I don’t read a lot of YA because it has to be so dark it pretty much isn’t meant for younger kids for me to enjoy it.

This book did not disappoint. It’s upper YA, the main character is in their late teens and they grew up hard, an orphan from a war. They’re a thief who becomes an assassin. PERFECT.

I first asked for the book from Netgalley when I heard through Twitter that it had a gender fluid main character.

Being non-binary and the parent of someone I think is likely to decide they’re enby too, I couldn’t click on the request link fast enough.

The voice in this lifts up off the pages and grabs you from page one. I fell in love with the MC, Sal, by page three and by chapter three the book had hooked me good and hard.

It doesn’t feel like a debut novel. (Though, as an author/editor/publisher, I know most debuts aren’t the author’s first book.)

It felt so amazing to see a gender fluid character being accepted for who they are. Not a lot of fuss or muss about it. I even loved Sal’s prickliness about the issue. It’s perfect.

Content Warning for a misgendering by one of the antagonists.

The story was fast paced enough to keep me flipping pages and I fell more and more under Sal’s spell the entire time I read. Nearing the 3/4 mark I once again bemoaned my inability to draw well enough to capture my ideas because there is a scene between Sal and the love interest Elise that I want to draw soooo badly.

I’ll just have to wait until someone more talented than me does so.

I just loved this book so much. I love it enough that I’m preordering a hardcover copy for my DD, who I have a feeling will be enby when xie figures xyrself out.

Side characters are real and well developed with their own clear motivations and lives. Quirks that bring them to life. The auditions chilled my blood and made me need to know what would happen next.

I will critique it a bit here though because I do feel, from an editorial standpoint, that it could have been deepened better with more physical description of the characters, things like facial expressions, how their bodies are positioned within the rooms. The assassination and battle scenes are fantastic, some of the more passive scenes needed a bit more depth.

I craved more backstory of the world (because I loved it so much). It wasn’t needed but I do like very richly detailed stories and I wanted a bit more detail. Grounding the scenes in the five senses would have made me feel the story more.

I’d also say that adding beats to lead into scene breaks would be helpful. It felt a little jumpy from one place to the next, almost retconned at the end. A chapter detailing what happened from the end of climax chapter to beginning of denouement chapter really would have tied things together very neatly.

The climax felt rushed and little confusing, I had to actually go back and reread it to make it clear in my mind what was happening. That’s where grounding the scenes really could have helped more because I shouldn’t have to go back and reread to keep track of what was going on.

I also really should’ve FELT the sadness of what happened. I didn’t, which made me sad. Gah, reviewing without spoilers is hard.

Leave it at this, something bad happens, and I didn’t feel the bad as much as I should’ve. With what happened, I really should’ve had an aching chest from Sal’s responses, and I didn’t. I wanted more of that.

I had a few issues with the likelihood of the lead in to the next book, as well. It just doesn’t make sense that what happened, could’ve happened in a palace with guards and what not around. It fell a little flat for me. But anyone who knows me, knows I’m incredibly picky and a gifted developmental editor, sooo… it’s just me saying, gods this is so good, but it could have been better IF.

Yes, I drive my husband nuts.

Absolutely none of my critiques ruined the book. I’m still buying one for a gift and I’ll be eagerly looking for the second book in the duology.

Sal is a thief. At the moment, she's a highway man and she's hoarding bits of her stolen goods to try to leave this life and go on to something better. Her boss isn't easy to get away from. When she finds out they are going to have auditions for a vacant position at the castle she decides it's time. The Queen needs to find a new assassin for her Left Hand. They are her hired killers and Sal wants to avenge the deaths of her people, especially her own family. She begins practicing by killing her boss and taking his hand along to prove it and gain her entry.

Sourcebooks Fire and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you). It will be published August 29th.

She gets accepted. From now on she's named as a number: Twenty-three. There are rules. They have classes. And they are allowed to kill the competitors...

