The first book in the New York Times bestselling series “made for fans of Victoria Aveyard and Sabaa Tahir” (Bustle), Ash Princess is an epic new fantasy about a throne cruelly stolen and a girl who must fight to take it back for her people.Theodosia was six when her country was invaded and her mother, the Fire Queen, was murdered before her eyes. On that day, the Kaiser took Theodosia’s family, … the Fire Queen, was murdered before her eyes. On that day, the Kaiser took Theodosia’s family, her land, and her name. Theo was crowned Ash Princess–a title of shame to bear in her new life as a prisoner.
For ten years Theo has been a captive in her own palace. She’s endured the relentless abuse and ridicule of the Kaiser and his court. She is powerless, surviving in her new world only by burying the girl she was deep inside.
Then, one night, the Kaiser forces her to do the unthinkable. With blood on her hands and all hope of reclaiming her throne lost, she realizes that surviving is no longer enough. But she does have a weapon: her mind is sharper than any sword. And power isn’t always won on the battlefield.
For ten years, the Ash Princess has seen her land pillaged and her people enslaved. That all ends here.
“Sure to be one of the summer’s most talked about YAs. . . . A darkly enchanting page-turner you won’t be able to put down.”-Bustle
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I love discovering new one-click authors and Laura Sebastian definitely is my new favorite. I absolutely fell in love with Ash Princess. Thora/Theo is an amazing princess discovering she can only fill the royal shoes her mother’s tragic demise left behind. The world-building is amazing, and the romantic love triangle developing is one of my favorite. I haven’t felt the need to root for my favorite hero since Team Edward vs. Team Jacob. BTW, Team Jacob will always have my heart. I can’t wait to dive into the sequel, Lady Smoke, and will anxiously be counting down the days to the release of Ember Queen.
I stumbled upon this book quite by accident but went ahead and grabbed it because it is fully in my wheelhouse. I love anything that feels like it could be set in the past or the future with a little magic thrown in. Sadly, the lack of magic in the book is the thing that took a star from this story for me. It wasn’t explained very well about how the magic itself worked and why one race used it for power and hte other just for jewelry. I wanted more information on that. Outside of that though, focusing solely on the plot and characters, its a good book. You have the standard love triangle that seems to be present in most YA these days and you have the female heroine desperately trying to figure out who she is because who she is will decide her fate (and who she ends up with naturally). Given that the princess is a teen I tried not to judge her for some of her oftentimes silly or reckless ideas. I have a feeling she has some growing up to do in the next book of the series and I’l definitely be picking it up just as soon as it becomes available at my library. Overall an entertaining read with a great setting and good promise for the future.
Title: Ash Princess (Ash Princess Trilogy #1)
Author: Laura Sebastian
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Edition: Paperback
Amount of Pages: 448
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Date Read: 09-01-2019
Favorite Quote: “We are not defined by the things we do in order to survive. We do not apologize for them. Maybe they have broken you, but you are a sharper weapon because of it. And it is time to strike”
Review:
I am happy the book turned out to be good. It’s mine and Jessica’s first buddy read together so I wanted the book to be good.
I really liked this book and I can’t wait to see how the story will continue. I have many theory’s on what can happen.
There’s a hint of a possible love triangle that could happen but as someone that absolutely hates love triangles it doesn’t bother me, nor does it have to turn out that way. It’s just a suspicion of mine.
What is this book about:
This book is about 16 year old Theodosia aka Theo. When she was six years old her country was invaded and her mother was murdered right in front of her. She was taken prisoner and she has been living under the Kaizer’s thumb as Thora, ash princess for the last 10 years. She has been tortured, humiliated, and broken.
One day something happens, something that shook Theo to her very core and she was done. Done being their prisoner, done being their play thing. It’s time to fight back and claim the title that has been hers all along, queen.
What did I like about this book
I am very impressed with this author. From my understanding this is her first novel and it’s really good.
It is a bit on the slow side but it works well with the world building and character introduction and development.
I can’t wait to see where the story will take us!
It was so much fun to buddy read this with Jessica, and discuss as we go. We made the time difference work.
I really hope Theo and Soren end up together. I think there is a great opportunity here to get peace between the two countries. Hell peace everywhere.
I get her hesitation though, but if she wants to make a lasting difference, this is a good opportunity for her. And Soren is awesome. He knows he did bad thing, he knows his father is a monster and he wants change, he wants peace. And he owns up to the bad things he did on his fathers orders. He is trying to make things right, that speaks about his character.
