I was so excited to be able to read this sequel. I was excited to follow Silla and Saga through this book, and to see what else they had to go through in this book. They had to face many challenges within this book which made them develop even further. And this helped the story to develop, also I enjoyed the story line and plot line developed so incredibly throughout the book. I was completely surprised by everything that occurred within this book, there were many twists and turns that happened I was completely surprised at at happened within this book. I loved the writing style and I would want to read more by this author. I would definitely recommend this to my friends to read as I believe that the series is such an interesting read.

This was a really good second instalment in the series. The ending was completely unexpected and I can not wait for the next book!

Hi. Unfortunately I've not been able to get to read this book as I've not been able to get into the first book. I purchased the first book when I realised this was book 2, so it's all completely my doing and my fault. These books are so intricate with their description that I am going to have to come back to them when I'm more fully focused. It wouldn't be fare of me to read these books right now. I need to read more fantasies like these and then I most definitely will be reading these books. Thank you so much for the opportunity and I'm so sorry I couldn't be more fully focused. But I can't wait to come back to them. I have had to add a star rating to be able to send this. So I will give it a 5 for the sheer fact that you gave me the opportunity and as an apology

Kingdom of Claw, Book two in the Ashen series, expanded the worldbuilding and upped the stakes in the best way possible! The Road of Bones, whilst incredibly well-plotted and enticing, was a much more slow, meandering kind of read. This second installment kicked off the action straight away and we learned a whole lot more about this world and the magic and politics within. The addition of the second POV character Saga was a brilliant choice - she had a very different voice and experience to that of Silla, and I adored being in her head and finding out her backstory. It also created fantastic tension switching between them, slowly earning the gratification of the storylines overlapping.
The only complaint I have about this book is that I was somehow under the impression that this was a duology???? And that ENDING?! Definitely not!! So now I have to wait to find out where we could possibly go in book three. I know the wait will absolutely be worth it though.

Thank you to Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC. All opinions are my own.

I really did enjoy Kingdom of Claw and I loved Saga and Rurik’s characters but I think that it didn’t hold my interest quite as much as the first one did. Demi really has a skill for creating interesting and intriguing characters with a whole lot of heart which is what carried me through this novel but I really struggled with the pacing of this book. It was far too slow for the first 50% which is where it lost points for me. I did however, get much more into it towards the end of the book and I’m very intrigued about Saga and Rurik’s story so I will definitely be reading the next one.

Thank you to Orion Publishing Group & Gollancz for the ARC ♥️

Really enjoyed the second instalment of this series! I loved the introduction of Silas sisters POV and her love interest. Cannot wait to see where the plot goes in book3.

Only negativity was I felt the pacing of Sila learning to use her power storyline was a bit slow. But all together a great 4 star read for a really enjoyable romantasy series :)

I received this from Netgally in exchange for an honest review.

After reading about 100 pages and getting reacquainted with the story, world and characters again, I was absolutely hooked. This installment gave me everything I wanted and so much more.
The world is immersive, the language, the tone, everything is perfect, no deviations. Descriptions are used perfectly, it's not over done but is used enough to set the scene which is perfect for me. The twists, turns and revelations in this book had me hooked and I CANNOT wait until the next installment because there is so much more to come!

Everything from the first book is taken and expanded upon and the story grows into such a beast!
Silla and Rye are stuck together after Kopa and after his abilities are exposed, he has no option but to take her to a shield house in his home village. From there, everything just gets juicier! We learn so much more about Rye, his history, his family and his galdur. Both he and Silla face their demons and they become better, stronger. Not to mention the kind of enemies-to-lovers thing the have going on. Their romantic journey was as interesting as everything else that happened in the village. All of it was just so satisfying.

Saga is a welcome addition to the POV and one I had been really looking forward to since the previous book. She has a fear of going outside but is determined to do all she can to save her sister. It pushes her to take risks and stretch the limits of her phobia. I was so invested in her story and learning what her childhood was like growing up. The relationship she has with Signa and the rest of them is interesting, but what is more interesting is everything that Saga finds out and how it ties in with Silla's part of the story. It brings together pieces of rumours from the last book. Saga's character development is more subtle that Silla's but in no way less enthralling. The horrors she has to face and the trauma she carries with her is written, described and handled so well. She meets Rurik who becomes a kind of partner-in-crime and yet so much more and a huge part of why I need to get my hands on the next book.

Jonas. Well he's still a d**k. He's spiralling and his mind is twisting around and around. Needless to say, he doesn't make good choices and I love that I hate him. Just another villain along with Ivar, Signa and Magnus.

