In a world of Skilled and Blanks this Ya fantasy is a fresh adventure that I have not seen elsewhere. While the maze story has been played out in some books the take on the maze in this book is something that really brings the story together. Zadie is a Blank but lives within the Skilled. Her protector Landon disappears into the labyrinth and then its as if he never existed. Zadie braves the unknown to enter it and save her friend. This requires her to team up with Devil Dex and the drama and dangerous situations increase from there. I was a bit confused when it would flashback and I didn't know it was a flashback, but once I realized that is what was happening things smoothed out for me. I had some unanswered questions so I really hope there is a second book.

thank you to Netgalley, Meredith Tate and North Star Editions for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*


2.5 stars rounded up to 3 stars.

While I didn't love this, it was an alright read. I love YA SciFi stories so I thought this was just right for me. I also really like the cover and with the synopsis, it sounded so good. Unfortunately my interest in it lacked a little. It wasn't quite what I was expecting but, yeah it wasn't bad. I wouldn't recommend it but I would suggest you give it a go for yourself if it sounds like something you would enjoy. Hopefully others like this more than I did.

Do you ever get so excited about ARCs and pretty covers and cool ideas that you convince yourself you'll like a book, and then when you get the ARC and start the book you realize that it probably wasn't the book for you? Because once in awhile I do that exact thing. *le sigh* 

If this book had been written 10 years ago I probably would have enjoyed it, we have a female protagonist who goes on a journey to save her male friend (and crush). 10 years ago this story would have been much more unique. Today this story was cliche as hell and I'm pretty sure I hurt my eyes from all the eye rolling I did. 

From the first chapter I felt like the world-building was severely lacking. I was confused but tried to push on for the sake of the characters. Sadly they didn't get any better either. Zadie is nothing new, she's an outcast and everyone hates her. She's got a crush on her best friend but of course won't tell him. And right away you can see that there's going to be a stupid love triangle between her and Dex and the other guy. Like really? We're still doing love triangles? Fucking please. 

Which of course brings me to the character of Dex. He's set up to be the bad guy, but anyone can see the ''bad boy with a heart of gold'' storyline coming from 10 miles away. Which is another trope that I really really hate.  These storylines tend to mask abuse and it's triggering and a gross message to be sending to anyone. 

I'll stop ranting now. But the point is this book was not the book for me. I got the ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review and I gave this book 1 star on Goodreads.

This book surprised me. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it was not that.

There were a few times when I was reading that I was concerned that things were going to get a little YA-tropey. Luckily, I think Tate did a good job of avoiding that. Like when Zadie first met Dex, one of the first things that she noticed was how attractive he actually was and how some of his features made him look like a normal person. I was concerned that she was immediately going to fall for him, but instead it just humanized him for her and I really enjoyed the slower development of their relationship and their mutual trust as they faced the maze together.

Zadie was an interesting character for me. I found her incredibly frustrating at times - I definitely felt that she was relying too heavily on someone saving her. But I definitely think that is how Tate designed her. She's been told that she is powerless and useless her whole life, so why should she believe any differently? I had some very visceral reactions to thewas definitely sympathetic to her - especially that little bit of hope that one day she would magically develop Skills and be able to prove to everyone that they were wrong about her. So when she finally embraced the fact that even though she doesn't have Skills, she can still be strong and brave and survive, I was very pleased by that character development.

There were a number of parallels I saw between the relationship between the Skilled and the Blanks to issues of racial and class privilege here in the US that we are still very much experiencing now. I absolutely agree with Zadie that even though Landon has made them all "equals" nothing will really change, at least right away. This separation of people has been too heavily ingrained in their lives for everything to change without some sort of resistance. I am hopeful that there will be some growth for the Trinneans, especially now that they know that there are other villages and people and ideas to learn from. I am also really hopeful that there will be a sequel to see how everything resolves!

