Monday, April 18, 2016

Review: Ash (Hive Trilogy #1)

Author Jaymin Eve and Leia Stone
Format e-book
Print Length 201 pages
Publisher self
Published December 15, 2015

8 hrs and 30 mins

Are you an Ash?

*Increased stamina
*Lack of appetite
*Anger outbursts
*Insatiable thirst
*Beauty & Strength
*Male

Call the hotline if these symptoms come on suddenly!

Turns out Charlie Bennet was all of those things except the last. Don’t let the name fool you, Charlie was all woman and she wanted nothing to do with the ash … until the day she found out she was one.

It all started when infected bats bit a small group of humans and created what are now called vampires. Then, the male vampires knocked up some female humans and the result was a gorgeous race of all male ash. Superhuman freaks that had looks to kill.

Charlie is the first female ash, aka unicorn of the Hive – the gated compound in Portland that the humans have designated to isolate vampires and ash from society.

Problem? The Hive is full and only a select few will be allowed to live there. To live at all, really. If Charlie wants to earn the right to become a citizen of the Hive, she will have to survive the culling – a series of fights to the death. And guess what? Just because she’s a girl doesn’t mean she’ll get special treatment.

Good thing there’s Ryder, the mysterious lead ash enforcer, who seems to always have her back. But when secrets bubble to the surface, it will take more than one guy to save her.

My Opinion


While all the gals around her are swooning over the Ash, in their class, in the clubs, on the street. Charlie sees them for what they really are- monsters. That is until she finds out she is one. Talk about a Holy heck moment. Not only is she an Ash, she is the only female one at all. So, she is uprooted from her life and thrown into the Hive. Sort of like residential housing for the Ash, except there are only a few accepted every year- to weed out the weak they do a thing called the culling. A fight to the death.

Charlie starts out a level headed college student, and ends up a college drop-out that isn’t so level headed. Being declared an Ash guarantees her dropping out of college and taking part of the culling promises some mental issues. Honestly she isn’t supposed to survive the culling (that is pretty much what the elders are banking on) but she does. Her trainer Ryder, doesn’t focus too much on what she can’t do, or doesn’t have. He relies instead on her strengths which is a nice change. Ryder tries to protect Charlie at a distance. You find out later what his issue is but the at a distance part puts a hampering on the romance/ chemistry part of the story.

I liked Charlie, I did. That being said there are things about her that got to be a tad bit annoying. Example- does she ever stop thinking about Ryder? I mean gal gots it bad for a guy that is purposely keeping his distance. She also seems to be keeping secrets- from her family, her friends, her vampire sponsor, her supporters. She is bitter about all things Ash and Hive related. I get it I do, it’s just dang gal talk about biting the hand that feeds you- literally. Plus, she whines a little…okay a lot. It took some getting use to since whining is a no no in my world.

Ryder has issues. He is the main guy interest, although I found Lucas had more appeal to me. Lucas is Charlie’s vamp sponsor. Why he is interested in her no one knows but I bet it is for nefarious ends. Back to Ryder, he is the leader of the enforcers. Who’s man job is to protect the humans for the rouge vamp/ash. He had it rough when he became an Ash and so holds people at a distance. I am hoping in the next book, we are shown more of his personality.

Ash is a good start to a series with great potential. It entertained me enough to make me wonder about the direction that story is going in.

My Rating 3 out of 5 stars


Favorite Quote “Ain’t no one stealing our unicorn on our watch.”


Other People

Tess- Charlie’s bff, ash-crazy
Jayden- Charlie’s roomie, Ash
Lucas- Charlie’s vampy sponsor

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