This was a fun YA fantasy and I loved the exploration of religion through the saints and their followers. The characters have their faith put to the test and must reckon with the extent of their beliefs in the grand scheme of a war.

Most probably a 3.5 but I’m rounding up.

Ofcourse I’m vain and get enamored with gorgeous things, so when I first saw this stunning cover, I knew I had to read it. I was quite excited when I got the opportunity to participate in this blog tour. And it turned out to be quite a complicated read.

Firstly, I have been having a tough time reading for months now, so I had to take it slow with reading this one and maybe my health issues have affected the joy I otherwise might have felt while reading this book. But I still hope I’m able to do justice to it. This book had some great plot, interwoven with the world, horrific murder mystery elements seamlessly written into this fantasy. I can’t say it totally surprised me but I do enjoy some predictability sometimes, so this was a cool read.

The world building is a bit complicated though and it took me a while to get into the groove and understand what was going on. I still don’t think I remember all the saints and their respective powers, or who signifies what in their disciples minds - but it was an interesting secondary world religion, exploring ideas like the perils of extremism especially towards the end, which felt very relevant to our current world scenario and the issues we seem to be facing everyday with religious extremism.

But ultimately it’s what the author tells through the characters is I feel the beating heart of the story. Roz is powerful and angry at the world and hates what power has done to the society, how oppression is ingrained and no one questions that faith. Damian on the other hand is a soft boy with immense faith in his saints and believes in his duty as a guard(or cop) but is disillusioned by his experiences in war, and has to grapple with the actual ground reality of his faith and duty. Their past relationship in the story leads to a lot of yearning but I still think I appreciated them more as individuals than feeling invested in their relationship. I also think they both sometimes felt like archetypes present to further explore the themes in this story than individuals with more personal motivations.

However, in the end, this was a fun YA fantasy with a bit of a rough start but a pretty cool ending. Roz’s unbending anger, Damian’s internal struggles and the world full of forgotten saints whose disciples don’t necessarily engage in any saintly endeavors - this is an enjoyable book you can try, especially if you are looking for a YA fantasy which you can read quickly. And it’ll look gorgeous on your bookshelf too.

Not sure how to feel about this one. On one hand, once I properly got into the book, I absolutely flew through it, but on the other, it did take quite a while to understand and become entrenched in the writing.

The characters were interesting but possibly not unique enough to truly become new favourites of mine – though I did love Damian, my little soft demi boy. And Roz was certainly the stabby bi girl that was promised, but I only really started to like and warm to her towards the ending, which was disappointing. However, the world building with the different saints and magic etc was really interesting! While I got nowhere near comprehending which saint was associated with which power, much less which colour, I still enjoyed the new world, and I think the author and this series have definite potential.

I can definitely see how the author will weave the characters and overarching story into something bigger later on in the series, but I did appreciate how this book had it’s own completed storyline as well. I’m glad I read this, though not sure I’ll continue the series. Nonetheless, I thank the author, publisher and TBR & Beyond Tours for the review opportunity :).

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5 stars
Seven Faceless Saints is set in an Italian inspired world where the disciples of the saints rule. When one gets murdered, Damian gets tasked with finding the murderer, while Rossana, a rebel, has her own reasons for finding out who is killing people.

“How strange it was, to be alive. To feel at once important and so incredibly insignificant”

There are some things that I just love to read, mainly fantasy books and mystery books. this is why I always have high expectations of fantasy, murder-mystery books, since it combines my two favourite genres in one! This one did so not disappoint!! An added bonus is the fact that it is an Italian inspired world! I love the Italian names and the bits of Italian added in the dialogue.

The very first chapter, the opening of this book, really immediately grabbed my attention. It was haunting and did set the “dark” tone that is found throughout the whole story. The same can be said about the multiple POV this book has. While mainly Damian and Roz tell the story, some other POV’s are added which really bring something extra!

While I was intrigued, it did have a slow start, but not in an annoying way. The slow start really showed the world, established the religion and current status of the important people. You get to know the world and the characters, which I think was needed to enjoy this book to the fullest! Once Damian and Roz start working together it picks up and I just loved it more.

The characters were written so good! I loved their characters and especially the development they had throughout the book! They are very much opposite, but complement each other perfectly. Damian is someone with a gentle soul and does wear his heart on his sleeves, while Roz reminds me a lot of a firecracker haha, hot and short-tempered.