Rating:
5 amazing stars
Personal opinion that does not affect the review: present tense is and always will be jarring for me.
Painfully slow to read. Underdeveloped and rather bland – the worldbuilding was dull (and only done in boring history lessons by the MC) and the magic is ‘been there done that’. It’s the same old stuff in YA – which I don’t mind – but it wasn’t done well. The characters are flat and our MC is the worst of all. They are basically forced into a plot that is so inconsistent with their character that it’s like watching a train wreck in slow motion.
As I mentioned in a previous update, I understand she’s seen some *shit*, but gods… all she does is drone on and on about her mother and whine while believing she’s actually *doing something*. If I wanted a four paragraph (or longer) history lesson about Astrea every time a fleck of dust is mentioned on page, I would have picked up a book about Astrea (no, I wouldn’t have picked it up, actually), not a book with a promise of rebellion and a strong female lead. We don’t even get either of those by the end of the book.
We get it – your mother was killed and your people are slaves and you are punished when your people try to stand and fight. I’d prefer we get to the good parts (actual rebellion, fighting, sneaking around), not take a ten minute break for description about an irrelevant stone garden that was once beautiful because your mom was so kind and tended the flowers… mid conversation, mind you, to the point where I’ve forgotten what the characters were even talking about in the first place because it has nothing to do with what has been gone off and described.
I think my update at the halfway point sums up this book rather effectively:
I’m 52% done with Ash Princess: this is still quite painful to read. the characters are flat and underdeveloped. they are forced to follow a plot that is so unrealistic for their personalities. i get that thora/theo has seen some *shit*, but every other paragraph she goes off and tells a completely irrelevant story about her mother who used to sit at a table or tend a garden. we get it. your mom died. please develop your own personality now, thank you.
Ash Princess is my favorite fantasy read – this is the definition of a page-turner.
I really enjoyed Ash Princess. And now my daughter (12 yo) is reading it too. The main character in this ISN’T a kick butt, capable person. I kind of liked that–because she does have a lot to grow into.
And there is one love interest I like WAY more than the others. There was a good balance of a little bit of romance and a lot of action.
Ash Princess is the first book in the trilogy by Laura Sebastian.
Theodosia was only six when her country was invaded and her mother, the Fire Queen, was murdered before her eyes. On that day, the Kaiser crowned her Ash Princess. A title that now showed her new life as a prisonner.
Theo, now named Thora, have been kept captive in her own palace for ten years. Powerless as her people are killed or used to work in the mines. Her only way to survived were to bury deep inside the girl she once was. On one day, the Kaiser force her to do something terrible. With blood now on her hands, she vow to claimed her throne back.
I have really loved the first book in this serie. I had a hard time put it down.
Princess Theo watched her mother killed on the orders of the Kaiser at the age of six. Once her mother killed, Theo was trapped under the Kaiser, he stripped her kingdom from her and labeled her as the Ash Princess and forced her people to work in the mines. After imprisonment for 10 years, she has accepted her life of beatings and whippings from the Kaiser anytime her people act up. The Kaiser finds, to his delight, a man who has helped cause rebellions now captured. As a punishment, Theo is forced to take the life of a man she never would of thought of, her father. This sparks a fire in her, no longer will she remain in the ashes, she chooses to help incite a rebellion to bring her people out of the mines and her throne back. This causes her to find other vigilantes to help her scheme, one of the schemes is to use the Kaiser’s son to fall in love and use him against his father. I really enjoyed this book as it capture Theo’s strength and pain and she tries to piece together a broken kingdom. After being bruised and broken, she is willing to fight for a people that loved her and her family.
This is one of the best trilogies I’ve ever read! The characters are so authentic, emotional, complex, brave, courageous, original!
The plot is one of the most original I have found! I have read a lot, but I can honestly say I was thoroughly invested in the main character and the incredible journey and growth she went through in these books is outstanding, yet she still stays true to herself and her convictions!
The friendships are phenomenal! The main character has the most loyal, courageous, will do anything for main character, even make major sacrifices is so refreshing to read. So many friends in most books I read don’t seem to care about anyone or want to truly connect and empathize with the main character the ways these friends do throughout the trilogy!
One of the best love triangles! Each party involved, grows as individuals in spite of and due to the tension of the three of them. You are rooting for all 3 to get their own HEA no matter which one you want the main character with in the end.
One of the sweetest most swooning romance I’ve read! Just stunning, wonderful without the author taking away from all that is happening outside of the feelings of the 2 boys and main girl character!
The magic element is original, creative, and breathtaking to read and learn more about!
