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Ash and Flames #1
Branded
Asher doesn’t like people, and people don’t like him. He’s cool with that—all he needs from them is sex, anyway. But when he’s suddenly thrust into a strange and dangerous world filled with magical creatures, joining forces with other people may just be the only way to survive.
It’s not all bad though—in this new world, he can turn into a fire-breathing dragon! Which would be awesome if it weren’t for José, the pesky fire elf sharing his fate whose goal in life seems to be to stop Asher from ever having fun. José is hot, though and Asher wants to get into his pants just as much as he wants to get home. But José is also blind, and Asher has no clue how to charm a man without relying on his looks.
Somehow, Asher has to show José that he’s more than a sex-obsessed pyromaniac with no filter between his brain and mouth. Preferably before either of them ends up dead. Civil war rages around them, and finding the way home isn’t going to be easy. And for Asher, getting there in one piece, and with his heart intact, might just prove impossible.
It’s not all bad though—in this new world, he can turn into a fire-breathing dragon! Which would be awesome if it weren’t for José, the pesky fire elf sharing his fate whose goal in life seems to be to stop Asher from ever having fun. José is hot, though and Asher wants to get into his pants just as much as he wants to get home. But José is also blind, and Asher has no clue how to charm a man without relying on his looks.
Somehow, Asher has to show José that he’s more than a sex-obsessed pyromaniac with no filter between his brain and mouth. Preferably before either of them ends up dead. Civil war rages around them, and finding the way home isn’t going to be easy. And for Asher, getting there in one piece, and with his heart intact, might just prove impossible.
296 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 10, 2015
3 people are currently reading
495 people want to read
About the author
Ana J. Phoenix
18 books59 followersAna writes m/m romance and erotica. Her interest in hot guy-on-guy action was first sparked by reading scandalous Japanese mangas. A dirty secret she couldn’t resist. In a long bout of insanity – also known as her life — she decided to learn the language and escape to the land of sushi, sumo, and yaoi.
She’s since moved back to Europe to be with the love of her life – delicious European chocolate.
Now she resides in the sunny part of Germany where she fills her days chasing her dreams and writing about men in complicated relationships. Her family believes she’s writing “erotic manga stories.” She’s pleased they got the erotic part right, at least.
She’s since moved back to Europe to be with the love of her life – delicious European chocolate.
Now she resides in the sunny part of Germany where she fills her days chasing her dreams and writing about men in complicated relationships. Her family believes she’s writing “erotic manga stories.” She’s pleased they got the erotic part right, at least.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
August 20, 2015
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Beware!!! This book ends in a cliffhanger. The second book is not out yet, so if this will bother you wait until the second book comes out.
Have you ever seen the 1980s cartoon “Dungeons and Dragons”? It is about a group of kids who get transported to another world while riding a rollercoaster. In this new world, they have certain unique abilities or powers. This book reminds me of that cartoon.
Asher is a rude, crass twenty year old who is a pyromaniac. The book starts with him at home playing with his lighter. The smoke detector goes off and while he is shutting it off his mother comes down and they begin to argue. During their argument, Asher gets a horrible headache and his world starts to spin. The next thing he knows he is in a strange place and has patches of red scales on his arms.
He is not the only one who lands in this strange world. He meets up with two other people, one looks like he is made of stone and the other has snakes coming out of her head. Nobody knows how they got there. Then another person, from their world, comes and he looks like an elf. This new person, Jose, is traveling with a fairy. The fairy is helping him find a way home, so the group decides to follow the fairy in hopes of making it back.
Of course trouble follows and nothing is as it seems. The group eventually gets separated and even more mayhem comes. Will they ever get home? What will happen to Asher and Jose? What about the end? You’ll have to read the book to answer these questions, well except for the ending. This is definitely a “To be Continued” type of story.
I’m torn with my rating. When I started reading this story I was thinking about 2 stars. The writing needed polishing and there was zero character development. Asher is an ass plan and simple. There are tiny clues to his past but ultimately he is just a dick. He’s no very likeable at all. Jose is okay but the reader also knows nothing about him. It isn’t until about 70% into the book you get anything about these characters and even then it’s not much. This took a lot from the story. I was not invested in anyone.
The reason I gave it 3 stars is because of the action and adventure aspect. The story is interesting and towards the middle it does get exciting at some parts. By the time the book was over, I was itching to find out what will happen. There was a lot left blank and I want/need those pieces filled in. Though I wasn’t completely invested with the characters, I became invested in the story. Since the character development was not great (2 stars) but the adventure/action aspect was exciting (4 stars) I settled for 3 stars.
With a little revising, this could be a fantastic adventure story. Definitely worth the read but, like I stated, if you hate being left hanging wait for the second book to come out first.
Beware!!! This book ends in a cliffhanger. The second book is not out yet, so if this will bother you wait until the second book comes out.
