This book is so full of cliches it was almost painful. But, the plot moves quickly and keeps you engaged, even when you are rolling your eyes at all the cliches. Irina is a street magician’s assistant. But when her master is accused of using real magic and wanted for murder, she can’t believe it. As she is pulled into the investigation, she can tell something isn’t right. With her new friends, they have to figure out and capture the murderer before he can finalize the dark magic that he is committing.

I received a copy of this ebook for free through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

And sometimes the truth hurts.

The premise of The Fading Dusk was interesting, but the execution was so far off for me that I really had no desire to read it. If this had been a book I picked up from the library, I wouldn't have finished it. But because I received a copy so I could review it, I felt obligated to finish and provide my review.

Irina (17) alternates between a helpless, whimpering girl in constant need of protection and comfort, and an easily offended, rash idiot who doesn't know when to be quiet and stop picking fights. She is needy one moment and unapproachable the next. She was like a kicked puppy looking for affection anywhere she could find it, and then turning into a rabid pit bull the moment she doesn't get her way. She drove me nuts. And let's not forget she has Tris Syndrome, trying to sneak out and take care of things on her own so that nobody else has to risk dying.

The other characters weren't much better. I'd say they were two faced, but that makes them sound more complex than they actually were. Leonid (18) was a grumpy, jerk of a captain . . . except when he was handsome and broody . . . or tenet and caring . . . or a hormone-driven teenage boy. And I guess I'm supposed to think him gallant for almost beating someone to death to protect Irina's honor? Aden (18) was a sweet soldier, on her side . . . and then a psychopath . . . and then loyal and brave. Perhaps he actually suffers from multiple personalities? (Perhaps everyone in this book does.) And don't forget Batheir and Parnaby. Really, the only characters who seemed to stay the same (and I mean that in a good way) were Elyse and Vernon.

Just as the characters jumped all over the place, so did the plot. We've got murders and forbidden magic. And then we've got a magic rock and a . . . dragon god in a bubble? Yes, you read that correctly.

I swear every character and every event in this book was just a plot device. As if Giorgio started writing the book one way and then changed her mind. But rather than rewriting everything to fit, she just waved her (forbidden) magic wand and chanted, "And now you shall be ____!" And then we have one character who turns out to be gay, but honestly, it feels like an afterthought. Like she wrote the book, realized all the characters were straight, put their names in a hat, and drew one out at random. Honestly.

FYI: There's not a love triangle, in case you were wondering. The book description makes it sound like there might be, but Giorgio takes care of it before it's even a problem. And I can't even figure out why there are two options in this non-love-triangle. What was the purpose? Can't figure it out. Again, the magic wand theory.

I know there's a sequel, but I'm not going to read it.

Note: Can't recall anything bad in terms of language, sex, etc.

Truth be told, I have NO IDEA as to what just happened.
The Fading Dusk started off really well. I was very pulled into the story of the street magician’s assistant with her issues and there was a man claiming her master had stolen something. IT WAS GOOD.
And then, POOF.
The characters became overdramatic, the dialogue overdone, and EVERYTHING WAS JUST OFF.
Irina, with every one of her statements made me CRINGE. She’s supposed to be a hardened street kid (at least that’s what I assume you would be when you’ve spent your entire life on the streets. AND YET, she was like a naïve little delicate flower who trusted RANDOMN MEN only a few days after meeting them, behaved like a six year old snob and WAS JUST TOO SILLY TO BE LIKED.
I didn’t get it.
The story switched from a normal one to a mope in prison one (with an IDIOT councillor who ONLY KNEW HOW TO YELL. WHAT EVEN) to a love story to a mopey one to BAM Dark Magic and I WAS SO LOST?
AND THEN THERE WAS A DRAGON.
Like I said. SO SO LOST.
The only reason I continued reading was that I SORT OF liked the twists and Captain Leonid, BUT UGH.
I will unfortunately not be reading this again. 2 stars.