Let me start by saying I really love the premise of this novel. It feels a little Maze Runner, a little Wizard of Oz with a bug handful of Labyrinth Lost thrown in. Early on we meet the protagonist Zadie, a Blank who has been condemned by polite society for her complete lack of Skills - In a community that reveres those with more skills, those without are treated as less and I have to say within Red Labyrinth, the prejudice is real. She is downtrodden and belittled and honestly I feel like she should have had some fight in her other than when she has to go on her quest. But she didn’t and that’s all I’m going to say about Zadie.

We also meet Landon who is Zadie’s best friend and an absolute charmer. They met when they were both in care at a young age and have been practically inseparable. He is fondly know by everyone around town as ‘Limitless Landon’ and as per his name, the number of Skills he possesses is limitless – the stopped counting at fourteen. Basically he is the heartthrob of the piece and you know his type.

Together they are kind of cute in the way that your childhood best friend is cute but you would never actually ship yourselves together because that’s gross. Or is it? Anyway Landon is super protective of his unskilled little friend and is all happiness and smiles while his best friend gets trampled all over by everyone because she is basically trash. But then he disappears and finally we have a story as her trek begins to save his in the big bad maze… Which she doesn’t enter until around 1/3 of the way through – it sits and stares at the residents of the city tempting them to enter if they dare but no one actually does except for the big baddie, Dex.

I freaking loved Dex. I wish this whole novel had been about him. He is cold and prickly and determined to let no one get in the way of him finding a Blank of his own. Also he turns into a giant black cloud and travels wherever he wants because air can get in anywhere. He’s the Big Baddie but also not and I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to squeeze him and tell him it would all be ok or pledge my sword because the people in the town are kind of terrible.

Everyone else involved in the narrative is honestly kind of forgettable except for a random chick named Nadine who has been afflicted with the blank stare of those who have entered the labyrinth. But I’ll stop there because saying much else about her is spoilers.

Now the storyline is kind of enjoyable but thoroughly predictable. I found myself comparing it to a grey-ish coloured version of Labyrinth Lost (which I absolutely love and endeavour to read once a year). Zadie is tested by various manners of beast inside the labyrinth and its actually kind of like if Labyrinth started Molly Ringwald and Ben Affleck instead of Jennifer Connelly and David Bowie – they could do the job but its just no damn fun.
I read this super quickly, clocking in at 2 hours and 5 minutes for its 352 pages because it was very superficial. Nothing seemed to have real consequence or pulled the heart strings (except for the chick who died and I flailed because her brother was broken). I’m sure there will be people out there who sing the glory of this novel but I’m fairly sure they probably don’t read much outside of The Bible and the Oxford Dictionary.

I also feel like I need to mention the ending. The ending that is like if Harry was being chased by the maze in Goblet of Fire and Cedric was about to help but then Rowling just stopped it there. Or if Sauron had gathered his army and the Hobbits were in a field having elevensies in a field and then Tolkien just left it there. It ends on such an epic cliffhanger that I wondered where the hell the rest of the novel was. This is not a regular cliffhanger either, this is a ABSOLUTELY NO THREADS ARE TIED UP WHATSOEVER type cliffhanger. I understand she may have another instalment in the works but don’t just chop a book in half and be all ‘meh. Maybe it will get published’.

So it pretty much comes down to this. Red Labyrinth is an easy and superficial read with elements similar to so many other stories, it will feel like home. The Big Baddie is the best character because he actually HAS character, Zadie and Landon – not so much. The ending was predictable (I told a friend who I thought the villain was less than ¼ of the way in. It’s both a gift and a curse) but not actually an ending whatsoever. It has its ups and downs and while not a complete train wreck, it is also not an epic fantasy. Its that middle ground which is so middling that one can only feel meh.

I was provided with an ARC of this title from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great book. The plot twist at the end surprised the heck out of me, and was completely unexpected. I was sucked into the world of the labyrinth, and on the edge of my seat at all of the close calls. The main characters were portrayed in all of their flawed glory, the quest was a masterful balancing act of selflessness and futility, and at the end I wanted to shout hallelujah in Zadie's face for finally getting a clue.

