At the age of twelve, Roxanne Fosch had a perfectly normal life. By the time she was twenty-two, she was being hunted.After being trapped for years in the clutches of the Paranormal Scientists Society, Roxanne escapes and sets on a dangerous quest for the truth. Hunted by scientists keen to exploit her extraordinary abilities, and dangerous factions whose plans she cannot fathom, Roxanne … Roxanne discovers a shocking secret about her past. But is everything she’s ever known a lie?
Praise:
★★★★★ – “Fast-paced action with elements of paranormal and a strong, vibrant female main character. An exciting debut by a promising new author.”
★★★★★ – “If you love the Sookie Stackhouse Mysteries or the TV show Supernatural, I highly recommend this book. This is a YA paranormal / sci-fi story full of non-stop action, unpredictable plot twists and mysteries that will keep you turning the pages.”
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After interacting with Jina S. Bazzar via her blog for over a year, I decided to read her short story, The Curse earlier this year. I enjoyed it a lot even though I’m not a heavy fantasy reader. I added the first book in her series, Heir of Ashes, to my summer reading queue and finished it last week. All I can say is her heroine, Roxanne Fosch, is quite a captivating bad ass!
For starters, the book is about 9k Kindle lines which is somewhere around 700 pages if I did the math properly. It was a daunting task, but by the time I finished it, I couldn’t believe it had gone so quickly. That’s a good sign when an author who can truly immerse you in a fantasy world full of awesome scenery and characters. If I tried to count the number of fight scenes, I’d run out of hands and toes! But each one felt different… between the multiple groups or assassins trying to get hold of her and the people she was trying to track down, Roxanne had tons of challenges to deal with. Along the way, Bazzar weaves in some romance, mystery, advice, and charm. It hits a bunch of happy spots when I’m looking for a well-written, cross-genre-style novel.
One of the most remarkable items the book left me with was how in Roxanne’s journey across those few days/weeks when we caught a sneak peak into her life, very little changed — and I mean this in a good way. She set out to escape, which happens. She set out to get revenge, which happens. She set out to discover who she was, which happens. But in the end, she’s basically back to the beginning not really knowing who she is anymore, trapped by a new force, and ready for revenge on the true tormentors. Book 2 will definitely handle all that drama and more, I’m sure, but in the meantime… so many questions about the different species and creatures in this world are still teasing me. Are her parents really dead? Was the curse from the original short story/prequel truly fulfilled? Why is this all happening? When will we meet the queen and her sister? How can I make Logan real?
I find myself intrigued and excited to learn more. I’d give this story 4.5 stars (rounding up where appropriate) and congratulate the author and publishing team on a successful launch. I look forward to picking up the next book in the series when it’s ready for publication.
Heir of Ashes by Jina s.Bazzar
I stepped out of my comfort zone with this one. I don´t usually read fantasy novels, but with Heir of Ashes, I was literally hooked from the first page!
There are so many plot twists and turns and unanswered questions throughout this book, it makes for avid reading.
The main character, Roxanne is on the run. We learn that from the age of twelve she was abducted from her home by the PSS (Paranomal Scientists Society), kept in a cage and experimented on.
But why? Who is she? And, more importantly, what is she capable of? I read on to find out.
Roxanne knows she´s different, but has no idea how to categorise herself. She has strong supernatural abilities but whereas all other subjects in the Society have been given a title according to their unusual skills, Roxanne remains a bit of an enigma. Whilst in captivity, she cleverly suppressed the extent of her abilities to throw the scientists off the scent, so even they are unsure as to her true powers – but they know that she is trouble!
Constantly on the run and moving around to avoid detection, Roxanne always seems to be found by a host of mercenaries or hired guards.
Who sent them? Is their goal to capture her or kill her?
Her first encounter with trouble involves a fight with Logan, a vampire/werewolf. She manages to escape but when he finds her again, we wonder if he has the same goals as Roxanne´s other adversaries, or if he is there to help her.
After a confrontation with Remo a black sorcerer who tries to offer her a deal, Roxanne does not know who to fear most; him or Doctor Maxwell, the head of the PSS.
As the story continues to build with countless twists, surprises and more unanswered questions, Roxanne discovers that she has been lied to by just about everyone she knows. There is so much deception and intrigue, the reader turns page after page in the hope of finding the answers.
Who is her friend Michelle mentioned twice in the book? Where are her parents and are they really dead?
Logan seems to be her only friend and possible romantic interest (in a rough, animal-like, casual relationship,) but even there, the reader is plagued with doubt. Can he really be trusted? Is he really a friend or foe?
