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The Ascension Rising #3

Of Ash and Blood

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You can't outrun your demons.

Stolen from the men I love, and the life I'd been building with them, I'm dragged back to the one place I'd sworn I'd never set foot in Ascension Rising. Only this time, Sebek, the same man that kept me locked away and bled me dry, intends to keep me.

But even Death's Butcher can't outrun the Eternium, and soon enough, the war drums pull us all home. Two lives I've lived, and a thousand deaths in between. I'm used to dying, but now it's not just my life on the line. It's not just my past coming to haunt us.

Can I save us all before I'm forced to die again?

After all, death takes, and it takes, and it takes. Only time will tell which of us it chooses.

Authors
Of Ash and Blood is the third book of four in the Ascension Rising Series. It’s a slow-burn paranormal romance with multiple love interests and no need for our main girl to choose between them. Some readers may find the content in this book upsetting, so please read the complete list of warnings provided on my website. Take care of yourself, and happy reading!

721 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 28, 2025

140 people are currently reading
154 people want to read

About the author

K.R. Rainbolt

3 books223 followers
Born and raised in the Wyoming Rocky Mountains, K. R. Rainbolt, or Kennady, is a lover of cakes and all things sweet. She also has a minor obsession with suits, but who doesn't love a crisp waistcoat, right? She has been crafting stories and characters for as long as she can remember, and nothing makes her happier than bringing a character to life. Now, as a first time publisher, she's excited to share them with everyone else as well.

Kennady spends a lot of time writing, both for her novels and the occasional video game mod. When she's not immersed in one of her stories, she can be found spending time with the love of her life Dominic, or playing her fur baby Marlie.

Kennady loves to bowl, fish, play video games, and watch movies (the spookier the better). Along with this she is big on the world of science and research, and as a Chemical Engineer she loves to include hints of her studies into her novels.

Lastly, as her grandmother said, always remember to live life. After all, you only have one, so you better spend it doing something you love!

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
Profile Image for Alice.
1,915 reviews104 followers
June 6, 2025
A super long book, and I liked the slow burn, but I didn't think it was a good use of all the pages.

We saw some relationship progression with her men (mostly Prince/Nero and Eirik), but a lot of worldbuilding was hand-waved over or issues handily resolved. I wish that the Eternium location and history was expanded more upon, but it was just dumped on us as necessary for the overall plot. The FMC Aaliyah conveniently learned about her history and necessary Reaper skills through . I still didn't quite fully understand the whole Rending vs. memory issues, and that was resolved quite arbitrarily.

All the cliffhangers that this book ended on make me doubt that the next last book will truly resolve everything (e.g. and so much more).

Romance:
Profile Image for Elli Morgan.
Author 2 books79 followers
June 2, 2025
The third book in the Ascension Rising series continues where the last book left off, with a mix of trauma and intensive feelings.
It can roughly be separated in two parts. In the first part, torture, death, and Nero finally reuniting with his brothers and Aaliyah play a big role.
The second part features the beginning of the Eternium, where the relationship between Aaliyah and her men deepens, they work on their "memory problems", and everyone schemes for the big finale.

I had some trouble getting into the story this time. There were too many names and story pieces from the previous books that I'd forgotten, and the glossary didn't help too much. Thus, I didn't enjoy the book as much as the previous one, although there was more heat, more feelings, and more unexpected turnarounds.
And despite its length, the book left us on a cliffhanger once again. I'm not a fan of splitting one event (here: the Eternium) into several books, since it'll make it even harder to get into the next book when it comes out in a few years(?).

Apart from that, K. R. Rainbolt sticks to her usual, detailed writing style. The book is edited well, and the different characters really come to life on the pages.
Profile Image for Ototo8.
192 reviews1 follower
May 29, 2025
*received an ARC*

I was counting the days for this release I devoured the first two books and couldn't bear the cliffhanger from the second book. but the author made the wait worthy. So much happens, the plot thickens and the characters develop we get many answers but just as many questions. The writer is very good at mixing heavy plot with romantic and hot scenes. You should definitely check this series out. It has great characters and great plot!
Profile Image for ReverseHaremMuse.
185 reviews3 followers
November 25, 2025
★★☆☆☆ — Cool Characters Buried Under Mountains of Filler

The Ascension Rising series had real potential, but whatever plot exists is buried so deeply under endless filler that it’s almost impossible to enjoy. Each book is overloaded with side characters, irrelevant subplots, and constant repetition that seems designed only to stretch the page count. Longer books don’t automatically mean better storytelling, and here it genuinely felt like pulling teeth just to reach the point of even the simplest events.

