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A Waltz of Sin and Fire #1
The Crossing Gate
She can’t grow up. Literally.
In the kingdom of Elpax, juveniles must walk through the mysterious Crossing Gate to become adults—and seventeen-year-old Lenora is determined that her third attempt at crossing to adulthood will be successful. Even though adulthood means facing horrible realities, such as sin-spots appearing on her body whenever she commits a sin, it also means being able to have a job. And Lenora needs to work to support her struggling family.
But Lenora's Crossing Day goes horribly wrong.
Accused of trying to start a revolution, Lenora must obey the kingdom's laws to the letter if she wants to take suspicion off herself. But following the rules isn't as easy as it sounds. Especially when she meets a mysterious and handsome stranger who makes her feel emotions she's never experienced before—even though juveniles in Elpax aren't supposed to be capable of falling in love.
With the long arm of the law looming over her and her family, Lenora must walk a tightrope between following the rules and investigating why she's unable to cross. Not to mention discovering where her new adult emotions are coming from. But as Lenora uncovers more of Elpax's terrible secrets, she realizes that fighting the system might be the only way to save her family, her country, and her first love.
The first in an epic series perfect for fans of Victoria Aveyard's Red Queen and Lauren Oliver's Delirium, The Crossing Gate combines the tropes of classic YA dystopia with a Greek-inspired setting and fantasy elements that will whisk readers away on a journey like no other.
In the kingdom of Elpax, juveniles must walk through the mysterious Crossing Gate to become adults—and seventeen-year-old Lenora is determined that her third attempt at crossing to adulthood will be successful. Even though adulthood means facing horrible realities, such as sin-spots appearing on her body whenever she commits a sin, it also means being able to have a job. And Lenora needs to work to support her struggling family.
But Lenora's Crossing Day goes horribly wrong.
Accused of trying to start a revolution, Lenora must obey the kingdom's laws to the letter if she wants to take suspicion off herself. But following the rules isn't as easy as it sounds. Especially when she meets a mysterious and handsome stranger who makes her feel emotions she's never experienced before—even though juveniles in Elpax aren't supposed to be capable of falling in love.
With the long arm of the law looming over her and her family, Lenora must walk a tightrope between following the rules and investigating why she's unable to cross. Not to mention discovering where her new adult emotions are coming from. But as Lenora uncovers more of Elpax's terrible secrets, she realizes that fighting the system might be the only way to save her family, her country, and her first love.
The first in an epic series perfect for fans of Victoria Aveyard's Red Queen and Lauren Oliver's Delirium, The Crossing Gate combines the tropes of classic YA dystopia with a Greek-inspired setting and fantasy elements that will whisk readers away on a journey like no other.
416 pages, Paperback
First published January 4, 2022
14 people are currently reading
6913 people want to read
About the author
Asiel R. Lavie
1 book95 followersAsiel R. Lavie is the author of THE CROSSING GATE, the first book in the “A WALTZ OF SIN AND FIRE” Series. She holds a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy, but writing stories was her passion since childhood. She’s a book reviewer, a World Story Book contributor, co-admin, and an official Arabic translator for The World Story Book Young Adult Edition; a project was created by the Canadian Author Edge O. Erne.
When she’s not reading or writing, you might find her either in the garden playing with her kid or watching movies.
When she’s not reading or writing, you might find her either in the garden playing with her kid or watching movies.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews
January 4, 2022
When I read the premise of this book, I knew that it would be something I'd love, I just didn't know how much.
You know what else I wasn't expecting? ALL THE TEARS! This book made me cry.
The author did a wonderful job of getting the emotions across throughout the entire story. I really felt for Lenora because of all she had to go through.
And I love love love her hair colour. There's a surprising lack of (partially) green haired characters in books, WE NEED MORE OF THEM.
The book is over 400 pages long, and a lot happens, but I didn't feel like any part of it was rushed.
I read most of it in one go because I just couldn't stop reading. I only took a break to do some chores and then jumped straight back into this wonderfully crafted world.
There were a few choices that I wasn't sure about (like one adult action which I didn't think belonged only in that age category), but by the end it was explained why it was the way it was, and it made sense.
I liked both of the romance plots, don't ask me which one I like better though, because I can't tell you. But what I can tell you, is that the heartbreak hurt me as much as it hurt Lenora. Books that manage to hurt me so deeply get catapulted to my favourites list.
I'm reaching the end of my review and I still haven't mentioned the numerous plot twists, let's remedy that.
There's twist upon twist upon twist. The author managed to keep most of them well hidden until it was time for them to be revealed which I appreciate, since I'm normally pretty good at guessing.
The ending twist in particular was very good, and got me excited for the next book.
If The Crossing Gate was released during the big YA dystopia boom, I'm sure it would be right up there with the greats. I'm hoping that it'll still grow popular, even if the dystopia craze isn't as big now as it was then.
*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*
You know what else I wasn't expecting? ALL THE TEARS! This book made me cry.
The author did a wonderful job of getting the emotions across throughout the entire story. I really felt for Lenora because of all she had to go through.
And I love love love her hair colour. There's a surprising lack of (partially) green haired characters in books, WE NEED MORE OF THEM.
The book is over 400 pages long, and a lot happens, but I didn't feel like any part of it was rushed.
I read most of it in one go because I just couldn't stop reading. I only took a break to do some chores and then jumped straight back into this wonderfully crafted world.
There were a few choices that I wasn't sure about (like one adult action which I didn't think belonged only in that age category), but by the end it was explained why it was the way it was, and it made sense.
I liked both of the romance plots, don't ask me which one I like better though, because I can't tell you. But what I can tell you, is that the heartbreak hurt me as much as it hurt Lenora. Books that manage to hurt me so deeply get catapulted to my favourites list.
I'm reaching the end of my review and I still haven't mentioned the numerous plot twists, let's remedy that.
There's twist upon twist upon twist. The author managed to keep most of them well hidden until it was time for them to be revealed which I appreciate, since I'm normally pretty good at guessing.
The ending twist in particular was very good, and got me excited for the next book.
If The Crossing Gate was released during the big YA dystopia boom, I'm sure it would be right up there with the greats. I'm hoping that it'll still grow popular, even if the dystopia craze isn't as big now as it was then.
*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*
October 20, 2021
Thank you to Absolute Author Publishing House for letting me read an ARC of this beautiful dystopian book. The first in the Walts of Sin and Fire series by Asiel R. Lavie.
"Don't come back without a third line"
ΕΛΠΑΞ
"Something is cooking , Been, and it smells rotten!"
"There are eyes and ears everywhere, Lenora. It would do you good to heed caution before speaking radical words"
I would probably describe this book as a mix between "The Hunger Games" and "Divergent" 's divisions and revolutionary standards and "Red Queen" power's discoveries...
It's a surprising dystopian plot, set in a world permeated by the ancient civilisations of Greek, Roman, Egyptian and Maya's empires.
It's own originality comes from the concept of the crossing gate separating the three most important phases of a person's life: childhood, teenager and adulthood.
Add to all of these a drop of ancient historical references with plot twists, emotions' acknowledgement and an intricate labyrinth of royal palace's rumours and you've just made an interesting story that, despite being quite predictable in certain times, it can also surprise you.
