I was very excited about this one. I had it on my TBR for a long time, and was thrilled when I got approved for an ARC. Unfortunately the reading experience didn't quite live up to the hype for me. This is a very simple tale that we've seen many times before in YA fantasy. There's nothing wrong with that. When I'm in the mood for a certain book, or just finished something, I like to find similar things. However, I could never connect with the characters in this one. The writing was okay, but felt a little info dumpy to me. And I'm not opposed to love triangles, but this one felt unnecessary. Overall, the concept was intriguing, but the story and characters didn't grab me enough to make me want to find out what happened in the end, let alone come back for a sequel.

"'We are not defined by the things we do in order to survive. We do not apologize for them,' she says quietly, eyes never leaving mine. 'Maybe they have broken you, but you are a sharper weapon because of it. And it is time to strike.'"

I received a free e-ARC through NetGalley from the publishers at Random House Children's and Delacorte Press.

Theo has been a prisoner in her own castle for more than ten years. When the Kalovaxians invaded Astrea, they slaughtered her family and crowned her the Ash Princess, ruler of a conquered and dying people. When a quashed rebellion forces her to realize that no one is going to save her, Theo decides to use her mind and her influence over the Prinz to start her own uprising from the inside. There is no one left to save her, but she may be the only one left who can save her people.

The cover of this book is beautiful, and I probably would have picked it up for that reason alone. I can easily see it being the next popular book series when it’s released, since it has a lot of things in it that are currently popular in YA fantasy: good writing, solid world-building, strong female characters, and main characters who are people of color. That being said, it does resemble a lot of other novels; Red Queen comes to mind, and that may be a problem for readers who are looking for something a little more unique.

The writing is good, high on descriptions and Theo's inner monologue, so we get to know her well. This is very much a book of the mind. As Sebastian mentions in her note to the reader, Theo isn't a fighter. Her wits are all she has to navigate an impossible situation, so there's a lot more thinking and planning than there is action. Theo's character development takes center stage. We see her go from frightened prisoner to budding queen, and her struggles with identity--is she Thora, Ash Princess? Theodosia, future queen? Theo, someone in between?--are fraught and nuanced.

The other characters are fairly well-fleshed out, but the relationships are hit and miss. Ash Princess is yet another novel to take the love triangle route among Theo, Blaise, and Prinz Søren, and it's tired. It also irks me that Theo and Artemisia, the one other female rebel, have issues with each other, and while they make progress, it doesn't resolve to any sort of satisfaction. Just stop. Girls can be friends. We don't automatically hate each other for no reason at all. Theo's friendship with Cress, a Kalovaxian noble, is little better, but it is more complex. Prinz Søren is usually one of the most interesting characters on the page, which is surprising because princes are usually bland or, when they're what basically amounts to the son of Hitler, horrible, but he's neither.

My favorite part about Ash Princess and the place where I think it excels over a lot of other novels like it is its examination of race relations between the Kalovaxians and the Astreans. The Kalovaxians are painted little better than Nazis with their pale blonde appearances, German-sounding language, and tendency to invade, slaughter, and enslave other countries. (Although one could just as easily make this argument for white settlers and Native Americans, or any other examples American/British colonialism.) There's a lot of interesting commentary on cultural appropriation, since the Kalovaxians take up the food, music, and clothing of Astreans without any concept of their meaning--often without even knowing a single Astrean person. Nowhere is this more apparent in their mining of Astrean gems, which are both magical and religious, but that the Kalovaxians use merely for decoration.

Overall, it's a solid novel and one of the better YA fantasy ones I've read this year. More than that, I'm interested to continue the series and see where Sebastian takes it. Second novels are a chance to smooth out some of the things that weren't quite working in Ash Princess, and Theo has come so far in terms of development that she's practically a new character, which should make for a compelling sequel. Plus, the novel leaves off on female pirates, and I could always use more of that in my life.

I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.

Ash Princess is not your average fairytale retelling. It's not your average anything really. Theodosia is a prisoner of war living in the court of her invaders. Theodosia is no longer a princess is the the walking whipping boy for the king made to pay the price for all her people's many insurrections. Finally, after the death of the latest guardian, Theo decides it is time to stop being a passive fake princess and start trying to help overthrow her captors. With a wayward prince, revolution, poison, and magic Ash Princess is full of an extraordinary cast of characters who will captivate you and politics that will make your heart race.

