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4.06 AVERAGE
4.06 AVERAGE
Wow!! What a ride!! This book is fast, a little bit of chaos a lot of great characters and a world you’ve never heard before.
The female protagonist is a 100 year old pizza loving warrior. Sage loves her family and her pizza shop, she fantasizes with marrying a prince and living in a castle, but her world is much crazier than she wants it to be and she is about to replay a role that she wanted to leave behind.
The story is crazy, you have to closely pay attention to detail because everything matters. The evolution of the protagonists is fast so you can’t hang on to first impressions.
I loved the romance, it has a little spice but Astrid writes it a little bit different, more realistic considering this fantasy world that she presents us. The MMC is amazing, he breaks all stereotypes of what we expect a male protagonist should be.
Can’t wait to continue this series!
4⭐️
The female protagonist is a 100 year old pizza loving warrior. Sage loves her family and her pizza shop, she fantasizes with marrying a prince and living in a castle, but her world is much crazier than she wants it to be and she is about to replay a role that she wanted to leave behind.
The story is crazy, you have to closely pay attention to detail because everything matters. The evolution of the protagonists is fast so you can’t hang on to first impressions.
I loved the romance, it has a little spice but Astrid writes it a little bit different, more realistic considering this fantasy world that she presents us. The MMC is amazing, he breaks all stereotypes of what we expect a male protagonist should be.
Can’t wait to continue this series!
4⭐️
I was already sold on the blurb and gorgeous cover and knew I was going to love this, but reading it was an entire experience.
The world Astrid is creating is mesmerising, the whole concept of enhanced beings, immortals and hybrids is fascinating, and the FMC being a century old immortal bad ass secret warrior who just wants a calm life to run her pizza shop - is everything I never knew I needed.
Sage is an amazing character, she's complex, fierce, dominant, empathetic, yet can still act like a teen in love and craves the simple things in life, despite being a force to be reckoned with.
The Warlord is the definition of morally grey with an added flair of flamboyance, ego and vulnerability all mixed together, and it definitely works.
I love how sci-fi, aliens and tech are intermingled with dystopian fantasy and action, and it still has the time for humour, banter, drama, romance and a touch of spice.
There's a fabulous diversity of characters, and I enjoyed all the twists and not knowing who can really be trusted as everyone has their own agenda in this complex world.
Diving straight into the next book - Emerald City, can't wait to read more!
*P.s I think I had over 30 fav quotes highlighted while reading, but I've tried to pick a few which sum up the vibes of this awesome book.
⚔️"Everything about you is so damn enticing. I felt it when you threw that dagger at my chest the first time we met.”
⚔️ “You’re fierce...Do you know that? Or are you blind to your own badassery?”
⚔️ “If you mess with me again, I’ll make sure your heads join the Warlord’s collection”
⚔️ "I cannot lose you because if I do, it will destroy me. It will shatter what is left of my black soul"
The world Astrid is creating is mesmerising, the whole concept of enhanced beings, immortals and hybrids is fascinating, and the FMC being a century old immortal bad ass secret warrior who just wants a calm life to run her pizza shop - is everything I never knew I needed.
Sage is an amazing character, she's complex, fierce, dominant, empathetic, yet can still act like a teen in love and craves the simple things in life, despite being a force to be reckoned with.
The Warlord is the definition of morally grey with an added flair of flamboyance, ego and vulnerability all mixed together, and it definitely works.
I love how sci-fi, aliens and tech are intermingled with dystopian fantasy and action, and it still has the time for humour, banter, drama, romance and a touch of spice.
There's a fabulous diversity of characters, and I enjoyed all the twists and not knowing who can really be trusted as everyone has their own agenda in this complex world.
Diving straight into the next book - Emerald City, can't wait to read more!
*P.s I think I had over 30 fav quotes highlighted while reading, but I've tried to pick a few which sum up the vibes of this awesome book.
⚔️"Everything about you is so damn enticing. I felt it when you threw that dagger at my chest the first time we met.”
⚔️ “You’re fierce...Do you know that? Or are you blind to your own badassery?”
⚔️ “If you mess with me again, I’ll make sure your heads join the Warlord’s collection”
⚔️ "I cannot lose you because if I do, it will destroy me. It will shatter what is left of my black soul"
The story was a little out of my norm, but it was interesting read, nonetheless. Sage is content with living life in the shadows, running a pizzeria and living life on her own terms. Obsessed with Prince Louis of the royal family; she would do just about anything to receive an invitation to his birthday party.
