The best description of this book would probably be the action and suspense of The Hunger Games with the excitement and stakes of The Scorpio Races. Which means I thoroughly enjoyed it, a bit of some cracktacular fun.

Each character, and there are three, were distinct and while it took me a bit to warm up to them, once I got to know them better the enjoyment of my story improved immensely. I really loved the interactions the characters had with their phoenix horses and the racing scenes. There are some twists in here too that I didn't see coming or I should have but I was just so wrapped up in the events that were unfolding.

For a book that's meant to be pure fun I did encounter some parts that didn't sit well with me. I hid them under a spoiler.

[The biggest thing that bothered me was that one of the competitors (Capri?) was pushed off a hill or a ledge of some sorts by one of the main characters and became paralyzed from his waist down in the fall. Sure they are all competing for victory and Adrian didn't mean to seriously injure him but it was done out of retaliation from an attack that was done to him previously. Also, a competitor can't be murdered during the races or they will be immediately disqualified so Adrian takes Capri with him to ensure he doesn't die until after he finishes the race.

Along the way, Capri tries to escape and finish the race by stealing Adrian's horse but if you steal another rider's horse they'll erupt in flames - which is what happened to him. The only disabled character (and made so by a main character!) in the book died horribly by being burned alive. I don't know about you but that is a big yikes from me.

Also, the way the phoenixes are reborn from dust is that they have to die first, right? Well, some of the scenes might be a too much. It made me a little squeamish when there were mentions of horses legs snapping and things like that. Not recommended for people who dislike animals being harmed in their books. (hide spoiler)]

I'm curious how this book will continue in this series because it seems there will be only people going to war? I wonder how the races and horses will fit into it since they don't seem as pivotal to the plot as they are in here.

The ruling Ashlord class ride Phoenix horses - ones that burn up every night and rise again with the sun the following day. A talented rider can add substance to create horses that are tireless, or fighters, or always catch their fallen riders. These horses helped the Ashlords to squash the other classes that live in their Empire- the Longhands who reject the gods and the Dividians who came to raid the land. The Ashlords rule with a tight hand and look forward to The Race every year. A race between riders of all classes. A race that outlaws killing another but not disabling riders or polluting the ashes of the horses. The race this year includes the favorite, a daughter of two former winners; a Longhand riding to start a revolution; and a poor Dividian with a talent for alchemy. Each of these three think they know how to win but as the race begins, they find out they know very little at all.

What is this book about? Ashlords follows the point of views of three characters from three very different backgrounds as they enter an annual competitive race featuring phoenix horses. Is it as awesome as the premise sounds? Yes.

What did I like? The premise of Ashlords is unlike any other I’ve read. Scott Reintgen did such an amazing job creating the plot and the world in this book. The entire concept of phoenix horses and using alchemy to rebirth different breeds of the horses was so well-developed and extremely interesting. Once I got into the meat of the novel, it was hard to pull my attention from its pages.

I also really loved the characters. The story follows three different protagonists from very different backgrounds. Ashlords focuses on more than just the horse race, but also on the political intrigue and the unrest brewing between the different people of the empire. The characters–Imelda, Adrian, and Pippa–become important pieces in the war and revolution to come.

What didn’t I like? Pippa’s POV was told through second person, which was hard for me to get into in the beginning of the book, but after a while I became accustomed to reading her chapters. I understand that it was done to help distinguish from the other POVs, but Scott Reintgen did such a great job making each voice unique that I didn’t think it was necessary.

Overall thoughts: Ashlords was a fun, fast-moving story about phoenix horses, a troubled empire, and meddlesome gods. Once the plot got going, it was hard to put this down and I’m looking forward to reading the sequel!

"...We bowed to them so we would never have to bow to either of you. There's a price in ruling this world. Always there has been a cost."

Scott Reintgen was now my sought after author. I loved and adored his Nyxia triad and I would never cease to recommend them to all my fellow readers because it was just that so good! His writing style and storyline were amazing and you will just fly through every story he writes.

I lowered my expectations with Ashlords because I don't want to disappoint myself because I still caught up with the NYxia Uprising's end but this new series from him was exciting and exhilarating!

