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The Ashen Touch Trilogy
Can one sarcastic demi-goddess and her stoic demon half-ling bodyguard save Haedes' underworld... and his broken heart?Book THE OPAL BLADESYNOPSISAs Haedes' underworld burns, she alone will risefrom the ashes.When Sephy Sinclair is forced to sign a contract taking over her father's business empire, she's not happy. What she doesn't know though, is that in having her Father's legacy thrust upon her, she's about to discover the secret lives of her parents, and most importantly that her lineage is steeped far deeper in ancient myth and magic than she ever anticipated. Journey, with Sephy, through The Hollow and find yourself among the sinners of Mortaria, The Underworldian City ruled by a council of Gods made mortal. Here, she will seek sanctuary beneath a purple sun and vermillion sky, ruled by Haedes, a man broken beyond repair by an incident far too close to home. Unfortunately for Sephy, it is Haedes alone who can teach her how to wield her newfound powers. Will he overcome his personal loss in time to save Sephy as she is hunted by the Demon Lords of Ancient, or will Sephy be used as a bargaining chip to bring Mortaria to its knees?Book Two- THE ONYX HOURGLASSSYNOPSISIt’s been six months since Xion and Haedes began their search for The Book of The Dead, and with the arrival of a warning from above, they know they can’t be far from their goal. Meanwhile in Mortaria, Luce and Thane are left scrambling to keep things running, putting their relationship under more strain than ever before and making Luce question her ability to wield the dark magic she finds so alluring.Then there’s Pandora, who has been quiet ever since that night at the colosseum, but why? Demon numbers are seemingly decreasing, and yet animalistic murders in downtown Chicago, which are leaving local authorities stumped, seem to indicate a shift in the way the Demon Lords are operating from the traditions they have observed for thousands of years.Can Sephy be brought back? And if she can, will she return as the sassy, sarcastic Sephy Sinclair we all know and love, or will something else entirely return from beyond the grave? Book Three- THE OBSIDIAN SHARD SYNOPSISOne month has elapsed since Pandora turned out the sun, and things in the Mortal World are shifting as though something dark is just on the horizon. Sephy has been patrolling the streets, preventing demon attacks when she can, but things at the estate fall deeper into chaos with every passing day.Luce is beyond reach, consumed by both grief and the darkness, and while Xion feels like he owes her the help she once gave him, he’s beginning to wonder if she’ll take it. Then, with the discovery of a solution to tame Lucifer’s darkness emerging from their joint past, the cogs of fate begin sputtering into motion.For you see, Pandora might have the throne, but she still doesn’t possess the undying loyalty of the Demon Lords, and with an unexpected visit from The Higher Plains, Pandora begins to realise she needs power of her own to truly grasp her revenge.Will Sephy, Xion, and Luce thwart her pursuit of the destruction of all they hold dear? Or is the sacrifice they are expected to pay to maintain the balance of worlds just too great?
716 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 25, 2019
About the author
Kristy Nicolle
25 books215 followersHi, I’m Kristy Nicolle, a 27-year-old British writer achieving freedom from the pain of my Ehlers Danlos Syndrome diagnosis by bringing fantasy worlds to life for my readers. I currently enjoy spending time in my fuzzy PJs with my kitty arch nemesis, Moo, and love all things mermaids, unicorns, and glitter! My books centre around high detail, high action fantasy worlds, full of badass female characters who love to get steamy.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
January 24, 2020
The Opal Blade
This was such an unexpected and exciting story, and it blindsided me in so many ways! I don't know what I expected when I walked into it, but it far exceeded anything I could have imagined.
Sephy Sinclair is a strong, stubborn, passionate and tenacious heroine, everything that I want to see in a female lead character. She has so much fight and determination and is haunted by not only her personal demons but apparently some real demons, also. It doesn't take long for her to find out why she has all of this fun and adventure in her life. Then, Xion enters the picture, there to guard her as she faces her responsibilities on earth and guide her into the Hollows for sanctuary and to discover her birthright. But everything is not as it seems. Those who are trusted may be the ones who should be trusted the least. And those who are not trusted could be the ones to change the world as we see it.
