Shadow City was just as fun, unique, and action-packed as Diamond City was. Aina Solis has wrested control of the criminal empire started by her old mentor Kohl. She should have nothing to fear, but she cannot escape the shadow of the man who plucked her out of obscurity and made her the assassin she is. She also can't escape a vengeful general hell-bent on destroying Aina and her friends, and bringing on a new civil war. As Aina sets out to destroy her enemies, she finds that the only way to protect her home and the people important to her is to align herself with the one person with the power to destroy her--Kohl himself. Filled with high stakes and lots of betrayal, Shadow City is the stunning conclusion to Aina's story began in Diamond City, and the question becomes whether Aina can save her city without becoming everything she fears.
This duology truly doesn't get enough hype. I love it. It has everything. All of the characters are morally grey in the best of ways, forced to do things for the good of their city and those they love even though it may not be considered "right." I loved getting deeper into the complex nature of Aina's relationship with Kohl, and watching her wrestle with feelings for a toxic and controlling person. Relationships are messy and tangled things, and no more so than an emotionally abusive relationship, and Flores does a really good job navigating her main character through all of that. I really loved seeing Aina and her friends work together to stop Beautix and Kohl. And Teo. His journey made me want to cry, and then I was happy again. I did feel a little unclear on the magic in this one, although I think that has a lot to do with how much time has passed since I read the first book. But pacing, world-building, and compelling characters made this a really strong follow up to Diamond City. Shadow City is a story about learning to live with every part of yourself--both good and the bad--and differentiating between true love and affection, and control.

Spoiler free review! This book is simply amazing. I enjoyed the suspense throughout the book and the way the author really brings out the characters. If you like thrillers, I would definitely recommend this book!

Ok I’m not going to send a review Of this book because I haven’t read the first book and didn’t realize it was a series when I requested. I just loved the look of the cover and the blurb sounded amazing - assassins and hijinks. I am now planning to seek out the first book and hope to revisit this book soon

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy!

First, thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an arc of this book.

Shadow City is the second book in the duology of The City of Steel and Diamond by Francesca Flores.

Aina as fough hard and is now to the top of of criminal ranks in the city of Kosín. But Kohl, the man who try to ruin her life, her old boss, will do anything to claim his empire back. She will need to kill him, before he kill her. But another person is set to get revenge on her and will destroy everything in his way to get powers back after Aina have revealed is corruption and made him losing his seat in the government. With a civil war coming their way, Aina will have no other choice to join with Kohl if they want to stop Bautix before its to late.

I have really loves this serie.

To start off, I read a manuscript of Diamond City on August 6, 2019 after winning an advance copy from Goodreads back in April 2019... so it's been a while since I read the first book. And, since it was a manuscript, there might have been a lot of changes between that draft and the final version.

With that thought in mind, I loved this sequel. Flores takes us back to Kosín after Aina has managed to steal the Dom out from under Kohl's nose and Bautix is fighting for control. I have always loved Aina as a character and loved the premise of a guild of assassins working together to take over the city. It's just such a cool premise. Mix that with some blood magic and I'm sold!

As we move along with the story, I had to remember who certain characters were. We have Teo and Tannis - friends of Aina who followed her when she took over the Dom. Ryuu, who's brother was the catalyst for the action-packed events that lead to Aina's showdown with Kohl. And of course, Beautix - a Steel politician working to take over control of the city. 

I think I got the main cast there! After strolling down memory lane (which did take me a few chapters to catch up), I could focus on the main plot. While I was screaming at the book for Aina not to trust Kohl and work with him, unfortunately the characters couldn't hear me. I had to watch Aina make all the classic mistakes and just suffer through it. I was not happy. 

But along with this suffering came romance that I was not expecting, but loved nonetheless! I really liked how Flores set up Aina's love life and gave her some decent options. In between the romance and the deception, was all of the action. I love the way Flores writes her fight scenes. They feel so intense and I catch myself holding my breath as Aina fights her way through every situation. 

Overall, I really loved this sequel and I was happy with almost everything that happened in the book! I can't wait to read more from her and while I'm sad that Aina's story is over, I thought it ended in a blaze of glory, fit for our assassin queen!

To be completely honest, I hadn’t even read the first book in this duology when I found the eARC of SHADOW CITY set to “Read Now” on Netgalley. But I love publisher Wednesday Books, so I downloaded the digital galley anyway and then started reading DIAMOND CITY to prepare for this exciting conclusion.