Did I gush enough about this trilogy enough, attempting to not spoil anything, to encourage you pick up this Gem of a series?
This is my new favorite! It grips you and doesn’t let go! All of my attention and emotions were put into play here. I cried and I dared to hope and couldn’t learn what happened next quickly enough. Theo is so tender and yet so fierce as well. She’s gone through trials and yet she retains her strong moral compass which makes some of her moves heartbreaking to witness. She has the great potential and epic destiny awaiting her if only she can grasp it. My heart ached for her from the first chapter on. I really love Soren and want a redemption for them both so that they can forge peace and a new kingdom together. He does love her but he’s been emotionally neglected by his upbringing and abused and while his heart is good it’s taken him time to rise up and find a cause worth fighting for. Blaise is breaking my heart. I want all the things for him but I don’t think he’ll get them. This concluded with questions waving in the wind so I’m desperately wanting to begin the next book. This was poignantly tragic and absolutely unputdownable! This is a series that I’ll be rereading because I can’t wait to experience this again!
Strong female protagonist!!
This book involved political intrigue in a brutal, almost Game-of-Thrones kind of way, with a cruel and sadistic king raising a conquered princess in her own palace where he now reigns over her and her people. The violence wasn’t something I’m okay with, but others might not mind so much. Overall, the pacing seemed a little slow-moving, but I thought that made Thora’s change more realistic, progressing from cowering victim to a more self-assured girl willing to make sacrifices for her kingdom and resist tyranny no matter the cost. I don’t know why Thora/Theodosia thought she could personally kill the people she planned to do away with; I didn’t see her being able to carry out those plans. By the end of this book, Thora’s status was changed, but since there were plenty of villains left—some discarded, but with others replacing them—the story obviously continues in a sequel. The worldbuilding was good, with religious/magical underpinnings to the society as well as other details that helped ground the story.
I loved this first book in this series. It was very fast paced and a quick read. I really enjoyed the characters. Thora/Theodosia was much stronger than she realized. The things she’s had to deal with at the hands of Kaiser – unspeakable! She has just been surviving but now it’s time to rise. I’m not sure what to make of some of the characters like Dragonsbane, especially given who she is, and what will happen with those I’ve come to adore, like Blaise and Soren. The book captivated me from the very beginning and I can’t wait to see what’s ahead
not exceptionally original, too much repetition
I loved reading this book! It was a little slow at first but a great page- turner!
The story was a slow burn, which worked just fine for me. I enjoyed the intrigue and plot twists. Mostly, I continued turning the pages to find out what new way the Kaiser would punish her, and how far it would be before she finally snapped. I also wanted to see how long it would take for her friend Cress to finally show her true colors.
The relationship between Theo and Cress reminded me of Tiana and Charlotte in The Princess and the Frog. So much so that I often saw those two characters in place of the actual characters in the story. And if that ruins it for you, I really am sorry.
There were a couple of small sticking points for me that bumped it down to a 4-star book. First is that Theo’s shift from timid and broken to determined to take back her kingdom didn’t feel strong enough. The motivation was there, but the emotional shift just didn’t happen for me.
The other sticking point for me was the relationships Theo developed with Blaise and Soren. Again, I just didn’t feel the emotional connection between them as strongly as I should have.
Now, let’s talk Blaise. His character is well-written. Don’t get me wrong. But I didn’t like him for Theo. He was pushing, rude, and too distant for me to want her to connect with him. Soren, on the other hand, was gentle, kind, and truly listened to her.
Overall, would I recommend this book? Yes, if you like reading a book with a slower pace. Don’t take my criticism as opposition. I still feel this is a solid 4-star book and worth the read.
A great trilogy!
Fascinating! You will not be able to put this book down.
I picked up this book because it sounded like it might be similar to some of the books I’ve been into lately (fantasy, action packed, elves & queens, all that good stuff lol) Honestly I wasn’t disappointed! This is completely different from what I usually read because Thora/Theo/Theodosia is pretty much a damsel in distress.
At least in this book there is nothing unique about her she is a normal human that has no powers at all. We are in a castle waiting to be saved. BUT that doesn’t make Thora weak. Not at all shes calculating and she plays the game to survive.
I think this book is more showing the lowest and the upcoming series she will give us a huge surprise. What happened with Cress ohh maaann that was good. She must be the next baddy right?! Oh god i cant wait lol! I looked forward to see what unfolds 🙂
Interesting but fairly predictable..the usual, princess struggling to be accepted. wins in the end. Nicely written.