Have you ever seen the 1980s cartoon “Dungeons and Dragons”? It is about a group of kids who get transported to another world while riding a rollercoaster. In this new world, they have certain unique abilities or powers. This book reminds me of that cartoon.
Asher is a rude, crass twenty year old who is a pyromaniac. The book starts with him at home playing with his lighter. The smoke detector goes off and while he is shutting it off his mother comes down and they begin to argue. During their argument, Asher gets a horrible headache and his world starts to spin. The next thing he knows he is in a strange place and has patches of red scales on his arms.
He is not the only one who lands in this strange world. He meets up with two other people, one looks like he is made of stone and the other has snakes coming out of her head. Nobody knows how they got there. Then another person, from their world, comes and he looks like an elf. This new person, Jose, is traveling with a fairy. The fairy is helping him find a way home, so the group decides to follow the fairy in hopes of making it back.
Of course trouble follows and nothing is as it seems. The group eventually gets separated and even more mayhem comes. Will they ever get home? What will happen to Asher and Jose? What about the end? You’ll have to read the book to answer these questions, well except for the ending. This is definitely a “To be Continued” type of story.
I’m torn with my rating. When I started reading this story I was thinking about 2 stars. The writing needed polishing and there was zero character development. Asher is an ass plan and simple. There are tiny clues to his past but ultimately he is just a dick. He’s no very likeable at all. Jose is okay but the reader also knows nothing about him. It isn’t until about 70% into the book you get anything about these characters and even then it’s not much. This took a lot from the story. I was not invested in anyone.
The reason I gave it 3 stars is because of the action and adventure aspect. The story is interesting and towards the middle it does get exciting at some parts. By the time the book was over, I was itching to find out what will happen. There was a lot left blank and I want/need those pieces filled in. Though I wasn’t completely invested with the characters, I became invested in the story. Since the character development was not great (2 stars) but the adventure/action aspect was exciting (4 stars) I settled for 3 stars.
With a little revising, this could be a fantastic adventure story. Definitely worth the read but, like I stated, if you hate being left hanging wait for the second book to come out first.
June 25, 2015
REVIEWED FOR PRISM BOOK ALLIANCE
4.5 Stars
Fantasy is not something I choose to read or review too often but it was Ana J Phoenix and I really, really enjoyed her last book. I am so glad I gave it a go and stepped out of my comfort zone.
Imagine one minute you are in your own world…and the next minute you are not….
That is exactly what happens to Asher, a grumpy and sarcastic young man who has a penchant for starting fires. One minute he is arguing with his mother after he has set the smoke alarm off again and the next minute he has no idea where the hell he is. The fact that there is also a strange woman with snakes in her hair, a man made of stone and a really annoying blind man with something hovering, or perhaps even flying, above his shoulder and he realises his day just went to crap. Oh, and the blind guy is cute!
The world he has landed in bears no resemblance or familiarity to anywhere he has been before and suddenly he finds himself running for his life from creatures that are strange to say the very least.
The world building is fab, the fox is crazy and there are a million and one different characters I have never come across before. They seemed to have landed in the middle of some sort of war but it is very difficult to differentiate the sides people are on and Asher and his blind companion Jose just want to find a way to get home. The problem is who can they trust?
Their journey to find their way home is an epic adventure but it’s also a time of growing up and learning about themselves, particularly for Asher. He is a man who knows he is pretty and has relied on his looks in the past to get him everything he wants, which is generally quick and dirty with no commitment or emotion. As Jose can’t see him his usual tactics aren’t working and as he wants to get the man in bed he is truly stumped for a while. His personality doesn’t allow for humour and chat up lines, he can barely bring himself to grunt at people sometimes, his sarcasm knows no limits.
There is a way home but never in a million years would they have guessed what it involved. And then……GODDAMMIT there is a cliff hanger to end all cliff hangers!! I was totally blindsided and thought this was a standalone! So I am left with two thoughts…..the first being holy hell you can’t stop there and the second being YES we are going to get more of Asher and Jose
4.5 Stars
Fantasy is not something I choose to read or review too often but it was Ana J Phoenix and I really, really enjoyed her last book. I am so glad I gave it a go and stepped out of my comfort zone.
Imagine one minute you are in your own world…and the next minute you are not….
That is exactly what happens to Asher, a grumpy and sarcastic young man who has a penchant for starting fires. One minute he is arguing with his mother after he has set the smoke alarm off again and the next minute he has no idea where the hell he is. The fact that there is also a strange woman with snakes in her hair, a man made of stone and a really annoying blind man with something hovering, or perhaps even flying, above his shoulder and he realises his day just went to crap. Oh, and the blind guy is cute!
The world he has landed in bears no resemblance or familiarity to anywhere he has been before and suddenly he finds himself running for his life from creatures that are strange to say the very least.