Our main character is a bit like every girl her age: insecure, curious and adventurous. She doesn't know her own limits... but then again, she never even experienced them.
People who are not always what they seem and relationships put to the test ... no doubt she doesn't know what to do.
There may also be a certain male character that caught my attention more than the others but that's for another day.
I really liked the writing style that made the whole plot more intriguing than it already was and it wasn't hard to get into.
It has all the potential to become an amazing story so I would not lie in saying that I look forward to reading the next book... because there is gonna be one ... and I'm really glad for it.
"May my soul rest in peace"
"Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to cast the stone!"
"A state of emergency has been declared in the kingdom"
"Don't come back without a third line"
ΕΛΠΑΞ
"Something is cooking , Been, and it smells rotten!"
"There are eyes and ears everywhere, Lenora. It would do you good to heed caution before speaking radical words"
I would probably describe this book as a mix between "The Hunger Games" and "Divergent" 's divisions and revolutionary standards and "Red Queen" power's discoveries...
It's a surprising dystopian plot, set in a world permeated by the ancient civilisations of Greek, Roman, Egyptian and Maya's empires.
It's own originality comes from the concept of the crossing gate separating the three most important phases of a person's life: childhood, teenager and adulthood.
Add to all of these a drop of ancient historical references with plot twists, emotions' acknowledgement and an intricate labyrinth of royal palace's rumours and you've just made an interesting story that, despite being quite predictable in certain times, it can also surprise you.
Our main character is a bit like every girl her age: insecure, curious and adventurous. She doesn't know her own limits... but then again, she never even experienced them.
People who are not always what they seem and relationships put to the test ... no doubt she doesn't know what to do.
There may also be a certain male character that caught my attention more than the others but that's for another day.
I really liked the writing style that made the whole plot more intriguing than it already was and it wasn't hard to get into.
It has all the potential to become an amazing story so I would not lie in saying that I look forward to reading the next book... because there is gonna be one ... and I'm really glad for it.
"May my soul rest in peace"
"Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to cast the stone!"
"A state of emergency has been declared in the kingdom"
Read
December 2, 2021I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Let's start this review with being honest. The only reason I requested this book was because of it's beautiful cover. And luckily I wasn't disappointed with what was written inside this book with a gorgeous cover.
In the Crossing Gate we have this kingdom called Elpax where you need to pass through the crossing gate in order to move from one phase of life to the other.
I love the way this book was written. It was a fusion of so many things that it could have been worse but the writing is just too good to not let everything become a hodgepodge. The main character wasn't the best character I have ever read of but she was way better than a lot of dystopian heroines.
I'm really excited for the second book in the series.
Let's start this review with being honest. The only reason I requested this book was because of it's beautiful cover. And luckily I wasn't disappointed with what was written inside this book with a gorgeous cover.
In the Crossing Gate we have this kingdom called Elpax where you need to pass through the crossing gate in order to move from one phase of life to the other.
I love the way this book was written. It was a fusion of so many things that it could have been worse but the writing is just too good to not let everything become a hodgepodge. The main character wasn't the best character I have ever read of but she was way better than a lot of dystopian heroines.
I'm really excited for the second book in the series.
Read
December 23, 2022Hi awesome readers! As this book's author, allow me to use this space to share content warnings for The Crossing Gate in case that affects your reading experience:
Sexual abuse
Starvation
Death
Murder
Blood
Bodies/Corpses
Violence
suicidal thoughts
Slavery
Physical/Verbal Abuse
Kindly feel free to reach out via my website or social media (Instagram, Twitter) if you have any more questions!
Sexual abuse
Starvation
Death
Murder
Blood
Bodies/Corpses
Violence
suicidal thoughts
Slavery
Physical/Verbal Abuse
Kindly feel free to reach out via my website or social media (Instagram, Twitter) if you have any more questions!
September 11, 2021
Thank you BookSirens for an ARC of the Crossing Gate in return for an honest review.
What a thrilling start to what will inevitably be an incredible series!! This is a dystopian spin on a mash up of Handmaid’s Tale and Hunger Games and it’s mind bending! The stress and anxiety and anger I felt all through this book with the way women are “handled” in this futuristic society was palpable. I wanted to rage, and am I ever glad Leen finally did too! She’s on her way to becoming a commanding fearless leader who I can only hope will bring freedom to women and their rights. There is so much depth to the plot, I personally loved how the maturity level of writing and language changed when Leen went from a juvenile to an adult. The entire tone of the book shifted with this change, almost like the reader had the same curtain over their eyes as the juveniles to start. It really was so fantastically written. I’ll be recommending this book to everyone, I really did love it!!
What a thrilling start to what will inevitably be an incredible series!! This is a dystopian spin on a mash up of Handmaid’s Tale and Hunger Games and it’s mind bending! The stress and anxiety and anger I felt all through this book with the way women are “handled” in this futuristic society was palpable. I wanted to rage, and am I ever glad Leen finally did too! She’s on her way to becoming a commanding fearless leader who I can only hope will bring freedom to women and their rights. There is so much depth to the plot, I personally loved how the maturity level of writing and language changed when Leen went from a juvenile to an adult. The entire tone of the book shifted with this change, almost like the reader had the same curtain over their eyes as the juveniles to start. It really was so fantastically written. I’ll be recommending this book to everyone, I really did love it!!
December 21, 2021
Truth to be told, I never know how to feel about dystopian books, especially when there are kingdoms involved, but I was enraptured by the world of The Crossing Gate: its lore, its dynamic, the whole mechanism and true nature behind the crossing, the sin-spots system, and everything Greek. Well, perhaps the silver-mint hair weirded me out a bit, but I quickly overcame that.
One of the things I found confusing was the time jumps, probably too frequent and random; however, for a fast-paced novel such as this one, it’s quite apt. I admit, there were times I thought there were too many things thrown at the reader all at once, especially toward the end, where my head was spinning with all the information I’d gathered so far.
Another thing I feel like pointing out, but not in a bad way, is the continued use of exclamation marks. Why did I say “not in a bad way”? Because, while they might seem sort of annoying whilst reading, they show how the author absolutely nailed Leen’s thoughts. When we meet her, Leen is a juvenile, she still has to cross for the third and final time, and she doesn’t know much of the world, she’s completely and utterly naive, with feelings she doesn’t understand and no one is able to help her out. Leen is extremely overdramatic, and she shooked me with certain decisions of hers, but at the same time, they fit a girl who’s grown up so fast and yet has so much more growing to do. I’m intrigued to see how her character changes in the next book.
As for Jason and Erick, I’m confused, because I don’t know who to ship Leen with. Both of them are key characters in helping Leen grow up in many different ways, and when I think it was set in stone who was her final choice… twists happened.
And. Oh. My. God. The. Twists.
They’re around every corner. And I mean every. Corner. This book made my jaw drop so many times, more than I can count, which is something I adore. Usually, there’s only one or two twists in books, and some other times I’ve already made a theory about said twists, but with this book, I just couldn’t! It was so refreshing! My mind is still trying to come up with answers to the many questions left on hold, especially regarding the royal family. I have my thoughts, I have my doubts, and then I have my need to know more about it!
Asiel R. Lavie created a world I came to love, so different and yet so similar to the world we live in now - I’ll just say Pandora, and you’ll understand once you get there - with a growing up system that shocked and thrilled me. As I said, dystopian books aren’t usually my thing, but this book is, and I can’t wait for its sequel.
