Sadly this just never took off for me. The story felt fairly similar to many YA fantasies lately, especially with the death magic. While that in and of itself is probably okay, the characters didn’t help in setting this apart either. I didn’t feel like either Damien or Roz were well developed, often just feeling like copies of your typical YA leads.

The romance element felt uneven and not very captivating and the entire premise for the two former friends reuniting felt really weak in terms of why the murder mystery even matters to either of them. It feels like the stakes SHOULD have been high, but just never felt that way, either to the reader or the leads.

I struggled with this one. It has a gorgeous cover but these characters were so clearly adults that the author aged down to teen because adult SFF is harder to break into. The writing was very wordy and I had trouble connecting to the plot or characters. It also was giving Serpent and Dove vibes to me.

I always love a good murder mystery. I’d never make a good detective, but I just love sifting through the clues and piecing together the mystery as the story unfolds. I rarely guess the ending correctly but books like this one pull me in immediately and keep me entertained. Throw in some fantasy and a bit of romance and you have the recipe for what I think is a great YA debut.

A murderer is stalking the streets of Ombrazia. In the midst of war and rebellion, the city is ruled by factions of religious saints and their disciples. Citizens with inherited magic are called disciples and control the wealth and economy while those born without magic are the unfavored, relegated to the fringes of society and struggling to survive.

Damian is a former soldier of the Ombrazia military turned captain of the Palazzo security, dealing with post-war PTSD as he investigates a murderer threatening both the city and his position. His actions are very calculated but he spends too much time worrying over his past and present.

Both had honed their misery into something vicious. She only had to remind him that vengeance was sweeter than spirits.

Rossana, on the other hand, is angry. Born with late blooming magic, she is a disciple in the Patience guild but disgusted with the circumstances of her privileged position and yearning for change. The loss of her father has torn apart her family, and she wants nothing more than to seek vengeance against those that killed her father and the institution supporting it.

Damian wasn’t the only one who wanted justice. Roz wanted it too, and she wanted it more. For Amelie. For Dev. For everyone deemed unimportant in this city. She wanted the justice her father had deserved.

If you’re looking for something fast paced, this book isn’t it. It takes nearly 100 pages for Damian and Roz to even see each other again after so many years apart, but I enjoyed the slow pacing. We jump back and forth between Roz and Damian’s perspectives but these early chapters really take the time to introduce the characters. By the time the two finally join forces on the investigation we know exactly who they are and the circumstances surrounding the tension of that first meeting.

By this point the book starts to pick up and the mystery itself really pulled me in. We learn bits and pieces of the religious lore as the investigation begins in earnest and I’d love to have seen even more of it. I know this is just the first book in a series though so I hoping it gets explored in more depth in the sequel. I was surprised to find that I did manage to guess the killer in the end, but I enjoyed trying and I overall I think the mystery aspect of the story was well written.

While I normally love romance, Roz and Damian’s relationship turned out to be my least favorite part of the book. I love a good enemies to lovers trope but Roz’s personality was a little too strong for my taste. She’s a character ruled by her emotions, and in this case it just happened to be primarily anger. Damian certainly wasn’t perfect but his character appealed to me more and I enjoyed reading from his perspective more than Roz’s. While I didn’t love the romance it also didn’t detract too much from the story and I still really enjoyed the book. The book left off in a good spot and I’m looking forward to seeing where the sequel takes us.

Book Review

Title: Seven Faceless Saints (Seven Faceless Saints Book 1) by M. K. Lobb

Genre: Dark, Fantasy, Young Adult

Rating: 3.75 Stars

When I requested to join the blog tour for this book I didn’t know anything about but the stunning cover really drew me in. After reading the synopsis it gave me vibes similar to Nevernight and Stalking Jack the Ripper and I couldn’t wait to get into it. The opening to Seven Faceless Saints was interesting as it seems to combine classic high fantasy with a murder mystery element. While the religion and political aspects don’t make much sense right now that will come later, right now what I know if that the world is divided into disciples and non-disciples. The disciples are those born with the gift of the saints and they are treated as more important than the regular people. Damian is a regular tasked with investigating the murder of a disciple but he has no idea how it happened. We also learn that the country is involved in its second war which Damian was a part of but he is suffering from PTSD. He also had a relationship with Roz but after she presented as a disciple and Damian was shipped off as a soldier they haven’t spoken at all.