Life is good until it’s not. When Sage’s nephew reveals her identity as someone from an ancient warrior race who has been revered as the powerhouse warrior who reigned victorious in a previous battle 100 years ago; Sage’s problems are just beginning.
Now she is being blackmailed by the royal family to go up against the Warlord who is invading the city and who is responsible for the death of the King. Now Sage has to choose a side. Join fighting the cause for the royal family and gain the affection of the whiney prince she was once enamored with or form an alliance with the Warlord who is the total opposite of who she was led to believe he was.
Life was so much simpler when Sage was simply focused on serving pizza and not fantasies of love with a royal. Look where that has led her.
If you like Sci-Fi stories with humor, witty banter and kicka$$ female warriors; this story maybe just for you.
Life is good until it’s not. When Sage’s nephew reveals her identity as someone from an ancient warrior race who has been revered as the powerhouse warrior who reigned victorious in a previous battle 100 years ago; Sage’s problems are just beginning.
Now she is being blackmailed by the royal family to go up against the Warlord who is invading the city and who is responsible for the death of the King. Now Sage has to choose a side. Join fighting the cause for the royal family and gain the affection of the whiney prince she was once enamored with or form an alliance with the Warlord who is the total opposite of who she was led to believe he was.
Life was so much simpler when Sage was simply focused on serving pizza and not fantasies of love with a royal. Look where that has led her.
If you like Sci-Fi stories with humor, witty banter and kicka$$ female warriors; this story maybe just for you.
This is not my typical genre. I definitely went into this cautiously - I was really intrigued by the synopsis but a romance, especially with a sci-fi/fantasy setting was a little to different for me!
However, I was actually pleasantly surprised by how enjoyable I found it! The characters were written really well - I couldn't help but hope Sage got a happy ending! The battle scenes were graphically detailed but I couldn't stop reading. There were many twists and turns that kept the book interesting! I can't wait to see what happens next in the sequel!
However, I was actually pleasantly surprised by how enjoyable I found it! The characters were written really well - I couldn't help but hope Sage got a happy ending! The battle scenes were graphically detailed but I couldn't stop reading. There were many twists and turns that kept the book interesting! I can't wait to see what happens next in the sequel!
I have entered my Astrid Cole era and have no plans on leaving. I mean, how could I? Why would I want to leave this world that Astrid has so masterfully created? A futuristic, post-apocalyptic world populated with humans, hybrids, and maybe some others, where, it seems, people still haven't learned their lessons, and political intrigues & power struggles are as strong as ever. Sage, a pizza-loving restaurant owner, lives in a world after the Unification War, trying to find her inner peace.
Sage would want nothing more than to live out her life baking pizzas, creating the most over-the-top flavours, watching TV shows, spending time with her family, and daydreaming about marrying a prince. But, life seems to have other plans for Sage since she is more than a lovestruck, pizza-loving girl; she is an immortal warrior and has played the most prominent role in the Unification war. Will she trade her days to enjoy the court life, or will she have to choose a side and decide what is right and who is wrong—current rulers or the rebels, expelled from Diamond City? Sage is a beautiful and complex character; she is fierce and loyal, empathetic and caring, an immortal warrior who can still act like a teenager in love who craves the simpler things in life. You want her to meet Louis, the prince, and get her happy ending. But is Louis that for her?
Enter the Warlord, a character who embodies the essence of moral ambiguity. He's a fierce warrior, the leader of the rebels, and the most expressive, flamboyant, and inappropriate character you'll ever encounter. Do we love him? Is that even a fair question? His wit, humour, and inappropriate yet entertaining quips make him the perfect MMC.
Astrid gifted us the perfect sci-fi, dystopian fantasy, full of action, never a dull moment, yet artfully mixed with the funniest banter, romance, and a dash of spice. Like Sage's most extravagant pizza toppings and combos, Diamond City is just like that: a mix of the most diverse and different elements that work together like a dream. You will fall in love with Sage and Warlord, laugh uncontrollably, love fiercely, and grip the pages of this book like it is your lifeline.
I am so thankful I got to read Diamond City as Astrid's ARC reader, and I am running straight to Emerald City to dive back into the story. I won't be emerging from my reading cave until I reach the final page of this story.