Thank you BookSirens for the eARC copy!
One of the things I found confusing was the time jumps, probably too frequent and random; however, for a fast-paced novel such as this one, it’s quite apt. I admit, there were times I thought there were too many things thrown at the reader all at once, especially toward the end, where my head was spinning with all the information I’d gathered so far.
Another thing I feel like pointing out, but not in a bad way, is the continued use of exclamation marks. Why did I say “not in a bad way”? Because, while they might seem sort of annoying whilst reading, they show how the author absolutely nailed Leen’s thoughts. When we meet her, Leen is a juvenile, she still has to cross for the third and final time, and she doesn’t know much of the world, she’s completely and utterly naive, with feelings she doesn’t understand and no one is able to help her out. Leen is extremely overdramatic, and she shooked me with certain decisions of hers, but at the same time, they fit a girl who’s grown up so fast and yet has so much more growing to do. I’m intrigued to see how her character changes in the next book.
As for Jason and Erick, I’m confused, because I don’t know who to ship Leen with. Both of them are key characters in helping Leen grow up in many different ways, and when I think it was set in stone who was her final choice… twists happened.
And. Oh. My. God. The. Twists.
They’re around every corner. And I mean every. Corner. This book made my jaw drop so many times, more than I can count, which is something I adore. Usually, there’s only one or two twists in books, and some other times I’ve already made a theory about said twists, but with this book, I just couldn’t! It was so refreshing! My mind is still trying to come up with answers to the many questions left on hold, especially regarding the royal family. I have my thoughts, I have my doubts, and then I have my need to know more about it!
Asiel R. Lavie created a world I came to love, so different and yet so similar to the world we live in now - I’ll just say Pandora, and you’ll understand once you get there - with a growing up system that shocked and thrilled me. As I said, dystopian books aren’t usually my thing, but this book is, and I can’t wait for its sequel.
Thank you BookSirens for the eARC copy!
November 11, 2021
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
The Crossing Gate by Asiel R. Lavie is an amazing NA sci-fi/fantasy that will appeal to fans of Veronica Roth's Divergent or Amy Ewing's The Jewel. Just like Divergent, the plot is cinematic, and I could totally envision this book as a movie while I was reading it. The story revolves around Lenora, an 18 year-old in a world where juveniles must walk through the Crossing Gate to become adults. She's tried crossing before, but she's backed out every time. Unexpectedly, her Crossing Day goes horribly awry. Her mother is arrested, and she goes into hiding while the Prince's soldiers look for her. Will Lenora be able to save her mother? Can she escape her dystopian society? And what about the young man who she can't stop thinking about?
Here is an atmospheric excerpt from Chapter 1, which establishes the sci-fi setting:
"IF I CROSSED TO ADULTHOOD today, sin-spots would start appearing on my body whenever I committed a sin. Not that I was planning to become a sinner, but I wished I could learn more about them beforehand. Such a fateful decision would change my life forever.
...
The sound of the Ológramma—the holographic television in the living room—rose a bit, pulling me out of my dark thoughts, and the sweet aroma of Mom’s herbal tea filled the air. She must have woken up. Soon, she would come to check if I had finished getting dressed. I turned to my closet and picked up the Crossing Day formal dress—a floor-length gown with short puffy sleeves, dazzling in its whiteness.
“Hurry, Lenora,” Mom snapped as she shoved my bedroom door open. “It’s almost eight. You can’t be late for your Crossing Day.""
Overall, The Crossing Gate is an amazing NA sci-fi/fantasy, and I could not put it down. I have to admit that I went in with reservations, considering this book isn't from a major publisher. Although there were some sections that could have been polished more, I really enjoyed reading this book At over 400 pages, this book is full of plot elements, impressive world-building, and action. One highlight of this book is the dystopian society the author created, which included plenty of flashy new technology and oppressive rules. I felt like I had been transported into a different world. I also loved the concept of adults in this world having three lines to mark them while juveniles have two. I thought that was genius. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of YA sci-fi/fantasy, I highly recommend checking out this book when it comes out in January!
The Crossing Gate by Asiel R. Lavie is an amazing NA sci-fi/fantasy that will appeal to fans of Veronica Roth's Divergent or Amy Ewing's The Jewel. Just like Divergent, the plot is cinematic, and I could totally envision this book as a movie while I was reading it. The story revolves around Lenora, an 18 year-old in a world where juveniles must walk through the Crossing Gate to become adults. She's tried crossing before, but she's backed out every time. Unexpectedly, her Crossing Day goes horribly awry. Her mother is arrested, and she goes into hiding while the Prince's soldiers look for her. Will Lenora be able to save her mother? Can she escape her dystopian society? And what about the young man who she can't stop thinking about?
Here is an atmospheric excerpt from Chapter 1, which establishes the sci-fi setting:
"IF I CROSSED TO ADULTHOOD today, sin-spots would start appearing on my body whenever I committed a sin. Not that I was planning to become a sinner, but I wished I could learn more about them beforehand. Such a fateful decision would change my life forever.
...
The sound of the Ológramma—the holographic television in the living room—rose a bit, pulling me out of my dark thoughts, and the sweet aroma of Mom’s herbal tea filled the air. She must have woken up. Soon, she would come to check if I had finished getting dressed. I turned to my closet and picked up the Crossing Day formal dress—a floor-length gown with short puffy sleeves, dazzling in its whiteness.
“Hurry, Lenora,” Mom snapped as she shoved my bedroom door open. “It’s almost eight. You can’t be late for your Crossing Day.""
Overall, The Crossing Gate is an amazing NA sci-fi/fantasy, and I could not put it down. I have to admit that I went in with reservations, considering this book isn't from a major publisher. Although there were some sections that could have been polished more, I really enjoyed reading this book At over 400 pages, this book is full of plot elements, impressive world-building, and action. One highlight of this book is the dystopian society the author created, which included plenty of flashy new technology and oppressive rules. I felt like I had been transported into a different world. I also loved the concept of adults in this world having three lines to mark them while juveniles have two. I thought that was genius. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of YA sci-fi/fantasy, I highly recommend checking out this book when it comes out in January!
September 23, 2021
I received a copy of this book from BookSirens in exchange for an honest review!
The concept of this book immediately drew me in - it was unique and unlike anything I’d seen before. The fast paced plot really worked in its favour, and there was never a boring moment which meant that I often couldn’t put it down! The writing style was simple but effectively conveyed the emotions of the characters, and I highly enjoyed some of the plot twists throughout the book. The ending was also really interesting, and left me wanting more.
On the other hand, I personally wasn’t a fan of some of the huge time skips, which I feel rushed the development of certain key events and took me out of the story a little bit. I also feel like some of the side characters were a bit more forgettable, and I definitely would have liked to see more of them!
Overall, a fairly enjoyable read that I’d recommend to anyone who is a fan of stories with a dystopian twist!
The concept of this book immediately drew me in - it was unique and unlike anything I’d seen before. The fast paced plot really worked in its favour, and there was never a boring moment which meant that I often couldn’t put it down! The writing style was simple but effectively conveyed the emotions of the characters, and I highly enjoyed some of the plot twists throughout the book. The ending was also really interesting, and left me wanting more.