The pacing is all over the place - constant back-and-forth, rehashed scenes, and vague references to past events that never get properly clarified. By book two, it became exhausting. I honestly couldn’t tell whether I was supposed to care about the side characters’ stories or the main storyline anymore. I’m grateful the series came with a glossary, because you definitely need it just to keep up.

The MMCs are genuinely cool - great concepts and intriguing backgrounds - but the execution falls completely flat. These are meant to be ancient vampires, yet their portrayal gets increasingly butchered as the series goes on. It’s such a waste of strong character ideas that deserved a much better story. Getting through this series became so draining that by book three I had to read four other books just to build up the energy to continue. The only reason I stuck it out was because I felt bad for the MMCs being trapped in this endless slog.

And the FMC… wow. Painfully childish, unbelievably naïve, and frustrating to the point where I repeatedly wanted to shake some sense into her. Her dialogue and choices pulled me out of the story every time. Also - does every ghost who looks her way get revived? She’s supposed to be this powerful creature of death, yet she reads more like a glorified virgin with a full-blown damsel complex.

As for the spice… it tried to exist, briefly, then vanished like it got bored and walked out. Three books in, and for a cast of ancient vampires, everything is shockingly vanilla. How slow can a slow burn possibly be?

Overall - This series felt overly wordy without adding much substance, and the pacing left me struggling to stay engaged. There’s simply too much thrown at the reader, and almost none of it actually lands. By book three, I was on the verge of DNFing.

I truly enjoy the MMC characters, which is why I hope future books benefit from tighter editing to keep the story focused and dynamic. As at this point, I’m only here to see how many fellas' she ends up collecting and to learn more about the MMCs - because everything else is just a chaotic mess.
Profile Image for Leah McClung.
1 review
June 4, 2025
K.R. Rainbolt Of Ash and Blood

I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Of Ash and Blood is the long-awaited third installment in the Ascension Rising series, and it was well worth the wait!

Having devoured the first two books, I was eager to start the third. The book deals with darker themes than the previous two, so as others have suggested, please check the trigger warnings before beginning. Nonetheless, K.R. Rainbolt continues to deliver with her phenomenal character building. How the book deals with trauma through the main characters shows a degree of emotional depth that kept me completely invested throughout the novel. My heart broke right alongside the Vivas brothers and Ali.

The plot continues to thicken with this continuation as our MCs finally face the start of the Eternium. With so many characters - both major and minor - under one roof, I appreciated the Important Characters and Glossary sections at the end of the book, in case I needed a refresher.

This book had me in a chokehold from beginning to end, with all of its twists and turns, new and returning characters, moving and engaging character moments, etc. And the spicy scenes were extraordinarily well-written and definitely didn’t disappoint!

Kudos to you, Kennady, on another outstanding novel! I’m already greedy for more!
Profile Image for Delaney.
140 reviews2 followers
June 26, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I received a copy of this book from the author and am voluntarily leaving this review. All opinions are my own.

HOLY SHIT

To say I don't have words would be an understatement. The world-building and the character arcs are phenomenal. I adored reading everyone's perspectives and seeing how they feel and how their emotions change throughout the book. The dynamics between all the characters are also absolutely perfect; I love how the boys interact with Aaliyah and their relationships with each other. It's all just perfect, and I would watch all of them live in a house with no actual problems, because I just adore the dynamics. Many of the side characters introduced in this book are fantastic and greatly enhance the story. I love so many of them, and they would make great spin-off series (hint, hint). Additionally, the plot twists are so perfect and well done; I usually do a good job of guessing twists, but all of these made me scream. I had no idea that any of them would happen, and the scenes were just flawless. I am so shocked and absolutely in love with this book. I cannot wait for book four because I know the conclusion to this story is going to be fantastic. However, until then, I will be frothing at the mouth and screaming into the void until I can get my hands on the next one.

If you love paranormal, why choose romance with excellent world-building and fantastic plot twists. This book is 100% for you, and you should pick them up as soon as possible. (and also DM me all your real-time reactions)

🪻Paranormal
👑Vampires
🪻Reverse Harem
👑Slow Burn
🪻Dark
👑Forced Proximity
🪻MFMMMM
757 reviews18 followers
May 28, 2025
Of Ash and Blood is the third book in the Ascension Rising Series written by K. R. Rainbolt.