Sal walks a fine line here. She's not a natural killer but she has people she wants to kill. She has to protect herself and her maid. And she's got to stay alive to become Opal of the Queen's Left Hand.

Sal is gender fluid and plays the part of male or female depending on the clothing she wears. She most often acts male but she's not big bodied so others assume she's female. They make other assumptions which cost them. Some even pay with their lives.

Sal falls for the lady she robbed in a carriage in the past. She's her instructor in this new life and they spend enough time together to flirt and carry on a romance.

This story focuses on Sal's quest to become an assassin and to kill those who left her people stranded with the shadows who destroyed them. She manages to do her assignments but things are still going wrong. The Queen isn't who she thought she was, the assassins do what they are told with no questions and this is hard for her, and her love gets kidnapped by her father. At the end of this story, the tale is just really beginning. It will be interesting to see what the next book is about.

Mask of Shadows is full of action and adventure. It will take you on a journey of betrayal and bloodshed. Prepare for murder, double-crossing, political plotting, and intrigue!

The Plot: As a highway robber, and a good one at that, Sal wants more from life. Sal wants revenge against the Erlend nobles for the murder the Nacea people. Sal has an idea of who needs to be targeted, but has no way of getting close to them, until an opportunity arises. Sal finds a poster about an audition for the Queen's Left Hand (a group of 4 trained, personal assassins) and decides to enter. Little does Sal know that it is a fight to death. Can Sal win the competition, the heart of a kind Erlend noble girl, and get revenge?

The beginning of this one had a rough start for me. It felt a little too forced, confusing, and slightly boring. It took me about 10% of the book before I finally got in to it. I thoroughly enjoyed the remaining 90%, though.

I loved the interesting backstory of Sal. I loved the idea of the Queen's Left Hand. And, even though the competition thing is used a lot in YA books, I loved the idea and point of the competition and the things that I felt made it different from books like The Hunger Games. 

I feel like the competition had a good reason behind it. The Queen was on the hunt for the best assassin in the country. An assassin must be fast, strong, skilled in multiple areas, and discreet. The rules of the competition were quite intriguing, and fit nicely with the search for the new member of The Left Hand. 

The beginning of the book was a little disappointing, but easy to get past. I felt that the backstory and world history was thrown in too early, and in a confusing way. I also felt that Sal's character seemed odd in the beginning, like they weren't quite themselves. Once past this awkwardness, I was able to enjoy the story and Sal.

Sal was a fantastic character. They were brave, strong, curious, and dead set on a mission. They were always up for learning new things and working on their weaknesses. My favorite thing about Sal was how they went about describing themselves and how they dressed in the moment of feeling. Sal was a gender-fluid character, meaning when they didn't feel like they conformed to just one gender. I really admire they way that Sal's character was just naturally Sal, and it wasn't made to be a book selling point. Yes, it is in the synopsis, but it felt natural to the story, and not forced.

I also loved our supporting character, Maud. Maud was our Darby to Lady Helen (Dark Days Club by Alison Goodman). She was sneaky, kind, curious, moral, and determined to make a better life for herself. She paired well with Sal and brought humor and intrigue to the book and competition.

I would definitely recommend this book and I will be waiting for the next installment! Was it the best? No. I would have liked more world building and less confusion in the beginning of the book, but it was still thrilling and enjoyable! I would give it 3.5-4 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing me with this free Advanced Reading E-copy in exchange for my honest review.

Oh, man. This was GOOD. At first I was a little disoriented by the main character because I forgot the blurb I had read before requesting this title.
A great fantasy. The main character is Sal, a gender fluid thief who wants to exact revenge on the nobles who ruined their home. Sal enters a deadly contest to become one of the Queen's assassins and get closer to the upper class. So much intrigue and action! I can't wait for the second book.

**** Part way through this book, I thought this is another book like the Hunger Games, a competition of kill or be killed. However, as I got further into the book, the story got more interesting. I will definitely be on the lookout for the next book in the series!