Ashlords revolves around three characters, Adrian, Imelda, and Pippa. Adrian and Imelda's caste are ostracized by the Ashlords which are dominant in this world. Ashlords prepared a phoenix race every year but tends to make fun or pun of the game for those who are not Ashlords.

The concept, premise and the whole phoenix races were stunning and amazing. I quite hope more sequences for the race and fight between the 11 players but it was exhilarating and heart-pounding.

Reintgen never failed to create an astounding character. Pippa, Imelda, and Adrian storylines are compelling and quite political since the Ashlords are undermining the lower caste.

DAMN THOSE PHOENIX HORSES.

"...We rule with iron and fire because it's the only thing someone like you will respect. So tell me. Is it our fault you're too afraid to dance with the gods?"

I really enjoyed this book. I think Scott Reintgen is a great author, and I loved this story as much as his others. This was an interesting story about phenix horse riders entering a competition, each for completely different reasons, and following their journey leading up to the race and throughout the race. It is told from multiple points of views, which is very helpful and insightful to the main characters. I loved how I was wanting someone to win at the beginning, but wanted a completely different person to win as the book progressed. Overall, I thought this was a very good book, and I would recommend it.

Do you like YA Fantasy? Have you encountered a Scott Reintgen book yet? Oh boy, this teacher can write! I’ve read all his books to date. This is one badass book!

Medival-like times meet Horseracing meets Alchemy. What more could you want in a book? Once again, Mr. Reintgen has given his young (and old) readers the adventure not to be forgotten. I don't even want to give a "this is what the book is about" summary because I don't want to ruin the journey for anyone! I just suggest that if you love fantasy, if you love strongly developed characters and out of this world writing that you read this book. You will not regret it!

Thanks to Netgalley, Scott Reintgen and Randomhouse Childrens for the great opportunity to read Ashlords in lieu of my honest review. It has been an honor and a pleasure to read it and recommend it!

Ahoy there me mateys!  I received this young adult fantasy eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  So here be me honest musings . . 

ashlords (Scott Reintgen)

Title: ashlords

Author: Scott Reintgen

Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: TODAY!!! (hardback/e-book)

ISBN: 978-0593119174

Source: NetGalley

To those new to the crew, ye should know that horses were me first love before the sea stole me heart.  So obviously the flaming horse cover drew me in.  I have enjoyed this author's work in the past and I just had to read this.

Me favorite part of this book was of course the horses, known as phoenixes, in this particular world.  Basically these horses were gifts from the gods, are powered by the sun, and last a day before bursting into flames and turning into ashes.  The riders save the ashes and when they are set back out in the rising sun, the phoenix horse is reborn.  Of course there be a catch.  If ye mix certain chemicals into the ashes, the phoenix's properties can change.  They can become faster, grow armor, etc.  This phoenix magic was so very cool.

The plot involves a yearly competition called The Races.  Eleven riders participate to see who will be champion.  The winner receives fame and money.  But the race is dangerous, sabotage is expected, and people have been known to die.  The ashlords are the ruling elite and have the best chance of winning.  But there are two other groups of people - the middle class Longhorns and the Dividians at the bottom.

This story has three points of view - racers from each of the three classes.  Pippa is the daughter of two racing champions and belongs to the ashlords.  She was born to win.  Adrian is a Longhorn, a splinter branch of ashlords that doesn't worship the gods.  Adrian is part of a group that be plotting rebellion and winning the race is part of the plot.  And then there is Imelda, a Dividian, who has always dreamed of being in the Races but doesn't truly believe she will.  Her goal is to spend as much time with the phoenixes as possible.  One thing to note about the points of view are that they change tenses: third person, first person, second person present tense.  It was a little odd at first but I got used to it.

This was a quick one setting read that I enjoyed overall.  I loved Imelda from the beginning and found her choices in the race to be the most interesting.  Pippa was a character that has fantastic development.  I hated her in the beginning and she grew on me.  Seriously, it was surprising.  Adrian was the weak link for me and I didn't really like him much.  I never got excited to read his POV.  The other thing I really enjoyed were the gods and how they impacted the race.  I would like to know more about them and how they work.

The main reason I only liked and didn't love this one was the ending of both the race and the book in general.  How the race ended was a bit ridiculous.  Seems to be a trend because taos lightning and the scorpio races had basically the same issues.  As for the ending, well I didn't know it was part of a duology when I read it.  The set-up for book two was rushed and the tone felt completely different from the rest of the book. 