On the other hand, I personally wasn’t a fan of some of the huge time skips, which I feel rushed the development of certain key events and took me out of the story a little bit. I also feel like some of the side characters were a bit more forgettable, and I definitely would have liked to see more of them!
Overall, a fairly enjoyable read that I’d recommend to anyone who is a fan of stories with a dystopian twist!
October 31, 2021
Many thanks to the author and BookSirens for sending me an advance review copy for free - I am leaving this review voluntarily.
------
I really wanted to like this story because the premise seemed very promising, but this book didn’t do much for me. The first third of it was interesting enough and read like a typical YA dystopian story, but the rest of the book became a jumbled mess of tropes, characters, and side plots. There are many series out there that manage to fit a good number of genres in their stories in a cohesive way, but this story failed to do the same. The second half just read like a completely different story compared to the first and I had a difficult time piecing together the overarching central plot of the book.
In the first half we follow Lenora’s coming-of-age journey in regards to crossing the gate in order to become an adult and finally be able to help her impoverished family earn money. As we are exposed to the more dangerous and seedy sides of the government, there is less emphasis placed on Lenora’s journey and more focus on the mission to overthrow the government. At this point it becomes a bit more like The Hunger Games, except the way the revolution was revealed was so abrupt, and I felt like there were very little clues given leading up to this because we spent most of the first half of the story on Lenora’s personal issues with her mother and her romantic interests.
The stakes ramped up way too quickly to be able to get a grasp on the direction the story was taking. The other part that surprised me about this was the amount of gore and violence that suddenly permeated the second half of the story. This is categorized as young adult but there was a lot of graphic scenes, blood, and traumatic events described in the pages -- scenes of individuals getting shot in the head, juveniles being forced to undergo unconsented medical exams, and innocent citizens getting their heads chopped off are just some of the shocking things I read that I wasn’t a fan of.
I appreciated the protagonist’s forward way of thinking and independent personality, but I don’t think she was warranted to be as strong as she was portrayed by the time the revolution began. She may have had strong ideals, but her actions still showed her as a dramatic and naive individual. She was a juvenile who knew almost nothing about the realities of the world because adults were forbidden from speaking about such things as desire, love, emotion, death, violence, and sex to her as an adolescent. She understood the concept of injustice and wanted to change the world, but for her to have the courage to stand up to the government’s forces and be just as aggressive/violent towards her enemies as soon as she learned about the uprising just didn’t seem believable to me.
The romance also felt forced; one minute Lenora meets a new classmate’s relative and the next she seems to already be deeply in love with him just from gazing deeply into his piercing gray eyes. The back and forth between the potential love interests didn’t really work, and I think there could have been more emphasis on the friendships instead of the romantic relationships. Overall I think the potential is there, but this could have been a more solid story if there had been a better transition between the first and second halves of the story. Many scenes reminded me too much of The Hunger Games, and not in a good way. Additionally, there were just too many components shoehorned in, especially the numerous reveals and twists that came near the ending of the book. The ending was abrupt and unsatisfying, though since this is the start of a series perhaps the author will delve more into the history of the resistance group in the sequels.
------
I really wanted to like this story because the premise seemed very promising, but this book didn’t do much for me. The first third of it was interesting enough and read like a typical YA dystopian story, but the rest of the book became a jumbled mess of tropes, characters, and side plots. There are many series out there that manage to fit a good number of genres in their stories in a cohesive way, but this story failed to do the same. The second half just read like a completely different story compared to the first and I had a difficult time piecing together the overarching central plot of the book.
In the first half we follow Lenora’s coming-of-age journey in regards to crossing the gate in order to become an adult and finally be able to help her impoverished family earn money. As we are exposed to the more dangerous and seedy sides of the government, there is less emphasis placed on Lenora’s journey and more focus on the mission to overthrow the government. At this point it becomes a bit more like The Hunger Games, except the way the revolution was revealed was so abrupt, and I felt like there were very little clues given leading up to this because we spent most of the first half of the story on Lenora’s personal issues with her mother and her romantic interests.
The stakes ramped up way too quickly to be able to get a grasp on the direction the story was taking. The other part that surprised me about this was the amount of gore and violence that suddenly permeated the second half of the story. This is categorized as young adult but there was a lot of graphic scenes, blood, and traumatic events described in the pages -- scenes of individuals getting shot in the head, juveniles being forced to undergo unconsented medical exams, and innocent citizens getting their heads chopped off are just some of the shocking things I read that I wasn’t a fan of.
I appreciated the protagonist’s forward way of thinking and independent personality, but I don’t think she was warranted to be as strong as she was portrayed by the time the revolution began. She may have had strong ideals, but her actions still showed her as a dramatic and naive individual. She was a juvenile who knew almost nothing about the realities of the world because adults were forbidden from speaking about such things as desire, love, emotion, death, violence, and sex to her as an adolescent. She understood the concept of injustice and wanted to change the world, but for her to have the courage to stand up to the government’s forces and be just as aggressive/violent towards her enemies as soon as she learned about the uprising just didn’t seem believable to me.
The romance also felt forced; one minute Lenora meets a new classmate’s relative and the next she seems to already be deeply in love with him just from gazing deeply into his piercing gray eyes. The back and forth between the potential love interests didn’t really work, and I think there could have been more emphasis on the friendships instead of the romantic relationships. Overall I think the potential is there, but this could have been a more solid story if there had been a better transition between the first and second halves of the story. Many scenes reminded me too much of The Hunger Games, and not in a good way. Additionally, there were just too many components shoehorned in, especially the numerous reveals and twists that came near the ending of the book. The ending was abrupt and unsatisfying, though since this is the start of a series perhaps the author will delve more into the history of the resistance group in the sequels.
November 19, 2021
"I didn’t know much about adulthood yet , but it was enough that it had many trials. There was no play, only responsibilities. No innocence, only experience. No peace of mind , only an uproar in one’s world."
First, I would like to thank Booksirens for the digital arc and I am voluntarily leaving this review.
Trigger warning for this contains violence, gore, rape, suicide and even death. Some are heavily detailed as well so if you are uncomfortable with such topics, this is gonna be a hard book to read.
Moving on, Crossing Gate tells the story of how children needs to cross a giant gate to become a full fledged adults. We follow Leen, a 17 years old girl who have a difficult time crossing. Despite having the difficulty of crossing and the pressure she receive from everyone around her, Leen does the best she could to be able to cross. But when she thinks that crossing to adulthood would solve her problems, she is dead wrong.
I didn't exactly dive into this at first but when I got to the middle I couldn't put it down. This one contains such heavy topics that I could not digest immediately. It pictures how violent a world could be and how terrifying it is for a young girl to belong in such a world. Having Leen describe everything as she goes was too much. Every pain and sadness can be felt and you can also detect the innocence of the girl in every page.
Leen is such a weak character but you can see how she progressed in each page. Having her eyes opened to the ugliness of the world she once believed was full of peace was something I had time digesting especially during the time she was brought to the club to escape the people chasing after her. It is just too much but the story did imports lessons and politics in it. It really showed how messed up our world can be when we are ruled by the wrong people. Also how twisted people can be when they are heavily controlled by their emotions like how they ready to betray anyone just so they can get what they want.
The plot was somewhat unexpected. When you think this will lead to this but it will lead to another is something I really want in a book. It was unpredictable for me.