4.5 stars. This book is a perfect example of why employing common tropes isn't bad or good-- it's whether you execute with skill or not. Thankfully, there's a lot of skill here and enough twists on the familiar to make even the most overused tropes (a struggle for one's rightful throne, a love triangle, etc.) seem fresh.
Ten years ago, Thora's home was conquered and enslaved by the Kalovaxians, a nomadic people who move from one conquest to the next, bleeding other lands of their resources and then moving on. Her mother, the queen, was executed and since, Thora has been essentially a prisoner in her own home, her safety used as a bargaining chip to keep her people in check. But when she's forced to do something horrible to prove her loyalty to the Kalovaxians, she snaps and begins to plot her escape and later, revenge.
Thora is calculating and intelligent and I really liked that the story touched on the effects of colonialism and cultural appropriation. Despite multiple love interests, the most important, high-stakes relationship is that between Thora and Cress, her best friend and the daughter of the high ranking general who executed her mother. Their relationship felt so real and relatable, and the intersection of their friendship and the obvious imbalance of power between them was done beautifully. Will be recommending to fans of The Winner's Curse and Throne of Glass.

Many thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy!

Thora, the Ash Princess, has a storied past. After her mother, the Queen, and her people were defeated by the Kalovaxians, she became a sort of prisoner under the new Kaiser's thumb. Finally, at 16, a plan is set in motion for Theodosia, the rightful Queen, to emerge and break free.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I liked Theo's strength, and her constant wavering was relatable. I actually didn't mind the YA fantasy tropes within the story; everything worked. I also liked Soren, which caused me to have mixed feelings with everything that was happening-- in a good way. The insta love with Blaise was a little annoying, but I was overall okay with it. I would recommend this to anybody who likes fantasy!

Well written story, but it felt too long. And I’m not a fan of love triangles.

Actual Rating: 3.5 stars

Ash Princess is a dramatic and dark YA tale. Bombarded with constant action and intrigue, this book becomes increasingly addictive the further one dives in. Although the numerous YA fantasy tropes had me frequently rolling my eyes, they didn’t hinder my curiosity to see the novel through. While I wish the story had avoided that wretched insta-love, Ash Princess is overall a solid contribution to the YA world.

The novel follows Theodosia, Princess of Astrea, forced to live in the palace among the Kaiser and the Kalovaxians who killed her mother, conquered her country, and renamed her Lady Thora. Theo lives an existence of expressing obedience, denouncing her people, and serving as a scapegoat at the Kaiser’s whim when the Astreans rebel. During one of the Kaiser’s punishments, Theo witnesses a death that wrecks her to her core, igniting the dormant rebellious spark harbored within her. As hidden allies emerge and they begin to hatch schemes, Theo has to figure out who she is and what she’s willing to do for her people.

One of my favorite things about this book is its darker edge. There was murder, violence, beatings, and death! From what I’ve read, YA has a tendency to hint at these things, but in Ash Princess the violence was clearly written across the pages. Yes, give me more brutal YA fantasies!

Another praiseworthy characteristic of this novel is its emphasis on religion. Sebastian gave evidence of religious beliefs not just of Astreans or of Kalovaxians, but also for all the surrounding kingdoms. This is important in worldbuilding because historically, while civilizations obviously have social structures, government, and language, the defining element that makes a group of people a civilization is RELIGION. A lot of fantasies tend to skimp out on this aspect of worldbuilding, mentioning religious beliefs briefly, if at all. But Ash Princess DIDN’T do this and I loved it! Readers are given repeated insight into the Astreans’ beliefs and their impact on Theo’s actions and thoughts. Heck, the readers even get to bear witness to an Astrean holiday!

Aaah, I’m so excited for the sequel of this book (dang, 2019 is so far awayyy), and my main reason for being so isn’t even for the central plot (although I’m also curious about where that will go), but because of the side characters. Specifically, I can’t wait to see where Sebastian will take Lady Crescentia and how she’ll write her character arc. Strong books get the readers invested in side characters, and Ash Princess definitely did well in that department. With a title like Lady Smoke for the sequel, I’m bouncing on my toes in anticipation.

