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Carrion of Ashes
Not yet published
Expected 6 Oct 26Carrion of Ashes is a dark psychological thriller romance that's a Norse folklore retelling with a frenemies-to-lovers arranged marriage. A love story between Signy Volsung, a gothic heiress who was just released from a psych ward and Geir Geatulf, a rival heir who owns most of the city and wants nothing more than to see her family dead. Their marriage contract isn't what it seems, and they'll need to work together if they want to stop the murders ravaging their city. If Signy can't remember her past through the madness of her mind, she won't be able to stop the cycle of violence that haunts the innocent, and if Geir can't put aside his agenda and death grip on control, there'll be no hope of survival for either of their families. They’re bound by more than just vows in this psychological thriller that blends high-stakes action, deep-rooted trauma, old Norse magic, and paranormal elements. What if corruption can burn at the hands of one woman?
352 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication October 6, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
September 15, 2026
**ARC Reader**
Wow just wow! I am an avid reader and it takes a lot these days for a book to suck me in and not be predictable. Carrion of Ashes not only drew me in and made me not want to put it down but also kept me guessing until the very end and even then I can’t wait for book 2!
I love the Norwegian folklore that is weaved throughout the book but yet with the modern setting it made it more relatable. Signy’s character had so many layers that I wanted to keep reading just to find out more about the bad ass heroine! And Geir, gawwwwwwww that man had me swooning the whole book! The two main characters couldn’t be more perfect for each other and seeing their love click into place was amazing to read.
Carliann Jean has crafted the PERFECT story with so many twists and turns that makes it impossible to stop reading. And although this book has a laundry list of trigger warnings, I implore you to give it a chance and not be scared away by them. I will be impatiently waiting for the next book in this series because now I feel completely invested in these two families and I NEED MORE!
Wow just wow! I am an avid reader and it takes a lot these days for a book to suck me in and not be predictable. Carrion of Ashes not only drew me in and made me not want to put it down but also kept me guessing until the very end and even then I can’t wait for book 2!
I love the Norwegian folklore that is weaved throughout the book but yet with the modern setting it made it more relatable. Signy’s character had so many layers that I wanted to keep reading just to find out more about the bad ass heroine! And Geir, gawwwwwwww that man had me swooning the whole book! The two main characters couldn’t be more perfect for each other and seeing their love click into place was amazing to read.
Carliann Jean has crafted the PERFECT story with so many twists and turns that makes it impossible to stop reading. And although this book has a laundry list of trigger warnings, I implore you to give it a chance and not be scared away by them. I will be impatiently waiting for the next book in this series because now I feel completely invested in these two families and I NEED MORE!
September 20, 2026
✨This was an ARC read. The book is set to be released on 10/6 ✨
My rating: 3.25 ( rounded up to 4 solely for the dedication that I can tell went into this book )
Where to begin. Carrion of Ashes was a ride to say the least. It focuses heavily on mental health issues mixed with some serious trauma and Norse folklore retelling. It has everything I want in a book: gothic settings, spirits roaming around, sexy men, feminine energy and competence, and some very twisted plots. There is a mystery you need to unravel while reading the book as well as a love story entwined within but I can not lie, I spent most of my time reading wondering where tf this was going and how we even got here.
I went back to check the annotations I made on my kindle while reading & the very first note I made was at the %14 mark & it read: “a lot is dropped on you at this point and only about %10 of it makes a lot of sense. There is a lot of characters and between Siggy’s very clear mental state & Gier’s personality this whole thing is just one giant confusing cluster. I want to enjoy the time I take to sit and read this book, but I can’t seem to find enjoyment when I’m having to re-read sentences and paragraphs to make sure I’m following along correctly.” And I stand by that. There is a LOT given within the first few chapters and it’s more than just driving the plot forward, it’s like your being info dimmed constantly while also trying to find your way through the actual story.
The book is told through dual pov’s being Signy & Geri’s.
Signy is clearly an unreliable narrative, and you spent her chapters through how she’s viewing things - which with her trauma and mental state is basically a constant question mark. While you spend Geir’s chapters seeing how he is experiencing things- and He is a control freak. I found myself enjoying G’s chapters way more than S’s and I think that was due to the constant stress and anxiety S was experiencing, which made reading the book frustrating. While for me that wasn’t exactly fun I can also admit when it’s needed and great for a story and in this case it’s just that. The point is to find the truths of what’s happening because that’s what S is trying to do.
There is serious mental health problems and triggers in this book, I mean very serious. If you struggle with literally anything check them. This story goes to some dark places. With that said, I love a good dark read. I like when authors aren’t afraid to push boundaries for readers. This story does that & when we got bits of S’s past I found myself extremely interested in the book. While what she endured was horrific it also explains so much. I also thoroughly enjoyed the time Geir and Siggy had ere together - when they finally started actually spending time together as a couple and not as whatever they were in the beginning. Seeing Geir show his love to Siggy was another great experience with this book.
The side characters in this story aren’t truly side characters. We read as much about them as we do S & G and that was another point that lost me quite a bit. While I know they were important to the story I just did not care to read full paragraphs with the brothers speaking to one another or to the sisters. I wanted to read this book for S & G and got at least 40+% of the family members vs the main characters. I also found a LOT of unnecessary sentences being in the book that were just more or less fluff for the characters speaking. I’m willing to bet you can take away a good 75-90 pages of this book and still get the exact same result.
Overall this wasn’t a bad read. It was just very chaotic and overly complicated. If you don’t bookmark specific pages to reference, you will more than likely be lost on who is who and why they are getting so much time in the story. The research on the Norse mythology was beautifully done and the translations were spot on. As far as the “smut” goes it’s there but you’re not getting anything until about 60% through - which I don’t think anyone expected when reading the summary. It’s definitely worth the read but also don’t pick this for a quick weekend book, you need to dedicate time and effort if you want to understand what’s going on.
My rating: 3.25 ( rounded up to 4 solely for the dedication that I can tell went into this book )
Where to begin. Carrion of Ashes was a ride to say the least. It focuses heavily on mental health issues mixed with some serious trauma and Norse folklore retelling. It has everything I want in a book: gothic settings, spirits roaming around, sexy men, feminine energy and competence, and some very twisted plots. There is a mystery you need to unravel while reading the book as well as a love story entwined within but I can not lie, I spent most of my time reading wondering where tf this was going and how we even got here.
I went back to check the annotations I made on my kindle while reading & the very first note I made was at the %14 mark & it read: “a lot is dropped on you at this point and only about %10 of it makes a lot of sense. There is a lot of characters and between Siggy’s very clear mental state & Gier’s personality this whole thing is just one giant confusing cluster. I want to enjoy the time I take to sit and read this book, but I can’t seem to find enjoyment when I’m having to re-read sentences and paragraphs to make sure I’m following along correctly.” And I stand by that. There is a LOT given within the first few chapters and it’s more than just driving the plot forward, it’s like your being info dimmed constantly while also trying to find your way through the actual story.
The book is told through dual pov’s being Signy & Geri’s.
Signy is clearly an unreliable narrative, and you spent her chapters through how she’s viewing things - which with her trauma and mental state is basically a constant question mark. While you spend Geir’s chapters seeing how he is experiencing things- and He is a control freak. I found myself enjoying G’s chapters way more than S’s and I think that was due to the constant stress and anxiety S was experiencing, which made reading the book frustrating. While for me that wasn’t exactly fun I can also admit when it’s needed and great for a story and in this case it’s just that. The point is to find the truths of what’s happening because that’s what S is trying to do.