The romance was another part of this story I loved! From childhood friends to enemies to lovers, executed to a T! it was flowing and beautiful to read and really fitted the whole narrative and vibe of the book.

I loved the progression of this book and the ending/reveal was so good! The execution of the ending and wrapping up of the story was done very well. I was confused a bit, since a lot was still unknown and I still had a lot of questions at the end, especially with that ominous epilogue… That’s when I found out it is actually a duology and not a standalone like I’d thought hahaha. So, yey, we’ll get more in this world!

Overall, Seven Faceless Saints is a dark, fantasy, murder-mystery that is haunting and beautiful and left me guessing until the end.

I'm always looking for an eerie dark fantasy and this is a great installment in the genre! I loved the Italy-inspired magical world (I was immediately reminded of This Vicious Grace, which has some similar vibes); it was mysterious and interesting with lots of comforting familiar aspects of a YA fantasy novel. The beginning was a bit slow for me but it definitely picked up as things progressed!

Roz and Damian were both so flawed and broken in different ways, and I love that they didn't magically fix each other. Their dynamic and the pining and tension between them was delicious, although I think it could have benefitted from some flashback scenes to show more of their history. I really appreciated that the book didn't shy away from the darker aspects of their realities and emotions.

I also thought the thriller/mystery aspect was done really well. There were some twists I saw coming, some I didn't, and the ending did a great job of being satisfying while also leaving us wanting more.

I will say that I didn't feel quite as sucked in and invested as I was hoping to; there was something missing for this to be TRULY magical and I wanted just a little bit more. Overall a well-done debut and series starter though, and I'm looking forward to seeing how things develop in the sequel!

Thank you to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Somewhere between 4⭐️-4.5⭐️
This was a wild ride. It was a little slow in the beginning but once it picked up, I couldn’t put the book down. I so enjoy a story where I don’t figure out the mystery early on and this one had me guessing until the end.

Read if you enjoy:
> Second Chance Romance but also friends to enemies to lovers
> Powers based on the saints
> Rebels fighting for a better world
> Murder Mysteries
> Dual POV
> Great side characters
I hope we get to know more about some of the side characters!

Overall, an awesome debut novel!

I had heard about this book when it was still in the works since I was following the author on twitter. I loved being able to see the process of this book getting to this point to finally being published. This line at the top of the synopsis - Discover what’s lurking in the shadows in this dark fantasy debut with a murder-mystery twist, perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Kerri Maniscalco.- immediately had me. I love a dark fantasy and murder mystery. Not to mention I love Leigh Bardugo and Kerri Maniscalco's writing so much.

I was captivated from the first pages of this story and never wanted it to end. It kept me never wanting to put it down, and I always love when a book does that! M.K. Lobb is a wonderful writer and I really enjoyed the world and characters they created. And the story was absolutely phenomenal.

Thank you NetGalley for an arc of this book.

Seven Faceless Saints was a book I was SO excited for. The description, the comps... everything made it sound like it would be my kind of read but unfortunately, the execution fell a little flat for me. The city of Ombrazia is ruled by the disciples who are descendants of the seven Saints who brought the country to life. The disciples lead a cushy life with many options open to them, the other citizens however, are seen as less important, sent to fight in a war that has little to do with them and left to fend for themselves. Roz is a disciple, but she leads a secret life as part of the rebellion hoping to bring down the reign of the Saints, and ensure all of Ombrazia's citizens are treated equally. Damian is the youngest Captain in Palazzo security history, security used to protect the safety of the disciples, so when one turns up dead he is asked to investigate. Damian quickly comes to realise that the disciple's death may be linked to that of a few other, regular, citizens in the city and quickly finds himself and Roz investigating. But the deeper they look into the deaths, the more they come to fear that there is a darkness spreading through Ombrazia and they will have to work together if they are going to save the city and people they love.

Sounds good right? Unfortunately the execution of this book left a lot to be desired. I felt there were too many moving pieces, and everything from the world, the magic and the characters needed more development. Roz and Damian were childhood friends who split apart after Roz's father was murdered, and they now find themselves on opposite sides of a war. Roz became a disciple when all she wanted was to be regular like her father, instead she now works for the people who had him killed. Damian never gained any Saint touched powers, much to the disdain of his father who sent him off to war instead, but the Damian that returned was a shell of the boy who left. Both these characters have dark and emotional backstories, but I just didn't get emotionally attached to either of them. Their personalities were incredibly one dimensional, there was no room for growth or any kind of deep insight into them and a lot of their introspection and interactions were constantly repeated to the point where it got a little annoying and I ended up skipping parts of the book.