The world building is fab, the fox is crazy and there are a million and one different characters I have never come across before. They seemed to have landed in the middle of some sort of war but it is very difficult to differentiate the sides people are on and Asher and his blind companion Jose just want to find a way to get home. The problem is who can they trust?
Their journey to find their way home is an epic adventure but it’s also a time of growing up and learning about themselves, particularly for Asher. He is a man who knows he is pretty and has relied on his looks in the past to get him everything he wants, which is generally quick and dirty with no commitment or emotion. As Jose can’t see him his usual tactics aren’t working and as he wants to get the man in bed he is truly stumped for a while. His personality doesn’t allow for humour and chat up lines, he can barely bring himself to grunt at people sometimes, his sarcasm knows no limits.
There is a way home but never in a million years would they have guessed what it involved. And then……GODDAMMIT there is a cliff hanger to end all cliff hangers!! I was totally blindsided and thought this was a standalone! So I am left with two thoughts…..the first being holy hell you can’t stop there and the second being YES we are going to get more of Asher and Jose
January 16, 2016
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Asher faints in the middle of an argument with his mother and wakes up in a parallel world, torn by civil war. He teams up with a fire elf named Jose' to try and find his way back home, whilst trying to avoid the dangers that lurks everywhere in this other world.
This is a difficult book for me to review. the first 50-60% of it was only a 2 star read to me. I severely disliked Asher and wouldn't actually have minded it too much if he had come to an unfortunate end. Yeah, ok, life dealt you a rough hand, no reason to be a complete and utter shithead! Grow up for god's sake! Jose was just too bland for me to really care about and I felt the world building lacking and too abrupt for me to follow or be interested in...
However, around the halfway mark I actually got interested in where their journey was leading them and by around the 70% mark I was starting to kind of engage with the characters. By the time the book ended I was invested and I am going to have to read the sequel - I hope it takes place mainly in the human world though.
Beware that this book ends on kind of a cliffhanger. One storyarc does end, but with no real conclusion and quite a few loose ends, but the other big story arc - the relationship between Archer and Jose - does not. So if cliff hangers are not your cup of tea, you may wish to hold back and wait for the sequel to come out later this year.
I end up giving this 3 stars, based on the fact that the first half was 2 stars and the second half a 4 star read. The author has a very nice voice and I enjoyed the prose, I just really didn't engage with the characters or the world in the first part of the book, but I did enjoy the second half and I will be reading the sequel.
Asher faints in the middle of an argument with his mother and wakes up in a parallel world, torn by civil war. He teams up with a fire elf named Jose' to try and find his way back home, whilst trying to avoid the dangers that lurks everywhere in this other world.
This is a difficult book for me to review. the first 50-60% of it was only a 2 star read to me. I severely disliked Asher and wouldn't actually have minded it too much if he had come to an unfortunate end. Yeah, ok, life dealt you a rough hand, no reason to be a complete and utter shithead! Grow up for god's sake! Jose was just too bland for me to really care about and I felt the world building lacking and too abrupt for me to follow or be interested in...
However, around the halfway mark I actually got interested in where their journey was leading them and by around the 70% mark I was starting to kind of engage with the characters. By the time the book ended I was invested and I am going to have to read the sequel - I hope it takes place mainly in the human world though.
Beware that this book ends on kind of a cliffhanger. One storyarc does end, but with no real conclusion and quite a few loose ends, but the other big story arc - the relationship between Archer and Jose - does not. So if cliff hangers are not your cup of tea, you may wish to hold back and wait for the sequel to come out later this year.
I end up giving this 3 stars, based on the fact that the first half was 2 stars and the second half a 4 star read. The author has a very nice voice and I enjoyed the prose, I just really didn't engage with the characters or the world in the first part of the book, but I did enjoy the second half and I will be reading the sequel.
August 24, 2015
This book was provided for free by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Asher
Asher managed to get on my wrong side, just one page into the book. He is rude, crass, brash and irritating. And as Jose says -
“ You sound like an idiot with attitude problems.”
SPOT ON! Jose Rodriguez…
Asher is completely self-obsessed and doesn’t care about anybody. In fact his prejudices against other people influence him to the point of stupidity and carelessness. He never thinks things through. And is in short a brat.
“I'm almost twenty.”
“Congratulations, now you only need to act it.”
Huh, he is only nineteen well that gets him a bit of leeway. In short as story progresses you realize that Asher is a nineteen year old kid who is short on a life filled with nineteen years of love, his self-worth is completely based on his looks and nobody in his life so far has ever loved him unconditionally. While his actions remain the same, knowing this kind of tempered my reactions to his actions.
And one more thing about Asher he loves fire, almost like an addict craves his drug.
Jose aka Blind Guy
Jose is this really calming presence in the face of Asher’s rebelliousness. He is the character you like instantaneously, who thinks things through is. He is rational and sensible and is the all-round good guy.