There is serious mental health problems and triggers in this book, I mean very serious. If you struggle with literally anything check them. This story goes to some dark places. With that said, I love a good dark read. I like when authors aren’t afraid to push boundaries for readers. This story does that & when we got bits of S’s past I found myself extremely interested in the book. While what she endured was horrific it also explains so much. I also thoroughly enjoyed the time Geir and Siggy had ere together - when they finally started actually spending time together as a couple and not as whatever they were in the beginning. Seeing Geir show his love to Siggy was another great experience with this book.
The side characters in this story aren’t truly side characters. We read as much about them as we do S & G and that was another point that lost me quite a bit. While I know they were important to the story I just did not care to read full paragraphs with the brothers speaking to one another or to the sisters. I wanted to read this book for S & G and got at least 40+% of the family members vs the main characters. I also found a LOT of unnecessary sentences being in the book that were just more or less fluff for the characters speaking. I’m willing to bet you can take away a good 75-90 pages of this book and still get the exact same result.
Overall this wasn’t a bad read. It was just very chaotic and overly complicated. If you don’t bookmark specific pages to reference, you will more than likely be lost on who is who and why they are getting so much time in the story. The research on the Norse mythology was beautifully done and the translations were spot on. As far as the “smut” goes it’s there but you’re not getting anything until about 60% through - which I don’t think anyone expected when reading the summary. It’s definitely worth the read but also don’t pick this for a quick weekend book, you need to dedicate time and effort if you want to understand what’s going on.
September 11, 2026
✨✨ARC review✨✨
holy fucking AIRBALL what even was this 😭
I’m lowkey so fucking confused because this was SO SO SO SO SO GOOD and so different in such a REFRESHING way. I LOVED the Nordic mythology elements and the fact that they actually spoke Norwegian??? felt like such a fucking flex to understand it (this is how I imagine everyone who speaks Russian feels when they read Darkest Temptation 😭)
the premise of this whole book was SO fucking interesting and I’ve been hooked from the start. I loved that it almost felt like a mystery/thriller, with all the paranormal and occult elements mixed in (i love the little witch 🖤). everything was written and woven together SO beautifully and, most importantly, IT MADE SENSE. it wasn’t just there to make the book edgy or ✨different✨ everything actually had a purpose and tied into the story.
and Geir. I’m sorry. but. WHAT. A. FUCKING. MAN. 😭🫡
I also LOVED that they were actual adults. omg??? what a fucking relief to read about REAL GROWN PEOPLE (BOTH OF THEM). and I loved EVERYTHING about their relationship. the dynamic, the way they fit together, all of it🫠
I’m also kind of speechless when it comes to Signy’s story. even though it was pretty easy to figure out (I accidentally read the TW list and got SPOILED AS FUCK 😭), it was still so shocking and disturbing. I felt SO deeply for her. my little pyro 🖤🖤
this was genuinely the PERFECT mix of paranormal fantasy in a modern world, with elements of dark romance, trauma, mystery, occult shit and honestly??? a little bit of everything. and somehow it STILL felt like nothing else I’ve read before. and don’t even get me started on the ending. WHAT THE ACCCCTUAAAAL!!! now that was a plot twist I did NOT see coming. so pls uhm give me book 2 now? like, right this second please? I NEED MORE.
BANGER. ABSOLUTE BANGER.
FUCKING READ IT🫡🖤
holy fucking AIRBALL what even was this 😭
I’m lowkey so fucking confused because this was SO SO SO SO SO GOOD and so different in such a REFRESHING way. I LOVED the Nordic mythology elements and the fact that they actually spoke Norwegian??? felt like such a fucking flex to understand it (this is how I imagine everyone who speaks Russian feels when they read Darkest Temptation 😭)
the premise of this whole book was SO fucking interesting and I’ve been hooked from the start. I loved that it almost felt like a mystery/thriller, with all the paranormal and occult elements mixed in (i love the little witch 🖤). everything was written and woven together SO beautifully and, most importantly, IT MADE SENSE. it wasn’t just there to make the book edgy or ✨different✨ everything actually had a purpose and tied into the story.
and Geir. I’m sorry. but. WHAT. A. FUCKING. MAN. 😭🫡
I also LOVED that they were actual adults. omg??? what a fucking relief to read about REAL GROWN PEOPLE (BOTH OF THEM). and I loved EVERYTHING about their relationship. the dynamic, the way they fit together, all of it🫠
I’m also kind of speechless when it comes to Signy’s story. even though it was pretty easy to figure out (I accidentally read the TW list and got SPOILED AS FUCK 😭), it was still so shocking and disturbing. I felt SO deeply for her. my little pyro 🖤🖤
this was genuinely the PERFECT mix of paranormal fantasy in a modern world, with elements of dark romance, trauma, mystery, occult shit and honestly??? a little bit of everything. and somehow it STILL felt like nothing else I’ve read before. and don’t even get me started on the ending. WHAT THE ACCCCTUAAAAL!!! now that was a plot twist I did NOT see coming. so pls uhm give me book 2 now? like, right this second please? I NEED MORE.
BANGER. ABSOLUTE BANGER.
FUCKING READ IT🫡🖤
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was such an unhinged read. Carrion of Ashes is a dark psychological thriller romance with a Norse folklore retelling, frenemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, and a lot of trauma and mental health themes.
I really loved the dark, mysterious vibe of this book. Chapter 1 was such a strong start and immediately pulled me in.
I also really enjoyed the witchy vibes surrounding the FMC and the fact that she could see ghosts. It added such a creepy and intriguing element to the story.
I enjoyed the way the characters’ mental trauma and disorders were portrayed, and I definitely loved the spice!!
What didn’t quite work for me was how confused I felt at times, especially during the first 30% of the book. And I’m not talking about the mystery itself. I actually enjoy being confused when it’s intentional and slowly starts making sense. Here, I just found the plot and structure a little too chaotic for me, and there were quite a few moments where I genuinely felt lost.
Because of that, I also struggled to get fully invested in the plot. There were definitely elements I really enjoyed, but overall, the story itself didn’t intrigue me as much as I had hoped.
It was an okay read with some elements I really loved, but I don’t think this book was quite made for me.
I really loved the dark, mysterious vibe of this book. Chapter 1 was such a strong start and immediately pulled me in.
I also really enjoyed the witchy vibes surrounding the FMC and the fact that she could see ghosts. It added such a creepy and intriguing element to the story.
I enjoyed the way the characters’ mental trauma and disorders were portrayed, and I definitely loved the spice!!
What didn’t quite work for me was how confused I felt at times, especially during the first 30% of the book. And I’m not talking about the mystery itself. I actually enjoy being confused when it’s intentional and slowly starts making sense. Here, I just found the plot and structure a little too chaotic for me, and there were quite a few moments where I genuinely felt lost.
Because of that, I also struggled to get fully invested in the plot. There were definitely elements I really enjoyed, but overall, the story itself didn’t intrigue me as much as I had hoped.
It was an okay read with some elements I really loved, but I don’t think this book was quite made for me.
September 15, 2026
Carrion of Ashes by Carliann Jean is set to release on October 6th. This is the first book I've read by this author, and OMG, she did not disappoint. This book had me all in my feelings and laughing at how “bratty” the MFC is. It includes tropes like arranged marriage, Norse folklore retelling, paranormal elements, and a vigilante heroine. I'm beyond ready for book two in the series with how Carrion of Ashes dropped a 💣shell on us 😳
I received an Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and were not influenced by the author or publisher.
Since this was a pre-release edition, some content may differ from the final published version.
I received an Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and were not influenced by the author or publisher.
Since this was a pre-release edition, some content may differ from the final published version.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I thoroughly enjoyed this book!! Once I started I really struggled to put it down!!
