SASSY'S REVIEW
❖Ashen Souls was a really good dark paranormal fantasy romance that kept me interested with its supernatural mysteries, emotional writing, and complicated characters. What I enjoyed most was how the story gradually revealed the connection between Aveline, Daeren, and the strange events surrounding her. There was enough mystery to keep me questioning what was happening without making me feel completely lost, and by the ending, I was invested enough that I definitely wanted Book Two.
I originally read Ashen Souls as an ARC and gave it 4 out of 5 stars. After sharing my feedback with the author, I was given the opportunity to read the revised edition as well. I appreciated the improvements, particularly the tighter writing, smoother pacing, and additional insight into Daeren’s character. Those changes made a noticeable difference for me, and I’m happy to say my rating has increased to 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Aveline was one of the things I appreciated most about this story. She’s dealing with grief, uncertainty, frightening experiences, and a connection to someone she doesn’t fully understand. I liked that she questioned what was happening rather than simply accepting everything she was told. She certainly makes mistakes and occasionally lets her emotions influence her decisions, but I appreciated watching her gradually become more confident and willing to stand up for herself.
Her relationship with Daeren was particularly interesting because he’s definitely not your typical romantic hero. He’s mysterious, possessive, controlling, and morally questionable, with a darker history that gradually becomes more important to the story. His fixation on Aveline creates plenty of tension, especially because she doesn’t fully understand who he is, what he wants, or why they’re connected.
What I found interesting was the conflict between their attraction and Aveline’s determination to make her own decisions. I especially appreciated the moments when she finally confronted Daeren rather than continuing to let him dictate when and how they interacted. Their relationship is intense, complicated, and surrounded by secrets, which makes it interesting to follow.
I also appreciated getting more insight into Daeren’s past and the suffering that shaped him, especially in the revised edition. His grief, anger, and desire for revenge help explain some of his behavior without necessarily excusing it. However, I still would have liked more opportunities to understand him beyond his obsession with Aveline and their supernatural connection. A few additional moments showing his personality, vulnerabilities, and emotional struggles within the main story would have made their relationship even more meaningful to me.
Aveline’s friendship with Harper was easily another highlight. I loved their banter and the way Harper supported her without being afraid to call her out when necessary. She’s funny, loyal, and genuinely involved in what’s happening rather than simply appearing whenever the story needs a little comic relief. Their friendship felt believable, and I appreciated that Aveline had someone she could depend on while everything around her became increasingly complicated.
The supernatural mystery was another reason I enjoyed this book. Between the strange sigil, mysterious ring, visions, Daeren’s history, and Aveline’s connection to everything, there were plenty of questions to keep me interested. I liked how the clues gradually began fitting together and gave me opportunities to form my own theories. I didn’t need every answer immediately, and I appreciated that the author allowed some of those discoveries to unfold naturally.
The writing was one of the story’s strongest qualities. Anastacia does a particularly good job conveying grief, longing, fear, and desire while maintaining a dark, atmospheric setting. There are some genuinely beautiful descriptions throughout the book, and I enjoyed how the emotional writing contributed to the mystery and romance.
One of my original criticisms was that certain emotions, physical sensations, and internal thoughts were occasionally repeated after the scene had already made their meaning clear. I was pleased to see that the revised edition addressed much of that repetition without losing the descriptive writing I enjoyed. The story flows more naturally now, and those emotional moments have more impact because they’re given room to speak for themselves.
The pacing also benefits from those revisions. The mystery continues to unfold at a good pace, with enough discoveries and unexpected developments to keep things interesting. I still would have appreciated a little more time developing Daeren and Aveline’s emotional connection outside their attraction and the supernatural events surrounding them. I wanted to understand not only why they were drawn to each other, but also what made their relationship meaningful beyond the bond itself.
As for the spice, I’m giving this one 4 out of 5 peppers. There’s plenty of sexual tension between Aveline and Daeren, and their intimate scenes are explicit. His possessive nature and the intensity of their connection certainly add to the heat. However, the romance and spice don’t completely overshadow the larger story, which I appreciated. There’s still plenty of mystery, supernatural intrigue, and emotional conflict to keep things interesting beyond their physical attraction.
The ending was another strong point. There were developments I didn’t entirely see coming, particularly involving Ethan, and I liked how those revelations made me reconsider certain earlier interactions. Without spoiling anything, the final chapters left me with plenty of questions, but they were questions that made me want to continue the series rather than leaving me frustrated by a lack of answers.
Would I recommend Ashen Souls? Absolutely! If you enjoy dark paranormal fantasy romance, morally questionable love interests, strong heroines, supernatural bonds, mysterious visions, secrets, revenge, complicated relationships, and plenty of spice, this one is worth checking out. Just be aware that this is the beginning of a larger story, so not every mystery is resolved in Book One.
My Final Verdict: I’m giving the revised edition of Ashen Souls 4.5 out of 5 stars, an improvement over my original four-star rating. I really enjoyed the emotional writing, Aveline’s character development, her friendship with Harper, and the gradually unfolding supernatural mystery. I also appreciated seeing the author take the time to strengthen the manuscript without losing what made the original enjoyable.
What kept it from five stars for me was primarily wanting more depth from Daeren within the main storyline and a little more emotional development between him and Aveline beyond their intense attraction and supernatural connection. Overall, I genuinely enjoyed both versions, but I do think the revised edition is the stronger of the two. And after everything that happened toward the end, I definitely need to know what the hell is going on with Ethan, Daeren, and Aveline in Book Two! 😂
Final Rating: ⭐ 4.5/5 Stars | 🌶️ 4/5 Peppers
Note: This review covers both the original ARC and the updated Kindle edition of Ashen Souls, both of which were provided by the author for my honest review. My opinions are based solely on these two versions and do not reflect any revisions or changes made after October 4, 2026.
— Sassy
"We want something. Then we pay for wanting it. The question, of course, is whether the payment is worth it."