There have been a lot of mixed reviews on this book. Overall, I liked it. It was a fun little adventure with a different sort of hero. There were some minor irritations that could be fixed. I wasn't thrilled with the numbers as names. I couldn't seem to keep the auditioners straight most of the time. I forgot who was who and who was gone. Some of the action scenes were difficult to follow for the same reason.
I also think the blurb should be altered at the end. We get too much information. I don't want the slightest hint that Sal wins. I want to cheer them on, I want to think "yes, maybe they will win" but I don't want a line that pretty much confirms it

Thanks to the publisher for early access to this title in return for a fair review.

3.5 stars. This book was advertised as perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Sarah Maas, but in that regard it failed horribly. Other than Sal, the characters were fairly flat and hard to keep straight. The setting and action scenes were not well described and it was hard to get completely immersed in the story.

As someone else pointed out, I think this is more along the lines of Tamora Pierce, but even then only as a close shadow of her writing. While there was plenty of action and a great motivation for revenge, I just felt like the writing was lacking a certain polish that would bring this from a readable tale into the realm of "can't put it down" fantasy fiction.

One thing I did feel was well written was Sal's character, as traits and actions remained consistent throughout the book. I'm interested to see where Miller takes this for book 2, as I feel her writing will continue to improve over time.

I could not finish this book because it just didn't keep my attention so I can not review.

3.5/5 stars

Overall I really enjoyed this book! The fast pace is really what caught my attention. I loved the gender fluidity of the character, but felt that only made a few little glimpses in the story and to me it just felt like something that was an after thought of the character. Also every point about gender fluidity only focused on one aspect rather than branching out to other aspects as well. The only problems I had with this book were the first three chapters felt very muddled and lacking as well as some political scenes later in the book. Miller can really write fight and training scenes, but the political parts in the book felt very under developed.

This was an interesting cast of characters. YA is not my normal genre, but the cover looked interesting. I see the reviews are all over the map on this one, with some people getting a bit snitty.

Personally I enjoyed the characters and the ingenious ways they thought up to eliminate each other from the competition. I am guessing there will be a second book out continuing on with Sal's adventures.

Thanks Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire

Did not finish at 20%. I may pick this back up at some point, but the writing was very difficult to get used to, and the story seemed a bit jumpy. Unsure how I feel right now.

I received this arc from Netgalley.

First, let me start by saying I requested this book because of the cover. It looked magical and I immediately wanted to know what this book was about. The second thing that hooked me was, "Perfect for fantasy fans of Sarah J. Maas and Leigh Bardugo," it was with that line that I knew I needed this book. Much to my surprise, I was granted a copy, it was my first arc and overall, I am glad it was.

Honestly, I was excited for the diversity with the main character. I have never read a book where a character identifies as gender fluid. It wasn't a concept I was familiar with and I just wish I had a better idea of who Sal is. I wish it had been better executed. Because I still don’t know them as a person nor do I know the full extent of their history. I want all of the details not just of the reasons why they want revenge.

This novel had so much potential to be something but it just fell flat. The entire concept of this book is the exact concept of Throne of Glass. A person must face other assassins to be the Queen/King's assassin. There is a competition, some romance, and a lot of training. The difference being that Sal isn't that great of a thief/assassin and has never actually killed a person before the audition.

So, comparing to Maas and Bardugo, it was lacking, big time. I didn't get attached to the characters because the author doesn't allow you too. I don't know what most people look like or their history. This is supposed to be a duology but I don't understand how things will come full circle in one more book.

Don't get me wrong, I didn't hate it. I enjoyed Sal and Maud's weird friendship. I sort of enjoyed the romance, but I don't really think spending a few tutoring sessions is "falling in love." I will gladly read the second book and see how this story continues because I want to see the ending. I want to see how this plays out and if the author can prove me wrong.