The author's endnotes discuss the changes made to the story from its initial inception.  I wonder if the redirection led to the strange ending.  I kinda wonder what the story would have been like if he had kept the original POV character.  She was me favourite in the book and I was sad she was only a side character.  I am not sure if I will like book two's rebellion (that I saw coming from the get-go) or the love interests that seem to be developing.  But I will be reading it for more of the phoenixes cause they be awesome.  Arrrrr!

So lastly . . .

Thank you Crown Books for Young Readers!

Wow, I freaking loved this!!!
From the introduction at the beginning, I was hooked on this story. I love competitions and the world building in this was so well done. The mash up of magic and technology was interesting and the phoenix horses were awesome. We meet three main characters in this book: Imelda, the poor Dividian who is a phenomenal alchemist and gets to the races on scholarship; Adrian, a Longhand looking to spark an uprising against the ruling Ashlords; and Pippa, one of those Ashlords who's a legacy rider and shoe in to win the races. The rotating points of view gave us a good understanding of the world and helped keep the plot moving.
Entertaining, fun, and exciting, I enjoyed every page of this and I am so excited to see where the story goes in the next book!

Ugh I love Scott Reintgen’s work. His writing just pulls you in and doesn’t let go. Ashlords is full of action with a phoenix-horse racing competition and a growing rebellion. In this world, there is a social hierarchy in which the Ashlords are at the top, the Longhands or those who live in the Reach are in the middle, and the Dividians are at the bottom. The Ashlords rule over the other two “in fire and blood”

This novel follows 3 povs; Pippa who is an Ashlord, Adrian who is a Longhand, and Imelda who is a Dividian. Pippa is the daughter of two former champions and she believes she is destined to win. Adrian is the son of the leader of the growing rebellion and will be their symbol once he wins the race to begin their war. Imelda is known as “the Alchemist” because of her crazy phoenix rebirths. The fame that this brought her gave her a 1 in a million chance to be a part of the race. However, she soon realizes that she never stood a chance at winning.

I give this book a 4.5/5 because I do love the writing and the world building. The characters are diverse and different. I, personally, did not like Adrian. It seemed like the writing was too focused on how he’s a big strong man who could win a fight against anyone when it could’ve been said in less words. My favorite character actually ended up being Pippa, which I did not expect lol. I love how Scott makes his female characters so unapologetically badass and clever.

The pacing started off a little slow. The character development and rotating of three POVs was done very well. The world building could have been more vivid earlier on. I felt like I was filling in gaps to build the world earlier on. About 30% in the world started to become more detailed. This was an interesting book and really picked up speed. If you love character driven reads this is definitely a book you should pick up.

I really enjoyed this book! The characters and the vivid description not this exciting world were so enthralling.
I definitely recommend this book to everyone when it comes out!

I think the big asset of the novel is it universe. The concept of phoenix horses that need to be resurrected every morning is a great idea. The magic system is frankly well found, I enjoyed discovering the different components of the alchemists, the many possibilities and the functioning of the horses. In addition to this magic, we have a rich history, the empire where the story takes place has been attacked in the past, the gods intervened and save the day, and in fact, faced with certain sacrifices they continue to intervene in the life of some peoples. We hardly see the potential of these gods in this first book and I hope they will be more present in the following one. And finally, there is the whole social organization with the rich and affluent winners and the losers without respect or possibility of an evolution.

The book has three POV. The first is Emelda, she belongs to the people who lost years ago, her people face many injustices and it is her participation in the race that will really open her eyes. I found her character well written, she is intelligent, resourceful and I am happy with her intrigue which is not that classic. Adrian our second point of view, is there for one thing, to create a rebellion, he is an outstanding fighter and he will not give up. In this first volume, his evolution is rather classic, but we feel the potential for the next volume. And finally Pippa if there is a word for her, it's badass and it suits her. She has a strong personality, but also certain flaws and I find this character to be the most well written of the three.

For the intrigue, prepare for bloody, violent, and breathless action. There is no downtime in this race and the author is relentless for both his characters and his reader. It's been a long time since I had had such an original book with the world building and it feels good. The ending is also explosive and I can't wait to immerse myself in the maze of political issues with the sequel.