Seven Faceless Saints was giving me Nevernight vibes and despite the issues I have with that series I really liked the comparison especially in how Lobb and Kristoff’s worlds are based on real world places and are completely vivid in their descriptions. The saints and disciples issue was also becoming clearer for me as I understand it the disciples are those born with a percentage of their ancestor’s power and their abilities are the backbone of the economy of Ombrazia so they are favoured while the non-gifted like Damian are used a fodder in the war against the heretics, those who following the fallen Seventh Saint, Chaos. Roz was a really interesting character to follow as she is a disciple but presented late and she isn’t happy with her role as she carries around a lot of anger. However, due to their past relationship and the current murder Damian is investigating the pair are thrown together all over again and I couldn’t wait to see how it played it.

Roz and Damian are attempting to work together in order to solve the murder of the disciple but their relationship is emotional whiplash to get through as they bounce back and forth between detachment and lust for each other similar to Ash and Mia’s relationship in Godsgrave. The way Lobb handled dialogue and tone is emotionally scenes was something that took getting used to as it isn’t a style I have experience with but when you finally settle into the switching between POV’s and emotions you see the contrasts between the characters and it really pushed the character development to another level for me as you get to know these characters on a very personally level and from the detached perspectives of other characters as well. Essentially you get to see how they view themselves and how other people see them and the crossover of these two ideas which was an amazing move from the author.

I was loving Roz as a character because she had the hardness and determination that I loved in Mia Covere but unlike with Mia we are meant to side with Roz although there are times where the author makes us question this decision because all these characters harbours regrets, anger and the desire for revenge although it presents in different way. Damian was a nice counter to Roz as he sees himself as a failure and many others do as well because of his lack of abilities and because he suffers PTSD from his time in the war. It was nice to see the strong female with the more emotionally fragile male character than the other way around but Damian was a little frustrating at times as you wanted him to stand up for himself or others and he repeatedly backed down so it was nice to see Roz step into this role as she holds more weight in this society anyway.

One issues I did have with the book was the religious commentary which I felt was a little over the top but I understand the direction Lobb is looking to take the series later on so I pushed through those moments. Obviously as this is the beginning of a series, the action mainly centres around the murder mystery element but I can see Lobb setting up a fall from faith arc for Damian and maybe a finding faith arc for Roz which would parallel and support each other perfectly. I did also want more from the saints and how their powers came to passed on and things like that were kind of glossed over in this book. Nevernight did the same thing in the first book but there was a lot more world development in the second book especially around the religious and political systems and I hope Lobb follows Kristoff example in that aspect of their writing. Overall, Seven Faceless Saints was a decent start to the series and I am looking forward to seeing what Lobb does with the series and how they make this series stand out from the multitude of other high fantasy books.

Literally all the stars. I loved this. Roz and Damian own me. I loved the plot, I didn't see the reveal coming. And the events that happened at the end have me full of concern for Roz and Damian and questions about everything. I cannot wait for book 2.

i feel distinctly misled by the blurb and that will be affecting this review.

seven faceless saints promises a “dark fantasy with a murder mystery twist,” but a potentially interesting plot is left on the back burner to focus on the second-chance romance between the two MCs. the pacing is so uneven, with major events resolved in just pages in order to linger on every interaction between roz and damian.

roz and damian’s relationship will definitely appeal to fans of YA/NA romantasy, and even i didn’t mind it. neither of them are particularly memorable characters on their own (both fall into archetypes that are currently popular in YA fantasy with little to distinguish them from dozens of other similar characters), but their dynamic was enjoyable enough.

i just wish lobb had balanced the romance and the plot more evenly, because i was intrigued by the religion-based magic system, the political divide, and the holy war at the border. i hope those elements are explored further in the sequel.

In this war-torn world, its citizens are descended from seven saints. Some are born with magic or may develop it later in life. These people become disciples and enjoy many privileges and luxuries. Those without magic, the unfavored, are at the bottom of the food chain and struggle with poverty. They’re also considered expendable and sent to war to fight for a country who gives them practically nothing.

