I'd like to thank the publisher, NetGalley, and the author for allowing me to read this book.

I had this book on my list of books to read for the year, excited for its release. A female Zorro-type character? Hidden identity? Gimme. I quickly dove into it.

After reading just one chapter, I knew this book and I were going to have issues. I'm one of those readers that can picture a book in their head - like a film. So, if the movie is interesting, flows well, has a good focus (or main character) I'll keep with it until the end. In this? Well, none of that was really happening. The main character was just really boring. Even with the added magic aspect / changing into a panther, that should have gotten me hooked even more?

No. The author kind of sprinkles throughout the book the character thinking about her training with her previous mentor, who is MIA / dead / etc. I honestly didn't care. We're being told / shown glimpses of conversations they had about her powers, who she is ... and all I kept thinking of is, why should I care? There is little to no magic lore / build up besides the fact that the girl apparently gets these powers from her gods. Great. Tell me more about that? Make me understand / accept the world we live in. There is none of that. It's like the author wanted to write a story about a female Zorro character that can shape shift into a panther and not really give good world building to go along with it. Make me understand the depth of what she is in by giving me a world that needs her. Because frankly, I don't understand exactly WHY they need her.

I made it 50% through this book before closing it. The male love interest I felt was bland, and he appeared to have a hidden agenda. He was working for the enemy (the Captain that her secret identity runs into a lot) and he has magical powers which he apparently doesn't know why he has them. ... Again, I don't quite understand why they have these powers either. This is apparently an AU Spain? This isn't like we're in the world of now and it's the Avengers and mutants are real and we just 'accept it'. Explain to me, please, why we have these powers in the world and why no one knows of them but yet they exist. Show me there are other people with these powers. Show me a threat that should make me care.

I believe there could have been a really good book in here, but maybe it would require a more balanced blend of historical and fantasy. I don't know what this is, and it's a shame.