**Review will be posted on my blog/goodreads/instagram on January 15th. I will update the links on that date!**

ACTION-PACKED.

When you read a tagline that has “Red Rising meets The Scorpio Races…”, both of which are books you LOVE, it makes you think you have to know what this book is all about. I can’t say I see the Red Rising resemblance, BUT I do see The Scorpio Races with a bit more fire.

This book easily keeps you reading. I love how action driven this one was (a difference in my usual choices). The three POVs are all unique voices and really drive the desperation each one has to win The Races. What I found odd at first, yet really vibed with as the story went one was the difference in narration from the others. I think it would be more fun to not go into more detail, but it really adds to the personalities in how it was written.

World-building was totally awesome. The phoenix [horses] are killed each night, and rise each day under new conditions. There’s thousands of combinations to give your horse more speed, armor, better heart and lungs, the possibilities are endless. I love how the alchemy and magic system worked for these. I was a bit confused by the addition of gods into the story? They definitely played a part, but felt a bit disjointed. I kept feeling like they were added only to move the plot along because it needed a boost from somewhere.

I loved all of the characters for a variety of reasons. Imelda is the true underdog with a thorn in her side and something to prove. The choices she makes ultimately lead to larger consequences that will be a big deal in book two. Adrian is the saucy son of the rebellion who’s trying to win for his people. Lastly, Pippa, the daughter of two former winners who’s meant to win, supposed to win, and destined to win. Because of the intricacies of styles it was very easy to know which chapter you were in and who was speaking. I appreciated that it wasn’t muddled whatsoever.

Full of action and seriously not sure who was going to win. The race was exciting, with a touch of mystery and plenty of magic. The bigger politics of the society made the phoenix races that much more important and the story that much more enchanting.

Overall audience notes:
- Young adult fantasy
- Language: none
- Romance: none
- Violence: fire, physical, whips, guns, swords, battle/skirmishes

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Ashlords was a pretty interesting book. In it, you are following three riders who have been entered into a racing competition. This one just has phoenix horses, which are created by ashes with certain components by the Riders. Again, it was interesting and I was kind of getting vibes from other books that feature competitions.

The riders - Imelda, Adrian, and Pippa - were from completely different backgrounds. The one in favor with the gods and Ashlords, Pippa. The other two were the underdogs that you couldn't help but root for. Each person had wanted something from this race - whether it was winning it, finally being seen as a person of value, or something complete different. They all made it an interesting ride from start to finish.

Low-key, I loved Imelda. She was my favorite underdog who was completely underestimated by everyone. They had no idea what tricks she had up her sleeve until the very end. Even then, I don't think they realize what she actually has planned. This reason alone is why I'm freaking excited for another book.

With hints of war and so many other things, there's no reason as to why I wouldn't want to dive into the next book ASAP.

3.8/5 stars

Disclaimer: I was given an ARC of ASHLORDS for free through NetGalley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

ASHLORDS strongest elements are its intricate world design and beautifully fleshed-out characters. I particularly loved the science behind Phoenix recipes and the delicate calculations required of adding special components. Learning more about that is what kept me reading whenever the first half of the book lost my attention.

Because there were times where my focus wandered elsewhere.

The story moved slowly at first; I could only get myself to read one chapter at a time during the first half of the book. The pace did pick up around the halfway mark, when the races officially began, and held my attention until the very end.

Around 80% through, I said this on Goodreads:

"During this whole book, I've been wondering where the author went. NYXIA captivated me from start to finish, but the first half of ASHLORDS was such a bore. Now, however, I'm so happy I kept reading! This is what I've been waiting for."

Let's talk about Pippa's character development, shall we? I was probably supposed to be rooting for Imelda, the underdog, but Pippa's character development was just too good to ignore. I'm interested to find out how Pippa's loyalties will change, moving forward. If I'm being completely honest, I wasn't all that invested in Imelda's POV during the races. Not until... Well, you'll have to find out for yourself.

I have to believe the tedious start to ASHLORDS was necessary. That the sequel will be full of the action and adventure I so craved until the second half of this book. Only time will tell.

Do I recommend this book? Sure.
Will I be reading the sequel? Yes.

