Blade of Ash (Scepter and Crown, #1)

by C. F. E. Black

A cursed king. A hunted sorceress. A mad plan for survival.

Newly crowned, Red blames one person for his father’s murder: the secret sorceress sworn to protect the king.

Alyana Barron, Royal Sorcerer to the throne of Tandera, has been hiding from a dangerous enemy bent on destroying her magic--and Red's rash behavior has just told her enemy where to find her.

When Red activates a hidden curse, he must rely on Aly for survival, but Aly's magic is tied directly to his wellbeing. As the curse drains his life, it weakens her magic as well.

Fighting for survival, their lives entwine in ways neither of them expected. To find a cure, they must put aside their mutual distrust and work together, but the closer they get to a solution, the nearer they step toward death, for the path to the cure is as dangerous as the curse itself.

Packed full of royal intrigue, slow-burn romance, and plenty of ballgowns, Blade of Ash is the first in a new, YA epic fantasy series perfect for fans of Tricia Levenseller, Margaret Rogerson, and Sarah K. L. Wilson. If you like enemies-to-lovers romance, female bodyguards, and forced proximity with life-and-death stakes, dive into Blade of Ash today!

• ISBN10: 173794250X
• ISBN13: 9781737942504
• Publish Date: 25 January 2022
• Publish Status: Active
• Imprint: C. F. E. Black
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 352
• Language: English

Reviews

[natpatreads]

First off - this book and this world has a lot of potential.

The magic system in this world was probably one of the best parts of this story. To use spells that require binding to each other and the reliance of the magic user on other people was great and a method that I do not see often in books that have a magic system.

I enjoyed the world that was described in this story, but I would have loved to see even more development on the world and the history behind the cultures.

I love a strong female lead - especially one that is able to grow and work with others. Aly was amazing. I also appreciated the character growth we saw in Red. I would have loved to delve even deeper into who they were and why they do what they do. I also enjoyed the secondary characters in this story, but I would have loved to have more connection and background to them.

The part of this book that made me lower my rating the most was the lack of continuity between the chapters. They did flow into one another, but I often became lost between chapters and scenes and had to look back at what was happening. Because of this, I lost some of my immersion in the story and did not enjoy it as much as I might have.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.