In Diamond City, you will find
Sage would want nothing more than to live out her life baking pizzas, creating the most over-the-top flavours, watching TV shows, spending time with her family, and daydreaming about marrying a prince. But, life seems to have other plans for Sage since she is more than a lovestruck, pizza-loving girl; she is an immortal warrior and has played the most prominent role in the Unification war. Will she trade her days to enjoy the court life, or will she have to choose a side and decide what is right and who is wrong—current rulers or the rebels, expelled from Diamond City? Sage is a beautiful and complex character; she is fierce and loyal, empathetic and caring, an immortal warrior who can still act like a teenager in love who craves the simpler things in life. You want her to meet Louis, the prince, and get her happy ending. But is Louis that for her?
Enter the Warlord, a character who embodies the essence of moral ambiguity. He's a fierce warrior, the leader of the rebels, and the most expressive, flamboyant, and inappropriate character you'll ever encounter. Do we love him? Is that even a fair question? His wit, humour, and inappropriate yet entertaining quips make him the perfect MMC.
Astrid gifted us the perfect sci-fi, dystopian fantasy, full of action, never a dull moment, yet artfully mixed with the funniest banter, romance, and a dash of spice. Like Sage's most extravagant pizza toppings and combos, Diamond City is just like that: a mix of the most diverse and different elements that work together like a dream. You will fall in love with Sage and Warlord, laugh uncontrollably, love fiercely, and grip the pages of this book like it is your lifeline.
I am so thankful I got to read Diamond City as Astrid's ARC reader, and I am running straight to Emerald City to dive back into the story. I won't be emerging from my reading cave until I reach the final page of this story.
In Diamond City, you will find
This was my first venture into the Sci-Fi genre and while I took longer to get into this book/finish it than expected (was quite long for book 1 in a series), I think it was a good starting point for those who’d like to explore it too. The world and magic systems were really interesting and something I would have enjoyed even more if they were explored further. We have humans, enhanced, hybrids, and squids which was so unique! The concept of these cells and their origin is discussed throughout but we don’t really learn all that much of the back story. I hope we get to learn more about this later in the series because it felt like it was really missing from this first installment to truly captivate me.
The story dives more into the characters, their present lives, personalities and quirks more than anything. And this story has quirks a plenty! From the fascination with pizza complete with wacky toppings to the absolutely absurd catalogue of nick names. Some of these details were definitely humorous but I found it read much more YA due to it.
As for the characters themselves, there was definitely some disconnect for me here. Starting with the FMC Sage, she is meant to be this badass warrior but also had so many contradicting qualities that made her character fairly inconsistent. Like her crushes, indecisiveness and mood irregularity. Overall, making it a challenge for me to really like her. As for our MMC, he is morally grey, an absolute monster to everyone except her and he falls first and hard which are all tropes I love. Arguably too fast though and the process of them finally giving into their attraction was at times a bit unusual and almost felt forced. Once they had warmed up to each other, then I really did enjoy their interactions and I especially liked that they both would do anything to protect the other and take care of each other. This in turn completely changes the MMC, he really is her biggest cheerleader and I loved that.
Finally, the action and the story itself. This is heavy on the politics and the impending war, conflicts between the city and the outskirts are all heavily discussed. But, once we actually get into some battle sequences it felt quite rushed. I think there were much more pages dedicated to training for battle than there was for any of the battles or real action itself. I did however enjoy where the story progressed to, with the changes in leadership, alliances made and the friendships/found family. I think these were all strong elements in the book.
The story ends on a great twist that was definitely a redeeming quality for me and hopefully we will see more of this character moving forward, definitely a favorite for me. So I have already jumped right into book 2!
Thanks so much to Astrid Cole for sharing an e-arc with me :)
The story dives more into the characters, their present lives, personalities and quirks more than anything. And this story has quirks a plenty! From the fascination with pizza complete with wacky toppings to the absolutely absurd catalogue of nick names. Some of these details were definitely humorous but I found it read much more YA due to it.
As for the characters themselves, there was definitely some disconnect for me here. Starting with the FMC Sage, she is meant to be this badass warrior but also had so many contradicting qualities that made her character fairly inconsistent. Like her crushes, indecisiveness and mood irregularity. Overall, making it a challenge for me to really like her. As for our MMC, he is morally grey, an absolute monster to everyone except her and he falls first and hard which are all tropes I love. Arguably too fast though and the process of them finally giving into their attraction was at times a bit unusual and almost felt forced. Once they had warmed up to each other, then I really did enjoy their interactions and I especially liked that they both would do anything to protect the other and take care of each other. This in turn completely changes the MMC, he really is her biggest cheerleader and I loved that.
