Fall of Ruin and Wrath is set in a world where the royalty feed on the pleasure of mortals. If you assumed that Fall of Ruin and Wrath is a spicy novel based on the synopsis, you would be correct. Armentrout’s spice and tension is fire hot. I thought that it might be gratuitous based solely on the fact that the royals feed on the pleasure of the mortals, but I was happily wrong.

The main character, Calista, has spent her whole life doing whatever she had to to survive. I wish readers could have seen more of her past through flashbacks. This would have been valuable insight into her character. More specifically, why she seems so apathetic to the world around her.

The world building was easily my favorite aspect of the novel. It reads as robust and lived in with revelations I didn’t see coming. There’s definitely more to come and I can’t wait.

The reason I rated the novel four stars instead of five is because the end felt rushed. Also, there’s a gap between chapters that felt as if a whole chapter was missing. The novel ends on what I could consider a cliffhanger, so I’m eager to get my hands on the sequel.

Overall, Fall of Ruin and Wrath is an excellent introduction to this new world where pleasure is king and everything is not as it seems.

4.5 heart racing stars.
In true JLA fashion she has left me wanting more. With a cliffhanger that won't quit, I need more of this story now. Lis is a paramour for a baron. After being orphaned at birth, she has had only her best friend Grady by her side. He has joined her in the home she lives in now and he offers protection to them both. Lis can see the future and she knows people's fates. She can read minds too, but this is a trait that she keeps close to her heart and only a few people know about it. She knows the Lord that she met when she was in the orphanage 15 years ago would be back, but she didn't know the truth of what he was or why she felt connected to him.
The moment Thorne is back in her presence, both of them don't understand why they can't shake the connection. There is so much more that happens, especially in the second half of the book and I can't give too much away here, so I won't say anything else other than.. I need more.
So much comes out in the last 15% of this story that kept me rushing through the pages needing to know if we got a glimer of hope. The ending left my heart racing and my mind wouldn't quit running throught scenarios that I thought could happen next.
Thank you to Tor, Netgalley and Jennifer Armentrout for an early copy.

"Fall of Ruin and Wrath" by Jennifer L. Armentrout delivers a scorching and immersive fantasy romance that will captivate readers from the very first page. In a world divided by chaos and ruled by guardians who feed on mortal pleasure, Calista's unique intuition becomes her greatest asset and vulnerability. Armentrout skillfully crafts a rich and vivid setting, blending elements of danger, desire, and the supernatural. The chemistry between Calista and the traveling prince ignites the pages, and their complex dynamic adds layers of tension to an already intricate plot. As the city grapples with rebellion and uncertainty, Calista's choices become pivotal, forcing her to navigate the treacherous paths of loyalty and love. Armentrout's writing is lush and compelling, drawing readers into a world where intrigue and romance intertwine seamlessly. The story's fast-paced narrative and expertly woven suspense will keep readers on the edge of their seats. "Fall of Ruin and Wrath" is a testament to Armentrout's storytelling prowess, offering an intoxicating blend of fantasy, romance, and suspense that will leave readers eager for more.

Nothing beats diving into a new Jennifer L. Armentrout fantasy! I found myself staying up later than usual and grabbing for my kindle first thing in the morning while reading this book. Fall of Ruin and Wrath has all the makings for my new favorite series. I would say the majority of this book was world building, setting up for the big happenings in the books to come because by the time this book ended, I was on the edge of my seat, wanting to know what happens next. But I adored this book and getting to know these characters, the beings in this world, and the politics happening. 4 stars!

Fall of Ruin and Wrath is another insta-hit from Jennifer L Armentrout!

Calista, a former orphan gifted with the power of intuition, serves as an….um…..advisor to the Baron. A run in of bad luck leads her to an encounter with a mysterious hyborne lord, which turns into a series of unexpected situations. This lord, he feeds on pleasure to survive, and he just might be finding that with Lis. True to JLA style, this slow burn is gritty and delicious.