Jose never gives up on his friends and tries to save as many lives as possible from the disaster Altasia finds itself.
Jose and Asher
Their relationship starts as one of convenience in every way but faced with extenuating circumstances they are really backed into the corner of each other's company.
I liked Ash and Jose together, Jose really balances out Ash's stupidity, his irrationality and in short tries to stop Ash’s plainspoken-ness bordering on rudeness from getting them into too much trouble. But in the end it is Jose who walks them into trouble not Asher.
Asher has feelings for Jose, well because Jose is the only person who has ever cared for Asher in any way.
I have a lot of hope these two will make it in the future.
The world they find themselves in aka Altasia
Jose, Asher, Snakes (aka Maya) and Stoner (aka…uh I guess I have been in Ash’s mind for way too long) find themselves pulled from the reality of Riverside to the alternate reality of Altasia where a war is being raged.
And these four people find themselves in the middle of it, with the help of only a lavalight (aka Little Bitch) to navigate this terrain in the hopes of finding their way home.
The Plot
The story is interesting, I loved this new world Asher and Jose find themselves in where magic abounds and Asher finds himself as a dragon (yeah he is a dragon-shifter) and Jose is the fire-elf.
The writing is well paced with new things pouncing up all along the way, and I liked the plot and its consequences and I liked the writing.
The End
Well in a lot of ways the ending could very well be taken as THE END but we know it is not, as there is a sequel planned and thank God for that because this book ends with a lot of issues unresolved, but in a way this book’s ending is fitting especially with Asher finding himself back to his old ways.
But yes, I want more, I want to know what happens next because this ending has left me unfulfilled, there is a lot more to happen. But there are a lot of variables with the question – What exactly is up Next? But I am eagerly anticipating to be surprised.
Asher
Asher managed to get on my wrong side, just one page into the book. He is rude, crass, brash and irritating. And as Jose says -
“ You sound like an idiot with attitude problems.”
SPOT ON! Jose Rodriguez…
Asher is completely self-obsessed and doesn’t care about anybody. In fact his prejudices against other people influence him to the point of stupidity and carelessness. He never thinks things through. And is in short a brat.
“I'm almost twenty.”
“Congratulations, now you only need to act it.”
Huh, he is only nineteen well that gets him a bit of leeway. In short as story progresses you realize that Asher is a nineteen year old kid who is short on a life filled with nineteen years of love, his self-worth is completely based on his looks and nobody in his life so far has ever loved him unconditionally. While his actions remain the same, knowing this kind of tempered my reactions to his actions.
And one more thing about Asher he loves fire, almost like an addict craves his drug.
Jose aka Blind Guy
Jose is this really calming presence in the face of Asher’s rebelliousness. He is the character you like instantaneously, who thinks things through is. He is rational and sensible and is the all-round good guy.
Jose never gives up on his friends and tries to save as many lives as possible from the disaster Altasia finds itself.
Jose and Asher
Their relationship starts as one of convenience in every way but faced with extenuating circumstances they are really backed into the corner of each other's company.
I liked Ash and Jose together, Jose really balances out Ash's stupidity, his irrationality and in short tries to stop Ash’s plainspoken-ness bordering on rudeness from getting them into too much trouble. But in the end it is Jose who walks them into trouble not Asher.
Asher has feelings for Jose, well because Jose is the only person who has ever cared for Asher in any way.
I have a lot of hope these two will make it in the future.
The world they find themselves in aka Altasia
Jose, Asher, Snakes (aka Maya) and Stoner (aka…uh I guess I have been in Ash’s mind for way too long) find themselves pulled from the reality of Riverside to the alternate reality of Altasia where a war is being raged.
And these four people find themselves in the middle of it, with the help of only a lavalight (aka Little Bitch) to navigate this terrain in the hopes of finding their way home.
The Plot
The story is interesting, I loved this new world Asher and Jose find themselves in where magic abounds and Asher finds himself as a dragon (yeah he is a dragon-shifter) and Jose is the fire-elf.
The writing is well paced with new things pouncing up all along the way, and I liked the plot and its consequences and I liked the writing.
The End
Well in a lot of ways the ending could very well be taken as THE END but we know it is not, as there is a sequel planned and thank God for that because this book ends with a lot of issues unresolved, but in a way this book’s ending is fitting especially with Asher finding himself back to his old ways.
But yes, I want more, I want to know what happens next because this ending has left me unfulfilled, there is a lot more to happen. But there are a lot of variables with the question – What exactly is up Next? But I am eagerly anticipating to be surprised.
January 12, 2016
This book has everything I love in a fantasy book.. Dragons, Fairies, Elves and other mystical creatures.
Asher is a pyro is loves fire so when he wakes up in a completely different world as a dragon is shocked but also excited to be a dragon because of the fire.
Jose is a fire elf who like Asher wakes up in a different world he is also blind which carries over to this other world too.
