*Review will be posted on my blog on 1/4/21*
**3.5 STARS**
I Liked:
*World building ~ We are back in the city of Kosin. It is a city run by gangs. Aina finally has broken free of Kohl, The Blood King. and is running her own gang. But is she really free of him? We return to the gritty streets of Kosin and it’s rough as ever.

*Aina and Kohl, it’s the two of them that really pull the story along because they are complicated. Kohl knows how to get under her skin and I was just hoping Aina doesn’t fall for his lies again. It’s a back and forth between them and you wonder how it ends between them.

*The crew is back and we see Ryuu, Teo, Tannis and Lil. I think they keep Aina level headed and I like that she has them around her.

*It’s a dark story because there is abuse and it also has a whole lot of action. The killing kind. There is a lot of killing, daggers in throats, throats being sliced but I like that Aina doesn’t hesitate…except when it comes to Kohl. But she works through all those emotions in this book.

Random Notes:
*The magic aspect seemed to take sort of a backseat in this one. There is a few chapters in the middle of the book that deals with learning the magic and it comes in handy in the final battle, but other than that – I wondered if it was even needed in the story. They barely knew how to use the magic so it would have been nice to the magic being explored and used much more.

*I would have liked more about the side characters because they were such a big part of book one. They help her in this book, but I felt like I was just drawn to Kohl and Aina so much more than her friends.

*Triggers: violence, killing, abuse

Final Thoughts:
I enjoyed this duology because it was dark and had lots of action. Aina is a girl who had to overcome grief, glue addiction, and being under Kohl’s thumb for years. Seeing her break free and find her power was great. If you like young adult crime fantasy, you may enjoy this series.

In this episode, I was on the edge of my seat...

Friends, friends, friends.

Welcome back to Teatime Reading where there are books in progress. Last year, I found myself compelled by the harsh dystopian landscape of Kosín and the fragile violence of Aina Solís in Diamond City, the excellent novel by Francesca Flores.

The cat and mouse game was escalated in the sequel titled Shadow City and I was here for every second. I’m not positive whether this is the last book in a two-book series, or whether it is the middle book in a trilogy.

Either way, though, Aina continued to develop in interesting ways. The larger fights that were hinted at in the first book roared into life with this one. Aina’s devilish assassin and criminal mentor Kohl returned in this story to loom large over the machinations and storylines.

Ultimately, Shadow City felt just as focused as Diamond City, but the dynamic was larger than two people. This time there was a society and freedom on the line. I think that I was really satisfied with the conclusion of this story. The more that I think about it, the more that Shadow City feels like the end of the story.

I’d like to be wrong and it would be great to be back here reviewing the third book in the series, but it feels like this could be the satisfying end to a compelling adventure that kept me on the edge of my seat from the first page to the last.

That’s all for today. I absolutely can recommend both Diamond City as well as Shadow City and I hope you find them intriguing and entertaining.

Until next time, keep your bookmarks close.

Peace, Love, Pages.

Note: As Always, Affiliate Links are here for your convenience at no cost to you. All reading was at my own expense.

I received a copy of this book from Wednesday Books and Netgalley.

This action-packed thrill ride begins right after the first book with our heroine Aina taking over from the Blood King.

I liked this one even more than the first book.

Book 2 picks up right where Aina's world was when we left her. The city is in danger, our heroine is gritty, capable, and handling danger right and left. This duology is a fast-paced adventure and worth every second of your attention.

This book proved to be a quick enjoyable read. Great for a rainy weekend. The story moves at a good pace. However I would have liked a bit more depth to the characters. The characters frequently left me reaching for something more.. Occasionally the lack was enough to disrupt the flow of the story. I’ll definitely give further works by this author a try.

Unraveling the threads of secrets and plots for power consume attention, and lives, in Shadow City by Francesca Flores.

