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3.5 AVERAGE
3.5 AVERAGE
3.5 stars.
This was really easy to read, I found myself breezing through the chapters. I really enjoyed the world building, the religion the author built up. The characters felt a little flat, especially Roz but that got better in the last 100 pages or so. I found the mystery aspect the main thing keeping me hooked (even though I clocked the big bad as suspect early on). It was a fun read.
This was really easy to read, I found myself breezing through the chapters. I really enjoyed the world building, the religion the author built up. The characters felt a little flat, especially Roz but that got better in the last 100 pages or so. I found the mystery aspect the main thing keeping me hooked (even though I clocked the big bad as suspect early on). It was a fun read.
In a city filled with the disciples and descendants of saints, there are power plays, rebels, and a serial killer on the loose, and two childhood sweethearts turned enemies with a complicated history must find a way to work together if they want to save the city and everyone in it. In the city of Ombrazia, there are seven saints. These saints have disciples and descendants who worship and are blessed with talents related to their saint. Those who are not gifted with abilities are known as the “unfavored” and seen as disposable and made to be sent off to war. Rossana Lacertosa is a disciple of Patience but she absolutely loathes being one and hates the system entirely, especially after her father was murdered at the hands of the Ombrazian military for trying to leave, and on top of that the man who murdered her father just happens to be the father of the boy she loved who broke her heart and never talked to her after her father’s death. Rossana is angry, she joined the rebellion, and she is going to do whatever it takes to get revenge for her father and take down the system. Damian Venturi is the youngest captain in the history of Palazzo security, he is expected to be a ruthless, strong and completely devoted to serving the saints without question... except Damian is haunted not only by his time at the war front but by his sins. Damian is left with the scars of spending three years in a never ending war, filling him with despair, anxiety, and crushing guilt. He can never forgive himself for what he did to Rossana but he knows he still loves her. He is a coward, he’s afraid of facing her and of facing his father, but he is someone who will do what’s right and that means he is going to solve the recent murders and do whatever it takes to bring the murderer to justice... even if it means working with Rossana again after all these years. Damian is torn between guilt for what he did to her and the love he still feels for her, he knows he doesn’t deserve her and he is haunted by all the dark things hes done to survive his time at war. Rossana is forced to face the boy who broke her heart and the pain that come from being near him. With a serial killer on the loose and the body count rising both of them must find a way to confront their past in order to work together and find the killer, but can they survive all their anger and guilt? This was definitely a fun read, I love a murder mystery and the complicated enemies to lovers filled with so much angst between Rossana and Damien was absolutely amazing. This is the first book int he series and the way this ends has me so excited for the next one. I can’t wait to see how Rossana and Damien are in the next book and what it means for their relationship as well as how the mystery will grow!
*SPOILER* The saint of Chaos was banished and scrubbed from history after the horrible power plays done by them, they can manipulate minds and let people see things. Enzo ( Damien’s friend) turned out to be the disciple of Chaos who as killing people and taking their eyes to sacrifice. Damien had notified his father that Rossana’s father deserted because he was worried something had happened to him and it was a huge accident on his part.Damien was racked with guilt and couldn’t face Rossana, but Rossana was worried that Damien was killed or injured. They had spoken in three years but never stoped loving or thinking about each other ( well Rossana got very very angry with him). Rossana was part of the rebels. Damien’s father was killed off and Damien deserted the army only to later then be chosen as the new captain to lead after the whole thing. Rosanna is now leading the rebels and they are both together again. Damien shot Enzo after Enzo showed him a vision of a dead Rosanna and they both left his body down in the temple where he had set up the sacrifice.... and Rossana thinks that Enzo made Damien part of his plan and something else is in store for them (she’s right, Enzo made himself the 7th sacrifice and he is now rising as a saint after Damien killed him).
*Thank you Netgalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*
*SPOILER* The saint of Chaos was banished and scrubbed from history after the horrible power plays done by them, they can manipulate minds and let people see things. Enzo ( Damien’s friend) turned out to be the disciple of Chaos who as killing people and taking their eyes to sacrifice. Damien had notified his father that Rossana’s father deserted because he was worried something had happened to him and it was a huge accident on his part.Damien was racked with guilt and couldn’t face Rossana, but Rossana was worried that Damien was killed or injured. They had spoken in three years but never stoped loving or thinking about each other ( well Rossana got very very angry with him). Rossana was part of the rebels. Damien’s father was killed off and Damien deserted the army only to later then be chosen as the new captain to lead after the whole thing. Rosanna is now leading the rebels and they are both together again. Damien shot Enzo after Enzo showed him a vision of a dead Rosanna and they both left his body down in the temple where he had set up the sacrifice.... and Rossana thinks that Enzo made Damien part of his plan and something else is in store for them (she’s right, Enzo made himself the 7th sacrifice and he is now rising as a saint after Damien killed him).
