Fall of Ruin and Wrath by Jennifer L. Armentrout: My Book Review

Get ready Armentrout fans because she’s debuting a brand new series with her release of Fall of Ruin and Wrath and you don’t want to miss it! I’ve got my book review of Fall of Ruin and Wrath below to tell you why.

The Verdict: If you love fantasy romance books you’re going to want to add Fall of Ruin and Wrath to your TBR list stat. It had everything I love about Armentrout’s From Blood and Ash series but with new characters to love and a new world she’s building. Don’t miss it.

Fall of Ruin and Wrath Summary:

Long ago, the world was destroyed by gods. Only nine cities were spared. Separated by vast wilderness teeming with monsters and unimaginable dangers, each city is now ruled by a guardian―royalty who feed on mortal pleasure.

Born with an intuition that never fails, Calista knows her talents are of great value to the power-hungry of the world, so she lives hidden as a courtesan of the Baron of Archwood. In exchange for his protection, she grants him information.

When her intuition leads her to save a travelling prince in dire trouble, the voice inside her blazes with warning―and promise. Today he’ll bring her joy. One day he’ll be her doom.

When the Baron takes an interest in the travelling prince and the prince takes an interest in Calista, she becomes the prince’s temporary companion.

But the city simmers with rebellion, and with knights and monsters at her city gates and a hungry prince in her bed, intuition may not be enough to keep her safe.

Calista must choose: follow her intuition to safety or follow her heart to her downfall.

Fall of Ruin and Wrath: My Review

Look out Casteel….there’s another hero to love!

I absolutely adore the From Blood and Ash series by Armentrout because I can’t get enough of Poppy and Casteel so I’ll read anything by Armentrout to get my fantasy romance fix and to fall for more characters.

I’d say that if you too love the From Blood and Ash series then you’ll get hooked on Fall of Ruin and Wrath because I found a lot of similarities in it to From Blood and Ash.

For one, the heroine, Calista, is more than what she seems just like Poppy.

Poppy was caged by her reputation and Calista is caged by fear of returning to the streets and having nothing as well as having her abilities to sense the future become known.  

Thorne is a hero like Casteel who at first you’re not sure if his intentions toward the heroine are good or evil and it turns out may want to end her or use her for his own purposes.

And then as the story progresses a massacre occurs revealing that the heroine really doesn’t know all the facts (ring a bell Poppy?!) and then you’re left on a bit of a cliffhanger.

So yeah, lots of similarities in this one but I’m all for it.

I will say that the beginning was a bit slow and I’m afraid it might lose some people but it really picks up as the book goes on.

Armentrout is great at world-building and she’s definitely setting the stage for something in this one but I will admit the whole orgy insinuation in the background throughout the book was odd.

It just didn’t seem to fit. I felt like if you’re insinuating this behavior then just go for it and be explicit or choose a different plot point.  

I did love our hero, Prince Thorne, and he’s what carried the book for me. I loved his interactions with Calista and their banter in their alone moments were the best.

I liked how she pushed him and he only wanted more.

So, while I’m intrigued to learn more about Thorne and how Calista is tied to him, I’m not really sold on what else there is to care about besides her best friend Grady’s safety but I’ll definitely be continuing with the series.

I’m so happy we are getting an entirely new series to devour from Armentrout and I look forward to seeing what happens next.

*I received an advanced reader copy from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

More From Jennifer L. Armentrout:

• From Blood and Ash
• A Shadow in the Ember
• A Soul of Ash and Blood

Related Book Lists:

Best Fantasy Romance Books
Most Anticipated September 2023 Romance Books

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