The characters like I said was very twisting if I may say. I love the development of Leen and I am actually want to more of how she grows.
First, I would like to thank Booksirens for the digital arc and I am voluntarily leaving this review.
Trigger warning for this contains violence, gore, rape, suicide and even death. Some are heavily detailed as well so if you are uncomfortable with such topics, this is gonna be a hard book to read.
Moving on, Crossing Gate tells the story of how children needs to cross a giant gate to become a full fledged adults. We follow Leen, a 17 years old girl who have a difficult time crossing. Despite having the difficulty of crossing and the pressure she receive from everyone around her, Leen does the best she could to be able to cross. But when she thinks that crossing to adulthood would solve her problems, she is dead wrong.
I didn't exactly dive into this at first but when I got to the middle I couldn't put it down. This one contains such heavy topics that I could not digest immediately. It pictures how violent a world could be and how terrifying it is for a young girl to belong in such a world. Having Leen describe everything as she goes was too much. Every pain and sadness can be felt and you can also detect the innocence of the girl in every page.
Leen is such a weak character but you can see how she progressed in each page. Having her eyes opened to the ugliness of the world she once believed was full of peace was something I had time digesting especially during the time she was brought to the club to escape the people chasing after her. It is just too much but the story did imports lessons and politics in it. It really showed how messed up our world can be when we are ruled by the wrong people. Also how twisted people can be when they are heavily controlled by their emotions like how they ready to betray anyone just so they can get what they want.
The plot was somewhat unexpected. When you think this will lead to this but it will lead to another is something I really want in a book. It was unpredictable for me.
The characters like I said was very twisting if I may say. I love the development of Leen and I am actually want to more of how she grows.
August 4, 2021
The crossing gate is, without a doubt, one of the most remarkable stories I've read this year. It’s a coming-of-age character-driven book: a brilliant mix of THE GIVER and HUNGER GAMES. The Crossing Gate is NOT your typical FANTASY book. So if you are looking for Magic, this is NOT the book for you. It's sci-fi (more like dystopia) with fantasy elements.
The story starts with a 17-year-old juvenile, "Lenora" AKA: Leen, who wants to grow up to get a job and help her family live decently. And here is where the excellent internal conflict comes by: she can't cross to adulthood, but she has to grow up, and she needs to help her family, but she is afraid of going on. This story is phenomenal!!
The first chapter and the general atmosphere reminded me of the HUNGER GAMES, but everyone was happy to cross over to adulthood in this book, except for Lenora. Asiel didn't tell us straight forward WHY LENORA WAS SCARED; she only hinted to Lenora's abusive father. Another reason why Lenore can't cross that wasn't expected at all, and it shocked me!!!!
And folks, I am team "JASON"… Now and forever. Don't judge me for that! Even though Erick is the prince charming, Jason was always a special boy. Note: There is NO love triangle!
When Lenora finally decides to cross, a terrible accident happened. And here is where the fun part starts. And I found myself on a rollercoaster that I enjoyed every second of it. The royal family was entertaining to read about. The adulthood and the "sin city" were even more remarkable. A lot of things happened in this simply fabulous book.
Ya’ll, you need to read this book !!!!
Thank you so much for the eARC!!
The story starts with a 17-year-old juvenile, "Lenora" AKA: Leen, who wants to grow up to get a job and help her family live decently. And here is where the excellent internal conflict comes by: she can't cross to adulthood, but she has to grow up, and she needs to help her family, but she is afraid of going on. This story is phenomenal!!
The first chapter and the general atmosphere reminded me of the HUNGER GAMES, but everyone was happy to cross over to adulthood in this book, except for Lenora. Asiel didn't tell us straight forward WHY LENORA WAS SCARED; she only hinted to Lenora's abusive father. Another reason why Lenore can't cross that wasn't expected at all, and it shocked me!!!!
And folks, I am team "JASON"… Now and forever. Don't judge me for that! Even though Erick is the prince charming, Jason was always a special boy. Note: There is NO love triangle!
When Lenora finally decides to cross, a terrible accident happened. And here is where the fun part starts. And I found myself on a rollercoaster that I enjoyed every second of it. The royal family was entertaining to read about. The adulthood and the "sin city" were even more remarkable. A lot of things happened in this simply fabulous book.
Ya’ll, you need to read this book !!!!
Thank you so much for the eARC!!
February 8, 2022
Star Rating: —> 4.5 Stars
Okay, so I have to admit— I'm guilty! I confess: The cover of this novel is totally what drew me in (plus the blurb, pls) & actually made me absolutely HAVE to buy the physical book. (And so I did. Obvs.)
BUT I AM SO PLEASED! SQUEEEEE! What an EXCELLENT, solid, debut. I truly enjoyed this story SO much, I never knew what was going to happen next. . I LOVED this "utopia"/ dystopian story, and Leen, or Lenora, the MC, is one KICK ASS, feminist, meek-to-fiesty AF heroine! I truly was invested in Leen's story from the very first time, & I loved 'growing up' with her! In fact, I was absolutely invested in almost every character immediately, the author has this amazing way of endearing you to them as soon as you meet them; it's like you've known them forever!
I truly enjoyed the world building as well. A world ruined by climate change, with the only known world left being part of Eurasia ? A second Roman Empire in 2147, after a World War III in 2020, that conquered almost all of the remaining world?
One of the only places on Earth not under control by Rome's Emperor, Julius Caesar, is a country called Elpax, a corrupt "utopian society," where the royals control basically every aspect of their citizens lives. Where women are oppressed & objectified & beaten & sent to prison over the smallest of infractions. Living conditions are awful for anyone other than the wealthy.
Yes, this is a "chosen one" story, but it is different than anything you've ever read! Although it DOES remind me a bit of The Hunger Games 🧐. Haha regardless, this was an awesome read.
I definitely recommend!
Okay, so I have to admit— I'm guilty! I confess: The cover of this novel is totally what drew me in (plus the blurb, pls) & actually made me absolutely HAVE to buy the physical book. (And so I did. Obvs.)
BUT I AM SO PLEASED! SQUEEEEE! What an EXCELLENT, solid, debut. I truly enjoyed this story SO much, I never knew what was going to happen next. . I LOVED this "utopia"/ dystopian story, and Leen, or Lenora, the MC, is one KICK ASS, feminist, meek-to-fiesty AF heroine! I truly was invested in Leen's story from the very first time, & I loved 'growing up' with her! In fact, I was absolutely invested in almost every character immediately, the author has this amazing way of endearing you to them as soon as you meet them; it's like you've known them forever!
I truly enjoyed the world building as well. A world ruined by climate change, with the only known world left being part of Eurasia ? A second Roman Empire in 2147, after a World War III in 2020, that conquered almost all of the remaining world?
One of the only places on Earth not under control by Rome's Emperor, Julius Caesar, is a country called Elpax, a corrupt "utopian society," where the royals control basically every aspect of their citizens lives. Where women are oppressed & objectified & beaten & sent to prison over the smallest of infractions. Living conditions are awful for anyone other than the wealthy.
Yes, this is a "chosen one" story, but it is different than anything you've ever read! Although it DOES remind me a bit of The Hunger Games 🧐. Haha regardless, this was an awesome read.
I definitely recommend!
