I had to DNF this book within the first few chapters, as it was slightly more than what I thought it was going to be... and it’s just not my style unfortunately.

Diamond City was a surprisingly great read. From the immersive atmosphere to the diverse cast of characters to the action that ensues, this novel had me hooked from the start. I would have requested this novel no matter what because assassins are my kryptonite, but this story was way more than I bargained for. Although I had some difficulty with the pacing, as well as connecting to the characters at times, I enjoyed the magic and mayhem that make up this gorgeous steampunk-inspired world. It kept me engaged throughout, which is a tough feat, to be honest.

I would definitely reread it and recommend Flores' work a thousand times over.

Musings:

Diamond City is a fun fast pace novel that flies by as your reading it. Every chapter leaves you wanting more. It’s such a great read!

What I Loved:

Assassin Queen! Aina is an incredible assassin. She’s so much fun to read about. She’s smart and does things quick and efficiently and it’s so cool to read.


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Casual bisexuality. Aina is bisexual and it’s just part of who she is and I loved being able to have that and have her also be this kickass assassin and it’s all just how things are.

Open-ended Romance. There’s several people that Aina likes and connects to. Yet, she’s giving herself the time and space to feel her feelings and see what she wants for herself in a relationship. I find that admirable and really nice in a ya.

Adventure Adventure Adventure! Every moment spent in this novel is an Adventure. It’s incredible. There’s not a moment to breath most of the time it’s just on to the next exciting thing and it’s great!

Good friendship. This book is essentially a bunch of friends coming together and doing something together for the greater good.

All and all:

Diamond city is a book that will have your heart racing to the very end. With dynamite and knife fights and grappling hooks.. this book will hook you till it’s exciting completion!

Awesome book definitely a must read! Great characters and story line! This book will have you turning page after page! Love love love this book!

Diamond City has a lot of attractive elements to the book: a Latin-inspired world, assassins, magic, love-interests, diverse cast of characters, and lots of action. I liked those elements, but found that I couldn’t connect to the heart of the story or trace Aina’s emotional character arc. I read for quite awhile, but this book didn’t pull me through to the finish line. I look forward to seeing more from this author.

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.

Diamond City by Francesca Flores was much more than I anticipated! I did not know what to expect but it was action-packed from the very beginning. I would have loved a little more worldbuilding and details about the systems they had in place. Everything was all a bit vague. With this being said, I am super excited about what the future has in store for this series.

*I received an advanced digital copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *

After being orphaned as a young girl, Aina Solis spent a portion of her life living alone on the streets. It was a rough time for her, one filled with fear, hunger, drugs and no hope. As she slid toward rock bottom, a guy named Kohl Patel swoops in and provides her with a way out.
Essentially a crime lord, Kohl trains Aina to be an assassin, a trade at which she exceeds all expectations. Overtime, she becomes known as one of his sharpest blades.
On the side, she sells illegal diamonds and harbors ambitions of one day opening her own trade house. Although he doesn't appear to know of her peddling diamonds behind his back, Kohl does support her ambitions for her future. He tells her he'll support her moving on after she performs one more high profile kill for him. When that kill doesn't go as planned, she is shocked by Kohl's reaction and now fears for her life.
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, and the plot was fast-paced with high stakes.

If you like stories with street gangs, or crime lords, and corrupt politicians, you should definitely check this one out! It also reminded me a lot of Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody. And 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 story, and magic involving the diamonds, but I am not clear on how that works. I am hoping that is something that could be built on 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 different relationships. I thought that aspect was really well done, particularly that of Aina and Kohl. She definitely has feelings for him that go above the mentor/mentee level and when he turns on her, she feels betrayed. 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. I really felt for her while that whole dynamic played out. I also was pleased with her growth as a character as she came to grips with that 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.

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 and NetGalley, 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.

Diamond city was a fast paced YA read that that immersed me into a different world, into a different era. I appreciated the storyline and the way the writer unfolded each piece of the story. I was constantly on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen next. This one was an unexpected delight.

The city created in this sci-fi book was good, the characters were interesting, it just didn't hold my attention.