I really enjoyed this. It gave me Robin Hood and Game of Thrones vibes. Sal the main character is female in body, but is gender fluid. Sal very clearly states that bodily appearance does not define "her" as today she may dress as him, and tomorrow them or her depending on their feeling for the day. I'll try to use they and them to describe Sal throughout my review but I may slip and use she and her. Sexual preference of all types are widely accepted in the world of the book. No one bats an eyelash. So from that perspective this book has good representation from some diverse characters from the LGBTQA+ perspective, and I haven't seen alot of that.

Onto the plot, Sal begins the book as a thief, stealing to make a living. Then Sal finds that one of the Queen's protectors, Opal, has died and there is a competition to fill the spot. Sal jumps at the chance to have a better life and kills the man she is working for in order to gain entry into the competition. Sal is known as 23 for most of the book, a masked competitor, as she must outwit and assassinate her competition to become one of the Left Hand, the Queen's four trusted protectors each identified by a gemstone. As Sal is "auditioning" for the role of Opal, she also has ambitions of her own as the nobility were responsible for the death of her people in Nacea and she wants revenge. Sal may be the only one to survive the magic that plagued her people before the Queen stopped the shadows and ended the use of magic. Sal loves the Queen and her love is part of her motivation to become Opal, but her undying love will be tested. As Sal goes through the competition, every part of them will be tested, physical strength, mental toughness, wit, friendship, all the while the members of Left Hand are watching and waiting to pick the best to be their fourth partner.

I felt each of the audition participants were different enough that you knew enough about them to be engaged. The side characters were well developed enough for my liking, though there were a couple that I would like to see flushed out a bit more. The romance between Sal and Elise was just enough, it didn't overshadow the plot, but it was there and there was no triangle or multiple participants. It was just I like you and I like you back, try not to die out there. I loved Sal's attendant Maud, she was helpful enough but definitely had her own agenda while trying not to get attached. I would have liked to get a little more backstory on the magic system and I want to know if magic will be restored, or if it is dead forever. You don't get much in the way of how magic was defeated, just that it was.

Overall, I really enjoyed this and can't wait for the next one. This is a violent book with some mature topics so I would recommend it for a mature young adult reader.

Adventurous with a modern twist. Really enjoyed the concept of the competition and the rules!

Sallet Leon is an orphan and one of the few survivors of her people. Sal makes a living as a thief but when the opportunity arises to try out for a position on the Queen's Left Hand, Sal sees an opportunity to finally get revenge on those who let the shadows loose in her country.

Becoming one of the Queen's Left Hand isn't an easy task. Since Sal was not invited to the competition, it is necessary to prove competence. Sal does that by assassinating the man who is the boss in the gang of thieves. Sal then carries his hand to the city as proof of competence. Sal is chosen as the twenty-third competitor. Now all that has to happen is that all the others die. They prove their worth by killing each other and not falling under suspicion of doing so.

Sal has a couple of allies. Maud is the attendant assigned to take care of Sal. Maud is ambitious. If Sal wins, she will get an advanced position and the she will have enough money to buy her younger siblings from an orphanage before they are sold off to be servants. Sal's other ally is Elise who is a member of the Erland -- those who Sal blames for the death of his/her people. But Elise helps Sal learn to read and write and they flirt and fall in love.

The descriptions of the training and things Sal does to finally get to the position of Opal are somewhat graphic. The story is filled with action. It is also interesting to watch Sal's growth from someone who worships the Queen because she defeated the mages and shadows that killed Sal's home to someone who recognizes that the Queen is human and as prone to error as anyone else.

One of the most intriguing things about this story is that Sal is gender fluid. Sal wants to be addressed by the pronoun that matches his/her appearance. She/he respects those who realize that and has disdain for those who don't.

This was an entertaining fantasy with an intriguing main character. The world building was interesting and the political intrigue nicely twisty.