Honestly, I this entire story, its premise, and its characters was so much more than mind-blowing. The characters were so full and complete that I couldn't even hate the bad guys. They were staggeringly well-developed and the world this author built was absolutely stunning, both with such a three-dimensional brilliance that reading this story was like stepping into a completely other world. And that ending still has me shaken. I am looking forward, on so many levels, to seeing where she takes this story. With this fantastic beginning, the rest of the story is going to be epic!
The Onyx Hourglass
This story just keeps getting better as we go along and the vivid detail and exciting and frightening action from one moment to the next is as unpredictable as it is enthralling. When we left Sephy at the end of The Opal Blade, she wasn't in a good place. Or was she?
In this installment of the trilogy, we see how far Haedes will go to protect his daughter, how deep Xion's love is for this woman he's sworn to protect his entire life, and the lengths Lucifer will reach to prove she is more than a pretty face who was cast from the aetherial realm. These characters are each strong in their own right, and as the tale moves forward, we find what drives them in the course set ahead of them. This is a fight not only to save those most important to them but to keep Mortaria from being taken over by the demon legion who has been waiting for just the perfect moment and to keep a balance necessary to save all of the realms.
Her characters are extreme and evocative and take us unexpected surprising directions. I'm always astonished by what the author will risk to not only keep our attention but to take us someplace we never knew we wanted to go. We become invested in the lives of her characters. We laugh out loud when she has them do or say something that hits us just right. And we cry when she fearlessly takes a character out of the equation who we never thought could be touched. I have no idea where this story is going next, but I can guarantee it's going to be somewhere I never would have predicted, and I'm in it for the long haul.
The Obsidian Shard
Pandora has taken Mortaria with the help of the Demon Lords, but all is not as perfect for her as it seems. She needs their support to continue, but she lacks the power to hold her position on the throne. The mortal world has turned into a frightening place for Sephy, he cohorts, and humans alike. Luce has opened a can of worms that has allowed the darkness to attempt complete control over her, making her impossible to trust or bargain with. Xion is working his hardest, trying to gain some ground with Sephy and get through to Luce, both situations he feels responsible for. They are all trying to find the one thing that will either give Pandora the power she needs or stop her from gaining power. And if they find it, will the cost be too much for all of them?
There wasn't a moment of this story that was predictable or didn't surprise me. This author has such a twisted sense of humor and a dark imagination. I can't fathom where her ideas originate, but wherever they come from, she gleans pure gold. There were moments that had me laughing out loud while others had me holding my breath. I shed tears several times and cheered on the heroes as they worked to discover what it would take to save the mortal world and stop Pandora from tipping the balance and destroying every plane of existence. Even after finishing the story, my heart is still in my throat, and I'm trying to find the meaning of it all. This trilogy has been dark and consuming from the first book, and I wait on pins and needles for the next thing she writes.
This was such an unexpected and exciting story, and it blindsided me in so many ways! I don't know what I expected when I walked into it, but it far exceeded anything I could have imagined.
Sephy Sinclair is a strong, stubborn, passionate and tenacious heroine, everything that I want to see in a female lead character. She has so much fight and determination and is haunted by not only her personal demons but apparently some real demons, also. It doesn't take long for her to find out why she has all of this fun and adventure in her life. Then, Xion enters the picture, there to guard her as she faces her responsibilities on earth and guide her into the Hollows for sanctuary and to discover her birthright. But everything is not as it seems. Those who are trusted may be the ones who should be trusted the least. And those who are not trusted could be the ones to change the world as we see it.
Honestly, I this entire story, its premise, and its characters was so much more than mind-blowing. The characters were so full and complete that I couldn't even hate the bad guys. They were staggeringly well-developed and the world this author built was absolutely stunning, both with such a three-dimensional brilliance that reading this story was like stepping into a completely other world. And that ending still has me shaken. I am looking forward, on so many levels, to seeing where she takes this story. With this fantastic beginning, the rest of the story is going to be epic!
