Great sequel to an equally wonderful first book. If you've read the first one you'll love this onee.

When your second book beats the first.... like I cant even. This was just utterly fantastic! Definitely a great read!

Dare I say this was better than the first? Absolutely ATE THIS UP! 👏🏻 Obsessed with these characters and constantly thinking about this book. This so well written, character development is spot on, and it’s just an all around great read. Highly highly suggest!

Kingdom of Claw is the second installment of The Ashen Series. I had a hard time getting into this one and following everything that was going on. It seemed to jump around a bit. This book we get more POVs than the first book and get to see what’s going on from 4 different perspectives. Sometimes the back and forth was confusing. I did love the new relationships in this book rather than the last. I loved learning more about the magic in their world. Overall it was a 3.5 star from me and I will continue to the next book because I need to know what happens!

My God! I don't even have words right now but I will certainly try. Next to One Dark Window/Two Twisted Crowns, this series is my absolute favorite read of the year. Demi Winter is such a clever writer and I find myself so lost in this world (in a good way) she has created. The characters, the plot and the world are immaculate.

I didn't think I could love Silla more. She is one of the coolest FMC I have read about. I love that we got Saga's point of view this time around and got to see how they connected. Rey and Kass are everything I was I want in MMCs. The things that came out of of Reys mouth made me swoon, sigh and giggle like a school girl.

This book is going to give me such a book hangover and I need book 3 now. This book totally finished me and nothing other way around. I have no idea why this series is not getting equal amounts of hype as Fourth Wing and Quicksilver but it really needs to. This was way better than either of them. Hopefully it's on your TBR and if it's not it should be.

P.S. I don't know if Jonas is dead but he better be and if he dead then his death is the only thing I am dissatisfied with.

I love love love The Ashen Series! The world building & magic system are both exceptional & I like that the magic system is different from other fantasy books I’ve read! The Road of Bones was so good & Kingdom of Claw was no exception. As someone who isn’t too concerned with the spicy bits of romantasy books I found that the plot to romance ratio was perfect for me. Something I look for in books is whether the book and plot could stand by itself without the romance & it definitely does in Kingdom of Claw! I love the dynamic between Silla & Rey, along with the introduction of new characters that were easy to get attached to. My only real complaint about it was I found it harder to get into Sagas storyline, maybe because I already had a whole book to “connect” with silla? Either way, I enjoyed Kingdom of Claw very much and can’t wait for the next one!

I don’t even know what to say right now. Okay, well let’s back up. I read the first book and I thought it was good, it was a satisfying read and I was definitely hooked to read the second one. When I was granted permission for this arc, I was excited. I was expecting similar quality which meant I was gonna be happy either way. So basically, I let my guard down.

We got introduced to Saga at the end of the last book, and wow. I didn’t assume much of her at first, needless to say I’m sorry, Saga. You carried this book on your back and I bow to thee. Not to say Silla wasn’t good in this book. She was also great, but I could not have guessed when I started this arc that Saga would steal the show like that for me. Silla could have ended wars and cured cancer and I still would have been on the edge of my seat waiting for the next Saga pov chapter. She was just that much of a standout for me. I’m very confident in saying that Saga is my top lead of 2024. Wow.

Silla was no slouch, though. A lot of her plot in this book centered around training to master her Galdra. (And the growth in her relationship with Rey, of course.) It was a pretty laid back plot with most of the conflict surrounding the mystery of the creature. I won’t spoil it, but it didn’t get super action packed until the back half. I think it was necessary, though. It provided a nice change of tone for the way darker Saga plot.

Speaking of the Saga plot, you may be wondering…hmmm, Maxwell, why are you so obsessed with Saga? Well, I’m sure you’ll find out when you read this book on its release, which I URGE you to do, and I don’t wanna get super spoilery, so I’ll give a broad reason why I thought the Saga plot was the stand out. Saga is just a well written and relatable character. I thought the way she was approached was so mindful and respectful, and it didn’t have an ableist rhetoric that I’ve seen some authors fail to keep out of the way they write characters that live with mental health conditions. I related so much to her, and maybe that’s why I latched on so hard to her. She’s strong and resilient in ways that you wouldn’t think about, but she’s also still living with these conditions and I like that she doesn’t just “overcome” her mental health condition as if it’s some sort of shortcoming of someone that they can just choose to fix.

Sorry, I haven’t even gotten into the plot yet. I would describe this as like the Princess Peach segments in the first paper Mario game but like on steroids with so much fucking angst it was painful in the best way. So, normally, I am not a fan of mind reading characters, but it was done so well here with Saga. I have never met a mind reading character that I didn’t side eye until reading this arc. So, congratulations on that. I must give warning, though. My vague description of this does not convey how dark I felt it was. There’s loss and heartache and this suffocating sense of oppression and injustice that surrounds this plot due to how awful Saga is treated, and how people around her view her. There were several moments where my jaw dropped and I felt so awful and sick to my stomach about the things she had to go through and the losses she had dealt to her. Please be mindful of this, it’s a tough read but it was so necessary and I’m glad I got through it because it was such an enriching experience.

