The ​Crown of Gilded Bones

Armentrout’s epic romantic fantasy features extensive worldbuilding and detailed, fictional history to develop the conflicts in each novel. At the time of this guide’s publication, the six-book Blood and Ash series also includes a compendium novel and a spin-off series called Flesh and Fire. The Crown of Gilded Bones is the third book in the Blood and Ash series, bridging the protagonist’s previous role as a guarded Maiden lacking control and life experience with the powerful goddess and queen that she grows to become in the later books.

In the Known World, the Kingdom of Solis is ruled by the tyrannical Ascended, Queen Ileana and King Jalara. Solis remains at odds with the Kingdom of Atlantia. Now, after the War of Two Kings, Atlantia is ruled by a mixed monarchy consisting of Queen Eloana and King Valyn. Various human-like species inhabit each kingdom. Atlantians exhibit excessive speed, strength, and millennia-long lifespans. Wolven (werewolf-like creatures) also live in Atlantia, bonding magically with Atlantians and living for a few millennia. Meanwhile, vampry occupy Solis; a vampry is created by draining a mortal's blood and feeding them Atlantian blood. Once created, vampry must feed on blood to survive; they are devoid of emotion, have black eyes, live for centuries, and cannot walk in sunlight.