The Onyx Hourglass
This story just keeps getting better as we go along and the vivid detail and exciting and frightening action from one moment to the next is as unpredictable as it is enthralling. When we left Sephy at the end of The Opal Blade, she wasn't in a good place. Or was she?
In this installment of the trilogy, we see how far Haedes will go to protect his daughter, how deep Xion's love is for this woman he's sworn to protect his entire life, and the lengths Lucifer will reach to prove she is more than a pretty face who was cast from the aetherial realm. These characters are each strong in their own right, and as the tale moves forward, we find what drives them in the course set ahead of them. This is a fight not only to save those most important to them but to keep Mortaria from being taken over by the demon legion who has been waiting for just the perfect moment and to keep a balance necessary to save all of the realms.
Her characters are extreme and evocative and take us unexpected surprising directions. I'm always astonished by what the author will risk to not only keep our attention but to take us someplace we never knew we wanted to go. We become invested in the lives of her characters. We laugh out loud when she has them do or say something that hits us just right. And we cry when she fearlessly takes a character out of the equation who we never thought could be touched. I have no idea where this story is going next, but I can guarantee it's going to be somewhere I never would have predicted, and I'm in it for the long haul.
The Obsidian Shard
Pandora has taken Mortaria with the help of the Demon Lords, but all is not as perfect for her as it seems. She needs their support to continue, but she lacks the power to hold her position on the throne. The mortal world has turned into a frightening place for Sephy, he cohorts, and humans alike. Luce has opened a can of worms that has allowed the darkness to attempt complete control over her, making her impossible to trust or bargain with. Xion is working his hardest, trying to gain some ground with Sephy and get through to Luce, both situations he feels responsible for. They are all trying to find the one thing that will either give Pandora the power she needs or stop her from gaining power. And if they find it, will the cost be too much for all of them?
There wasn't a moment of this story that was predictable or didn't surprise me. This author has such a twisted sense of humor and a dark imagination. I can't fathom where her ideas originate, but wherever they come from, she gleans pure gold. There were moments that had me laughing out loud while others had me holding my breath. I shed tears several times and cheered on the heroes as they worked to discover what it would take to save the mortal world and stop Pandora from tipping the balance and destroying every plane of existence. Even after finishing the story, my heart is still in my throat, and I'm trying to find the meaning of it all. This trilogy has been dark and consuming from the first book, and I wait on pins and needles for the next thing she writes.
April 15, 2025
May include spoilers.
The Opal Blade: Persephone "Sephy" Sinclair is a rich, sarcastic princess. Sephy comes back home after graduating from Oxford University. Her butler, Jules, looks after her needs and caters to her every whim. Her Uncle Peter is insistent on her signing the papers to take over her father's business, but Sephy doesn't want to be tied to a board room. Sephy wants to live her life. Hanging out with her Leonberger, Cerb, and riding her Percheron, Nightshade, as well as partying hard at the club every night and bringing home a different guy every night, is how Sephy wants to spend her time. Then there's Xion. The new security guard her uncle hired for her. After giving in and signing the papers to take her responsibility and then finding an opal blade that she unknowingly absorbed powers from, she is attacked by banshees. Only Sephy thinks they're giant feral wolves. She doesn't believe Xion when he tells her that she is Haedes' daughter. A daughter that Haedes didn't know he had. Xion takes Sephy to the Underworld and introduces her to Haedes. She also meets Lucifer "Luce", Thane and others that she had no idea existed. Sephy learns about a prophecy about her and seemingly Xion. Then there's Pandora and the demon lords. Pandora has a grudge against Zeus and wants to use Haedes to get back at him. Pandora convinces the demon lords they need to use Sephy to get to Haedes, and so they kidnap Sephy. Instead of Haedes coming to her rescue, with the help of Luce, Thane and Xion, Sephy basically rescues herself with an infusion of some power from Haedes. All's well that ends well.