The characters are both complex and lovable.
I very much enjoyed the Norse and pagan/witchy vibes ☺️☺️....
The twists and turns in the plot definitely kept me on my toes throughout and I cannot wait to see where book 2 takes us in continuing this story!! (Hopefully the wait isn't too long 😅😅).
The characters are both complex and lovable.
I very much enjoyed the Norse and pagan/witchy vibes ☺️☺️....
The twists and turns in the plot definitely kept me on my toes throughout and I cannot wait to see where book 2 takes us in continuing this story!! (Hopefully the wait isn't too long 😅😅).
Review of advance copy received from Author
Dark, broody, and spicy in all the right places! The romance is believable and the stakes are high! The real world issues are so dark and believable here. Definitely touches on subject matter not everyone will be comfortable with.
And I love an FMC with chronic and mental illness! She has my whole heart!
And I love an FMC with chronic and mental illness! She has my whole heart!
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC Review:
Geir and Signy in this story are just goodness gracious.... AMAZING! This story had an amazing witchy vibe to it, but add in a very strong FMC. Signy's been through literal hell and came back stronger with an amazing partner, Geir. She found the family she always should have had. I can't wait for the next book in the series!!!
Geir and Signy in this story are just goodness gracious.... AMAZING! This story had an amazing witchy vibe to it, but add in a very strong FMC. Signy's been through literal hell and came back stronger with an amazing partner, Geir. She found the family she always should have had. I can't wait for the next book in the series!!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you so much to the author for my ARC! I enjoyed this book overall, but I believe my favorite thing was the mental health representation! There is such a stigma surrounding people like us, and seeing people like us represented in a story was amazing! Thank you! ❤️
Review of advance copy received from Author
【I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.】
ℂ𝕒𝕣𝕣𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕠𝕗 𝔸𝕤𝕙𝕖𝕤 is dark, gritty, witchy, very spicy, and absolutely not afraid to make you uncomfortable. I felt emotions all over the spectrum and does a wonderful job of weaving in Norse folklore and a FMC with representation in both mental illness and chronic pain that are never dressed up as plot devices or things to simply make her appear ‘edgy’, but serve the narrative and character arc for both herself and the MMC in incredibly rich and tragically painful ways.
The stakes are HIGH, the emotional devastation is real, and the spice is SPICING. Dark romance readers will not want to miss adding this to their TBR!
__________
⏱️ 𝑷𝑨𝑪𝑬: 𝒂 𝒃𝒂𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒔𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒊𝒄 𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒕𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒃𝒖𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒕 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒏
ℂ𝕒𝕣𝕣𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕠𝕗 𝔸𝕤𝕙𝕖𝕤 begins with discomfort with a capital D.
We step immediately into Signy’s (the FMC’s) POV as she endures yet another round of emotional and psychological abuse from the medical staff at the facility where she has been imprisoned for the past year and forced to take medication. It is dark, gritty, and deeply unsettling, particularly because we experience the degradation through Signy’s eyes as she — and the other women around her — are systematically pushed toward submission and compliance in the name of ‘treatment’ and ‘curing’ them.
Remember that trigger list? It is there for a reason. Please check it before diving into this story, because Jean is not pulling her punches when it comes to the darker themes explored throughout the book that get progressively heavier.
Signy also immediately establishes an important complication for the reader: she is not a reliable narrator. She has been labelled “insane,” has experienced severe memory loss, and even she cannot fully trust her own recollections nor herself. That creates a constant undercurrent of uncertainty within her chapters and contributes to making the reader feel on the edge of a knife themselves.
By the very next chapter, we're handed our second POV: Geir's (the MMC).
Where Signy's perspective is fractured by memory loss, trauma, and uncertainty, Geir gives us a much more grounded viewpoint from which to begin piecing together the larger picture. His chapters certainly don't eliminate the mystery surrounding Signy, but they give the reader another lens through which to examine and experience it. They also introduce a delicious amount of tension and fuel the psychological thriller elements of ℂ𝕒𝕣𝕣𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕠𝕗 𝔸𝕤𝕙𝕖𝕤.
One thing I particularly enjoyed was the balance between these two POVs and I think it really served the mysteries and conflicts of the story to not obviously favor one of them over the other. Of the book’s 36 chapters, 17 are told from Geir’s perspective and 19 from Signy’s, making this one of the most evenly balanced dual-POV narratives I’ve read in recent memory — and possibly ever.
The Feral Black Cat x Obsessed Doberman trope does a whole lot more work than simply giving two convenient and easily recognizable character archetypes. Their personalities, their individual and combined histories, and the sheer amount of emotional baggage they bring into the same room create a constant push-and-pull that keeps the character-driven portions of the story from feeling static and add a real dynamic layer to the psychological aspects of the narrative.
Jean also takes her time establishing the rather extensive cast of characters, which I appreciated because there are a lot of players on this particular field. Everyone gets room to breathe through dialogue, interactions, and smaller moments that allow us to understand who they are beyond simply being pieces on the board of the larger mystery. There are stretches devoted to character development, world-building, relationships, and Signy and Geir trying to navigate the increasingly complicated mess that is their engagement. Then, threaded through those quieter moments, Jean drops spikes of tension: mysterious murders, unsettling revelations, shifting loyalties, and the increasingly turbulent emotions of two people navigating a complicated engagement… and who are just one breath away from ripping each other’s clothes off ― don’t worry, they do. But more on that later.
The result is a solid balance of world building and exposition beats with action, which crescendos into sweet SWEET chaos in the third act that does not give up until the final chapter where we are left on a satisfying cliffhanger that manages to close out this particular arc while making it very clear that the story is far from finished. There is also a very specific piece of music that started playing in my head during some of those final chapters which, alas, I cannot possibly elaborate on without committing an unforgivable act of spoiler related violence, and I certainly don’t want to rain on anyone’s parade. IYKYN.
🧠 𝑴𝑬𝑵𝑻𝑨𝑳 𝑳𝑶𝑨𝑫: 𝒂 𝒔𝒎𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒆𝒙𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝒄𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒔
The only way I would describe ℂ𝕒𝕣𝕣𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕠𝕗 𝔸𝕤𝕙𝕖𝕤 as an “easy” read is in the sense that I kept wanting to read it. Jean is very good at planting little hooks throughout the narrative that kept me curious about what was actually happening and eager to keep uncovering the answers—what Signy could remember and just how much she couldn't, how much she had been gaslit into believing about herself and her own memories, and exactly how all of these increasingly strange and uncomfortable pieces were going to fit together.
I struggled a fair bit in the beginning with keeping all of the characters straight. There are a lot of names, family connections, relationships, histories, and loyalties to keep track of, and I referenced the family trees provided more times than I am willing to publicly admit. I want to stress that this isn't a criticism of Jean's writing. There are plenty of contextual clues and pieces of exposition throughout the story that remind you who people are and how they connect to one another. I think my struggle had a lot more to do with the mental load on my plate with work picking up again than anything else.
Signy's unreliable narration creates an especially interesting layer to the storytelling. Her severe memory loss means that we're not only trying to unravel the mysteries happening around her — we're also trying to untangle the mysteries happening inside her own mind and the first person narration helps put us right there with her. Geir's POV in juxtaposition provides a contrasting perspective and laaaaaaaaayers. We're constantly moving between what Signy believes to be true and what Geir knows, suspects, or is deliberately keeping to himself. Add in the murders, the witchy and paranormal elements, the family politics, and the increasingly complicated relationship between these two people, and there is a LOT for the reader to mentally juggle.
