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The City of Steel and Diamond #1
Diamond City
Good things don't happen to girls who come from nothing...unless they risk everything.
Fierce and ambitious, Aina Solís as sharp as her blade and as mysterious as the blood magic she protects. After the murder of her parents, Aina takes a job as an assassin to survive and finds a new family in those like her: the unwanted and forgotten.
Her boss is brutal and cold, with a questionable sense of morality, but he provides a place for people with nowhere else to go. And makes sure they stay there.
DIAMOND CITY: built by magic, ruled by tyrants, and in desperate need of saving. It is a world full of dark forces and hidden agendas, old rivalries and lethal new enemies.
To claim a future for herself in a world that doesn't want her to survive, Aina will have to win a game of murder and conspiracy—and risk losing everything.
Full of action, romance and dark magic, book one of Francesca Flores' breathtaking fantasy duology will leave readers eager for more!
Fierce and ambitious, Aina Solís as sharp as her blade and as mysterious as the blood magic she protects. After the murder of her parents, Aina takes a job as an assassin to survive and finds a new family in those like her: the unwanted and forgotten.
Her boss is brutal and cold, with a questionable sense of morality, but he provides a place for people with nowhere else to go. And makes sure they stay there.
DIAMOND CITY: built by magic, ruled by tyrants, and in desperate need of saving. It is a world full of dark forces and hidden agendas, old rivalries and lethal new enemies.
To claim a future for herself in a world that doesn't want her to survive, Aina will have to win a game of murder and conspiracy—and risk losing everything.
Full of action, romance and dark magic, book one of Francesca Flores' breathtaking fantasy duology will leave readers eager for more!
392 pages, Hardcover
First published January 28, 2020
87 people are currently reading
8566 people want to read
About the author
Francesca Flores
3 books307 followersFrancesca Flores is a writer, traveler and linguist. Raised in Pittsburgh, she read every fantasy book she could get her hands on and started writing her own stories at a young age. She began writing Diamond City while working as a corporate travel manager. When she's not writing or reading, Francesca enjoys traveling, dancing ballet and jazz, practicing trapeze and contortion, and visiting parks and trails around San Francisco, where she currently resides.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 349 reviews
January 21, 2024
**3.5-stars rounded up**
Orphaned as a child, Aina Solis spent her early years living on the streets. She had no where to go, no one to help guide, or protect her.
As you can imagine, her life wasn't easy. She was frequently afraid, hungry, hopeless, and even battled a drug addiction.
As Aina slid precariously towards rock bottom, a boy named Kohl Patel swooped in and offered her a way out; a new life.
Essentially a crime lord, Kohl trained Aina to be an assassin. Overtime, she becomes known as one of his sharpest blades. She also feels indebted to him and in a way, she is.
Although she works for Kohl full-time, on the side she has been selling illegal diamonds and harbors ambitions of one day opening her own trade house.
Although he doesn't appear to know Aina is peddling diamonds behind his back, Kohl does support her ambitions for the future. He tells her that he'll support her moving on after she performs one final high profile kill for him.
When that kill doesn't go as planned, she is shocked by how quickly Kohl turns on her. Now fearing for her life, she faces a tough choice.
Running out of time, Aina and her best friend, Teo, have one more opportunity to make things right or pay the ultimate price.
Diamond City definitely surprised me and exceeded my expectations. Francesca Flores has created an interesting world here with some very likable characters.
I enjoyed Aina the most, who reminded me a lot of Celaena Sardothien. The plot was fast-paced and the stakes were high.
If you like stories with street gangs, or crime lords, and corrupt politicians, you should definitely check this one out!
It also reminded me of Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody. Unfortunately, like Ace of Shades, I was a little confused by the magic system and slightly disappointed it wasn't built out more.
There is blood magic in this world, as well as some magic involving diamonds, but I am not clear on how exactly that form works. I am hoping that is something that will be explored more in the continuation.
Fortunately, the action was compelling enough that I actually sort of forgot there was suppose to be magic at all.
I really enjoyed Flores examination of the different relationships. I thought that aspect was really well done, particularly Aina and Kohl.
She has feelings for him that go above the mentor/mentee level and when he turns on her, she's crushed. She struggles with having felt so strongly for him and then learning he wasn't what she thought.
I think many of us can relate to being let down within a significant relationship like that, especially relationships with an age gap, or power imbalance. I really felt for Aina while that played out on page.
I also was pleased with Aina's growth as a character as she came to grips with her new reality. Even though she was heartbroken, she didn't let it bring her down. She kept on fighting for a cause greater than herself.
I also really enjoyed the relationship between Aina and Teo, her best friend. I always like to see a platonic male/female relationship and this one was strong.
Although Teo is pretty dreamy. How is she not swooning over him?
Leaving off in a great spot for the sequel, I am hoping for all sorts of revenge, as Aina moves forth with new enemies and new allies.
I am really looking forward to continuing with this story!
Thank you so much to the publisher, Wednesday Books, for providing me with a copy of this to read and review.
I appreciate it so much and had a lot of fun with it!
Orphaned as a child, Aina Solis spent her early years living on the streets. She had no where to go, no one to help guide, or protect her.
As you can imagine, her life wasn't easy. She was frequently afraid, hungry, hopeless, and even battled a drug addiction.
As Aina slid precariously towards rock bottom, a boy named Kohl Patel swooped in and offered her a way out; a new life.
Essentially a crime lord, Kohl trained Aina to be an assassin. Overtime, she becomes known as one of his sharpest blades. She also feels indebted to him and in a way, she is.
Although she works for Kohl full-time, on the side she has been selling illegal diamonds and harbors ambitions of one day opening her own trade house.
Although he doesn't appear to know Aina is peddling diamonds behind his back, Kohl does support her ambitions for the future. He tells her that he'll support her moving on after she performs one final high profile kill for him.
When that kill doesn't go as planned, she is shocked by how quickly Kohl turns on her. Now fearing for her life, she faces a tough choice.
Running out of time, Aina and her best friend, Teo, have one more opportunity to make things right or pay the ultimate price.
Diamond City definitely surprised me and exceeded my expectations. Francesca Flores has created an interesting world here with some very likable characters.
I enjoyed Aina the most, who reminded me a lot of Celaena Sardothien. The plot was fast-paced and the stakes were high.
If you like stories with street gangs, or crime lords, and corrupt politicians, you should definitely check this one out!
It also reminded me of Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody. Unfortunately, like Ace of Shades, I was a little confused by the magic system and slightly disappointed it wasn't built out more.
There is blood magic in this world, as well as some magic involving diamonds, but I am not clear on how exactly that form works. I am hoping that is something that will be explored more in the continuation.
Fortunately, the action was compelling enough that I actually sort of forgot there was suppose to be magic at all.
I really enjoyed Flores examination of the different relationships. I thought that aspect was really well done, particularly Aina and Kohl.
She has feelings for him that go above the mentor/mentee level and when he turns on her, she's crushed. She struggles with having felt so strongly for him and then learning he wasn't what she thought.
I think many of us can relate to being let down within a significant relationship like that, especially relationships with an age gap, or power imbalance. I really felt for Aina while that played out on page.
I also was pleased with Aina's growth as a character as she came to grips with her new reality. Even though she was heartbroken, she didn't let it bring her down. She kept on fighting for a cause greater than herself.
I also really enjoyed the relationship between Aina and Teo, her best friend. I always like to see a platonic male/female relationship and this one was strong.
Although Teo is pretty dreamy. How is she not swooning over him?
Leaving off in a great spot for the sequel, I am hoping for all sorts of revenge, as Aina moves forth with new enemies and new allies.
I am really looking forward to continuing with this story!
Thank you so much to the publisher, Wednesday Books, for providing me with a copy of this to read and review.
I appreciate it so much and had a lot of fun with it!
January 9, 2020
"Good things don't happen to girls who come from nothing... unless they risk everything."
Diamond City is a multifaceted YA fantasy that blends the aspects of many different types of magic systems into one plot, and while I've seen this as being a turnoff for some readers, I found it to work beautifully. Flores has given us a world filled with blood/elemental magic, a steampunk setting, and political unrest to breed a luscious, atmospheric tale of bloodshed and, ultimately, revenge. While I'm not as well read in this genre as some, I have picked up my fair share of YA fantasy over the years and I found the world building, plot progression, and character development to be delightful and engaging. This is the first in a new series, but don't worry, there is just enough closure to negate the awful cliffhanger feeling, while leaving just enough of a set up to cause the reader to crave the next installment. If you enjoy a slow burning fantasy that is both sensual and stabby, look no further!
*Many thanks to the publisher for my review copy.