As children and into their teens, Damian and Roz were best friends who fell in love. Both were unfavored until Roz developed magic as an early teen. Being a disciple isn’t something she wanted – she doesn’t believe in the saints or the society they built. It’s an unfair world. Damian was sent to war for three years and is still emotionally scarred from his experiences there. Fortunately, his father holds a powerful position in government and is able to secure Damian the position of captain of Palazzo security upon his return. Damian broke Roz’s heart while he was away by cutting off communication with her even after her father was brutally killed when she needed him most. Now she can’t stand the sight of him (but not really), and he can’t stop thinking about her. After several murders, the two of them team up to find the killer. It should be mentioned that the first couple of murder victims were unfavored – and no one cared. When a disciple is killed, finding the culprit becomes a priority.

In between the snippy quips, apologies, angst, declarations of love, and everything that comes with the romantic drama between prickly Roz and guilt-ridden Damian, I enjoyed the mystery. I had my suspicions, but the identity of the killer came as a surprise to me. There’s a mountain of conflict between Roz and Damian – she works with the rebels and he’s a cop, his father was responsible for her father’s death – and they have pretty big hurdles to overcome.

Reviews have been mixed for this novel, but with a mystery that keeps you guessing, likeable characters, complex world-building, and brisk pace, it gets a thumbs up from me. I’ll definitely be looking out for the next book in the series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was a really cool book. Loved the lore, the world-building, the setting, and the fact that it was dual pov friends-to-hate-to-lovers. There was so much to love! The start felt just a little slow, but overall it was a really wonderful debut. I can't wait for the sequel!

This is an amazing debut novel! MK Lobb's writing is detailed, dark, and full of surprises! I love the scenery that she painted for us and I adored many of the characters. This is a dark fantasy but is YA so the darker aspects are age appropriate while still being enjoyable by a wide range of ages.

I felt like the religious aspects paired with the world building and the power system were all very unique and I enjoyed them immensely.

I can't wait to read what M.K Lobby writes next and she will 100% be an auto buy author for me!

Seven Faceless Saints was an interesting fantasy murder mystery.

Once, there were seven saints, but after the first war of saints the people removed every trace of Chaos and his disciples, now they worship only six.
When the Disciple of Death is found dead in his chambers Damian is tasked with finding his killer, or else he’ll be shipped back to the second war of saints, which he barely survived. Ros’ father was killed for desertion, and now she works against the very system that she benefits from as a disciple, but when she crosses Damian’s path things become more complicated than she could have imagined.

I enjoyed the mystery of Seven Faceless Saints. I like thrillers as well as fantasy, and this had that kind of murder-mystery feel to it. The magic system was interesting, and seeing the class system it has created from two different (and unusual) perspectives gives us a more rounded view of the world.

The city felt rich and well imagined, as did the main characters we encountered throughout. I enjoyed the unravelling of the mystery, and the way they went about it.

Overall, Seven Faceless Saints was an interesting YA fantasy novel, and I will continue the series in the future.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me the chance to read this in advance. My apologies for the late review.

Initially I was really intrigued by the concept of this book and the cover is gorgeous. However, I quickly realized that it reads like a police procedural dressed up as an urban fantasy — and unfortunately the costume is too small. The characters are not entirely credible as teenagers, even on the older end, so to me it truly does read like an adult book that’s been tweaked to fit the genre.

Additionally, the language was so contemporary that it kept taking me out of the story. Was I reading a fantasy? Or a cop drama in Italy? I was curious to learn more about the saints and the first war but the rest of it was so different from what I’d expected and not to my taste. This is all subjective, of course, but I’m still left feeling like this book does not quite fit the genre or category it was published in. It is mostly written well (though there’s an argument to be made that it’s overwritten at parts) but the language, and even some character quirks, were occasionally repetitive.

I’m sure there will be readers who relate to the characters’ struggle with Religion As Oppressive Institution, but I found it a surface-level and over simplified evaluation of personal deconstruction that barely grapples with what losing your faith or belief system means for your identity and what it looks like. All in all, this just wasn’t for me on almost every front, sorry to say.

I got wrapped up in this story very quickly and really enjoyed the premise of disciples of various saints, including Patience, Mercy and Death. Damian and Roz both had heartbreaking stories and I felt deeply for each of them. I definitely didn't guess who the murderer was and was kept engaged in the story right until the very end. I will definitely be continuing with this series!

M.K. Lobb's Seven Faceless Saints is a solid YA fantasy debut.

I personally find the story pretty predicable, but then again, not all the stories need crazy twists to be enjoyable.
I mean, this book has former lovers cynical girl Roz and sad boy Damian turn enemies then to lover again. They were forced to work together to investigate creepy ritualistic murders in the city. It's clear where the story is going from the get go, but I enjoyed the chemistry between Roz and Damian.