The Onyx Hourglass: Haedes and Xion are on the search for the book of the dead to bring Sephy back, leaving Luce in charge of the underworld for months. Finally finding the book, Luce performs the dark magic to bring Sephy back from the dead. Sephy is seemingly not herself anymore after her return. She pushes Xion away from her and tries to return to her partying ways. Pandora and the demon lords regroup themselves and start planning to steal the book of the dead with the help of someone from the inside. And now Luce is battling demons of her own while also fighting with Thane. And Haedes is feeling weaker now from giving his life force to bring Sephy back. Once Pandora gets her hands on the book and also Thane, she's able to coerce Luce into performing a ritual to bring Ra back. Sephy to the rescue again.
The Obsidian Shard: With Haedes dead, Sephy, Xion, Luce and the Furies are now fugitives from the Pandora and the demon lords who have taken over the underworld. The group is hiding out at the Sinclair state in the mortal realm. Luce is in her own darkness after Thane released herself to the Higher Plains, but the grouo needs her to come back to herself. So they draw the darkness from Luce into the Obsidian shard. Though, once Pandora learns of this, she just has to get her hands on that shard to absorb the power herself. The group sneaks into the underworld to start their counter attack. The only way to make it so Pandora cannot absorb the power is to destroy the shard, the whole shard. This includes the piece that is Xion's tether. Can Sephy do this? Can she destroy the man she loves and take her rightful place on the throne of the underworld?
This trilogy is the second trilogy in the Queens of Fantasy Saga. It is another great story and I look forward to the next installation in the saga.
The Opal Blade: Persephone "Sephy" Sinclair is a rich, sarcastic princess. Sephy comes back home after graduating from Oxford University. Her butler, Jules, looks after her needs and caters to her every whim. Her Uncle Peter is insistent on her signing the papers to take over her father's business, but Sephy doesn't want to be tied to a board room. Sephy wants to live her life. Hanging out with her Leonberger, Cerb, and riding her Percheron, Nightshade, as well as partying hard at the club every night and bringing home a different guy every night, is how Sephy wants to spend her time. Then there's Xion. The new security guard her uncle hired for her. After giving in and signing the papers to take her responsibility and then finding an opal blade that she unknowingly absorbed powers from, she is attacked by banshees. Only Sephy thinks they're giant feral wolves. She doesn't believe Xion when he tells her that she is Haedes' daughter. A daughter that Haedes didn't know he had. Xion takes Sephy to the Underworld and introduces her to Haedes. She also meets Lucifer "Luce", Thane and others that she had no idea existed. Sephy learns about a prophecy about her and seemingly Xion. Then there's Pandora and the demon lords. Pandora has a grudge against Zeus and wants to use Haedes to get back at him. Pandora convinces the demon lords they need to use Sephy to get to Haedes, and so they kidnap Sephy. Instead of Haedes coming to her rescue, with the help of Luce, Thane and Xion, Sephy basically rescues herself with an infusion of some power from Haedes. All's well that ends well.
The Onyx Hourglass: Haedes and Xion are on the search for the book of the dead to bring Sephy back, leaving Luce in charge of the underworld for months. Finally finding the book, Luce performs the dark magic to bring Sephy back from the dead. Sephy is seemingly not herself anymore after her return. She pushes Xion away from her and tries to return to her partying ways. Pandora and the demon lords regroup themselves and start planning to steal the book of the dead with the help of someone from the inside. And now Luce is battling demons of her own while also fighting with Thane. And Haedes is feeling weaker now from giving his life force to bring Sephy back. Once Pandora gets her hands on the book and also Thane, she's able to coerce Luce into performing a ritual to bring Ra back. Sephy to the rescue again.
The Obsidian Shard: With Haedes dead, Sephy, Xion, Luce and the Furies are now fugitives from the Pandora and the demon lords who have taken over the underworld. The group is hiding out at the Sinclair state in the mortal realm. Luce is in her own darkness after Thane released herself to the Higher Plains, but the grouo needs her to come back to herself. So they draw the darkness from Luce into the Obsidian shard. Though, once Pandora learns of this, she just has to get her hands on that shard to absorb the power herself. The group sneaks into the underworld to start their counter attack. The only way to make it so Pandora cannot absorb the power is to destroy the shard, the whole shard. This includes the piece that is Xion's tether. Can Sephy do this? Can she destroy the man she loves and take her rightful place on the throne of the underworld?