Ahoy there me mateys! I received this young adult fantasy eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .

mask of shadows (Linsey Miller)

Title: mask of shadows

Author: Linsey Miller

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Publication Date: TODAY! (Hardcover/E-Book)

ISBN: 978-1492647492

Source: NetGalley

So this novel is about a young gender-fluid adult in a competition to become a court assassin for the purposes of revenge. Should have been a perfect catch but ended up being such a disappointment that I hereby decree that this book must walk the plank! Be forewarned dark opinions abide below . . .

Now this book is getting comparisons to Sarah J. Maas and Leigh Bardugo. Now as I thought that throne of glass was an atrocity of storytelling only worth existing so I could read Liam @ heyashers!, snarky read-along, I was hoping it would fall on the Bardugo side of the spectrum. I can definitively say that it did not.

It certainly is a better version of throne of glass. I mean the assassins at least compete and the clothes and romance are not the sole focus of the main character. Sal is assured of her skills and does use her brain occasionally which is nice. But overall she is not a compelling character. She seems to have no other major thoughts except for revenge and comes across as rather flat. Also for someone with no major education except street smarts, her lack of real struggling to learn and adapt to the court world and political society seem unrealistic at best.

The politics and world building also fall rather flat. I know that there is a young-ish queen struggling to keep her kingdom going but all the interesting political wrangling seemed to have occurred before the novel takes place. As does the magic. Magic has been banished from the land and the hints we get of it seemed tantalizing but nothing is truly explained. The info-dumping that does occur just leaves more questions. There is no real explanation of how the court functions, how any of the laws work, etc. The world structure seemed superfluous. I was hoping for more than that.

I wanted to abandon this book many many times because it was so not what I wanted. I kept reading for three reasons:

1. Sal is gender-fluid. This is the first young adult book I have read with a gender-fluid character. I tend to see gender-fluidity dealt with a bit more in adult sci-fi. I wanted to see how this was incorporated for the main character throughout. I am not gender-fluid so I am not sure if this portrayal works for someone who is (and would LOVE to get that viewpoint) but overall I found this element lacking. I was glad to have Sal be gender-fluid. Inclusion of diverse elements is always wonderful. But with the exception of a couple of secondary characters, Sal spends most of the time being afraid of who she is. I would have liked to see more personal growth from Sal and those around them on this issue rather than just discussing how their outfit determined the pronoun used. Of course that may come in the next book . . .

2. I rather enjoyed the secondary characters of Sal's love interest and also Sal's assistant. In fact I wanted the story to switch from Sal's perspective to theirs. I knew it wasn't going to but I was happy every time I got to spend time with either of those secondary characters.

3. It was obvious who was going to win the competition, but I wanted to see what the set-up for the next novel was going to be. While there were twists in the story, (mostly because the assassin competition rules made no sense) I kept hoping that the cliche setting and flat characters were going to redeem themselves somewhere. I wanted a powerful ending. It didn't happen for me.

So basically I will not be reading any further books in this series. The inclusion of diverse characters and me enjoyment of the secondary characters means that I may give the author's future series/works a chance. But this one did not float me boat.

Check out this review from me crew member Bentley @ BookBastion which explains many of the problems that I have with this novel better then I can. Arrrr!

So lastly . . .

Thank you Sourcebooks Fire!

Goodreads has this to say about the novel:

Perfect for fantasy fans of Sarah J. Maas and Leigh Bardugo, the first book in this new duology features a compelling gender fluid main character, impressive worldbuilding, and fast-paced action.

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, Emeral, 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.

Sal 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.

To visit the author’s website go to:

Linsey Miller - Author

To buy the novel go to:

mask of shadows - Book

To add to Goodreads go to:

Yer Ports for Plunder List

Definitely not Sarah J. Maas.

Wow! This book was such an exciting read! I enjoyed smooth LGBT+ transition, because there aren't alot of YA books that have incorporated it into their stories. I also loved the fact that this books was gritty and real! Perfect for any game of thrones fan who didn't want as much political intrigue.

DNFed 50% in. Unfortunately after trying to read this book twice and failing both times, I decided to throw in the towel.