Character & RomanceMaddek is a quintessential barbarian warrior—fierce, loyal, and driven by rage and duty. His initial perception of Yvenne as weak and deceitful makes their dynamic one of tension and distrust. Constantly. This tension exists for most of the book as Maddek struggles to believe in Yvenne’s truth, blinded by his own assumptions and grief. However, as their journey progresses, his respect for her intelligence and resilience grows. Yvenne, despite being physically fragile due to the abuse she survived at the hands of her family - another royal family in this story - she proves herself to be a force to be reckoned with. She wields her mind as skillfully as any weapon, proving that strength comes in many forms. One form, Maddek realizes, he is sorely lacking. I enjoyed who they are as characters, and their individual journeys. The romance between them is fiery, rooted in conflict yet growing into something deeper. Slowly, but surely. Their relationship evolves from hostility to an intense partnership, filled with both physical and emotional battles. My favorite moment between them is hard to pinpoint. Certainly, not without a spoiler. The way they teach and grow to love one another inspired me, though. I think it might inspire you, too. Plot & World-BuildingSet in a world recovering from war and ruled by a fragile alliance, the story initially follows Maddek, a fierce Parsathean warrior, who seeks revenge for his slain parents. A king and queen in their own right. His rage is directed at Yvenne, the daughter of the treacherous king he believes responsible for their deaths. However, when he captures her, he discovers that she is not the villain he expected. Instead, Yvenne is a strategic and determined woman who has suffered under her father’s rule. She offers him an alliance through marriage—a political union that could allow them both to reclaim their rightful thrones and take down a common enemy. Milla crafts a richly detailed world where brutal customs and deep-seated traditions shape the lives of her characters. The way they think, react, and act. It’s characterization at its finest. More than that, the Parsathean culture - with its warrior ethos and strong moral codes - contrasts sharply with the more deceptive and oppressive rule of Yvenne’s homeland. The author’s descriptions of landscapes, battles, and political intrigue immerse the reader in a realm where survival is earned through strength, wit, and loyalty. Their story is one told in immense contrast. Somehow, their pieces manage to fit. Jagged - cutting - at first, but by the story’s end, perfectly notched. Writing Style & PacingAs a writer, I live for good writing. Detailed description, effective dialogue, complex world-building, and most of all: immense saturation of character voice and point-of-view. I especially look for this in dual point-of-view narratives, like this one. Milla’s writing didn’t disappoint. In fact… Her writing is raw and evocative, perfectly suited for the intense tone of the novel. The action scenes are vivid and intense, while the quieter moments allow for deep character exploration. The dialogue is sharp, with Maddek and Yvenne engaging in clever and emotionally charged exchanges that highlight their chemistry. Conversations which return, over and over, in meaning. They are not just exchanges held in that minute, but kept and meant and lasting. Given the cross-country journey that Maddek and Yvenne had to make for their safety, I liked the pacing. It’s realistic for the world built, for the battles needing to be fought. I can see how some of the readers in my book club might have thought it would be slow, but for me, the tension—both in the plot and the romance—kept me engaged. It was a hard book to put down. Final ThoughtsA Heart of Blood and Ashes is a dark, gripping fantasy romance that delivers both in terms of world-building and emotional depth. Fans of strong heroines, fierce warrior heroes, and high-stakes political intrigue will find much to love in this book. While some of its more violent or intense moments may not be for everyone, those who enjoy sweeping epic romances with complex characters and slow-burning passion will be thoroughly satisfied.
