A Soul of Ash and Blood (Part 1 of 2) (Dramatized Adaptation)

Blood and Ash, Book 5

By: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Narrated by: full cast, Stewart Crank, Katie Boothe, Torian Brackett, Wyn Delano, Michael John Casey, Gabriel Michael, Troy Allan, Khaya Fraites, Daniel Llaca, Jessica Schly, Eric Messner

Only his memories can save her…

A great primal power has risen. The Queen of Flesh and Fire has become the Primal of Blood and Bone—the true Primal of Life and Death. And the battle Casteel, Poppy, and their allies have been fighting has only just begun. Gods are awakening across Iliseeum and the mortal realm, readying for the war to come.

But when Poppy falls into stasis, Cas faces the very real possibility that the dire, unexpected consequences of what she is becoming could take her away from him. Cas is given some advice, though—something he plans to cling to as he waits to see her beautiful eyes open once more: Talk to her.

And so, he does. He reminds Poppy how their journey began, revealing things about himself that only Kieran knows in the process. But it’s anybody’s guess what she’ll wake to or exactly how much of the realm and Cas will have changed when she does.

#1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout revisits Poppy and Casteel’s epic love story in the next installment of the Blood and Ash series. But this time, Hawke gets to tell the tale.

Adapted from the novel and produced with a full cast of actors, immersive sound effects and cinematic music!

Performed by Stewart Crank as Narrator and Casteel, Katie Boothe as Poppy, Torian Brackett as Kieran, Wyn Delano as Vikter, Michael John Casey as Jansen, Gabriel Michael as Nektas, Troy Allan as Emil and Khaya Fraites as Tawny. With Additional Performances by Daniel Llaca, Jessica Schly, Eric Messner, Dawn Ursula, Patrick Boylan, Karenna Foley, Julian Dailey, Earl Fisher, Renee Dorian, Christopher Tester, Julie-Ann Elliot, Joe Mallon, Debi Tinsley, Lise Bruneau, Drew Kopas, Matthew Bassett, Christopher Williams, and Christopher Walker.

©2024 Jennifer L. Armentrout (P)2025 Graphic Audio LLC

Perfect cast - Unnecessary as a main instalment

🩸 Cas, Stop Being So Damn Loveable
I love Cas, and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Stewart Crank in the amazing GraphicAudio production. 🎧
That said...
As much as I enjoyed getting inside Cas's head and watching him fall in love with Poppy, and as much as I appreciated all the little mysteries, questions, and missing pieces we didn't get from book one with only Poppy's POV (and the beginning of book two), I honestly don't think this needed to be a main instalment in the series.

This would've worked much better as a book 1.5 or even a book 4.5 retelling novel.

We only get about three major plot developments that genuinely move the story forward, and I think all of them could've easily been incorporated into the following instalment rather than carrying an entire novel.
PS: the book is entirely in the past as Cas is telling Poppy things while she sleeps and we have a few present chapters.
I understand the poetics of it, and I absolutely think the GraphicAudio adaptation is the best way to experience this book.
I just don't really understand the publishing strategy behind its placement.
Don't get me wrong—I would've read it anyway. I just think it belonged somewhere else in the series.

🗡️ The Real Gift of This Book
The one thing this book does exceptionally well is finally giving us a very satisfying "there you go" and a gentle "kindly keep your thoughts to yourselves" (you know who you are – I am keeping an eye on you) regarding Kieran's involvement after the Joining.
Because...
I remain hopelessly down bad for this man. 🫠
He has not disappointed me once since the beginning of this series.
I absolutely loved getting more insight into him and seeing how his bond with Cas ran so deep already, and then his bond with Poppy was forged long before she ever stepped foot in Carsadonia and long before the Joining.
Knowing that history adds so much weight and validation to everything that comes later.

Great next book in the series, but somewhat repetitive

Still love the series, but didn’t care for the stall in the storyline with the flashbacks that felt like they took up too much of the book and revisited previous books

Love this man’s voice!

I could listen to all of this series from Casteel’s point of view. Love this series and devastated to be so close to the end.

Love Casteel even more!

Loved hearing Casteel’s pov! All the voice actors did amazing! Stewart Crank is amazing as Casteel!

Love the cast voices very fitting and love hearing cass’s point of view not just poppi’s

I love this series! Now to wait until part 2 comes out! I’m very impatiently waiting !