Very captivating, but could still use some work.

I'm a big fan of worldbuilding-heavy high fantasy, and I thought The Ashen Tomb would be right up my alley. Said worldbuilding was there, but unfortunately it was overcomplicated and under-explained. The characters I liked most, Reece, Folke and Sarea were great together, and I love when characters interact with each other in a limited setting, it really puts emphasis on the relationships between them.

Overall, very fun, but it reads slowly and could have used some more serious edits to cut down the length.

for fans of the princess bride, this one’s for you!

an unlikely trio teams up for a dungeon crawl quest and must face a number of challenges to make it to the other side. with tons of action packed into nearly every chapter and a forbidden sapphic romance to keep your heart racing, the ashen tomb guarantees a thrilling ride!

the reason for my rating boils down to some issues with contextual understanding. for the entirety of this book, it seemed like i had jumped into the middle of an already extremely involved series with its complex history and lore which made it extremely difficult to connect completely with the mission our lead characters were fighting to win. additionally, there was a major lack of character development for nearly all mcs and scs so i didn’t feel as invested as much as i would have preferred for a book of this length.

I had high hopes for this caue it sounded so good, however I was left disappointed. I felt like you are just thrown into the world without any proper worldbuilding and guidance as to what is going on or even a feel for how everything is supposed to be running. The characters were... not that interesting either and ultimately everything just fell extremely flat.

Overall, an enjoyable dungeon crawl of a novel.
The ancient tomb of an emperor was recently discovered, leading several groups of interested parties to attempt to penetrate its depths in search of long-buried treasures and secrets. But the tomb is protected, and achieving their goals might be more than they bargained for.

What I liked: I enjoyed the DnD adventure vibes, how each room of the dungeon held different challenges. I enjoyed the world building for the most part, although I struggled with keeping names/details straight at times.
I liked the sapphic romance, which was not a major part of the story and there was no spice, which was fine. I liked that more of the world and lore unfolded as I got nearer to the end. I'm interested enough that I'll likely read the next one.

What I didn't like:
I almost DNFed this at like 55% because I didn't care enough about the characters. More time and effort could have gone into character development imo.
I didn't like how little there was about Folke for most of the story, especially when he ended up being really important by the end.
As I read an ARC copy (thanks Netgalley!), I can forgive a few typos and such, but there were several times when I noticed a completely wrong word, which was off-putting, or where the author used a phrase that felt far too modern considering the fantasy setting. "Bag of d**ks," and "yikes" come to mind, but there were many more. Hopefully, this isn't the final version.

Final thoughts: I wanted more from the characters and struggled to finish this. The world is interesting but characters ended up being really forgettable. I hope the next one focuses on Folke or the stranger, which were more interesting to me. 3.5 stars.

Reece and Folke are best friends, brothers and sister really and enslaved by The Lost Ring, a criminal organization that controls most of The Watch. Folke is a prized possession due to his magical abilities, Reece, however, is not. She is nothing more than a trained murderer both in her eyes and The Lost Ring's and sense she has a tendency to not follow orders her value is significantly less than her bond brothers. Which is why Folke has come up with a plan to win Reece's freedom, it's simply really they will play themselves off as a knight and her squire protecting their Queen while she researches a newly unearthed tomb. They'll plunder whatever riches they can and then Folke and Reece will finally be free. Unfortunately they discover that the "Queen" they've chosen to watch is no more a queen than they are a knight and squire and the tomb they have found is far more deadly that anyone could have ever imagined. Realizing that no one will get what they want without a bit of cooperation Reece, Folke, and Sarea the Not Queen, team up to not just conquer the tomb but to keep the others on this quest from discovering the tombs secrets. Between a Not Queen who'd be perfectly happy killing the bond siblings and being done with it, a tomb protected by ancient and deadly spirits, a camp full of people ready to turn on each other at the drop of a hat Folke and Reece are realizing they may have bit off more than can chew and their only way out of it is to defeat the tomb.

I was looking for this book and didn't even know it! I've been in a bit of reading slump recently, especially when it comes to fantasy novels. I've finished quite a few excellent ones this year and every time I'd go to start another one it simply just wasn't as good as the last one I'd read. I started this on Thursday and probably would have finished it Friday if life had not interfered because it truly was unputdownable. Reece and Serea are excellent characters. They are so very complicated thanks to their differing and yet extremely messed up pasts. Folke I have a feeling is going to make some really stupid decisions that I hope doesn't effect anyone but himself. I truly didn't like him, he comes across as having Reece's best interests at heart but especially at the end its fairly obvious that he *needs* her in a way that she doesn't need him and he's willing to put his needs above hers. And hey maybe he'll redeem himself in the next book but quite honestly I'm not sure I can get past the fact that he never told Reece and of the things he was experiencing, which probably would have helped her and Serea get through the tomb faster and clearly didn't think she could make intelligent decisions for herself.

The entire idea behind The Duel is wonderfully unique and truly heart wrenching. I'm not going go into much of this because I think it'll give too much away if I do but suffice it to say I shed than a few tears over just how truly and uniquely cruel The Duel is.

