Through the Ashes

The Savage Crew, Book 2

By: Julia Wolf

Narrated by: Emery Erickson, Gideon Frost

I’ve never fit in, but I have no desire to stand out either. I was perfectly fine hanging in the shadows, but my choice to remain anonymous is taken from me.

I’m thrust into the spotlight. His spotlight.

Asher Beck is a golden god at Savage River High. Football star, whip-smart, and popular, we don’t belong in the same hemisphere, let alone circle. But underneath that perfection is a darkness he only reveals to me.

I have no idea what I did to capture Asher’s attention, but he is relentless in his pursuit. The problem is, I can’t tell if he’s trying to break me or own me...and I don’t know which I want more.

Broken boy meets broken girl.

Author's Note: Through the Ashes is a high school bully romance with mature themes and dubious situations some listeners may find offensive. If heroes who are golden on the outside but dark as night on the inside aren't your thing, this book isn't for you!

©2021 Julia Wolf (P)2022 Julia Wolf

“Why do you smell like breathing after drowning?”

Julia Wolf never ceases to amaze me with her words. I absolutely adore her rockstar romances, but now she has taken a genre that is not my favorite, bully romance, and made me crave her words. I loved Start a Fire and I was absolutely enthralled with Through the Ashes. Bex and Asher immediately drew me into their story and I found myself thinking about it long after I finished.

“Bex was my anchor, my tether to this world. She’d been that when I hated her, and even more now.”

Bex and Asher are dark and twisty and share a painful connection and I absolutely loved them together. Their story was difficult to read at times and I wanted to smack Asher sometimes, but their journey to redemption and forgiveness and love is so worth it. The chemistry and raw emotion between them is stunning. They are both so broken and yet they find a safe haven within each other. It’s beautiful connection that had me on the edge of my seat.

Both Emery Erickson and Gideon Frost are new narrators to me and I enjoyed them. Emery conveyed every emotion that Bex was feeling and you could hear them in her voice. Gideon was great as Asher and I could feel the anger and frustration warring with feelings of love in his portrayal. I lost myself in this audio book once I started and I loved reliving the book all over again.

Through the Ashes is dark, bully romance at its finest. It’s angsty and raw and takes the reader on a rollercoaster of emotions. I’m on the edge of my seat to see what’s next in this series.

The narration brought this amazing story to life!

I loved listening to this story! The narration was spot on and brought Asher and Bex's story to life! I could feel and experience every emotion making me fall in love with this incredible story all over again!

This was a uniquily beautiful story of pain and anger, loss and love that melded into something so much more. I was hooked from beginning to end. I just can't seem to get enough of Julia's Savage River crew!

Bex Lim and Asher Beck...two broken souls who are bonded in their own individual pain. Forever connected by a circumstance of tragedy and violence. Their story is both uniquely different and oh so complicated. It will leave your heart in utter ruin...This is a couple who have to fight so hard to be together. Fight against those who don't understand their undeniable attraction and need for to each other but, against themselves as well. It's a journey of beautiful, dark, explosive, twisted love...

To say that this book packs an emotional gut punch is an understatement. It's both visceral and capitavting. The difficult themes of this story are both powerful and impactful. It was one hell of a ride that I never wanted to end...

I found the love/hate relationship between Bex and Asher to be maddening, unpredictable, and gripping. Their verbal sparring and heated moments, only added to the explosive brilliance of this audio book! So volatile and consuming it was absolutely AMAZING from beginning to end!

Great Story!

This is the 2nd book in the Savage Crew Series. Although it is set in High School, it is meant for 18+ readers.

One of the things that this author is not afraid to do is make up uncomfortable in a provoking manner. I found myself honestly questioning if Asher (or Sebastian in the previous book) was redeemable.

The female leads in all of Ms. Wolf’s books are unique and diverse. Bex does not disappoint. The guilt she shoulders is overwhelming, and the way her and Asher’s journey manifests in done in a manner that is relatable.