The twists and turns didn't feel particularly telegraphed to me even when hunches turned out to be correct, and because I had no familiarity with the original Völsunga saga (a name I know only because I Google’d last names out of curiosity) to use as a any sort of roadmap, I was genuinely trying to piece everything together alongside Signy and Geir.
The paranormal elements in particular were fascinating and became another piece of the puzzle rather than simply existing as atmospheric decoration, which added even more layers ― making it a whole a** onion, if you will. Which, accurate, considering emotions but let’s not touch on that just yet.
So while ℂ𝕒𝕣𝕣𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕠𝕗 𝔸𝕤𝕙𝕖𝕤 wasn't always a mentally easy read for me, that is very different from saying it was difficult to follow because you are asked to hold a lot of information while simultaneously questioning whether or not that information is truly reliable.
The resolutions were incredibly satisfying while also opening the floodgates to even more speculation, and I WISH I could say more about this because it is genuinely one of my favorite reveals concerning Signy—what she is capable of, what she has been made to believe about herself, and just how deeply the corruption of her world has worked to convince her that she is something she isn't.
But ALAS.
💕 𝑬𝑴𝑶𝑻𝑰𝑶𝑵𝑨𝑳 𝑻𝑶𝑳𝑳: 𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒓𝒚 𝒃𝒐𝒙 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒖𝒆𝒔
OOOOOOOF.
Okay. How much time do you all have? Because this is where the narrative really starts striking some chords and does not ask, but rather demands that you sit with some uncomfortable realities that extend far beyond the page.
This section is a bit of a herculean task to talk about without spiraling into spoiler territory, and while I am going to do my absolute best to keep things vague… please know that this is where the majority of the twists and turns impacted me and even some of the seemingly innocuous details could potentially give away more than I want to. So if you want to go into ℂ𝕒𝕣𝕣𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕠𝕗 𝔸𝕤𝕙𝕖𝕤 completely blind outside of the list of trigger warnings, I would genuinely skip this section and go read about some spice and how Geir may just change your mind about blond MMC’s.
Because even the dedication gives you an indication of the emotional territory Jean is about to take you into:
“To those who’ve drowned under the heavy wave of trauma and abuse, whether personally or through generations of grief in their family… Burn the predators to ash.”
The looming shadow over Signy and Geir's story is the Ragnar Ring, a powerful and truly heinous organization involved in the trafficking of women and children. Their influence becomes increasingly significant as the story unfolds, particularly as revenge and the Ring's reach and history begin to intertwine with the larger narrative.
And I am not going to lie: I WAS FURIOUS.
The way its power permeates the story had me feeling my own feminine rage manifesting right alongside Signy who has been deliberately labeled by a system and people who should be her fiercest protectors as the problem. Which brings me to one of the lines that absolutely lodged itself in my brain and really REALLY resonated: “Women are the monsters they demonized when we wouldn’t bow down to their commands.”
There is a very powerful examination throughout the story of the ways power can manufacture a narrative about the people it harms — particularly when those people refuse to remain obedient. And that becomes especially devastating through Signy's perspective because the suffering and trauma Signy has survived are truly horrific. She has been repeatedly gaslit into believing some of the most degrading things about herself, not because they are true, but because the people and misogynistic systems surrounding her have needed her to believe they are true ― and this is what makes the relationship between her and Geir so incredibly poignant, but more on that in the Spice section.
I’m…going to get real vulnerable for a moment.
The very real themes of gaslighting and emotional manipulation in this story hit particularly close to home for me, as I imagine they may for many women. I’ve experienced the “but what were you wearing?” kind of questioning after experiencing verbal harassment and unwanted physical contact… being made to feel as though I somehow needed to account for someone else’s behavior toward me.
I’ve also had someone who was supposed to be the person in my corner look me in the face after I tested positive for an STI and tell me that it was my fault because I was “too dirty down there.” Rather than taking responsibility or even considering the possibility that I had contracted it from them, the blame was placed entirely on me. Looking back now, well…let’s just say I KNOW better.
Having someone take something that happened to you and convince you that it is evidence of something being wrong with you is a truly heinous sort of hell. When that happens repeatedly — especially at the hands of people you are supposed to be able to trust — it can become incredibly difficult to separate what you know from what you've been told to believe about yourself.
And that aspect of Signy’s story felt painfully real to me, and I think it will resonate deeply with a lot of readers as well. And if you are someone who can safely engage with these darker themes, I think there is something genuinely hopeful — and potentially healing — in watching Signy begin to reclaim her understanding of herself and her own reality while burning it all to the ground.
🌶️ 𝑺𝑷𝑰𝑪𝑬: 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒚 𝒉𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒔 𝒉𝒂𝒃𝒂𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒐s
My oh my oooooooh MY is there some truly delectable and explicit spice in this book… and we WORK to get to it. The sexual tension is palpable from the get-go, and even when we finally get to some payoff, I was yelling into the void “WHY CAN’T WE HAVE NICE THINGS?!”
Eventually, we do get nice things. Crusted in black diamonds level nice things. File that under things that will make sense after you’ve read ℂ𝕒𝕣𝕣𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕠𝕗 𝔸𝕤𝕙𝕖𝕤.
What I particularly appreciated, though, is that the spice never feels like it exists simply to be spice. The sexual relationship between Signy and Geir is deeply connected to their characterization and to some of the larger themes of the story — particularly trust, control, consent, and reclaiming autonomy.
As someone who has spent so much of her life having choices made for her ― her body, her circumstances, her treatment, her medication, her relationships, even her understanding of herself ― Signy gradually reclaiming her own body and her own wants is incredibly empowering journey to go on and makes the book’s later half spice feel like it is heading towards that 350,000 on the Scoville Scale because of the emotional intimacy.
One of my favorite scenes is actually rooted in this precise mentality. In it, Geir sees firsthand just how much Signy has been branded by her past, both literally and emotionally, and how she lives with constant reminders of the things that were done to her and the ways she has been treated as though her body belonged to everyone but herself. Rather than recoiling from them, ignoring them, or treating them as something that makes her less desirable, Geir acknowledges every single one ― peak ‘who did this [to you]’ included.
And this is where the sub/dom dynamic between Signy and Geir becomes sooooooooooo much than simply a vehicle for writing spicy scenes and highlights the complex contradiction at the heart of their dynamic in that Signy chooses to surrender control to a man who values control almost above everything else.
Geir's role isn't to take control from her, but rather to make absolutely certain that she is choosing to give it. Every time Geir checks in with her, every time he makes sure she is present and “here with [him],” genuinely consenting before allowing things to progress, reinforces that their dynamic is built on trust rather than coercion and OOF did my heart give a little lurch every single time ― even if they were talking absolute filth at one another.
Oh ooooooooooooh the things that come out of this man’s mouth.
GIRL.
I will admit that I am usually not a pet name girlie ― especially for things like babe and baby, or the ‘usual’ and ‘expected’ ones. They tend to, more often than not, give me more secondhand embarrassment than butterflies, but Geir was WORKING double time to make me reconsider that stance… along with helping change people's minds about blond MMCs one “baby girl” at a time.
I am also SO relieved that one scene did not play out in the same way as I had seen it play out in The CW’s Reign. IYKYN, but I had a hard time not being on edge while Geir and Signy were getting freaky because I was expecting SOMETHING to happen. It didn’t, so then I reread it in peace, twice.
ℂ𝕒𝕣𝕣𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕠𝕗 𝔸𝕤𝕙𝕖𝕤 is dark, gritty, witchy, very spicy, and absolutely not afraid to make you uncomfortable. I felt emotions all over the spectrum and does a wonderful job of weaving in Norse folklore and a FMC with representation in both mental illness and chronic pain that are never dressed up as plot devices or things to simply make her appear ‘edgy’, but serve the narrative and character arc for both herself and the MMC in incredibly rich and tragically painful ways.
