The first book in what I am sure is going to be an amazing new series.

Ana has a troubled past. Once a member of phoenix high society, she fled that world when her parents were brutally murdered. Now she leads a band of rebels that fight demons on the streets and attempt to stop Edward – the human ruler that is known to experiment on supernatural beings. But when a bounty is placed on her head, and what’s worse the assassin sent to kill her is someone she once loved, will Ana be able to stay alive long enough to stop Edward’s cruel experiments?

I absolutely loved this book. So where to begin? First off let me welcome you to my stop on the Ashes blog tour, run by Bewitching Book Tours. Second, as well as this review, I have a guest post from Sophie herself, so make sure you check that out!

So lets start with the plot. I read tons of fantasy books so one thing I really liked about Ashes was the spin Sophie put on the story – with the majority of fantasy the supernatural creatures are the baddies, they invade the human cities and take over. But in Ashes that’s not the case. Ana and her crew – made of demons, vampires and fae, all band together in order to help the human citizens. It’s also Edward – the human ruler, who is experimenting on supernaturals, not the other way about. I really appreciated that twist, because it brought about a whole new dimension to the story.

No review of Ashes would be complete without a mention of how fantastic the characters are. Ana is bad ass. When she fights she kicks butt, she’s stubborn and doesn't like to be told what to do. She also swears like a sailor and is pretty much the exact opposite of a high society princess. A lot of female protagonists start off like Ana and by the end return to the damsel in distress, that is not the case with Ana, she fights and curses right up to the end. I also really loved Cade. He’s witty and sarcastic and everything you could want in a deadly assassin.

The plot moves along well, and I loved the little flashbacks to the past that littered the story, it was really interesting to see what Cade and Ana were like before they became the characters they are now. It also made it feel more realistic, and I found it quite interesting to see their connection develop. There’s lots of great dialogue and witty banter that me smiling all the way through the book.

If you’re looking for action you need look no further, the book has tons of fight scenes, they’re exciting and with such a wide array of supernatural creatures there’s something for everybody. In fact you’re thrown in right in the middle of the action, so there’s definitely not a dull page in Ashes. The one thing I wasn't entirely clear on was the world building in this book. To me it felt like a Game of Thrones style setting – with the poor slums and the high society, fighting with swords and old fashioned weapons – but then there is mention of skyscrapers and and fancy new age technology. Perhaps that will become more clear with the development of the series.

So if you’re looking for some exciting, kick ass fantasy, with a touch of romance, mystery and plenty of witty dialogue? Then you've found exactly what you’re looking for. ( )