ARC provided by Netgally, but does not influence my review, book was also purchased from Amazon. (The cover is just so darn awesome)

I didn't hate this book, nor did I love it. Honestly I found it a tad confusing. I think it's wonderful that the author tried making the main character gender-fluid. I loved the premise of them all training to be assassins for the Queen and modeling the names after the gems of the rings the Queen wears. It was different, and diverse which I enjoy. I think where it fell flat for me is the world building, and the training. So much time spent on descriptions and complaining about clothing.

In conclusion, I may seek out to read the second book, but I won't be waiting on pins and needles for it.

I got this for my son. He was really excited with the premise... especially that it was gender fluid. However, after several chapters, he choose not to finish, and his review was SCATHING. I am opting NOT to publish that review. In a nutshell, he said that gender fluidity is not enough reason to read a novel, that it needs to have a story and good characters too. He said there was nothing in the first quarter or so of the book that even made him slightly interested to continue. Sorry.

A non-binary thief enters a royal competition to join an elite group of assassins to avenge their past. An interesting fantasy novel which I thoroughly enjoyed. While there were moments where it felt slow and Sal’s personality took a while to take a liking but nonetheless one of the better books I read for #ArcAugust! It’s quite like Throne of Glass in the way that I know I would find myself enjoying the sequel better because it’s getting to the part of the plot that interested me since both spend a lot of time with stuff like training and fighting.

Fantasy books usually take a while for me to read. I think it has something to do with the fact that most of the are a billion pages long and always have very intriquet plots, much like every Stephen King novel known to man. Mask of Shadows did not have that effect on me. I just kept reading and reading and every time I stopped to do something I would check my page count and be so shocked. I loved that part about reading this book. I also loved the diversity. Characters weren't hated for their skin color or their sexual orientation, they were hated because they killed someone or screwed someone over, exactly how the world should really be. This was the first book I have ever read with a genderfluid character and while writing this review proved to be rather difficult(I hope I didn't offend anyone with my lack of knowledge on how to review the main character or what labels to use during my review) I can say that I would really like to read more genderfluid characters. I don't think there are any other YA books out there that have this element. Please correct me if I am wrong.

The book is pretty straight forward. Sal, a teenage thief/streetfighter find a flyer for an audition being held to be one of the Queens four confidants/protectors. There are four of these people named after the four rings on the Queen's hand. Ruby, Amethyst, Emerald and Opal. The previous Opal died during a mission and the Queen was replacing them. Sal winds up going to the competition and signing up to compete against twenty-two other people, Sal being the twenty-third. Sal really believes the Queen is a godsend and wants to be by her side. But Sal also has ultierior motives that stem from some Noble's leaving her town to be massacred during the war that made the Queen who she is now. Revenge and an overall need to have better life are what brought Sal to this competition.

Sal was a little rough around the edge. Normally that means he/she/they would be a hard character to like but he/she/they was actually very likable especially during the scenes with Maud or Elise when you got to see the not so brutal side. Sal watched her family die and is one of the few people left from Nacea, I think that is enough reasoning behind the brutal/tough-ness.

During the competition Sal and the other Auditioners are trained in many different aspects of defence, attack and patience. Sal didn't really try to make friends with anyone but I think the other Auditioners that I liked the most were Four and Two. They both came from the same background and it was nice to see some kindness and caring amount twenty-three savage competitors.

One thing that you will find in almost EVERY YA fantasy book is some form of romance/sexual relationship. I don't really enjoy scenes like that so I tend to skip over them of just skim them incase there is information I need to finish the book. Mask of Shadows did not have that hardcore romance portion. There was a rather sweet romance brewing on the sidelines but it never got to the point where it was distracting and taking away from the plot and I think that is one of the reasons I enjoyed this book as much as I did. The book was plot driven and didn't really veer off that path.


The second thing about YA Fantasys like this book and many others like it is they always have some form of revenge for a family members death. And each time I read about it I can't help but think of:



In the end, I found out this book is going to be part of a duology and I cannot wait for the last book to come out! I am actually even more excited that the book is part of a duology because I hate waiting year and years for a story to wrap up especially when the story draws me in so much.

Overall, I gave the book 4.5/5 stars.