This trilogy is the second trilogy in the Queens of Fantasy Saga. It is another great story and I look forward to the next installation in the saga.
September 19, 2025
The opal blade
Persephone Sinclair, Aris to her father’s legacy that she is hesitant to accept, because of her parents, death and the responsibilities. With a love, Wild and Free type of personality. Because of that wild and carefree persona, her uncle hires, a bodyguard. Persephone be gradually keeps on going not wanting a bodyguard. She continues being herself with the hopes of embarrassing XION her bodyguard. XION takes Persephone to hell through the portal. Where she makes friends rather quickly, especially Lucifer and finds of her true bloodlines her legacy. Journeys through the underworld. As she steps through the portal, she discovered herself and powers leaving her old life behind so fun to see her grow. Love Stephy and the gods and the supernatural creatures. I absolutely ate this book up and 100% recommend.
The Onyx Hourglass
This is booked two, in SEPHYS journey. Where we have and met XION, Hades, Lucifer, and Thane too, and Jules.
Loved Hades antics and Sephys sass! Definitely kept me wanting more, to keep reading this world.
Had me on the edge of my seat giggling too.
I don’t want to give too much details but I’m entranced, by Kristy’s writing, drawn into this unique underworld. So well crafted. Seeing the characters come to life with their own feelings and personalities.
Six months after sephys passing.
I just can’t… how can we not love Xion, after losing another love, he takes off to try and resurrect her. Hades finds out he has a long lost daughter both look for the book to resurrect her. Both devastated to lose her. They go on a road trip and go anywhere they heard who has held the book, and by shear luck they find it!
As I said I don’t want to give too much away but u don’t want to miss out on this journey! Ate this up! I’m loving this series
The Obsidian Shard
Spicy, slow burn, adult, fantasy, romance, Greek mythology, world building, what a conclusion in Ashen trilogy.
This set up for an upcoming battle time the trilogies altogether.
Pandora has been rolling moratoria. Everything falling apart. Sephy struggles. She has to do something about the coming apocalypse, keep the world from falling aprt. The balance hanging on the thread with the moratoria sun gone.
The finale is dark, emotional, magical, chaotic, perfection, with enough spice to keep the heat. Open door spice, in the world for you vibes, please check the trigger warnings. This conclusion to the Ashton trilogy is definitely a bit darker.
⚠️ some TW
Grief
Power plays
Manipulation
Emotional trauma
The stakes are high.. all building to something massive.
I 💯 recommend this entire series I’m loving it
Persephone Sinclair, Aris to her father’s legacy that she is hesitant to accept, because of her parents, death and the responsibilities. With a love, Wild and Free type of personality. Because of that wild and carefree persona, her uncle hires, a bodyguard. Persephone be gradually keeps on going not wanting a bodyguard. She continues being herself with the hopes of embarrassing XION her bodyguard. XION takes Persephone to hell through the portal. Where she makes friends rather quickly, especially Lucifer and finds of her true bloodlines her legacy. Journeys through the underworld. As she steps through the portal, she discovered herself and powers leaving her old life behind so fun to see her grow. Love Stephy and the gods and the supernatural creatures. I absolutely ate this book up and 100% recommend.
The Onyx Hourglass
This is booked two, in SEPHYS journey. Where we have and met XION, Hades, Lucifer, and Thane too, and Jules.
Loved Hades antics and Sephys sass! Definitely kept me wanting more, to keep reading this world.
Had me on the edge of my seat giggling too.
I don’t want to give too much details but I’m entranced, by Kristy’s writing, drawn into this unique underworld. So well crafted. Seeing the characters come to life with their own feelings and personalities.
Six months after sephys passing.
I just can’t… how can we not love Xion, after losing another love, he takes off to try and resurrect her. Hades finds out he has a long lost daughter both look for the book to resurrect her. Both devastated to lose her. They go on a road trip and go anywhere they heard who has held the book, and by shear luck they find it!