This book was intriguing to say the least. The world-building, for one, was original and provided a lovely basis for the story with its steampunky influences. Additionally, I really liked the interesting magic system Diamond City presented. The protagonist and side characters all added to the story in a nice way. Never did I feel like characters were redundant. However, where this book didn't completely hit the mark for me was the pacing. I found this book to be quite slow to get into. I'm a big mood reader, which is why this is such a big point for me when reviewing books. This is a 3/5 stars for me, but I will definitely check out the next book now that the majority of the world/story has been set up!

This steampunkish setting story is one that I won't soon forget. I have to say that it was blended with so many elements that at first I found it kind of confusing but after the story really got going I found myself falling in love with the weaving of the tale. The story itself as well as the main character gave me Throne of Glass vibes so many times. And it worked so well for this story. The setting was great and the ending was even better. I loved that it was a pretty thick book so things didn't feel rushed at all. I need book two now. The use of crystals as magic was great and I liked how diamonds were at the forefront of the story. I mean diamonds are a girls best friend after all.

Aina Solís trained as an assassin after her parents' murder. She is given a big job by her ruthless and amoral boss, but everything crashes down around her. The blood magic frowned upon in the city is still practiced, and the Steels in charge have much more planned for the city and the wider world around it.

The world is richly built, and we start off seeing Aina's skill and strength as a Blade, one of Kohl's best assassins. She is dependent on his approval after six years of training, and her goal is to have a tradehouse of her own to prove that she isn't the addict street kid that she had been when he had found her. Diamonds are used in blood magic rituals as well as jewelry and adornments for the Diamond Guards, elite warriors that patrol the city and enforce its rules. Of course the poorer areas have somewhat more leeway, though they also have fewer rights if caught by one. There are also gangs outside of Kohl's control, and the underground markets that the Guards don't know about. This is the world that Aina knows how to navigate in, with friends and associates as well as her reputation as a Blade. It's all ripped away abruptly, and much of the rest of the novel is her way to find that sense of importance again.

It isn't what she thinks it is, and there are quite a few revelations along the way, as well as setbacks. Her role in the wider city politics isn't just illegally selling raw diamonds for the Inosen blood mages or as an assassin, though it takes her a long time to understand what that role is. Not to spoil it, it's definitely worth the journey with her to get there. In addition, the flashes of other countries and cultures woven throughout the novel are beautiful. Some of it is understated, appearances or food, some of it plays a bigger role. The Inosen especially figure here, because of their role with magic and the hunt for them, but the religion associated with it as well is beautifully done. The world building here is detailed and immersive, and I'm so glad there will be a second novel to complete this duology. This finishes neatly, with enough loose ends to fuel a second novel, but I definitely didn't want to leave this world when I got to the last page.

Diamond City is clearly a fantasy novel yet in many ways it feels greatly influenced by the dystopian genre. It draws heavily from its tropes and story structure: a small group of people at the bottom of society rebel against said society and in doing so uncover dark truths. While it’s missing the key aspect that would classify it as dystopian this book certainly represents it in all but name.

One of the worst things I can say about Diamond City is that it feels like something you’ve already read many times before. I was so bored through so much of the story. We’ve all heard the cliché about YA heroines that is so often mocked: they’re a special snowflake who is stronger/smarter/etc than everyone else for no apparent reason. It’s a sentiment I don’t fully agree with. In my opinion there’s nothing wrong with indulging in some wish fulfillment especially since film and literature have plenty of characters that represent the male fantasy: strong, capable men who overcome all odds to save the day and get the girl. If these YA heroines make the reader feel empowered then great.

On the other hand, critiques of this stereotype have merit when characters become so generic that you don’t even need to read the book in order to know all about them. Our protagonist in this case is Aina who is an incredibly skillful assassin (can you guess the rest?). Our story starts with her being good at literally everything and scared of no one except her boss. Yes I know she was trained as an assassin but as a reader it is difficult to engage with a character who isn’t currently working hard to hone her skills. The central conflict is never about her struggling mentally or physically to complete her assassin duties; anything that goes awry is not a fault on her part but the result of external interference.