One of the reasons I adore YA Fantasy is that
the genre tries very hard to show the diversity that teens experience in their own lives. The protagonist of Mask Of Shadows, by Linsey Miller, is gender fluid, something I know nothing about. This was a fun, action-packed book in its' own right. I did find some small issues with the novel. But it also helped me to understand a group of people I am unfamiliar with, which is why I read books in the first place.

What I Liked:
Gender Fluid Character:
While I find it difficult to explain gender fluidity, author Linsey Miller does a credible job of helping the reader understand the subtleties of what this means. Some people in the book respectfully have questions as to how to address Sal (look at their clothes for clues), while others deliberately ignore who Sal is and assign a gender to this person to insult Sal. This is fascinating, and shows the daily issues a gender fluid person faces, even from well-meaning people.

Sal is also complex, fighting a war within themselves between wanting revenge and wanting to serve the queen. Sal feels guilty that they are the only survivor of a massacre by the Shadows (creatures created by mages that torture and kill their victims), and they are haunted by nightmares of the violence they witnessed. One of the things I loved about Sal was their longing to belong, to be loved, and to be part of a family. These are what most people want, after all. Sal has to learn to let go of some of their vengeful plans in order to achieve some of these other needs.

Other Characters:
Sal's servant, Maud is a wonderful character. She helps Sal understand how things work at Court, but is not a doormat. She is upfront about the fact that if Sal becomes the winner of the audition and becomes "Opal" Maud will move up in the world, too. But she is not heartless. Maud is smart, resourceful, and demands respect.

I also loved Elise, the noble who catches Sal's eye. She is able to see Sal for who they are and finds Sal attractive in all genders. She wasn't perfect, though. She was more fearless about sexuality than about social status, not wanting to have Sal court her unless they became Opal (she is a noble after all). But this made sense in the reality of the book.

The Queen is also a complex character. At first Sal sees her as a saint, and it is hard to accept that she made some morally ambiguous decisions during the war, and afterwards. Like any politician, she must make choices that will affect the whole kingdom. Sal is devastated to learn that the queen looks the other way on the behavior of some nobles, if she needs their support. But she is also caring and willing to sacrifice her own well-being for her subjects.

What I Was Mixed About:
Story:
The idea of a competition to the death to be an assassin is very similar to Throne Of Glass, by Sarah J. Maas. I do think this story is more nuanced than Throne of Glass. For one thing, there is no question that the king in TOG is evil. In Mask Of Shadows, the Queen is not perfect, but she ultimately wants what is best for the kingdom.

Celeana (in ToG) seems to have no qualms about murdering people. But in Mask Of Shadows, Sal feels remorse for the lives they have taken. All of the assassins feel some regret for what they are called upon to do. I think it will be interesting to see in future books if Sal makes more moral compromises in their role of serving the Queen.

The author made a point in the first half of the book to make Sal's gender fluidity a part of the story. But at a point in the story related to Elise, they seem to remain one gender for the rest of the book. I wish this had not happened. I can understand if the author didn't want this to be the main focus of the story. But Sal's ever-changing gender would have added to their flexibility as an assassin.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley for an honest review.

Actual rating is 2.5 stars. I really thought I would like this book a lot more than I did. It started out well but then it slumped....and I just lost a lot of interest. I think one of the reasons being the other competitors weren't fleshed out enough that I actually cared if they died. In fact, I felt the same way about Sal. We never really got to know them as a character even with seeing everything from their point of view. The gender fluid aspect was interesting but barely touched on. I think there could have been a lot more character development, background, in general for everyone.

Sal is a damn good fighter--crafty, stealthy and smart. When a position comes open among the queen's assassins, Sal can't resist. It's an opportunity to gain revenge on the enemies of the state that were responsible for Sal's entire country--family included--falling to slaughter and ruin in war.

The assassins are named for the rings on the Queen's hand, and the opening is for Opal. Becoming one of the Queen's assassins means giving up identity and becoming Opal--wearing a mask and never having your face seen. Sal will do it, one way or another.

Mask of Shadows has an interesting premise--that to become an effective tool, one must outwardly lose one's own identity. It's presented like the anonymity keeps the assassin's families and loved one's safe, but it also seemed to serve as a transformative tool.

