Heart of Ash (Blood and Salt #2)

\”We\’re like a dissonant chord in the finale of Beethoven\’s Ninth Symphony, begging for resolution. As long as we\’re apart, there will never be peace in the world…harmony.\” – pg 41 of Heart of Ash Ash Larkin barely survived a year ago when she was caught in the crossroads of a cult\’s curse and tradition. Through her mother\’s sacrifice, she lived and evaded Katia\’s wrath but is is now an immortal. But because without darkness there can be no light, Ash\’s twin brother\’s blood can kill while her\’s can heal. In a star-crossed lover\’s story, she is drawn to Dane but Dane is possessed by the evil Coronado. Ash needs to find her brother Rhys before he is found by the Arcanum Council. Kim Liggett starts the novel off strong with her vivid descriptions. Although readers are transported back to New York and Spain instead of Kansas, Liggett draws in the reader with intrigue. Ash tries to see the good in Dane and tries to believe that he is ultimately trying to fight off Coronado\’s grasp over him. However, Dane connections is the closest she has to finding Rhys. Beth and Timmons have been very supportive of Ash during good and tough times. Timmons is always helpful and promises to take care of Ash and Rhys. Beth is Ash\’s friend who will do anything to be there for Ash. Dane seems like he wants to help Ash but Ash is suspicious of his true intentions. Heart of Ash is more of a mystery Ash and Dane are trying to investigate. While trying to win over a strong group of immortals and convincing them they are Katia and Coronado, Ash and Dane need to be careful since there might be a traitor amongst them trying to get them killed. Heart of Ash is everything I want to see in an atmospheric, twisty, paranormal plot line. With its compelling words, the tinge of darkness and the banter between Ash and Dane, it keeps you wanting more. I highly suggest this novel as well as the predecessor, Blood and Salt, to readers who love The Vampire Diaries TV series as well at Kerri Maniscalco\’s Stalking Jack the Ripper series.

Heart of Ash did not live up to the standard Blood and Salt set. The first book was on a smaller, more intimate scale that held the tension really well. Then Heart of Ash turned it into a global conspiracy that just took away from the original story. Where Ash used to be a mature teen who had to deal with a lot of adult stuff and did it capably, she then turned into that annoying teen who flip flopped on every little thing and spent most of the book talking herself in and out of loving Dane. OMG stop!! Yall got way bigger fish to fry here! It felt like Blood and Salt should have had just a few extra pages that could have resolved the whole saga, but Leggitt tried to draw the story out and fell flat. Katia and Coronados story became petty and unrealistic (fantasy realism is different than actual realism lol). I was so excited about this sequel . . . but overall I just didnt like it. Ill give it 3 stars.

It\’s been a good 2+ years since I read Kim Liggett\’s Blood and Salt! I remembered enjoying it and being shell-shocked by the cliffhanger ending and then last year, she wrote Heart of Ash which concluded the duology. Granted, as always, my memory wasn\’t super hot on the first book. Even my notes weren\’t entirely detailed like I keep trying to do now. But thankfully, Ash does her own bit of a recap and I was able to remember the events fairly well, or at least well enough to get through the beginning stages of the book with little problem! It\’s been a year since the events of the first book have passed. A lot has changed for Ash, tremendously so. Her brother, Rys is MIA, the love of her life, Dane is being possessed by the evil and ancient spirit, Coronado. Meanwhile, Ash and Beth are living the best life they can on the gold Ash can create that her mother taught her how to do and spending all the money possible to find Rhys. Then Dane comes back into the spotlight, or well her spotlight of sorts as he\’s been the hot new millionaire for awhile now with women falling over themselves to be with him. He comes to Ash saying he can help her find her brother, but first she has to convince the council that she still has Katia\’s spirit inside her. That together they can keep the council from trying to kill her brother, since his blood is the one thing that can kill an immortal. Ash wants to find her brother more than anything, but can she really trust that Dane is Dane? Reluctantly she goes to his mansion in Spain to set out to find her brother, this is when she meets the not-so-friendly, and weirdly Dane-obsessed head of staff, Lucinda. Lucinda seems to want Ash out of the house as quickly as possible. They do not get along, let\’s just say that. Every hero needs an adversary after all. This was an interesting book and a rather quick read. If things weren\’t so hectic in my life at the moment, I\’d likely would have had this finished in two days instead of three. The shocks and chills were relentless in this one! While some parts did drag just a bit, other elements were in full swing. The ending especially just let out the jaw-dropping reveals that had me reeling! There was still a bit of romance brewing between Ash and Dane since Dane retains control over Coronado. Again, I probably should\’ve written notes on my feels with these two but I have to say it was a sweet little romance happening here. I guess what I will say is that I wish this one could\’ve been a little longer. It was relatively short at 276 pages. Though it does seem somewhat refreshing to read a book under 350 pages every now and then. But at the same time, things started to feel rushed in the end. I mean, I wouldn\’t have said no to an extended conclusion with the characters who were left. But we just kind of get that sense that everything will be all right with those who remain and while there is a feeling of contentedness I just kind of wished there was a bit more. But all in all, a satisfying conclusion to the duology! Overall Rating 3.5/5 stars

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