What I liked about this book was the world this author created and the characters too. There was so much action in this book with these two MC's trying to get back to their world at the same time running into good and bad creatures along the way. I also really liked these two together they just fit when Asher was being nice which was rare. I have to say Asher was the snarkiest character I have read in a book in awhile. Which at times was funny but other times got to be a little annoying. I also felt bad for him having a mother that was so cruel and who was such a horrible person. So with this book you get action, angst and a little bit of steam too!
So all together I really liked this book!
I would recommend this book!
I received this book free in exchange for an honest review from Inked Rainbow Reads.
Asher is a pyro is loves fire so when he wakes up in a completely different world as a dragon is shocked but also excited to be a dragon because of the fire.
Jose is a fire elf who like Asher wakes up in a different world he is also blind which carries over to this other world too.
What I liked about this book was the world this author created and the characters too. There was so much action in this book with these two MC's trying to get back to their world at the same time running into good and bad creatures along the way. I also really liked these two together they just fit when Asher was being nice which was rare. I have to say Asher was the snarkiest character I have read in a book in awhile. Which at times was funny but other times got to be a little annoying. I also felt bad for him having a mother that was so cruel and who was such a horrible person. So with this book you get action, angst and a little bit of steam too!
So all together I really liked this book!
I would recommend this book!
I received this book free in exchange for an honest review from Inked Rainbow Reads.
November 27, 2021
😭🥺😮😭😩🥺🤐😔😌😯😯🥺😭that was so good. A bit of a cry fest and hit too close to home for me but I loved it. I haven't connected with a character this much in forever. Asher that doofus😭 I just wanted to cuddle him to death. And Josè that idiot of a human being abandoning Asher like that😭. I swear Ash developed a hundred more issues since meeting Josè than he'd ever had his whole life and I dont think either of them would want it any other way.
Awesome banter too so that's a plus.
Awesome banter too so that's a plus.
August 21, 2015
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
-
This… was a really hard book to rate. It's essentially half the story. It doesn't exactly end on a cliffhanger, but during a semi convenient lull in the plot. Which wasn't horrible, but does create some issues.
Asher fainted during the middle of an argument with his mom and woke up on the beach with scales on his body. There, he meets a woman with snakes for hair, a man made of stone, a blind fire elf, and a fairy called a lavalight. All but the little lavalight were people from Asher's own completely mundane and human world. The group travel together for a time following the way pointed out by the fairy in the hope of being able to return to their own world.
I wont go into too much detail, but it's a relatively typical setup/journey of people from our world lost in a foreign land trying to return home somehow. Here's the thing with the story though. Majority of the book was narrated by Asher, who is in every sense a complete and utter asshole. I hated him from the start and I still kind of do. The only somewhat positive thing about him was that he knew it too and didn't care at all. The kicker though, was that Asher refused to remember names and instead, handed out childish nicknames to everyone. While the intent was clear, it just sounded silly and made it hard to take the book seriously.
The remainder of the story was narrated by the fire elf, Jose, who was everything Asher was not. Kind, compassionate, caring, and patient to a fault. He had been stuck in that world of magic for a week longer than the rest and had been following his lavalight companion the whole time. After picking up Asher's group, they continue onwards until they wound up caught in the middle of the ongoing civil war.
I'll come out and say it plainly. I found the writing to be very lacking. Don't get me wrong, it's easy to pick up on the author's intentions, but that's all it was. There wasn't anything substantial behind it. Asher and Jose were made out to be complete opposites, but Jose's narrative didn't sound any different from Asher's. Yes, he's a different person with a different world view, but the tone… was pretty much the same.
I also couldn't get behind the emotional scenes as much as I would have normally. Maybe it's because I didn't like Asher and Jose just felt fake to me… I guess that would be the risk and problem with using a character like Asher as the main narrator as he himself is very detached from everything going on around him. Jose should have been the one to balance it out, but it just didn't work for me.
There was also very little character development to be seen, although, I have a feeling that's going to change in book 2. All said, this whole thing felt like a setup for the next book. All the groundwork had been laid out, but nothing built on it yet. So, long rant short, rated 3 stars out of faith.
-
This… was a really hard book to rate. It's essentially half the story. It doesn't exactly end on a cliffhanger, but during a semi convenient lull in the plot. Which wasn't horrible, but does create some issues.
Asher fainted during the middle of an argument with his mom and woke up on the beach with scales on his body. There, he meets a woman with snakes for hair, a man made of stone, a blind fire elf, and a fairy called a lavalight. All but the little lavalight were people from Asher's own completely mundane and human world. The group travel together for a time following the way pointed out by the fairy in the hope of being able to return to their own world.
