Nina Varela

"Look at the fluidity, the grace in each transition. They make it seem effortless. But see for yourself: their muscles are trembling. It is not effortless at all.

If there exists a type of human capable of dismantling our world, it is the dancer."

you heard it here folks this is the only book you'll ever need

Beautiful, poetic writing, political machinations, protagonists who you can root for all throughout their successes and their dumb mistakes - also a hate-to-love romance to die for. It's show more a stunning portrait on war, revenge, conquerors and conquerees. And more than all of that, it was just honestly really exciting. It has constant twists and turns, both to get your heart racing and to break it.

I don't wanna say to much in the risk of spoiling it, but this took so many pieces of things I love and fit them together into this thrilling, atmospheric, densely-packed, tense little tale - I just can't believe I've probably got to wait an era for the sequel D: !!

Where love existed, death would follow, a wolf trailing after a wounded deer. Scenting blood in the air. Ayla had learned that the hard way.

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It’s hard to believe this is a debut novel, because Varela’s writing is exquisite! I’ll be on the lookout for any future releases from her.

The amazing worldbuilding is a definite highlight of this book — there’s a bit of an info dump in the beginning, just a tiny one, but later on there’s this gradual reveal I so adore in my fantasy books. I loved all the little ‘true story’ tidbits in each chapter, in the form of journal entries of many different people.

The plot was very show more well-paced, and the slow unfolding of the bigger intrigue — not just Ayla’s revenge — was extremely enjoyable and fascinating; it was almost impossible to put this book down at times!

As for the romance: it’s ‘enemies to lovers’ in its purest sense. The MCs are natural enemies, their Kinds want to kill/subdue one another, and they couldn’t be more different; Ayla is a human girl, a rebel, Crier’s an Automa — a kind of alchemically-enhanced android — and a lady, daughter and heir of the sovereign responsible for the death of Ayla’s family… It seems impossible, and it is, but the attraction between these two is so undeniable, the slow-burn so perfectly executed that their single kiss felt monumental.

Loved this. show less

I NEED THE SECOND BOOK IMMEDIATELY!! Gosh I LOVED this!! All the things that are right up my alley: political intrigue, ROBOTS, queer girls, revolution, questions about what makes us humans and what do we even DO with that anyway? Fuck. This book hit the spot. I’m starting the second one as soon as I wake up tomorrow.

Five stars for the worldbuilding. Maybe three for the plot. The romance part was extremely predictable from the very beginning (it doesn't help, of course, that all the blurbs for the book basically give it away). And while I was intrigued by the mysteries, very little gets resolved in this volume.

When I got to the end I thought my copy was defective. It just....ends. No resolution of anything. We are expected to go straight to the next volume. I'm not sure I will. Probably, because I do show more want to know what happens. But I bet *that* will end on a cliffhanger too and then where will I be? show less