*Thank you Netgalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*
Actual rating: 2,5 stars
Marketed as a ‘dark fantasy debut with a murder-mystery twist’, Seven Faceless Saints is unfortunately far from keeping this promise. The tone tries very hard to be dark but falls quite short of it and the murder-mystery twist is so suffocated by the second chance romance that we barely appreciate it.
The characters were very two-dimensional. Beside some elements of their past for the sake of the story, we don't learn anything else about who they are as a character. I liked the second chance romance, but with my lack of attachment to any of the characters, it pretty much went over my head. I loved the world building and thought everything surrounding the Saints and their magic was fascinating. I would have liked to have a bit more explanation about them throughout the book though.
The mystery had many suspect, so many in fact that none are developed enough for the reader to make their own deductions. Which inevitably leads to a very lukewarm revelation. I had to force myself to pick it up because of how all over the place the intrigue was, and how inconsistent the pacing was as well. I would have DNFed it if it hadn’t been a book for a readathon and I won’t be continuing the series.
Marketed as a ‘dark fantasy debut with a murder-mystery twist’, Seven Faceless Saints is unfortunately far from keeping this promise. The tone tries very hard to be dark but falls quite short of it and the murder-mystery twist is so suffocated by the second chance romance that we barely appreciate it.
The characters were very two-dimensional. Beside some elements of their past for the sake of the story, we don't learn anything else about who they are as a character. I liked the second chance romance, but with my lack of attachment to any of the characters, it pretty much went over my head. I loved the world building and thought everything surrounding the Saints and their magic was fascinating. I would have liked to have a bit more explanation about them throughout the book though.
The mystery had many suspect, so many in fact that none are developed enough for the reader to make their own deductions. Which inevitably leads to a very lukewarm revelation. I had to force myself to pick it up because of how all over the place the intrigue was, and how inconsistent the pacing was as well. I would have DNFed it if it hadn’t been a book for a readathon and I won’t be continuing the series.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It really is a slow paced read, but it was something I wouldn't complain about personally. We take a lot of time in the world building aspect of the book, learning the ins and outs of the environment you're being thrust into via character perspectives. So for some, yeah, that drags on for way too long.
I quite enjoyed the book, the twists it took you on as Damien and Roz try and dance around each other and the investigation they find themselves conducting together. The tension built with the characters around them, the slaps in the face from certain plot points, the smoking gun left closer to the beginning of the book, and the red herrings to throw you off guessing the outcome yourself; all of it with the pacing that it needed to keep you invested on the drama of it all.
I'm excited to read the sequel to see what comes Damien and Roz's way.
I quite enjoyed the book, the twists it took you on as Damien and Roz try and dance around each other and the investigation they find themselves conducting together. The tension built with the characters around them, the slaps in the face from certain plot points, the smoking gun left closer to the beginning of the book, and the red herrings to throw you off guessing the outcome yourself; all of it with the pacing that it needed to keep you invested on the drama of it all.
I'm excited to read the sequel to see what comes Damien and Roz's way.
Look, I really did not want to keep reading this. I trudged my way to about 60% over the course of like 6 weeks and eventually ended up just reading a summary of the ending. It wasn't for me ya'll
This book was so slow with not much happening until near the end.
Once you got to the end everything kicked off, I liked how this book had its own villain(s) and conclusion whilst leading to a bigger plot line for the next books.
The book really highlights the consequences of war and the effect it has on those survive.
The concept and themes of the world is intriguing and the world building is amazing.
I felt like this book had multiple villains especially when you find more about the world, with the main one being someone you wouldn’t expect it to be
Once you got to the end everything kicked off, I liked how this book had its own villain(s) and conclusion whilst leading to a bigger plot line for the next books.
The book really highlights the consequences of war and the effect it has on those survive.
The concept and themes of the world is intriguing and the world building is amazing.
I felt like this book had multiple villains especially when you find more about the world, with the main one being someone you wouldn’t expect it to be