Do I need to read other books to understand this series?

No — this is the first book in the Blood and Ash series and the intended starting point for the whole world. It does share a universe with Armentrout's Flesh and Fire series, which is set centuries earlier, but the author states that Flesh and Fire is a companion prequel rather than a standalone one, and that the two series "are meant to be read together in release order for the reader's maximum enjoyment." Starting with the prequel instead is not recommended: several of the main series' biggest reveals are explained there, so reading it first gives them away.

Is there a companion book that retells the story from another perspective?

Yes. A Soul of Ash and Blood, published in 2023 as the fifth Blood and Ash novel, retells the events of this first book from the male lead's point of view rather than Poppy's. It is not a straight mirror of the original — it adds new scenes and frames the retelling against events from later in the series — so it is written to be read in release order, after the books that follow this one, not as a substitute for them.

From Blood and Ash

Reader reviews of From Blood and Ash

Darian · 2026-08-22T21:05:18.000000Z

The first time I read this was quite some time ago. I loved it then, and absolutely adore them now. The world building, the romance, the action packed plot? It is perfection. I can be pretty picky when it comes to fantasy authors. People know I only read a few certain ones. But JLA is definitely added to that list, and may be my new favorite.

Fantasy Romantasy

Pages: 493
Published: 2020
Language: English

Synopsis

Chosen from birth, Penellaphe — known to the kingdom of Solis only as the Maiden — has spent her life in isolation, forbidden to be touched, to speak unless spoken to, or to look anyone in the eye. She waits, veiled and guarded, for the day of her Ascension, a sacred rite that will supposedly lift her people closer to the gods. But Poppy is restless, curious, and desperate for a taste of the life she has been denied.

When Hawke, a charming and lethal guard, is assigned to protect her, the careful walls around Poppy's world begin to crack. Their forbidden attraction pulls her toward everything she is supposed to resist — and as the bloodthirsty Craven threaten Solis and the truth behind the Ascension begins to surface, Poppy must decide how much of what she has been taught is a lie, and how much she is willing to risk to be free.

The opening book of Jennifer L. Armentrout's runaway-bestselling Blood and Ash series, this is fast-paced, high-heat fantasy romance built on a forbidden guard-and-charge romance, a richly drawn kingdom, and secrets that reshape everything Poppy thought she knew.