Zadie wants to save her town when everyone she knows starts walking around with the glazed look of either the possessed or a zombie. She thinks the only way to do that is to enter the maze and reach the castle so she can implore the Leader ( in my mind I am picturing Donald Sutherland in his fraudulently benevolent HG role). Her naivete and earnestness are endearing, but thank the stars she has help along the way.

Zadie's quest will have her questioning her loyalties, examining her will to persevere, and doubting the fabric of her world.

Four stars.

I swear that if there isn’t a sequel for this book, I’m going to go mad.
In the walled city of Trinnea, there are the proud owners of magical abilities. How gifted you are is written on your skin. By Zadie is a blank. She has no magical ability and was thrown outside the city walls to survive in its harshest wastelands. Only her mother’s sacrifice allows her to get back into the city, to relative safety, where she is reviled by the citizens of Trinnea. All except Landon, the most skilled Trinnean yet.
But Landon disappears into the labyrinth, populated with demons and monsters, and Zadie is the only one to remember him. She ventures into the labyrinth and makes a pact with the Devil of Trinnea- Dex to help her.
I loved this book so much. With its fantastic premise and follow through, it was breath of fresh air in the YA genre. I loved the heightened terror of the sand-demon and the trials she had to face. I loved the way her PTSD from her traumatic childhood was established and drawn on throughout. As someone with a degree in Psychology, I thought that this was masterfully done and really drew you closer to her and made you understand her motivations. I adored Dex and his back story and was kept just as on edge by their adventures as they were.
Zadie’s tenacity and determination to rescue her one and only friend were fantastic and the way that the flashbacks added to her story without detracting from her goal was just perfect. Seriously I think this is one of my favourite books of this year so far. 5 STARS!!!!!

Overall I liked this and it went by quickly when I was reading which is always something I appreciate in a book. I didn't like that the main character was down on herself so much throughout the whole thing. I also don't really like how this ended seeing as how there is no plans as of now for a sequel and this very much ends on a cliffhanger like there would be a second book. I do hope that we can get a sequel because I would love to see where things go based off of the last part of this book. Things took a very interesting twist that I really didn't see coming. At all. I loved Dex so much and
I really want more of him. I liked the "magic" system in this but I don't feel like much backstory was given on how it came about, so I wish there was more of that.

The book was very underwhelming for me. The world-building didn't feel as tight as it could have been despite it's interesting premise and after a few minute reading, the plot was really obvious in the direction it would go as far as twist are concerned.

Can I get two thumbs way up for Meredith Tate and her awesomeness? I enjoyed this book a lot.

The Red Labyrinth is a new release that came out June 4th, and is a wonderful CURRENTLY stand-alone story. I say ‘currently’ as the author has stated they’d love to write a sequel or even make this into a Trilogy.

*Thank you to Netgalley and Flux publishing for providing this book in exchange for an honest review*

The Red Labyrinth follows the story of a Zadie Kalver, who is a Blank. Blanks have no skills (magic) and they are seen as less than useful (and as people) in her small city. A city that has a Labyrinth next to it, that no one comes back from whole. If they come back at all.

So naturally our heroine has to do the one thing no one would ever recommend. Go into the Labyrinth.

Full disclosure, I love mazes and labyrinths. I read Maze Runner (not my fav personally) and I own the 80s movie Labyrinth (that IS my fav…). However, I will say this novel stands on its own very well without all my bias towards puzzles.

TO THE REVIEW!