The world building was intriguing, but never truly fleshed out enough for me to get a true understanding of it. We know that Ombrazia was said to have been created by Seven Saints, and their descendants are now the disciples, people with the ability to use the saints powers. The saints names and their powers made very little sense together, and I just felt like we were always missing bits of information that we needed to get a proper understanding of it. I feel like the author wanted to use this story as a commentary on religion, but it just didn't really work at all. Mainly because the Saints, apart from a minor section of the story, played a drastically small part. In fact the story could have been written without them and would have turned out largely the same.

The writing style was flat and way too descriptive in parts. I'm all for flowy, descriptive writing, but this wasn't that at all. Rather the author used as many words as possible to describe things and because of this I seriously struggled to stay connected to the story. I also really disliked the romance. It as described as enemies to lovers, but was more rekindled romance. Yes there was a part of the book where one disliked the other, but their introspection showed that while they outwardly showed hatred, inside they were more interested in how their muscles had grown in their time apart. It seemed really unrealistic, jarring in parts with the back and forth between wanting to kill and wanting to kiss and the amount of repetition that was used as reasoning for why they wouldn't work really started to annoy me.

I'm so sad that I didn't love this book, in fact the only part I actually enjoyed was the murder mystery woven throughout that played a distressingly small part in the overall story. There were a few chapters centred around this that added some intrigue to the story, and those I enjoyed, but it just played too small a part for it to make up for all the things I didn't enjoy. I think if you're someone who doesn't mind a story that sticks to the surface of everything, never delving deep into the world, characters or magic, then you might enjoy it. But for those who like something to get their teeth stuck into, it might be worth giving this one a miss.

The intriguing cover and the title made me pick this book. Being a fantasy lover, I knew I would love this book even before starting it. What made me love it even more is that its sub-genre is a murder mystery, one of my favorite genres. The book "Seven Faceless Saints" by M.K. Lobb is a mixture of fantasy and mystery and has become my new favorite.

The male protagonist, Damian, was the head security officer and fought in the war. How much war can change a person was so well portrayed in this book. Damian, once cute and soft, had now become totally opposite. What I loved most is the way the author explained everything about his change through his childhood friend/lover Roz's pov.

Roz, the female protagonist, had been through a lot after Damian had taken to fight in the war. She got so angry with the corrupted system and wanted to bring change to society. I love how much she cares for her friends. I wish there were more importance given to side characters like Dev, Kiran, Nasim, and Siena. These characters have a very good base but don't appear much in the story.

Roz's character was portrayed to be a strong and bold one when compared to Damian's. This isn't something that usually happens in stories. Strong female lead characters are almost everywhere, but a strong female lead with a vulnerable male character is new to me.

Their love is complicated yet so beautiful. They were childhood friends, but fate had a different path for each of them. When they met after three years, everything changed in them and between them, except their love for each other which was buried so deep. The plot and their relationship were carried side by side in the story giving equal importance to one another.

The book starts with a murder and continues with a series of murders. I love how the author included a murder mystery as the main plot of the fantasy novel. More importance was given to the plot than the magic system. I love the fact that the twist was so unexpected and, at the same time, logical.

This book had every element I love, including magic, murder mystery, longingness, love, childhood friendship, amazing twists, and wonderful connection between the lead characters. So, I am definitely excited about the next book in the series.

I'm sort of torn with this book because I liked it, but I didn't LOVE it. To give a bit of summary, this book is about Roz, a rebel and disciple of Patience who has magic, and Damian, the captain of the guard and son of one of the most powerful men in their world who killed Roz's father after he deserted. This follows them working together to solve magic murders despite their romantic past that turned sour after Damian's father's actions.
First up, characters. One thing I'll say is that no one really stood out to me. I liked them, but there was no character where I was so consistently obsessed with them that it's worth mentioning. The side characters were fun, but I think there were too many on either side (Damian's and Roz's) and not enough time spent with them to actually like them very much.
I didn't love the romance the whole time, but I did like it overall. Personally, I wouldn't have chosen to be together after all of that, but Damian and Roz had a lot of chemistry and great moments. It seemed like there was a constant reason to be together, but I am glad they waited.
Lastly, plot. This was the part I found most disappointing to be honest. I wanted to be shocked, but I guessed the killer the first time I really read their name. Not even joking. I did question it, but I was like "oh I bet it's them" and it was. I found myself getting really annoyed with all of the other guesses simply because it was just that obvious "I bet it's this person because they're evil!" with little critical thought. I didn't actually think it was horrendous or anything, and it wasn't truly hindering my enjoyment, but it was worth noting.
I would probably recommend this to people who like fantasy murder mysteries, but I don't think either aspect was phenomenal. I definitely disagree with the Leigh Bardugo comparison just because it feels so different from a Bardugo book, but I'd agree with Kerri Maniscalco. This is worth reading, but not amazing.