💜 found family
💜 haunted pasts
💜 healing oneself
💜 mysteries
💜 🌶🌶🌶 spice

This book in the series picks right up where the last book leaves off. The group is separated and the chaos that is happening is overwhelming. Aaliyah is only getting glimpses. She’s keeps tasting iron when she starts to wake, but can’t stay awake long. One thing for sure is that this so not where she wants to be and who she wants to be with. Prince is desperately trying to get back home and to find her. What he finds is not what he thought, will he find her? Adrian, Eirik, and Fallon do not find what they are looking for. It has all seem to not go their way and a desperate fight is on their hands. Will they be able to all find solutions to their situations? Will they all be able to come back together? Will they be able to meet their goal of making it to Eternium?

This was a wonderful addition to this storyline. It definitely kept me on my toes as so much happens in this book. I don’t know how she does it, but the world building and character building continues to grow and become richer. There are so many things that I did not see coming. I can’t believe this book also ended on a cliffhanger. I will be waiting on pins and needles for the next book to release so I can’t find out what happens next.
Profile Image for Maggie  Oshiro .
116 reviews1 follower
January 5, 2026
Almost DNF’d about 40% through. This book has just gotten to be okay…. It’s really dragging on and thank goodness it’s on KU. I really am not liking Aaliyah…. She is taking way too long to accept what she is and learn how to tap into her powers. There also doesn’t seem to be a lot of personal growth, like yes her powers are crazy but she not wielding them well and her mind and body are weak. She’s also hypocritical in her way of thinking and actions. She’s trusts the guys and wants to be there for them and knows they will fight, but there when it comes to her trauma she just shuts down and lets herself get fucked up. No growth, she’s reckless, and really has no plans for anything. I also am just not liking her point of view. I love everyone else’s point of views. Also, all the guys are just too soy. They started off soft, albeit in denial and reluctant, but now they are just soft. The ending had quite the twist for sure, but not enough to make me read the next book, again, reckless
Profile Image for Mariah Fox.
44 reviews
June 11, 2025
I wish there were enough words to describe the chokehold this series as on me. The writing is impeccable, the balance between plot, spice, character development, world building, action, and detail?????????????? I just, no words. This is tied with 1st place in two of my all time favorite and nearest and dearest tropes of why choose and vampire and man I absolutely can not wait for the next book! This book hits every possible marker for me when it comes to romantasy from the laughter, tears, squeals and more. I may perish waiting for the next book because the need is so strong but the second it releases I know it won't fail to revive me!
200 reviews
May 31, 2025
Mind the cliffie

These books keep getting better and better!!! This was amazing and worth the wait. There were constant twists and turns, with no clue what is around the corner. I cannot wait for the next book.

This book picks up right where the last left off, Aaliyah has been kidnapped, her men are all captured and broken, except Osiris and Prince. Will they find each other in time or will their enemies finally win? The Eternium is around the corner, Sebek is always one step ahead, can the Vivas Crypt pull it together?
Profile Image for Katherine Elley.
559 reviews28 followers
June 2, 2025
Slow burn romance
Found family
Why Choose
Shifter/Vampire

Of Ash and Blood follows straight after book 2.
Aaliyah is kidnapped and has been plunged into Ascension. Her men are all captured and broken. Osiris and Prince have to band together to bring everyone back again.
Very good plot and character building continues with each book.
Another cliff-hanger has you wanting more. Now to patiently wait for the next book.
Profile Image for Katie.
18 reviews
June 3, 2025
This series just keeps getting better, and Of Ash and Blood absolutely delivers! It was well worth the wait—full of heart-pounding twists and turns that kept me guessing the whole way through. I’m already anxiously awaiting the next book!

The story picks up right where we left off: Aaliyah has been kidnapped, and her men are shattered—captured and broken—except for Osiris and Prince. With so much at stake, I can't wait to see what unfolds in Book 4!
46 reviews
June 7, 2025
This series creates an entirely new world unlike anything I’ve read before. It definitely isn’t a light read, and there are a million different subterfuges and myths at play at any given time. I certainly didn’t see the end coming, although I will say I feel like it is something I should have seen coming. Definitely a slow burn although there is more spice in this book. If you really like a detailed story, and world building, this is the series for you. I’m interested to see how this ends.
1 review
July 17, 2025
It started out good but..