As I said I don’t want to give too much away but u don’t want to miss out on this journey! Ate this up! I’m loving this series
The Obsidian Shard
Spicy, slow burn, adult, fantasy, romance, Greek mythology, world building, what a conclusion in Ashen trilogy.
This set up for an upcoming battle time the trilogies altogether.
Pandora has been rolling moratoria. Everything falling apart. Sephy struggles. She has to do something about the coming apocalypse, keep the world from falling aprt. The balance hanging on the thread with the moratoria sun gone.
The finale is dark, emotional, magical, chaotic, perfection, with enough spice to keep the heat. Open door spice, in the world for you vibes, please check the trigger warnings. This conclusion to the Ashton trilogy is definitely a bit darker.
⚠️ some TW
Grief
Power plays
Manipulation
Emotional trauma
The stakes are high.. all building to something massive.
I 💯 recommend this entire series I’m loving it
April 1, 2025
devastatingly amazing
Quick Review:
⭐️ 5/5 stars – This trilogy is mythological chaos, emotional destruction, and slow-burn romance perfection—all wrapped in one unputdownable package. The world-building is Fantastic. The characters are Layered and gloriously messy. The plot will wreck you (but you’ll thank it). I laughed, I spiraled, I got wrecked. Zero regrets.
🌶️ 3/5 Spice Rating – The spice builds slow and steady—from open-door teasing tension to deeper, more emotional heat, and finally full-on, soul-crushing, world-ending kind of spice. The kind that ruins you in the best way.
🖤 4/5 Darkness Rating – Check trigger warnings. The darkness creeps in in this one.
⸻
What I Loved:
Sephy is that girl—snarky, unstoppable, and fully unbothered by gods or demons trying to call the shots. Kristy Nicolle flips the gods on their heads and turns them into a wild, gender-bent fever dream that somehow works. The chapter titles are Iconic. The world-building is so vivid you’ll forget it’s fiction. And that slow-burn romance, as always, Chef’s kiss—perfectly simmered, never forced.
The darkness builds like a storm—soft at first, then spiraling into grief, identity spirals, and power plays that hit hard. It’s raw, it’s emotional, and by the end, you’re shattered… in the best way.
⸻
The Story (No Spoilers!):
This trilogy is pure mythological mayhem—in the best way. Sephy’s thrown into a world of gods, monsters, and ancient magic, and things unravel fast. There’s chaos, resurrection, emotional wreckage, and a romance that goes from slow-burn tension to full-on “burn the world for you” devotion. The stakes rise, the twists don’t quit, and by the end, you’re emotionally winded and weirdly satisfied.
⸻
Final Thoughts:
This series took me on a wild, emotional ride I didn’t know I needed. It’s messy, magical, and full of mythological madness—with just the right amount of spice and heartbreak to keep you hooked. I laughed, I yelled, I spiral-read at 2am. It doesn’t tie everything up in a neat little bow, but honestly? That’s what makes it linger. I’m still thinking about it… and I’m still not okay.
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book for my honest review.
Quick Review:
⭐️ 5/5 stars – This trilogy is mythological chaos, emotional destruction, and slow-burn romance perfection—all wrapped in one unputdownable package. The world-building is Fantastic. The characters are Layered and gloriously messy. The plot will wreck you (but you’ll thank it). I laughed, I spiraled, I got wrecked. Zero regrets.
🌶️ 3/5 Spice Rating – The spice builds slow and steady—from open-door teasing tension to deeper, more emotional heat, and finally full-on, soul-crushing, world-ending kind of spice. The kind that ruins you in the best way.
🖤 4/5 Darkness Rating – Check trigger warnings. The darkness creeps in in this one.
⸻
What I Loved:
Sephy is that girl—snarky, unstoppable, and fully unbothered by gods or demons trying to call the shots. Kristy Nicolle flips the gods on their heads and turns them into a wild, gender-bent fever dream that somehow works. The chapter titles are Iconic. The world-building is so vivid you’ll forget it’s fiction. And that slow-burn romance, as always, Chef’s kiss—perfectly simmered, never forced.