This book was so enticing, I couldn’t put it down. Much like a lot of high fantasy books, there was a bit of a learning curve. The world in this story is filled with creatures and species that are entirely new. Most of the creatures are never explained, but readers are left to pick up the clues in the story. That made me have to reread a few pages here and there but there is plenty to go off of to learn about the characters.

Speaking of characters, Lis is perfection. This girl has had such a rough life and is so uncertain and it is so fun to watch her figure out her place and find some confidence as the story goes on. And TBH, the end of the book is a wild ride that really throws everything on its head.

Thorne is H-O-T HAWT. I have never been more in love with a JLA man. He is peak morally gray, entitled royal, straight up prick. But also, he is so so good. I love him and Lis and their interactions together. They truly make each other better.

This book is a dystopian mess where right and wrong is a little bit blurry and watching these characters grow together is so much fun. And the end of this book? Oh my goodness, I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Thank you to JLA and team for the eARC, and to the publisher for a physical ARC of this book! All opinions are my own.

4 ⭐️

I really enjoyed this! Thorne did give me Hawke vibes a little bit, but like Hawke crossed with Seth 😅 I thought the plot for this was fun, if a little bit heavy on world building details at times, and I liked the characters. I wanted a bit more from Lis, considering she has powers etc I feel like she didn’t drive the story that much. I wanted her to have a big badass discovering her power moment but we didn’t really get that. I also disliked that Thorne was gone for so much of the second half of the book. But I’m very intrigued about what’s going to happen next and aside from a few minor typos (this was an ARC), it was very well-written.

5⭐️

This is not a drill - JLA has a BRAND NEW SERIES!!! And if you’ve read any of her other masterpieces, or are a lover of romanstasy, you’re bound to love this one too.

Seriously though, the characters, world building, and plot were all so captivating, I DEVOURED this book.

FOWAR follows Calista, an orphan born with the power of an intuition that never fails, but it’s a power she must keep hidden from the hungry world. When her intuition leads her to Thorne, her life will never be the same again.

Like with all her books, JLA has created characters that will make you swoon, and alphaholes you would burn for. The spice in the book was so good, but the story really grips you and I CANNOT wait to read more!

I have been provided with a copy of A Fall of Ruin and Wrath from the author/publisher through NetGalley and I am voluntarily leaving an impartial review. This is the first book in the brand-new Awakening series and let me just say what a fantastic way to start off a new series. I was just drawn into this world with its outstanding characters. I was just captivated by everything taking place and I just didn’t want this story to end. I’m just speechless. This book was just so good and that ending oh my gosh I need another book immediately.

What a journey! 🤯
This story is so good! It's a new series so of course we need to learn about this new world. About the kind of ''creatures/species'' there are. I actually made a list of everything so I wouldn't mix it up and have something to look at when I'm not sure which came from where or can do what.
The MC is also really well written. She has a past that shaped her and she's not an innocent young stabby virgin. Her powers/abilities are also really interesting.
I love her friendship with Graddy.
The romance was also good, there was a good balance of them getting to know each other and the spice. But ofcourse it's not just girl likes guy and everything goes smoothly. There is so much more to it.
The story itself has a lot going on and at the end of the book a lot happens and I honestly can't wait to read what happens next after that ending.

4.5 Stars!

“I’m beginning to think fate is afoot.”

Jennifer Armentrout pulls out all the stops with her latest release Fall of Ruin and Wrath. From spellbinding writing to a consuming plot, Fall of Ruin and Wrath is sure to keep readers on their toes.

Born with an intuition that never lets her down, Calista finds herself in a world she never imagined. Hidden away as a courtesan of the Baron of Archwood, she provides him with the information he needs, in exchange for protection. But when her intuition leads her to save a traveling prince in grave danger, she never imagined her entire world being turned upside down…

Fall from Ruin and Wrath is a book I never saw coming. With a delicious mix of dystopian, high fantasy, and of course, romance, I couldn’t help but be consumed with this story. Jennifer Armentrout created an exciting world of magic, mystique, paranormal creatures, and so much more. I thought this book was well-paced and I loved getting lost in this story and these incredible characters.