I wont go into too much detail, but it's a relatively typical setup/journey of people from our world lost in a foreign land trying to return home somehow. Here's the thing with the story though. Majority of the book was narrated by Asher, who is in every sense a complete and utter asshole. I hated him from the start and I still kind of do. The only somewhat positive thing about him was that he knew it too and didn't care at all. The kicker though, was that Asher refused to remember names and instead, handed out childish nicknames to everyone. While the intent was clear, it just sounded silly and made it hard to take the book seriously.
The remainder of the story was narrated by the fire elf, Jose, who was everything Asher was not. Kind, compassionate, caring, and patient to a fault. He had been stuck in that world of magic for a week longer than the rest and had been following his lavalight companion the whole time. After picking up Asher's group, they continue onwards until they wound up caught in the middle of the ongoing civil war.
I'll come out and say it plainly. I found the writing to be very lacking. Don't get me wrong, it's easy to pick up on the author's intentions, but that's all it was. There wasn't anything substantial behind it. Asher and Jose were made out to be complete opposites, but Jose's narrative didn't sound any different from Asher's. Yes, he's a different person with a different world view, but the tone… was pretty much the same.
I also couldn't get behind the emotional scenes as much as I would have normally. Maybe it's because I didn't like Asher and Jose just felt fake to me… I guess that would be the risk and problem with using a character like Asher as the main narrator as he himself is very detached from everything going on around him. Jose should have been the one to balance it out, but it just didn't work for me.
There was also very little character development to be seen, although, I have a feeling that's going to change in book 2. All said, this whole thing felt like a setup for the next book. All the groundwork had been laid out, but nothing built on it yet. So, long rant short, rated 3 stars out of faith.
September 5, 2015
I received this book free in exchange for an honest review...
2.75 stars
I'm not really sure what to think about this book. I liked the fantasy aspects of Branded (though I could have used a little more backstory of how or why these people end up in this other world with these special gifts. There was pretty much no explanation or speculation in the book).
First we meet Asher a 20 year old pyromaniac. I found it hard to like or understand Asher. He will not (or cannot) remember peoples names so he just calls them by descriptor words like Blind Guy, Fangs, or Snake Woman. He is definitely selfish and bratty (he likes to use the word freak a lot). Not a sympathetic character.
The other main character Jose is blind but seems to be more together, though less is known of him as Asher's POV is the only one seen in the beginning.
The new talents these guys (and others) have once they arrive are very interesting, though some are not exactly described (What does a Medusa do exactly?). Asher is a dragon and Jose a Fire Elf. They instinctually seem to know how to use these talents for the most part.
There is a war going on in their new home of Altasia. I couldn't tell which side of the war was the good or bad guys. Even the main characters didn't seem especially one side or the other.
This is not really a romance or a love story at this point.
Branded is the first of 2 books... the end was rather abrupt and not HFN or HEA. Definitely will need to read both books in the series. If I had known that, I probably wouldn't have read the first without having the second to go right into.
2.75 stars
I'm not really sure what to think about this book. I liked the fantasy aspects of Branded (though I could have used a little more backstory of how or why these people end up in this other world with these special gifts. There was pretty much no explanation or speculation in the book).
First we meet Asher a 20 year old pyromaniac. I found it hard to like or understand Asher. He will not (or cannot) remember peoples names so he just calls them by descriptor words like Blind Guy, Fangs, or Snake Woman. He is definitely selfish and bratty (he likes to use the word freak a lot). Not a sympathetic character.
The other main character Jose is blind but seems to be more together, though less is known of him as Asher's POV is the only one seen in the beginning.
The new talents these guys (and others) have once they arrive are very interesting, though some are not exactly described (What does a Medusa do exactly?). Asher is a dragon and Jose a Fire Elf. They instinctually seem to know how to use these talents for the most part.
There is a war going on in their new home of Altasia. I couldn't tell which side of the war was the good or bad guys. Even the main characters didn't seem especially one side or the other.
This is not really a romance or a love story at this point.
Branded is the first of 2 books... the end was rather abrupt and not HFN or HEA. Definitely will need to read both books in the series. If I had known that, I probably wouldn't have read the first without having the second to go right into.
July 16, 2015
FourStars
4 Heart-pounding Stars!
What a fabulous imagination Ana J. Phoenix has! Hang on to your heads, you are in for an exciting, non-stop adventure with Asher and Jose.
I couldn't choose a favourite! The author endears both Hero's in your heart and you can't help rooting for both. It is quite the page-turner.
Even with the Fantasy theme, the author interjects some tender moments, to remind us that the Hero's are in fact human!
It should also be noted that there is a book 2, Burned, due Winter 2015, which I can't wait for!
I was given this in return for an honest review by Inked Rainbow Reads.
Reviewer: Kimberley
ThreeStar
I loved the characters in this story and I really enjoyed the relationship between Asher and Jose. Actually, it took me a long time to warm up to Asher. The spoiled, miserable pretty-boy at the start of the story was absolutely awful! In contrast, Jose was a steady, mature presence from the start, a perfect counterbalance to the tempestuous Asher.