I just think overall the characters are all well written, and plot was no sacrificed for romantic elements. There was a good balance for both which I feel like some stories struggle with. The world building was excellent and the magic system was engaging. However, I also enjoyed the romances of this book. I think Rurik and Rey are both very solid, and I’ll admit there were lots of moments that had me swooning.

One thing I think this author is also very strong at is writing a fucking plot twist. Um, wow, the amount of times I had to pick my jaw up off the floor??? Hello???? No spoilers but just be ready to hang onto your seat. Also, if you’re like me and thought this was a duology…fair warning, it’s not. That cliffhanger shattered me and I don’t know how I’m supposed to be okay and wait patiently for book 3. Just know my preorder will be sent in as soon as it’s open, because Demi…you have my money. Just take the card, dang it!

So basically that was a long winded way of me saying this was a 5 star read for me, with a 5 star lead and perhaps a top 5 books of 2024 that I’ve read? I don’t know what the rest of the year brings, but this was everything I needed and also everything I didn’t even know I was missing from my life. Thank you so much for this ARC copy Delacorte Press, and much gratitude to NetGalley as well.

Book 2 in The Ashen Series blew me away!

Our characters really work through their trauma and come in to their own in this one.
I've never met a book boyfriend quite like Rey, and I love how well he and Silla compliment each other. The found family elements are still some of my favorites.

The new POVs in this book were also intriguing. I really felt for Saga and her anxiety attacks -- and I have so so many questions about Rurik, as well as Queen Signe's real motives.

The stakes are higher than ever and the magic system is explained more clearly.

I was thrilled to find out that this is set to be a 5 book series with possible novellas as well. I am really interested in Rurik's world and how the magic works with his shifter people, too.

I really enjoyed this book!! The plot was so interesting and full of adventure that I was never bored. The author did a great job with character development because I was full invested in there stories. I will be recommending this book to all of my friends and family.

Saga volsik is still alive and biding her time until her wedding to prince Bjorn when she overhears that her sister whom she’d long thought dead is still alive and being actively hunted by the queen and her men. Saga resolves to navigate the political minefield to help keep her sister safe, while working with the very handsome noble from the neighboring kingdom. Meanwhile Silla is working to hone her galdur so she can free her sister from the palace she’s been imprisoned in.

I thought this was a fun sequel to the road of bones, but I think the author got a little carried away with the multiple POVs. I don’t need to relive the same scene back and forth between two characters, and when scenes play out like this it feels like you’re trying desperately to reach the required word count in a school essay. Overall I still really enjoyed it and am looking forward to the next book in the series.

Silla has grown so much in this book. Since discovering who she is and what she is capable of, she sure had to work hard, while avoiding being captured along with Rey. I love them together. Rey takes such good care of her, but because of what Jonas did to her in the last book, she has a hard time giving herself over to him. Slow burn for sure!

Jonas becomes the new villain in this book and though I kind of hate him, I also understand why he harbors such feelings.

I loved being introduced to Saga and her situation where she is living with the very people who killed her family. She harbors a secret power that she keeps a secret since the people who have taken over hate Galdra. She is willing to do so much to save her sister whom she thought was dead. Then she asks for help from this mysterious Kass. By the way, I knew there was something fishy about him, but wasn't expecting that! I like how the author uses a second language for Kass and then has translations at the end of the chapter. It gives the depth of the world that she has created.

It was kind of a slow start and there were times when I actually just wanted to get back to Saga's part of the story, but I kept reading and, as with good books, it all came together, but still leaves you needing to know what will happen next.

WOW! FIVE STARS! I thought the first one was good but this one blew me away. I simply couldn't put it down!

First off, I have to say that the chemistry between the main love interests... impeccable! I love an MMC who is down so bad for the FMC and this heavily delivered on that front. The amount of times this man had to cool down in the freezing cold stream was great IYKYK.

I also enjoyed the addition of Saga! It was interesting to see what her situation has been like all this time. I for one can't wait to see more of Saga and Kass in the coming books. We also get to learn more about the magic system in The Ashen Series!

This book has everything you need: a beautiful romance, new characters to love, found family, actual family, betrayal, hidden identities, and more magic. It was full of surprises and adventure which is surely to captivate any reader.