Diamond City is a multifaceted YA fantasy that blends the aspects of many different types of magic systems into one plot, and while I've seen this as being a turnoff for some readers, I found it to work beautifully. Flores has given us a world filled with blood/elemental magic, a steampunk setting, and political unrest to breed a luscious, atmospheric tale of bloodshed and, ultimately, revenge. While I'm not as well read in this genre as some, I have picked up my fair share of YA fantasy over the years and I found the world building, plot progression, and character development to be delightful and engaging. This is the first in a new series, but don't worry, there is just enough closure to negate the awful cliffhanger feeling, while leaving just enough of a set up to cause the reader to crave the next installment. If you enjoy a slow burning fantasy that is both sensual and stabby, look no further!
*Many thanks to the publisher for my review copy.
September 30, 2018
“Why did you help me?” she asked, trying to keep her voice from shaking.
His smile faded slightly. “Because good things don’t usually happen to girls who come from nothing.”
Aina cast her eyes downward. She was already well-aware of that.
He withdrew a dagger from a sheath inside his jacket and held it out to her. It was the sleekest blade she’d ever seen, with an onyx-black handle. She reached out to touch the handle with the tips of her fingers.
“Learn how to use this knife and I’ll make you into something.”
You know what's amazing? A stellar-paced, entertaining book with high stakes and characters who worm their ways into your heart. You know what's even more amazing? All that, plus a resonating theme.
Rarely am I sucked in as fast by a book's opening as I was by DIAMOND CITY. And never have I ever remembered the opening lines of a book as well as I have these opening lines. Just read them, and tell me you don't get shivers.
DIAMOND CITY follows the story of Aina Solis, a girl orphaned at an early age and rescued into a gang in the smoke-choked streets of Koshima, a city caught between the past and the future, between religion and industrialization. All Aina has ever wanted was to earn her way out of her indenturement and found her own business. But when an assassination goes awry, she finds herself caught in a dangerous game of politics and opposing forces that seek to change the city of Koshima.
But ultimately, this is the story of a girl trapped in the cycle of poverty and homelessness, and how she continuously struggles between breaking free from that cycle and falling back into it.
"With all that’s been taken from me, there are some things I have left, like integrity and skill and loyalty. If I can open my own business, like Kohl’s, it means I did the best work with the little that I was given. Don’t take that away from me by telling me that I can reach higher, that the sky is the limit. My sky and yours are not the same. Let me touch my own sky."
There are so many quotes and moments seared into my mind from this book. Between the knife-fights and the murders and the kickass fighting and the wolf spiders and the romance, there were so many moments that opened a window into Aina's heart, and let us see exactly who she is, how she was a product of her circumstances, and how she still holds hope and struggles to make a better world than what she was given. Perhaps one of the aspects that resonated most with me was how Aina was at once good yet flawed, and how Francesca helped us see exactly why Aina has those flaws, and what drives her to act so desperately, to commit the crimes she does, to fall back into despair or to act rashly through greed.
The secondary/side characters were another aspect that really made this book for me. From my big, "IDGAF" gang-member-but-also-soft-boi Tahir Matgan to sophisticated, kind-hearted, righteous Ryu Hirai, the diversity of this cast made my heart *sing* and each of those characters now have a spot on the dusty shelf of my heart-characters.
Oh, and the worldbuilding. I fell in love with the gritty, grimy, smoke-choked streets of Koshima as soon as I opened the pages of this book. There are so many parallels to our world as it is today, from the cutthroat industrialists (see: capitalists) to the faithful/old-world religious side. Francesca contrasts the higher-ups, all-powerful 0.01% who hold the strings to this world to the ones caught in the meshwork, showing us just what it takes to survive in a world where you have so little control.
This is a book with a protagonist you will 100% root for, a plot that doesn't let you go, a world that chokes you with its grit and grime and smoke, and a story that will open your eyes and stay with you long after you've turned the last page.
His smile faded slightly. “Because good things don’t usually happen to girls who come from nothing.”
Aina cast her eyes downward. She was already well-aware of that.
He withdrew a dagger from a sheath inside his jacket and held it out to her. It was the sleekest blade she’d ever seen, with an onyx-black handle. She reached out to touch the handle with the tips of her fingers.
“Learn how to use this knife and I’ll make you into something.”
You know what's amazing? A stellar-paced, entertaining book with high stakes and characters who worm their ways into your heart. You know what's even more amazing? All that, plus a resonating theme.
Rarely am I sucked in as fast by a book's opening as I was by DIAMOND CITY. And never have I ever remembered the opening lines of a book as well as I have these opening lines. Just read them, and tell me you don't get shivers.
DIAMOND CITY follows the story of Aina Solis, a girl orphaned at an early age and rescued into a gang in the smoke-choked streets of Koshima, a city caught between the past and the future, between religion and industrialization. All Aina has ever wanted was to earn her way out of her indenturement and found her own business. But when an assassination goes awry, she finds herself caught in a dangerous game of politics and opposing forces that seek to change the city of Koshima.
But ultimately, this is the story of a girl trapped in the cycle of poverty and homelessness, and how she continuously struggles between breaking free from that cycle and falling back into it.
"With all that’s been taken from me, there are some things I have left, like integrity and skill and loyalty. If I can open my own business, like Kohl’s, it means I did the best work with the little that I was given. Don’t take that away from me by telling me that I can reach higher, that the sky is the limit. My sky and yours are not the same. Let me touch my own sky."
There are so many quotes and moments seared into my mind from this book. Between the knife-fights and the murders and the kickass fighting and the wolf spiders and the romance, there were so many moments that opened a window into Aina's heart, and let us see exactly who she is, how she was a product of her circumstances, and how she still holds hope and struggles to make a better world than what she was given. Perhaps one of the aspects that resonated most with me was how Aina was at once good yet flawed, and how Francesca helped us see exactly why Aina has those flaws, and what drives her to act so desperately, to commit the crimes she does, to fall back into despair or to act rashly through greed.
The secondary/side characters were another aspect that really made this book for me. From my big, "IDGAF" gang-member-but-also-soft-boi Tahir Matgan to sophisticated, kind-hearted, righteous Ryu Hirai, the diversity of this cast made my heart *sing* and each of those characters now have a spot on the dusty shelf of my heart-characters.
Oh, and the worldbuilding. I fell in love with the gritty, grimy, smoke-choked streets of Koshima as soon as I opened the pages of this book. There are so many parallels to our world as it is today, from the cutthroat industrialists (see: capitalists) to the faithful/old-world religious side. Francesca contrasts the higher-ups, all-powerful 0.01% who hold the strings to this world to the ones caught in the meshwork, showing us just what it takes to survive in a world where you have so little control.
This is a book with a protagonist you will 100% root for, a plot that doesn't let you go, a world that chokes you with its grit and grime and smoke, and a story that will open your eyes and stay with you long after you've turned the last page.
January 29, 2020
"My sky and yours are not the same. Let me touch my sky."
This right here was a bloody good time! And when I say bloody I mean it because there was so much murder. Initially, I won't lie, the first thing that drew me into this book was the cover but then I read the synopsis and was so on board I couldn't wait to dive into this. Now that I'm done, I am DYING for the next book. Seriously, send help. The author does a fantastic job of immediately throwing you into the story full speed ahead and keeps you on your toes from start to finish. Diamond City is a story filled with murder, doing what it takes to survive, love, friendship, and what will hopefully(?) become an amazing story of revenge in the next installment!
The first thing I loved about this book was the world, it has a very industrial/steam punk feel to it and I was totally living for it. The world is also separated by a religion where those who believe have to go into underground tunnels and practice their faith in hiding at the risk of being caught and imprisoned. Next up on the list of things I loved, we have Aina. Our MC is a girl who watched her parents be murdered in front of her and later on is saved and trained to be an assassin by her boss, Kohl Pavel. One of my favorite things about Aina is that she really doesn't give murdering people a second thought, which some might find concerning (and the fact that I said that). But it was really wild to have a character be the frontrunner of a story who wouldn't think twice about slitting your throat before, during, or after the act. She's overcome a lot in this story from watching her parents die, to being homeless, kicking a drug addiction, and being "saved" by her boss, which all adds up to creating so much depth to her character.
As for what else I loved, there's a group of side characters helping Aina on her assassination missions that are great additions to this story. There's a large emphasis on friendship, helping your friends heal, and realizing your worth throughout the entirety of this story. Which also goes hand in hand with learning to acknowledge that sometimes the people who we look up to in life and love are the toxic ones that bring us down. There are soooo many plot twists in this story, and honestly, this book just went in a direction so different than I expected and I'm here for it. And then we get to the end and it does such a nice job of tying things together, but leaving just enough threats and promises that you need the next book STAT. Oh, and did I mention there's murder? Like, a lot of it.