This book is full of everything, great character development, a natural feeling progression of story, epic pacing and multiple POV's. I huffed every time the POV changed because I was so entranced in it, only to get a page into the next POV and devour it as fast as I could. There is minimal filler and almost every single event, right down to an offhand comment is there for a reason. There is foreshadowing everywhere. Going from people disappearing in Rye's village to where it all ended was just genius. I hope we get a Rurik POV in the next one!

The second book is actually better than the first and that's a tall task! Demi Winters has a clear vision with where she wants to take this story and I'm here for it! I love the worldbuilding and am truly invested in Silla's journey and character development. and now we have Saga! Characters well fleshed out, unique and double the romance. Ray is just the absolute best, I can't even deal with how lovable he is. And Kass is absolutely brilliant, the banter is so well executed with those two.
I will not give any spoilers away, I am just going to say that I was a huge fan of The Road Of Bones and Kingdom of Claw did not disappoint, it was everything I hoped and so much more. I highly recommend listening to any Dramatic Violins playlist, it will totally elevate your reading experience (ACOTAR fans IYKYN!).
A huge thank you to the publisher, Demi Winters and NetGalley for my review copy, all opinions are my own.

Kingdom of Claw is even better than the first book in this series! Addictive and immersive! The writing is great and flows so well that despite the length you don’t feel overwhelmed.
I loved seeing more of Saga in this book, her challenges and unlikely relationship are two plot points that had me up reading late. I would read a whole book based on her narrative alone! Although, Silla continues to be number one, she’s an interesting FMC that you cant help but root for. She is overcoming demons and exploring her magic. This magic system feels unique and I enjoyed reading more about it.
For me in a romantasy the relationships need to have that connection and tension. I loved the relationship between Silla and Rey, it’s the slowest of slow burns and the journey they go on is full of peril.
The only thing missing was the crew as they have broken apart a bit, but this didn’t take away my enjoyment at all.
It’s epic, Viking inspired and full of flawed yet utterly romantic characters! What’s not to love.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.

Kingdom of Claw is the second installment of The Ashen Series. I had a hard time getting into this one and following everything that was going on. It seemed to jump around a bit. This book we get more POVs than the first book and get to see what’s going on from 4 different perspectives. Sometimes the back and forth was confusing. I did love the new relationships in this book rather than the last. I loved learning more about the magic in their world. Overall it was a 3.5 star from me and I will continue to the next book because I need to know what happens!

And we’re back, folks! This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2025 as I completely devoured The Road of Bones and was desperate to return to Silla and Rey after that intense ending we were left with. In this book we have multiple POV - Silla, Saga, Rey, and Jonas. My favourite was Silla’s, and I was struggling to get into Saga’s narrative but I think that was more because she was a fairly new character and I wasn’t yet as invested in her (that certainly changed!). We see the sisters both developing in different ways, both in danger, but both strong and fueled by their need to help the other. We meet a lot of new characters, there are some plot twists (one I totally guessed but still enjoyed), a bit of romance, and lots of different plot lines to follow. I did really enjoy the book, and it’s hard to say much without giving anything away, but I would say it moves slower than The Road of Bones, very much unfolding in two locations for the majority of the story, which is a big contrast to the constant travel of the first book. By the end I was most intrigued by Saga’s story and I’m looking forward to picking that back up in the next book, but there’s plenty for Silla and Rey to handle after another fairly dramatic scenario lands them in some hot water.

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

New favourite romantasy series!!!!

A soft heroine who doesn’t want to be a hero and is overly optimistic, sensitive, and barrages everyone with questions.
A grumpy warrior who is full of anger, but is overly-protective, loyal, and has a Silla-sized soft spot.

THESE TWO. This is how you do romantasy.
Silla is coming to terms with what her future now holds — duty, responsibility, and expectations she could never live up to. Rey is so understanding and patient and puts Silla first.

Silla could ask him to jump off a cliff, and he’d ask which one.

We also get a perspective from Saga, Silla’s older sister who is kept as little more than a pet for the Queen and King, her parents’ murderers and usurpers.

It took me a while to fully buy into Saga’s storyline because she is a lot weaker. She suffers from agoraphobia (cannot go outdoors) and she is confined and careful.
The arrival of a Zagadkian delegation and a certain Lord who seems to see too much and can bring a smile and snark to Saga.

Despite this being a book two, this is still deliciously slow burn and I ATE IT UP. Every crumb.