The stakes are HIGH, the emotional devastation is real, and the spice is SPICING. Dark romance readers will not want to miss adding this to their TBR!
__________
⏱️ 𝑷𝑨𝑪𝑬: 𝒂 𝒃𝒂𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒔𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒊𝒄 𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒕𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒃𝒖𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒕 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒏
ℂ𝕒𝕣𝕣𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕠𝕗 𝔸𝕤𝕙𝕖𝕤 begins with discomfort with a capital D.
We step immediately into Signy’s (the FMC’s) POV as she endures yet another round of emotional and psychological abuse from the medical staff at the facility where she has been imprisoned for the past year and forced to take medication. It is dark, gritty, and deeply unsettling, particularly because we experience the degradation through Signy’s eyes as she — and the other women around her — are systematically pushed toward submission and compliance in the name of ‘treatment’ and ‘curing’ them.
Remember that trigger list? It is there for a reason. Please check it before diving into this story, because Jean is not pulling her punches when it comes to the darker themes explored throughout the book that get progressively heavier.
Signy also immediately establishes an important complication for the reader: she is not a reliable narrator. She has been labelled “insane,” has experienced severe memory loss, and even she cannot fully trust her own recollections nor herself. That creates a constant undercurrent of uncertainty within her chapters and contributes to making the reader feel on the edge of a knife themselves.
By the very next chapter, we're handed our second POV: Geir's (the MMC).
Where Signy's perspective is fractured by memory loss, trauma, and uncertainty, Geir gives us a much more grounded viewpoint from which to begin piecing together the larger picture. His chapters certainly don't eliminate the mystery surrounding Signy, but they give the reader another lens through which to examine and experience it. They also introduce a delicious amount of tension and fuel the psychological thriller elements of ℂ𝕒𝕣𝕣𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕠𝕗 𝔸𝕤𝕙𝕖𝕤.
One thing I particularly enjoyed was the balance between these two POVs and I think it really served the mysteries and conflicts of the story to not obviously favor one of them over the other. Of the book’s 36 chapters, 17 are told from Geir’s perspective and 19 from Signy’s, making this one of the most evenly balanced dual-POV narratives I’ve read in recent memory — and possibly ever.
The Feral Black Cat x Obsessed Doberman trope does a whole lot more work than simply giving two convenient and easily recognizable character archetypes. Their personalities, their individual and combined histories, and the sheer amount of emotional baggage they bring into the same room create a constant push-and-pull that keeps the character-driven portions of the story from feeling static and add a real dynamic layer to the psychological aspects of the narrative.
Jean also takes her time establishing the rather extensive cast of characters, which I appreciated because there are a lot of players on this particular field. Everyone gets room to breathe through dialogue, interactions, and smaller moments that allow us to understand who they are beyond simply being pieces on the board of the larger mystery. There are stretches devoted to character development, world-building, relationships, and Signy and Geir trying to navigate the increasingly complicated mess that is their engagement. Then, threaded through those quieter moments, Jean drops spikes of tension: mysterious murders, unsettling revelations, shifting loyalties, and the increasingly turbulent emotions of two people navigating a complicated engagement… and who are just one breath away from ripping each other’s clothes off ― don’t worry, they do. But more on that later.
The result is a solid balance of world building and exposition beats with action, which crescendos into sweet SWEET chaos in the third act that does not give up until the final chapter where we are left on a satisfying cliffhanger that manages to close out this particular arc while making it very clear that the story is far from finished. There is also a very specific piece of music that started playing in my head during some of those final chapters which, alas, I cannot possibly elaborate on without committing an unforgivable act of spoiler related violence, and I certainly don’t want to rain on anyone’s parade. IYKYN.
🧠 𝑴𝑬𝑵𝑻𝑨𝑳 𝑳𝑶𝑨𝑫: 𝒂 𝒔𝒎𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒆𝒙𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝒄𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒔
The only way I would describe ℂ𝕒𝕣𝕣𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕠𝕗 𝔸𝕤𝕙𝕖𝕤 as an “easy” read is in the sense that I kept wanting to read it. Jean is very good at planting little hooks throughout the narrative that kept me curious about what was actually happening and eager to keep uncovering the answers—what Signy could remember and just how much she couldn't, how much she had been gaslit into believing about herself and her own memories, and exactly how all of these increasingly strange and uncomfortable pieces were going to fit together.
I struggled a fair bit in the beginning with keeping all of the characters straight. There are a lot of names, family connections, relationships, histories, and loyalties to keep track of, and I referenced the family trees provided more times than I am willing to publicly admit. I want to stress that this isn't a criticism of Jean's writing. There are plenty of contextual clues and pieces of exposition throughout the story that remind you who people are and how they connect to one another. I think my struggle had a lot more to do with the mental load on my plate with work picking up again than anything else.
Signy's unreliable narration creates an especially interesting layer to the storytelling. Her severe memory loss means that we're not only trying to unravel the mysteries happening around her — we're also trying to untangle the mysteries happening inside her own mind and the first person narration helps put us right there with her. Geir's POV in juxtaposition provides a contrasting perspective and laaaaaaaaayers. We're constantly moving between what Signy believes to be true and what Geir knows, suspects, or is deliberately keeping to himself. Add in the murders, the witchy and paranormal elements, the family politics, and the increasingly complicated relationship between these two people, and there is a LOT for the reader to mentally juggle.
The twists and turns didn't feel particularly telegraphed to me even when hunches turned out to be correct, and because I had no familiarity with the original Völsunga saga (a name I know only because I Google’d last names out of curiosity) to use as a any sort of roadmap, I was genuinely trying to piece everything together alongside Signy and Geir.
The paranormal elements in particular were fascinating and became another piece of the puzzle rather than simply existing as atmospheric decoration, which added even more layers ― making it a whole a** onion, if you will. Which, accurate, considering emotions but let’s not touch on that just yet.
So while ℂ𝕒𝕣𝕣𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕠𝕗 𝔸𝕤𝕙𝕖𝕤 wasn't always a mentally easy read for me, that is very different from saying it was difficult to follow because you are asked to hold a lot of information while simultaneously questioning whether or not that information is truly reliable.
The resolutions were incredibly satisfying while also opening the floodgates to even more speculation, and I WISH I could say more about this because it is genuinely one of my favorite reveals concerning Signy—what she is capable of, what she has been made to believe about herself, and just how deeply the corruption of her world has worked to convince her that she is something she isn't.
But ALAS.
💕 𝑬𝑴𝑶𝑻𝑰𝑶𝑵𝑨𝑳 𝑻𝑶𝑳𝑳: 𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒓𝒚 𝒃𝒐𝒙 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒖𝒆𝒔
OOOOOOOF.
Okay. How much time do you all have? Because this is where the narrative really starts striking some chords and does not ask, but rather demands that you sit with some uncomfortable realities that extend far beyond the page.
This section is a bit of a herculean task to talk about without spiraling into spoiler territory, and while I am going to do my absolute best to keep things vague… please know that this is where the majority of the twists and turns impacted me and even some of the seemingly innocuous details could potentially give away more than I want to. So if you want to go into ℂ𝕒𝕣𝕣𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕠𝕗 𝔸𝕤𝕙𝕖𝕤 completely blind outside of the list of trigger warnings, I would genuinely skip this section and go read about some spice and how Geir may just change your mind about blond MMC’s.
Because even the dedication gives you an indication of the emotional territory Jean is about to take you into:
“To those who’ve drowned under the heavy wave of trauma and abuse, whether personally or through generations of grief in their family… Burn the predators to ash.”