SHADOW CITY starts where DIAMOND CITY left off, so it’s easy to orient yourself despite being thrown into immediate action. And I must say, there was a lot of action in this book. At a certain point, I even found myself skimming over some of the action scenes. 😬

Actually, the pacing felt so much more bogged down than the first book that it took me almost two months to finish reading this book. This could be because we are in the middle of a pandemic and I’m in a bit of a reading slump; but I would also attribute the slow pace to the fact that, until the climax, the characters just . . . don’t seem to get anywhere in their attempts to stop Bautix. Many of the scenes and settings almost felt repetitive in this way. Of course, their failures and Bautix’s retaliations then up the stakes, which does make you want to find out what happens next . . . I don’t know. The pace is something I can’t quite put into words yet.

That being said, if you look at the plot as a whole, the sequence of events are spaced evenly and feel natural as they build upon one another and set the stage for Aina to grow as a character as she grapples with all of the trials she must face. And Aina’s biggest struggle? Kohl.

Aina’s relationship with Kohl is, by far, the star of this book. (In fact, the conflict between Aina and Kohl took precedence, and one of my main criticisms is how Aina’s other relationships felt like they were being put on the back-burner. I would have loved to see Aina spending more time with, and connecting to, her friends—Teo, Ryuu, Tannis, Raurie, Mirran.) I can’t speak for the representation of abuse and toxicity, but, I have to say, Aina’s relationship with Kohl was so complex and nuanced and twisted. Their back and forth was gripping and I simply could not wait to see what would happen next. Would Aina kill Kohl? Would Kohl betray Aina? Would Aina choose Kohl over Teo (or any other romantic interest)? I had so. many. questions.

And Aina answered all of them. The most readers ever get into Aina’s head is when she’s thinking about Kohl and how he overshadows her whole life. She’s still a flawed badass who will do everything to save her city, but we really get to know Aina through her mental and emotional (and, let’s face it, physical) turmoil over the course of SHADOW CITY.

I think my biggest issue with this story, though, as other reviewers have said, is how the magic is not used to its full potential. I thought it would play a bigger role, but it ends up being more of a convenience for Aina rather than a weapon. Maybe this is because of Aina’s faith (or lack thereof); but if that’s the case, then I really wanted to see her grapple with her beliefs and her family’s religion. I just think there was much more to explore in terms of plot and world-building when it came to the addition of magic in Aina’s arsenal.

If there was one word to describe this book, it would be *intense*. There there are countless action scenes, there is gritty writing, there are plot twists (only one of which I guessed outright at the first mention of foreshadowing), and there is a strong premise that propels the plot and the characters through this strong conclusion to the The City of Diamond and Steel duology.

**I will post my review on Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and will update my Netgalley feedback with these links, after the title releases in January.**

Shadow City (The City of Diamond and Steel, #2)
by Francesca Flores
I only wish i had read the first one, since there is references to a lot of prior events. The book does not lose the new reader because of this but it just hints at things that happened before that the active mind of this reader would like to have seen. The book is very very dark, and has many many violent altercations i would only recommend for 8th grade and up. The story is remarkable in its own right. The struggles and triumphs of the characters pulls the reader in, and causes you to accept the need for the violence. This is a story of an Apocalyptic literature, just warning.

This was an incredible whirlwind read and a fantastic end to this duology. The representation of both Latinx and LGBTQ+ characters is wonderful and authentic, and the entire story is built with suspense and action-packed scenes.

Shadow city picks up right after the 1st novel full of angst andaction everywhere. Alina fought hard to take control of her home from her enemy and now as things progress it leads to a unwanted alliance.

I am sad to see this series go but the ending is more than what I could of asked for. In terms of wrapping up Aina's story the book did her justice. Things to love about this book were that it was action packed. incredibly bloody and a strong female lead.

Shadow City is the finale to the City of Diamond and Steel Duology, and it picks up right where we left off in Diamond City, smack dab in the middle of the action! Alina fought hard to take control of her home from her old boss, but now, with a new war brewing, she's got no choice but to work with him again... Tensions are high and the witty banter and breathtaking scenery descriptions keep you moving through this story at a fast clip, and despite it being the final book in a world that this reviewer really wishes she could return to, Flores wrapped Alina's story beautifully and Shadow City was a satisfying conclusion that kept me turning the pages well into the night. I can't wait to see what Flores does next!