Looking back on it, you can see there's this pretty huge emphasis on the magic system but when it comes down to it we really don't get to see much if it. So, if I have one complaint about this book (and it's not even really a complaint), it's that I would have liked to see more of it. Whether it be characters using magic, seeking out more people who use magic to help Aina accomplish her goals, or even just more of an explanation to it. Here's to hoping we'll get to see more of it in the next book. Luckily, with the way this ended I'm thinking there's going to be a very good possibility of that!
Favorite Quotes
All in all, I really adored this book and cannot wait until the next book comes out. For readers who enjoyed Six of Crows or Celaena's early assassin days in the Throne of Glass series I think there are a lot of elements that will make you enjoy this. In no way am I comparing these books to Diamond City, but just more of a "if you enjoyed that, you might like this" type of deal.
Thank you Wednesday Books for sending me an e-ARC in exchange for a honest review!
Blog | Twitter
This right here was a bloody good time! And when I say bloody I mean it because there was so much murder. Initially, I won't lie, the first thing that drew me into this book was the cover but then I read the synopsis and was so on board I couldn't wait to dive into this. Now that I'm done, I am DYING for the next book. Seriously, send help. The author does a fantastic job of immediately throwing you into the story full speed ahead and keeps you on your toes from start to finish. Diamond City is a story filled with murder, doing what it takes to survive, love, friendship, and what will hopefully(?) become an amazing story of revenge in the next installment!
The first thing I loved about this book was the world, it has a very industrial/steam punk feel to it and I was totally living for it. The world is also separated by a religion where those who believe have to go into underground tunnels and practice their faith in hiding at the risk of being caught and imprisoned. Next up on the list of things I loved, we have Aina. Our MC is a girl who watched her parents be murdered in front of her and later on is saved and trained to be an assassin by her boss, Kohl Pavel. One of my favorite things about Aina is that she really doesn't give murdering people a second thought, which some might find concerning (and the fact that I said that). But it was really wild to have a character be the frontrunner of a story who wouldn't think twice about slitting your throat before, during, or after the act. She's overcome a lot in this story from watching her parents die, to being homeless, kicking a drug addiction, and being "saved" by her boss, which all adds up to creating so much depth to her character.
As for what else I loved, there's a group of side characters helping Aina on her assassination missions that are great additions to this story. There's a large emphasis on friendship, helping your friends heal, and realizing your worth throughout the entirety of this story. Which also goes hand in hand with learning to acknowledge that sometimes the people who we look up to in life and love are the toxic ones that bring us down. There are soooo many plot twists in this story, and honestly, this book just went in a direction so different than I expected and I'm here for it. And then we get to the end and it does such a nice job of tying things together, but leaving just enough threats and promises that you need the next book STAT. Oh, and did I mention there's murder? Like, a lot of it.
Looking back on it, you can see there's this pretty huge emphasis on the magic system but when it comes down to it we really don't get to see much if it. So, if I have one complaint about this book (and it's not even really a complaint), it's that I would have liked to see more of it. Whether it be characters using magic, seeking out more people who use magic to help Aina accomplish her goals, or even just more of an explanation to it. Here's to hoping we'll get to see more of it in the next book. Luckily, with the way this ended I'm thinking there's going to be a very good possibility of that!
Favorite Quotes
"Sometimes, the lack of anything made people appreciate everything."
"It didn't seem possible that something so terrible could have happened and not changed the way the whole world looked, smelled, sounded."
"You can only pull the trigger so many times before your fingers get tired."
"He'd promised her the world, he'd promised she'd never fall again - and then he'd removed the world from under her feet so all she could do was fall."
All in all, I really adored this book and cannot wait until the next book comes out. For readers who enjoyed Six of Crows or Celaena's early assassin days in the Throne of Glass series I think there are a lot of elements that will make you enjoy this. In no way am I comparing these books to Diamond City, but just more of a "if you enjoyed that, you might like this" type of deal.
Thank you Wednesday Books for sending me an e-ARC in exchange for a honest review!
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January 30, 2020
This fantasy is one bloody one. Aina becomes an assassin to survive, and she's really good at it. Her fights are movie-ready (I could totally picture myself watching this book as a movie), full of action and bloody.
I love magic stories and this one is really good. It also shows another perspective on blood magic: none of the main characters can do magic, but their lives are still tainted by it.
Book 2 will be AWESOME, I'm so sure of it, since book 1 ends with a lot of promises (not a spoiler).
Many thanks to St. Martin's Press for the complimentary e-copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I love magic stories and this one is really good. It also shows another perspective on blood magic: none of the main characters can do magic, but their lives are still tainted by it.
Book 2 will be AWESOME, I'm so sure of it, since book 1 ends with a lot of promises (not a spoiler).
Many thanks to St. Martin's Press for the complimentary e-copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
January 30, 2020
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Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sending me a free advanced reader copy of this book for an honest review. Diamond City debuted January 28th.
I requested an ARC for Diamond City because I’m a Sarah J. Maas fan, and (flawed though it may be) I think the conflicted lady assassin trope is pretty fun. The first chapter or two of Diamond City started in an okay spot, but it unfortunately went swiftly downhill from there. Where Maas was able to make her main character assassin mostly work, Flores unfortunately flounders; the MC in this book often wonders things like, Would my parents be proud of me even though I kill people for a living? or Do you think this cute boy and I might have a romantic future even though I tried to kill his older brother?
As people funnier than me have said, the short answer to both these questions is no. The longer answer is noooooooooo.
I just can’t buy the main character. She’s a badass assassin, but she’s deathly afraid of spiders, opts for knives over guns, and spares key characters’ lives at multiple points in the book. It’s an issue I often see with these types of killer characters: they’re supposed to be oh-so-hardcore, but the author can’t let the characters be their brutal selves on the page because it will turn off readers.
But even beyond the characters, I couldn’t find much to recommend this book. The world-building is a confusing mishmash of heritages and cultures that were difficult to keep straight, all with a vague backdrop of an outlawed religion and magic system that places heavy importance on diamonds–diamonds which are traded at high price on the black market, but actually there are oodles of them around. (???) The language of the book, too, did not help matters; the fight scenes especially were wooden and very “this happened, then this, then this”–not good for a book about assassins where there’s bound to be a lot of fighting. There’s also not much of an artistic or lyrical quality to the prose, and I found myself predicting plot points at every turn, so… without compelling characters, beautiful language, a riveting plot, or engaging world-building, I really came up empty on this book. I do feel bad about the poor review for this debut author, but Diamond City is in need of significant revision and critique.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sending me a free advanced reader copy of this book for an honest review. Diamond City debuted January 28th.
I requested an ARC for Diamond City because I’m a Sarah J. Maas fan, and (flawed though it may be) I think the conflicted lady assassin trope is pretty fun. The first chapter or two of Diamond City started in an okay spot, but it unfortunately went swiftly downhill from there. Where Maas was able to make her main character assassin mostly work, Flores unfortunately flounders; the MC in this book often wonders things like, Would my parents be proud of me even though I kill people for a living? or Do you think this cute boy and I might have a romantic future even though I tried to kill his older brother?
As people funnier than me have said, the short answer to both these questions is no. The longer answer is noooooooooo.
I just can’t buy the main character. She’s a badass assassin, but she’s deathly afraid of spiders, opts for knives over guns, and spares key characters’ lives at multiple points in the book. It’s an issue I often see with these types of killer characters: they’re supposed to be oh-so-hardcore, but the author can’t let the characters be their brutal selves on the page because it will turn off readers.
But even beyond the characters, I couldn’t find much to recommend this book. The world-building is a confusing mishmash of heritages and cultures that were difficult to keep straight, all with a vague backdrop of an outlawed religion and magic system that places heavy importance on diamonds–diamonds which are traded at high price on the black market, but actually there are oodles of them around. (???) The language of the book, too, did not help matters; the fight scenes especially were wooden and very “this happened, then this, then this”–not good for a book about assassins where there’s bound to be a lot of fighting. There’s also not much of an artistic or lyrical quality to the prose, and I found myself predicting plot points at every turn, so… without compelling characters, beautiful language, a riveting plot, or engaging world-building, I really came up empty on this book. I do feel bad about the poor review for this debut author, but Diamond City is in need of significant revision and critique.
January 12, 2020
WOW! Don’t sleep on this one, it was fantastic! It’s full of action, political intrigue, religious issues, addiction, blood magic, WOLF SIZED SPIDERS! I loved every minute of it. The characters are great and so flawed and lovable at the same time. I absolutely loved this one!