I though this series had a lot of potential, I really enjoy book one, but as I read book two and three it just did not feel right. The plot is dragging for far too long. Going around in circles with the main characters, the story has a lot going on without explanation on why things developed that way. A lot of new characters popping left and right, very messy.
1 review
August 14, 2025
I just binged this series in the span of four days. When I say I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, I mean it from the bottom of my thudding heart. I read and consume almost as much as the men do in this series, and when I say I choked on tears when there wasn't more to read, ....boy amazing and so fantastic. I've never been more captivated by a series so thoroughly. Thank you for giving me a new, beautiful world to look forward to.
50 reviews
November 26, 2025
was good but went on and on and on.

I love the story it was amazing the attention to details with the characters was amazing.
However it seem like she was crying every single page. It did my head in she would be fine one sentence and then boom sobbing for the next chapter when she was supposed to be this strong valkyrie. If you like women that cry every single page then read these.
Profile Image for Charlotte.
3,980 reviews62 followers
June 2, 2025
Be warned that there are some dark content in this book as with the rest of the series so far. So please read the trigger warnings before reading it.

Of Ash and Blood the 3rd book in The Ascension Rising series kicked off pretty much where book 2 ended. Although to me this book did seem longer it isn't detract from the fast paced action and brilliant plot twists. Aaliyah and the guys are on different difficult pathways throughout this book. That are dark, violent and dangerous for all of them. All leading to another great cliff-hanger ending. This series just keeps getting better and better.
Profile Image for Runa.
596 reviews4 followers
June 2, 2025
3,5✨
Wollte diesen Band genauso lieben wie die beiden davor aber er hat mich leider mehrfach verloren im Laufe der Story🥲
Ein “was vorher geschah” hätte dem ganzen seeeehr geholfen, eine Charakterübersicht ebenso.
Leider gab es ein paar Szenen und Momente, die sich repetitive angefühlt haben und sich einfach zu lange gezogen haben ohne auf den Punkt zu kommen
Profile Image for Brooke Nerdy.
406 reviews4 followers
June 2, 2025
Well worth the wait. And that cliffy...I just know that someone was important throughout this series. I cannot wait tonseenhow this plays out and when the bonds will all completed. There were a couple of times Inalmost threw my kindle thinking things were going to go wrong. That's a plus in my book.
1,006 reviews7 followers
May 28, 2025
Of Ash and Blood is the third in The Ascension Rising series by K.R. Rainbolt. This picks up right where book two left us. Thank goodness! So much going on in this book! Loved it. I wasn't surprised that this book ended up with a cliff hanger. Can't wait!
36 reviews1 follower
May 29, 2025
KENNADY! GIRL! This book is incredible! It truly has it all. Plot ✅️ Spice ✅️ Twists and Turns ✅️✅️ Hot Vampires ✅️✅️✅️✅️✅️
I'm truly frothing at the mouth waiting for book 4. How dare you leave me on such a cliffhanger!
5 reviews
June 1, 2025
This book was great. The twists and turns between friends and foes. The secrets revealed. Ash Blood kept my attention and kept me reading. The only thing I advise of other readers is to make sure you read the other books first.
188 reviews
June 3, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

That ending left me speechless!!! This book is so action packed I feel like I need to read it again immediately to grasp all the scheming and planning taking place! This series is beyond amazing! I need book for to be here soon!!
Profile Image for Nobody.
141 reviews3 followers
June 8, 2025
Where to even start with out giving anything away. The family drama is almost a whole story in its self. However I'm taking custody of Adrian for the author because of the damage done to him. Holy smokes that ending I'm still processing everything that transpired
Profile Image for A.M..
478 reviews12 followers
June 13, 2025
This is the third installment in the Ascension Rising series where we continue the story from where we last stop. It's a bit more slow-paced, so excellent for the readers who love slow-paced, for me it was a bit more of a drag but I kept going on. It remains a great story.
Profile Image for Kendra.
39 reviews1 follower
September 16, 2025
not quite the end yet!!!

Oh the twist and turns of this story! Just when I thought I knew what was coming it changed! Oh man. I have loved this story and haven’t been able to put it down. Finally she almost has all her guys! Not to finish the fight.
9 reviews
May 28, 2025
Holy fireballs!! The drama, the surprises and the hard truths. Ali and her men deal with big truths and upsets. There are smut filled moments. Devoured this and am feral for the 4th book.
Profile Image for Sarah.
15 reviews1 follower
June 4, 2025
I loved this book, just like the previous 2, but God damned stupid cliffhanger!!
Profile Image for Kandace_Bookaholic_.
348 reviews9 followers
June 12, 2025
This series has me in a chokehold hold and now i got to wait for the next book to come out i have so many questions i need answered lol
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews

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