Straight from the beginning I could tell this book was going to suck me in. Although I had to pause and highlight characters’ names and their Saints if they were disciples; I quickly became accustomed to hearing about the Saints and the way they were integral to the world. Lobb did amazing work with the world-building. It was never forced, most of the world-building was explained to the readers in a natural way. I didn’t feel like she was pushing the world-building on me, the reader, or like I was being forced to understand the world in order to carry on reading. It made sense – in a book with such a big religion you would have have a lot of talk surrounding the religion – Lobb definitely did that in a great way and I can’t wait for the sequel and whatever else she writes.

The writing also really added a lot to my experience and enjoyment of reading it. The writing mixed with the world-building complimented each other well and aided each other so well. I liked learning about the different Saints and disciples and the magic that’s in them – that’s definitely something I want to see more of in the next book. Not that I want the magic system and all the explanations of the Saints to be a bigger plot than the mystery and romance; but definitely more than what we got this time around.

The whole mystery was also done well. I was surprised and didn’t even suspect the culprit – which was a change as usually I figure out the culprit before they’re revealed. I’m not saying that books where I can spot the culprit/part of the plot bad or badly written – just that it’s like a nice surprise when I don’t manage to solve the mystery before it gets solved for me.

I liked how Lobb approached the topic of Saints and their religion and quite often the fealty that comes with that. She managed to be respectful and critical of the topic – which I really enjoyed to see. Speaking as someone’s who’s been raised in a religious family and who is religious – there is criticism to be found with religions and just because a religious person is critical doesn’t mean they are less religious than the next person. I definitely want to see more of the criticism and how different people view the same topic.

I felt for Damian, the one main character. He’s scrutinised a lot by his dad who wants him to be this perfect soldier – so much so that he probably doesn’t even see that Damian is not at all suited to the war front. Which was hard to read because Damian most certainly has PTSD but his father refuses to see it because he just wants a perfect soldier. I have no idea what type of psychological help there is available in Ombrazia, but I hope that in the next book he starts to heal and works through some of his trauma.

Damian was the type of character I didn’t think I would like, just because I didn’t think much of him at the start. But as I carried on reading I realised that I really liked him. I got to know him, his personality, and everything he’s been through. He’s a strong character and I can’t wait to see what Lobb does to him in the next book – how much he has to go through (again), and how much I will be feeling for him. He really does want to help people and that was hard to do when he’s being forced not to do that – to only focus on disciple matters and not help the others.

I loved Roz so much. She was also a strong character – Lobb really knows how to write these type of characters, and I was all here for that. I hope that in the next book she really starts to come into her own, becomes stronger and stands up for injustice even more. I definitely got the vibe that she wanted to but didn’t and I very much hope that’s a plot point for her come the sequel.

Literally every single moment Damian and Roz had together I had feelings for as well. Grinning, angst, etc etc. I loved every bit we got with them and if we don’t have a lot of happy scenes in the next book I will riot (I’m joking because I actually really love angst in my books 😂). There’s also some mutual pining mixed with a good amount of angst – as per usual with those two tropes. The two are very high up on my list of favourite tropes.

TW: parental death, PTSD, violence

Seven Faceless Saints is set in Ombrazia, a country locked into a decades long religious conflict. Tensions are also on the rise between the privileged practioners of Magic and the un gifted underclass. And in this powder keg just waiting to be lit, two childhood sweethearts turned enemies must solve a string of murders that point to an even more devious plot.