This was more of a classic fantasy story than I had anticipated. While I really enjoy urban fantasy, I’m not a huge fan of classic quests and I found myself switching off and skimming pages at times. But I did the same with The Hobbit. I’m pretty sure that classic fantasy fans will enjoy the story much more than I did.
The ending leaves room for a sequel or two and I’m personally hoping that a good portion of the action in the second story takes place our world.
I was given this in return for an honest review by Inked Rainbow Reads.
Sarah
4 Heart-pounding Stars!
What a fabulous imagination Ana J. Phoenix has! Hang on to your heads, you are in for an exciting, non-stop adventure with Asher and Jose.
I couldn't choose a favourite! The author endears both Hero's in your heart and you can't help rooting for both. It is quite the page-turner.
Even with the Fantasy theme, the author interjects some tender moments, to remind us that the Hero's are in fact human!
It should also be noted that there is a book 2, Burned, due Winter 2015, which I can't wait for!
I was given this in return for an honest review by Inked Rainbow Reads.
Reviewer: Kimberley
ThreeStar
I loved the characters in this story and I really enjoyed the relationship between Asher and Jose. Actually, it took me a long time to warm up to Asher. The spoiled, miserable pretty-boy at the start of the story was absolutely awful! In contrast, Jose was a steady, mature presence from the start, a perfect counterbalance to the tempestuous Asher.
This was more of a classic fantasy story than I had anticipated. While I really enjoy urban fantasy, I’m not a huge fan of classic quests and I found myself switching off and skimming pages at times. But I did the same with The Hobbit. I’m pretty sure that classic fantasy fans will enjoy the story much more than I did.
The ending leaves room for a sequel or two and I’m personally hoping that a good portion of the action in the second story takes place our world.
I was given this in return for an honest review by Inked Rainbow Reads.
Sarah
September 2, 2015
Review copy provided via the author and the DBML program in exchange for an honest review.
I will admit that I had mixed feelings for this book in the beginning; I adored the world and all the different characters in it but that was tempered by Asher and his attitude. And boy, does he have attitude. The farther into the book I got, however, the more I came to realize that his hard and prickly exterior was just a way of hiding and trying to protect his squishy, needy, lonely interior. Too bad for him that Jose starts to see through the facade even as Asher is trying to keep his distance. Aside from the sex...Asher won't ever give up on the sex.
The story itself was great; the world was imaginative as were the inhabitants and really, the ending was just so unexpected which made it that much better. I also really enjoy the fact that this wasn't an insta-love, lets go ride of into the sunset together type of book/ending. Things are set up to progress in the sequel and, really, Asher is just so messed up that it wouldn't be believable if everything was just sequins and rainbows suddenly. I'm really looking forward to the next book so that I can see how the relationship between Jose and Asher go. I'm also curious to see if their companions from earlier in the book make an appearance. Really enjoyable read. :)
I will admit that I had mixed feelings for this book in the beginning; I adored the world and all the different characters in it but that was tempered by Asher and his attitude. And boy, does he have attitude. The farther into the book I got, however, the more I came to realize that his hard and prickly exterior was just a way of hiding and trying to protect his squishy, needy, lonely interior. Too bad for him that Jose starts to see through the facade even as Asher is trying to keep his distance. Aside from the sex...Asher won't ever give up on the sex.
The story itself was great; the world was imaginative as were the inhabitants and really, the ending was just so unexpected which made it that much better. I also really enjoy the fact that this wasn't an insta-love, lets go ride of into the sunset together type of book/ending. Things are set up to progress in the sequel and, really, Asher is just so messed up that it wouldn't be believable if everything was just sequins and rainbows suddenly. I'm really looking forward to the next book so that I can see how the relationship between Jose and Asher go. I'm also curious to see if their companions from earlier in the book make an appearance. Really enjoyable read. :)
August 16, 2015
This book has been given to me for free in exchange for an honest review.
This book is kind of like "The Wizard of Oz", minus likable characters. The book starts with MC Ash (not sure his age for the first couple of chapters), being yelled at by his mother because smoke detectors are going off due to his pyro tendencies. These tendencies happen often. He then was knocked out by a sever pain and the next thing he knew he was waking up in another world. He meets several characters, one of which is Jose, a blind guy with a fire fairy sidekick guiding him. (When people fall into this word are changed into beings with a mixture of strange powers) Ash now can turn into a dragon and Jose can throw fire and build fire walls. The fire fairy tells them she knows someone that might be able to get them home. So the journey begins.
Along the journey there are villages burned, strange creatures to fight, and friends killed. There is also a vampire who we don't know if he's good or bad until the end.
I really couldn't get into this book because I really couldn't stand MC Ash. He was just such an as..... Even after we find out how his life was so horrible due to child abuse, I still didn't like him.