An additional commendable quality of the novel is its pacing. The pages are alight with constant action and intrigue, making this an addictive and easy read. There are no slow points. Every time I stepped away from the story, I found myself eager to return, persistently wondering in which direction the plot would next turn.

However, while I liked the pacing, I felt that the narration was a hindrance to the novel. Don’t get me wrong; I love strong, female protagonists, but Theo’s voice came off as too dramatic. It was obnoxious how often Theo told the reader’s about her fluctuating emotions and how she relayed the same information over and over again. Too many times I found myself thinking, “Why are you telling me this? I already know this!” Maybe the author was trying to pack a punch, but it just seemed overly dramatic. In fact, at first I thought I was going to like this story a lot less than I did in the end because the beginning was such a bombardment of information and dramatic thoughts. Maybe some readers like this strategy, but I prefer when a fantasy eases you into their world, instead of throwing everything at you at once.

The only other thing which harms the story’s value is the underlying love triangle and insta-love. These are my two least favorite YA tropes, not only because they are unoriginal, but because of their tendency to be unrealistic and melodramatic. Not only were these qualities hampering, but I felt that they damaged the Prinz’s character. Prinz Søren is described as this fierce, badass warrior, yet whenever he interacts with Theo, he seems soft and overly kind. While these qualities are not bad themselves, given how brutal the Kaiser and court is, the two-sided nature and openness of his character didn’t mesh well and came off as unrealistic.

Overall, Ash Princess was an entertaining and delightful read. I wish I could say it was a new favorite, but the narration and heavy trope dependency inhibited too much of the potential of this book. I view it as typical YA fantasy with a few well-executed elements. I definitely recommend this to all YA fantasy lovers, but it’s not a book that needs to be at the top of one’s TBR pile. Nevertheless, I have high hopes for the rest of the series.

Princess Theodosia is six years old when the Kalovaxians invade her country and murder her mother in front of her. She is held captive as a political prisoner, stripped of her title and given the name Lady Thora, princess of ash.

From the outside looking in, Lady Thora is weak and spoiled, living in luxury while her people are outright tortured or worked to death in mines. But Thora is being tortured in her own way; being whipped when news of rebellion comes, and being expected to thank her captures for the opportunity of being alive.

I was looking forward to this release and thankful to be approved for an arc. I read a lot of ya fantasy, and a lot of the books can blur together. Yes, this book has a lot of overused tropes in ya fantasy like a. love triangle and a rebellious orphaned princess. Tropes are tools that can be used without being cliches. This novel does a great job in using these tropes without it being too cliche.

This is a character driven novel and our main character has to make some difficult choices. Just because a leader of a country is horrible does not make all its people evil. Thora’s friend Cress is a true friend while also being the daughter of the general who murdered Thora’s mother. One of the most interesting aspects of this novel is how torn Thora is between her one true friend and her people.

Thora has been with the Kalovaxians for longer than her own people. Her mother was a big influence in her life, but so is the Kaiser, who is mentally and physically abusive. She has the expectations of her people to be their savior, while she struggles with insecurity about what she is doing. It’s refreshing reading a main character who doesn’t always do the expected thing, or make the correct choices.

The world building was not too detailed, but it wasn’t a blank canvas either. I loved the Spiritgems, which give the possessor different elemental traits, like the strength of earth or the healing of Air. These gems are precious to the faith of the Astreans, but are used as gemstones in the Kalovaxian’s jewelry.

I’m looking forward to book two. I’d recommend this for fans of The Winner’s Curse and Throne of Glass.

Fast Paced, Thrilling, I couldn't put it down after I started reading it! A strong heroine. A fallen kingdom. A rebellion in the making. I can't wait to read the next book in this absolutely stunning fantastic fanstasy series!

This arc was provided to me for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

4 Stars

I was really excited to be approved for this title as the cover is stunning. I would totally buy this for the cover alone. I am noticing a slight trend in YA book that come out next year that have similar titles. But this one is one of my favorites.