By the end of the book, Roxanne appears to have come full circle. She heads off to start a new chapter of her life, but once more the reader is plagued with questions as this new juncture also appears to be embroiled with deception. Will the answers to all these questions be finally resolved in the next book? Well, we will have to wait and see. This is a good read. I highly recommend it.
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
This is one action-packed book, and I had a lot of fun reading it. I enjoyed the plot twists and mystery, and it really had me sucked in from the beginning.
Things are revealed slowly, and there isn’t any info dumping, which I really admired. In a story like this, since it would be super confusing to be caught up in descriptions.
I love Roxanne so much. Her emotions are so well written, that I felt them along with her. She is brave, fierce and also sometimes scared. That is what an MC is supposed to be. Well rounded and relatable. I’m really looking forward to her growth in the next books.
I love Jina’s writing style. She slowly gives you the info you need, while building the suspense and keeping you invested the whole way through. That definitely takes talent and I’m looking forward to reading the next book!
Heir of Ashes is a fantastic action-packed novel bordering fantasy, sci-fi, and the paranormal. The story is filled with imaginative preternatural characters—vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, and many more concocted by the author’s creative imagination. I was amazed by Ms. Bazzar’s detailed fight scenes. Every talonous, gore ripping effort had me wincing. There is one memorable scene, a place that remains in my mind, a dark, desert-dry, thirsty placed with barren trees surrounded by dangerous, bloodthirsty creatures. As I read this scene in the dark of my bedroom, my limbs contracted as flesh-eating creatures, trailed protagonist Roxanne Fosch’s every step.
What makes this novel special is the strong, likable, female protagonist, Roxanne. She’s powerful beyond her own imagination, yet fraught with palpable insecurities and fears readers will identify with. Roxanne’s imprisonment by PSS scientist and countless horrific experiments underwent for nine years, makes her struggles more heartrending. She longs for a normal life, a life someone like her may never achieve. On the run from PSS scientists, trying to uncover her lineage, Roxanne meets Logan, another powerful preternatural. On a dangerous path, the author throws a touch of romance into the fire, a burgeoning attraction as risky as their battle-filled, magical quest.
This is a fantastic first novel by Ms. Bazzar. An action-packed, page-turner, filled with paranormal thrills, I would highly recommend Heir of Ashes to lovers of Paranormal or to anyone looking for a good read.
Heir of Ashes (The Roxanne Fosch Files Book 1) by Jina S. Bazzar is a wonderful story I have had the privilege to read. This is book number one in this wonderful start to a brand new series written by a brand new author for me to read. I can not wait to read the next book in this wonderful series cause I am hooked on this new author and series. I highly recommend this story to everyone who loves reading about YA paranormal and sci-fi stories.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book
Jina S Bazzar has penned an edgy and fast-paced paranormal thriller that grips from the first. Heir of Ashes is a vampire tale with an original and quirky storyline that contains a veiled nod to Dracula. There is no exposition to drag the narrative and terrific actions scenes are in abundance. I particularly enjoyed the portrayal of the evil Paranormal Scientist Society and the crafting of the vampire protagonist Roxanne Fosch, who escaped from the government research facility a year before the story opens. Well-executed, and original, Heir of Ashes makes for gripping entertainment. A great contribution to the genre.
It’s a double fantasy world of shape shifters, werewolves, and uncontrolled power in a rejected one. There is a government bureau called the PSS that “owns” these shape shifting beings. They are allowed to subject them to tests which amount to torture. Our heroine has escaped, but they keep tracking her down. She can sense the auras of others and knows what they are. A werewolf shapeshifter tries to help her. They flee from one trap after another. In Las Vegas, an evil being from the other dimension called the Lowlands tries to abduct her. Once again, she escapes with Logan. He final realizes the PSS has installed a transmitter on her. Their relationship continues to evolve, but will remain a slight mystery. She finally learns her father was one of the Rejected from one of the three clans in the Low Lands. She is part mortal and no one including herself knows for certain the power she has. She agrees to return to the PSS with Logan and another operative to rescue Archer. The ensuing battle demolishes much of the evil facility, but not all and she is recaptured. She is then offered an opportunity to become a hunter for like kinds. There is, however, the favor she has promised to one of the scions of the Sidhe in the Low Lands, plus we learn that the evil being she destroyed can reform and return for her.
In Jina Bazzar’s debut novel Heir to Ashes (Creativia 2018), first in The Roxanne Fosch Files, Roxanne Fosch (aka a whole bunch of other names) is running from her past, one not of her creation. A well-known company, PSS (Paranormal Scientists Society), kidnapped her as a young teen and experimented on for a decade in an effort to bring out her special abilities, ones they think are more powerful than most other preternaturals in existence.
