I’m not a Western story kinda gal. I’ve never really been into the old West movies because the men are all too rough and the stories are all too stereotypical. I find all they sweat and dirt and manly oozing nonsense to be outdated and rather boring.

This book was unique. The writing was so vivid and I could taste the dust, feel the heat and see the old west all dry and red and unforgiving.

This book was such a breath of fresh air when it comes to the old dusty trails. I felt like the characters were well thought out and some real issues were included (racism, sexism) There was something really fresh when it came to the characters developments and stories. They are not two dimensional and bland. I didn’t see Native savages dancing around a fire in loincloths singing and smacking their mouths like in way too many racist depictions. I loved how Liluye was true to her beliefs and wasn’t just this added on sidekick to do Kate’s bidding. She stuck to her guns and stayed true to her values. She was this moral compass for Kate and I really loved her character.

Can we also talk about that cowboy Jesse who legitimately asks for consent. I mean... a sexy cowboy man... who is totally swoon worthy... doesn’t just ravage our YA heroine... he asks. For. Consent. Give me more of this because that was so