The Beautiful Ashes Audiobook
By: Jeaniene Frost
Narrated by: Tavia Gilbert
Published by: Blackstone Audio 08/26/2014
The Beautiful Ashes Audiobook Sample
The Beautiful Ashes
My Thoughts
When I heard that Frost was writing a new series, I was all over reading it. Then I heard that Tavia Gilbert was narrating, so I knew I would be listening to this. While I enjoyed this book, it was no Cat & Bones story.
Ivy has been seeing things her entire life. She always thought they were hallucinations. She finds out that they are real and her life is turned upside down. She is the last of a bloodline that allows her to see these demons. She runs into Adrian who offers to help her find her sister.
Adrian is also the last of a bloodline, but his bloodline gives him a fate that is not a good thing. He has been fighting his fated future for a while and it only seems harder when he meets Ivy. He knows that he is going to betray Ivy and has tried to convince her to stay away from him.
There is an impossible romance between Ivy and Adrian. While we have the fast-paced action of trying to find Ivy’s missing sister, there is a lot of world-building as we learn along with Ivy about this world of demons, angels and humans with exceptional bloodlines. Ivy makes new friends along the way. There are also some losses, as well.
The Beautiful Ashes Audiobook Narration
My Review
I love Tavia Gilbert’s narration of the Night Huntress series and the other books from the Cat & Bones world. She really fits those characters really well. However, I just didn’t get into her portrayal of these characters as much. I don’t think she got Ivy’s naivete. I did like some of the characters voices. I think that I could get use to the narration as I get more into the story. It wasn’t bad, just not as good as the Night Huntress books.

Author Jeaniene Frost
Jeaniene Frost is the New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author of the Night Huntress series and the Night Huntress World novels. To date, foreign rights for her novels have sold to nineteen different countries. Jeaniene lives in North Carolina with her husband Matthew, who long ago accepted that she rarely cooks and always sleeps in on the weekends. Aside from writing, Jeaniene enjoys reading, poetry, watching movies with her husband, exploring old cemeteries, spelunking and traveling – by car. Airplanes, children, and cook books frighten her.

Narrator Tavia Gilbert
Tavia Gilbert (Equity, SAG-AFTRA) is an award-winning narrator with nearly 300 audiobooks under her belt.
Classically trained in voice and theater, Tavia attended the University of Washington and earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Original Works in Acting from Cornish College of the Arts. She has been singing in choirs since she was 12 years old and has been working full time as a voice actor since 2006.
24 Comments
I started this but just couldn’t get into it. I checked it out from the library so I will try it again in the future. I left it off my DNF report because I think it was a mood.
Felicia the Geeky Blogger recently posted…Audiobook Review: Talk Dirty to Me by Dakota Cassidy
Yea, I think if you weren’t in the mood for this, I could see where it would be a DNF. I think the world has possibilities and I hope I will enjoy book two more. I love Frost and I really wanted to like this book more than I did. I hope you have better luck next time. 🙂
Melanie recently posted…Storm Front Audiobook by Jim Butcher (Review)
I have already read moderate reviews about this new series, but since I love Cat and Bones, I’ll give it a try 🙂 Thanks for sharing !
Red Iza recently posted…Update of the month : september
I’m really hoping that book two brings this trilogy up. There are points that I liked and I think it has a lot of possibilities. I hope you enjoy.
Melanie recently posted…Storm Front Audiobook by Jim Butcher (Review)
Thanks for the review. I’ve been on the fence and I think I’ll wait a while 🙂
I think the series has potential, but it might be best to wait and do the entire trilogy all at once.
Melanie recently posted…Storm Front Audiobook by Jim Butcher (Review)
This one was a DNF for me, I got to about half of the audiobook and nothing really had happened except for them being on the run and Adrian being all surly. I need to check out her Cat and Bones series instead. Glad you liked this one!
Nereyda recently posted…Book Mood Board (11): The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski!
IF you haven’t tried Cat & Bones, I highly recommend it. I love it whether you choose to read or listen. It is the same narrator, though personally, I liked her better with the Cat & Bones books.