As the second book, I couldn't wait to read this with how much I enjoyed the road of bones. From the first book I was a fan of Ray, and so to see Ray and Silla relationship finally pick up I was thrilled. I was skeptical of Saga, as I feel sometimes stories bring in to many storylines. However, I was expecting to LOVE her storyline as much as I did. Trapped in a castle by a family who murdered her entire line, she meets Kass. A stunning man of secrets and fabulous one liners. Forbidden glances, action, viking vines, touch her and die.. what more could you want? My only downside was I had a hard time getting into the story, as it felt like the story didn't really process for a bit there. But once I got into, I couldn't put it down.

This was such a good sequel!!!

This book picks up right after the events of the first book (so this review will be a tad vague so that I don't spoil that book or this one, go read it for yourself). We still see some of the same characters of the previous book, we follow Silla and Rey and some others. We see what happens with them after their journey, as well as following a new storyline.

We also follow Saga and her story in this book. Saga had her throne taken from her, her family murdered, and is betrothed to her enemy...this girl has nothing to lose and everything to gain. And she wants to destroy the queen, who took everything from her and is a turd to her.

We love a strong and intelligent FMC in this household!

This book has enemies to lovers, secrets and mysteries, forbidden magic and unlikely relationships.

I would highly recommend this series to fans of For the Wolf and A Fate Inked in Blood. If you're looking for a new fantasy to love, give this one a go!

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

Absolutely amazing, I loved every second of this book. Normally the first outshines the second but I think this one can really hold it own.

Overall, I am really enjoying this series, however I feel like this book unfortunately suffered 2nd book syndrome, despite the influx of new characters and plot lines.

I was really looking forward to this when I found out we would get a dual POVs/side by side storyline with the two sisters. And though that was an element I actually enjoyed, it was a disservice to the story a bit because it created a gap for readers to find enjoyment in one storyline more than the other. Because of the serious pacing issues with Sillas story, I find myself wanted to get back to Saga’s chapters time and time again.

We lost the found family element, and yet the same somewhat monotonous storyline was used to advance the plot for Sillas POV. The “coming into her powers” chapters really dragged for me.

The romance between Silla and Rey took a bit of a nosedive. Where we got to experience some incredible tension in the first book, the chemistry in this book felt forced and rushed, with all of the “trials” the pair experienced easily resolved as soon as they came up. The spice was underwhelming compared to the first installment. I really needed more clash of dislike to lovers to feel the tension ultimately.

I am still excited so see where this story goes and look forward to reading the rest of the series and more from this author in the future.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc!

This is one of those rare series where the sequel is holding up to the original! I cannot wait for the next installment, this author is quickly becoming a must read for me.

If you liked book 1, don’t hesitate to grab book 2!

I’ve heard so much about this series and they wernt wrong this is a must read it’s amazing and maybe one of my favorite reads of the year

Imagine the best fantasy world you’ve ever gotten lost in. The story that made you forget you were reading. The cliffhanger than has you counting the days until the next book.

This one is even better.

Demi Winters’ The Ashen series is a Roman Empire Read.

Kingdom of Claw is the second book in the series and comes out in a gorgeous new hardcover on February 4, 2025. Until then, it’s available on Kindle - along with Book 1: The Road of Bones.

As with The Road of Bones, Kingdom of Claw kept me guessing until the very last page. I still am. In hindsight, the twists make sense and the groundwork was there - but what an experience to read this for the first time as I didn’t see ANY of it coming (well, maybe one thing ❤️). *The woman was too stunned to speak*

I don’t even want to share too many tropes here as you should go in as blind as you can.

But I will tell you this is one of the most beautiful stories of healing - both from trauma and addiction - I’ve ever read. Winters tackled these difficult subjects with so much care, she took her time with this aspect and made it impossible not to feel empathy.

Kingdom of Claw introduces a new main character, Silla’s sister, Saga. I adored the way Kingdom of Claw was written as a dual POV between the sisters - I’m not sure I’ve seen that before. And, I’ll be honest, usually when there’s a dual POV, I have a favorite and can’t wait for the story to turn back to that character. That’s not the case here - the characters, the settings, and the respective dramatic elements were both incredibly paced and never once did I wish to turn back to another character. Plotting perfection.

Another easy 5⭐️ from me for Winters. Beware of a cliffhanger here, I’m not sure how I’ll survive the wait for Book 3 but I’m sure glad to be along for the ride.

4.25 stars. Second book in the series - must read the first book before this one!!!
I don’t even know what to say. This book was excellent and infuriating and aggravating and I was filled with hate and frustration basically the whole time.
There were definitely parts that were unpredictable and some that were predictable. At the beginning of the book I was kind of annoyed every time we switched over to her sister's POV, but by the end I was fully invested in that story line so trust the process if you feel this way as well!
And we don’t even have a release date for the next book? Ugh. I need it now!
Also, can we get this on audiobook with some fun accents?