Fall from Ruin and Wrath was everything I didn’t know I needed. This story kept me on my toes and the ending will leave you desperate for more. Fall from Ruin and Wrath kicked off the Awakening series to one heck of a start and I can not wait to see where this story will go next.

Jennifer L Armentrout has been my all time favourite author for the last decade. Name a book by her, and I’ve probably read it around 20 times. I just adore her. As soon as I heard about Fall of Ruin and Wrath I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. I am so obsessed with fantasy books, and to have another high fantasy so soon after her From Blood and Ash series was very exciting for me. I was so excited to see what else she was going to do within this genre. This book is absolutely incredible. I absolutely devoured this book, it was absolutely incredible.

Fall of Ruin and Wrath follows Calista, a young woman who has a heightened intuition. Along with her ability to see glimpses into the future, she has this intuition that just tell her what to do in certain situations. I really enjoyed Calista as a character. She’s a total badass and will do everything she can to survive. After knowing what it’s like to be starving and not know where your next meal is coming from, she will do anything to make sure her and her best friend are okay. I found Calista so relatable because of this. I find sometimes in fantasy books the heroine can be so badass and trained that sometimes you find it hard to relate, but Calista’s backstory is so realistic to things that happen in the real world, I really associated with her and felt her pain and motivations. She’s an incredible character to follow through this story and I am already dying to see what she’s going to do in the second book of this series.

Enter Thorne… our love interest. Thorne is, in my opinion, one of the most morally grey main characters Jen has written since Seth in the Covenant and Titan series. He’s in no way a ‘good guy’ but his development throughout the book is insane. He is unapologetic of the bad shit he has done in the past, but you see him starting to warm to Calista… and honestly, I was halfway in love with him before we even knew his name. I don’t know what Jen puts in these books to make us all addicted but I was obsessed and addicted to this book and these characters right from the start. I absolutely adore Thorne and I just know everyone is gonna love him.

One of the things I adored about this book the most was the world. It was really exciting for me to come into a whole new JLA world. This is actually only the second or third time that we’ve seen Jen construct a new world, as the majority of her books are urban fantasy so they’re set in our world. I loved the world building. Right from the start I kind of got this dystopia feel to Fall of Ruin and Wrath. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a dystopia, it’s fantasy. But there’s all this talk within the world building about the ‘Great War’ that happened years ago and so it kind of felt like this was a post-apocalyptic vibe but within the fantasy world. It’s one of my favourite parts of the book, and for me, I feel like it gives this book a totally unique feel, seperate to any other Romantasy books that are currently on the market.

Fall of Ruin and Wrath is the perfect Romantasy book. It’s hot and spicy, and what I loved is that the spice really is intertwined with the world building so it feels completely natural. If you’ve followed my reviews for a while you’ll know I sometimes have issues with some spicy books. That is nothing to do with the fact that they’re spicy but that sometimes I feel like the spicy scenes are forced or in there for the sake of it, rather than them being needed. I did not feel like that with this book at all! It’s such a strongly plotted book and the spice is there to accompany that plot perfectly. Honestly, every spicy reader is going to be obsessed with this book.

If there is one Romantasy book that you pick up this year, make sure it is Fall of Ruin and Wrath. You will not be disappointed. It’s the perfect blend of fast paced action, heart melting romance and ‘fan yourself’ spice. I loved every single moment of this book and I cannot wait to get my hands on the second book. This has definitely gone straight in near the top of my all time favourite JLA series. I can’t wait to see what she does next! Make sure you don’t miss this absolute masterpiece, and preorder is right now.

