Ash Princess trilogy by Laura Sebastian

Ash Princess - Book one

“In a land without a queen, the princess must rise.”

¨Theodosia was six when her country was invaded and her mother, the Fire Queen, was murdered before her eyes. On that day, the Kaiser took Theodosia's family, her land, and her name. Theo was crowned Ash Princess--a title of shame to bear in her new life as a prisoner.

For ten years Theo has been a captive in her own palace. She's endured the relentless abuse and ridicule of the Kaiser and his court. She is powerless, surviving in her new world only by burying the girl she was deep inside.

Then, one night, the Kaiser forces her to do the unthinkable. With blood on her hands and all hope of reclaiming her throne lost, she realizes that surviving is no longer enough. But she does have a weapon: her mind is sharper than any sword. And power isn't always won on the battlefield.

For ten years, the Ash Princess has seen her land pillaged and her people enslaved. That all ends here. - taken from Goodreads.com

I don't know why I waited so long to read this book but I'm so glad I finally did. This is just the type of fantasy book that I adore, a strong heroine with close, supportive friends, and of course a love interest. Theo is the perfect, tragic princess who finally realizes that no one is going to save her but herself. It also dawns on her that she has been blind to the horrors outside of her palace prison. This also isn't one of those dragging fantasy books where an entire new world needs to be built. It is a new world but the descriptions take place along with the plot. Definitely fast paced.  And that cliffhanger ending. Wow! I never saw that twist coming. Thank goodness the remaining two books in the trilogy are already available. Now onto the next book.

SPOILER ALERT! Please don’t read any further if you don’t want to ruin one of my favorite stories.

Lady Smoke - book two

“The Kaiser murdered Theodosia's mother, the Fire Queen, when Theo was only six. He took Theo's country and kept her prisoner, crowning her Ash Princess--a pet to toy with and humiliate for ten long years. That era has ended. The Kaiser thought his prisoner weak and defenseless. He didn't realize that a sharp mind is the deadliest weapon.

Theo no longer wears a crown of ashes. She has taken back her rightful title, and a hostage--Prinz Soren. But her people remain enslaved under the Kaiser's rule, and now she is thousands of miles away from them and her throne.

To get them back, she will need an army. Only, securing an army means she must trust her aunt, the dreaded pirate Dragonsbane. And according to Dragonsbane, an army can only be produced if Theo takes a husband. Something an Astrean Queen has never done.

Theo knows that freedom comes at a price, but she is determined to find a way to save her country without losing herself.” taken from Goodreads.com

OMG! No second book slow down here. More twists and turns as well as shocking reveals throughout. Thank goodness this trilogy is complete as I can pick up that much needed conclusion right away. Ember Queen - book three “Princess Theodosia was a prisoner in her own country for a decade. Renamed the Ash Princess, she endured relentless abuse and ridicule from the Kaiser and his court. But though she wore a crown of ashes, there is fire in Theo's blood. As the rightful heir to the Astrean crown, it runs in her veins. And if she learned nothing else from her mother, she learned that a Queen never cowers. Now free, with a misfit army of rebels to back her, Theo must liberate her enslaved people and face a terrifying new enemy: the new Kaiserin. Imbued with a magic no one understands, the Kaiserin is determined to burn down anyone and everything in her way. The Kaiserin's strange power is growing stronger, and with Prinz Søren as her hostage, there is more at stake than ever. Theo must learn to embrace her own power if she has any hope of standing against the girl she once called her heart's sister.” - taken from Goodreads.com I sure hope that these characters show up in another series. I need more of Theo and her friends. Excellent series! Visit Laura Sebastian’s website.