ARC reader for NetGalley

I enjoyed the premise of the story. It’s a good read if you can look past all the mistakes in the writing. With a bit more polishing and proper editing this could be a great series.

Not the fault of the author, but the arc I had was completely unreadable, so the version I read was the published final version on kindle unlimited.

The book offers a gripping introduction to a captivating world. The storytelling weaves a rich tapestry of adventure and intrigue, drawing readers into a realm where courage and destiny collide. The characters are well-crafted, and the narrative unfolds with a perfect balance of action and emotion. With its vivid descriptions and unexpected twists, this book sets the stage for an epic saga. The author has crafted a promising start to what promises to be an enthralling series for fantasy enthusiasts.

Thank you Netgalley for an Advanced Reader Copy of Legends of Ash and Dust in exchange for an honest review.

Legends of Ash and Dust is a story of Aerona, a girl abandoned by her mother and taken in by the Shae. The Shae are warrior monks who live separated from the rest of the world, and are training Aerona. Near the beginning of the book, prince Niran of Dothor is found near the Shae sanctuary by Aerona. Prince Niran, though he seems to be kind and caring, brings devastation with him into the Shae sanctuary. In a single night, all of the Shae warriors are slaughtered by the Red Wolves, a massive army. Aerona, however, survives the attack, and is tasked with returning prince Niran to his home kingdom, Dothor. Along the way, Niran seems to keep putting Aerona in danger, whether he's aware of it or not.

I mostly liked this book. Would I say that it's impeccable and something out of this world? No, I wouldn't. I would give it a solid 3/5 stars. I enjoyed around half of the story. The things that ticked my rating down consist of the characters, the lack of trigger warnings, and the roundabout plot. To me, the characters were inconsistent and were extremely annoying at times in a way that wasn't a normal flaw. The lack of trigger warnings is what really got me. I searched on goodreads, google, as well as the author's website. Nothing. While reading this book, there were a lot of lines that openly said things about sexual assault and sexual topics in general, which, in my opinion, shouldn't be in a young adult book if it's going to be right in your face. Finally, the plot. Some parts of the plot were good, but it felt like I was going in circles as the reader. While Aerona and Niran were on the journey to Dothor, it was a cycle of them going to sleep in a new place, getting attacked and/or kidnapped by the enemies, fighting back, getting away, and then the cycle continues.

Legends of Ash and Dust by Kate Cowan is a delightful fantasy read and promising series opening.
What I loved
- Atmospheric writing style
-Asian inspired setting that doesn't simply try to copy paste the culture
What didn't work as well for me
-Pacing and tone consistency were a bit all over the place. especially during the second half of the work
Who I recommend this title for
Fans of work such as shadow of the fox may enjoy the the darker theme elements to this fantasy offering.

wow, oh wow! i LOVED this. the action, the budding romance, the twists and turns, all of it was amazing

i especially loved the asian inspired world and characters, it was nice to see that in a fantasy novel.

this was fast paced but not in a way that made it feel lacking in any area. i felt immersed in this world and so connected to these characters.

speaking of characters, our main character aerona is so bad ass. i loved being inside her head and watching her fight against everything thrown at her. she knew when she could do things and also when she couldn’t and it was time to turn over

the discussion of drug abuse and addiction was also really lovely and not something i expected. it was raw and real and i appreciated the discussions and moments niran and aerona had about it.

and speaking of niran and aerona, how dare you?? i need to read the next book asap because how could you?! the slow burn and tension between these two was killing me (in the best way)

This is not a good book. The idea is there but it seems like the manuscript would benefit a lot from a good editor - too many stories that don’t really make sense, lots of errors and mistakes, a main character being a typical Mary Sue, discrepancies within the text…

There is lot to be fixed, but the book has a potential. Just for now it doesn’t seem like a finished product, more like a draft.

