So, I actually listened to the audio the second time around and found myself loving the book. Maybe because it actually read better because I knew the “stuff” beforehand. The first round I still guessed what was happening pretty early on and just couldn’t get into a lot of it, but sometimes books at a a certain time in my life just don’t fit, but today it did.

Now, not sure why people keep saying Mulan because I have never seen anywhere that this was a Mulan retelling. It definitely reads more like a society type book? I don’t know... I don’t read the classics! But, also sexist? Come on! What, because every single girl didn’t like Sage? I was never friends with all girls in high school, at my job or in real life?? In the real world, people don’t like each other, jealous exists, and not everyone gets along. If anything it felt real.

I actually felt the book was pretty diverse. I know people are “offended” over the words “dark skin” being used. Granted, there could have been different adjectives sprinkled in. But even in other books, authors use the term “pale” to describe Caucasian skin, so should I be offended? No!

Now, the only thing I was super weirded out about, which should have had more attention than the skin color situation, was a side character named Claire. She was 15, and the soldier she liked was 21! It just had me cringing.

The romance was great, and one of my favorite parts of the book, and the author writes extremely well! I’m ready to see what book two has in store!