Summary:
The stunning action-packed conclusion to The City of Diamond and Steel duology.

Aina Solís has fought her way to the top of criminal ranks in the city of Kosín by wresting control of an assassin empire owned by her old boss, Kohl. She never has to fear losing her home and returning to life on the streets again—except Kohl, the man who tried to ruin her life, will do anything to get his empire back. Aina sets out to kill him before he can kill her.

But Alsane Bautix, the old army general who was banned from his seat in the government after Aina revealed his corruption, is working to take back power by destroying anyone who stands in his way. With a new civil war on the horizon and all their lives at risk, the only way for Aina to protect her home is to join up with the only other criminal more notorious than her: Kohl himself.

As Bautix’s attacks increase, Aina and Kohl work together to stop his incoming weapons shipments and his plans to take back the Tower of Steel. To defeat them both, Aina will resort to betrayal, poison, and a deadly type of magic that hasn’t been used in years.

Through narrow alleys, across train rooftops, and deep in the city’s tunnels, Aina and Kohl will test each other’s strengths and limits, each of them knowing that once Bautix is dead, they’ll still have to face each other. If she manages to kill him, she’ll finally have the freedom she wants—but it might forever mark her as his shadow in a city where only the strongest survive.

Honest Review:
Flores is the author I wish had been around when I was a teen. Her voice and style are a much-needed breath of fresh air in the genre.
Her characters are morally ambiguous and every bit intriguing, the plot moves accordingly while having unpredictable turns along the way, and the dialogue is pretty exceptional.
I found this conclusion to be epic, action-packed, emotionally gutting and gut-churning. My favorite books are the ones that explore the shades of gray between self-righteousness and evil. I also super enjoy themes of betrayal, specifically when it is those closest to the protagonist that are twisting the knife of betrayal.
While this duology is complete, I cannot wait to read the next stories Flores has planned.

Truly sad to see this duology go but I couldn't image it ending any other way. Even though I enjoyed the first book a bit more this was still everything I could have hoped for in terms of wrapping up Aina's story.

Things to love about this:

-action packed
-so incredibly bloody
-filled with lots of tension
-badass females
-found family trope
-did i mention so incredibly bloody?

I'm genuinely curious to know what the final death count in this series is because I have NEVER encountered a book with so much murder....and I'm not mad about it either.

I thought this book was amazing! The plot, the characters, the action. Everything. We're introduced to some new characters and the previous characters just get more fleshed out and the relationship between them all is amazing. The main character Aina is bi and there is a f/f relationship in this book! I really enjoyed where the story went after the events of the first one! Aina is such an intricate and complex character who questions what she has been taught and whether its the right thing to do or not, and I enjoyed getting to see her growth in this book. This series is really underrated and I would really recommend checking it out!

I kind of backed myself into a corner with this one. I didn't much enjoy the first book, but had already committed myself to reading this one, I read it anyway, with very low expectations. Those expectations were pretty much on par.

I'm not sure what it is really about these books, or this author, for me. I can definitely understand the appeal for other people. The plots are intriguing enough, but the characters and the world-building don't really do it for me.

In this book, Aina and the gang have to join up with bad-guy Kohl to overthrow worse bad-guy Bautix. They turn to forbidden magic and some other hair-brained ideas to do so. So, it's not surprising when things go south.

I did think showing more of the magic in this one was pretty interesting, even if I was still a little lost in the world. Two books later and I still don't fully understand the class systems and religions and whatever else there was.

Aina and Kohl's relationship was honestly one of the most interesting in Diamond City and that continued in this one. Although I have to say, it kind of got icky for me. Since the beginning, I was picturing Kohl as several years older than he actually is, even after I realized he wasn't. But whatevs.

Overall, I think if you really enjoyed Diamond City (and didn't so much mind the confusing world and magic system and characters that you don't always care deeply about), then you'd enjoy this one, too.

Since I had read the first one why not finish this. This one is filled with alot of action that keeps the pages turning. This will also have magic in it that will have it popping. The two that do team up have you watching them closely to see how they survive. The one though for the reason you really read this is true grit. Interesting too since this is usually not the type of story I do read much anymore.