Thank you so much to Xpresso Book Tours and NetGalley for this ARC!
I surprisingly liked this book a lot. It was really fast paced and I wasn’t bored once. I loved the romance and I liked how it didn’t take over the entire plot. I also LOVED THE SLOWBURN. I don’t feel like Aerona and Niran’s friendship was rushed or anything. Throughout the book, the romance developed naturally, something that I feel most authors struggle with, but Kate Cowan did an amazing job at.

Aerona, the protagonist, was really likeable in my opinion. She’s not your typical weak main character, which is why I liked her so much. Additionally, she has both flaws and fears, which makes her an interesting character to read about.
But I feel like the ending was kinda rushed and that the story itself was missing something in a way. I also think that there wasn’t a lot of world building, which left me a bit confused at times. But it was still developed enough to the point where the story flowed. However, the book was also marketed as dark fantasy but I don’t think I’d classify it as such. Despite its short length and few flaws, I really enjoyed the book and i highly recommend it. 3.75★

Summary: Aerona, the last of the Shae Warriors, is forged into a weapon by legends. In a world shattered by the Red Wolf army, she embarks on a quest for revenge, tasked with protecting Prince Niran. However, as she unravels the mysteries of the Shae, a terrifying evil threatens the palace, putting every life at stake.

Pros:
🌟 Three stars for a great and intricate plot that weaves together revenge, political intrigue, slow-burn, and supernatural elements. A mix of suspense that keeps you turning the pages.

💖 Loved the characters Aero and Niran, whose dynamics and add depth and heart to the story.

Cons:
👻 Though advertised as dark, it may not delve into super-dark territories. However, the intrigue and suspense provide a captivating journey, even for those with a penchant for the darker side.

🤔 The Asian-inspired setting, while commendable, does reveal nuances to those well-versed in Asian history and lore. The sensitivity and authenticity might be questioned, but it's all a matter of perspective.

In conclusion, "Legends of Ash and Dark" is a captivating blend of revenge, romance, and supernatural mysteries. As you navigate the palace's twists and turns, beware of the lurking darkness and the secrets that could shatter legends anew. A commendable quest with a sprinkle of action and a touch of the fantastical! 👏🌟

Disclaimer: Thank you to NetGalley and Xpresso Book Tours for this ARC copy. Opinions are as diverse as the Eastern world, and this review is crafted with the charm of a slow-burning fantasy. 🌙📖

Tension and action drive this tale forward with a strong character to root for the entire way through.

I picked this one up hoping for a fast-paced tale and rich fantasy world, and it does a good job with both of these. The story begins with Aerona as the only female in a monk society, known for their fearless and amazing fighting strength. She rescued a young man, who's lost his memory, but with care and time, he gets it back, and when he does, the world flip-flops. Aerona's people don't even see the danger coming, leaving her as the last known survivor. Now, she has to stop an evil force and live up to her upbringing.

This is a rich read with many unexpected plot twists, tons of intrigue, quite a few fight scenes, and a heroine, who will not stop until she achieves her goals. Not only is she strong, but she has enough weaknesses and softness to make her likeable. It was easy to root for her and hope she makes it through. There is a hint of romance, but I was happy to see that this is very slow burn. Instead, it's the challenges Aerona and the others face, which weaves the tale.

The world building is done well enough to allow the story to flow and the scenes to come to life. Most of the characters carry enough depth to make them interesting, although a few were a bit light. The first page did distract thanks to the heavy use of italics. Luckily, this changed, and the tale immediately pulled in after that. The story does hold the reader in the pages and offers plenty of layers and richness. There was a scene (a major one) in the beginning, which I, unfortunately, just couldn't find peace with (nothing major but it hit me wrong), and then, the ending came with a rush. So, I'm not sure I'll be heading on to the next book, although I did enjoy this read and do recommend it.

I want to be completely honest the first page was hard to get through I don't know why but it was. After the first couple of pages, I became lost in the story of Aero and Prince Niran. Areo's character was well-developed and she was a strong female lead with so much emotional depth you couldn't help but be pulled into her. The way her character was written made you feel what she felt and I loved that I could immerse myself into this book because of that.