Having secured her status in the city’s criminal ranks and taken leadership of those who were under the thumb of the Blood King, Kohl, Aina’s proven herself to be an effective leader. But Kohl has suddenly returned and wants to get his empire back; given that he and Aina have a common enemy in the corrupt Bautix, Kohl proposes an arrangement where he and Aina work together again – an alliance that will end with one of them dead after they eliminate Bautix. With the fate of the city’s, and its people’s, freedom and survival at stake, Aina’s strength and relationships are tested as she devises a plan of action toward solidifying a better future.

This installment contained ample amounts of action within the world that was previously established for these characters, but the story didn’t pull me as easily or consistently in like Diamond City did. There was still intrigue around the politics at play as it intertwined with the societal factors explored in the first book; however, the pacing of the narrative was uneven as it slowly unraveled the motivations behind Kohl and Aina’s actions to take down Bautix and their renewed, yet tenuous, alliance but was then followed by bouts of rapid, destructive, and intense, if seemingly out of nowhere, action scenes. Relationships, in their various forms, were a key part of being able to advance the plot by placing characters on the board where they’d serve the greatest function and I again appreciate how the romantically leaning relationships were handled – namely that they were humanizing parts of a character’s larger whole instead of an all-encompassing focus. The use of magic was explained in more detail in this part, which was fascinating and I think it would have been more interesting to explore this aspect of the world in greater depth.

Overall, I’d give it a 3 out of 5 stars.

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Once again, Flores brings us into a gritty, unapologetic underworld where anything goes. Aina's challenges are harder, but she has new partners at her side to help her meet them--and old enemies. I loved how seamlessly things picked up right where we left off with Diamond City, and the ending here felt incredibly earned.

Shadow City picks up not too long after Diamond City leaves off, and wow what a killer sequel!

Aina vs. Bautix, Aina vs. Kohl, new alliances, more magic... what more can you ask for?!

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Shadow City is the sequel to Diamond City. While I absolutely loved every page the first book gave me, I unfortunately didn't feel the same diving into this book. Don't get me wrong, the beginning started off pretty well. I just felt like I was getting so much information that just wasn't interesting to me.

Ugh, then there's Kohl and I just don't trust the guy.

Luckily for me, my baby Teo was alive and kicking. There's just something about him that needs to be protected at all costs. He's the love of my life and I am still secretly shipping him and Aina together. Besides them, the gang is still sort of here and boy - do they go through a lot of crap together.

In the end, each twist and page kept me chugging along. I will admit that I'm still a little confused about the ending.. but I am just going to worry about that another day.

This is the sequel and final book in The City of Diamond and Steel duology. It picks up pretty soon after the first book ended, with Aina and Tannis taking over Kohl's trade house. War is on the horizon, now that Beautix has been exposed, he's gearing up to take over the country. Kohl returns to Aina and asks her to ally with him to take the general down and despite her reluctance, she agrees.

From the beginning I didn't believe Kohl and wanted Aina to refuse his alliance. Unfortunately, even though she hates him for what he did, she also still harbors some feelings for him. I was rooting for Aina and Teo to get together, he's a good guy and has cared for her for a long time. I did enjoy the group: Raurie, Tannis, Ryuu, Teo, and Lill. They're good friends and they all bring strengths to the table. There are also a few romantic pairings that I enjoyed seeing flourish.

Though there's a lot of action, there are also a lot of politics and back and forth between Aina and Kohl. I thought it slowed down the pacing and was hoping for more of the group bond and the magic. There is a crazy twist that I didn't see coming and I got a bit upset, but by the end I was good. Everything did wrap up nicely, with no loose threads.

I received this advanced copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Book: Shadow City
Author: Francesca Flores
Rating: 5 Out of 5 Stars

I would like to thank the publisher, Wednesday Books, for sending me an ARC.

I was super excited whenever Wednesday Books reached out and offered an ARC to me. I loved Diamond City and could not wait to find out how it actually ended. I will say that this second book equals, if not betters, the first book. I loved that it picked right up where the first book left off and did not leave us lacking for anything. I loved the action and getting to actually see the characters struggle with how they viewed each other. I was just wowed at how strong of a finish we actually got from this series.