*Huge thanks to the publisher for sending me an early copy to read and review!
*Huge thanks to the publisher for sending me an early copy to read and review!
April 30, 2020
Diamond City by Francesca Flores is the first book in a new young adult fantasy duology series, City of Steel and Diamond. The world within Diamond City is one that is ruled by tyrants and full of dark magic with plenty of action.
Aina Solís was orphaned when she was young and became a servant of the man who rescued her turning Aina into one of his assassins as she grew older. Aina however has no plans to serve her boss forever and has taken to doing her own illegal trade on the side to one day free herself. When Aina’s boss gives her an opportunity to hit one big mark to buy her freedom things don’t go as planned leaving Aina in his sights next.
Diamond City was a dark and gritty fantasy that had plenty of action to keep one’s attention and keep the pages turning. Among all the magic and mayhem there actually is a bit of romance built into this one too giving a nice combination to all the elements. While the ending was a tad up in the air it was wrapped up enough to not leave off on a huge cliffhanger though while waiting for the next in the series.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Aina Solís was orphaned when she was young and became a servant of the man who rescued her turning Aina into one of his assassins as she grew older. Aina however has no plans to serve her boss forever and has taken to doing her own illegal trade on the side to one day free herself. When Aina’s boss gives her an opportunity to hit one big mark to buy her freedom things don’t go as planned leaving Aina in his sights next.
Diamond City was a dark and gritty fantasy that had plenty of action to keep one’s attention and keep the pages turning. Among all the magic and mayhem there actually is a bit of romance built into this one too giving a nice combination to all the elements. While the ending was a tad up in the air it was wrapped up enough to not leave off on a huge cliffhanger though while waiting for the next in the series.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
September 29, 2018
Listen here friends. I just started a new job and I work 55+ hours a week. So it took me 20 days to read Francesca's book. But let me tell you something, it was in my head every. single. day. regardless of whether or not I got the chance to read it. Aina is a heroine who knifes her way into your heart and stays there. You feel her struggle and pain with every line. You root for her, you cry for her, you scream for her. She is scarred and beautiful and real in every way. Her fear of spiders and the dark is so relatable, her thirst for justice so urgent, her desire for freedom so fierce, that you find yourself drawn into her emotions like so few fantasy heroines we read today. Yes, this is a fantasy. But the parallels to our world are vivid. The world building is gritty, dark, and expertly crafted. I could go on for hours about this book, but instead I'm just going to tell everyone I meet to read it. Francesca is brilliant. You owe yourself this read.
did-not-finish
December 6, 2019DNF at 19%
Yet another "best assassin evah" character who, just in general, feels both unlikely and unlikeable and I wasn't buying what she was trying to sell. A (sorry, I know not everything should be compared to it, buuuut..) SIX OF CROWS-esque gang of criminals and spies and killers. A world that has a religion, and magic, where both seem to be illegal, with also a shitton of diamonds floating around but also they are being sold on the black market, and yet I had no sense of the why or how or w h y. Not to mention the totally random and way too subtle flashback transitions literally from one sentence to the next, which, combined with all the rest of the above.. I'm throwing in the towel.
Yet another "best assassin evah" character who, just in general, feels both unlikely and unlikeable and I wasn't buying what she was trying to sell. A (sorry, I know not everything should be compared to it, buuuut..) SIX OF CROWS-esque gang of criminals and spies and killers. A world that has a religion, and magic, where both seem to be illegal, with also a shitton of diamonds floating around but also they are being sold on the black market, and yet I had no sense of the why or how or w h y. Not to mention the totally random and way too subtle flashback transitions literally from one sentence to the next, which, combined with all the rest of the above.. I'm throwing in the towel.
January 27, 2020
Originally published on The Nerd Daily | Review by Vinny MS
Featuring the journey of a fierce heroine in the magical yet vicious world of Kosín, Francesca Flores’ fantasy debut novel, Diamond City, is going to blow your mind with its action-packed story, fast-paced plot, and scene-stealing characters. Being the first book in a series, Diamond City follows the story of Aina Solís and her dangerous quests as an assassin along with some unlikely allies that she never expected to have. Confused between paying back her gratitude and unravelling the ultimate truth, she must fight and survive in a game that she accidentally started.
After her parents are executed for a religion that they believed in, Aina must do everything to survive in the harsh and dangerous street life. Being a street rat at the age of 12, she went through the shivering of night and the suffering of hunger. However, her life took a turn when a mysterious man saved her life at the very last minute from a bomb. After being given everything that she thinks she wants, Aina is now an assassin and works for the man that saved her life. She works through murder after murder, and everything seems to go okay. But when an assigned murder goes wrong, she has to unravel the truth about the man she works for, unexpectedly works with the enemy but most importantly, she has to figure out how to break herself free.
Told in an alternate timeline, we get to see Aina’s past and how it unravels and shapes her into the way she is today.
I couldn’t deny the charms in Diamond City‘s prologue that instantly grasped my whole attention. It was short and straight to the point, yet it gave me chills, and ultimately, pulled me into the deep of Kosín’s slums. Being introduced to our heroine at the age of 12 and witnessing how her life took a sharp turn in a spare few seconds, I was more than invested to explore her journey. It was one of those prologues that makes me think about it over and over again because the scene was absolutely intense, smart, and struck my mind in the best way possible.
This story relies heavily on its character, but it especially relies on Aina as the main lead as we got to witness her internal monologues in facing dilemmas in her confined life. Trapped between two opposite sides, Aina’s journey in this story was intense and very much relatable, as often at times the truth is not simply black or white. Flores eloquently elaborate Aina’s difficult position and I completely adore her multidimensional character.
Though it was a very much character-driven story, Flores also went beyond with its worldbuilding, including the harsh street life in Kosín’s slums, the endless tunnels, the magical diamonds, the intriguing belief system, and of course, the fierce competition between gangs that hated each others guts. I absolutely adore this universe because although I was struggling a bit to dive deeper into it and try to grasp the whole concept of how this world works, I can tell you that it was written after a tremendous amount of research and hard work. I feel like this is the case of me instead of the book itself, as I couldn’t wait to reread this gem in the future and try to understand it better.
My one last favourite aspect of Diamond City is Flores’ impressive skill in describing and narrating this fast-paced fantasy, leaving us with more than enough outstanding quotes that reflect our cruel reality.
In conclusion, Diamond City is a fierce fantasy featuring a fierce heroine living in a fierce universe where everyone hides everything and danger always creep around the corner.
Featuring the journey of a fierce heroine in the magical yet vicious world of Kosín, Francesca Flores’ fantasy debut novel, Diamond City, is going to blow your mind with its action-packed story, fast-paced plot, and scene-stealing characters. Being the first book in a series, Diamond City follows the story of Aina Solís and her dangerous quests as an assassin along with some unlikely allies that she never expected to have. Confused between paying back her gratitude and unravelling the ultimate truth, she must fight and survive in a game that she accidentally started.
After her parents are executed for a religion that they believed in, Aina must do everything to survive in the harsh and dangerous street life. Being a street rat at the age of 12, she went through the shivering of night and the suffering of hunger. However, her life took a turn when a mysterious man saved her life at the very last minute from a bomb. After being given everything that she thinks she wants, Aina is now an assassin and works for the man that saved her life. She works through murder after murder, and everything seems to go okay. But when an assigned murder goes wrong, she has to unravel the truth about the man she works for, unexpectedly works with the enemy but most importantly, she has to figure out how to break herself free.
Told in an alternate timeline, we get to see Aina’s past and how it unravels and shapes her into the way she is today.
I couldn’t deny the charms in Diamond City‘s prologue that instantly grasped my whole attention. It was short and straight to the point, yet it gave me chills, and ultimately, pulled me into the deep of Kosín’s slums. Being introduced to our heroine at the age of 12 and witnessing how her life took a sharp turn in a spare few seconds, I was more than invested to explore her journey. It was one of those prologues that makes me think about it over and over again because the scene was absolutely intense, smart, and struck my mind in the best way possible.
This story relies heavily on its character, but it especially relies on Aina as the main lead as we got to witness her internal monologues in facing dilemmas in her confined life. Trapped between two opposite sides, Aina’s journey in this story was intense and very much relatable, as often at times the truth is not simply black or white. Flores eloquently elaborate Aina’s difficult position and I completely adore her multidimensional character.
