Ashes Ashes by Jessica Goeken is a Mortals and Shadows novel that gripped me from the very first sentence. The protagonist, Adrienne, is a seventeen-year-old magical girl who hunts and destroys monsters for a living whilst trying to maintain a “normal” life at the same time. The beginning of the story is a strong juxtaposition between a girl having school troubles, crushes, and navigating being a teenager on the cusp of adulthood and a girl dealing with mature, traumatising and emotional scenarios that most adults will never experience in their lives. The books antagonist, the goddess Hecate, is a formidable, otherworldly villain.
I loved the flow of the book, there was always something happening and whatever it was, it was engaging, exciting and kept me gripped throughout. So much happens but it didn’t take me long to read as I was enjoying it so much. The editing is flawless and professional and makes for an easy read. Despite the fantastical elements of the book, Jessica makes every aspect of it believable. The way Adrienne speaks to her friends and family flows wonderfully and you can believe the emotions that come from them. When she is speaking to new characters, it is easy to tell she isn’t familiar with them. There are no continuity errors, the book is well fleshed out. The stakes are high and the fights and battle scenes are intricate and well thought out. I would recommend Ashes Ashes, it was a fantastic read.
I award 5 stars.