” I am brave. I am strong. And I am not afraid. ” – Meredith Tate, The Red Labyrinth
As far as plot, this novel starts very strong. This book gave me a good dose of dystopian atmosphere and bleak outlook. The world is developed quickly and efficiently, and the pacing was excellent. I actually flew through the first half of the book in roughly one sitting. Meredith Tate does an excellent job pulling you into her world and keeping you there to discover all the characters and random clues to the overall plot. I WILL say, I was irked by the ending. Know this is currently only ONE book and not a second book planned. It’s a really big cliff hanger and I didn’t get closure. So I did leave the book unsatisfied. #beingtruthful

However, I loved the characters! Zadie is a great strong lead for the first 85% of the book and then I feel like she was mentally checked out at the end almost. (#nospoils) Landon is an interesting foil to Zadie. He’s shown as being raised in a similar situation but with all the advantages, and it really highlights how Zadie turns out the way she does. Not only that, I feel the writer gives us feeling that while Zadie cares for him, there is always that spot of resentment. It’s an interesting dynamic and I enjoyed it. As for Dex, I really enjoyed learning about our mysterious entity in the labyrinth. He was wonderfully complex and I hope we get a book two so we can learn more of his story.

Meredith Tate writes some amazing dialogue. She made me smile, smirk, and glare at the pages depending on the situation and her writing grips you and holds you till the end. The dialogue between the entities in the Labyrinth and the main characters made the book for me. The relationship of the characters made the story. I do really hope that we can get a book two and three as this story is pretty unfinished, at least to me.

Overall, I recommend this book to anyone that enjoys puzzles and fantasy books. The read was fantastic and the pacing was excellent. Yes, it does end on a cliff hanger but that doesn’t take away from the amazing writing and world created.

Overall Rating: 3.5 Stars
Plot: 3 Stars
Character Development: 3 Stars
Dialogue: 4 Stars
Writing: 4 Stars

Happy summer reading!!
~Ash

An enjoyable blend of fantasy and sci-fi. I loved the characters, Dex was my favorite and I thought Landon was complex and intriguing. Tate has a very fluid writing style and her concept of Blanks and Skills was definitely a nice twist where the NON-Magical/ones without abilities are abnormal in this case. The maze itself was so much fun to read about, part of it felt Wonderland-esque and I loved that! Our main MC is struggling to find her strength in a world full of others who have amazing abilities and watching her grow is amazing. This is a great read if you enjoy dystopia and/or fantasy and I was surprised by how quickly I read it.

I hope there are more books for this but if not, the ending was done pretty well and it was a very enjoyable read for me.

I wanted to like this book but it was way to under developed. The romance was forced and the plot sequence was all over the place. It also fell into the villain giving a “evil plan” speech and over explaining every detail in a ridiculous monologue. I was hoping for something better.

Thank you Netgalley and North Star Editions for an arc copy of The Red Labyrinth in exchange for an honest review

Ever since I was small, one of my favorite movies was The Labyrinth, and so ever since then I have always been intrigued with labyrinths. Also, growing up watching the shining and the end where they are in the maze (labyrinth), I absolutely love watching or reading about the fear of getting out of those. I have never done one but I have wanted to do the one near me every Halloween but I have not go the nerve up yet. Thinks creep on then inside of those labyrinths. LOL

This book brought an entire new fear of the labyrinth. I mean come on, would you trust a villain when you are trying to get though a maze yourself?? Not me! I would fear every turn I made that the villain would show its very true colors. That is why they are villains.

I highly enjoyed this book! I highly recommend this read. There is something about the fear of those creepy labyrinths.

I am looking forwards to reading more by this author!

I request this thinking I would like the scifi aspect but it was not for me. I am over books that seem dystopian inspired. Sadly I was not happy with this book but its due to my own taste and nothing more

The massive labyrinth was built to protect Zadie Kalverstein's isolated desert town. Unfortunately, living in the maze's shadow makes her feel anything but safe. Even without its enchanted deathtraps and illusions, a mysterious killer named Dex lurks in its corridors, terrorizing anyone in his path. But when Zadie's best friend vanishes into the labyrinth-and everyone mysteriously forgets he exists- completing the maze becomes her only hope of saving him. In desperation, Zadie bribes the only person who knows the safe path through-Dex-into forming a tenuous alliance.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review through Netgalley. I love books and movies about labyrinths and mazes, as you can see from some of my other reviews from the last year. The summary added some extra suspense to the book and the cover was absolutely stunning so I was excited to see if this book introduced some exciting and new elements to the labyrinth genre.

