This is a multi pov novel that follows 3 different as they struggle to deal with the issues of calor in their city. Zain is a leech who is paying off her debt to the slum leader Dev. Irivan is a slum leader who is trying to find more calor to help his district that has struggled since the invasion. Anastasia is from the powerful Drakos family and is trying to use her power and influence to destroy the slum leaders. This book weaves these three stories together.
I haven't read an environmental fantasy in a while, and I loved the way the subject was handled. It was not heavy handed, but it showed us a future that could realistically happen. I thought that the calor was an interesting magical substance, but I do wish we would have learned a bit more about it and how it functions.
Although this book took me a bit of time to get into, after about half way through I couldn't put it down. While I think that the characters could have used more depth at the beginning of the book, by the end of the book their motivates and actions made sense. Keeping their reasoning and backgrounds secret did make for quite an ending reveal.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-arc of this book! My opinions are my own.

4.5 stars!

I didn't have that many expectations when I started this book. I thought the cover was pretty and the synopsis did pique my interest, but I could not have imagined the way this story intrigued me and kept me up at night reading!

The story follows three main characters, from different walks of life. All three of them live in or close to the city of Tejomaya, the only city in the world where calor, a sort of magical fossil fuel, still falls from the sky to be harvested. Calor was used to power anything, from aircraft to medicine. It has however become incredibly scarce, especially after a six month drought. The city now has to deal with a shortage of resources, causing illness. The people who live in the slums of Tejomaya can only do so much to survive.

Zain, Iraven and Anastasia all have their own reasons to try and find the mysterious calor reserve. But they will have to deal with the pasts they'd rather forget and the repercussions of decisions made long ago, to reach the goals they so desperately need to achieve.

I loved how we're only given small snippets of what has happened to the main characters in the past. It truly kept me on the edge of my seat, wanting to find out what would happen and how the stories were intertwined. But it wasn't just their pasts that intrigued me - it was the present, too. This book is a little darker than you might expect. While the characters are very well written and my heart ached for them more than once, the setting in a city that has to deal with disaster certainly added another layer or two to the story. They don't just have to deal with their past, they have to do it while their future is quite literally falling apart.

This was one of my favourite books this year and if you haven't picked out anything to read yet for the fall, you definitely have to add this one to the list! In fact if you have your tbr all sorted, I suggest you make room for this one, too ;-)

Ever read a book where you think "This SHOULD be resonating with me, but it's just not?" That was this book. The writing was great, the premise and world-building was intriguing. I just found myself not caring about the characters enough to invest myself in their stories.

I can’t believe this is a debut novel! Such an original world and story. I loved the world building. Still thinking about this book a week after finishing it. Excited to see more from this author!

And the Sky Bled gave me serious ‘Dune’ vibes. The extraction of a resource, the exploitation of a planet, the corruption and greed of leaders. The growing need for resistance to challenge the dire reality of the status quo. Zain, Iran, and Anastasia are each on a relentless path. Paths that will either galvanize readers and create moments of contemplation. I rarely get into the fantasy genre and this was good.

Thank you Bindery Books for providing an ARC.

DNF at 8%. This book just wasn’t to my personal taste, it felt more like sci-if than fantasy. To be fair this was my first climate fantasy read.

And the Sky Bled follows 3 POVs - Zain, Iravan, and Anastasia. Zain has spent her life thieving in order to keep her family afloat, Iravan spends his days overseeing the slums, and Anastasia is an heiress who lived in the slums before betraying her friends. All three are racing to find a rumored reserve of calor, a fossil fuel that powers everything within their cities. For Zain, it means her freedom from the slums. For Iravan, it means the ability to solve a mysterious disease that is affecting his people. For Anastasia, it means finally coming into power and fully taking control of the city.

This was my first climate fantasy and it certainly won't be the last! I found the premise of this novel to be so unique and kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I found the concept of calor so interesting - a resource that has the power to heal and save lives while also brings about environmental destruction as it is harvested. I particularly enjoyed how we get to read about the consequences of colonialism from both perspectives and how each of their motivates played into the climate crisis. I enjoyed how Hati explored themes of grief, rage, betrayal, revenge, and love. For a standalone fantasy, this was so well done and didn't leave me wanting more in the end, which I feel is rare!

My only issue with the book was that it was a bit hard to be invested in the characters at the beginning and navigating how their stories were going to intertwine. As I would begin to feel invested in a character, we would switch POVs and then had to start the process all over. As the characters became more connected this wasn't an issue, but it does take a bit to get to that point.