Set in a world where there are 3 groups of people; Ashlords with their gods, Dividian who are second class citizens, and Longhands who are descendants of Ashlords that have spurned the gods. We follow young people from each group as they participate in the annual Races. The Races are a multi-day event where participants ride their Phoenix horses (yes!) through a course. It involves riding, alchemy and fighting. But this year’s race has a rebellious undertone as the Longhands and Dividians are starting to rise up against the Ashloads and the race might be the spark that sends it over the edge. This is such a fun combination of competition, rebellion, science, religion, magic and good characters. I would definitely recommend this one and can’t wait for the next book.

This fantasy gets off to a somewhat slow start, which surprised me a bit after the Nyxia stories' 0-80 speed bang out the gate. But this is also a more complicated world, and a more complicated story being set up.

We've got three POVs, each written in a different style. Reintgen does a fabulous job establishing the three voices through the first half; I noticed that, in spite of the stylistic difference (third person, first person, second person present tense) the voices began to sound the same, causing me sometimes to look back to see who we were with, as the race began in the second half. But I think the adrenaline rush of the brutal race explains the intense focus of the characters, who not only have to win, but to survive.

The worldbuilding, in particular, the horse/phoenixes, is marvelously realized. The Ashlord gods I don't think are computers or robots, as so many fantasies have opted for, but something genuinely weird. (I could be wrong about that. We only learn about them through our young protagonists' eyes as they prep for the race, then embark. Lots of potentially intriguing questions there.) Altogether an involving world and a story that--once it gets going--slams home at mach speed, as the world erupts into war.

I really want to see what happens next!

Let’s start off with a huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting my wish for this book. I was provided an eARC of Ashlords in exchange for an honest review.
Honestly, all I needed to know about this book was ‘Phoenix Horses’ and I was all in. I was hooked right from the start. We follow three characters, a champion's daughter, a scholarship entrant, and a revolutionary's son. Imelda Beru is our scholarship winner. She’s also known as The Alchemist. I loved her. She saw through the ruse that is the scholarship for Dividians. She was my favorite of the three characters. The other two focused on their goal of winning the race but Imelda has different priorities. I think the next book is going to be even better for her storyline.
Next is Adrian. The Longhand. He’s the son of a prominent leader and has come to win the races. I liked that he was dedicated to his family, but was even more interested when that dedication wavered. I wish that had been explored more. I loved his confidence and his kind heart. I have a feeling that he and Imelda are going to meet in the next book and I am more than here for it.
Finally, Pippa. Her chapters were interesting. They’re written in the second person, but also clearly about Pippa and not the reader. They still had her personality. I thought this was a really interesting way for Pippa to tell her story. I liked her, she was the child of two previous race winners, and planned to become one herself. She doesn’t depend on her parent’s success though. She works hard and that work shows. She is the best and has proven it time and time again. The only part I didn’t like about Pippa was her dreams about Bravos. She focuses on boys instead of winning and that was her first mistake.
The world was incredible. The politics and the drama was very interesting. I liked all the different dynamics. But the Ashlord Gods were the most compelling of all. I wish they had been a bigger part of the story. They have potential to really shake things up and they did a bit of shaking in this book. I’m dying to know more about them and the history of this world.
Overall, this story was incredible. I absolutely adored and will be silently dying inside while I wait for the next book that isn’t even written yet because Ashlords hasn’t even been released yet.

This one had everything going for it for this reader. It was pegged as the Hunger Games meets Red Queen meets The Scorpio Races and well other than that last one the other two I loved. So I thought I would give this one a go. Sadly this one just didn't work for me. The three POVs were fine but the writing wasn't meshing well with me. You have three POVs all in a different stance. One was in first person, one was in second person, and one was in third. For me that was a very odd choice to for a story. If all three POVs would have been in the same format I think that would have been a lot better. I wanted to love the aspect of the Phoenix and I did very much. But the other parts of the story just didn't work out for me.

Overall, I think those who don't mind the switch and writing might enjoy this one very much.


Go Into This One Knowing: Multiple POVS in different tenses

A rip-roaring adventure reminiscent of The Scorpio Races! I loved Reintgen's NYXIA series and this follow up doesn't disappoint. I thought the plot could've moved a bit faster and I wanted a deeper look into the character's relationships with one another, but Reintgen delivered on the concept of phoenix horse races fully. Recommend!