The characters in the book were well developed and all had small secrets that added to their interest for me. The main character, Zadie, could be a bit self-defeating at times, but had good reason to feel that way, as she’s had a tough life up until the start of the novel and things only go down from there. Her love interest and best friend, Landon, is missing for most of the novel, so it’s was difficult to say if he was well rounded at first. And, of course, I don’t want to spoil anything, but I can guarantee he is an intriguing and complex character as well. However, my favorite character was probably the murderous and mysterious Dex, it was fun getting to know him and his secrets as the book unfolded.

The setting was a fun and unique twist on the labyrinth genre. Zadie’s home is a town in the dessert, the only one left after a horrible apocalyptic event. And many of the occupants are called “Skilled” for the powers that they have, some have one, and others have five or more. Except Zadie and the other unfortunate “Blanks” that have no powers at all. The extra magic in the setting really sold me on the book and enhanced the plot. However, I wish the author had spent just a bit more time with descriptions, as there were many scenes that I had trouble picturing and would have liked to “see” more of what Zadie and Dex saw.

The plot made this book was quick read. After the first few chapters, I was completely hooked into the story and was able to finish the book in just a weekend. The labyrinth throws lots of obstacles in Zadie’s way that kept the story interesting, in addition to the human drama. There were many twists in the book and I can’t say that they were all surprising, but I still appreciated the switches in the plot. The book doesn’t end perfectly, and sets up the reader for a sequel, but was still surprising and satisfying.

The Red Labyrinth is a fast-paced and exciting novel that adds a lot to the labyrinth genre. I enjoyed the characters, the magic elements and the twists in the plot. While I was hoping for a more conclusive ending, I was still satisfied and will definitely be keeping an eye out for the sequel.

Author: Meredith Tate
Date Started: 18/05/2019
Date Finished:20/05/2019
Pages: 352
Star Rating: ✪✪✪✪.5

Publication date: 4th June 2019

This book was sent to me via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis from NetGalley

To save the hero, she'll have to team up with the villain. But in the labyrinth, nothing is as it seems.

The massive labyrinth was built to protect Zadie Kalvers' isolated desert town. Unfortunately, living in the maze's shadow makes her feel anything but safe. Even without its enchanted deathtraps and illusions, a mysterious killer named Dex lurks in its corridors, terrorizing anyone in his path.

But when Zadie's best friend vanishes into the labyrinth-and everyone mysteriously forgets he exists- completing the maze becomes her only hope of saving him. In desperation, Zadie bribes the only person who knows the safe path through-Dex-into forming a tenuous alliance.

Navigating a deadly garden, a lethal blood-filled hourglass, and other traps-with an untrustworthy murderer for her guide-Zadie's one wrong step from certain death. But with time running out before her friend (and secret crush) is lost forever, Zadie must reach the exit and find him. If Dex and the labyrinth don't kill her first.

My thoughts: 

This story isn't really unique but it was written really well. I really enjoyed Meredith's writing style. I was gripped by the story from the beginning.

I thought the book was paced just right and I really understood the world and why events were happening as they were. The right amount of information from the characters was released at the right times to keep the story going as it needed to.

I really enjoyed the main character Zadie, I thought she was a strong girl and her only downside was that she relied on her friend Landon far too much, but I understand why she did. I thought her character grew to learn her true worth throughout and I really liked that

The friendships and the relationships which developed throughout the books, in my opinion where done just right, there may have been a tiny bit of a quick relationship blossoming between two characters but it was cringy nor did it take away anything from the story. I think it allowed the characters to grow.

