"She was a blade disguised as a girl."

I read Daughter of the Burning City by Amanda Foody last year and enjoyed it. I didn't LOVE it, but I thought it was a solid debut that ended up getting 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4. In particular, I remember really enjoying the creepily quirky atmosphere that she created, even if there were aspects of the world I found confusing and not fully developed.

When this book came in my OwlCrate earlier this year, I was skeptical. For whatever reason, the synopsis just didn't compel me. It sat on my shelf for months before I finally picked it up, and even then it was only because I am currently trying to read all of my unread subscription box books before the end of the year.

I am so happy to say that I was pleasantly surprised about this book. All of the things I loved about DOTBC -- the atmosphere, the world, the characters -- I also loved about this book. In fact, I would say that it is definitely one of my favorite books I've read this year.

What I liked:

1. World building/atmosphere. I've seen some reviews criticizing New Reynes as just a Las Vegas rip off. I see where they're coming from, but this book definitely has a more dangerous and sinister feel. I almost got western vibes off of this as a result of the relative lawlessness in this book.

2. The characters. I was nervous when we met Levi and learned that he is Lord (basically a gang leader) that we were going to get a plethora of under-developed characters. Fortunately, this is not the case. I really liked the fact that this story is told in dual-perspective with both Levi and Enne being represented. I love Enne. Even at the very start of this book, before she's put in a place where she has to exert physical strength, she shows a quiet strength borne of the love she has for her adopted mother. Her mental fortitude is probably my favorite thing about her. Levi is one of my new favorite characters. His street smarts are a great counterbalance to Enne's book smarts. I love that his ambitious nature, even when those ambitions end up biting him in the ass. The side characters are also really interesting, especially Lola. I really loved the way her friendship with Enne formed over the course of the book.

3. The magic system. In this world, people inherit talents from their parents. One is the dominant talent, and the other, less-powerful talent is referred to as a split talent. I liked this idea, and thought it was interesting to think about how certain talents would work together.

4. Romantic tension. So, I know there will probably be a bunch of people who will complain that the romance in this book is a case of insta-love. And that's fine. The book does take place over the course of a week and a half, so I can't exactly disagree that their attraction and willingness to put themselves into danger for the other person happens a little quick. But I just don't care. I loved the way their relationship evolved. Plus, they aren't a couple in this book. The attraction is there, and they definitely have a couple of moments that could lead to more, but instead we get this angsty tension that just made me want more. I am really excited to see their relationship progress in the next book.


What I didn't like:

1. Just like DOTBC, I wish I knew more about the world/politics outside of New Reynes. We do get a little more insight into this world, but at the end of the book I wasn't exactly sure what genre this was supposed to be in. I think it's some sort of a dystopian kind of world with the oppressive and corrupt government. But like I said before, there is definitely a western sort of vibe to it. Then there is also modern technology like cars and phones but it's also definitely fantasy with the talents and split talents. Actually, I kind of like the fact that this book is a sort of fusion of genres, but I still wish I understood the world a little better.

I love this book and cannot wait for book number two. It's definitely going on the pre-order list.