3/5

For fans of: enemies to lovers, rebellions, betrayal, spicy books, twentysomething MC, winged males, From Blood and Ash

The Big Questions:

• What genre is this in? Fantasy, romance fantasy

• Are there any swoon-worthy characters? If you like winged males, Ryon is right up your alley. If you like ax-wielding women who learned to fend for themselves at an early age, the Dawsyn is your ticket.

• Is it spicy? It’s got some spicy scenes

• Is it violent or gory? There are really good descriptions of fighting, but nothing gory

• Should I buy, borrow, or pass on this book? Borrow it!

Synopsis: In a place known as the Ledge, a civilization is trapped by a vast chasm and sheer mountain face. There is no way for anyone to escape the frozen wasteland without befalling a deathly drop. They know nothing of the outside world except that it is where the Glacians reside – mystical and vicious winged creatures who bring meagre rations in exchange for a periodic human sacrifice.

Dawsyn, ax wielder and only remaining member of her family, has so far avoided the annual culling, but her luck has run out. She is chosen and ripped from her icy home, the only world she knows. No one knows what will happen to her on the other side, least of all Dawsyn. Murdered? Enslaved? Worse?

Fortunately, a half-Glacian called Ryon offers to help them both escape, but how can she trust one of the very creatures that plagued her life? Dawsyn is a survivor, and she is not afraid to cut anyone down to live.

Review: This is a debut novel and definitely feels like it. I think there is definitely some potential, but I didn’t feel a strong connection towards the characters or the world as much as I would like. The world building was solid. I felt like I was shown quite a bit without feeling overwhelmed. For a fantasy series, that is so helpful to the reader so that you don’t get world-building fatigue. As the plot thickens, history of the world is added, making the plot richer and keeps things interesting. The plot is, thankfully, fast-paced with plenty of action scenes to keep things going. I definitely enjoyed seeing Dawsyn as a strong, independent woman who fights tooth and nail to get what she needs and is bold in asking for information or clarification without being incessantly annoying. I respect that Dawsyn and Ryon don’t keep things from each other and give each information when needed, a wonderful relief from the deliberate misinformation trope.

Now, on to why I rated this a 3. I am a sucker for enemies to lovers, but this definitely went way too fast for my taste. It isn’t instalove, but the feelings were caught just a bit too fast. The spice just didn’t seem earned. While I enjoyed the pace of the plot, the back and forth between the inn and the Mecca was getting tedious and dull. The first third of the book was great, setting up a sense of urgency, but the middle of the book lagged. While I enjoyed the getting to know you and this new world phase of the story, it just didn’t feel inspired. Lots of tropes thrown in that are all too familiar. It wasn’t comforting, it was boring. Dawsyn and Ryon’s relationship didn’t blossom so much as it was dragged kicking and screaming together. It didn’t feel like flirty banter as expected with enemies to lovers, just meanness and physical need. Finally, the climax was just off. I expected more. Things happened way too easily and maybe this will be explained in the sequel. Finally, I love a good cliffhanger and even if I didn’t care for most of the book, a cliffhanger usually hooks me to continue the series. I don’t think that will happen with this one. Overall, this isn’t for me. Too many tropes that haven’t been given the space to breath and grow into a well-written story.