September 11, 2021
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The Crossing Gate is about a society with many rules where people have to pass through a mysterious gate in order to get older. Getting older comes with many privledges such as new emotions, and knowledge about adult subjects. It also means that if you do something bad in any way even relatively trivial things such as lying, sin spots will appear and getting caught with sin spots will get you in big trouble. The book follows Lenora who gets weird symptoms when trying to cross the gate to adulthood and is trying to figure out why.
I had no idea what to expect from this book, but it blew my expectations out of the water. I found Lenora to be a frustrating character at times but she developed a lot throughout the book into someone who is a more likeable character. I also found the world development to be very solid. There is a lot of detail to this world but it wasn't overwhelming to find out about. I didn't like either of the love interests though and it ended up playing into that love triangle troupe I hate a lot where the protagonist just goes between characters whenever the other one does something she doesn't like. I'll have to see if it that keeps happening in future books though. There was also a lot more about this book than what it seems in the plot. I want to talk more about it but its spoilers and there was just a lot that happened.
Overall 4.5/5 Stars.
The Crossing Gate is about a society with many rules where people have to pass through a mysterious gate in order to get older. Getting older comes with many privledges such as new emotions, and knowledge about adult subjects. It also means that if you do something bad in any way even relatively trivial things such as lying, sin spots will appear and getting caught with sin spots will get you in big trouble. The book follows Lenora who gets weird symptoms when trying to cross the gate to adulthood and is trying to figure out why.
I had no idea what to expect from this book, but it blew my expectations out of the water. I found Lenora to be a frustrating character at times but she developed a lot throughout the book into someone who is a more likeable character. I also found the world development to be very solid. There is a lot of detail to this world but it wasn't overwhelming to find out about. I didn't like either of the love interests though and it ended up playing into that love triangle troupe I hate a lot where the protagonist just goes between characters whenever the other one does something she doesn't like. I'll have to see if it that keeps happening in future books though. There was also a lot more about this book than what it seems in the plot. I want to talk more about it but its spoilers and there was just a lot that happened.
Overall 4.5/5 Stars.
October 24, 2021
Thank you Netgalley and Absolute Author Publishing House for allowing me to read and review this book! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This book reminded me of many of my old favorites: Hunger Games, Divergent, Matched, and The Selection all mixed together.
The Crossing Gate is about a future society of people who have survived WW3 and now live under a strict ruling to prevent another war. The Crossing Gate itself is used to signify age. At birth you receive a black permanent line, at age 11 you get another and then when you are passing adolescence you are to go through the gate and become an "adult ". Lenora our seventeen year old MC has skipped going through the Crossing Gate three times and it goes terrible wrong the final time. Leen is accused of being a part of the rebellion. While on the run she meets a handsome guy and begins to unravel secrets the government has been hiding.
The concept is a little weird and jumbled at times but overall I enjoyed the writing and storytelling. I definitely got Red Queen and Delirium vibes. I liked Lenora's development and the secondary characters were interesting.
I do recommend this book to readers who enjoy dystopian fantasy books like the books above.
4.5 stars
This book reminded me of many of my old favorites: Hunger Games, Divergent, Matched, and The Selection all mixed together.
The Crossing Gate is about a future society of people who have survived WW3 and now live under a strict ruling to prevent another war. The Crossing Gate itself is used to signify age. At birth you receive a black permanent line, at age 11 you get another and then when you are passing adolescence you are to go through the gate and become an "adult ". Lenora our seventeen year old MC has skipped going through the Crossing Gate three times and it goes terrible wrong the final time. Leen is accused of being a part of the rebellion. While on the run she meets a handsome guy and begins to unravel secrets the government has been hiding.
The concept is a little weird and jumbled at times but overall I enjoyed the writing and storytelling. I definitely got Red Queen and Delirium vibes. I liked Lenora's development and the secondary characters were interesting.
I do recommend this book to readers who enjoy dystopian fantasy books like the books above.
4.5 stars
October 24, 2021
First of all, I'd like to thank the author and voracious readers only for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
I absolutely loved this book! I loved the change in pace, I loved the character development, I loved the energy. It started off with this really intriguing story of a juvenile who couldn't cross the gate to become an adult, thrown in with a very innocent love story and all of a sudden, it turned into this dystopian like story full of drama and adventure! What a shift! Lenora starts off as this pure, innocent girl and I must admit, I found her innocence really annoying when she needed to step up and snap out of it! But that's what's amazing! The author really ensured that her development was slow enough to be realistic yet fast enough to ensure her survival. The Lenora from the last page is who I was hoping she'd become. Bring on book 2! I'm hooked!
I absolutely loved this book! I loved the change in pace, I loved the character development, I loved the energy. It started off with this really intriguing story of a juvenile who couldn't cross the gate to become an adult, thrown in with a very innocent love story and all of a sudden, it turned into this dystopian like story full of drama and adventure! What a shift! Lenora starts off as this pure, innocent girl and I must admit, I found her innocence really annoying when she needed to step up and snap out of it! But that's what's amazing! The author really ensured that her development was slow enough to be realistic yet fast enough to ensure her survival. The Lenora from the last page is who I was hoping she'd become. Bring on book 2! I'm hooked!
August 13, 2021
Wow! This is a one of a kind read . . .
Set in a world that parallels our own in many ways, we follow well developed lovable (and detestable!) Characters through a story that shows this authors excellent grasp of world building in the written word.
This book started on a great note and kept me hooked to the last sentence. I would definitely recommend this and am very much looking forward to the rest of the series.
I received an advance review copy from booksirens.com for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Set in a world that parallels our own in many ways, we follow well developed lovable (and detestable!) Characters through a story that shows this authors excellent grasp of world building in the written word.
This book started on a great note and kept me hooked to the last sentence. I would definitely recommend this and am very much looking forward to the rest of the series.
I received an advance review copy from booksirens.com for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 7, 2021
I’m not sure I know what to say. My brain has exploded! What an amazing book. Worth every star and more besides.
I spent all Sunday reading it and could not put it down.
The characters are so real and the story different to anything I’ve read in a long long time. Poor Lenora, when will the next betrayal hit her? Will things work out with Eric or with Jason? Will she save their world? I wish I could get all those questions answered now. Please tell me the next book will be ready soon.
I spent all Sunday reading it and could not put it down.
The characters are so real and the story different to anything I’ve read in a long long time. Poor Lenora, when will the next betrayal hit her? Will things work out with Eric or with Jason? Will she save their world? I wish I could get all those questions answered now. Please tell me the next book will be ready soon.
October 7, 2021
Dam… That was A LOT to read. My emotions are literally all over the place right now. I need the next book now especially with that ending the author decided to give us. Anyway, I'm usually not a fan of love triangles but the one in this book was perfect. And the best part is that Lenora doesnt even realize that these guys or "men" as the book likes to call them since they have crossed, are fighting over her. Love it!
Thank You, BookSirens and Asiel for the eARC!!!
Thank You, BookSirens and Asiel for the eARC!!!
November 5, 2021
This book was a wild ride. It has incredibly well developed characters and the dystopian world the author creates is incredibly intriguing. Well written, a definite page turner. I spent a few late nights telling myself I’d go to bed after the next chapter and ended up reading until my eyes refused to stay open. I truly enjoyed the adventure.