The book itself was good as I like the whole idea of the main character finally getting the courage to fight back and take what is hers. It’s nice to see female standing up for what she wants, however Theo was not my favorite. She cam across as very annoying at times, but she is young, so I didn’t hold it against her. But I like the world, I like the idea of the magic, gods, and gems. I love those kind of concepts as they make for such an interesting story.

This book follows several tropes such as my least favorite the love triangle. I find them to be so unnecessary and do nothing for the plot. I can see clearly the love triangle is going to continue to be a thing in book two, my only hope is the author cuts it. I do have a preference for who I would rather see the MC with, but my lips are sealed.

But I look forward to book two. I mean if you are like me and enjoy the typical tropes in a YA novel, then this one is for you. Just fingers crossed the love triangle dies.

Theodosia is the daughter of the Queen of Flame and Fury. For ten years she has lived in the palace with the very people who murdered her mother and enslaved her people. As Theo is presented with an opportunity to seize her crown and save her people, she struggles with separating her feelings from her desire for vengeance.

In my opinion, Theodosia is a wonderful protagonist. We truly get to experience the evolution of this female heroin throughout the story. I especially love that she has internal as well as some external conflict over actions that her followers feel are necessary in order to weaken the Kaiser. This allows readers to really see the humanity in Theo, which in my opinion is more powerful than just a thirst for blood. I also thought the magic system was well written and not overly complicated. The Spiritgems represent so much more than 'magic' that is common in high fantasy. They also represent a culture and religion of a conquered people which was beautiful to experience. I love high fantasy novel because anything is possible in them. However, the only thing I did not like about this one was how complicated the names of people and places were to pronounce. I stumbled over some of the names and places a lot at the beginning of the book but I eventually found myself just grazing over them. Overall, I am excited to see where the rest of this trilogy takes us.

I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Most of the novel takes places within the walls of the castle so you don't really get to experience much of the outside world. And let's face it, being stuck in the same rooms every day gets boring no matter how you try to spin it. All that you know about the area surrounding the castle is that it's not far from the coast and that there are mining caverns nearby. It's a bit drab, honestly. However, even with all of that being said, I feel like the author tried to compensate some by dropping in memories Theo has of what the castle looked like when she was younger. You get vivid descriptions of the gardens that her mother loved so dearly and I felt like I could place myself there. The other thing that I enjoyed was the little anecdotes of how Theo would wander and play in the hidden tunnels with her friend Blaise.

A lot of the reviews that I saw before reading this likened it to the books by Victoria Aveyard. I haven't read them, so for me this was a fresh tale with just enough tropes to satisfy. Girl lives in hellish conditions after her home is overthrown by invaders. After having to commit a horrible act, she decides to finally take over the burden of being the leader of her people and try to win back their home. Not very original in that aspect but it is original in the execution, in my opinion. 

Would I recommend this book to others? Absolutely. It's a great story that pulls you in, even with some of it's shortcomings. And it's set up perfectly for a sequel where you'll get to see more of the world, so that's exciting.

This was a similar to all the other fantasy YA books out there. I mean nobody is reinventing the wheel. BUT. It had its own language with unique spellings that was new and interesting. I always wonder how authors dream up a brand new language - does that bleed into their real life?! I will definitely be waiting for the sequel. I’m in now. Thanks, for the ARC!

Taut prose, a flawed yet likable main character, and a plot that fit together like a finely crafted jigsaw puzzle had me reading into the wee hours of the morning to knock out "just a few more pages." If only we could award more than 5 stars...

*ARC via netgalley*

I know there has been a trend of magical princesses becoming super badasses within in YA genre lately. But do not throw Ash Princess in that category . Missing out on this book would be a mistake, trust me when I say the Ash Princess sets itself out from the crowd.
The characters in Ash Princess have so many layers and evolve so much though out the book. While there is alot of world building happening in the beginning the book grabbed me from page one.
The only part of Ash Princess that didn't grab me is the love triangle. I seriously felt both romances were rushed, and forced with no desire for either guy to "get the girl" in the end. I am usually all for a good love triangle but I just can't love this one.
The writing of this story is unique and fresh, I found myself couch bound for an entire day stuck reading every page and feeling devastated when I reached the end. The wait for book 2 will be intense with this one .