“…learned to interpret people’s aura as a necessity for my survival.”
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“…healed fast, faster than an ordinary human”
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She escaped but they do everything possible to get her back, including having her chased down by their most potent mercenaries–everything from vampires to werewolves to others I had never heard of. They won’t kill her but will hurt her enough that they can drag her back to the lab rat life she has lived for almost half of her existence.
We meet Rebecca as she works as a waitress, trying to make ends meet. We have no idea she is not entirely human until she is attacked and all sorts of odd skills pop out. She finds an unlikely ally in another preternatural who will help her escape if she will help him rescue someone important to him that PSS has also kidnapped. That’s all I can tell you. The rest–you’ll have to read the book!
This is a wonderful story made more so because of Bazzar’s unique voice. It’s strong but vulnerable, personal but distant, with just enough humor and very little pity for the hand Roxanne has been dealt. Here are a few quotes that–for me–tell a lot about what you’ll get when you read this book:
“If I were younger, I’d pray for a miracle. Today, I just hope for the best.
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“…my hand trembling as it transformed into talons and fur and a pinkish padded palm/ paw. Underneath the fur, there were soft, flexible scales, on the palm the pads were coarse, like the tongue of a cat.
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Overall, this a great read about a strong female who never quits, never stops, and maintains her moral compass despite the horrors she has faced. Highly recommended.
I started reading this book during a long flight and found it so captivating it was difficult to put it down despite the exhaustion and the subsequent jetlag.
The action starts from the first few pages when the MC goes home to find a VAMPIRE waiting for her and never lets up. She also establishes herself as an extremely likable character from the beginning; for example, when she is attacked by the vampire her first concern is not to jeopardize her friends and innocent bystanders. I found this story to be a pleasurable read and I recommend it to all fantasy fans.
Roxanne Fosch is on the run, and she can’t afford to be caught. If she is, she’ll likely never see the sun again.
Trapped for years in a paranormal science facility, she’s been experimented on with less compassion than sophomore college students show their lab rats. But she managed to hide some of her abilities over the years, just enough that she could finally break free.
That secret’s well and truly out in the open now. Always on the run, staying in cheap motels, avoiding cities—it’s not a life anyone would choose, although it’s better than the hell she was living.
But the scientists haven’t given up, and they have more resources than labs and test tubes. Roxy learns this the hard way when she finds a vampire waiting in her motel room. He’s ready to haul her back to the lab, but Roxy fights her way free of his mind control, destroying both his hold on her and his twisted existence as well.
And then she meets Logan. Handsome, but with the eyes of a predator, the eyes of a wolf. She doesn’t trust him—she can’t afford to.
But what if Logan is telling the truth, and he’s her only chance of escaping a life locked away as a test subject?
With lots of action, well-thought-out world building, and vivid characters, Heir of Ashes is a roller-coaster fantasy adventure.
“It was still dark, but dawn wasn’t far away. Far in the horizon, where desert met sky, there was a shifting of colors, a deep bruise in the sky, as if sunrise hurt the dark before it became.”
Disclaimer – the author approached me and sent a free ARC digital download of the book in exchange for an honest review.
The opening introduction is written in first person by Roxanne Whitmore Fosch and I think it’s a perfect combination of intrigue and mystery. The introduction alone makes you want to turn the next page and see where the story takes you, fill in the holes that have been omitted and discover what’s not being said in between the lines.
Upon finishing the book, all I can say is wow. The author has such a talent for capturing scenes and internal dialogues, I found myself becoming increasingly more and more impressed as I immersed myself in the story of Roxanne Fosch. The story was built slowly, divulging information little by little and making the reader constantly hungry for more.
With enough intrigue and mystery, the book just keeps calling you back until you’ve finished every last page and what a book! Especially as a debut piece from the author, I don’t think the book could get any better. I’m both saddened that I’ve finished it and elated at the whirlwind adventure I’ve just been on. I’m excited to see what the author releases in the future, particularly in this series!
The book ends with an introduction to the author and just reading through it made me feel a renewed sense of wonder at the creation I’d just read and the obstacles overcome to produce such a wonderful work of art. The author also summed up reading in a wonderfully portrayed paragraph that resonated with me profusely – “A wanderer in this vast world, I’m just another body with a passion for the written word. There is no boundary I can’t cross, no limit I can’t push; my mind is my passport, my thoughts my mode of transportation. I’ve travelled to many planets, seen plenty of civilizations, old and new, both in this galaxy and others.”