Though it was a very much character-driven story, Flores also went beyond with its worldbuilding, including the harsh street life in Kosín’s slums, the endless tunnels, the magical diamonds, the intriguing belief system, and of course, the fierce competition between gangs that hated each others guts. I absolutely adore this universe because although I was struggling a bit to dive deeper into it and try to grasp the whole concept of how this world works, I can tell you that it was written after a tremendous amount of research and hard work. I feel like this is the case of me instead of the book itself, as I couldn’t wait to reread this gem in the future and try to understand it better.
My one last favourite aspect of Diamond City is Flores’ impressive skill in describing and narrating this fast-paced fantasy, leaving us with more than enough outstanding quotes that reflect our cruel reality.
In conclusion, Diamond City is a fierce fantasy featuring a fierce heroine living in a fierce universe where everyone hides everything and danger always creep around the corner.
October 26, 2019
This was a multifaceted, well-written, action packed ride. I thought it was going to be a quick and easy read, but it wasn't. Watch out for those twists and turns! I felt major Ace of Shades vibes (which I loved.) I enjoyed the character development, but sometimes the story was so detailed that it bogged down the pace a tad. I wasn't fond of the timeline transitions as a few were abrupt. I really liked the smart, sassy, and strong-willed main character. I'm curious as to what (if anything) will happen next.
Thank you to Goodreads Giveaways for granting me an ARC to review.
Thank you to Goodreads Giveaways for granting me an ARC to review.
December 16, 2020
I hesitated to enter the goodreads giveaway for this one because it sounded awfully YA, but it wasn't labeled as such, and who am I to resist fantasy set in an industrializing city?* So enter it I did, and I won, and friends, it was awfully YA,** and it was not for me. I tried to keep that in mind and evaluate it on its own merits, but even still, I couldn't do it. It's one of those books that doesn't tell you anything once if it can tell you a dozen times instead, and even then it can't keep its story straight. There are some elements here that could have made a compelling story, but this reads like a rough draft.
On page 81, the main character (a beautiful, special, orphaned assassin named Aina) is being held at gunpoint by a boy whose brother she just killed:
They held the shortest, but somehow also the longest, staring contest in history. He had the advantage here, his gun aimed at her face, but he wasn't shooting. She could tell he didn't intend to kill. He'd only meant to stall her.
"Who sent you after him? Don't move."
She twisted his wrist so the weapon fell, then kicked one of his knees so he dropped to the floor.
"When you yell out threats instead of acting, no one will fear you," she spat, retrieving her dagger from the ground and sheathing it into the brace on her torso.
Some of the bravery dissipated in his eyes, fear leaking through in its place. He let out a sigh that sounded like resignation, disappointment. When he looked up at her, it was clear he expected to be killed next.
Presumably she crosses the room and grabs him before twisting his wrist, but let's ignore that part (most of the action scenes read like this, with Aina the only one actually doing anything while everyone else seemingly stands still waiting on her to act on them).
Page 126:
Aina pinned him to the wall. He nearly broke out of her grasp, but [her mentor] had spent the past six years teaching her how to beat people who were bigger than her, and this was no different. She withdrew a dagger and placed its tip at his collarbone.
"You're going to give me answers. And if I think you're hiding something, my dagger will show you how I feel about liars."
It had been a while since she'd allowed anyone to live long enough to witness fear build up in their eyes.
These are the same two characters the very next day. It had been roughly 24 hours since she had allowed anyone to live long enough to witness fear build up in their eyes!
Ugh.
* The city has rich people, who are called Steels, and poor people, who are downtrodden and used to have a religion, until a civil war destroyed the religion and left the rich people in charge, because that's what the book needed to have happen, and that's about the extent of the worldbuilding. It's a deeply reactionary setup - the old religion was good, the new society is bad, and one of the bad new leaders says, before executing people, "Let it be known that our goal is to progress, not regress."
** Kind of. Stylistically and thematically, it is for young adults, and about young adults and young adult concerns ("He might have girls lining up to date him, but none of them knew how good of a friend he was."), but it is so grim, and so dark, and so violent. Everyone is grim and dark and violent and angry and sad and violent and blood-soaked.
On page 81, the main character (a beautiful, special, orphaned assassin named Aina) is being held at gunpoint by a boy whose brother she just killed:
They held the shortest, but somehow also the longest, staring contest in history. He had the advantage here, his gun aimed at her face, but he wasn't shooting. She could tell he didn't intend to kill. He'd only meant to stall her.
"Who sent you after him? Don't move."
She twisted his wrist so the weapon fell, then kicked one of his knees so he dropped to the floor.
"When you yell out threats instead of acting, no one will fear you," she spat, retrieving her dagger from the ground and sheathing it into the brace on her torso.
Some of the bravery dissipated in his eyes, fear leaking through in its place. He let out a sigh that sounded like resignation, disappointment. When he looked up at her, it was clear he expected to be killed next.
Presumably she crosses the room and grabs him before twisting his wrist, but let's ignore that part (most of the action scenes read like this, with Aina the only one actually doing anything while everyone else seemingly stands still waiting on her to act on them).
Page 126:
Aina pinned him to the wall. He nearly broke out of her grasp, but [her mentor] had spent the past six years teaching her how to beat people who were bigger than her, and this was no different. She withdrew a dagger and placed its tip at his collarbone.
"You're going to give me answers. And if I think you're hiding something, my dagger will show you how I feel about liars."
It had been a while since she'd allowed anyone to live long enough to witness fear build up in their eyes.
These are the same two characters the very next day. It had been roughly 24 hours since she had allowed anyone to live long enough to witness fear build up in their eyes!
Ugh.
* The city has rich people, who are called Steels, and poor people, who are downtrodden and used to have a religion, until a civil war destroyed the religion and left the rich people in charge, because that's what the book needed to have happen, and that's about the extent of the worldbuilding. It's a deeply reactionary setup - the old religion was good, the new society is bad, and one of the bad new leaders says, before executing people, "Let it be known that our goal is to progress, not regress."
** Kind of. Stylistically and thematically, it is for young adults, and about young adults and young adult concerns ("He might have girls lining up to date him, but none of them knew how good of a friend he was."), but it is so grim, and so dark, and so violent. Everyone is grim and dark and violent and angry and sad and violent and blood-soaked.
![Profile Image for Namera [The Literary Invertebrate].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1647896333i%2F31792110._UX200_CR0%2C96%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
January 17, 2020
ARC received in exchange for an honest review - thank you!
DNF at 52%. Well, nobody can accuse me of not trying to like this book.
The heroine, 18-year-old Aina Solis, is an assassin in the city of... somewhere. She works for Kohl (aka a blond Kaz Brekker) and is given the duty of killing a wealthy young man. Together with her friend Teo, she infiltrates his house and commits the murder - but soon discovers that she messed up. Now, Kohl and the entire city have turned on her while she desperately tries to free herself from a mess of her own making. In the process she's forced to ally with Ryuu Hirai, younger brother of her victim.
❌ The biggest problem is that the worldbuilding is insanely bad. There's a religion, whose practitioners are called Inosen, and Steels, which seems to be the name for wealthy industrialists. It turns out that the two peoples are mutually exclusive, since all the Steels are atheists and all the poor are religious. Cue tensions and conflict. But, like... what do the Inosen actually believe in??? What are the origins of this religion? Is it from a foreign country? There's something about how the religion is connected to diamonds, hence the title of the book, but what do the diamonds actually do? There are random, vague references to the power of trains and an evil king, but no further information is ever given.
❌ Speaking of diamonds... the book says there's a roaring black market trade in diamonds. If you're caught carrying them in the streets, you're executed. But we don't learn why they're so valuable, or why their use is limited, apart from a thin connection to religious reasons.
❌ There's limited description. While the writing itself isn't exactly stilted, almost nothing is adequately described. I have no idea what the city looks like, or the houses, or how the landscape changes as Aina moves from place to place. This is the biggest stumbling block the book has and it's why I ultimately decided to abandon it.
❌ The other characters who aren't Aina - Teo and Ryuu specifically - feel bland and two-dimensional.
✔️ On the bright side, the book gets two stars from me because Aina is an interesting heroine. I appreciated her ruthlessness, and her desperate gratefulness to Kohl was perfectly understandable when you consider he saved her life when she was 12.
Overall
I really thought I'd be able to finish it, but it turns out I just can't do this to myself any longer. The world is far too vague to offset the enjoyment I got from Aina's character.
[Blog] - [Bookstagram]
DNF at 52%. Well, nobody can accuse me of not trying to like this book.
The heroine, 18-year-old Aina Solis, is an assassin in the city of... somewhere. She works for Kohl (aka a blond Kaz Brekker) and is given the duty of killing a wealthy young man. Together with her friend Teo, she infiltrates his house and commits the murder - but soon discovers that she messed up. Now, Kohl and the entire city have turned on her while she desperately tries to free herself from a mess of her own making. In the process she's forced to ally with Ryuu Hirai, younger brother of her victim.