That said, while there is magic involved, it didn't play a huge part in the story, and I wish it did. The seven saints have disciples with different powers, and the story would be more interesting if more magical powers are wielded IMO. I'd also love to get more backstory of the saints, and maybe that will come in the next book.

I think the book ended in a good place, no crazy cliffhanger at the end, but I'd still like to find out what will happen to Roz and Damian next. Would recommend this book to people who enjoy YA fantasy.

Thank you NetGalley and Little Brown Books for the free e-ARC in exchange of my honest review.

"Seven Faceless Saints" is a decent book that offers an interesting premise. The story revolves around a group of individuals who possess extraordinary abilities and are tasked with saving the world from an impending disaster. The action sequences are well-written and provide a sense of excitement and tension. Additionally, the book's themes of sacrifice and teamwork are commendable and add some depth.

SEVEN FACELESS SAINTS reminded me quite a bit of some of my favorite books — Nevernight, Shadow and Bone, The Winter of the Witch, and Wicked Saints. Not so much in terms of storyline, but in terms of fantastic characters in dark and atmospheric worlds with a war of faiths at the center of it all.

In this world, everything revolves around seven saints and their disciples. Anyone without magic is considered unfavored and are subsequently treated as second-class citizens. Quite a number of unfavored hold fast to their beliefs in the saints and look upon the disciples with reverence, but there’s a good portion of the unfavored who want change and the only way to do that is by letting go of their faith. There’s a threat of rebellion hanging over Ombrazia, and the rebels and the rebellion play a big part in the storyline.

The mystery starts early on when one of the disciples is found murdered in the Palazzo. Head of security Damian is tasked with solving the murder, but things get complicated when odd things start happening and more people are murdered. He’s supposed to ignore the murdered unfavored, but Damian knows that somehow these murders are connected. Roz, disciple of Patience and once-best friend of Damian, is also trying to solve the murders, only her focus is on the unfavored. Damian and Roz are different in that way — he’s unfavored and steadfast in his faith, complacent in the ways of the Palazzo, whereas Roz is a disciple who let go of her faith long ago and couldn’t give two figs about the saints and disciples, despite being one herself. Reluctantly, they team up to try and solve the murdered, but what they uncover is far bigger than anything they could have imagined.

Aside from a fantastic murder mystery, there’s also a romance brewing right under the surface of everything. Roz and Damian were, once upon a time, childhood sweethearts who loved one another. Time has been cruel to them both, and whatever fond memories they’ve had of the other have soured due to…circumstances. Each one has endured trauma, each one has endured tremendous loss, and it was such a joy seeing them work through their own personal demons while finding their way back to each other. Another thing I loved about Damian and Roz is despite their personal views on faith, they want the same thing — equality and fair treatment, irrespective of magical abilities.

Bottom line — I absolutely loved this book. The characters grabbed me by the heart and wouldn’t let go. If you’re a lover of dark storylines, conflicted characters, and wars of faith, this is one you should definitely pick up.

"All manner of vicious things are made more feasible by the dark, are they not? It provides a stage upon which to peel back the mask of morality donned beneath the wretched sun."

In the city of Ombrazia, a serial killer is stalking the streets, killing non-magic users, so Roz Lacertosa reluctantly teams up with her former childhood best friend to try and track them down, and, all in the meanwhile, a rebellion is brewing.

Seven Faceless Saints by M.K. Lobb paints a captivating venetian-inspired fantasy crime thriller that's steeped in shadows.

I think first and foremost I really loved the world in this one. Here magic-users are descendants of the original saints, and each line has their own unique power. For instance, Roz is descended from Patience and has the ability to manipulate metal. However, on the flipside of that, occasionally a descendant doesn’t inherit their saint’s powers and is seen as a disgrace. This is the case for male lead, Damian, so he finds himself constantly trying to prove his worth to his father.

While I adored the worldbuilding, I feel like the plot and the characters' inner dialogue needed more focus in this one. For instance, the two MCs' horny thirst thoughts during their murder investigation gave me tonal whiplash and felt out of place at times. The rebellion subplot is also too often forgotten despite its importance to the plot. This felt like a missed opportunity to me because it would have added even more tension and conflict--especially since Damian is a security captain working for the state.