I am very much looking forward to the 3rd installment of this series, especially since we have seen glimpses into Gabe’s depth. I have read several of Ms. Wolf’s rockstar books, all of which are excellent. I highly recommend Built to Fail.

The Narrators of this book do a really good job, expressing the characters in a way that is true to the characters.

WOW

Oh my god. This book is one of the top 3 books I read/listened this year. And I read/listened A LOT this year. It was so intense and sooo good. The two narrators were totally perfect for this book. The emotions in their voices just got me. I was emotionally invested in this book as the story played out. The characters are high schoolers but the story is definitely not YA. It gets very steamy & super hot. The emotions are intense and complicated. Asher is super possessive and protective of Becks even though he bullies her at the beginning of the story. The two main characters are two tormented souls who seek comfort in one another in some fu*ked up situations. I didn’t read the first book, but this book can definitely be stand alone. The writing was superb. Read it! You won’t regret it.

Loved It!!

I am a big Julia Wolf fan! This story was awesome, and actually hearing it play out is even better. I loved the narrator for Pen and her voice matched perfectly. This was a great story to read and a lot of fun to hear.

Oh, your poor heart!

This book is overflowing with raw emotion, drama, nail-biting tension, stomach dropping twists, have no choice but to stay up late intensity, steamy desire and enough turmoil and angst to make your heart feel like it has been pummeled with a jackhammer. The characters are lush and complex. Perfect in their imperfections, you can not stop yourself from being drawn to them and feeing for them.

Bex and Asher make an amazing and very hard-earned couple. The journey these two take you on is long, poignant and painful but also often undeniable sweet and incredible moving. If you are like me you will find your heart aching for both these characters (even if I found myself annoyed with them a time or two). Together they have a boatload of emotional baggage and multiple external stressors that weigh heavily on their developing relationship and the unfolding storyline. As for the sparks these two generate, they are abundant and scorching hot. Whether caused by their attraction or animosity, the heat reaches inferno level. The performances given by the narrators were incredible. I loved listening to them and they made it sinfully easy to get fully wrapped up in this bully romance.

This is the second book in the Savage Crew series. While I think you could enjoy it as a standalone, I know you would benefit from listening to book one, Start A Fire first because characters reappear and events are referenced that previously occurred.

Together through tragedy

This is the second book in the Savage Crew series. While it is book two in the series it can be read/listened to as a stand alone as it picks up a short time after book one ends. If you do not read the first book there will be some spoilers in this book with the characters from book one. This book focuses on Bex Lim and Asher Beck, who we do meet in the first book. We just really get to know them here. I personally found this book to be more realistic than book one. I also found that Bex and Asher were more relatable to. The narrators do a wonderful job bringing Bex and Ahser to life. I found the book very difficult to put down/turn off and was up way too late listening and taking any chance I could during the day to listen, even if it was only fifteen minutes of spare time. There is a ton of emotion in this book and the narrators added to these emotions and at times you may even want to have some tissues around. After I finished the first book in the series, I wasn’t impatiently waiting for this book, but I can say that I am glad that I was able to read/listen to it because it more than drew me in and kept me going to the very end. Both narrators were new to me and I look forward to more books by both the narrators and the author.

Through The Ashes

I knew I liked this book already, having read it when it first released. I enjoyed hearing it brought to life through audio.

Dark Bully Romance

Asher is angry and hurting and mean. Bex is also angry and hurting but a kind soul. Asher treats Bex with little respect. Then we get a glimpse of Asher's life. What Asher is dealing with and things fall into place. Bex feels like a ghost in her family and Asher much the same. Though their situations are different there is a tie that binds them regardless. Love how something beautiful grew out of so much pain! I enjoyed this very much!

loved reading this and listening to it

I love everything about this book and this series! reading it I couldn't put it down... and listening to it, I didn't want to stop!