Metal Slinger

METAL SLINGER, by Rachel Schneider, is one of those odd books that I loved right up to the end. Even a month later, the ending has me questioning not just how much I liked the story but whether I liked it at all. Had you asked me my opinion anytime before finishing it, I would have gushed nonstop about the characters, the sexual tension, and the plot. Now, I do not know.

The problem is that METAL SLINGER suffers from a plot twist issue. Before the plot twist, I devoured every page, anxious to find out what happens to Acker and Brynn. I ignored any concerns about pacing, writing style, or character building because I was so vested in their relationship and Brynn's future. I was ALL IN as one is when they fall hard for fictional show more characters. And then comes the plot twist.

Not only do I have issues with the plot twist itself, but I also have issues with its placement in the story. First, the plot twist sucks. I have never felt so completely unprepared for a plot twist, and what it is makes me angry. The idea that Brynn is an unreliable narrator seemingly comes out of nowhere. Upon reflection, there are one or two sentences that make you pause and wonder why she is already ruminating on the end of her relationship with Acker. Still, you can easily explain these sentences away with the knowledge of Acker's engagement. What you do not do is question whether Brynn is giving us the truth. You do not question this because the entire story is told through Brynn's POV at the same time it is occurring. This isn't a retelling after the fact, where the narrator has time to amend the story. We see the action unfold through Brynn's eyes as her inner monologue captures and narrates the action. There is nothing about this storytelling method that is conducive to an unreliable narrator. I don't know if it is a poor editing choice, a lack of writing ability, or a combination of factors that allowed Ms. Schneider to tell her story as it is, but it screams red flag to me. Also, my review copy had a sneak peek at the second book, and what little I read pissed me off. I hate when one part of a fated pair cheats on the other, regardless of the reasons why the fated pair remain apart. The fact that Brynn and Acker know they are fated to be together and Acker still chooses to sleep around makes my blood boil.

Because the plot twist tore away any rose-colored glasses I might have had about METAL SLINGER, I can see the rest of the novel's faults. Subsequently, I am back to questioning what my true feelings are about the story. There are plenty of faults, too. The pacing is uneven, rushing in some areas and too slow in others. One character who never tells the entire truth, thinks such behavior is justifiable, and still expects to maintain a healthy relationship. Another character has a previously unhinted at power that is damn convenient. Certain partnerships that appear out of nowhere. Not to mention the info dump we get to explain the world, the political situation, the magic, and so forth, or the writing style that is a bit too simplistic for adult readers.

Yet, for all its faults, METAL SLINGER is a book about which I have a LOT of feelings. Granted, most of what I feel is anger and incredulity, but my reaction, when I think about the story's faults, is physical. A bad story would not evoke the same level of reaction as I have. The other question I always ask myself to determine my enjoyment of a book is whether I would or will continue with a sequel. In this case, I would. I might rage-read it just to find out if Ms. Schneider justifies her plot choices and improves in her writing, but I will read it. Ms. Schneider has a lot of explaining to do, and I will be one of the first ones in line to find out whether she does so well enough to assuage my anger. Until then, I will continue to waffle between love and hate when it comes to METAL SLINGER because it seems to be a story I cannot forget enough to calm down. show less

This had all the ingredients to be a 4 or even 5‑star read for me: a compelling world, solid pacing, and a storyline that kept me engaged. But one element ultimately pulled me out of the experience — the way the female main character’s relationship dynamics were handled.

Throughout the book, her actions read as betrayal of her fiancé. I know some readers felt the twist at the end reframed or justified her choices, but for me it did the opposite. The reveal didn’t erase the sense of dishonesty; it reinforced that she had crossed lines long before the twist came into play.

Because of that, I couldn’t fully root for her or the romance arc the story was trying to build. If that plot point had been handled differently — or if the show more book had acknowledged the betrayal instead of trying to give it legitimacy — this easily could have been a much higher‑rated read for me.

A great concept, but the character choices kept it from landing the way it could have. show less

With a twist you likely won’t see coming, Metal Slinger is the first promising instalment of the Fire & Metal fantasy romance series by Rachel Schneider.

Brynn lives in Alaha, a network of floating platforms slung between trees, an island with no land. She is thrilled when she, along with her closest friends-Kai and Messer, are finally eligible to attend The Market, an annual trade meeting with the people of Kenta, and a once in a lifetime chance to step foot on dry land. Brynn marvels at all Kenta offers, but when she is accused of theft by an intense, dark eyed soldier who threatens to cut off her hand, the ensuing melee threatens to shatter the fragile peace between their two cultures.

So it makes no sense when the same Kenta soldier show more suddenly appears on the horizon of Alaha and then surrenders himself to the island’s Captain on condition that he speak with Brynn. Kai, the Captain’s son, is reluctant to allow such a liberty with his intended, but Brynn is drawn to the magnetic stranger, and a heartbreaking story he has to tell her of a kidnapped princess, corruption and magic. With Acker’s execution inevitable, Brynn chooses not only to save him but also leave Alaha to learn who she really is, and what she wants.