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 Perhaps you’ve heard this today already from a friend, family member, or coworker, but I’m continually surprised by how time passes. Too fast, too slow. I don’t know if that feeling will ever change. I find it hard to believe that the first month of the year is behind us, recent but no less past. January developed in unexpected ways for me, some of which reflected in my reading and writing. I’d love to hear how your own January went - as a reader or a writer! Reading ProgressI read and completed 8 books this month, all of the romance persuasion. It’s a good start to my goal of 50 books this year. An achievable goal, for all the busy days, weeks, and seasons ahead! For the first time, I’ve begun tracking the books I read on Storygraph this year as well. Still learning how to use it, but I have a good feeling about it! If I am walking into 2025 with any intention, it is pushing myself to try. Harder things, newer things - you name it. When it comes to what I read, I first finished the in-progress books from 2024. Truthfully, I also wanted to start the year off strong with what I love most. Reading romance makes me happy beyond measure. It’s the characters who overcome challenges - whether internal or external - together that does it for me. The partnership of it. I gravitate to some storylines more than others for these reasons, and given the general dislike and even denouncement of the genre as a whole, it can be hard for me sometimes to admit it’s what I read more than any other genre. It's not the same for film and TV, but reading... Definitely! So, I started with my unfinished romance recs, and I’ll continually return as I begin diversifying the genres of my fiction. I have a few science fiction and fantasy books I’d like to really sink into this year. With the movie adaptation of Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir premiering next year, it’s high on my list. I love his debut, The Martian, and speak about it in my creative writing class often. I also read 95 poems and 22 short stories. Much of the poetry and short story reading were for my class, when revising my curriculum further. It’s made for an interesting month, to be sure. I have more nonfiction essays, scripts, and plays ahead of me due to my course revision. Expect a bit more of that in my February recap! Writing ProgressIt’s been a slow month where my writing is concerned. I’ve written 9 poems and worked on the plot for my in-progress novel, Begin Again. I drafted 50,000 words of that for National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) in November 2023 before dedicating myself to two jobs in December 2023. It’s hard to believe I’ve completed another full year of teaching, albeit part time in addition to my full time job. When it comes to my writing, though…
I lost the plot in 2024 - literally, figuratively, metaphorically… Need I go on? I’ve found it hard to prioritize what matters to me while juggling both jobs and my other responsibilities. Realizing this and wanting to make a change, I joined an online writing group in December 2024, a few weeks before Christmas! It’s carved out an hour and a half a week for me to dedicate to my novel writing. It’s not much, but it’s something. A start. I want to give more to that part of myself this year, but it’s admittedly been an eventful start to the semester. Right now, I am figuring out what I actually wrote in NaNoWriMo so I can determine what to write next. What to keep, cut, rearrange, add, and more. I have big ideas for this adult romantic fantasy series. Truly, I feel like I'm pushing myself beyond what I thought was my creative comfort zone. My first two full book drafts were stand-alone, contemporary romances. One was Young Adult, the other New Adult. Before Begin Again, I started what I thought was a fantasy romance series, writing about 30,000 words. It’s actually a romantic fantasy as well. What’s the difference between the two - fantasy romance and romantic fantasy - you might ask? It’s the ratio of the elements where the plot is concerned. More simply put: Is it a fantasy with romance, or is it a romance with elements of fantasy? It’s been a revelation to realize I’m writing more intricate fantasies with romances inlaid. The characters, world building, magic systems, politics, and more have intimidated me as I’ve continued to revisit and push old and new ideas for each book in this series. I know I am putting too much pressure on myself to achieve a complex and meaningful end result - not unlike many of the writers who I deeply admire - so this year I have dedicated myself to trusting the process. Engaging in the process. Practicing what I teach. I’m unearthing new puzzle pieces as I plot, carefully turning and slotting them into new places, wondering at the fit. Setting aside the sections which confuse me, even if only temporary. It’s all, ultimately, temporary. I’ll find my way to the other side, so long as I keep moving in the right direction. I have to trust in that, too. I know some writing lessons can only be learned by writing itself - some plots only bettered by time spent bumbling through the particulars. I hope to have a better understanding of my next draft by the time I post this blog, and I also hope to have a better update by February’s end. What are you reading, or writing, or ruminating on? Even as I look to the past, I have been reminding myself to look ahead. To accept the comfort that time can also bring. |
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