A Realm of Ash and Shadow

DNFd at 55%.

While the cover and the premise of the book did entice me, I found the overall story a wanna be Young Adult trying way too hard at being New Adult.

As a 25yo I felt uncomfortable reading about a minor (at the start of the book) and later on an 18yo adult (legally speaking), talk about and experience sexuality in such a way. Obviously teens nowadays have done all that and more at that age, but considering I thought I was reading a New Adult book, realising what the main character's age was it felt... weird.

Apart from that, the story felt repetitive at times and although the world-building had potential and was interesting enough, the characters and their journeys did not do it for me and led me to eventually abandon the book.

I was provided an ARC from NetGalley & Lara Buckheit but all opinions are my own!