I appreciated that this was clearly marketed as a compendium, not another full novel in the series. That alone sets the right expectations.

It’s a good refresher for anyone who's read both Blood and Ash and Flesh and Fire and needs a quick memory jog before the next book drops. Told through Miss Willa’s point of view, it has a little extra flair, along with some bonus scenes and artwork that fans might enjoy.

I enjoyed learning how all the characters are spelled. I listened to the audiobooks for both series and had no idea how a lot of things were spelled.

That said, it’s not essential. You’re not missing anything crucial if you skip it. It’s purely supplemental; nice to have, but not necessary.

I also didn’t love the bit of retconning thrown in. If there are timeline issues or plot holes, I’d rather see them addressed in the actual novels, not glossed over in side material.

All in all, it was okay.

Massive thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

This a great overview of the whole world in the two book series. It will be helpful for both new readers and for when you are waiting for the next book in the series and you need a little reminder of what is going on and who is who.

Is it a necessity to read? In my opinion no, but it’s a nice addition to the books if you need more depth or knowledge.

The exclusive scenes are the most interesting ones, but if you are not that much into the series you can skip them as well.

A thorough compendium on the world and the series.

I really enjoyed reading this, so much fun to have a bit more of Miss Willa. Will definitely be buying a copy for my shelf. 4 stars!

Look. Jennifer L. Armentrout could write a grocery list in Miss Willa’s voice and I’d read it cover to cover.

This series owns my soul—Blood and Ash and Flesh and Fire are two of my all-time favourites—so the second I saw this compendium pop up, I sprinted (emotionally) to request an ARC. Thank you to NetGalley for the copy!

Visions of Flesh and Blood is basically a beautifully illustrated encyclopedia of this world—told in Miss Willa’s POV, which somehow makes it feel flirty and scholarly. It reads like a private journal filled with everything from key terms and timelines to deep lore, character histories, and cheeky observations (you know the ones). It was like flipping through a love letter to the fandom.

What I loved:
• The format. Willa’s voice makes the whole thing feel warm, personal, and just a little spicy. It’s not dry lore—it’s storytelling.
• The depth. There’s so much detail here, especially for people who like to know the difference between a Primal and a god and why certain events mattered three books ago. This is catnip for re-readers.
• The visuals. Art, timelines, little easter eggs—it’s so satisfying to see it all laid out. And the bonus content? Short but delicious.

Why it’s 4 stars (not 5):

I wanted more. More new scenes, more surprises, more little hints at what’s coming. While I loved what was here, it leaned a bit heavier on recap than I expected—and I was hungry for fresh crumbs. (Greedy? Maybe. Regretful? Absolutely not.)

⸻

Final thoughts:
If you’re already obsessed with the series, this is a no-brainer. It’s the kind of book you keep close when you’re rereading, writing fan theories, or trying to remember who stabbed who in what realm. Not required reading—but highly recommended if you want to lose yourself in this world all over again.

Miss Willa, you will always have my heart.

This book cleared up a lot for me from the series as you get a lot of background info. Something like this you’d normally see as like a prequel to a series but if you read it too early on in the series it will give away a bunch of spoilers. Overall, I was glad I took the time to read through this book as it gave me a better understanding into things that were going on or had already happened in the series.

I could not complete this because I could not get into the book. I would not be able to provide accurate feedback.

This was an interesting book to read, but truth be told it held not a lot of interest for me. It was great to get some exclusive content in the form of bonus scenes and character descriptions and letters and excerpts of Miss Willa's diary. But it was very repetitive when it came to certain character descriptions, where their acts and movements from the actual books are retold here. Now, on the one hand that is a bonus because, if like me you sometimes want to reread the series before a new book is released but you don't have the time to do it, you can read certain moments in this book and get that refresher in your head. However, one the other hand, if you love rereading the books, then this companion novel doesn't provide a lot of anything new, other than aspects (as mentioned above) from Miss Willa's diary.

It is a nice companion novel to have in terms of this series, and I enjoyed the character art and maps included, along with the playlists for each book. But again, it was repetitive, and actually longer than it needed to be.

Great if you want a summary. background and nostalgia. You dont learn too much more but its a fun companion book

Its been a little bit since I read FBAA and Flesh&Fire series so this was a great recap and rundown of everything you need to know before you read the next book! It definitely helped me remember things/triggered my memory!

Loved Willa's entries and the bonus scenes too!

This is definitely not a MUST READ but I am glad I have it to recap before the next one!

As someone new to this world and this series! This is amazing to have and get familiar with before and while you are reading! I wish all authors would create something like this when they have multiple books I’m a series

I thought it was a new book, but it turns out it's an 580-page recap of the entire series. I shelled out my cash hoping for new stories about characters like Valyn or some backstory on Cas and Kieran, but all I got was a giant info-dump. The whole thing was so repetitive I could have just reread the series for free and gotten more out of it. Honestly, the only redeeming parts were two bonus scenes and a letter. I'm heartbroken and want my money back.

I have mixed feelings about this one, on the one hand gimme gimme gimme for this series as it's my favorite series but also I just feel like this book wasn't wholly necessary.

I loved all the illustrations in this book. I think this is a great companion, especially if you would like to be immersed in the blood and ash world a little longer.

Note that this is more of a guide rather than a classical story. I enjoyed going through the book and learning more/refreshing my memory about characters I love. I also love the world building in the blood and ash universe, so I enjoyed re-visiting it. Also, the fact that Miss Willa narrates it made it all the better!

Visions of Flesh and Blood: A Blood and Ash/Flesh and Fire Compendium as told by Miss Willa
By: Jennifer L. Armentrout & Rayvn Salvador

5/5 Star Review
3/5 Spiciness Level

THANK YOU: Thank you Publisher Blue Box Press and NetGalley for providing me access to this eARC! I appreciate every eARC I am approved for! I love this book!