❌ The biggest problem is that the worldbuilding is insanely bad. There's a religion, whose practitioners are called Inosen, and Steels, which seems to be the name for wealthy industrialists. It turns out that the two peoples are mutually exclusive, since all the Steels are atheists and all the poor are religious. Cue tensions and conflict. But, like... what do the Inosen actually believe in??? What are the origins of this religion? Is it from a foreign country? There's something about how the religion is connected to diamonds, hence the title of the book, but what do the diamonds actually do? There are random, vague references to the power of trains and an evil king, but no further information is ever given.
❌ Speaking of diamonds... the book says there's a roaring black market trade in diamonds. If you're caught carrying them in the streets, you're executed. But we don't learn why they're so valuable, or why their use is limited, apart from a thin connection to religious reasons.
❌ There's limited description. While the writing itself isn't exactly stilted, almost nothing is adequately described. I have no idea what the city looks like, or the houses, or how the landscape changes as Aina moves from place to place. This is the biggest stumbling block the book has and it's why I ultimately decided to abandon it.
❌ The other characters who aren't Aina - Teo and Ryuu specifically - feel bland and two-dimensional.
✔️ On the bright side, the book gets two stars from me because Aina is an interesting heroine. I appreciated her ruthlessness, and her desperate gratefulness to Kohl was perfectly understandable when you consider he saved her life when she was 12.
Overall
I really thought I'd be able to finish it, but it turns out I just can't do this to myself any longer. The world is far too vague to offset the enjoyment I got from Aina's character.
[Blog] - [Bookstagram]
dnf
January 17, 2020DNF 37%
It's been five days and I just can't engage with this book. No matter how hard I try, it's simply not doing it for me so I'm going to have to throw in the towel.
I'm having the biggest struggle with Aina. I understood when picking this up that she was a hired assassin and there would be morally grey characters, but if that's the case you have to somehow make me empathize/sympathize with these people to care what happens to them. The heroine's parents were slaughtered right in front of her as a child for practicing a forbidden religion and magic, but instead of feeling grief about that she seems to feel only anger that she was left to fend for herself. She has honed herself into an emotionless killer whose only ambition is to be the most feared by the gangs she associates with, more feared than her vicious boss. She's represented as a cold as steel person who can shut off fear on a whim and has no conscience to speak of. However, we are supposed to believe that she has a secret weakness of being terrified of spiders? The sound of gunshots are supposed to trigger fear for her because of her parents' deaths, but in the first fight scene there were gunshots all around her and she didn't blink.
The worldbuilding is vague in regards to the black diamonds, the "Mothers" who created the two moons and how worshipping with diamonds works, and the different gangs in the Stacks. The romance hinted at in the synopsis is really beyond creepy and toxic. It makes me lose interest in the heroine each and every time she feels attraction to her boss. This is the kind of person who holds complete and utter power over her using fear. Killing people under his protection in front of her eyes. Smashing her head into a wall and punching her for failing him. Then in the next breath she's having warm feelings of attraction and I admit, this woman makes absolutely no sense to me.
Edging towards halfway, I should be engrossed and feel some form of concern for the main character. As that didn't seem to be happening, I made the choice to accept that Diamond City is simply not for me.
It's been five days and I just can't engage with this book. No matter how hard I try, it's simply not doing it for me so I'm going to have to throw in the towel.
I'm having the biggest struggle with Aina. I understood when picking this up that she was a hired assassin and there would be morally grey characters, but if that's the case you have to somehow make me empathize/sympathize with these people to care what happens to them. The heroine's parents were slaughtered right in front of her as a child for practicing a forbidden religion and magic, but instead of feeling grief about that she seems to feel only anger that she was left to fend for herself. She has honed herself into an emotionless killer whose only ambition is to be the most feared by the gangs she associates with, more feared than her vicious boss. She's represented as a cold as steel person who can shut off fear on a whim and has no conscience to speak of. However, we are supposed to believe that she has a secret weakness of being terrified of spiders? The sound of gunshots are supposed to trigger fear for her because of her parents' deaths, but in the first fight scene there were gunshots all around her and she didn't blink.
The worldbuilding is vague in regards to the black diamonds, the "Mothers" who created the two moons and how worshipping with diamonds works, and the different gangs in the Stacks. The romance hinted at in the synopsis is really beyond creepy and toxic. It makes me lose interest in the heroine each and every time she feels attraction to her boss. This is the kind of person who holds complete and utter power over her using fear. Killing people under his protection in front of her eyes. Smashing her head into a wall and punching her for failing him. Then in the next breath she's having warm feelings of attraction and I admit, this woman makes absolutely no sense to me.
Edging towards halfway, I should be engrossed and feel some form of concern for the main character. As that didn't seem to be happening, I made the choice to accept that Diamond City is simply not for me.
June 17, 2019
“Kill or be killed. Magic or industry. Nothing could coexist— steel and smoke never left room for nuance.”
I don’t know how to say this any other way but I will always be honest with my reviews.
This book was terrible.
Now, this is just my opinion. What is so powerful about books is that someone will fall in love with this world. But that someone was not me.
This book is one part the main character wondering if her dead parents would be proud of her even though she is an actual murderer.
Another part random info dumps/ flashbacks.
Then a bunch of industrial/steampunk/magic/assassins lumped together. And not in any coherent way.
There was absolutely nothing like-able about the main character and I had no reason to root for her. There was also nothing intellectually stimulating— most of this book was fight scenes meant to be exciting but were in fact excruciating.
One part that really bothered me:
The main characters boss punches her and then literally the next line describes how she is attracted to him. Listen, I get that this book is about assassins, but I thought that message was particularly horrible for kids/teens.
Normally I will search for something in a book that I enjoy. The truth is I unfortunately could not find a single thing I enjoyed about this book. For the first time I skimmed the last 80 pages of a book because I couldn’t finish it. I just didn’t care.
As far as I’m concerned comparing this book to Schwab and Bardugo is such a far reach. I know that’s a bit cold, but it’s how I feel.
I don’t like to leave on negative notes so I will say that a book I would compare this one to is Four Dead Queens. If you enjoyed that book, you might like this one.
Please keep in mind I read an advanced copy of this book.
I don’t know how to say this any other way but I will always be honest with my reviews.
This book was terrible.
Now, this is just my opinion. What is so powerful about books is that someone will fall in love with this world. But that someone was not me.
This book is one part the main character wondering if her dead parents would be proud of her even though she is an actual murderer.
Another part random info dumps/ flashbacks.
Then a bunch of industrial/steampunk/magic/assassins lumped together. And not in any coherent way.
There was absolutely nothing like-able about the main character and I had no reason to root for her. There was also nothing intellectually stimulating— most of this book was fight scenes meant to be exciting but were in fact excruciating.
One part that really bothered me:
The main characters boss punches her and then literally the next line describes how she is attracted to him. Listen, I get that this book is about assassins, but I thought that message was particularly horrible for kids/teens.
Normally I will search for something in a book that I enjoy. The truth is I unfortunately could not find a single thing I enjoyed about this book. For the first time I skimmed the last 80 pages of a book because I couldn’t finish it. I just didn’t care.
As far as I’m concerned comparing this book to Schwab and Bardugo is such a far reach. I know that’s a bit cold, but it’s how I feel.
I don’t like to leave on negative notes so I will say that a book I would compare this one to is Four Dead Queens. If you enjoyed that book, you might like this one.
Please keep in mind I read an advanced copy of this book.
December 20, 2019
Hang on tight for this one, from start to finish it is non-stop tension, action and fabulous character interaction! Even more of an attention-getter is that the heroine is not your typical good girl! Aina is a master thief and assassin, raised on the streets after her parents’ murder in a city that is as terrifying as it is fascinating.
Taken in by the cold-hearted leader of a gang of young thugs, Aina strives to be the best at what she does, sadly, all for the praise and acceptance of someone who doesn’t deserve her loyalty and proves it in spades when an assassination goes very wrong and in retribution, a hit is put out on Aina.
Welcome to a world of magic, mayhem and murder, where the haves have all of the power and the forgotten become less than human. DIAMOND CITY is a rapid-fire tale of survival, discoveries, deceit and unlikely alliances as Aina’s eyes are opened to brutal truths and her heart is opened to love and trust. Now she must learn to survive at all costs and beat the bad guys at their own game.
