Rock, Paper, Shivers

Bitter Ashes #3

by Sara C. Roethle

Madeline can’t run forever. Estus still wants the key, and now thanks to Mikael, she’s a bigger target than ever. The only choice left is to summon the old gods for aid, risking the chance they might sooner destroy them all, than help them harness the key’s power to defeat their enemies.

Madeline is willing to take the risk, though gods can be finicky, and if there’s one thing she’s learned, it’s that no one does anything for free.

Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Fae

184 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 14, 2015

About the author

Sara C. Roethle is a Fantasy author and part-time unicorn. She enjoys writing character driven stories in various fantasy realms with elements of Celtic and Norse myth, humor, and metaphysical ponderings.

Her series include:

Tree of Ages
The Thief's Apprentice
The Moonstone Chronicles
Xoe Meyers
Bitter Ashes

Reviews

[Jeffrey Caston · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good mid-point to the series. It has been too long since I read the second book, which made me feel like I was missing some of the plot points from the prior books. So to the extent that I felt like I had issues with the story and possible areas of plot armor, I'm going to give it a pass because I could be forgetting nuances from books 1 and 2.

That being said, yes, it does have some typical fantasy and urban fantasy tropes, but no biggie. I still like the story and how Roethle is making a lot of the mythologies her own.

I'm going to get into book 4 as soon as I can.

[Kirsty Cook · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m really interested in the story but the characters are so awful. The male lead, Alaric, has no character beyond being the protagonist’s love interest. The character of James is pointless, which I’m disappointed by because I thought there was going to be some fantastic plot twist involving him. All the characters are very one dimensional, you’re either one of the good guys in which case you can do no wrong, not even murder, or you’re one of the bad guys in which case you’re completely bad with no exploration of motivations or history. I was not sure if I was going to read the next in the series because I do want to see what happens, but in the end the characters are too frustrating for me to continue.

[Jai · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh wow! This story is just getting better and better! So interesting and captivating. I wish the books were much longer than what they are. It's like eating an appetizer and you're still waiting for the meal.

[Lana · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a magnificent transformation in Madeline's character from the first book to this one. We saw her grow from a mere human, afraid of everything, a loner, escaping life itself to the Madeline now, who was both strong and kind, dark and light and determined to solving a problem of epic proportions all by herself. We see her travelling through time, cavorting with deities, getting possessed and unpossessed, travelling to hell and back again and still coming out alive. She was the key and the Morrigan and could raise her own army of phantoms. She also had the loyalty of her team behind her and it seems as though her team was continuously growing. Can she bring the balance needed to this world, can she regrow Yggdrasil, the tree of life? What an amazing series this has been so far, a truly magical read which i cannot get enough of. Look forward to book 4.

[linda meyerhofer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good. No o

I love reading it! It made me feel like I was a part of the.good book to read. I found myself having more spare momen

[Wayne Tripp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enjoyable

The story gets better and better as we learn more about the characters and the world. Very much looking forward to the next in the series!

[Christian Jeffress · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun read

Definitely a great addition to the series to be sure and a book I thoroughly enjoyed. I am looking forward to reading book four now.

[Amanda Willmar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Development

This book brings much growth to each of the characters. While some find strength others find vulnerability. Plenty of plot twists that keep you guessing.

[rae · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️

[Carol Armstrong · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series. There are so many twists and turns there is no way one can predict the ending. I want to get to the end but as with all of her books I am sad when they do end. I am always left feeling that I have lost contact with friends.

[angela reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is that it?

I hope there's more. I'm so into the storyline and I couldn't believe it was done. I feel a connection with Maddie. Not because I have mystical powers or something silly, but because I know what it feels like to carry too much. I think we all feel like that sometimes. She's strong and kind and I relate to that too. I hope this isn't the end.

[Caroline E McGaha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting Series

I've really come to enjoy the characters in this book. I'd love to read a little more background on the villains, but overall I've come to identify with the characters. As a Mythology teacher, I like the the interweaving of cultures. I'd recommend this series to anyone interested in mythology.