Ashes by M.K. Harkins Book Review + Blog Tour + Giveaway!

 

Hi everyone! I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the ASHES by M.K. Harkins Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

 About The Book:

Title: ASHES (Modern-Day Fairy Tale #1)

Author: M.K. Harkins

Pub. Date: June 1, 2022

Publisher: M.K. Harkins

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Pages: 303

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle

Read for FREE with a Kindle Unlimited Membership!

Not your typical Cinderella story…

If she thought college applications were complicated, just wait until she catches feelings for the newest celebrity in town.

Ashley Adams doesn’t have time for haters. Already too busy dealing with dead bodies after her stepmother purchased a mortuary, she is ready to put the lid on her judgmental peers and finally bury her high school experience. But her focus is shattered when a charming pop-star-turned-student needs her help evading his crazed fans.

The last place heartthrob Harry James wants to be is back in school. Sentenced to finish his senior year after a case of accidental arson, the singer longs to return to the stage. But he never expected to meet a girl who could see through the fame to the real person inside.

Surprised by the chemistry between them, Ashley is shocked when Harry gives her the cold shoulder. But with his publicist forbidding him from dating her, Harry must choose between fame or love.

Can Ashley and Harry survive the turmoil threatening to tear them apart?

Ashes is a fun and snarky standalone YA romance. If you like captivating characters, emotional twists and turns, Fairies and Cinderella retellings, then you’ll adore MK Harkins’ fast-paced tale.

*Recommended for readers 13+ (Some mild swearing and off-page violence)

Reviews:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐   "I'm no stranger to retellings of fairytales so my expectations were high. The story is beautifully written with a fresh and modern take on the characters, whilst retaining the true essence of the story."  Goodreads Reviewer
 
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "A delightful mix of finding love in the modern world, with a bit of Fairytale magic mixed in. I thought the novel was beautifully written. There really weren't any plot holes that led to confusion. The elements of a Cinderella retelling were masterfully placed, but not necessarily made the center of the story."  Goodreads Reviewer

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "What a great read! Everything about this book made me want to keep reading! From the great characters, great story line and a Cinderella twist!" NetGalley Reviewer 

 

 Penelope's Review

I absolutely adore Cinderella and all of the many wonderful retellings out there, so I was super excited to dive into this book and get a fresh take on one of my favorite stories! I like the idea of Prince Charming being a famous singer aka "Prince of Pop" (ha... clever lol). I'm happy to report that this was a cute, fun version of the story, and I'm looking forward to the rest of the series!

Ashley is our Cinderella, complete with an evil stepmother and two obnoxious stepsisters. The family owns a funeral home, and Ashley is in charge of hair and makeup on the dead people! While she may not be what you typically picture as Cinderella, I feel that it made the story stand out. Ashley is determined to graduate on time in order to get the trust her father left her to pay for college and get far away from her stepfamily. I admired her dedication to her goals, and the way she didn't let all of the obstacles her stepmother threw in front of her keep her from achieving her dreams. 

Harry is our Prince Charming, and I really liked his character, most of the time. He was sweet and charming (wink), and really liked Ashley from the moment he laid eyes on her. The fact that she's not like every other girl fawning over him is an added bonus! I will say that he could be a bit of a pushover at times, but I enjoyed his growth throughout the novel as he tried to figure himself out and what he wanted in life. 

In terms of plot, it gets a little wild at the end lol! But honestly, I don't go into fiction novels looking for "realistic" all of the time (otherwise I would pick up a non-fiction book lol!) so it didn't really bother me that it took some outrageous twists an turns - I thought it was fun! The writing style itself was alright - it felt just a little bit juvenile at times, but didn't hinder my opinion of the book too much. Overall, the book is a light-hearted read that's great for some impractical entertainment haha! It is part of a series, so look out for book 2 coming December 7th, 2022!

Rating: 3.5/5 Devils!

About M.K. Harkins:

MK has always been a voracious reader. After hitting a dry spell of reading material, she decided to write the kind of book she'd like to read. This resulted in the creation of her debut novel, Intentional. (Award for Best Sweet Romance - eFestival of Words- August 2014)

Unintentional, Breaking Braydon, Taking Tiffany and The Reader soon followed. MK's newest, Famous by Default, an Amazon Bestseller, was released March 2017. The follow-up to The Reader, The Jack, published 2018. Next up- A series of modern-day fairy tales. We'll start with a Cinderella story: Ashes

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Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of ASHES, US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

6/1/2022	Sadie's Spotlight	Excerpt/IG Post
6/2/2022	BookHounds YA	Guest Post/IG Post
6/3/2022	Cherie Colyer	Guest Post
6/4/2022	Jenguerdy	IG Post

Week Two:

6/5/2022	BETTER_0FF_READ	IG & TikTok Post
6/6/2022	Review Thick And Thin	Review/IG Post
6/7/2022	YABooksCentral	Guest Post
6/8/2022	Two Chicks on Books	Guest Post
6/9/2022	@jaimerockstarbooktours	IG Post
6/10/2022	Book Sniffers Anonymous	Review/IG Post
6/11/2022	Living in a Bookworld	Excerpt

Week Three:

6/12/2022	@jacleomik33 The Page Ladies	Review/IG Post
6/13/2022	Karen Dee's Book Reviews	Review/IG Post
6/14/2022	beersbooksandboos	Review/IG Post
6/15/2022	@My.Bookish.Mind	IG Review
6/16/2022	@travelersguidetobooks	IG Review
6/17/2022	Lady Hawkeye	Excerpt/IG Post
6/18/2022	100 Pages A Day	Review/IG Post

Week Four:

6/19/2022	The Reading Devil	Review/IG Post
6/20/2022	@meetcuteromancebooks	Review/IG Post
6/21/2022	#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog	Spotlight
6/22/2022	The Momma Spot	Review/IG Post
6/23/2022	Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers	Review/IG Post
6/24/2022	More Books Please blog	Review/IG Post
6/25/2022	Books a Plenty Book Reviews	Review

Week Five:

6/26/2022	Emmiepooh2	Review/IG Post
6/27/2022	Fire and Ice	Review
6/28/2022	@enjoyingbooksagain	IG Review
6/29/2022	Nagma | TakeALookAtMyBookshelf	IG Review
6/30/2022	@allyluvsbooksalatte	Review/IG Post