I really liked the premise of this book. The first few chapters reminded me of Grace Draven's Radiance with the unique world building, and the atmospheric, slow burn quality of the storytelling. Both Samuel and Els seemed like the characters I could love and root for. And though the beginning was promising, I fear I wasn't as fully invested in the story to want to continue it past 40%. It's not a complete DNF though-- I feel I need to revisit this when I'm in a better, more open mood. I've had books that I've temporarily paused and then when I picked it up again, ended up loving. I'm hoping it will be the case for this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

A Three Letter Name is a perfect blend of thrilling and adventurous, with a heartwarming romance between two individuals both hurt by the world who learn to love themselves and each other. I breezed through this novel and had to force myself to put it down so I wouldn’t finish it in a mere few hours. The writing was suspenseful and immersive, drawing me into the novel from the very beginning and keeping me hooked until the last page. While fast-paced and action-packed, there were still many moments where the characters are allowed to breathe and process their emotions without just moving onto the next deathly situation. The characters were compelling and complex, and likeable even with their flaws. They all had strong motivations and were easy to root for, especially Els who showed her strength of character as she navigated not only living with her disability, but also a misogynistic and ableist society, with steadfast and unyielding determination. The romance was sweet and slow, with a few misunderstanding that were handled quickly and didn’t drag on or ruin the characters’ development. I cannot speak for the disability representation in this story and would prioritise reading reviews by disabled readers in order to get their opinions before reading. Personally, I loved that there wasn’t a theme of “overcoming” one’s disability or the dreaded “magical cure” trope. I would recommend this for readers who love a good thriller-fantasy, filled with terrifying creatures and life-or-death situations reminiscent of The Maze Runner.