I love a good fantasy book, and I love a good romance book, and I love a good fantasy romance book. I did not love this book. It felt like it was trying to be Twilight but with sex, but didn't have enough sex to justify its other failings. A lot of the things about it that bothered me I can forgive. I found the prose fairly uninspiring, I felt like the worldbuilding wasn't particularly surprising or meaningful, and the plot is utterly without a resolution. OK. The big problem, though, was the gaping hole where the protagonists' personalities should have been.

Calista, or Lis, is our narrator. She has the power to read minds and see the future, but barely ever uses it and then bad things happen to people she cares about that she clearly could have done something about had she decided to use her power. She has the standard set of characteristics of being clumsy and impulsive, saying things she clearly hasn't thought out, but then she doesn't follow up on any of them. She never makes plans, and so is purely reactive, nothing but impulse and common sense she ignores; I never got a sense of an intelligence driving her to accomplish specific goals.

Thorne is her Hyhborn (no, I'm not making that spelling up) love interest. He's your basic Edward Cullen type: granite skin, no heartbeat, poorly defined magical powers, no aging, feeding on humans but in a moral way, controlling and a little coercive, and a weird vibe from having been separated from humanity. Their love interest comes about because of generic MacGuffin supernatural plot reasons, not because either of them is attracted to the other's personality, so it's both very obvious and as such fairly unopposed and unsatisfying.

The most disappointing thing about it all is that there are hints here of a much better book. The idea of the far-future setting in which both magic and technology exist (though lightbulbs seem to be about the extent of the latter) is a fundamentally weird idea that was used to incredibly excellent creepy effect in Gideon the Ninth. Lis's power set would be super cool to read about if it was actively used or trained or developed: a few scenes where she tried to change the future but struggled to do so would have rocked. Lis has conversations with Thorne about consent that are way more than I would have expected, and there are the beginnings of some interesting political ideas about power corrupting and the effects of revolution.

This may be the book for you if you're looking for an easy read with an easily digestible protagonist and some fairly vanilla sex scenes in it. It was not the book for me.

I received this free eARC novel from the author and NetGalley. This is my honest review.

This first book in a new series by Jennifer L. Armentrout entrapped me from page one until the last page! I honestly had no idea what it was about, but JLA is an auto buy, auto dive into her books without knowing a thing, because I always consume her books and love them immensely. This was definitely no different!

Lis is such a different FMC than most of JLA's characters. Her confidence in her abilities is fascinating to me because she is using them to make sure she can have a future that's comfortable. She may not like everything about her surroundings, but she's learned the very hard way that life can be difficult and she's not about to give up her lifestyle anytime soon. But she's also clever and smart and brave, which is exactly like JLA's FMC.

The MMC is so mysterious and intense. We don't even learn of his name until WELL into the book, and I didn't even care. Every time he was on the page with Lis, I was on pins and needles because the attraction between these two?! Off the charts, kept me anticipating every action they both made. Also, the spice in this book? Extreme. Like. E.X.T.R.E.M.E. I was so surprised at 1. how much there was in book one, but also 2. how normal it flowed in the story. It's like the lifestyle of this world has normalized it which was fascinating to me.

I also really liked when the MMC explained the history of their world. It literally gave me goosebumps to envision what he was explaining and how devastating those events must have been. It definitely put a different vibe into their current surroundings for me after that moment.

The ending? THE ENDING?? It's a cliffhanger. It's not a terrible cliffhanger. But it of course left me wanting more and I didn't have more. I need to know what happens next?? So much build up toward that moment only to be abruptly ended. Rude. But now I almost want to go back and re-read everything after having more details in my mind.

I adored this new debut series by JLA and I feel like her newer and older fans will dive into this book and not see daylight again until it's finished. I loved every word and can't wait to see what is in store for these characters.

I have read every book that JLA has ever written, and I do mean every book. So when she delves into a new world and starts an entirely new series, I get so excited. Which means that it should come as no surprise that the minute I got my hands on this book I was diving in!