I thought that SFS made for a good debut novel and start to the series. SFS is heavy on the world building, which can at times make for a slow read, but it makes up for it with its stellar, although not completely unexpected, ending. MK Lobb also did a great job with the mystery aspect of the story as I was completely surprised when the killer was revealed. I also liked both of the main characters, Roz and Damian. I loved how the two complimented each other and was impressed that, unlike a lot of YA books, those two never came across as whiny despite the fact that the world through quite a bit of hardship their way. Last, but not least, I thought it was a good choice to use dual POV in SFS as it helped us connect more with the two main characters and gave us a more nuanced view of the plot.

Fans of Melissa Caruso’s The Tethered Mage, YA fantasy as well as the friends to enemies to lovers trope will enjoy this book. Personally, I’m looking forward to seeing what kind of trouble Roz and Damian manage to get themselves into next

This debut is a force of fantasy! I love the history it's based on and the political intrigue. The dual POV was expertly crafted to move the story along. I enjoyed the magic system and how it affected the political and economic standing of the citizens. Throw in a murder mystery and you have an enthralling story. I also really was captivated by the setting, based in Italy, the descriptions and atmosphere transport you to long ago Florence. A country and city with a long history of rebellions, uprisings and emperors. This even has a romantic plot thread! Grumpy Ros was relatable and badass. Excited for more in this series, an incredible debut!

Thank you to Little Brown Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

This was super good! Lobb's debut really knocks it out of the park. I loved the world and the characters and was immediately sucked into this rich prose. Once I started, I couldn't put it down! I need book two ASAP!

This was a very solid YA fantasy debut. Seven Faceless Saints takes place in what appears to be a fantasy version of Italy but instead of Catholocism, the seven (well, six) saints are the predominant religion with those blessed with powers that relate to a certain saint as the privileged disciples and everyone else, the unfavored, struggle to survive.

The book is told from predominantly the POVs of Damian, the captain of security in the city after having been discharged from the military, a very traumatic experience for him, and Roz, Damian's childhood sweetheart whose father was murdered by the military and who is now a disciple of the saint patience.

The two of them have to work together to solve murders going through the city. There is a lot of distrust and anger between Roz and Damian and my favorite parts are them together, bickering and ultimately also lusting after each other. Damian is a true believer of the saints and a lot of the book strives to be his fall from faith. Damian is sort of feckless but it is fascinating watching him trying to be a strong captain while dealing with his own insecurities and past trauma. Roz is a firecracker and while she is very stubborn, I liked that the two of them worked well together.

If I had a critique it is just that I sort of wanted...more. More of everything, more of Roz's pain about her father and how it is discordant with the man who represents the military that killed him. More of Damian's struggle with his faith. I really thought the ending was great even if the last twist felt kind of flat for me. I'm so interested to see what happens next.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Seven Faceless Saints is a dark but exciting debut novel from M. K. Lobb. It takes a bit to get into the story, but this is because we spend the first portion of the book weaving into and out of two very traumatized main characters' minds. Once we understand their world and their traumas a bit, the story takes off into one of revenge, power, religion, and war. It is a story that feels familiar while different, thanks to the fantasy elements of magic and gods. Moreover, it is the type of story you fully appreciate upon finishing.

In Seven Faceless Saints, Ms. Lobb deviates slightly from the standard fantasy worldbuilding by not building her society around a monarchy. Instead, we have an intriguing blend of oligarchical and theocratic governance. Ombrazia worships its saints; the church and those who have powers directly from one of those saints feature predominantly in everyday society. At the same time, there is a separation between religion and the government, run by an elected committee and headed by one committee member elevated above others based on experience, power, and money. Granted, it all gets a lot more complicated than the basic layout, but I like the changes Ms. Lobb features. Usually, the church fights against those in power, hoping to gain more control for itself. In Ombrazia, the two work in tandem, and the results are fraught with their own set of complications.

Another area in which Seven Faceless Saints breaks from the fantasy norm is its rebellious factor already exists. Not only that, but it has an organizational structure and significant plans. So often, our hero or heroine is at the forefront of a burgeoning rebellion. The same is not true here, significantly affecting how we see Rox's character.

Speaking of characters, the two main characters should come with their trigger warnings. Bastian has significant PTSD from his time in battle, and we get reminders of that in almost every scene. Rox has her traumas, but they are subtler and hide behind her anger and desire for revenge. Between the two of them, there is enough pain and anger, loss, and fear that you feel like you need a therapist after reading one of their interactions. At the same time, I can't imagine them any other way. For Bastian and Rox to work as individual characters, they need their heavy backstories and all the psychological traumas that come with those histories. Bastian runs on his fear of returning to the front, and Rox runs on her anger. They are both deeper characters for having experienced what they have and for their determination not to let those experiences define them.