And the Sky Bled is an immensely impressive debut and highly recommend!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Bindery for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book is a gripping and immersive fantasy that pulls you into the heart of a city on the brink of collapse. The race for hidden magic is intense, and the stakes couldn’t be higher for Zain, Iravan, and Anastasia. Each character is driven by their own desperate needs, making the story all the more compelling as their paths cross in surprising ways. The world-building is top-notch, with a setting that feels both vivid and hauntingly real. If you’re into stories about power, survival, and the lengths people will go to for control, this one’s a must-read.

I received an ARC from Netgalley and Bindery Books--thank you!

I really wanted to like this story. The premise was interesting, and I tried really hard to get into the world and immerse myself. The problem for me was that the world felt very impenetrable--I got told a lot of information but was not shown things happening, which made the access to this story difficult. I just felt info-dumped, overwhelmed, and bored for much of this story.

And the Sky Bled has three different POVs, which I liked. When one got bogged down or boring to me, which happened usually about halfway through the chapter, there would be a reprieve and a jump to a different POV for a bit. Rinse and repeat, and we made it through the story.

I think the biggest sin of this story was that I felt so bored. The writing was fine, the premise was good, but the execution left something to be desired for me. I wanted to care about these characters or even this setting, but I couldn't bring myself to.

However, I gave this book 2 stars, because I believe it has an audience that will love it. It isn't irredeemable; I can see how others would enjoy this. It wasn't for me, but that doesn't mean it isn't the story for others.

I would be interested in more from this author, especially if the story was told in a more dynamic way.

Some of my favorite quotes:

"Was survival possible when you were choosing between necessities?"

"That was the thing she still did not understand about herself. How her body and mind could war with one another be positioned on both sides of the battle. The child who had met Dev, hungry to be seen and accepted, had at least been whole. Zain, at twenty-three, was a piece of every person she had been, except she hadn't grown the way people normally did, gradually. She had been turned violently, each facet broken and put together again, her insides hardwired against herself. She wanted to thank him, she wanted to vomit. Her skin burned at his touch, and she wished she could scream."

This is one of those books that just stick with you forever. S. Hati's novel is complex, high fantasy with multiple POVs. There are themes of environmental consequences, global warming, anti-colonialism and late stage capitalism that makes it so applicable the meaning and values Hati is trying to show. This book was such a great debut novel and I NEED MORE

This book didn’t really work for me, I think there are some really interesting ideas explored but overall it lacked the depth to really captivate me. There were a few reasons for this, the main one being the structure which hinted at past events which were not revealed until the very end. These events were key motivators for characters so without knowing what actually happened, it was hard to understand and empathize with the ways they were acting.

The worldbuilding was also a bit flimsy, it’s such a unique concept with the blood rain, but I never quite understood why the rain is blood? I also found some key plot elements flimsy but I can’t get into it without spoilers. I thought the communist references were interesting haha like parts of the city being called the ‘hammer’ and the ‘sickle’ and the bit about roses lol.

I can see what the author was going for with the themes of colonialism and exploitation of the environment, and the characters are compelling in a lot of ways, but I think it didn’t go deep enough for me. I didn’t mind the heaviness/violence but be sure to check the TWs as there are some dark elements that might be hard to read, especially with everything going on in the world. I can see a lot of other people enjoying this so please do pick it up if it sounds interesting to you.

This is one of the most impressive debut novels I’ve read in a long time. The writing is masterful, with a well-balanced pace and a plot that kept me engaged from start to finish. The story itself is haunting: “And The Sky Bled” is set in a world so depleted of resources that the sky literally bleeds from a wound above the city of Tejomaya. This wound appears to be the last source of calor, the essential energy that everything in this world depends on. Naturally, the most powerful nation has seized control of it, hoarding every last bit of calor for themselves—a harsh reflection of the ruthlessness of colonization.

The characters are deeply compelling and distinct, and even though the “twist” that ties the three protagonists together is somewhat predictable, it didn’t lessen my enjoyment. I was captivated from the very first page and found myself particularly drawn to Anastasia’s perspective, which surprisingly became my favorite. The novel is a powerful mix of heartbreak, action, and a profound exploration of complex, unsettling themes. Despite being a fantasy novel—more precisely, climate fantasy—it resonates deeply with the challenges we face in our own world.

2.5
I want to start off by saying that this was my first cli-fi and I think the author did a great job of portraying real-world problems using a fictional resource and a very unique world. Though the idea was great, I had some issues with the execution. First of all, I did not care at all about the characters at all. Their motivations were confusing and none of them acted their ages. The romance also came out of nowhere and it feels like it was just put there because of this idea we have that every book should have a romantic relationship. My biggest issue, however, is that the book took way too long to answer these things they kept mentioning literally every chapter (like the fire and what Zain did that was so bad). I wish there were more twists and revelations throughout the book to keep things interesting. I did really enjoy the worldbuilding and the writing and I'm intrigued to see what S. Hati comes up with in the future.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an early copy of this book! Below is my honest review.