I received this book from the author through Voracious Readers Only
I received this book from the author through Voracious Readers Only
November 10, 2021
4.8 stars
Pace: 4.6
World-bulding: 5
Charechters: 5
Plot: 4.8
The Crossing Gate is an original concept with a mix of fantasy and dystopia. I liked the phasis of life and the strong world-building. The idea of the sin-spots was brilliant too. The writing style was smooth and beautiful. The time jumps were fine for a fast-paced book like this, and the ending was mind-blowing. The only thing I wished for was to read more about the "Erick-Leen" relationship.
Thank you for the ARC.
Pace: 4.6
World-bulding: 5
Charechters: 5
Plot: 4.8
The Crossing Gate is an original concept with a mix of fantasy and dystopia. I liked the phasis of life and the strong world-building. The idea of the sin-spots was brilliant too. The writing style was smooth and beautiful. The time jumps were fine for a fast-paced book like this, and the ending was mind-blowing. The only thing I wished for was to read more about the "Erick-Leen" relationship.
Thank you for the ARC.
October 5, 2021
Simply extraordinary! I read the book almost 7 times, and every time I discover something new! What I LOVE is the message “behind the lines” about sins and redemption. It's not just a book for entertainment, it makes you think about your own life. When I talked to the author on Instagram, she told me that some events were based on a true story! Thank you for the ARC, can't wait for the next book!
July 30, 2021
Honestly, if I can give this a 6/5, I would gladly do so in a heartbeat; the story is exciting and offers some insight into some issues, and really forces you to turn the pages continuously
it has a dystopian flair with futuristic monitoring and censoring technology, and a cruel totalitarian monarchy, which is a well thought setting to present the atmosphere
of oppression and tyranny, alongside the themes of loss of innocence, the hypocrisy of ethical restrictions on children by adults, the intrigue of political ploys, and more importantly
the growing up part in the middle of a fictional world like this all just fit amazingly together to give a dark vibe
the protagonists' interactions are dynamic and somewhat vivid, and the expression of emotions and thoughts is melodramatic, and the progress of her development throughout the events of the story is exciting and fulfilling at an excellent pace, neither rushed nor slow
the romantic element is persistent throughout a long central part of the story and would be one incredible spontaneous emotional rollercoaster
to anyone who has watched the hunger games, the novel would bear some similarity in the action aspect, especially in the latter half of the book
I highly recommend this novel; the protagonists' journey to adulthood and its challenges and exploration of inequity
is excellent and exciting and is sophisticated in its aspects. I am confident that no reader would find it dull or disappointing
the series seems to hold a promising future, and I am looking forward to the next book
this is one of the first few novels I have read, and I hope I included some of its most prominent features without spilling out too many beans
it has a dystopian flair with futuristic monitoring and censoring technology, and a cruel totalitarian monarchy, which is a well thought setting to present the atmosphere
of oppression and tyranny, alongside the themes of loss of innocence, the hypocrisy of ethical restrictions on children by adults, the intrigue of political ploys, and more importantly
the growing up part in the middle of a fictional world like this all just fit amazingly together to give a dark vibe
the protagonists' interactions are dynamic and somewhat vivid, and the expression of emotions and thoughts is melodramatic, and the progress of her development throughout the events of the story is exciting and fulfilling at an excellent pace, neither rushed nor slow
the romantic element is persistent throughout a long central part of the story and would be one incredible spontaneous emotional rollercoaster
to anyone who has watched the hunger games, the novel would bear some similarity in the action aspect, especially in the latter half of the book
I highly recommend this novel; the protagonists' journey to adulthood and its challenges and exploration of inequity
is excellent and exciting and is sophisticated in its aspects. I am confident that no reader would find it dull or disappointing
the series seems to hold a promising future, and I am looking forward to the next book
this is one of the first few novels I have read, and I hope I included some of its most prominent features without spilling out too many beans
December 18, 2021
A gorgeous cover, captivating description yet full of sentiment insides.
The Crossing Gate is a sci-fi fantasy dystopian story about journey of Lenora, the heroine who has to tresspass saving her mother and big crossover to take against the empire in restoring the peace of the kingdom without her knowing any idea about it..
The love interest here is common, yet quite intriguing. The dilemma of her juvenile mind against adulthood gut is wary. The confusion that prophecy gives referring who is who, the good boy or the 5 letter boy. And me too, I don't know where to put on my sympathy. Both of them have one in common—a strong and genuine love for Lenora, willing to give and sacrifice everything for her.
Time setting is futuristic and high technology element exists in the whole story. The mixture of advance science, such as inventions and fantasy is superb.
The world building is great and inspired by Greek Myths. I like how the author puts the classic idea of typical royal family dispute as everyone is greedy to seat the throne. And the back story of re-establishing the kingdom after an attack, bargain a nasty agreement and forging new rules to follow. This also exposed the several situations that in history and till now in reality we still are experiencing. Such as corruption, abusing the power, injustice on the lower class of society, privileges only for wealthy people and discrimination of women's rights.
Tw : Violence and Sexual Assult
Genuinely enjoyed this and looking forward for the second book. The author knew where to stop the typing and just leave me hanging. Thank you Netgalley for giving me a copy of this gem and Asiel R. Lavie for creating Elpax Empire and its tale.
#TheCrossingGate #NetGalley #AsielLavie #AWaltzOfSinAndFire
The Crossing Gate is a sci-fi fantasy dystopian story about journey of Lenora, the heroine who has to tresspass saving her mother and big crossover to take against the empire in restoring the peace of the kingdom without her knowing any idea about it..
The love interest here is common, yet quite intriguing. The dilemma of her juvenile mind against adulthood gut is wary. The confusion that prophecy gives referring who is who, the good boy or the 5 letter boy. And me too, I don't know where to put on my sympathy. Both of them have one in common—a strong and genuine love for Lenora, willing to give and sacrifice everything for her.
Time setting is futuristic and high technology element exists in the whole story. The mixture of advance science, such as inventions and fantasy is superb.
The world building is great and inspired by Greek Myths. I like how the author puts the classic idea of typical royal family dispute as everyone is greedy to seat the throne. And the back story of re-establishing the kingdom after an attack, bargain a nasty agreement and forging new rules to follow. This also exposed the several situations that in history and till now in reality we still are experiencing. Such as corruption, abusing the power, injustice on the lower class of society, privileges only for wealthy people and discrimination of women's rights.
Tw : Violence and Sexual Assult
Genuinely enjoyed this and looking forward for the second book. The author knew where to stop the typing and just leave me hanging. Thank you Netgalley for giving me a copy of this gem and Asiel R. Lavie for creating Elpax Empire and its tale.
#TheCrossingGate #NetGalley #AsielLavie #AWaltzOfSinAndFire
November 26, 2021
Thank you mtmc tours and author Asiel Lavie for giving me an eARC copy of this book. The first thing that caught my eye is the gorgeous cover and the synopsis had me so intrigued.
I really loved the world building in the book, where people were separated by their age and you have to pass through the Crossing gate to move from child to juvenile and then to adult. This had such a different and unique take on the dystopian genre so it was very much enjoyable to read it.