The looming shadow over Signy and Geir's story is the Ragnar Ring, a powerful and truly heinous organization involved in the trafficking of women and children. Their influence becomes increasingly significant as the story unfolds, particularly as revenge and the Ring's reach and history begin to intertwine with the larger narrative.
And I am not going to lie: I WAS FURIOUS.
The way its power permeates the story had me feeling my own feminine rage manifesting right alongside Signy who has been deliberately labeled by a system and people who should be her fiercest protectors as the problem. Which brings me to one of the lines that absolutely lodged itself in my brain and really REALLY resonated: “Women are the monsters they demonized when we wouldn’t bow down to their commands.”
There is a very powerful examination throughout the story of the ways power can manufacture a narrative about the people it harms — particularly when those people refuse to remain obedient. And that becomes especially devastating through Signy's perspective because the suffering and trauma Signy has survived are truly horrific. She has been repeatedly gaslit into believing some of the most degrading things about herself, not because they are true, but because the people and misogynistic systems surrounding her have needed her to believe they are true ― and this is what makes the relationship between her and Geir so incredibly poignant, but more on that in the Spice section.
I’m…going to get real vulnerable for a moment.
The very real themes of gaslighting and emotional manipulation in this story hit particularly close to home for me, as I imagine they may for many women. I’ve experienced the “but what were you wearing?” kind of questioning after experiencing verbal harassment and unwanted physical contact… being made to feel as though I somehow needed to account for someone else’s behavior toward me.
I’ve also had someone who was supposed to be the person in my corner look me in the face after I tested positive for an STI and tell me that it was my fault because I was “too dirty down there.” Rather than taking responsibility or even considering the possibility that I had contracted it from them, the blame was placed entirely on me. Looking back now, well…let’s just say I KNOW better.
Having someone take something that happened to you and convince you that it is evidence of something being wrong with you is a truly heinous sort of hell. When that happens repeatedly — especially at the hands of people you are supposed to be able to trust — it can become incredibly difficult to separate what you know from what you've been told to believe about yourself.
And that aspect of Signy’s story felt painfully real to me, and I think it will resonate deeply with a lot of readers as well. And if you are someone who can safely engage with these darker themes, I think there is something genuinely hopeful — and potentially healing — in watching Signy begin to reclaim her understanding of herself and her own reality while burning it all to the ground.
🌶️ 𝑺𝑷𝑰𝑪𝑬: 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒚 𝒉𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒔 𝒉𝒂𝒃𝒂𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒐s
My oh my oooooooh MY is there some truly delectable and explicit spice in this book… and we WORK to get to it. The sexual tension is palpable from the get-go, and even when we finally get to some payoff, I was yelling into the void “WHY CAN’T WE HAVE NICE THINGS?!”
Eventually, we do get nice things. Crusted in black diamonds level nice things. File that under things that will make sense after you’ve read ℂ𝕒𝕣𝕣𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕠𝕗 𝔸𝕤𝕙𝕖𝕤.
What I particularly appreciated, though, is that the spice never feels like it exists simply to be spice. The sexual relationship between Signy and Geir is deeply connected to their characterization and to some of the larger themes of the story — particularly trust, control, consent, and reclaiming autonomy.
As someone who has spent so much of her life having choices made for her ― her body, her circumstances, her treatment, her medication, her relationships, even her understanding of herself ― Signy gradually reclaiming her own body and her own wants is incredibly empowering journey to go on and makes the book’s later half spice feel like it is heading towards that 350,000 on the Scoville Scale because of the emotional intimacy.
One of my favorite scenes is actually rooted in this precise mentality. In it, Geir sees firsthand just how much Signy has been branded by her past, both literally and emotionally, and how she lives with constant reminders of the things that were done to her and the ways she has been treated as though her body belonged to everyone but herself. Rather than recoiling from them, ignoring them, or treating them as something that makes her less desirable, Geir acknowledges every single one ― peak ‘who did this [to you]’ included.
And this is where the sub/dom dynamic between Signy and Geir becomes sooooooooooo much than simply a vehicle for writing spicy scenes and highlights the complex contradiction at the heart of their dynamic in that Signy chooses to surrender control to a man who values control almost above everything else.
Geir's role isn't to take control from her, but rather to make absolutely certain that she is choosing to give it. Every time Geir checks in with her, every time he makes sure she is present and “here with [him],” genuinely consenting before allowing things to progress, reinforces that their dynamic is built on trust rather than coercion and OOF did my heart give a little lurch every single time ― even if they were talking absolute filth at one another.
Oh ooooooooooooh the things that come out of this man’s mouth.
GIRL.
I will admit that I am usually not a pet name girlie ― especially for things like babe and baby, or the ‘usual’ and ‘expected’ ones. They tend to, more often than not, give me more secondhand embarrassment than butterflies, but Geir was WORKING double time to make me reconsider that stance… along with helping change people's minds about blond MMCs one “baby girl” at a time.
I am also SO relieved that one scene did not play out in the same way as I had seen it play out in The CW’s Reign. IYKYN, but I had a hard time not being on edge while Geir and Signy were getting freaky because I was expecting SOMETHING to happen. It didn’t, so then I reread it in peace, twice.
Review of advance copy received from Author
There is so much I can say about this
book. But the first thing I will say is
check the mile long trigger warnings
before reading! The second is... 🥵 damn!
I straight devoured this book. There is so
much representation, it's pitch black dark,
and it literally had my body clench. I loved
every second and cannot wait for more!
book. But the first thing I will say is
check the mile long trigger warnings
before reading! The second is... 🥵 damn!
I straight devoured this book. There is so
much representation, it's pitch black dark,
and it literally had my body clench. I loved
every second and cannot wait for more!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received this book as an ARC and am voluntarily leaving this review.
I loved the political viewpoints which very well could be an insight to the political parties of today…
Felt like a political/Mob and left you questioning which it truly was.
I loved the political viewpoints which very well could be an insight to the political parties of today…
Felt like a political/Mob and left you questioning which it truly was.
Review of advance copy received from Author
✨ACR review✨ Absolutely amazing book. I couldn’t put it down. Kinda a slow start but definitely worth it. Can’t wait for the next one 🌟
Review of advance copy received from Author
You guys are in for a treat with this book!!! I can’t wait for what else this series is gonna have !
Review of advance copy received from Author
Absolutely loved this book! The darker the better! I need more of Signy & Geir!
Review of advance copy received from Author
** ARC Review **
“A bruised heart only leads you to burn for what you think you love.”
Blurb
A queen of wolves with the fire of dragons.
After her madness sparks into fatal flames, Signy Volsung finds herself locked away in a psychiatric facility, where her past blurs with torturous treatments that do nothing to cure her unraveling mind. But when her father shows up a year later with her new husband-to-be, Signy soon realizes she has only just begun to learn the meaning of insanity. Geir Geatulf, a rival heir and childhood companion who owns most of the city and wants nothing more than to see her family dead, now calls her wife and brings her into the safety of his family’s enchanting gothic estate. But their marriage contract isn't what it seems, and they'll need to work together if they want to stop the murders ravaging their city. If Signy can't remember her past through the madness of her mind, she won't be able to stop the cycle of violence that haunts the innocent, and if Geir can't put aside his agenda and death grip on control, there'll be no hope of survival for either of their families. They’re bound by more than just vows in this psychological thriller that blends high-stakes action, deep-rooted trauma, old Norse magic, and paranormal elements. What if corruption can burn at the hands of one woman? Carrion of Ashes is the first book in a dark psychological thriller romance series that's a Norse folklore retelling with a frenemies-to-lovers arranged marriage.
