Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 588 pages
Author: Demi Winters
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Release Date: February 3rd, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A new age begins in the Kingdom of Íseldur in this sizzling third installment of the Viking-inspired Ashen romantasy the series.

The lost Volsik heir has finally returned to the people of Íseldur, and even with the warrior who’s captured her heart standing by her side, Silla’s task is monumental. She must earn the loyalty of the northern jarls to drive Ivar Ironheart from the throne and restore peace in the kingdom. But the secret she vigilantly guards threatens to ruin all her plans: A shard of a god lives in her mind, twisting her thoughts and deeds to His will.

Meanwhile, held captive on the mysterious isle of Zagadka, Saga Volsik fights to return to her sister in Íseldur. But when King Ivar sets his sights on the Zagadkians, she’s forced to make an impossible choice: fight for the man who stole her—and is now hell-bent on marrying her—or let the innocent people of his kingdom die.

As a poisonous mist threatens the realm, the sisters will delve into the unknowns of their magic to battle against evil. Return to the land of ice and fire, where a god awakens, a queen finds her power, and sisters must unite against the darkness threatening their realm.

Thank you LibroFM for the gifted audiobook.

STILL GREAT.

I am loving how good this whole series has been. I’ve missed epic, longer series with multiple POVs, romances and complicated plots that keep me locked into the story from start to finish.

I can’t talk a whole lot about the characters in this one because I don’t want to spoil anything but I do continue to enjoy the trajectory of all of the situations. There’s fantastic swoony and protective moments and if you love higher spice, that’s here too (I do think it started to get out of pocket for me).

The plot continues to twist and turn while being easy to follow. I love the politicking and intense action and the complexity of everyone’s character arcs. The rotating POV’s work well and the audiobook is a great listen. I can’t wait for the next book!

Overall audience notes:

• Fantasy Romance
• Language: mild+
• Romance: 6-7ish open door
• Violence: high

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