it.
“You are not meant to save.”
Ashen Huston weaves a marvelous tale of camaraderie, with all of the hallmarks of the greatest of stories. The characters are breathed to life in a way as such to leave one longing for more, as is the world and vision that is on display in this debut novel.
From hope to loss to doubt to joy. This humorous and also tragic story is one that not only should anyone who enjoys a dark tale read, but is one that any reader could pick up and fall in love with.
Despite the many reasons to relish this book however, there is one line that always draws me in with its tone, promise and threat. A line so weaved with the narrative that I doubt I will ever not feel it’s chill when reading it.
“You are not meant to save.”
November 1, 2025
Okay, so I'm not the biggest fan of DnD fantasy in books, but occasionally I'm in a mood for it, and I definitely was when I picked this book.
I'm always a sucker for characters who lose their memory. The journey they go through is always so good. So yes, I did like our MC quite a bit. I also absolutely love monsters, and we definitely got some awesome monsters in this book. The other characters were also fun and annoying (but in a good way).
The book definitely feels like I'm watching a group of DnD players having a great but also not so great time while playing. The length of this book was also perfect. Any longer and I probably would have gotten bored (only because of the genre).
There were some words I wish the author would not have used and instead used a different word. It wasn't any bad words or anything, just something that threw me off sometimes because it just felt like an odd choice to me. Again, this is just personal preference. Others could have no issues with it.
So overall I had a really good time and can't wait to see what happens next!
I'm always a sucker for characters who lose their memory. The journey they go through is always so good. So yes, I did like our MC quite a bit. I also absolutely love monsters, and we definitely got some awesome monsters in this book. The other characters were also fun and annoying (but in a good way).
The book definitely feels like I'm watching a group of DnD players having a great but also not so great time while playing. The length of this book was also perfect. Any longer and I probably would have gotten bored (only because of the genre).
There were some words I wish the author would not have used and instead used a different word. It wasn't any bad words or anything, just something that threw me off sometimes because it just felt like an odd choice to me. Again, this is just personal preference. Others could have no issues with it.
So overall I had a really good time and can't wait to see what happens next!
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews