book review: the fall of ruin and wrath by jennifer l. armentrout
rating: 3.75

synopsis: Calista lives by her intuition. with a simple touch, she can see into anyone’s future… her gift has found her favor as a courtesan of the Baron of Archwood. when her intuition leads her to save a prince in trouble, the voice inside her blazes to life. after the baron takes an interest in the prince’s actions, calista becomes his companion… but she’s unable to read his intentions or future. yet, their connection is undeniable and calista is sure of one thing: her prince will be both her joy and her doom.

this is such a promising start to what i think is going to be incredible series! the story is told from Calista’s first person POV. she’s a compelling lead who’s easy to empathize with. she’s very…human. and not at all annoying. the storyline kept me engaged and i liked that we got to uncover secrets alongside calista.

now, let’s talk our main man: Prince Thorne. the connection between these two… PALPABLE. this is a SUBLIME example fated mates trope — which is unfairly underrated. i mean, the way this (supposedly apathetic) godlike being (made of literal stone) SIMPS for calista. i pictured him as the human beast from beauty and the beast (swipe for reference). every scene with the two of them JUMPS off the page, exactly what you want in a romantasy!!

my qualms: i think the world could have been explained better. i wish there would have been a chapter or two at the beginning that really just laid out it out for us. we got it in drips, but it left me feeling confused and struggling to put the pieces together. grady — calista’s sidekick — is done a great disservice. he’s clearly the most important person to calista, but we hardly know anything about him? it felt like a big plot hole. lastly, i really think something needed to happen in this book that did not occur (i will not say cause spoilers) and that left me feeling slightly dissatisfied.

oh, and that ending… all i’ll say is: i can’t wait for the next book!!

I've been excited to read this book since it was announced, as a long-term reader of JLA I
will pretty much read anything this woman writes

As the blurb doesn’t really give away what this book is about, I was very intrigued to get
started. The story centres around Calista and is told entirely from her POV. Not a lot of
information is given exactly about what Calista is, just that she has strong intuition and
has talents that are unusual. She lives with the Baron of Archwood and in exchange for
giving him information he gives her the protection, a place to live on his estate. One night
her intuition leads her to saving Prince Thorne, a person who she has met before and is
inexplicably drawn to.
The story took a little bit to pick up, I’m not someone who is put of by a lot of information
dumping and its something I have come to expect from fantasy books, but there wasn’t a
lot of this to begin with. Lis comes across as being somewhat sheltered about the world
she lives, yes, she gives us a understanding of how she has been taught that the world
works around her but I got a strong feeling that there is a lot of information that she has
no idea about. Just reading about how others interact with her gives you sense that
things are being hidden.
Things pick up when Thorne shows up. He has all the classic fantasy male characters vibes
going for me. Still not sure what is actual deal is but I do think there is soooo much more
that we don’t know about yet. I enjoyed the interactions between him and Lis, they do
have a lot of spicy scenes which were fabulously executed. And the last few chapters were
actioned packed, and I loved it!!
The only reason I’m not giving this a 5-star review is because I felt like the pacing was a bit
to slow for me to begin with and also, I just needed more information about the hell was
going on.
Overall, I can’t wait to read the next book, because I really thing this book only scratches
at the surface of what is happening

This is a brand-new series by JLA. The storyline reminds me somewhat of the Blood and Ash series, so if you enjoyed that then you’ll love this! I was fully engrossed in this story; I could not put this book down. There’s romance, action, and banter…everything that I love! A heroine who has the power of intuition and an Alpa hero…sign me up!
Jen always gives us the best book boyfriends, and Thorne is one of the best! I loved the scenes with Rhaz, Bas and Thor. I wish we would have gotten to see more of the secondary characters, but I know we’ll see more of them in upcoming books.
I did find Calista to be super annoying for about 60% of this book. Her inner dialogue made her seem self-absorbed at times, which was annoying. She redeemed herself towards the end though, which makes me excited for the next book in the series. One thing that bugged me in this storyline were the scenes where Lis was with Claude and Naomi…I don’t think we needed that. Honestly, this aspect of the book bugged me the entire time.
Overall, this book was fantastic! I love everything that Jen writes and I’m looking forward to the next book in the series! Get ready to swoon for Thorne!
**Cliffhanger Alert**

This book is the start of a new fantasy for Jennifer L Armentrout. It starts with a young Calista fighting for her life, living rough on the streets. Calista is a strong woman that does what she has to do for her and her friend Grady to survive in a world destroyed by war. Lis (Calista) has a sense of intuition which helps guide her to make choices aswell as the ability to see into the future. Lis is a brave, witty character that tends to put others before herself. Thorne is an immortal being that feeds off of human pleasure. He is a morally grey character that you want to hate but cannot. He is a dark and broody character that keeps you drooling.

The relationship between Calista and Thorne is an enemies to lovers that has you rooting for them from the first time they meet.

This book is heavy on world building which isn't a surprise given that is a whole new world that she has created but its intriguing enough to keep going. I did spend a bit of time wonder what time it was set in but it does eventually explain this. This book is quite a spicy book which isn't completely surprising as the Royalty ruling the world feeds of human pleasure.

I love this new fantasy world that Jen has created and I absolutely cannot wait for the next instalment. Definitely worth a read if you enjoy fantasy with a bit of spice.

As someone who’s read every single series this author has written, I can absolutely say that I’m extremely happy and so proud of her for this one.

Fall of Ruin and Wrath is a brand new series by Jennifer L. Armentrout which is geared towards an adult and mature audience much more than is usual for this author. I don’t mean just the spice level , which trust me is amazing, but the general feel of the characters and plot too.

Calista who is unlike any other JLA character in the sense where she is not a trained fighter or physically strong but has other abilities that are very intriguing has grown up struggling with poverty and no real family other than her best friend Grady. Calista and Grady have both found a way to survive these struggles and live a better life by serving the Baron of Archwood and using her intuitive abilities to assist him where she can.

Thorne is a Hyhborn who is a very powerful being(think Angel but much more interesting origin story and powers) that’s sexy and honorable. He lands himself in some trouble and Calista comes to his aid. Little does he know that they’ve met before. Now they can’t seem to stay away from each other which could either lead to disaster or bliss. Calista must now decide whether to follow her intuition or her heart.

I’ll start with what most of y’all really want to know lol. There are no inexperienced virgins in this one folks. We have two grown and consenting adults that go after what they want and need and I really appreciated this factor of the book. True to JLA, there is the charming banter between them which makes this romance so much more fun and the spicy scenes are scorching hot. Calista is a courtesan for the Baron so she is not shy or timid. Thorne is a being who doesn’t hold back on what he wants and and doesn’t conform to mortal reservations about sex or relationships. There are chapters in this book that are so extremely hot. It’s so refreshing to have a book with this level of openness and comfort with sexuality.

As for the world building and plot. It’s complex and beautifully written with new beings and creatures that are fascinating . This is the first book in a series so you will get a lot of world building in the beginning but the type of world building that will have you engaged and wanting to know more. Once the MC’s meet, things move along quickly. There are parts of the plot that very detailed, dark, and shocking compared to other books from this author in a good way. So I’ll say it again, this is definitely a more mature book. I’m ecstatic about this as I really wanted something different and this is it. I hope you’ll all feel the same.

This is the first book released under Tor's new romantic SF/F imprint, Bramble, and it certainly sets a tone for future releases.

Lis (Calista) is an orphan who has become part of a baron's household, gifted with foresight. When a Hyhborn prince comes to visit and the baron gifts her to him as a companion during his stay, she realizes he's the Hyhborn she rescued from captivity recently, the one she met as a child who doesn't remember that night. Despite years of making sure she guards her heart and looks out for herself first, Lis can't help but feel drawn to Thorne, even as rumors of war are surging in the city. When he leaves and the castle is attacked, Lis is desperate to survive, not only for herself, but to see Thorne again. However, there are more games at play than she realized.

There's not a massive amount of world-building in this book, so if you're coming at it with a fantasy background, that threw me off. This leans much more into romance than fantasy, but even then, Lis is no quaking virgin, she finds pleasure on-page with both men and women. Thorne is the usual romantasy hero, tall, dark, immortal, and incredibly gifted at killing or sex, and of course, completely smitten with the heroine. This book will be catnip for the Booktok romantic fantasy crowd, but this wouldn't be what I would recommend for people new to either genre. Had I not gotten an ARC, I still would have pre-ordered this and happily paid for it. I'll be recommending it to people looking for more ACOTAR-like fantasy, but honestly, Jennifer Armentrout has enough of a fanbase that recommendations won't need to be made, this will sell strongly based on her track record.

Fall of Ruin Wrath is Delightfully dark and sinfully delicious. This book is light and dark and straddles the line of grey. This world is so cool and the characters are twisted and fierce. Many twists and turns and surprises for the reader. Some you see coming while others come and slap you in the face. Jennifer Armentrout does not disappoint with the first in Series. The ending has you gasping for more, now I have to patiently wait for the next!

This is JLA’s brand new series starter (currently planned for 2-3 books) and it was pretty good. A different direction for her with this post-apocalyptic, angel/fae world. Didn’t suck me in as much as FBAA did but I am intrigued. This book is loong and it took at least half if not more of the book for the action to start but keep with it I promise it does. We get great character development and pretty good world building though where’s my map (maybe the physical copy will have one). It was definitely a more well rounded picture of the world than FBAA. We got A LOT of history of the world in this book which was great especially the political intrigue!

I did like Calista as I do most JLA female characters. She’s strong, caring, brave and stubborn. Likes to be honest and talks back. Her gift of intuition and mind reading was interesting to learn about in all its glory and its limitations. It was also fun to see her learn new ways to harness it. She’s also one grown up than some of JLA’s previous characters which was nice to see. No offense to Thorne but I haven’t quite gotten into him yet. He’s ok but not as great as other romantic interests.

The cliffhanger was very interesting and I’m intrigued by where it all is going.

Thank you JLA, Tor/Bramble Publishing and Netgalley for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Fall of Ruin and Wrath is not what I expected. The plot felt non-existent, honestly. It was definitely character and smut driven. I’d say the romance was the focal point but it didn’t feel like a romance to me. The characters were drawn to each other, but I couldn’t tell if deeper feelings had developed.

I was confused about the world for a good portion of the book. A lot of information is dumped on you in the beginning and it took a while for me to process that information and apply it to what was happening on the page. If I’m being honest, I still don’t fully understand the world and what it’s supposed to look like. It felt like a typical fantasy world where it’s set back in older times, meaning there’s no technology and things like that, but there was a Great War that happened centuries ago that changed the landscape and how everyone lived.

While this book wasn’t for me, I will be checking out the sequel to see what happens next. If you’re a fan of romantasy and the books that are trending on booktok, then there’s a good chance you’ll enjoy this book!

Jennifer L Armentrout finally returns with a new saga! It's still fantasy and although the author's style is instantly recognizable, I found that it was still very different from Blood and Ash. The universe is interesting and well detailed.

I really like the characters, especially the interactions between them. Thorne is an alpha hero and sensuality oozes from his pores. The scenes with Calista aren't necessarily numerous or graphic, but the tension between them is important each time. It's much hotter than what I've read from JLA, I like it.

I love the fact that Calista accepts the choices she had to make to survive and is not ashamed of her desires. She asserts her sexual appetites and her free will, which sometimes leads to voluptuous passages. The theme of consent is important in the novel, as is that of accepting the fact of having privileges and no longer having a blind eye to what happens around you, outside your protective bubble.

In summary, I love everything about this novel and I'm looking forward to the next book.

JLA’s writing in this book reminds me so much of why I fell in love with her writing in the first place when I read The Dark Elements trilogy. From the broody, mysterious MMC to the stubborn, outspoken (yet brave) FMC, I was enthralled and couldn’t put it down.

… and yes, in true JLA fashion, the cliffhanger is brutal—I can’t believe book two isn’t out because I need answers and I just they’re going to be so good.

Tropes:

- slow burn
- hidden identity
- forced proximity
- touch her & regret it
- that’s my girl
- complicated hero


4.5/5 ⭐️

4.5 stars!

The first book in a brand new fantasy series, Awakening from Jennifer L. Armentrout, this book sucked me in and did not let go. A feisty heroine, a sarcastically charming yet mysterious hero, and a well-developed, complex and fascinating world with new beings, lore, and language to discover. It has all of the hallmarks of a fabulous JLA read, and I loved this one!

Calista is a “lowborn” in her world, and is hiding the fact that she has supernatural powers that allow her to see the future and sometimes read minds with a simple touch. After a life of poverty with only her best friend, Grady by her side, she lives within the home of the Baron of Archwood, who knows about her powers and genuinely cares for and protects her, and in return she provides him with information that she learns.

She is curious and stubborn, and it is those traits that lead her to the aid of a tortured “Hyhborn”. Thorne is a powerful member of the ruling class, and despite his battered state, he takes an immediate interest in his rescuer. Their repeated run-ins spark attraction and mad chemistry, and their smutty banter and flirting is so freaking entertaining.

“I’m focussed on you enough that I can tell exactly what caused that hitch in your breath – when it’s not fear that causes a change in your breathing and when it’s pleasure.” A pause. “Arousal.”
I inhaled sharply. “I’m not—”
“Going to lie to me? Because I’d know better.”
“I don’t think you do,” I countered as I scooted back, the shirt snagging around my thighs.
“But please do lie. It amuses me.”

This is a realm where sex and sexuality is free and open, so the sexy time is hot, descriptive, and there’s lots of it (I mean, the Hyborn actually 'feed' on pleasure!), and oh holy hotness, the sexual tension between Calista and Thorne is sizzling! Given their situation, the differences between them, and the danger of the world that they live in, it’s a slow burn, so we get a whole lot of flirting, inuendo, touching and intense eye fucking, and the anticipation builds so well. I was feeling it all and so excited for something to happen between them. And when Thorne ends up moving into the Baron’s estate to help with looming conflict in the city, the close proximity makes it all the more intense.

“I want her,” Prince Thorne repeated. “For the duration of my time here, she is mine.”

JLA’s battles between feisty, opinionated heroines and charmingly arrogant and sarcastic heroes are a big part of what I love about her books, and the banter between Calista and Thorne is so good! I laughed, I was shocked out the outright sexiness, and I was so excited for what was to come.

“This should come as a surprise to no one, but just so we are all clear, what I want? I get. And what I want is for you to keep me company.”

It’s hot and steamy, and more than sex, there is a deeper connection between Thorne and Calista, but it’s only mildly explored. Thorne is wonderfully protective and possessive over Calista, and I’m sure we’ve only seen the beginnings of the depth of those particular traits. But we don’t get too much time to explore romance between them because the realm is on the brink of war, and Archwood is right in the middle of the firing line.

There is action and excitement, suspense and lots of surprises along the way. There’s a lot to wrap your head around with such a new and interesting world to understand, and the politics, mythology and supernatural elements of it all are only starting to be unravelled. I feel like there’s so much to come with this series, and I’m really excited to explore and learn more.

As always, there are a fabulous bunch of side characters who bring so much to the story. Grady, Claude, Bastian and Rhaziel are standouts for me, and I can’t wait to see more of their interactions and get to know them better.

Of course, there is a cliffhanger, and it is nasty! Not only bringing a big shift to the story, and a twist for the series going foward, but it leaves us hanging right at a pivotal moment, almost mid-scene, leaving me desperate to get my hands on the next book (as intended).

I’m loving exploring this whole new world and the fabulous characters who inhabit it, and I’m looking forward to the series continuing.

4.5 stars!

This was a wild ride. From page one, I was hooked, and that's no surprise because I'm an automatic fan of JLA. This book was no exception! Calista is a total standout. She's got this unwavering confidence in her intuition, and she's using it to secure a comfy future in a world where life ain't easy. But she's also intelligent, and brave. The chemistry between Calista and the Mysterious Prince is off the charts and the spice level? Let's just say it's extreme, but it fits right into this world. The world-building is intricate, and fantastic as in all JLA books. This story left me hungry for more. I can't wait for the next book in the series!

This book was everything I wanted it to be and more - JLA never disappoints on that front.

If you love a Fantasy book with tons of romance, drama, SPICE, political intrigue and brilliant world building, this book is for you.

It’s addictive from the very beginning and you are immediately drawn into the story. It doesn’t feel heavy or slow like others in the genre can be as you feel like you are thrown straight into the action.

I love the protagonist Lis. She isn’t timid but she isn’t bold either, she’s much more realistic. Feisty yet self conscious and also very aware of her sexuality.

Her and a certain love interest? Pure perfection.

The romance leaps off the page. It’s steamy and fiery, it will make you blush and potentially giggle like a schoolgirl - especially since he feeds off her pleasure, literally. This is definitely a book that delivers on the romance part and it does it phenomenally.

Thorne is *chefs kiss*. That’s all I’m going to say. He’s a first class romantasy male love interest and we love that…

Fall of Ruin and Wrath is one of the best Fantasy Romance books that I have read in ages simply because it was impossible to put down. A brilliant first book in a series and I cannot wait to read what happens next because after that ending? I’m dying to see how things unravel.

WOW!!

Let me set the scene here: I went into this book pretty blind— I basically had skimmed the blurb. I’ve been in a fantasy slump for MONTHS. I didn’t care much for JLA’s other series, FBAA.

But GIRL. Fall of Ruin and Wrath had me hooked!! I literally could not put it down.

First of all, the atmosphere of this book was dark, mysterious, and sensual… the vibe reminded me of House of the Dragon. I found myself enthralled with the world.

As far as the characters, the story is told from Calista’s perspective— mortal who has the power to see glimpses into the future and into others’ minds. This is one of the few fantasy books where having a single POV (as opposed to dual) really worked for the story. It made me feel so connected to Calista because, as she was learning and unraveling what was going on and who/what she was, we were right there with her.

This book left me DYING for the next one. We got such a small glimpse into the politics and layout of the world, and I am excited to see it expand in the next book. Even with complex world building and magic system, JLA did a great job of teaching the readers how everything worked.

Oh and JLA can write. some. spice!!

I am so excited to see how this series plays out. This is going to be the next big thing!!


Thank you to Tor (Macmillan) & JLA for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Look out Casteel….there’s another hero to love!

I absolutely adore the From Blood and Ash series by Armentrout because I can’t get enough of Poppy and Casteel so I’ll read anything by Armentrout to get my fantasy romance fix and to fall for more characters.

I’d say that if you too love the From Blood and Ash series then you’ll get hooked on Fall of Ruin and Wrath because I found a lot of similarities in it to From Blood and Ash.

For one, the heroine, Calista, is more than what she seems just like Poppy.

Poppy was caged by her reputation and Calista is caged by fear of returning to the streets and having nothing as well as having her abilities to sense the future become known.

Thorne is a hero like Casteel who at first you’re not sure if his intentions toward the heroine are good or evil and it turns out may want to end her or use her for his own purposes.

And then as the story progresses a massacre occurs revealing that the heroine really doesn’t know all the facts (ring a bell Poppy?!) and then you’re left on a bit of a cliffhanger.

So yeah, lots of similarities in this one but I’m all for it.

I will say that the beginning was a bit slow and I’m afraid it might lose some people but it really picks up as the book goes on.

Armentrout is great at world building and she’s definitely setting the stage for something in this one but I will admit the whole orgy insinuation in the background throughout the book was odd.

It just didn’t seem to fit. I felt like if you’re insinuating this behavior then just go for it and be explicit or choose a different plot point.

I did love our hero, Prince Thorne, and he’s what carried the book for me. I loved his interactions with Calista and their banter in their alone moments were the best.

I liked how she pushed him and he only wanted more.

So, while I’m intrigued to learn more about Thorne and how Calista is tied to him, I’m not really sold on what else there is to care about besides her best friend Grady’s safety but I’ll definitely be continuing with the series.

I’m so happy we are getting an entirely new series to devour from Armentrout and I look forward to seeing what happens next.
*I received an advanced reader copy from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

“Being afraid doesn't lessen one's bravery," he said, finishing the last of the buttons. "Nor does desperation. If anything, it strengthens the bravery.”
~
Deliciously teasing. FORAW is the first in a brand new JLA fantasy series, and the world-building we get here is chef’s kiss. The secrets and hints dropped like breadcrumbs take you on a journey that by the end, you don’t even remember getting to the end, you were flipping pages so quickly. When this one picked up, it Picked. Up. We went from zero to one hundred real fast in the best way, and while I knew the last scene was coming at some point during the final few chapters, it didn’t stop my heart pounding or my gasp when it finally came to fruition. Calista is different to me than many of the other FMCs I’ve read from the author, and I can’t wait to find out more about her and what her path is. I am insanely curious about how our ravens come into play. And I am intrigued beyond measure by our newest book boyfriend, Thorne. The banter between he and Calista was perfection and truly had me laughing out loud, even during the serious points. This series is sure to be JLA’s next hit, and I can’t wait to be along for the ride.

I enjoyed this new JLA book. I was a little hesitant going in since I didn't really love A Soul of Ash and Blood, but knowing this was the start of a new series had my hopes up. I do wish there had been some more time spent on building out the world - there were quite a few moments where I wished I understood the rules of the world better, the layout, the history and lore. And while it is spread out through the book, i wish there had been a bit more at the start. Because it almost felt like we were being dropped into a story already in progress and left to fend for ourselves.

As for Thorne and Calista, I liked them more individually, but a lot of the time it felt like they lacked chemistry when they were together.

While overall I enjoyed the book and am looking forward to the second one, I think the last 1/3 of this book is the strongest and had me the most interested. JLA is really - incredibly good and writing endings that will leave you slack jawed and desperate for the next part, and she doesn't disappoint with the ending to FORAW.

JENNIFER! You really did that! Fall of Ruin and Wrath could quite possibly be my favorite read this year. A new series from the lovely JLA, and it gives you EVERYTHING you expect from her and MORE.

The banter in this is absolutely unmatched. Never have I fallen in love quicker with characters than I did with Lis and Thorne. Thorne has cemented himself as my favorite book daddy out of all of Jen's MMCs.

As per usual, the world building is complex, but you are never lost. Lis has the ability to know things about others, hear their thoughts, and see the future. She doesn't know why she has these gifts but knows that she shouldn't broadcast them around. She is content with how she is living when she overhears a group of men discussing how they've captured a Hyhborn male. Her intuition, who is often a fickle bitch, drives her to rescue the male. Once there, she discovers that this is not their first run-in. When we are introduced to Thorne, he is snarky in all the best ways and can't seem to leave Lis alone.

The writing is perfectly paced, and the tension! My gods the tension. The dinner scene will forever live rent-free in my mind and will now be what I compare all dinner scenes to in every book ever. And let's not skip over the spice. Jen absolutely delivers.

I can't wait for the next one because that damn cliffhanger!

This is probably my favorite Jennifer L. Armentrout book to date. I've read all of her books and loved every single one of them, but I think this one is my favorite. I'm trying to figure out what to say about it that won't be a spoiler. I love that these characters show their growth and that they learn from each other. The action is fantastic and the emotional scenes will tug at your heartstrings. And let me just say that some of the creatures in this book are freaking scary sounding. All around two thumbs up and five stars. I absolutely can't wait for the next book. This will be a reread for sure and I will be buying the hardback copy of this series.