The pacing of the book works well, and it's not got a single dull moment. Thoroughly enjoyable, and appears to be the start of a series. I'll gladly look for the next one.

I fell for the gorgeous cover of this book, and so was alittle disappointed when I found the story itself a little dull. It was slower paced than I am used to with YA books, and though the characters intrigued me, I am not sure I will be reading the sequels.

I so, so, SO wanted to like this book! A gender fluid protagonist - tick! Training-and-competing-to-be-the-ultimate-fighter plot - tick! A love interest, plucky friend and magically-influenced world - tick!

Unfortunately, the elements just didn't add up; the book felt too formulaic, slow, and like every other YA fantasy competition novel out there. It never felt like there was any real drama or danger to Sal or Sal's dream, though there was some character growth which I always love to see.

While it was amazing to read a novel featuring a gender fluid protagonist, I ultimately found Sal's characterization to be underwhelming - their mental flip-flopping around the idea of becoming an assassin felt schizophrenic, rather than like a real a moral dilemma, and it was hard to believe Sal made the instant connections and relationships they did with the other characters, particularly Elise and Maud. In fact, any deep emotion portrayed by any of the characters felt flat and unrealistic. Everyone was underdeveloped (even the villains), and referring to all the competitors by number made it hard to keep track of who was who - not necessarily a bad thing when they're getting killed off left, right and centre, but certainly frustrating for the ones that are more involved with the plot.

Overall, it felt like MASK OF SHADOWS could have been better - there was so much potential, but it just wasn't realized here. There's a fantastic story here, and some (theoretically) really interesting characters, so I can only hope the next book in the series delivers where this one hasn't...

3.5 Stars.

While this wasn’t the best fantasy book I’ve ever read, it was still a fun read. Those new to the fantasy genre and want a fun adventure to start off with would probably love this one. Similarly, it sounds like fans of Maas will also really enjoy this one. This assassin story is a great way to kill a weekend and was a wild ride. Action, betrayal, and political intrigue shroud this story leaving many readers wanting more. While I don’t plan on continuing with the series, I still had a blast with this one.

Full review available on my blog.
Link: http://coffeecocktailsandbooks.com/2017/09/13/mask-of-shadows-by-linsey-miller-spoiler-free-arc-review/

In many respects, the novel description of Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller seems to be like many other fantasy novels. Protagonist Sallot Leon is an orphan-thief who wants to escape a life of successful highway robbery and find a way to avenge the dead of his/her family and countryman.

What makes Mask of Shadows a standout is that Sal is gender fluid, and insists that s/he be addressed in the appropriate manner based on his/her mode of attire on any given day. This is not just literary window dressing, Sal’s gender identity is central to the plot development and adds depth to his/her character.

Smart, witty, introspective and deadly, Sal tries out for an opening in the cadre of the Queen’s personal assassins, and a position in court close to treacherous nobles. The audition for assassin is a fight-to-the-death amongst all applicants. If Sal wants revenge, s/he will have to be ruthless.

Fast-paced, brutal, with a unique protagonist, Mask of Shadow is an exciting new fantasy read.

This was a fantastic read! I loved every part of this book. The characters and the story line where great. I will recommend this book to patrons of our library system.

Sallot Leon is a gender fluid thief intent on winning the auditions to become one of the Queen's Left Hand, the assassins named after the rings that she wears. Sal is the sole survivor of a nation that was sacrificed to protect a larger one, and now Sal wants to infiltrate the court and slaughter those responsible for the massacre. In order to do that, Sal has to win the role of Opal and become part of the nobility.

It's a deadly game that Sal plays, and one where the tension is effortlessly maintained throughout the brutal audition. Sal is entrant number twenty-three, and masks abound; in a society where names, faces, masks, and clothes are everything, Sal's gender fluidity is remarked upon but not always treated with disdain. Sal finds love in the midst of the intrigue and is able to let go of insecurity enough to trust in a few people.

The kingdoms and their histories were effortlessly woven together, and you really get a sense for the cultures involved. Differences in languages, names, dress, and customs are discussed as Sal observes the other contestants for clues, and we slowly learn more about the nation that Sal wants to avenge. I was immediately drawn into this world, and I can't wait to see what will happen in the next book.