There were so many plot twists in this book, I might have felt a bit overwhelmed a few times BUT in the best way possible. They were definitely written well and had a nice build up. I also love how this book portrayed adulthood, the journey to adulthood and the struggles we all go through. There were times that I could relate so much with Lenora, especially with her hesitancy and confusion "navigating" the world.
Aaand this book also has romance, that was very entertaining and adorable for me. I don't want to say much about it, you just have to read it to know what I mean!
This is the first book in the series, and I cannot wait to read the other books!!
I really loved the world building in the book, where people were separated by their age and you have to pass through the Crossing gate to move from child to juvenile and then to adult. This had such a different and unique take on the dystopian genre so it was very much enjoyable to read it.
There were so many plot twists in this book, I might have felt a bit overwhelmed a few times BUT in the best way possible. They were definitely written well and had a nice build up. I also love how this book portrayed adulthood, the journey to adulthood and the struggles we all go through. There were times that I could relate so much with Lenora, especially with her hesitancy and confusion "navigating" the world.
Aaand this book also has romance, that was very entertaining and adorable for me. I don't want to say much about it, you just have to read it to know what I mean!
This is the first book in the series, and I cannot wait to read the other books!!
August 4, 2021
I had the privilege of beta reading The Crossing Gate, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. The Crossing Gate is the best book of 2021! It had it all: an exciting story, relatable characters, strong world-building, a well-paced plot, countless twists and turns. And above all: unpredictable reveals. It never came to my mind that the Roman Empire will come back! So cool. I am fascinated too by how Asiel Lavie used Greek mythology in the story. Man... This book is a must-read. And it should turn into a movie!
December 30, 2021
Imagine that it’s 125 years into the future. It’s 2146 and World War III has already undeniably come and gone. Lenora lives in a kingdom that oppresses women in the cruelest form. Plus she herself is the only one stuck between the two worlds of adolescence and adulthood.
Honestly, if you like those popular dystopian novels that everyone loves then this book is for you. Just watch out because the cliffhanger at the end is the worst but leaves you wanting more. I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
Honestly, if you like those popular dystopian novels that everyone loves then this book is for you. Just watch out because the cliffhanger at the end is the worst but leaves you wanting more. I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
July 26, 2021
I had the lucky privilege of being a beta reader for The Crossing Gate last year, and Asiel did not disappoint with her writing and story telling. I'm so excited that this novel is coming out for the world to read and I know that everyone will be able to take something away from this story.
If you're a fan of fantasy, strong world building, and well-developed characters, then I highly recommend picking up The Crossing Gate.
If you're a fan of fantasy, strong world building, and well-developed characters, then I highly recommend picking up The Crossing Gate.
September 11, 2021
Thank you BookSirens for an ARC of the Crossing Gate in return for an honest review.
What a thrilling start to what will inevitably be an incredible series!! This is a dystopian spin on a mash up of Handmaid’s Tale and Hunger Games and it’s mind bending! The stress and anxiety and anger I felt all through this book with the way women are “handled” in this futuristic society was palpable. I wanted to rage, and am I ever glad Leen finally did too! She’s on her way to becoming a commanding fearless leader who I can only hope will bring freedom to women and their rights. There is so much depth to the plot, I personally loved how the maturity level of writing and language changed when Leen went from a juvenile to an adult. The entire tone of the book shifted with this change, almost like the reader had the same curtain over their eyes as the juveniles to start. It really was so fantastically written. I’ll be recommending this book to everyone, I really did love it!!
What a thrilling start to what will inevitably be an incredible series!! This is a dystopian spin on a mash up of Handmaid’s Tale and Hunger Games and it’s mind bending! The stress and anxiety and anger I felt all through this book with the way women are “handled” in this futuristic society was palpable. I wanted to rage, and am I ever glad Leen finally did too! She’s on her way to becoming a commanding fearless leader who I can only hope will bring freedom to women and their rights. There is so much depth to the plot, I personally loved how the maturity level of writing and language changed when Leen went from a juvenile to an adult. The entire tone of the book shifted with this change, almost like the reader had the same curtain over their eyes as the juveniles to start. It really was so fantastically written. I’ll be recommending this book to everyone, I really did love it!!
July 28, 2021
I was given an ARC for an honest review of The Crossing Gate by Asiel Lavie.
The Crossing Gate is a well-realized debut novel by Asiel Lavie from conception through execution. The characters and their story hold the reader fast. A new masterpiece in the Romance Young Adult Science Fiction niche, this is a must-read book reminiscent in style and tone of both Leigh Bardugo’s Shadow and Bone and Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games.
The Crossing Gate is a well-realized debut novel by Asiel Lavie from conception through execution. The characters and their story hold the reader fast. A new masterpiece in the Romance Young Adult Science Fiction niche, this is a must-read book reminiscent in style and tone of both Leigh Bardugo’s Shadow and Bone and Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games.
January 14, 2022
*Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an early copy of this book for review, all opinions are my own*
4.5 stars
This is a book that in the first 50% of the book and the last 50% are totally different from each other.
Two things that this book maintains, which is the author's writing, I found it very simple but I liked it made the reading quick.
The author's narrative holds you and involves you to the point that you don't want to stop reading.
Here we have a mixture of dystopia and fantasy, the construction of the world was well done, it is a world that oppresses women, where they have almost no rights and are subjected to things just because they are women, here we also have one of the most cool things about this story, that's the fact that you have to go through phases of your life and you learn things with each phase that passes.
The beginning of the book is very YA, where the romance was the focus which I don't know if I liked the romance in this book but the friendship in this book was very well built.
The protagonist can be quite annoying but because of the world and the way she was created I managed to overlooked her innocence and boringness
I admit that I only continued reading because I accepted that it would be a YA book, where things would be simple, very romantic and everything happening in convenient ways for our protagonist.
But in the second part of the book everything changes in a way that is even a little drastic, and very heavy events begin to happen, making the narrative more interesting beyond just following the life of our protagonist, both she and the world grow a lot, I don't know if I liked all of the developments in the world, but they were interesting.
I recommend this story if you like YA books that have a good mix of dystopia and fantasy, that are simple but still well done with cool plots and a captivating story that will surprise you as you read on.
4.5 stars
This is a book that in the first 50% of the book and the last 50% are totally different from each other.
Two things that this book maintains, which is the author's writing, I found it very simple but I liked it made the reading quick.
The author's narrative holds you and involves you to the point that you don't want to stop reading.
Here we have a mixture of dystopia and fantasy, the construction of the world was well done, it is a world that oppresses women, where they have almost no rights and are subjected to things just because they are women, here we also have one of the most cool things about this story, that's the fact that you have to go through phases of your life and you learn things with each phase that passes.
The beginning of the book is very YA, where the romance was the focus which I don't know if I liked the romance in this book but the friendship in this book was very well built.
The protagonist can be quite annoying but because of the world and the way she was created I managed to overlooked her innocence and boringness
I admit that I only continued reading because I accepted that it would be a YA book, where things would be simple, very romantic and everything happening in convenient ways for our protagonist.
But in the second part of the book everything changes in a way that is even a little drastic, and very heavy events begin to happen, making the narrative more interesting beyond just following the life of our protagonist, both she and the world grow a lot, I don't know if I liked all of the developments in the world, but they were interesting.
I recommend this story if you like YA books that have a good mix of dystopia and fantasy, that are simple but still well done with cool plots and a captivating story that will surprise you as you read on.
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