The darkness builds like a storm—soft at first, then spiraling into grief, identity spirals, and power plays that hit hard. It’s raw, it’s emotional, and by the end, you’re shattered… in the best way.
⸻
The Story (No Spoilers!):
This trilogy is pure mythological mayhem—in the best way. Sephy’s thrown into a world of gods, monsters, and ancient magic, and things unravel fast. There’s chaos, resurrection, emotional wreckage, and a romance that goes from slow-burn tension to full-on “burn the world for you” devotion. The stakes rise, the twists don’t quit, and by the end, you’re emotionally winded and weirdly satisfied.
⸻
Final Thoughts:
This series took me on a wild, emotional ride I didn’t know I needed. It’s messy, magical, and full of mythological madness—with just the right amount of spice and heartbreak to keep you hooked. I laughed, I yelled, I spiral-read at 2am. It doesn’t tie everything up in a neat little bow, but honestly? That’s what makes it linger. I’m still thinking about it… and I’m still not okay.
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book for my honest review.
June 24, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Ashen Touch Trilogy is everything I want in a dark fantasy series—gritty, emotional, and absolutely gripping from start to finish.
The world-building is rich without being overwhelming, the magic system is haunting and full of consequence, and the characters? Morally grey, deeply flawed, and utterly addictive. Every book raised the stakes, and by the end, I was completely wrecked in the best way possible.
The slow-burn romance adds just the right amount of tension, never overshadowing the plot, but always simmering beneath the surface. And the twists? Brutal. Unpredictable. Perfect.
If you’re a fan of fantasy with edge, emotional depth, and a touch of darkness—you’ll devour this trilogy.
The Ashen Touch Trilogy is everything I want in a dark fantasy series—gritty, emotional, and absolutely gripping from start to finish.
The world-building is rich without being overwhelming, the magic system is haunting and full of consequence, and the characters? Morally grey, deeply flawed, and utterly addictive. Every book raised the stakes, and by the end, I was completely wrecked in the best way possible.
The slow-burn romance adds just the right amount of tension, never overshadowing the plot, but always simmering beneath the surface. And the twists? Brutal. Unpredictable. Perfect.
If you’re a fan of fantasy with edge, emotional depth, and a touch of darkness—you’ll devour this trilogy.
April 20, 2020
Amazing trilogy
Book 1 Oh My Word, that was an amazing book!
I loved the last trilogy, gave it 5 stars, but this book trumped that! I can’t give more than 5 stars, but man I’d love to! It’s so layered. The story had so many facets. Well-written, great pacing, great plot. It left me stunned, wanting more. Now!
Book 2 The high quality of book one was continued in this book. Amazing!
Book 3 What can I say that hasn’t already been said? It was darker than what I usually read, intense, but so compelling!
Book 1 Oh My Word, that was an amazing book!
I loved the last trilogy, gave it 5 stars, but this book trumped that! I can’t give more than 5 stars, but man I’d love to! It’s so layered. The story had so many facets. Well-written, great pacing, great plot. It left me stunned, wanting more. Now!
Book 2 The high quality of book one was continued in this book. Amazing!
Book 3 What can I say that hasn’t already been said? It was darker than what I usually read, intense, but so compelling!
July 12, 2025
Darkly enchanting and wickedly addictive, The Ashen Trilogy drags you through the ash and shadow of a world where love, betrayal, and power collide in the most deliciously twisted ways. Kristy Nicolle’s writing is like a fever dream—lush, brutal, and impossible to quit. If you crave morally gray characters, steamy chaos, and plot twists that slap you awake at 3AM, this trilogy is your next obsession. Can't wait to read the other books this author has! It sucked me in and I'm totally here for it!
February 28, 2025
This one has all the feels. Laughter, tears, nail biting, heart pounding, and spicy. It's epic. The underworld is nothing like you've imagined.
Want to see Haedes playing Candy Crush? You'll find a scene inside!
The furies are a riot. At a restaurant they're told they can choose their own lobster, so they shoot an arrow into the tank.
Sephy and Xion make my heart melt.
Pandora is out for vengeance. Someone needs to stop her.
I can't wait to read more of the series!