<b>“I wanted you on Longest Day when you came out in that dress,” he said, voice ragged. “I wanted you when you pushed me across the field on the way to Kraki’s. I wanted you when you killed the vampire deer, when you blackmailed me, even when you tried to steal my gods damned horse. I’ve wanted you since the night you stormed up to me and told me I couldn’t frighten you away. That was it for me, Sunshine.”
</b>
What did annoy me -
Silla is overwhelmingly naive and oblivious.
The absence of the crew. This meant there was a lacking group dynamic that I adored in book one. However, there are other characters that help train Silla and bring her out of her shell.
JONAH. That’s it.

Physical arc gifted by Gollancz.

After absolutely loving The Road of Bones, I couldn’t wait to dive into Kingdom of Claw and it did not disappoint. Picking up right where Silla and Rey’s journey left off, this instalment explores the world’s magic system and the fascinating creatures that inhabit it. The introduction of Saga was a fantastic addition, bringing new layers to the narrative while expanding on the political intrigue and court dynamics. Even though Saga's chapter did drag at times.

That said, I truly felt the absence of the Bloodaxe Crew, and I’m desperately hoping they’ll return in the next book. And that ending! I had no idea this series would span five books when I started, and while I love a long, immersive stories, the wait for the next one is going to be brutal!

I was kindly sent this book as an ARC and have absolutly demolished it!

Wow, what a series so far!!
Vikings and slowwwww slow burn? Yes count me in…

I actually enjoyed this just as much as book one and can not wait for more Demi Winters is going to be an author to look out for this year!

I love it when book two turns out to be even better than book one! This series was made to be multiple POV and this instalment definitely sees the benefit of that. The world that was built in book one was so big that just Silla's narration felt incredibly limiting, especially for the story it was starting to reveal, but having her sister get her own moment too was the perfect touch. I loved everything. The plot and the romance worked in harmony and this is a perfect example of how Romantasy books should be; it doesn't sacrifice the plot for the romance, the romance enhances the plot because it lifts the emotional stakes for the characters. Silla has improved as a character, she felt a bit flighty before a little naive, but she had been hardened by the events of book one and honestly for the better but I do like that she stayed herself as well, not losing her fun nature completely. Saga was a good contrast to her, trapped but determined, and I love that her romance didn't 'fix' her fears and disabilities and that she is instead learning to grown with them and around them. That maybe was the only thing I didn't like - Saga's romance. Though it makes sense for a girl as trapped as she is to cling to the first glimpse of kindness, I was there was a slower burn, i think a friendship betrayed would've hit her harder than what felt like a desperate fling.
Bring on book three! (now pls)

I adored book 1 but really struggled to get into this sequel. It took me a while, but I soon became hooked and I loved every second. Adding Saga’s story into the mix was so well done and I became so invested in her character, her story, her resilience. Sillas development was beautifully done and I LOVEEE REY so much - hearing more about his back story was so touching.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book. A gorgeous 4 star read book from me. What an exciting plot, vivid storytelling and relatable, rich characters. I couldn't put this book down – absolutely loved it.

Fabulous 2nd book, please tell me there are more coming!! My new favourite author, I will be splurging on the hardbacks

Forced Proximity
Slowwwwww burn
Grumpy and sunshine
He trains her
Hidden magic
Vikings

Love the multiple POVs weaving the different storylines together. I enjoyed this more than the first book I think.

I think the only way to improve would be to improve on the pacing a little. I think if the book had less filler and was a bit more fast paced it would be epic and similar to the shadow of the gods, but because of the pacing it fell short of that. The ending also felt a bit left field and left me feeling a little unsatisfied.

Still a brilliant and enjoyable read though, and one I will be recommending for sure!

FMCs: 20-22
MMCs: 25+

An absolutely amazing sequel, it is as good, if not better, than the first book!

In this book, we continue our journey with Silla, who is reeling from a harsh betrayal and the revelation of who she is. She flees Kopa with Rey to a safe village in the North, they rely on each other for support while Silla trains and becomes stronger. Meanwhile, we are introduced to Saga, who is a ward of the crown. Saga,driven to avenge her parents' deaths, seeks to dismantle the Queen's plans but must not be sidetracked by the mysterious Zagadkian dignitary who discovers too many of her secrets.

I adored this book, the tension and romance in the story is impeccable and had me kicking my feet with happiness. Demi Winters really knows how to write amazing found family relationships and had me in love with every single character. This series is quickly becoming one of my all time favourites

If you crave a fantasy adventure filled with heart-pounding action, sizzling chemistry, and a touch of darkness, Kingdom of Claws is a must-read.