I'm quite conflicted on what to rate this book. On one hand, the premise of this book was excellent. We got three main characters who are hunting for this special resource called calor. At one point in time, calor was abundant and easy to obtain, which was awesome because it helped crops grow, made people feel better, gave people special powers, etc. Now, people have over-mined this resource, making it incredibly hard to find calor as it is only found in blood rains (which does not rain very often). Calor has also now turned into this dangerous substance where you can die from it. The three main characters are Zain (a thief who wants to gain her freedom back from the guy who is forcing her to collect calor), Irvan (a revolutionary leader who wants to use calor to free people from the slums), and Anastasia (a council member who wants to rule the city). All of them are hunting a mysterious/hidden reserve of calor that could save thema all. There's politics and romance and friendships all on the line! I thought this was all very interesting and unique. It made me think about how we as a society over-fish/over-mine/0ver-whatever natural resources and are now struggling to find replacement.

On the other hand... I simply could not focus on this book. While I wanted to like this so much, I really could not stay focused while reading for whatever reason. I struggled so hard to finish this (though I'm glad I did). I don't know if it was the writing style that made it hard for me to focus. I might just have to reread this book again to see what my true feelings are.

For now, I'll give it a 3.5 stars out of 5 stars, but maybe I'll reread this book next year and readjust.

This might just be one of my favourite debut novels in a long time. It's incredibly well-crafted, with even pacing and beautiful writing and a plot that never, not for even a second, left me feeling bored. The story is also a little terrifying: "And The Sky Bled" takes place in a world which has been stripped of its resources so thoroughly that the sky literally bleeds from a wound above the city of Tejomaya. This wound seems to be the last source of calor, the very resource everything in this world needs to function. It comes as no surprise then that it's been forcefully taken over by the most powerful nation which claims every last piece of calor for itself. It's what ruthless colonizers do, after all.
The characters are incredibly well-written and distinct, and while the "twist" that connects all three protagonists is a bit predictable, it didn't take away from my enjoyment. I was just mesmerized from page one, and I loved every one of the three perspectives though surprised myself when Anastasia's actually became my favourite. There is heartbreak, there is action, there is deep exploration of complex and frightening themes that despite this being fantasy, or climate fantasy to be precise, it's very relevant to what we experience in our own world.

4,5 stars, easily rounding up to 5.

I think this book does a lot of things right -- the themes are very cool, the world is fun, and the author is incredible at world building, setting the scene.

With that being said, this book is very hard to get into. The characters are a bit difficult to digest and it takes quite awhile to actually know where the book is going. I found it hard at times to continue and understand what the point was.

However, I'm still so intrigued by the world and LOVE the imagery and idea of the sky bleeding & how the people utilize that in their world.

I loved the premise and the themes, but the execution fell so short. It was info dump after info dump. The world itself was interesting, but everything we learned about it—or the characters who lived in it—was through the clunkiest exposition. I could have forgiven it if it were only in the beginning, but it continued throughout the novel, and I found it incredibly frustrating. When everything that was interesting about your world and characters happened before the narrative began, it makes it seem as if you’ve started the book in the wrong place. I felt spoon-fed the entire time. Nothing was left to the reader’s imagination. A good book should feel like a conversation, but this felt like a monologue.

I'm a sucker for creative/artistic covers, which is why "And the Sky Bled" got my attention. This book is dark and sometimes traumatic. It paints a good picture of how creed can transform the world and change people. You experience the story through different points of view, their conflicts and their own motives.
S. Hati has an engaging writing style combined with a unique setting. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it for everyone who likes a standalone fantasy book combined with politics and climate change/crisis.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bindery Books for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

And the Sky Bled is the story of a dying city, told from the point of view of three different characters - Zain, a thief; Iravan, a slumlord, and; Anastasia, an heiress and quasi-politician. Everything centers around calor, the fuel that runs the city, which is only found in blood that rains from the sky in Tejomaya. In addition to their fight for resources and control of the city, a dark secret connects the three narrators.

The climatic element to the story was unique, and was part of what originally drew me to this book. Hati spun a convincing narrative around the main characters. The reveal of the dark secret that ties them together wasn't entirely a surprise by the end, but the characters' reactions to its reveal felt raw and authentic.

I do wish this book had been a little bit longer in order to flesh out some of the characters and their relationships a little more. It took me a bit to get interested in some of them, especially Zain, since I didn't initially understand their motives and connections. There was also an enemies-to-lovers romance that doesn't appear until almost the very end of the book that would have been better off either be cut completely or given more time to develop the relationship.

Overall, this was a good read, especially if you like stories with multiple POV, a little political intrigue, and some morally gray characters.

I never quite connected with the storytelling or the writing style in this one. It wasn't a good fit for me, but I think others will have a better time with it.