As with most first books in a fantasy series there is a lot of world building in this book. Luckily we don’t get this big info dump like some authors do, and instead we get to learn more and more about the world as we go through the story. Now we still don’t know everything about this world by the end of book, but we know a lot. There are so many thoughts running around in my brain right now and so many things that I want to say but I can’t, because…SPOILERS! Let’s just say that I was not expecting the description of the world before the Great War that changed it all, but it did have me side eyeing JLA. You know, for reasons that I can’t say, but if you’re a long time reader of hers, you’ll understand why once you get to that part.

Now the characters? OMG, I love these characters so much! Calista is basically the quintessential FMC that JLA is prone to write. She’s a badass that is strong as hell, and y’all she’s been through some SHIT! But she’s still compassionate and caring. Now, don’t get me wrong, there were a few times where I wanted to reach into the book and smack her. And as a matter of fact I was literally yelling at my Kindle during one of those times. But those moments just show that she’s not perfect and she does indeed make mistakes.

And Thorne? Oh my baby Thorne. Oof…that man. I don’t how she does it, but JLA always makes me love every single MMC that she writes. This man embodies the “Who did this to you?” mentality when it comes to Calista. It’s that way from the very first time that they meet, and I am so here for it! You can just feel how these two characters are drawn to each other from the start and you can’t help but root for them, especially after some revelations are made.

Honestly if I would have had the time, I would have sat down and devoured this book in no time. Unfortunately being an adult got in the way, but every single time I sat down to read this book I was sucked in and didn’t want to put it down. And when I got to the end? Yeah, I kept hitting the next page button because I NEEDED MORE! I can’t wait for the next book in this series!

🌸 Fall of Ruin and Wrath 🌸

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Finished: 08/09/23

"You should've known better than to run. I will always catch you."

Calista is a courtesan for a Baron, who uses her for her gift of intuition and visions in exchange for housing her and Grady, her childhood friend. But when her intuition brings her to an injured Hyhborn, both of their lives have begun to intertwine more and more. As a rebellion is drawing closer towards Archwood, will the royal Hyhborn save the town or let it be consumed by the war.

"I'd hate to have to end you when I've been quite . . . enthralled by you."

Thorne is a very different MMC from JLAs usual love interests, and I'm here for it. From their first encounter with each other to their last in this book, you never quite know where it will lead. If I could descibe their relationship at the moment I would definitely call it precarious even though there was a lot of intimate moments between each other, both inside and out of the bedroom, I am hopeful for their future together.

I will say this had a bit of a slow start, and not much happened in this first book. But I am excited to where we go from here. Calista has a rocky road ahead, and I will be nervously waiting for book two to see where JLA takes us.

Jennifer L. Armentrout has done it again. She has given us another fantasy romance series to obsess about. I loved this story! And I seriously cannot wait for more. This is a whole new world to learn and love. And it’s only just the beginning. Calista (aka Lis) has a special talent. She has an intuition that keeps her on the right track, can read thoughts if she can focus on someone, and can even see the future with the right touch or question. It’s kept her as safe as possible in a world with powerful beings. She and her best friend are orphans and when they finally found a safe place in the home of a Baron, they do what they can to keep their place. Even if that means becoming a sort of spy or more at times for the Baron by using Lis’s gifts. And one day she finds herself following her gift right to a prince in the need of desperate help. A very powerful prince. And one she comes to realize she saw as a child and knew she would meet again. There is a lot going on in this world filled with powerful beings (who reminded me of Fae in a way) and rebellions. So much is happening in this story with the world building. You gotta be patient and put pieces together bit by bit. It was one thing I really loved and I cannot wait to see how it builds as we learn more and more. The characters were fantastic in this story as well. JLA always has some strong heroine and hero to lead the story and Lis and Thorn are exactly that. A compelling couple whose chemistry is off the charts. Get ready for a world of magic, fantasy, steamy romance, and so much more. Twists at every turn and a bit of a cliffhanger ending (as per usual) that will demand you wanting more. Can’t wait to see where Lis and Thorn take us next!

⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
💙 I finished this book like 12 hours ago and just hadn't been able to put my thoughts into words. This book was no where near what I expected it be, but I loved it!
💙 The world in this book is very interesting. It's very spicy as a world in general, as the Hyhborn, who basically rule over everything, they literally feed on pleasure. That basis in and of itself is spicy. The world is very open because of that as you can imagine.
💙 There was so much mystery in this world and everything kind of unfolds to us slowly. It's like a puzzle, and we get a new piece to keep adding to the full picture as the story progresses. I have so many notes with all my thoughts as I read, with theories and lines. This book had me theorizing so much! I still have so many questions, but I'm proud to say when looking back at my notes, I was mostly correct with my theories!
💙 Calista: I absolutely loved our main character. She's fiesty as all JLA main characters are, and compassionate. Brave and badass too. And the banter between her and Thorne? Loved it!
💙 Thorne: another book boyfriend to add to the list. He was so interesting. Hot as hell, scary in some ways, but also I found him so adorable at times! The moments where his humanity peaks through were my favorite moments with him. Well, other than spicy times.... Y'all, this man has literal spicy abilities as a Hyhborn. Like.... 👀 Just you WAIT 🥵
💙 Side characters: right now I don't have a ton of side characters that I'm in love with, but I can totally see the potential to fall in love with some of them once we see more of them in book 2. Grady and Bas are probably my favs.
💙 The only thing that keeps it from being perfection for me is it did truly feel like it was laying down so much ground work in this one that I know the next book is going to be AMAZING but I just felt like I wanted a little more from this one.... I don't know how else to explain it. Especially at the end. It really left me wanting! It was just getting so so good!
💙 The way everything is going by the end of this book? It has me dying for the next one! Sadly, this book doesn't even come out till September and I have no earthly idea how long it will be until the next one 😅😭
💙 Highly recommend this book! I just know this series is gonna be incredible! If you love the Blood and Ash series and the Flesh and Fire series, you'll most likely be just as obsessed with this one too! You can preorder it wherever books are sold! There is also a preorder incentive, so make sure you get that!
💙 Thank you so much to Bramble publishing and Jennifer L. Armentrout for this arc. It was provided in exchange for my honest review.

is anything better than the feeling you get with a new jennifer armentrout book? i dont think so. this was as wonderful to experience as expected!

I was very excited to get this ARC and jumping into a new world by JLA with angels. This story centers around Calista (Lis), who can see the future, and her friend, Grady, who do what they can to avoid Lis' ability being found out. They are sheltered by a local baron, Claude, who knows of her ability and keeps her close for his own reasons. But when a Hyhborn lord crossed paths with Lis everything she's been trying to avoid starts closing in.

Lis was an interesting character. As an orphan, she's had to fight very hard for what she has. That means she does a lot to keep not only herself, but those she cares about, safe. If that means using her body to make a safe haven for her and Grady, getting Grady a position with the Baron or sometimes using her gift. It was easy to like her and understand/appreciate what she's done...even if sometimes she seemed a bit naive.

The pacing of this first book was a bit slower than I anticipated. But when you get to the last third of the book, JLA takes us on a ride with the twists and turns the storyline takes. I loved Thorne and Lis together. The banter between them is something I always look for in JLA couples. Their romance is slow burn, even with their very apparent chemistry.

If you love this author, it's definitely a book you'll want to pick up. A word of warning...it ends in one hell of a cliffhanger.

I really enjoyed this! I loved Calista's strength and wittiness--I found her to be really relatable and real. The romance has a really quick onset, but if you stick it out all the mysteries and twists surrounding that area of the story will unfold wonderfully. The world was okay--I do think that as the story went on it began to piece together better but in the beginning I did have some ??? moments. Once you reach the meat of the story, though, it all starts to wind together really well and makes the story really compelling. Overall, I am excited for (hopefully) more in this world and more from these characters. This was another solid read from JLA and I'm looking forward to more!