Book: Ashwalker by S. M. Gaither
Reviewed by kizziisreads
Rating: God Tier
Speechless.
That's how this book left me. This was my first book by S. M. Gaither, and I am blown away by her writing.
Ashwalker follows Arowyn, an Ashwalker who lost everything in an event known as Emberfall, as she traverses the desolate lands between kingdoms. These desolate lands, known as the Ashlands, surround the kingdom of Mouren; the kingdom known for their magic & control of dragons.
I was so immersed in this world. I literally could not put this book down (unfortunately responsibilities got in the way and I HAD to 😭). Furthermore, I loved that while Arowyn constantly denies & tries to say that she isn't that special, she never tells herself she isn't strong. She never truly becomes the damsel in distress; she has moments where she loses confidence, or gets beaten down to feel small, but she always remembers that she has survived worse.
One thing that stands out to me, is that the book never strays from the MCs too much. There's Briar, Arowyn's best friend, who is mentioned frequently. And there are the royal family members as well. But none of them take away from the FMC & MMC. We don't get pulled on a secondary love side quest like a lot of books will do. It makes the story feel much more solid. Don't get me wrong, sometimes I love a good side love story. But sometimes I end up rooting more for the side couple than the main one.
And the romance in this book, had me kicking and giggling the whole time. I LOVED the banter, because it reminds me of how my husband and I talk to each other. Nothing felt forced. I didn't feel like it was a 'Love at First Sight' romance. It's a slow build, learning little bits and pieces. Just my type 💙.
If you're looking for a good story, beautifully written characters, dragons, political aspects, and magic, this book will draw you in. 10/10 recommend.
I received an ARC copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to S. M. Gaither for the ARC!
6🌟
June 10th - June 13th, 2026