The War of Two Queens

Blood and Ash, Book 4

By: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Narrated by: Stina Nielsen, Tim Campbell

Length: 26 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's Summary

War is only the beginning...

From number one New York Times best-selling author Jennifer L. Armentrout comes book four in her Blood and Ash series.

From the desperation of golden crowns...

Casteel Da’Neer knows all too well that very few are as cunning or vicious as the Blood Queen, but no one, not even him, could’ve prepared for the staggering revelations. The magnitude of what the Blood Queen has done is almost unthinkable.

And born of mortal flesh...

Nothing will stop Poppy from freeing her King and destroying everything the Blood Crown stands for. With the strength of the Primal of Life’s guards behind her, and the support of the wolven, Poppy must convince the Atlantian generals to make war her way - because there can be no retreat this time. Not if she has any hope of building a future where both kingdoms can reside in peace.

A great primal power rises...

Together, Poppy and Casteel must embrace traditions old and new to safeguard those they hold dear - to protect those who cannot defend themselves. But war is only the beginning. Ancient primal powers have already stirred, revealing the horror of what began eons ago. To end what the Blood Queen has begun, Poppy might have to become what she has been prophesied to be - what she fears the most.

As the Harbinger of Death and Destruction.

©2022 Jennifer L. Armentrout. (P)2022 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Aeeeether Annnnoying

I’m only a few chapters in and may have to read this written book instead. I don’t mind Castille’s new voice with Tim (I do miss the playfulness in Stina’s version but it’s not a show stopper). What IS a showstopper: the way Stina says AETHER every time. It brings me out of the story and it’s SO annoying.

Please never say eather like that again.

It was a well written book, I’ve looked forward to reading it for a long time. The narrator did great but I really wish she would stop drawing out that word like that. It makes getting through the book so hard 😂

Freed.

For the last year, I was in a chokehold by these books and this love story. No other books could satisfy me because Poppy & Cas were so beautifully written. The unnecessary sexual insertion of Kieran into their relationship was just unbelievable and silly. Thankfully, this book broke my literary chains and I am free to find interest in other stories. I will pretend the series ended at book 3. You should as well. Also, the new narrator sounds like an old-ish man. I thought it was well known that you don’t switch narrators in the middle of a book series.

Casteels voice

I wish they would have stayed with just Stina! Stina is perfect!! Tim you are a lovely reader but my expectations have been let down with this change!

Absolutely hated everything about it

I loved ACOTAR. I struggled with the previous books in this series but muddled through to get to the end. My overall thoughts:
1. There was absolutely no growth in Poppy over these books. She is no hero. Rather a child who got lucky over and over again.
2. The painfully redundant sexual jokes and inuendos were grating by the end.
3. We all KNOW Kieran thinks Poppy asks too many questions. They were worn out by book 3. As were many other things meant to be humorous.
4. The painful inner monologs of Cass and Poppy were so childish. "I'd do anything and suffer at all costs for him." No! "I'd do anything and suffer at all costs for HER!."
5. The use of modern day slang was eye rolling at best. "F*ck Boy?" Really? Do better.
6. The author tried to wax poetic through the joining and it came off as campy and....well not very sexy.
7. Eeeeether....OMG. Narrator pronounced it 3 different ways and NONE were right. 2 syllables. E-ther.

I won't go on. I know most love this series but I hated it. I'll keep ACOTAR but will never read another book by this author.

Narration switch makes sense, and I like it

The reviews I have seen so far are not fond of the fact that another narrator was added. The switch in narration is strange in the beginning, but given how this book is WRITTEN (it switches from one point of view - how the first three books were written - to two povs) it really makes sense. Tim Campbell does quite a good job with it (and Stina Nielsen continues to be great). It would have been difficult to appreciate the full scope of what switching the point of view accomplishes in a written work in the spoken version without adding Tim, and given the purposeful change in style I wouldn’t have want to lose that as a listener.

Fascinating book. Can’t wait to see what happens in the next one.

Come on people, don’t be haters!

I’ve noticed so many reviews complaining about Cas’ POV narration. Yes, Stina spoiled us with an amazing Cas, and you still get her Cas with Poppy’s POV. Though I do think Tim did a fantastic job with his narration too! I’ve listened to a few of his narrations before and have been a happy listener :) Yes, it is a voice change in the fourth book in… but so is having Cas’ POV… and being a person who loves multiple POVs, I thought it turned out great!

On another hater note~

I’ve loved this book series very much and have listened to them multiple times… that being said, anyone who is surprised and upset at what happens in chapter 44… OMGoodness, GET OVER IT! There were plenty of hints and foreshadowing since book 1 people. I think JLA did wonderful job in making it into something heartfelt and special, not cringy. But to each their own, right? I don’t however, think that the book, author or readers/listeners should be bashed because of it. JLA characters and world building are magnificent and I cannot wait for the next in this series and in the Flesh and Fire series!

Don’t care for the narration.

As an avid audible listener, I can’t stand when they change narrators in the middle of the series. The female voice is the same and excellent, I do NOT care for the male voice. After listening to the first three books of the series with one voice in my head and then to have the voice and accent to completely change was startling. His voice is too dry and the lilt in the voice isn’t the same. I would have preferred the same voice throughout the entire book, even if the point of view switched between chapters.

Other than that, the book is excellent so far and I can’t wait to finish it!

Deeply betrayed by this author

Everything JLA setup in the first 3 books and then hinted at during the spin-off regarding Poppy and Cas relationship is a joke now. I am just done with this author and these stories. Good luck to y’all.