As a couple, we know from the onset that theirs is a complicated relationship, but Ms. Lobb does an excellent job of not sharing all the dirty details until we are already hooked on these two and their fates. When we get the complete picture, it is such a doozy that you wonder how they will ever be able to move beyond their past. That they do and that you are okay with how it happens is a testament to Ms. Lobb's skill and willingness to allow both characters the time and space to figure things out without undue pressure.

While I broke out each element above to explain what I liked about them, it is challenging to see them as separate entities. The Saints and their stories are so intertwined with the church, which is all tangled into the government and society, that you cannot have one without the others. Even describing them as separate in the above paragraphs was challenging because it only scratches the surface of what makes up the world where Ombrazia is one major city. The same goes for the rebellion, the military, Roz, and Bastian. To remove even one piece would see the entire story of Seven Faceless Saints collapse. It is a writing level you don't usually see in many authors, let alone debut ones.

M. K. Lobb's Seven Faceless Saints is a refreshing fantasy novel that avoids following the usual paths set forth by fantasy authors. From its highly structured and complicated government system to the people's ongoing rebellion, we know from the start that Seven Faceless Saints will be different. Meeting Roz and Bastian and their breathtaking array of trauma confirms that suspicion. What Ms. Lobb creates in Seven Faceless Saints is a painful but touchable story about two young people that are pawns to a greater unknown, which may or may not include a long-thought-dead Saint. It is a familiar story but so different from anything I've ever read. With its cliffhanger-esque ending, I cannot wait to see where Ms. Lobb takes us next

I am invested in the world that M.K. Lobb has built but I cannot say the same for its leading cast.

As an avid lover of the star-crossed/enemies-to-lovers trope I was drawn to the story these two shared but must admit that it was tiring to follow Damian and Roz make the same mistakes over and over again.

That's not to say that Lobb's debut book was bad, however. As I said before I am truly enraptured by the civilization she brought to life that blends religion and politics into its caste system and I am eager to return to Ombrazia or even explore the enemy state of Brechaat.

I'm not sure if the sequel will continue to follow the same protagonists but if that is the case I do hope that Lobb expands the available cast viewpoint if not really begin to show significant character growth to the pair, both as a couple and individuals.

From the moment I heard about the premise of Seven Faceless Saints, I was highly anticipating getting to read this book. I was so intrigued by the mythology Lobb created and by her main characters, who were once lovers but are now on opposing sides at the opening of the novel. A murder mystery, commentary on religious fanaticism, and a romance arc that spans from friends to lovers to enemies and then back to lovers should have all been ingredients to a book I absolutely adored.

I tore through the first 15% of this book and absolutely adored it before having to put it down and pick it back up later to continue, so I don't know if my issues are truly with this book, its writing style, and its pacing, or if I ended up in a right book, wrong time situation. I hit the 43% mark and found that I just really wasn't connecting with this story or its characters and that while the beginning of the story had been promising, the plot had meandered away from the core premise.

As I continued, that disconnect only grew wider. By the time the major conflict becomes a priority in the story, there's less than 20% left in the novel, which was really frustrating because the first half of what was left was super compelling and interesting, despite the reveal of the villain falling a bit flat for me. I honestly would've been fine with this book ending five chapters before it actually finished which is rare for me, even with books I don't necessarily end up enjoying, I typically understand why the plot spans the timeframe the author has chosen. Overall, I spent somewhere between 30-40% of the novel fully engaged and loving the potential it held, but for me personally, it couldn't make up for the disconnect I felt during the middle 60-70% unfortunately.

I really wish I had enjoyed this debut more since it was one of my most anticipated books for the year, but it just didn't do it for me.

I wish I could give half stars as this one ranks a solid 3.5 for me. I love a good fantasy that can intertwine magic and religion. It gives the worlds such an interesting depth and so many fun places they can go. I had a hard time enjoying this one more though due to the main characters, Roz and Damian. Damian had some decent depth to him but was just TOO good, even in the moments where they tried to paint him as grieving over an evil past. Roz on the other hand held no believable depth for me, just flat rage, making her emotions at the end feel a little unbelievable. Otherwise the plot and the world building was really engaging.

Love the tension and the angst and the darkness threaded through this story. Very atmospheric and beautify written. I enjoyed this one from start finish.