Overall, despite some flaws, this was still an enjoyable read for me since I'm a hopeless sucker for murder mysteries and fantasy influenced by Catholicism.

Thank you, NetGalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for this eARC to review.

5/5 stars!

Y'all I am absolutely obsessed. This book was a dark, twisty ride from start to finish, and I absolutely loved the dynamics and dual POV between Roz and Damian. Roz's ferosity and vigilante vibes were the perfect mix with Damian's self-torture and righteousness/purity. I feel like the world and "religion" system were perfectly fleshed out without being too wordy or needlessly complex, and enough was left unanswered to leave some mystery and us wanting more in the sequel. I was completely shocked to find out who was the real culprit alongside Chaos in the end! It was very easy to get attached to all of the side characters throughout the story, and you could feel every emotion they were feeling. Nothing felt "told" instead of "shown", and there were so many funny moments throughout the story! I also weirdly appreciated that the author/publisher realized that the word "f*ck" was not mutually exclusive to use in adult novels or by adults, and that it's actually quite the favorite curseword for adolescents as well! This was so well done for a debut novel, and I'll be anxiously awaiting the sequel!

I received this book as part of the blog tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours. Special thanks to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 4 stars!

This was a strong YA/NA fantasy thriller debut that I really enjoyed! Unfortunately, I read this during a tumultuous time in my life so it took me an uncharacteristically long time to read it; however, I'm 100% certain that if I had read this at any other time, I would've flown through it one sitting because it had that unputdownable quality that made me want to keep reading to learn the truth! Though not all the twists were entirely surprising, they did keep me on my toes and eager to see if my theories proved correct. That said, while this story balances being plot and character driven very well, it was the characters who, IMO, made this great! I already can't wait for the next book because I need to know what happens next—dark things are definitely coming their way and I can't wait to see just what it turns out to be.

This was a fast-paced murder mystery and I really enjoyed Lobb's writing. It was descriptive enough to get a good sense of the story's atmosphere and the author did a great job of ramping up the tension as more truths are revealed the further we progress. It's set in the city of Ombrazia and there's a bleakness to it that sets quite an eerie and sombre mood that fits with the oppressiveness of this society where the saints blessed are rewarded and the unfavoured are expendable. I liked the glimpses that we get into the history of Ombrazia, the lore of the seven saints, and the blessings they bestow, but I wanted more. I wouldn't say it was 'info dumping' at the start but the world-building wasn't consistent and it was very surface-level when we could've got more detail about the way the world works (rather than, let's say, the more romantic aspects)! I also wasn't entirely sure if this had a more historical or modern setting as it wasn't very clear.

Even though I would've liked to know more about the world, it didn't present too much of a problem for me because where the author really excelled was in the characters and their relationships with themselves, each other, and society. Told in alternative perspectives, I love how we really get to understand both Roz and Damian throughout the story, and there is something about the way they're written that made them feel so real and their connection so personal. While they might not always be entirely likeable, I think they're both very easy to empathise with and root for. Roz, the more morally grey of the two, presents a much tougher murderous exterior because she wears her anger and grief like a shield around her. She's not just thirsty for revenge but to dismantle the oppressive system that keeps the unfavoured down. I think her character was pretty straightforward in her motives but I thought Lobb did a fantastic job portraying her journey with grief and coming to terms with the anger and love that she warrs with internally. As much as I liked Roz, it was Damian who I thought was the more nuanced and interesting character with his crisis of faith, his daddy issues, and his PTSD from the war. He's always been the good devout son who does everything by the book, even when it ends up hurting others. He was admittedly a bit of a drone in the first few chapters but that changes the minute Roz re-enters his frame and he starts to question his faith, all while he struggles with his actions in the war. He had such a soft and kind (albeit misguided) heart in this bear of a package and I'm a sucker for those kinds of characters!

I absolutely LOVED the yin-yang of Roz and Damian's chemistry. I was constantly wondering if they were gonna kill each other or maybe hug it out. And that's not to say that their physical chemistry wasn't there because they had it in spades! They were so well-balanced as she would make him question his unquestioning subservience and he would soften her sharp edges. I really loved these two together and there were moments when my heart was in my throat with worry, and honestly, did the ending of this book really change that? READ THE BOOK TO FIND OUT! 😂 But seriously, they also had so much romantic chemistry! This is peak friends-to-lovers-to-enemies-to-frenemy lovers and if you love a simp, then you'll definitely love Damian. His simphood energy was off the charts cos he worshipped at the altar of Roz and some of the things he said really had me melting. 🥹 Safe to say, the author has me *invested* in these two!