Wow. Just wow. It’s been days since I read this, and I’m still not sure how to do review this properly, because I still haven’t processed it. I absolutely loved it. It started out a bit slow, but the pace just got faster throughout, and I have to say, the slow beginning actually added to the plot, to the tension and excitement. Sal felt realistic and relatable, and I loved to see how they grew through the book, and I also loved the romance. It didn’t take any attention from the action or the plot – in fact, it only added to the tension.

I loved reading about Sal!

Despite Mask of Shadows being a High Fantasy, Sal felt very realistic. It was easy to relate to them and it was interesting to read about them. Sal also grew a lot through the book, and it was amazing to follow their journey. And I have to say something about the diversity in this book. Way too often in Fantasy, I feel like there isn’t any diversity, and if there is, it feels a bit like it’s there just for the sake of it being there. It’s the complete opposite with Mask of Shadows, it feels completely natural and it’s so important.

The romance was really sweet and so intense!

I really liked how the author portrayed the romance between Sal and Elise, it progressed slowly through the whole book, which made it feel realistic. Also, I have to say they are simply too cute together! I shipped them from the moment Sal robbed her, which is definitely a first for me. I just really love how they interact with each other, from the moment they first met – not to mention the tension that is there from the beginning. This is how romance should be portrayed in Fantasy books!

The world-building is what dreams are made of!

First of all, the author has created such an amazing, unique and utterly interesting world – from the first page, you just have to know more, making it impossible to stop reading, even for just a moment (who cares about school, anyway, I can study after I’m finished). I had no idea what to think about anything, because Miller breaks every single popular trope, and I loved it! And secondly, she does it in such a great way, leaving small hints and pieces of information that only leaves you wanting more. Any author who wants to know how to hook a reader should take lessons from Linsey Miller, because she has it down to an art.

The plot had me hooked from the first page!

As I mentioned earlier, the plot started out a bit slow, but not slow enough that it was ever boring. Instead, that slow start worked as build-up, and the tension and action only intensified from that point. It grew and grew and grew, until I had trouble breathing and reading at the same time.

The writing is bursting with tension.

The writing is seriously amazing. No matter what type of scene it is, there was always a ton of tension in the writing, and I swear my heart never stopped beating frantically in my chest. The writing just had that unique quality that is hard to put your finger on that has the reader on the edge of their seat, holding their breath, anxious for what’s going to happen next. I can go on and on about everything that was amazing about this book, but the truth is, no matter how great the plot, characters or romance is, in order to enjoy a book to this extent, that tension in the writing has to be there, or you won’t enjoy it that much. And Miller’s writing has it and so much more!

This is a book everyone should read!

It’s filled to the brim with emotion, and it is honestly incredible how well Miller portrays every feeling, making it hard to separate the characters’ feelings from your own. With relatable characters, world-building that is out-of-this-world, and tension from the first page, Mask of Shadows will take you on a journey that you won’t forget. But a piece of advice before you start reading (and you need to read it, okay? Just do it); make sure to read it on a day you have free, because you will not be able to put it down.

3.5 stars
I have to admit I struggled with Mask of Shadows here and there. It felt all to familiar to other series I've read in the same or similar genres. That was a bit distracting. With that aside, it was also a little slow. It was one of those weird instances where it felt like so much and nothing at all happened. Even though I didn't fully connect with any one character I still loved them and the story. I know, so weird. The end is where it really picked up. I loved the set up of the competition to be part of the Queen's Left Hand. The history of the members of the Left Hand and their country, as well as, Sal's reasoning for wanting to be the next member. I have a get the sense from all the build up at the end that the next book is going to have a lot more going on in it. At least I hope that is the case because I really want to see how everything plays out for Sal.

I expected a lot more from this book. It wasn't terrible, but I found it hard to muster up any real excitement for it. Not sure if I'll read the 2nd book or not.

Can we talk about a gender fluid person in a fantasy novel? I’m so excited to see gender fluid characters getting more rep in books, especially a non contemporary book!

I have a love hate relationship with this book. It just didn’t have enough world building for my taste. It was like I was just dipping my toes in the water of this world when I wanted to dive into the world headfirst. What we saw of the world was wonderful and I really hope there’s more of it in the second one!

The pacing was a bit off too. The first 20% was just too much backstory honestly. Which sucks because I wanted to give this one 5 stars but there was just some work that needed done.