I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Immediately, I was drawn in. I’m a sucker for a medieval or Victorian as the setting for a novel.

When I first read the synopsis, I was worried it would take half of the book for Theo to realize that she needed to become her own savior. Though my initial fear wasn’t too far off, the novel did not fail to disappoint. Despite the love triangle, I found myself enjoying this book far more than I had originally thought. Yes, there were many instances when the plot and character did not match up. But, looking at the bigger picture, the novel wasn’t too terrible. If some scenes had been thought out further, I think this book would be fantastic. But the route the author took some conflicts only seemed to present more questions and eye rolls.

Overall, I enjoyed the royal aspect of the book and the idea of a princess from the enemy’s kingdom being held prisoner, yet is far from it. This book could’ve been great if some of the scenes had been executed differently. Some scenes felt as if they were maneuvering in circles.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2211522923

Despite its flaws. Ash Princess is surprisingly good and is a fun quick read that will leave you reeling for the sequel.
Theo is the rightful queen of Astrea, which has been conquered by the Kaiser, and uses Theo, called "Thora" as a symbol of what he's done to her people.
I like Thora. At the beginning of the book the author, Laura Sebastian, says "She’s lived as a prisoner for most of her life, and she isn’t going to regain her people’s freedom by fighting—but she’s clever. And using your brain is as kick-butt as meeting someone on a battlefield."
I love this sentiment. I'm honestly getting sick of the ass-kicking female characters who were destined to save the world. Thora is not one of those girls. She's been beat and broken and is incapable of fighting, but she is (mostly) clever and very good at wearing her many masks. And my favorite part? She's replaceable.
Theo//Thora is told multiple times that although she is useful and can do good in the rebellion, and some of her people would love to see her on her throne, she's not the only one capable of such. If she were to die or give up, the rebellion would still go on without her, she is not essential. This made me so freakin happy. Why do all modern day "hero's" need to be the only person capable of being the hero?! Theo is just another cog in the machine, she is not the face of victory, the savior, she's just one of them (with the princess title tho of course).
“We are not defined by the things we do in order to survive."
We do have the classic love triangle story, but it's not given too much weight. Yes, there's two men after her affections, the prinz Søren and her childhood friend Blaise. There's not too much back and forth vying for her attention nonsense though, a theme I hope will continue into the next book.
I know I've made a few small Red Queen references, but honestly it's hard not to compare the two. The way Mare/Theo talks, the prince who doesn't want to be his father, the kingdom where some have "magic" in their blood and others don't. Even the cover has Victoria Aveyard vibes to it!

But being compared to Red Queen is not necessarily a bad thing. I adore that series and it is a wildly successful series, and this comparison will only help Ash Princess.
There are many differences between the two though, but none that I can talk about without some spoilers. From Cress to Artemisia and Heron, the characters that Theo interacts with are her teachers. With each different personality in her life, you can see the role they played in sculpting who she is. And I cannot wait to see what these guys (one of them in particular!!!) will do in the next installment.
If you're a fan of Red Queen, magical fantasizes, or non chosen one lead characters, this is definitely the novel to read!!
4.5//5 Owls 🦉🦉🦉🦉
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

‘Ash Princess’ is YA high fantasy with traces of elemental magic and no love triangle. Sure, there are two age-appropriate characters who occasionally steal a kiss with the Ash Princess, but there’s no direct competition and she is not conflicted between them.

Our protagonist and narrator, Princess Theodosia, has suffered through much. As a child, she was helpless when a brutal regime conquered her kingdom and forced her people into slavery; those who weren’t out-right slaughtered, like her mother, the former queen. Theo, renamed by the evil king as Thora, copes fairly well for all she has suffered through, even if her thoughts grew repetitive as the story progressed. Readers are privy to her thoughts and we see much of, “’Keep the Kaiser happy and he will keep you safe.’”

When this brutal leader forces her hand and keeping him happy no longer ensures her safety, Theo joins the rebels in a plot to disrupt the Kaiser’s reign. There’s a prince, a forbidden romance, and court intrigue. All in all, an enjoyable read. Looking forward to the next entry in this series!

‘Ash Princess’ will be available from booksellers on April 24, 2018.

I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s.