Francesca Flores had me from page one and never let go with her amazing character development that flew as high as the scenes she brought to life. High energy, creative and incredibly mesmerizing! Written for young adults, but perfect for any age of dystopian adventure loving readers!
I received a complimentary ARC edition from Wednesday Books! This is my honest and voluntary review.
Series: Diamond City - Book 1
Publisher: Wednesday Books (January 28, 2020)
Publication Date: January 28, 2020
Genre: YA Fantasy/Adventure
Print Length: 400 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Taken in by the cold-hearted leader of a gang of young thugs, Aina strives to be the best at what she does, sadly, all for the praise and acceptance of someone who doesn’t deserve her loyalty and proves it in spades when an assassination goes very wrong and in retribution, a hit is put out on Aina.
Welcome to a world of magic, mayhem and murder, where the haves have all of the power and the forgotten become less than human. DIAMOND CITY is a rapid-fire tale of survival, discoveries, deceit and unlikely alliances as Aina’s eyes are opened to brutal truths and her heart is opened to love and trust. Now she must learn to survive at all costs and beat the bad guys at their own game.
Francesca Flores had me from page one and never let go with her amazing character development that flew as high as the scenes she brought to life. High energy, creative and incredibly mesmerizing! Written for young adults, but perfect for any age of dystopian adventure loving readers!
I received a complimentary ARC edition from Wednesday Books! This is my honest and voluntary review.
Series: Diamond City - Book 1
Publisher: Wednesday Books (January 28, 2020)
Publication Date: January 28, 2020
Genre: YA Fantasy/Adventure
Print Length: 400 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Read
June 28, 2025Diamond City is a action-packed YA urban fantasy following a street kid-turned assassin as she navigates the complex realities of her city and plenty of danger. While not all of this was quite my cup of tea, I'm impressed with the detailed world-building and thoughtful depiction of class inequality, religious persecution, toxic relationships, and trauma. While this was a little action-heavy for my taste and I didn't entirely love Aina as a main character, I think a lot of readers will really enjoy this.
For me, the highlight of this book was definitely the construction of Kosin as a city and the way it tackled structural inequalities, offered raw depictions of poverty, and addressed religious oppression. You clearly see how easily street kids are drawn into addiction or violence with few other options, the ways that the powerful abuse their power and maintain it as the expense of others, and oppress anyone who threatens their power and wealth. All of that was spectacularly done. I received an advance copy of this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
For me, the highlight of this book was definitely the construction of Kosin as a city and the way it tackled structural inequalities, offered raw depictions of poverty, and addressed religious oppression. You clearly see how easily street kids are drawn into addiction or violence with few other options, the ways that the powerful abuse their power and maintain it as the expense of others, and oppress anyone who threatens their power and wealth. All of that was spectacularly done. I received an advance copy of this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
October 4, 2019
Finished reading this fast-paced book about a heroine I constantly found myself rooting for. I'm still on vacation so once I can collect my thoughts, will share more in detail.
Review to come!
P. S. THIS BOOK IS AMAZING
Review to come!
P. S. THIS BOOK IS AMAZING
January 14, 2019
“Learn how to use this knife and I’ll make you into something.”
Just read that line and tell me it doesn't give you chills. CHILLSSSSS.
I had the pleasure of reading an early draft of Francesca Flores' debut, DIAMOND CITY. I know it has changed quite a lot since then - but even in that very early draft, I knew I was reading something incredibly special.
DIAMOND CITY follows assassin Aina through a smoky world where one must not be afraid to get down and dirty in order to live. From writing tense, heart-pounding action sequences, to exploring the relationships and friendships Aina develops with comrades, to BETRAYALS THAT WILL RIP YOUR HEART OUT (whyyyyyyyyyy Francesca!!!), there isn't a slow or dull moment in DIAMOND CITY. It's epic and enthralling.
But more than that, it is a story that will resonate with the readers who need it the most - girls and boys who come from nothing, and are taught to claw their way into being something. This story is full of heart, and it's raw, and it's real. Francesca crafted the story with incredible care, and it's truly a spectacular, unique, fresh YA fantasy that you cannot miss. I'm picky with my YA fantasy, and there are very few that I could rave on and on about and stan until the end of time. DIAMOND CITY is one of them. I can't wait for it to change lives!
Just read that line and tell me it doesn't give you chills. CHILLSSSSS.
I had the pleasure of reading an early draft of Francesca Flores' debut, DIAMOND CITY. I know it has changed quite a lot since then - but even in that very early draft, I knew I was reading something incredibly special.
DIAMOND CITY follows assassin Aina through a smoky world where one must not be afraid to get down and dirty in order to live. From writing tense, heart-pounding action sequences, to exploring the relationships and friendships Aina develops with comrades, to BETRAYALS THAT WILL RIP YOUR HEART OUT (whyyyyyyyyyy Francesca!!!), there isn't a slow or dull moment in DIAMOND CITY. It's epic and enthralling.
But more than that, it is a story that will resonate with the readers who need it the most - girls and boys who come from nothing, and are taught to claw their way into being something. This story is full of heart, and it's raw, and it's real. Francesca crafted the story with incredible care, and it's truly a spectacular, unique, fresh YA fantasy that you cannot miss. I'm picky with my YA fantasy, and there are very few that I could rave on and on about and stan until the end of time. DIAMOND CITY is one of them. I can't wait for it to change lives!
November 3, 2021
I was super excited about this book and it did not disappoint!
It's entertaining, fast-paced, and action-packed with characters that are easy to root for. But what I loved the most about this book is its themes of classism and how this is incorporated quite seamlessly and effectively into the story.
It's entertaining, fast-paced, and action-packed with characters that are easy to root for. But what I loved the most about this book is its themes of classism and how this is incorporated quite seamlessly and effectively into the story.
January 14, 2023
None stop action from start to finish and just a great world. Side characters were great especially teo. Can’t wait for book 2
January 27, 2020
3.5 stars
An action-packed (seriously, there are so many cool knife and gun fight sequences, as well as elaborate breaking-and-entering scenes) debut about a girl rising above humble beginnings - first as an assassin and later as a revolutionary. By focusing so much on the action and filling in the background in bits and pieces, the plot can't help but move forward at a gallop, which kept me going even when I didn't really feel like reading. The downside of this style (and part of this may be because I read an arc and they often aren't formatted like the final version) is that it was often hard to tell what was a flashback and what was present action - there were times that it took me a page or more to catch the transition.
Another problem I had was the lack of depth/development for two secondary characters who ended up having very large roles in the story. I'm sure they'll play more into future books in this series, but it was hard to buy their role(s) in this story without a lot more "screentime". I also wasn't a huge fan of a Stolkholm Syndrome-esque obsession (romantic interest?) one character had with another; it put a bad taste in my mouth from the beginning, and I'm not sure whether or not we were supposed to realize how toxic it was right away.
I do like that main character Aina isn't a "chosen one" or has any particularly fantastic ability. She's just a desperate girl who's been dealt a terrible hand. I would definitely read future books by Flores.
An action-packed (seriously, there are so many cool knife and gun fight sequences, as well as elaborate breaking-and-entering scenes) debut about a girl rising above humble beginnings - first as an assassin and later as a revolutionary. By focusing so much on the action and filling in the background in bits and pieces, the plot can't help but move forward at a gallop, which kept me going even when I didn't really feel like reading. The downside of this style (and part of this may be because I read an arc and they often aren't formatted like the final version) is that it was often hard to tell what was a flashback and what was present action - there were times that it took me a page or more to catch the transition.
Another problem I had was the lack of depth/development for two secondary characters who ended up having very large roles in the story. I'm sure they'll play more into future books in this series, but it was hard to buy their role(s) in this story without a lot more "screentime". I also wasn't a huge fan of a Stolkholm Syndrome-esque obsession (romantic interest?) one character had with another; it put a bad taste in my mouth from the beginning, and I'm not sure whether or not we were supposed to realize how toxic it was right away.
I do like that main character Aina isn't a "chosen one" or has any particularly fantastic ability. She's just a desperate girl who's been dealt a terrible hand. I would definitely read future books by Flores.
January 7, 2021
This was such a fun fantasy, following esteemed assassin Aina after she is given the chance of a lifetime from her boss--a big job that, if she succeeds, will give her enough money and freedom to open her own business.
I really enjoyed following Aina through this story. She is both ruthless and compassionate, and those two sides of her battle back and forth through the book as she tries to discover who she really is, and who she wants to be. Her sidekicks made up a wonderful cast of side characters, who were all fully fleshed out and each had their own distinct personalities and motivations for why they were helping her in her quest.