Tropes
Norse Folklore Retelling x Psychological Thriller
Gothic Horror Elements
Feral Black Cat x Obsessed Doberman
Arranged Marriage Between an Heir & Heiress
Vigilante Heroine
K!nks & D/Sub Play
Frenemies-to-Lovers
Witchy & Paranormal Elements
Trauma, Chronic Pain, & Mental Health Reps
” Good for Her” x Morally Grey Everyone
” My Wife” Energy
She Falls First, He Falls Harder
My Thoughts
We start the book off with Signy, the FMC, who is facing another bout of emotional/psychological abuse from medical staff at the mental institute that she’s been trapped in for a year. She is systematically degraded, pushed to submission/compliance under the guise of “treatment” and “curing”. When you’re reading through Signy’s POV, it can be complicated, as she is unreliable, labeled insane, and has suffered a great amount of memory loss and isn’t able to trust herself or others. While she appears weak and broken, she is far from it, and her character development was phenomenal. In the very next chapter, we meet Geir, the MC, who gives off a more grounded pov and puts things into perspective while helping us piece together all the pieces that Signy gives us. Geir doesn’t fully clear all the mystery around Signy, but he gives us ways to explore and experience it. These two characters complemented each other extremely well. The side characters were also well written and added such extra layers to the story. I devoured this book, and I truly can’t wait for book 2! While I would love to see more of Signy and Geir I do hope the other book(s) tell some of the stories of our side characters! If you love a dark, gritty, spicy, and deeply unsettling story, then this book is perfect for you! Also, with Halloween coming up, I would 100% add it to my TBR!
“A bruised heart only leads you to burn for what you think you love.”
Blurb
A queen of wolves with the fire of dragons.
After her madness sparks into fatal flames, Signy Volsung finds herself locked away in a psychiatric facility, where her past blurs with torturous treatments that do nothing to cure her unraveling mind. But when her father shows up a year later with her new husband-to-be, Signy soon realizes she has only just begun to learn the meaning of insanity. Geir Geatulf, a rival heir and childhood companion who owns most of the city and wants nothing more than to see her family dead, now calls her wife and brings her into the safety of his family’s enchanting gothic estate. But their marriage contract isn't what it seems, and they'll need to work together if they want to stop the murders ravaging their city. If Signy can't remember her past through the madness of her mind, she won't be able to stop the cycle of violence that haunts the innocent, and if Geir can't put aside his agenda and death grip on control, there'll be no hope of survival for either of their families. They’re bound by more than just vows in this psychological thriller that blends high-stakes action, deep-rooted trauma, old Norse magic, and paranormal elements. What if corruption can burn at the hands of one woman? Carrion of Ashes is the first book in a dark psychological thriller romance series that's a Norse folklore retelling with a frenemies-to-lovers arranged marriage.
Tropes
Norse Folklore Retelling x Psychological Thriller
Gothic Horror Elements
Feral Black Cat x Obsessed Doberman
Arranged Marriage Between an Heir & Heiress
Vigilante Heroine
K!nks & D/Sub Play
Frenemies-to-Lovers
Witchy & Paranormal Elements
Trauma, Chronic Pain, & Mental Health Reps
” Good for Her” x Morally Grey Everyone
” My Wife” Energy
She Falls First, He Falls Harder
My Thoughts
We start the book off with Signy, the FMC, who is facing another bout of emotional/psychological abuse from medical staff at the mental institute that she’s been trapped in for a year. She is systematically degraded, pushed to submission/compliance under the guise of “treatment” and “curing”. When you’re reading through Signy’s POV, it can be complicated, as she is unreliable, labeled insane, and has suffered a great amount of memory loss and isn’t able to trust herself or others. While she appears weak and broken, she is far from it, and her character development was phenomenal. In the very next chapter, we meet Geir, the MC, who gives off a more grounded pov and puts things into perspective while helping us piece together all the pieces that Signy gives us. Geir doesn’t fully clear all the mystery around Signy, but he gives us ways to explore and experience it. These two characters complemented each other extremely well. The side characters were also well written and added such extra layers to the story. I devoured this book, and I truly can’t wait for book 2! While I would love to see more of Signy and Geir I do hope the other book(s) tell some of the stories of our side characters! If you love a dark, gritty, spicy, and deeply unsettling story, then this book is perfect for you! Also, with Halloween coming up, I would 100% add it to my TBR!
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC Note: I was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy of this book. The book was free, but my opinions are definitely my own! This is my honest review, shared voluntarily.
TRIGGER WARNING: Before I say anything else, please read the warnings for this book. There are four pages of trigger warnings, and honestly, the dedication alone may be enough to trigger some readers. There is also some serious spice in this book that, depending on your triggers, may be enough to make you need that warning, too. So please read them before diving in.
Carrion of Ashes by Author Carliann Jean
Rings of Death, Book 1
Let me start by saying…this is one of the heaviest fiction books I have ever read.
The story of Geir and Signy is one of strength, support, and survival, but getting there is not an easy journey.
It's almost hard to write this review without wandering straight into spoiler territory, so instead, I'm going to share the quote that stopped me in my tracks:
“Men are predators. Women are the monsters they demonized when we wouldn't bow down to their commands.”
I had to put the book down.
Not because I didn't understand what I was reading, but because I needed a moment to wrap my head around the truth behind those words. I'm all for morally grey characters, but let me tell you…this is WAY beyond morally grey.
And then there is the spice. Oh. My. Goodness. Given the subject matter of this book, I wasn't expecting to be sitting here thinking, well, that was delicious. But here we are.
The spice is HOT. And depending on your personal triggers, some of those scenes may absolutely belong on your “read the warnings first” list. But for me? Yes please.
And that's part of what made this book so powerful for me. It was so well written that it actually stopped me in my tracks. It isn't often that a work of fiction makes me put the book down just to process what I have read.
Yes, I know this is fiction. But fiction can, and often does, reflect some very real things, and the monsters lurking in these pages are not simply creatures of some fantasy. Sadly, those kinds of monsters walk among us every single day. And that's a difficult reality to sit with.
But underneath all of that darkness, Geir and Signy's story is also one of strength and support, and that is what kept pulling me forward.
This isn't a light read. It isn't a “just one more chapter before bed” kind of book. And it absolutely isn't a book I'd recommend going into blindly. But it is a book that made me feel something. It made me stop. It made me think. And it stayed with me after I closed the book. And it maybe hit a little to close to home.
Would I Recommend It?
Yes, with a very big PLEASE READ THE TRIGGER WARNINGS FIRST. This is an extremely heavy book, and it won't be for everyone. But if you can handle the subject matter, the writing, the spice, and the story of Geir and Signy make this a powerful read.
Closing the Book:
Some books entertain you. Some make you cry. Some make you angry.
And every once in a while, a book makes you put it down just to breathe and process what you just read.
Carrion of Ashes was that book for me.
And now, despite everything this book put me through…I can't wait for Book 2.
TRIGGER WARNING: Before I say anything else, please read the warnings for this book. There are four pages of trigger warnings, and honestly, the dedication alone may be enough to trigger some readers. There is also some serious spice in this book that, depending on your triggers, may be enough to make you need that warning, too. So please read them before diving in.
Carrion of Ashes by Author Carliann Jean
Rings of Death, Book 1
Let me start by saying…this is one of the heaviest fiction books I have ever read.
The story of Geir and Signy is one of strength, support, and survival, but getting there is not an easy journey.
It's almost hard to write this review without wandering straight into spoiler territory, so instead, I'm going to share the quote that stopped me in my tracks:
“Men are predators. Women are the monsters they demonized when we wouldn't bow down to their commands.”
