Of Ash and Thorn by Kiska Gray

A hunted phoenix and the young hellhound that stumbles across a special treasure but is not willing to sacrifice him for his own freedom. Can Kjell and Thorn find happiness while on the run, living in fear and knowing that one day they will be caught?


From the blurb:

Every six years, the Wild Hunt runs rampant through all of Lower Hell. In the midst of turf wars and fighting over territory, hellhounds run in packs, seeking out their prey, their prize. The first to find it is rewarded graciously, and no one is safe as the beasts rampage in search of the golden phoenix.

Kjell is the unlucky one. Long ago, the phoenix was captured by demons, the prize of Lucifer himself. Every six years, he's forced to take flight and flee from the hounds who hunt him, and every time he dies, he's reborn to suffer the same fate, again and again. This time, he's determined that things will be different.

Thorn has a debt hanging over his head, and in Hell, that's not great. He's been pitted against other hellhound slaves in fighting rings since he was seventeen, when his brother sold him to pay off his debts. When Thorn is told by his cruel master that if he wins the Hunt and brings him the phoenix, he'll be freed? He knows he has to win.

But when Thorn realizes that Kjell is just as trapped as he is, he'll need to make a decision—save the phoenix, or save himself.

Of Ash and Thorn is an 85,000 word urban romantasy novel that traverses Heaven, Hell and everything Inbetween. It includes a phoenix with social anxiety, his emotional support hellhound, and the friends—and enemies—they make along the way. It’s a sweet, spicy stand-alone romp with a guaranteed HEA (because it’s a Kiska Gray book, so of course it does!)


SNik's review:

Standalone. Paranormal. Adversarial to lovers. Hurt/comfort. Slow burn. Dual POV. Heed content warnings.

Find the phoenix and he will get his freedom, Thorn is thrust into the hunt, and fate leads him right to Kjell. Forced to be hunted over and over and reborn, Kjell yearns to escape but never has, until Thorn insists maybe they can find a way to freedom together. 

This story really revolves around Kjell and Thorn finding a brief time of peace together and falling in love, with the fantasy aspects mostly happening in the beginning and ending of the book. The paranormal aspects were really enjoyable, as was the relationship that becomes special and important between Kjell and Thorn. The impending inevitably of them being caught kept the feeling of danger close, their love seemed doomed, and their willingness to sacrifice for each other was poignant. Kjell and Thorn eventually had some steamy times, some sweet moments, and some supportive secondary characters that really helped them during their time in hiding. Overall an entertaining story.


Of Ash and Thorn is currently available as an e-book and can be read as part of your Kindle Unlimited Subscription