The friendship between Areo and Niran is very believable and grows organically throughout the book which I love. This book is a slow burn, low spice, and has a lot of action as far as fight scenes. This was one of those books where it kept you pulled in wanting to know more, not wanting to put it down. I think it could have had a little more world-building but what the author put in did wonders for the world as is.
I would love to have seen more of both Chime and Raiden I think the author needs to look into developing those two as something more I would read a book about both of them especially if Chime becomes a bad as Shae.
I do feel as if the end was rushed a little but I can't wait to read book two. I will be purchasing this book for my collection.

I loved this one so much that I already read the next one too! Such an intriguing story of being the last of her kind. Being the only female Shae warrior and the last of her kind is challenging. In addition, being a teenager battling emotions and hormones as a celibate monk is also difficult, and this leads to some interesting scenes in the book.

I honestly can't wait for the third one in this series.

“Legends of Ash and Dust” by Kate Cowan is the first book of The Fearless saga. Aerona, the only woman raised by the Shae Warriors to become a Shae warrior herself. The Shae warriors are warrior monks that protect the realm from evil. When the Red Wolf Army attacks the Shae Warriors Aerona is the only one left. As the last Shae she is determined to protect Niran, the prince who saved her life. Both set out to the Golden City, where evil lurks in the shadows.

I really liked this book. The lore and world building were unique and fun. I loved how strong Aerona was, especially next to Niran who was also strong but mentally weaker than her. I liked the fact that I didn’t know who she should trust throughout the book, so it had a lot of mystery to the story. The first half of the book was a bit slow, but the second half was much faster. I can’t wait to read the second book. 4 out of 5 stars.

-Strong FMC
-Royalty
-Magic
-Drugs
-Evil King
-Monks

I received an ebook through NetGalley to review.
I’ve seen quite a few criticisms of this book stating that the author may not fully understand Asian culture and Lore but as someone who is not deeply versed in these either, it was an enjoyable book with some unexpected twists and an easy to follow world-building.
My biggest critique is of that of the editing. There were so many errors in the text that at times it felt amateurish and like it was a draft, not a finished product. If KC is able to obtain a better editor for her sequel(s) I think it would serve her well.

The copy I received looked like each page was scanned straight from the physical book. This made it extremely distracting to read. The book itself was interesting but I was so frustrated by the format it was hard to truly enjoy it.

I loved this book! Amazing start to a new series. The world building is great, as is the pacing. I cannot wait to find out more.

I downloaded the second book immediately!

This book was SO. GOOD. I was hooked from the moment I started it and I am so glad I requested it (and that the second is out now!) Aero was such a bada** main character. I appreciated how strong she was and how she didn’t let anyone or anything get in the way of her goals. The romance was a secondary plot and I enjoyed that as well, because the book was plot-driven.

This book was very well done. The plot line was very well thought out and the character development was nicely done. I would highly recommend this book.

Overall, it has amazinging potential. I LOVED the Prologue, especially the opening and last line - "How do Legends Die....They bleed." Wonderful!

I really liked this book. I found Aero a great lead, with emotional depth, yes she is a "Badass" but she is also human, with fears and flaws and it gives her depth.The Aero and Niran friendship is believeable and genuine, as is the distance when he is thrust back into his own world. If you are a fan of slow-burn, low spice (so far),intrigue and bad ass women, this is the book for you. Its a lovely easy read, had me near tears a few times (I didnt quite cry). I have a low boredom threshold and this book had me hooked, I MADE time to read it, which is always a great indicator of a good book

The characters all have a certain amount of depth, some could use a bit more development but I am confident that will come as the story grows. One of the characters I found the most intriguing was Raiden, I think there could be hidden depths and a deeper story arc. Chime was also a lovely precocious "protege" type character that I would like to see more of.

The pace was ok, I think it got a little frantic towards the end. I get what Kate was trying to do, build to a Crescendo but it felt a little rushed.

I really enjoyed the ride that Legends of Ash & Dust took me one and I am invested in learning what happens to Aero and the Shae. Count me in for book 2. I will also be purchasing the physical copy of this book so it can go on my bookshelf.