I had to put the book down.
Not because I didn't understand what I was reading, but because I needed a moment to wrap my head around the truth behind those words. I'm all for morally grey characters, but let me tell you…this is WAY beyond morally grey.
And then there is the spice. Oh. My. Goodness. Given the subject matter of this book, I wasn't expecting to be sitting here thinking, well, that was delicious. But here we are.
The spice is HOT. And depending on your personal triggers, some of those scenes may absolutely belong on your “read the warnings first” list. But for me? Yes please.
And that's part of what made this book so powerful for me. It was so well written that it actually stopped me in my tracks. It isn't often that a work of fiction makes me put the book down just to process what I have read.
Yes, I know this is fiction. But fiction can, and often does, reflect some very real things, and the monsters lurking in these pages are not simply creatures of some fantasy. Sadly, those kinds of monsters walk among us every single day. And that's a difficult reality to sit with.
But underneath all of that darkness, Geir and Signy's story is also one of strength and support, and that is what kept pulling me forward.
This isn't a light read. It isn't a “just one more chapter before bed” kind of book. And it absolutely isn't a book I'd recommend going into blindly. But it is a book that made me feel something. It made me stop. It made me think. And it stayed with me after I closed the book. And it maybe hit a little to close to home.
Would I Recommend It?
Yes, with a very big PLEASE READ THE TRIGGER WARNINGS FIRST. This is an extremely heavy book, and it won't be for everyone. But if you can handle the subject matter, the writing, the spice, and the story of Geir and Signy make this a powerful read.
Closing the Book:
Some books entertain you. Some make you cry. Some make you angry.
And every once in a while, a book makes you put it down just to breathe and process what you just read.
Carrion of Ashes was that book for me.
And now, despite everything this book put me through…I can't wait for Book 2.
September 20, 2026
I am an ARC reader and was not required to leave a review.
I loved this book (actually finished another ARC before this and had a difficult time getting through it)! I was excited to receive this as an ARC as the story and themes were interesting to me (who doesn’t love a mafia dark romance) a Nordic Mafioso 😍 say less! Also our FMC is an autistic witch😍😍!! I have nothing but praise for Carrion of ashes it was well written and the storyline was amazing!
There were a point or two where there wasn’t clear time jumps but my larger concern was I missed something. One point in particular I was wondering why a moment was skipped when there likely would have been something noteworthy happening and as I questioned it there was explanation of what happened.
I’m already salivating for the next book and more of Signy and Gier! I’m very thankful to have gotten a sneak peak for an honest review and will 100% be adding this to my collection of physical books!
I loved this book (actually finished another ARC before this and had a difficult time getting through it)! I was excited to receive this as an ARC as the story and themes were interesting to me (who doesn’t love a mafia dark romance) a Nordic Mafioso 😍 say less! Also our FMC is an autistic witch😍😍!! I have nothing but praise for Carrion of ashes it was well written and the storyline was amazing!
There were a point or two where there wasn’t clear time jumps but my larger concern was I missed something. One point in particular I was wondering why a moment was skipped when there likely would have been something noteworthy happening and as I questioned it there was explanation of what happened.
I’m already salivating for the next book and more of Signy and Gier! I’m very thankful to have gotten a sneak peak for an honest review and will 100% be adding this to my collection of physical books!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received this as an arc from the author in exchange for an honest review. No Spoilers.
From the very first page, the atmosphere is incredibly thick and gripping. The story follows Signy as she is thrust into an arranged marriage with little memories of her past. Because she doesn't have all of her memories, you are right there with her constantly guessing, feeling her paranoia, and trying to figure out who is safe and who to trust as her memories slowly piece themselves back together. The dynamic between Signy and Geir is unmatched. He is the ultimate "touch her and die" mmc, and his family is fiercely protective of her as well. Watching him stand by her side while she navigates her trauma and missing past was everything I wanted and more. As a psychological thriller, this book delivers on every front. The plot twists are absolutely phenomenal and we are left on a cliffhanger.
From the very first page, the atmosphere is incredibly thick and gripping. The story follows Signy as she is thrust into an arranged marriage with little memories of her past. Because she doesn't have all of her memories, you are right there with her constantly guessing, feeling her paranoia, and trying to figure out who is safe and who to trust as her memories slowly piece themselves back together. The dynamic between Signy and Geir is unmatched. He is the ultimate "touch her and die" mmc, and his family is fiercely protective of her as well. Watching him stand by her side while she navigates her trauma and missing past was everything I wanted and more. As a psychological thriller, this book delivers on every front. The plot twists are absolutely phenomenal and we are left on a cliffhanger.
Review of advance copy received from Author
What a wild ride! This book is dark, moody and thrilling, everything expected in a dark romance. The world building is entrancing and sucks you in. The fact that they are adults and able to handle their baggage in a believable way is what makes this story whole.
Take the trigger warnings seriously! I love how the author puts a warning about guarding your mental health and well-being. It is a necessity with this story, but if you are able and willing the twists and turns that you follow this author on leads to a wild, passionate, emotional and bloody ride. I can't wait for the next book in the series!
Take the trigger warnings seriously! I love how the author puts a warning about guarding your mental health and well-being. It is a necessity with this story, but if you are able and willing the twists and turns that you follow this author on leads to a wild, passionate, emotional and bloody ride. I can't wait for the next book in the series!
Want to Read
September 10, 2026🖤Norse Folklore Retelling x Psychological Thriller
🥀Gothic Horror Elements
🖤Feral Black Cat x Obsessed Doberman
🥀Arranged Marriage Between an Heir & Heiress
🖤Vigilante Heroine
🥀K!nks & D/Sub Play
🖤Frenemies-to-Lovers
🥀Witchy & Paranormal Elements
🖤Trauma, Chronic Pain, & Mental Health Reps
🥀”Good for Her” x Morally Grey Everyone
🖤My” Wife” Energy
🥀She Falls First, He Falls Harder
🥀Gothic Horror Elements
🖤Feral Black Cat x Obsessed Doberman
🥀Arranged Marriage Between an Heir & Heiress
🖤Vigilante Heroine
🥀K!nks & D/Sub Play
🖤Frenemies-to-Lovers
🥀Witchy & Paranormal Elements
🖤Trauma, Chronic Pain, & Mental Health Reps
🥀”Good for Her” x Morally Grey Everyone
🖤My” Wife” Energy
🥀She Falls First, He Falls Harder
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC READER REVIEW
This was one of the best reads I’ve had this year I finished it in just over a week and that’s only cause I prolonged the last four chapters I wasn’t ready to let it end yet I absolutely can’t not wait for the next book and will be trying more of this authors work the writing style is original and very captivating
This was one of the best reads I’ve had this year I finished it in just over a week and that’s only cause I prolonged the last four chapters I wasn’t ready to let it end yet I absolutely can’t not wait for the next book and will be trying more of this authors work the writing style is original and very captivating
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC Review
WOW… what a book. I loved the twists and turns throughout the story. I loved the mental health (especially the Autism) representation in this. It was an interesting book. Least favourite part was getting to the end and boom cliffhanger. But an amazing book
WOW… what a book. I loved the twists and turns throughout the story. I loved the mental health (especially the Autism) representation in this. It was an interesting book. Least favourite part was getting to the end and boom cliffhanger. But an amazing book
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received this ARC from the author and all I can say is WOW! I loved this book! I had trouble putting it down. I really loved the witchy vibes and all the twists! That one bomb she dropped on us 😲 loved every second of it! Cannot wait for the next book!!!
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