Other than these two and their very alive chemistry, there was quite a big cast of side characters from both sides. Sadly, both groups of secondary characters were one-dimensional and interchangeable as nothing about them stood out, especially with Damian's fellow guards at the palazzo. I think if these characters were a little bit more developed it would help to increase the tension and stakes of the story as there would be more people to care about. As it is now, I don't particularly care if anything were to happen to them. Overall though, I thought that this was a great debut and I'm really looking forward to seeing what happens next.

Rating 4/5⭐️
"She was his universe, his sun, the atmosphere from which he drew breath."
For a debut novel, M.K. Lobb hit it out of the ballpark. This book is action-packed, page turning, murder mystery fantasy with a dash of a lovers to enemies back to lovers love story.
The story was well written and easy to follow. The cast of characters was amazing. The female MC was a badass rebel who wouldn't take no for an answer, and I love seeing that in books. I can't wait for the next book to come out.

I went into Seven Faceless Saints completely blind. I knew it was a dark YA fantasy that involved a murder mystery. This being said, I was pleasantly surprised! The story follows Roz and Damian (our narrators), two childhood best friends who are reconnecting after a war tore them apart. Together again, the two are reluctant to trust each other, until a common enemy thrusts them together to solve a murder mystery. The story is fast-paced, compelling, and had me guessing the entire time! However, where it truly shines is in world-building.

World Building/Plot

The world-building in Seven Faceless Saints is exceptional. M.K. Lobb did a fantastic job crafting the city of Ombrazia. In this intricate world, disciples (individuals decedent from the esteemed seven saints) unjustly rule. Those without saintly powers are considered the dregs of society. They can be sent off to war at the drop of a hat. I found the disciples to be especially interesting. Each saint’s descendants possessed different skills that essentially keep the city of Ombrazia running. Due to the integral role they play in the city’s upkeep, citizens hold them in high esteem, despite their less-than-admirable treatment of the second-class citizens.

The world is as intriguing as it is creepy. I found myself wanting to learn more about the saints and their disciples while being grateful that I will never have to encounter them in real life! I also appreciated how the world continued to build and develop in ways I wasn’t expecting! If you like books with dark, eerie fantasy settings, this one’s for you!

Seven Faceless Saints is fast-paced and difficult to put down! Not once did I feel bored. M.K. Lobb’s writing style is gripping and she certainly keeps you guessing. Seven Faceless Saints is marketed as a murder mystery story, which it is. However, it is so much more. Our two main characters do work together to uncover a string of murder mysteries. However, through this process, they uncover the dark secrets of their city, the seven saints, and their selves.

Characters

Roz Lacertosa is a disciple of the saint known as Patience. However, her power developed later than most. Fed up with the society ruling Ombrazia, she is a member of the local rebel organization plotting to overthrow systemic injustice. Roz is a determined and passionate heroine who pushes people away. She comes off as cold and self-serving, but deep down she has a huge heart and cares deeply for those she loves. I enjoyed Roz’s character. It was beautiful to see her grow and open up throughout the story! Also, Roz is bisexual which I was very happy to see! I didn’t know this book had queer representation when I started, so it was a nice surprise!

Damian Venturi is chief of security at the Palazzo (where high-ranking disciples live and rule). I adored his soft and sweet personality. Throughout the story, Damian is grappling with trauma from the war he survived. Damian’s journey is one of self-discovery and overcoming profound grief. I loved seeing him grow and discover his self-worth. Plus, Damian is Demisexual. Yay for more queer rep! He was my favorite character and I can’t wait to see where he goes in book two!

Damian and Roz’s relationship starts out rocky (it gives slight enemies-to-lovers vibes). However, they soon discover their shared feelings for each other and it turns into more of a second-chance romance! Roz’s harsh exterior mixed with Damian’s soft heart is a match made in Heaven!

Final Thoughts

M.K. Lobb’s exceptional debut delivers an eerie murder-mystery fantasy story. I would recommend Seven Faceless Saints to anyone who loves dark, upper YA fantasy with beautiful world-building and creepy fast-paced plots