* I was provided an arc by NetGalley in exchange for a review*

I loved the first book in this duology and have to say the final book was great too! . It picks up almost immediately after the first book ended and drag you right back into the chaos and madness that is this city. Aina is faced with immense betrayal and with war blooming, the politics in this book are perhaps more prevalent than in the first. There is still a lot of action and then there’s The Twist and oh it is a good one! Ultimately, this book is a great conclusion to the story.

Shadow City is the second and final installment in author Francesca Flores The City of Diamond and Steel duology. The story picks up where Diamond City left off. Aina Solis is our main character for this series. She's a former top level assassin who has wrestled control of a criminal empire from her former boss, Kohl. The man who turned her world upside down, and then rebuilt her in what he thought an assassin should be. Aina, Teo, Raurie, Tannis, Ryuu, Hirai, and Lill are trying to keep Alsane Bautix, the old army general who was banned from his seat in the government, from taking back his power by force and destroying everyone who stands in his way.

14 years after the first Civil War ended, another one is brewing on the horizon. Because of everything that could go wrong, Aina decides to once again align herself with Kohl to protect her home. Regardless of the fact she defeated him and the two always had a legitimately toxic connection, she has trouble shaking feelings for him. He found her when she was on the street's high on glue. He was the one who gave her a fresh new pair of shoes. He was the one who offered her a chance at becoming leader of her own tradehouse.

Even though she believes one of them will eventually end up killing the other, she ends up working with him against Bautix, who Aina ousted by revealing his corruption. Aina, though, isn't safe. There are plenty of people who would love to kill her and take the power she has fairly won. Aina and her allies have to deal with Diamond Guards who are sweeping the country looking for magic users called Inosen. Half the people in the country believe Bautix is a hero for wanting to eliminate the Inosen.

Aina's parents were Inosen. They were healers before they were murdered. Aina should have the same healing ability, but her emotions allow for something a bit more dangerous. Blood magic. The only problem is the more you use the distorted magic, the less you are able to heal yourself. But Aina first needs to defeat Bautix and others who have allied with him. She has to protect her own people now that she's in charge of new recruits. She has to deal with her emotions with Tannis, as well as Teo. Tannis and Aina are a good team, but Aina's secrets may shattered everything they've worked so hard to gain.

There's barely any downtime in the book, as most of the time someone is either fighting for their life. Aina and Kohl’s relationship is worrisome at times. It’s that relationship that is so toxic that you wonder why in the hell you are actually thinking they would make a pretty decent couple except for all the past baggage they carry. I think the only troubling thing about this story is the lack of Aina using her blood magic that she wanted so badly. At any point, Aina could have been the deadliest person in this entire world. She could have easily done what needed to be done.

Was there a cost associated from using so much power? Absolutely. But I don't think we would have had the heart breaking losses. Aina is still a flawed character but her abilities with a blade make her a badass. We really get to know Aina through her mental and emotional and physical turmoil over the course of this story. I don't think the magical system this world was used to it's fullest. As I said, Aina learns how to use blood magic, but fails to use it at key moments.

A story of revenge. In the first book of this series, Aina Solis becomes an orphan, when her parents are murdered in front of her. She survives on the street until a man named Kohl takes her in and teaches her to be an assassin. She later defeats Kohl and takes over his trade house.

In this installment, Kohl wants his trade house back and will do anything. Aina teams up with another ex-member of Kohl's crew to defend the house and bring in new recruits. However, there is a bigger threat in that the old army general, Bautix, wants to rule the land. Kohl and Aina team up to defeat Bautix, while Aina also plans to murder Kohl after Bautix is defeated. This is a fast-paced story with a couple of twists. A very enjoyable end to the series. Although I read Diamond City and then this book, I think someone could read this as a stand-alone.

Shadow City continues where Diamond City left off. A duology revolving around a network of thieves and assassins all fighting to be the King of the Shadow City. The original battle between the competing criminal groups has fallen but a new threat has been added when the corrupt general exposed by our group decides he will take the city for himself.
Francesca Flores has done an excellent job of building and maintaining a credible community of criminals dedicated to protecting each other, sort of. After all, who wouldn't want to be King? The world building she accomplished in the first book is built upon in this second book. All the visuals we had in the first book return with more detail and the tension built when former enemies must join together to defeat the worst of them all. An excellent tale you will be thinking and talking about long after the story ends.

Interesting premise. Likable/hated characters. Cool plot. I would recommend this story to others. Some spots I found that didn't hold my attention, but overall, I still liked it.