I think the premis was interesting and many people will like this, but for me, I needed more heart.
This book is kind of like "The Wizard of Oz", minus likable characters. The book starts with MC Ash (not sure his age for the first couple of chapters), being yelled at by his mother because smoke detectors are going off due to his pyro tendencies. These tendencies happen often. He then was knocked out by a sever pain and the next thing he knew he was waking up in another world. He meets several characters, one of which is Jose, a blind guy with a fire fairy sidekick guiding him. (When people fall into this word are changed into beings with a mixture of strange powers) Ash now can turn into a dragon and Jose can throw fire and build fire walls. The fire fairy tells them she knows someone that might be able to get them home. So the journey begins.
Along the journey there are villages burned, strange creatures to fight, and friends killed. There is also a vampire who we don't know if he's good or bad until the end.
I really couldn't get into this book because I really couldn't stand MC Ash. He was just such an as..... Even after we find out how his life was so horrible due to child abuse, I still didn't like him.
I think the premis was interesting and many people will like this, but for me, I needed more heart.
June 1, 2015
I loved the characters in this story and I really enjoyed the relationship between Asher and Jose. Actually, it took me a long time to warm up to Asher. The spoiled, miserable pretty-boy at the start of the story was absolutely awful! In contrast, Jose was a steady, mature presence from the start, a perfect counterbalance to the tempestuous Asher.
This was more of a classic fantasy story than I had anticipated. While I really enjoy urban fantasy, I’m not a huge fan of classic quests and I found myself switching off and skimming pages at times. But I did the same with The Hobbit. I’m pretty sure that classic fantasy fans will enjoy the story much more than I did.
The ending leaves room for a sequel or two and I’m personally hoping that a good portion of the action in the second story takes place our world.
I was given an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review for Inked Rainbow Reviews.
This was more of a classic fantasy story than I had anticipated. While I really enjoy urban fantasy, I’m not a huge fan of classic quests and I found myself switching off and skimming pages at times. But I did the same with The Hobbit. I’m pretty sure that classic fantasy fans will enjoy the story much more than I did.
The ending leaves room for a sequel or two and I’m personally hoping that a good portion of the action in the second story takes place our world.
I was given an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review for Inked Rainbow Reviews.
September 4, 2015
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
I liked parts of this book. The fantasy world and story line were very well done and interesting. What I didn't like, was one of the main characters, Asher. I realize he was supposed to be the damaged hero, but he was so abrasive and obnoxious that I couldn't like him at all. I liked Jose and the other minor characters. What saved this for me was the story line. About half way through, I got really caught up in the journey of these guys and really wanted to see what was going to happen next. Although I thought Asher's bad attitude and behavior should have been toned down some, I look forward to the sequel. You know an author has done something right when you want to read more.
I liked parts of this book. The fantasy world and story line were very well done and interesting. What I didn't like, was one of the main characters, Asher. I realize he was supposed to be the damaged hero, but he was so abrasive and obnoxious that I couldn't like him at all. I liked Jose and the other minor characters. What saved this for me was the story line. About half way through, I got really caught up in the journey of these guys and really wanted to see what was going to happen next. Although I thought Asher's bad attitude and behavior should have been toned down some, I look forward to the sequel. You know an author has done something right when you want to read more.
September 5, 2015
I received a copy of this book from the author via The M/M Romance Group's Don't Buy My Love Program in exchange for an honest review.
Like everybody in this book we were just drop into this strange world and fighting to get back to something we can recognise. Asher was anbit ass and made no apologies for it. But really when no one ever give a beep about you, you stop giving a beep about everyone else. Blind Guy aka Jose is the guy you immediately like. The world was interesting even if it wasn't too clear how they got there. I love the flow of this story and definitely interested in reading the next one.
Like everybody in this book we were just drop into this strange world and fighting to get back to something we can recognise. Asher was an
December 29, 2015
Couldn't put it down
Asher and Jose are great together. I read the third book first and like both characters right away. I was surprised that they met in another world...where magic is a way of life. Jose became a fire elf and Asher a dragon. Trying to get home, they run into all types of treats that threaten their lives and bring them closer then imaginable. I found the whole experience with the Fox to be drawn out that I was just getting annoyed and bored, but still a really good story and I am off to read Burned book two.
Asher and Jose are great together. I read the third book first and like both characters right away. I was surprised that they met in another world...where magic is a way of life. Jose became a fire elf and Asher a dragon. Trying to get home, they run into all types of treats that threaten their lives and bring them closer then imaginable. I found the whole experience with the Fox to be drawn out that I was just getting annoyed and bored, but still a really good story and I am off to read Burned book two.
o-maybe-r
August 4, 2016FREE at ARe 10-20-15
November 12, 2015
Hhmm I liked this one but felt that the story was incomplete lol or at least I would have wanted to read more what happened after the guys returned to real world again! Waiting for the sequael!!
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