I did kinda guess the twist but I didn't think it would happen how it did so it got me there. I did like how everything came together at the end but I really hope there is more to the story coming in the future.

I am brave.

I am strong and I am not afraid. 

Have you read this book, let me know what you thought in the comments below.

-Happy reading
xoxo

Title: The Red Labyrinth
Author: Meredith Tate
Genre: YA, dystopian
Rating: 4.2 out of 5

As one of the unskilled, Zadie Kalver is treated like trash by the skilled. She wishes she had one tiny power—anything—to make people hater her less. Her small desert town lies in the shadow of the labyrinth—a massive maze built to protect the town—filled with death traps and enchantments, and a killer named Dax who snatches those who wander too close.

When Zadie’s best friend disappears and everyone forgets he even existed, she knows something is going on. And the only person who might be able to help her lives at the heart of the maze. Her only hope is an uneasy truce with the murdering Dex, the one person familiar with the labyrinth. They’ll have to avoid all the deadly traps inside—and keep from killing each other—if they are ever to get back the people they’re searching for.

I read this straight through in one sitting. The world, harsh as it was, fascinated me, and Zadie is a character I’d like to hang out with. I can’t imagine the strength it would take to survive what she’s been through, on top of being abused and treated like trash for being unskilled. She starts off a little naïve, but she grows quickly as a character, making this a riveting read.

Meredith Tate has a master’s degree in social work and now lives in Switzerland. The Red Labyrinth is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Flux via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)

I want to thank Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book. In this book we followed our main character Zadie who is a blank (who has no skilled, basically abilities) she is bullied by the skilled people. Blanks are treated very low and is abused by their skilled people. Most blanks are slaves to a mean Warden who takes them in and most work for her in the mines to pay her back. Most blanks does not survive the mines are killed or killed by the warden. There is also a massive labyrinth was built to protect isolated desert town where Zadie lives. But this labyrinth is deadly and dangerous and whoever's enter it would not be the same person. Zadie best friend vanished into the labyrinth and she must go to save him. She team up with a villain to save her friend. I really enjoy this book and can't wait to read more.... there must be a sequel to this book

The publisher, Flux: North Star Editions, kindly offered me an advanced reader copy (ARC) of The Red Labyrinth by Meredith Tate via NetGalley. Yet, this is an honest review of the book expressing my humble opinion.

The Red Labyrinth is a delightful YA fantasy with a unique world-building and many interesting plot twists. I haven't read a book that is remotely similar to this one. The world-building is fresh, original, and more details kept popping up in and out of the labyrinth. I really liked her take on this. The world-building really stands out in this book.

The plot twists were maaaaany, and although I had some idea that something wasn't as it seemed, the twists were unpredictable and keep the reader on their toes, so to speak. The main character had gone through a lot in her life, and it was very easy to root for her to succeed against all odds. I understood her character development now that I read the whole book, but I just couldn't get into her character in the beginning of the book in regards to Landon. I can't say more without giving spoilers, but if you keep reading, the main character becomes more and more interesting and by the time she goes inside the labyrinth, I like her and I truly root for her journey.

Overall, the world-building is original and unique, the plot twists many, and I recommend this book. I enjoyed it a lot, and I hope there's a sequel on the way because THAT ENDING, AHHH!

4 stars – ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Author: Meredith Tate
Publisher: Flux: North Star Editions

The blurb won me over with the similarities to David Bowie's Labyrinth (I totally self-inserted as Sarah and swooned over the Goblin King as a teen!) and aside from that, I am a sucker for enemies-to-lovers plotlines, so I was super keen to read this. But unfortunately the book failed to hook me. It seems to have been popular with other readers so I hate to say that it missed the mark for me, but I'm going to be honest, I really struggled reading this. 