AMAZING! But I have a couple complaints!

I absolutely adored the two part narration. But it bothers me that the climax and ending were so scrunched and fast paced. We needed more detail. I don't wanna give anything away so I'll just say that the LAST ten chapters are what we waited over a year for. and that is the only thing that bothers me. 😭 Other then that, the book was amazing and I'm doing a second read already.

edit: Second read is done and I am editing this to say that while yes, the climax and ending were scrunched and a bit to fast paced.. it was utterly insane and so worth the wait. all of JLAs books are phenomenal and this series is WORTH every read thru and re-listen. and trust me.. I've re listened to the first three books tons of times. I CANNOT WAIT for the next book. the two part narration is phenomenal! the action packed scenes were very detailed, the LOVE between our favorite three is tangible. and how Poppy steps up to her new position as queen is breathtaking. ❤️ I love this series so much and can't wait for more. ❤️

I don't even know what happened

I don't want to be disrespectful to the author, putting your work out there must be hard, but I think I may be done with these books. The writing is just so hard to follow, when you do catch up with what's going glung on you have to contend with Cheesy lines and underdeveloped characters. Like when she mentioned anyone outside of the main characters I have no idea who they are, what they look like or what kind of character they are, and then you're expected to feel something about said characters when sometimes happens to them. The books feel like they have no editor and that is possibly true. The story is good, apart from some choices made in this book that are a little weird. And while the story is good it's not properly fleshed out and just feels hollow and too much like JLA is explaining something to you rather than trying to make you feel like you're there I continue to listen to it because I want to know what happens in the story but the way that she writes it is just very amateur and at times painful to get through. The dialog is also so repetitive. Overall I just wish she'd take her time and get an editor instead of churning them out so fast

Okay story (spoilers in review)

I liked this story but being honest it did really drag and I had to encourage myself to keep going.

Once Castieel was rescued(2 3rds through) it picked up and the pace quickened.

Someone described this book as a giant puzzle with different people bringing different pieces the whole time and it's true. it felt at times they had all the information they needed then curve balls would arrive with the next visitor.

I loved the story from Castieels point of view, that voice actor reading the story (x chefs kiss x ).

Of course chapter 44 is the big one that we are all waiting for. it was very good but felt it was missing something. With a huge build up over the last 2 books of joining I felt like more of that was needed. but then I am biased as I prefer the wolf over the Atlantian any day!

Worth a read to get a satisfyingish middle / ending to current dramas if you love the characters. although I am not in a rush to read the next when it comes out as don't feel so devoted to the story anymore.

slowly slowly slowly speedy end

Did enjoy this, and will I be listening to the next . I was hoping there would be more focus on the other characters and did a mini air punch for the Cas POV chapters as it certainly gave this book more variety by having a different voice. Fingers crossed for more of this in future books. Found it better then the last however, the first book in this series is my favorite

Awful

I really wanted to like these books. The storyline is good and the perfermance is well done. ., but there are so many unnecessary love scenes 🙄 theyre boring, repetitive, and predictable.

THIS WAS EVERYTHING (SPOILERS)

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS

This sequel surpassed any of the previous books!! I have no words for how much I enjoyed this book!

I can’t just get over the beautiful Irony in this book!♥️ I remember in book 2 When Poppy was traveling the length of the blood forest even before she knew that Casteel was Hawke and before she knew that he was the prince of Atlantia.. They traveled the length of the blood forest to get to Atlantia, but now Poppy travelled through the blood forest TOWARDS Carsodonia to FREE Casteel..
not Hawke but Casteel
Not her guard but her Heartmate🖤

And connecting the Flesh and Fire series with the Blood and Ash series Like THAT.. its just another level.. pure supremacy🥰👑

The world just keeps growing and growing.. and what a vivid imaged that is😍

AND THE ENDING WAS JUST UNEXPECTED AND POWERFUL!
I was crying by the time Delano and the rest fell.. thank goodness they came back! My heart wouldn’t have been able to handle that!😔
And ISBITCH got a well deserved end! Let her sorry excuse of a soul be dealt with by Nyktos.. :)

AND LET ME JUST SAY THIS:
I LOVEEDDD Casteel’s POV, kept waiting for it all book!

And don’t even get me started on Stina Nielsen and Tim Campbell’s performance with the Audiobook!!
They just brought every single character to life with incredible accuracy.. and there were A LOT of characters.. they both nailed every single one of them! I won’t be able to say enough to truly capture their fabulous performance🥰😍

how they could!

like, I get it's a book, but they were separated for like 40 days, during which time he hadn't washed or brushed his teeth and JLA thinks it's spicy to write in some action without having him get clean first. I skipped passed that because no way!
just before this bit there was a confusing misnaming of who was doing which action.

atrapante

NO PODÉS TERMINAR ASI!!!!! cuánta maldad. en cuanto a la trama un poco densa con las partes spicy pero muy entretenido en general.

Weakest one so far!

This was the worst one by far! In my option this comes from changing to two POVs and making Castille stupid and Poppy obsessed. And the ending OMG that ending! dues ex machina! At least she owned it, with you’ll need every man in the fight to come lol

Incredible

I am completely hooked on this series.
The world the author has painted and the telling of Poppy's story is incredible to dive into and lose yourself in, I can't wait to hear the rest!

The war of two queens

I've loved the whole story so far and can't wait to get book 5.