The Book Dragon has finished Sarah Ashwood's Ashes on the Earth (Book 1 in the new Stones of Fire series) and gives it 5 claws!
My review: 4.5 stars for a vivid, suspenseful story with two flawed yet sympathetic main characters. I don't normally read urban fantasy because so much of it is hopelessly dark, and this one has its moments of darkness (and even bits of hopelessness). Overall, the female lead (Ellie) is idealistic, caring, self-sacrificing, and realistically religious, so even with the death and destruction she unwittingly falls into after saving a child's life, she still has a loving family waiting for her and faith to carry her through the fire. (Since the child's father is a different kind of "mob" boss.) Carter, the male lead, is more worldly and cynical, but he's a few years older than Ellie and has lived for twenty years in a world she (and most humans) never knew existed--shifters. The forms they take run the gamut of world mythology, and since Carter is half-Greek, his form is something from Greek mythology. Though Carter tries to keep a tough facade, his integrity, loyalty, and protectiveness comes through strongly..
There are two scenes of brutal violence, and though not graphic, might be upsetting to a young or tender-hearted reader. With the violence, some sexual tension between Ellie and Carter (but nothing inappropriate happens), and some mild language, I'd rate this book PG-13. There is a cliffhanger ending, and at the end the author has promised three more books in the series, so readers will eventually find out what happened! I'd call this book Bogart and Bacall with monsters.
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