Finally, the action and the story itself. This is heavy on the politics and the impending war, conflicts between the city and the outskirts are all heavily discussed. But, once we actually get into some battle sequences it felt quite rushed. I think there were much more pages dedicated to training for battle than there was for any of the battles or real action itself. I did however enjoy where the story progressed to, with the changes in leadership, alliances made and the friendships/found family. I think these were all strong elements in the book.
The story ends on a great twist that was definitely a redeeming quality for me and hopefully we will see more of this character moving forward, definitely a favorite for me. So I have already jumped right into book 2!
Thanks so much to Astrid Cole for sharing an e-arc with me :)
adventurous
funny
tense
medium-paced
Strong FMC, Pizza, Romance, Squids. Estranged and Found Family, this book has it all.
I loved this book.
Plain and simple, this story was intriguing, unique, captured my attention, and I didn't want it to end! (Lucky for me, I get to read the ARC for its sequel!)
There were times when I got lost with the timeline, and the jumps between present and future had me re-reading a few times, but the story truly made up for it!
I highly recommend this story, and if you're someone who loses track easily. Sticky notes or highlighting may be beneficial to track time jumps.
4/5 stars, I've never read a book quite like this, and I really truly enjoyed it!
I loved this book.
Plain and simple, this story was intriguing, unique, captured my attention, and I didn't want it to end! (Lucky for me, I get to read the ARC for its sequel!)
There were times when I got lost with the timeline, and the jumps between present and future had me re-reading a few times, but the story truly made up for it!
I highly recommend this story, and if you're someone who loses track easily. Sticky notes or highlighting may be beneficial to track time jumps.
4/5 stars, I've never read a book quite like this, and I really truly enjoyed it!
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
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
Rating: 4.5
Spice: 1.5
Keywords | Tropes: Urban SciFi - Dystopian - Found Family - Enemies to Lovers - War - Rebellion - Pizza - Enhanced (strong humans) - Squids - Hybrids - Mystery - Action - Adventurous - Romance
This is only the first book out of 6 and Oh My God it was already one hell of a ride.
I am just blown away by Astrid's creativity. So many plot twists and amazing reveals.
The way she unraveled the story by slowly giving us pieces of information when needed.
It was magnificent. Well written! Great world building! I have a hard time explaining how good the story was put together with the action, mystery, tension but also lighthearted and fun elements.
Some parts were confusing but most of it eventually gets cleared up well enough.
So it does have heavy world building with the mystery being unravelled. Very captivating!
Also lots of amazing characters I adore! Some I also hate but thats a necessary evil for books like these haha!
The ending I found a bit less satisfying because it was a little bit too rushed all of a sudden. Astrid left me all nervous with what is happening. And the prologue? Acting like everything is fine in their little hiding world? So many questions, my brain can't process haha. I need book 2 asap!
Spice: 1.5
Keywords | Tropes: Urban SciFi - Dystopian - Found Family - Enemies to Lovers - War - Rebellion - Pizza - Enhanced (strong humans) - Squids - Hybrids - Mystery - Action - Adventurous - Romance
This is only the first book out of 6 and Oh My God it was already one hell of a ride.
I am just blown away by Astrid's creativity. So many plot twists and amazing reveals.
The way she unraveled the story by slowly giving us pieces of information when needed.
It was magnificent. Well written! Great world building! I have a hard time explaining how good the story was put together with the action, mystery, tension but also lighthearted and fun elements.
Some parts were confusing but most of it eventually gets cleared up well enough.
So it does have heavy world building with the mystery being unravelled. Very captivating!
Also lots of amazing characters I adore! Some I also hate but thats a necessary evil for books like these haha!
The ending I found a bit less satisfying because it was a little bit too rushed all of a sudden. Astrid left me all nervous with what is happening. And the prologue? Acting like everything is fine in their little hiding world? So many questions, my brain can't process haha. I need book 2 asap!
dark
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Diamond City was a fast-paced, unique dystopian fantasy read. I enjoyed the humor embedded throughout the story, the colorful collection of character names, and character development. Sage was a strong FMC, yet it was sweet how Damian tamed her and brought out a new and different side that I look forward to exploring in the next book. There is still so much to wrap up between Sage and Wren as well as how Sampson and the Squids will impact the safety of Diamond City. I look forward to seeing how the saga continues in book 2, Emerald City.