The writing was utterly compelling. Easy to read but never overly simple, it was a great stylistic choice for this kind of novel: one that is mostly plot-focused, with action almost always going on and very few slow spots. While there is character development and the characters are well written, I would definitely call this a "plot" book.
The end fell a little flat for me, with a lot of things conveniently happening in the last 15% or so that didn't have much lead up. I would have preferred some more foreshadowing earlier in the book or for the ending to be a little messier, with more loose threads so it didn't feel like the author was tying everything up in a bow. Overall, though, I thought this was a very strong start to a series and Francesca Flores's debut. I am excited to read the second book, Shadow City, which releases later in 2021.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a copy free for review. All opinions are my own.
I really enjoyed following Aina through this story. She is both ruthless and compassionate, and those two sides of her battle back and forth through the book as she tries to discover who she really is, and who she wants to be. Her sidekicks made up a wonderful cast of side characters, who were all fully fleshed out and each had their own distinct personalities and motivations for why they were helping her in her quest.
The writing was utterly compelling. Easy to read but never overly simple, it was a great stylistic choice for this kind of novel: one that is mostly plot-focused, with action almost always going on and very few slow spots. While there is character development and the characters are well written, I would definitely call this a "plot" book.
The end fell a little flat for me, with a lot of things conveniently happening in the last 15% or so that didn't have much lead up. I would have preferred some more foreshadowing earlier in the book or for the ending to be a little messier, with more loose threads so it didn't feel like the author was tying everything up in a bow. Overall, though, I thought this was a very strong start to a series and Francesca Flores's debut. I am excited to read the second book, Shadow City, which releases later in 2021.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a copy free for review. All opinions are my own.
January 28, 2020
Full Review on The Candid Cover
Diamond City by Francesca Flores is a book I had been anticipating due to its supposed action and dark magic. The premise interested me, and I enjoyed the idea of an assassination gone wrong and some unlikely allies. Despite this, many elements of the story are quite flat, including the main character and the setting, and I was ultimately unimpressed.
This book follows Aina, an assassin working for the man who took her in after the death of her parents. She is given one last job before she is granted her freedom: to kill a prominent, rich man. When the assassination goes awry, Aina is forced to team up with her target’s younger brother and fix things while her boss turns against her. The idea of assassins is interesting to me, and I felt some Throne of Glass/Six of Crows vibes from this book. For those looking for a darker fantasy read, I would recommend Diamond City.
❀ FLAT MAIN CHARACTER
Aina is a satisfactory character–I didn’t love her, but I didn’t exactly hate her either. It is interesting how she is a morally grey character, being an assassin, and I liked how she has a dream of starting her own business. That being said, she didn’t feel original enough to me, and she is generally a pretty flat character. As well, I really didn’t care for the “romance” in the book. Aina spends the book lusting after her boss, Kohl, even though he continues to hurt her, and although I can understand why this might be the case, I was kind of unsettled. In addition to this toxic love, she also has feelings for a couple of other people in the book, and it didn’t really make sense to me.
❀ NOT ENOUGH WORLD-BUILDING
Another issue I had with the book is the world-building and writing style. I found it very difficult to picture the setting because there is a lack of description. We know the basics, including a civil war and an outlawed religion, but not much else. I felt as though nothing was was really explained enough to be convincing. For a book called Diamond City, I was expecting the setting to be a big part of the novel. The fight scenes as well are a little lacklustre. Seeing as Aina is an assassin, I was anticipating tense action scenes. However, we are given vague, unrealistic fight scenes that all feel the same, and their repetitive nature made me lose interest.
Diamond City is a book with a lot of potential. The assassin and dark magic elements intrigued me, but the main character and the vague writing disappointed me. Honestly, for a book whose synopsis promises action and romance, this one leaves something to be desired.
Diamond City by Francesca Flores is a book I had been anticipating due to its supposed action and dark magic. The premise interested me, and I enjoyed the idea of an assassination gone wrong and some unlikely allies. Despite this, many elements of the story are quite flat, including the main character and the setting, and I was ultimately unimpressed.
This book follows Aina, an assassin working for the man who took her in after the death of her parents. She is given one last job before she is granted her freedom: to kill a prominent, rich man. When the assassination goes awry, Aina is forced to team up with her target’s younger brother and fix things while her boss turns against her. The idea of assassins is interesting to me, and I felt some Throne of Glass/Six of Crows vibes from this book. For those looking for a darker fantasy read, I would recommend Diamond City.
❀ FLAT MAIN CHARACTER
Aina is a satisfactory character–I didn’t love her, but I didn’t exactly hate her either. It is interesting how she is a morally grey character, being an assassin, and I liked how she has a dream of starting her own business. That being said, she didn’t feel original enough to me, and she is generally a pretty flat character. As well, I really didn’t care for the “romance” in the book. Aina spends the book lusting after her boss, Kohl, even though he continues to hurt her, and although I can understand why this might be the case, I was kind of unsettled. In addition to this toxic love, she also has feelings for a couple of other people in the book, and it didn’t really make sense to me.
❀ NOT ENOUGH WORLD-BUILDING
Another issue I had with the book is the world-building and writing style. I found it very difficult to picture the setting because there is a lack of description. We know the basics, including a civil war and an outlawed religion, but not much else. I felt as though nothing was was really explained enough to be convincing. For a book called Diamond City, I was expecting the setting to be a big part of the novel. The fight scenes as well are a little lacklustre. Seeing as Aina is an assassin, I was anticipating tense action scenes. However, we are given vague, unrealistic fight scenes that all feel the same, and their repetitive nature made me lose interest.
Diamond City is a book with a lot of potential. The assassin and dark magic elements intrigued me, but the main character and the vague writing disappointed me. Honestly, for a book whose synopsis promises action and romance, this one leaves something to be desired.
December 28, 2020
Okay, that took awhile, but at least I finished it in 2020!
Full RTC
Full RTC
March 10, 2020
Although this story has great action and an interesting main character, unfortunately Diamond City was a miss for me - and I'm sad because I really wished that I loved this.
- Follows Aina, an orphan who was adopted by a 'crime boss' and trained to become an assassin. When a failed assassination attempt puts her life in danger, she is pulled into a corrupt plot and helps her target's younger brother.
- What I liked best was the main character - Aina is an interesting heroine, and I liked that the story explores the impact of her boss's manipulation on her psyche (without being overly gratuitous) and her moral conflicts.
- While the story has interesting elements - exploration of religious freedom, class differences, and corruption - I found that the overarching story was a little incoherent at times. A lot of things happen, but I struggled to string the parts of the story together to form a strong and powerful story.
- I was also a little disappointed by the worldbuilding. Again, some really interesting and fascinating parts - blood magic powered by diamonds, the religion, the differences between Steels and the poor - but how each are introduced felt disconnected from the story or lacked depth. Some parts, though interesting, didn't feel meaningful, which disengaged me from the story.
- Most personal of all (perhaps for the above reasons, I'm not sure): I was bored. I just didn't feel engaged by the story nor the character's growth and arc.
Trigger/content warning:
- Follows Aina, an orphan who was adopted by a 'crime boss' and trained to become an assassin. When a failed assassination attempt puts her life in danger, she is pulled into a corrupt plot and helps her target's younger brother.
- What I liked best was the main character - Aina is an interesting heroine, and I liked that the story explores the impact of her boss's manipulation on her psyche (without being overly gratuitous) and her moral conflicts.
- While the story has interesting elements - exploration of religious freedom, class differences, and corruption - I found that the overarching story was a little incoherent at times. A lot of things happen, but I struggled to string the parts of the story together to form a strong and powerful story.
- I was also a little disappointed by the worldbuilding. Again, some really interesting and fascinating parts - blood magic powered by diamonds, the religion, the differences between Steels and the poor - but how each are introduced felt disconnected from the story or lacked depth. Some parts, though interesting, didn't feel meaningful, which disengaged me from the story.
- Most personal of all (perhaps for the above reasons, I'm not sure): I was bored. I just didn't feel engaged by the story nor the character's growth and arc.
Trigger/content warning:
Read
December 29, 2019 DNF @62%
This book isn't bad by any stretch of the world, it has its strengths and weaknesses. But ultimately I have so little time to read right now that I can't waste it on books that don't draw me in.
RTC!! (maybe!)
This book isn't bad by any stretch of the world, it has its strengths and weaknesses. But ultimately I have so little time to read right now that I can't waste it on books that don't draw me in.
RTC!! (maybe!)
January 23, 2020
OMG I adored it! Aina is phenomenal! I the world building is exceptional! I could literally see myself there. I couldn't ask for more! I absolutely found a new favorite! Definitely check this out!
January 8, 2020
Review to come!
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