RECOMMENDATION: This book is recommended as a reference with extra and bonus material for the Blood and Ash/Flesh and Fire world! THIS IS NOT A CONTINUATION OF THE SERIES, it is a comprehensive companion guide for the world it is in.

PERTINENT INFORMATION: Visions of Flesh and Blood: A Blood and Ash/Flesh and Fire Compendium was written by Jennifer L. Armentrout & Rayvn Salvador. Within it there is background and historical information, art, and original short stories. It is written from the POV of Miss Willa and is around 580 pages long. Some of the chapter names are: “Craven,” “Blood and Ash Characters,” “The Blood Forest,” “Poppy and Casteel,” “Kieran Contou,” and “Exclusive Scene ~ The Lake,” “Primal of Life Throne,” and “JLA Fan Art” among SO many more! There are around 100 chapters/sections in this book! Most of them contain art with a link to see the full size images! Character art, maps, places. My favorite are the exclusive content chapters!

For lovers of these series', this is a must-have addition to this amazing world created by the magnificent Jennifer L. Armentrout!! It just takes the world to a whole new level!

Happy Reading! ♥☻

For someone like me who hasn't stepped back into the FBBA world in awhile, this book was really helpful in jogging my memory of who's who, the different locations and lore of the world.

In my opinion it's not necessary if you're binging the whole series.

Loved this one!! Another 10/10, I can’t get enough out of this universe and characters, so I will take any scrap you send my way!

Oh Miss Willa Collins. Thank you for going through everything we need to know up to this point in the books. This is my favorite series of all time and it is helpful to have this compendium of all the characters and places and even playlists. I do also like the extra steamy scenes we get to see with Miss Willa, like with the King or a Dracon. Ooohhh yes please.

Helpful, but...

This compendium is helpful...
... but if you really need to read it, it depends on some factors...

First, it's not a typical Jennifer L. Armentrout book. It's not a story, but sequences of information about every relevant characters of the Blood and Ash & Flesh and Fire.

It contains character art, profile, and a resume of what each one has already lived within the series. I think that it's helpful for readers' imagination and to get the context. Specifically as both series are connected to each other. Flesh and Fire is the backstory with Sera and Ash/Nyktos and Blood and Ash with Poppy and Cas their continuation. Both series are interconnected in some ways.

Further, this book contains more art like maps, pictures of crowns, and thrones and information about them.

The best parts are the bonus chapters, interviews with charthe readers have a liking, diary entries from Miss Willa, love letter exchanges...

Oh, that was fun.

But let's get tacheles: Do you need it?

If you read both series (meaning: Flesh and Fire + Blood and Ash), the answer is no. It is great to have the bonuses, but it doesn't add much to the story, if.

If you read only one of the series and want to get the backstory in easy doses, then the answer is yes, you should read this compendium.

Or if you don't want to read all the books again before starting the newest book in the series, the answer is a definite yes for reading this book, too.

conclusion:
For all the fans of the Flesh and Fire & Blood and Ash series. If you want a little bonus or if you're an aspiring author, this might be helpful in how Jennifer L. Armentrout did create this world and characters, and how she could still be up to date while writing the series.

book description:
VISIONS OF FLESH AND BLOOD: a Blood and Ash/Flesh and Fire Compendium is a comprehensive companion guide for background, history, reader-favorite information, art, and reference materials. Combined with original short stories and scenes from some of the world’s most beloved characters, as well as never-before-seen visual enticements, it’s a treat for the senses.

Told from the point of view of Miss Willa herself, the compendium acts like research material but reads like a journal and cache of personal notes, allowing the reader to revisit the characters and history they so love yet view things in a different way.

Great reference to get information regarding the series.
There's a nice detailed breakdown of the terms used in the series with meaning and background to certain terms along with description of the main characters in the books.
Love the artwork depicting the main characters.

Visions of Flesh and Blood serves as a thoughtful and much-appreciated recap of the FBAA and F&F series—perfect for readers who want a refresher before diving into the next installment or those simply in the mood to revisit the world without rereading the entire saga.

The book offers a comprehensive breakdown of key moments, many of which I had forgotten or only vaguely recalled. It was great to have those important beats brought back to the forefront, reminding me of why I fell in love with the series in the first place. Additionally, the inclusion of Willa’s journal entries added a personal touch, providing insights into her relationships with characters we've met before—something fans will undoubtedly appreciate.

Among the highlights are two bonus scenes, one from FBAA and one from F&F. The F&F scene, told from Nyktos’s perspective during that pivotal moment with Sera in the pools beneath the castle, was especially powerful. Experiencing such a key event from his eyes gave the scene new depth and made it resonate even more.

That said, there were a few things that left me wanting more or feeling slightly disappointed. Notably, the absence of character descriptions or profiles for Malec and Ires felt like a missed opportunity. These two characters are vital to the story and worldbuilding, so it seemed strange not to include even minimal information about them when so many others were featured.

The artwork, while capturing the essence of most characters well and staying true to the story’s established imagery, felt uneven. Some pieces were beautiful, but overall, the illustrations lacked polish. Given the wealth of stunning fan art out there, this felt like a missed chance to elevate the book visually. I expect this opinion might be unpopular, but I just had higher hopes for how the visuals could complement the narrative.

In sum, Visions of Flesh and Blood is a solid, enjoyable companion to the series—a valuable refresher and a nice way to deepen the reader’s connection to beloved characters and moments. While it could have been stronger in certain areas, it remains a worthwhile read for fans eagerly awaiting the next chapter.