Melanie recently posted…Storm Front Audiobook by Jim Butcher (Review)
Not a lot of people liked this. I loved it! I love the myth and I think it was so clever of her to use biblical relics as basis for her plot conflict. Can’t wait for the next one!
Braine Talk Supe recently posted…Grace Loved It: Unmasking Juliet by Teri Wilson
Glad to hear you liked it. I enjoyed it, but it just seemed a little slow or something. I think the world is interesting, but I’m just not that into the hero and heroine. I still plan on continuing with the trilogy going forward and hoping it will continue to get better, as I’m sure it will. I love Frost’s work and can’t wait to read more.
Melanie recently posted…Storm Front Audiobook by Jim Butcher (Review)
Hmmm I was curious about this one because I really enjoyed her other books. Might put this one off until it’s on sale.
I love her other books too. This one isn’t bad, but wasn’t as good. I hoping book two will pull the series up higher on my list.
Melanie recently posted…Storm Front Audiobook by Jim Butcher (Review)
I read this one which is probably why I gave it half a rating more than you, but I remember Jennifer voicing similar complaints about the narration. I’m not a big fan of angels, so I was happy that Frost focused more on the demonic aspects of this story line, however I do have some concerns that that might change as this series progresses. I also found that a lot of the elements were very Supernatural-like (TV show) which is never a bad thing!
Carmel recently posted…Audiobook Review: Daring by Elliott James
I haven’t watched that many episodes of Supernatural, so I didn’t get that feel. I am a much bigger fan of demons than angels, though I read both.
Melanie recently posted…Storm Front Audiobook by Jim Butcher (Review)
I still need to finish the Cat and Bones series. She has some huge shoes to fill after the success of that series. I do love the sound of this narrator.
kimbacaffeinate recently posted…Burying Water by K.A. Tucker
I’m a huge fan of the Cat & Bones series, and was sad that it ended. The same narrator does that series and she is perfect for it. She also does all the spinoff of C&B books too, so she should be doing the next Vlad book coming up soon. I can’t wait to get it. I’m still holding out hope that some of the side characters from C&B will get their own books too (*coughs* Ian *coughs*).
Melanie recently posted…Storm Front Audiobook by Jim Butcher (Review)
I usually veer away from the NA genre (didn’t even know there was any NA UF out there until now!) but I love Jeanine Frost so I might just give this a go when I’m in the mood for something different from my usual PNR. Thanks for sharing Melanie!
Lori recently posted…Blog Tour: TWISTED by Elisabeth Naughton {Excerpt + Giveaway}
This is my first true NA book, though I’ve read some others that if released today would probably be considered NA. I enjoyed and the world is different from many other books that I’ve read.
Melanie recently posted…Storm Front Audiobook by Jim Butcher (Review)
Oh, it will be hard to reach the awesomeness of Cat & Bones, but the story does sound intriguing and I’m a sucker for forbidden romances, so I’ll definitely check it out. Thanks for sharing 🙂
PurpleBook recently posted…Wolf With Benefits (Pride, #8) by Shelly Laurenston
I agree, Cat & Bones is a hard thing to compete against. That is such a great world with wonderful characters. I think this world has potential and will be reading or listening to book two, that’s for sure. I hope you enjoy.
Melanie recently posted…Storm Front Audiobook by Jim Butcher (Review)
I felt the same about the narration. Great review.
Jennifer recently posted…Between the Sheets by Molly O’Keefe
Thanks. I almost read instead because of your review, but decided to listen anyway.
Melanie recently posted…Storm Front Audiobook by Jim Butcher (Review)
I think there’s a definite difference between the audio and the book reading experience. I listened to the book for a short time and definitely felt it lacked something in comparison to my eBook. It just lacked something and my review rating for the book is slightly higher because I read it versus listened. Thanks for a great review.
Thanks Jonetta. Good to know. For the next book, I’ll pick up the ebook or get it from the library and try that. I think this world has a lot of potential.
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