Grant also came up with a pretty interesting magic system that I didn't necessarily find unique because of how it works but because it actually damages the user. There are a ton of fantasy books that love to reference the whole "Magic comes at a price, dearie." thing but it's usually in a vague sense or years down the road not an immediate response when a wielder chooses to hurt someone with their gift. Plus the whole "Summoner" thing is more like a Necromancer and you can never go wrong with someone wielding the spirits of the dead.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this, while I will admit that I did not once get The Mummy vibes (sorry to the author but I just didn't" it was still an amazing fantasy adventure book with an almost perfect balance between action and dialogue. Not to mention two amazingly badass female leads, and of course god like creatures that are just absolute dicks.

Thank you to the author for the ARC.

I loved this book! The Ashen Tomb is a fast-paced fantasy adventure book with lots of intriguing twists and turns and a bit of romance. The main plot follows three main characters who seek to enter a long-lost tomb, while competing with the best adventurers sent by different countries. This forces them to create an uneasy alliance. The world-building is great, with each faction having their own agenda and other secret powers also at play.

I loved the main characters, they are engaging, each with its own set of fears, desires, and motivations. We get four different PoVs, I feel having this many can be tricky because it can get confusing or make the book feel fragmented, but I think the author did a great job in keeping the voices distinct and they really helped me understand and connect better with the characters. The magic system is solid, we get to see some interesting powers and I liked that each has a different consequence for the caster.

I really like it when fantasy worlds have a mythology that somehow makes its way back into the world. Since so much time has passed and there are only legends and tales, the protagonists slowly uncover these stories and piece them together to get a full picture. I think that the tomb provides an excellent backdrop for this. This mythology, the history, languages and the complex politics, make Avedolon a strong and well fleshed out world.

The Ashen Tomb is a solid debut to the The Duels of Avedolon series, and I can’t wait to read the next books! I think fans of Tamsyn Muir and Leigh Bardugo would really enjoy this book.

Firstly, Thanks to Netgalley and Gillian Grant for the chance to review this book. After reading the blurb, I was very excited and was not disappointed.

The Ashen Tomb" by Gillian Grant is a captivating fantasy novel that takes readers on a thrilling journey through a world of magic, mystery, and adventure. Grant's storytelling is immersive, drawing readers into a richly imagined world filled with vivid characters and intricate plot twists.

The book's fast-paced narrative and well-developed characters keep you engaged from beginning to end, making it a must-read for fans of the genre. With its blend of action, suspense, and a touch of romance, "The Ashen Tomb" is a compelling read that left me eagerly anticipating the next installment in the series

I really liked this lost tomb fantasy novel.

Packed with adventure, betrayal & magic wouldn’t have any other way.

Main characters were very likable for me. Highly enjoyable book will definitely recommend in the future.

Thank you to author and publisher for the arc.

I enjoyed this but it was a bit slow for me. The characters were likeable, the world-building wasn't too bad either, but the build-up was just too long. I think personally this book should have been at least 100 pages shorter.

For beginners of the fantasy genre this would be a perfect book to start with.

When the lost tomb of an Emperor is uncovered, people from all over the land arrive to try and be the first to claim its riches. When best friends Reece and Folke impersonate a knight and squire to try and obtain the tomb's riches to buy their freedom, they learn that not everyone is who they appear to be. Attempting to survive against 8 ancient guardians, Reece learns of the horrors of the tomb. This story is packed with vengeance, alliances, betrayal, and forbidden magic.

I highly recommend for anyone looking to get into the fantasy genre. This book gives sapphic six of crows vibes, and I loved every second.

The people of the sunless lands of Avedolon crave power from their shrouded past. When the lost tomb of the Ashen Emperor is rediscovered, all the countries send forth their best and brightest to claim the secrets and riches hidden inside. Among them are three liars, each willing to spill blood and break minds to get what they want.

The Summoner, a resurrected princess disguised as a noblewoman. Carrying forbidden magic and heavy vengeance, none who stand in her way stay standing for long.

The Weed, a killer masquerading as a noble knight. Her smile is as sharp as her blades, her wit as quick as her feet. She’s always killed in the name of her criminal masters—until now.

The Warder, a powerful magic user coveted by all and loved only by one. It’s his cunning mind that sparks the plan to free him and the Weed from their masters, and his sanity that's in danger of being swallowed by the tomb.

The trials and horrors of the tomb test them, but it's the growing violence amongst the factions that threaten each of their plans. With no choice but to rely on each other, the trio forge an alliance born of blood and secrets to survive. For two, it's about freedom and survival. For another, it's about deadly necessity.

With enemies above, monsters below, and creeping madness lurking around every corner, their greatest enemy is not the ancient powers who know no moral code—it’s their fragile alliance. Their fear of betrayal may be the deadliest trial of all.

A really fun and fast paced fantasy read. A bit too "YA" for my taste, but without any of the dreadful typical ya tropes. I think there will be plenty to like here for any fans of te genre, new and old:)