Metal Slinger is told from Brynn’s first person perspective. Orphaned at age 7, she’s currently 17 or thereabouts, and on the verge of graduating as an Alahan guard. She lives simply, enjoys sketching, and is a bit of an outcast among her peers despite her close relationship with Kai and Messer. At the centre of the ‘chosen one’ trope, she’s a likeable lead and though I noticed some contradictions in her character, they weren’t enough to prepare me for the secrets she holds .

The encounter with Acker changes everything for Brynn, especially when it’s revealed that the pair are a fated match, supernaturally drawn to each other. I was invested in the romance that developed between Brynn and Acker, and while there is a love triangle of sorts, since the three of them, Brynn, Acker and Kai, are only fleetingly in one another’s orbit it is a background thing rather than centre stage. Be aware there are a couple of reasonably explicit spicy scenes.

The world created by Schneider is really interesting. There are five territories, each ruled by families who are chosen by Mother Nature, and given gifts (magic) as a reward for taking care of the land and its people. When the ruler of Alaha broke those rules, they were banished to live on the sea, leaving them without direct connection to their magic. The types of magic that can be wielded vary in form and power, and include abilities such as influence, shape shifting, mind reading, and an affinity with the elements. Not unexpectedly Brynn learns she wields a rare and particularly powerful magic, that of the Lightbringer. There are elements that I think could have been fleshed out a little more but I easily grasped the basics.

I noticed a few minor issues with the narrative including some clumsy transitions but, as I read the ARC, they may not be present in the finished copy. The twist Schneider introduces in the last few pages of Metal Slinger was a huge surprise to me, if there is any foreshadowing I missed it completely, but I’m pretty sure there wasn’t and that’s not really a good thing because even though it’s exciting it also feels like a betrayal of the story.

I did enjoy Metal Slinger, I think it has elements and characters with real potential to be developed in further instalments and I plan to read Lightbringer when it’s released next year. show less

WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK DID I JUST READ???

I was actually thoroughly convinced of the entire plot and then you get to the last couple of chapters and what??????? Rachel, come out here... I just want to talk.

I DON'T LIKE KAI AND YOU CAN'T CHANGE MY MIND. How dare you hurt my sweet bby Acker. I'm going to be thinking about this book for the rest of my life.

This is the first book in the projected Fire & Metal series. In this book, Schneider creates a dark romantasy with enough twists and turns without even a hint of what is to come. In the end, the reader understands just how good an author Schneider is.

Schneider gives her readers characters that grow slowly throughout the book. The story is told through the woman main character maintaining the likability as the character matures. All the characters have magic and uses it to survive.

If you prefer cozy romantasies, this may not be for you. However, if you love well-written books with complex characters and an unexpected ending, you need to read this book.

My thanks that Saturday’s Books and Edelweiss for an eARC.

4.5-4.75⭐️ Rounded up.

Woah. Just... woah. I mean, I feel like I have foresight to see the general direction a story is going. By no means all the time, but in general, yeah. This I didnt predict. Im honestly not even sure how I feel about it! I can't tell if my heart is broken and won't be repaired or if Im like, "oh hell yeah! Let's gooooo!". Its too fresh for me to know which way I sway.

All to say, I enjoyed this, I will be tuning in for round two. I enjoyed the world, the characters. I want more of the supporting characters, and Im hoping that delivers in book 2. Messer needs to shine more. Same with Beau. I can't let go of Acker at all.

⭐️ Rating: 3.5 stars

I went into Metal Slinger with high hopes after seeing so many people rave about it. I’m glad I read it! The story was great, and the shock at the end left me feeling a flood of emotions. I’m eagerly awaiting book two, Light Wielder.

💕 What I liked:
• The plot had me hooked, and there were two twists that genuinely caught me off guard. One was a super neat idea that added something fresh. The other was honestly shocking and left me feeling different emotions — mostly anger followed by acceptance.

• I really enjoyed a lot of the characters, especially Messer, Brynn, and Acker. Messer’s playful personality and loyalty added a nice zest to the story. I liked following Brynn as she worked through tough show more emotions. And I appreciated how Acker was patient with her

• I also think the pacing of the book overall was really well done. Each chapter felt purposeful, with something meaningful happening, so the story never dragged and kept me fully engaged.

🤔 What didn’t land for me:
• Some of the writing felt a bit repetitive, especially with phrases like “if they had a [feeling], they didn’t show it.” There were variations, but it still felt like the same recycled line popping up again and again.

• There were also a lot of smile descriptions, and after a while, they started to feel like filler. I would’ve loved to see that space used to further develop character conversations or paint a more vivid scene.

• The writing at times felt a little choppy. I had to reread a few parts to figure out what was actually happening in the moment, which pulled me out of the story just enough to be worth mentioning.

📖 Overall:
I liked it. There’s a strong foundation here with characters I cared about and a plot that kept my interest. I’m genuinely looking forward to seeing where the story goes next.

Especially since the author left us hanging with that massive cliffhanger! show less