Let’s start out by talking about the characters. If you are looking for a relationship that very similar to that of the Giisha Trilogy, then this is the series for you. I love Aina and Kohl’s relationship. It’s that relationship that you shouldn’t love as much as you do, but you can’t help yourself. I found myself drawn to them and wanting them to achieve. I wanted them to actually work out whatever it was between them and everything be okay. You are going care about these characters to the point that it’s kind of crazy. I felt so much for these characters, which is a great thing to have in a book. You have to make your reader feel something for your characters if you want your book to succeed, you have to make us feel something for your characters. I really felt something for them and they have been in my mind for some time now. I like how complex they were and how no one was completely innocent. I like it whenever my characters are morally grey. It makes them have a certain element to them that I relaly like.

The writing and world building was also solid. Francesca’s writing style is one that will capture you right away and you will want to keep reading to find out what is going to happen. The amount of work that was put into this book really comes out. There is not a word out of place; everything flows together very nicely and keeps you guessing. I kind of saw the ending coming-not all of it though. That little twist at the end was a very nice touch. It just pulled at my heart a little bit, which, again, is a good thing for a book to have. You want to feel something and this book most certainly made me feel something.

I highly recommend this series to anyone who is looking for a good heist book. This book doesn’t come out for a while, not until next year. I do think it is worth the wait and I am really considering picking up a finished copy, which is something that I never do for ARCs.

This book comes out on January 26, 2020.
Youtube: https://youtu.be/Pj-2nj9UsWI

Only the strong survive in Aina’s world and she has proven she has what it takes to survive and thrive as an assassin in a world where fear is power and power controls the streets. She has control, but it is tentative and the bullseye on her back is large. Can she outwit and outlast those who would betray her, those who have betrayed her already?

SHADOW CITY by Francesca Flores slams home an incredible ending to this duology with true grit and incredible storytelling! Non-stop action, emotional and gut-churning, this tale is filled with twists, shadowed dangers and characters that come to life with no question of what side of the fence they are on. Page after page of intense scenes, be prepared to become part of the sights, sounds and intrigue around every corner!

I was invited to receive a complimentary ARC edition from St. Martin's & Wednesday's Books! This is my honest and voluntary review.

I really ejoyed this book! It was full of action and plotting, there was never a dull moment! This book picks up soon after Diamond City ends, Aina and her crew are now running the trade houses, and she strives to do a better job than Kohl. She has learned everything from him, so it’s hard to move on when she constantly has Kohl’s voice in her head. Aside from her warring feelings towards Kohl she soon learns there is a lot bigger things to worry about. Beautix wants to retaliate and take over the city by destroying it until he's the only one left to lead. Aina and her friends have to do what it takes to stop him and save the city they call home!

Aina is being attacked by a girl spy with a knife. Ainas old boss Kohl had killed her parents. There was a lot of action. I couldn't get hooked in the story.

Shadow City by Francesca Flores is such a great novel. It hooked me right away and I loved the writing style and plot so much.

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.

This was a action packed book that was great to read.
A very enjoyable boom from start to finish.
The characters were great. The story was amazing

Francesca Flores does it again with Shadow City. Her distinctive voice and signature charm shine through on each page. I loved every bit of this!

This novel continues with Aina and her companions trying to run the tradehouses her took when she defeated Kohl. But when one is at the top, everyone wants to knock that person down. There is a bigger plot in the works, one that will affect the entire city. Aina does not trust and has been hurt deeply. The trouble in the city has caused her to turn to magic to help her keep control. The city is under siege from within and Aina must make a deal with Kohl to stop an even greater threat. This brings her back to old memories with Kohl, before she knew the truth. She cannot seem to let him go, which causes trouble among her few friends. But time is running out for the city and spies are everywhere. Aina needs the inside information to stop the greater threat. But what happens when the job is completed?
I received this novel from net galley and the publisher as an ARC. Thank you! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I loved the first book in this series so I was very excited that I got the chance to read the second one. I flew through it because it was that good. I love the world and characters that the author created. I find the main character very relatable.