Want to see Haedes playing Candy Crush? You'll find a scene inside!
The furies are a riot. At a restaurant they're told they can choose their own lobster, so they shoot an arrow into the tank.
Sephy and Xion make my heart melt.
Pandora is out for vengeance. Someone needs to stop her.
I can't wait to read more of the series!
June 28, 2025
This was an awesome trilogy! An expansive worlds with wonderful people! The MC I'll admit I didn't like at first but throughout this trilogy there was definitely a lot of changes. Sometimes it have me Buffy the vampire slayer vibes. Xion was awesome! Love him! Also love all the Greek gods that were in this! I love Greek mythology and I ate this up!
I enjoyed everything about this trilogy and this will definitely be a reread!
I enjoyed everything about this trilogy and this will definitely be a reread!
May 20, 2026
The Ashen Touch Trilogy completely pulled me in from start to finish! This series had everything I love in fantasy romance: tension, humor, heartbreak, and a slow burn that felt completely worth the wait. The world building was phenomenal and made the story feel so vivid and immersive. I became deeply attached to the characters and emotionally invested in every twist along the way. Kristy Nicolle created a story that was both exciting and emotional.
May 23, 2025
Wow, what a series, I could not put this series down!
Here's what you will find in all of the books: amazing world building, great relationships, a lot of mythological chaos, very sassy and stubborn FMC, and some great buildup book over book to a great overall story.
I was lucky enough to receive an arc of this amazing novel and am leaving a review of my own thoughts and feelings.
Here's what you will find in all of the books: amazing world building, great relationships, a lot of mythological chaos, very sassy and stubborn FMC, and some great buildup book over book to a great overall story.
I was lucky enough to receive an arc of this amazing novel and am leaving a review of my own thoughts and feelings.
May 26, 2025
This series is highly recommended. It can be read as a standalone omnibus or as part of the larger Queens of Fantasy Series. The omnibus explores Persephone's transformation from a privileged heiress to her discovery of the supernatural world. The series features notable character growth, detailed world-building, and a balance of spice and violence. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌶🌶🌶
July 9, 2025
No Spoilers:
Love this trilogy overall.
The characters have depth and development, the burn is slow and divine.
The plot is twisty, and plotting. The world-building is great and the details in the writing help immerse you into the story.
You're left wanting more.
Love this trilogy overall.
The characters have depth and development, the burn is slow and divine.
The plot is twisty, and plotting. The world-building is great and the details in the writing help immerse you into the story.
You're left wanting more.
March 24, 2025
Great trilogy! I loved the characters and how they interacted with each other! I was hooked from page one and didn't want to put it down until I was completely done reading!
August 18, 2025
Kristy Nicolle’s The Ashen Touch Trilogy is the second fantasy romance trilogy in her interconnected Queens of Fantasy Saga, and it’s Sephy Sinclair’s story.
This trilogy is based on Greek mythology, but I actually really loved how original the story was!Kristy Nicolle is a brilliant writer who always manages to capture my attention from the very beginning, and leaves me spellbound until the very end.
Sephy, our heroine, is a demi-goddess who knows how to hold her own and refuses to let anyone or anything put her down. She’s the furthest thing from a damsel in distress, and I loved that about her.
My other favorite characters in this trilogy were Xion and Luce. I also really enjoyed the multiple POVs, because they didn’t feel overwhelming or unnecessary - in fact, I think they were very important to the plot. All in all, I definitely enjoyed reading this trilogy!
This trilogy is based on Greek mythology, but I actually really loved how original the story was!Kristy Nicolle is a brilliant writer who always manages to capture my attention from the very beginning, and leaves me spellbound until the very end.
Sephy, our heroine, is a demi-goddess who knows how to hold her own and refuses to let anyone or anything put her down. She’s the furthest thing from a damsel in distress, and I loved that about her.
My other favorite characters in this trilogy were Xion and Luce. I also really enjoyed the multiple POVs, because they didn’t feel overwhelming or unnecessary - in fact, I think they were very important to the plot. All in all, I definitely enjoyed reading this trilogy!
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