But I loved Sal and Elise. I couldn’t stop shipping them. I loved that Sal was paired with a scribe and not someone in the competition. I’ve seen it one too many times where they fall in love in the competition and then have some giant fight/crisis over who should win.

I enjoyed how the female characters weren’t stuck in the background the whole novel. Give me more fantasy full of ladies. I didn’t count the male versus female characters but I definitely didn’t notice a huge gap like in most fantasy novels.

Overall, I liked this book and I will definitely pick up the second one!

Mask of Shadows
By: Linsey Miller
 


 
“Sallot Leon is a thief, and a good one at that. But gender fluid Sal wants nothing more than to escape the drudgery of life as a highway robber and get closer to the upper-class and the nobles who destroyed their home.
When Sal Leon steals a poster announcing open auditions for the Left Hand, a powerful collection of the Queen’s personal assassins named for the rings she wears — Ruby, Emerald, Amethyst, and Opal — their world changes. They know it’s a chance for a new life.
Except the audition is a fight to the death filled with clever circus acrobats, lethal apothecaries, and vicious ex-soldiers. A childhood as a common criminal hardly prepared Sal for the trials. But Sal must survive to put their real reason for auditioning into play: revenge. (GoodReads)”

Hey guys and gals. Got another discussion and review for you. Today we will be briefly talking about Mask of Shadows. I was kind of excited for this book, truly thought it had a lot of potential. Unfortunately, I was not as entertained by it. I’m not saying it was a bad read..it just wasn’t a favorite of mine. This is why I rated it with 3 stars on GoodReads.
Let me try to explain what I mean.
First off this was a first for me in regards with a gender fluid character. I have absolutely  nothing against them but I thought the book could have explained it a little better. I was often confused as to how I should be addressing the main character (He, She, etc.). Even the other characters in the book didn’t know and so it was just confusing.
We follow Sal’s journey in becoming an assassin from previously being a thief. Now, while this book didn’t leave any blank areas it still felt dry or dull to me. I love reading about assassins, thief’s, and the like, but this book truly didn’t do it for me.

“Familiarity bred trust, and trust got you killed, made you think someone was there to catch you when they weren’t”

Sal is auditioning to become the Queens next Opal assassin. The Queen names her assassins after the gems of her rings; Ruby, Amethyst, Emerald, and Opal. The Left Hand needs to replace Opal and so host a competition to find the replacement. Sal is number Twenty-Three and has to prove he/she has what it takes to be Opal. She is only wanting it for REVENGE of her people.

“There are only three rules while you are here: kill your competition, do not get caught doing so, and do not harm anyone outside of the competition.”

It felt very Hunger Games style to me as the auditions were live or die. Not only is Sal doing this completion but Sal also has feelings for Elise. Who  happens to be one of the Queens scribes and whose father is one she is seeking revenge upon. So Sal has to think about what he/she really wants to do and question if revenge is truly worth seeking.
One other thing that slightly bothered me with this book was the grammar. Now, I’m not an expert at English, but every ‘had’ in the book was in junction with it’s previous word.
example:
I’d- I Had
They’d- They Had
It was just getting annoying.
There was also the instance where words just felt very young/ childish to me. I know this is a YA book, but here is one example:
“She Covered the rest of my hurts in sweetly scented salves, and she slipped me a jar of it with a pat on the hand.”
It just bothered me.

I just thought this book has so much potential given its take for more diverse books. And I apologize because I truly don’t know how to address gender fluid people. I just thought this could have been less confusing. Mask of Shadows should have just came out and stated the truth about its character from the beginning to keep the guessing and confusion from happening. It definitely could have used a little bit better development.
I’m not going to say that you shouldn’t read this book. It wasn’t unbearable I just possibly had higher hopes for this.

” I was a thief and a killer, trained by childhood of fear and violence, and Weylin was not prepared for me. No walls or armies could protect him.”
“They’d taken my country and my life, and I would take their heads.”
 
Until Next Time,
DauntlessReading

Found this book intriguing and spellbinding. Amazing description and unique story concept

This book rests comfortably among other fantasy series such as Throne of Glass, but fails at creating a plot that keeps you engaged throughout. A worthy book to read, but may miss more people than it hooks.