FYI, our heroine Zadie doesn't enter the titular labyrinth until 'Part 2', which was 32% on my e-ARC. So if you're impatient for the adventure that was promised, be prepared to settle in for the long haul as it doesn't happen until a third of the way in, which I think is the definition of problematic pacing. I don't need thrills and chills if there is solid world-building or strong characterization to latch onto instead, but The Red Labyrinth was a letdown on both fronts for me.

It fell into the trap of 'telling, not showing' with dry info-dumps and yet it also didn't provide enough information. We're told about the division between the Skilled and the Blanks, the Leader who is all-powerful and controls their resources, but there was no context for these details. How does the Leader maintain his hold over the population when he is so far removed from them? I could understand if he ruled by fear because he could withhold water which is their most precious resource, but instead he is set up as an omnipotent and benevolent ruler who is worshiped by all ('Praise the Leader'). But he only communicates via hologram because his palace is at the end of a deadly labyrinth, one which holds dangers that have claimed many lives, and yet NOBODY holds him accountable for this? And you think people would be more resentful of him for not freely distributing water to them rather than being super grateful for the one day a year he grants free water. Revolutions in real life have started over less, and that's without the benefit of superpowers!

Apparently there are only wastelands beyond Trinnea where the rest of humanity perished in the drought and only the Skilled survived, which is the basis of Blank persecution - yet there is somehow a thriving Blank population right outside the Trinnean border. If everyone else in the world supposedly died, and only occasional Blanks are born to the Skilled who live charmed lives in Trinnea, how is there enough of them to fill up an entire town complete with a large mining industry? They live in squalor and misery in the worst conditions imaginable, but when Landon and Valerie are left orphaned, apparently the ONLY possible solution is to send these precious Skilled children out to the wastes and house them in the mining bunks with the loathsome Blanks? Not one person in the entire city could find a couch for them? So much just doesn't make sense here. 

Then there's the interminable flashbacks to establish Zadie's history and her relationship with various characters. I'm not a fan of flashbacks in general and certainly not to the extent they're employed here. I much prefer that we grasp the dynamics between characters by seeing them interact and that we gather the details of a protagonist's backstory more organically than by having her reminisce over several pages about a memory triggered by gazing into someone's eyes. 

All this aside, I could've still found the book appealing if I bought the characters as realistic and three-dimensional...but that wasn't to be. Zadie was a passive protagonist by nature as she lacked Skills, which cast her in the damsel in distress role, but I don't blame her for that, the problem is that she could've been more. If she only used her brain and reasoning skills, she could've been more independent, but instead time after time, she disregarded instructions meant to help her, she willfully walked into danger and put her own life in jeopardy for no reason at all. She's the kind of person that if you tell them not to touch the big red button that says 'self-destruct', she will IMMEDIATELY proceed to do so and then act surprised when it brings about impending doom. 

Dex has no need for introductions to Zadie as  his reputation as the 'Devil of Trinnea' precedes him, and he constantly tells her that he's no hero, that he's motivated out of self-interest...yet he does something that she disagrees with and her response is to rant at him for being a 'monster' and then fall into his arms and sob into his chest. The mind boggles. A real monster would've slit her throat in an instant instead of holding her. Zadie didn't need to have a Skill to be a decent protagonist, I don't expect her to be able to fight off skeleton hordes on her own or anything, but this kind of behavior just doesn't seem remotely believable and makes her seem shallow and insubstantial as a character. 

Funnily enough, the best thing about this book for me was something that polarized other readers! I really appreciated Landon's arc and how cleverly the author subverted the usual love interest trope with him. I rolled my eyes at first at how cliche he appeared, but that was the whole point! I fell for it, I admit, I really had the wool pulled over my eyes. I just wish that Zadie was given as much nuance and subtlety as Landon. 

I must warn you that the book finishes on a cliffhanger and that at present, there is no established plan for a sequel. The author has indicated her interest in writing another book, but the publisher hasn't given the go-ahead, so prepare yourself to turn the last page and shriek at the way it ends because there is no resolution or closure.