Now not all stories need the protagonist to undergoing a dramatic arc; there is another option. That option is having the protagonist be the moral centre of the story and having them uncover the faults in society around them and try to change it for the better. In this case the protagonist is a catalyst for change and it is a common choice in dystopian literature (I stand by my claim that Diamond City is dystopian-esque!). The only problem with Diamond City choosing this path is that Aina IS AN ASSASSIN. She shouldn’t be anyone’s moral compass yet the book portrays her as a hero just doing her best. She is not portrayed as an anti-hero or someone who is toeing the line between hero and villain. Her conclusion at the end of the book is “her parents would be proud of her doing whatever she’d had to do in life to obtain her own bit of freedom” because why bother delving into moral ambiguity. The central conflict should be an internal moral struggle but it isn’t. Aina will briefly reflect on her actions then quickly brush it off by concluding that the hierarchical nature of their society forced her into this situation. While that isn’t strictly untrue it doesn’t negate the complicated morality behind such a career path. YA readers will accept a lot: children forced to kill other children in a brutal game, teenagers leading armies into battle, but I feel that an assassin is a much darker subject because at the end of the day you are making a choice to kill people for money.

In terms of the general writing style I felt a lot of sections were lacking in descriptions particularly when it came to fights and subsequent injuries. The pacing in general was very rushed so none of their accomplishments held any kind of climatic energy. They were in and out before you knew it. The author also liked to incorporate many flashbacks that I found confusing because I would often not realize we were now in the past. Granted I was probably skimming the book but I found it very easy to miss the brief indications that we were witnessing a memory. The overall pacing and sparse descriptions means that the climax of the book fell completely flat. When one of the big masterminds was revealed my only reaction was … wait who is that? I think that person was only mentioned once or twice before so I’m not sure what kind of response the readers are expected to have.

On a positive note I gave this book an extra star because I liked how it treated the relationship between Aina and her boss. I was worried that it would be romanticized but it was self-critical and the only satisfying arc in the story.

Finally I feel bad saying this but the cover is not doing anything for me. It feels flat and jumbled which is a shame because YA fantasy often has some of the best covers in the business. I think my eyes would just glaze right past this cover if I saw it on the shelf.

In conclusion if you are relatively new to the dystopian/fantasy YA genre you may well enjoy this adventure but if you’re a seasoned YA veteran you will just find more of the same.

Aina family was murdered and became an assassin for hire. She is sent on a job that would give her freedom and ability to open her own business but things don't turn out like planned and she will find herself on the run and trying to get a second chance to finish the job.

Action packed book but I didn't get much of the magic. There are twist and turns to the book that keeps you on your toes but it wasn't my favorite book. I wanted to like it but something was missing for me.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you NetGalley.

Diamond City features so many great things in this book. A strong female lead. Female Assassin. magic, and more.

It did take me a few chapters to really get into this book, but I'm so glad I did.

Heists!

Assassins!

Dark magic!

Action? Coherency?

I was so intrigued by Diamond City by Francesca Flores and the concepts it tried to present me. Key word: tried.

I wanted to love the characters and the setting, but there was just something I couldn’t connect to. The worldbuilding was interesting but not clear. I got 15% of the way through and realized pretty quickly that the story was less fantasy than it was a series of undefined tropes strung together very loosely.

There were some interesting things going on, especially in terms of the magic system using diamonds and those diamonds seemingly involved in some sort of dark magic/substance abuse situation, but it wasn’t enough to keep me hooked.

I love a strong female lead and that was present in abundance throughout this novel! Such a cool concept, stellar writing, and a cohesive storyline. I enjoyed this book and have already told a few friends about it!

This book was a lovely surprise. I did not think I’d enjoy it as much as I did. It’s fast-paced, entertaining, and action packed. The world building is great and the characters were very likable.

4.5/5 Stars

Author: Francesca Flores

Publisher/Imprint: Wednesday Books

Edition: Hardcover, 392 Pages

Publication Date: January 28, 2020

*Thank you to the publisher for providing an e-ARC via NetGalley. Although I received an e-ARC, this review is based on the finished hardcover edition due to technical difficulties with the e-pub file. These are my honest opinions. Thank you.*

‘Even if a lion dresses in silk, it will always be a lion.’
-Francesca Flores, Diamond City

Initial Thoughts:

Wow! What a blast! Diamond City is Francesca Flores’s debut novel, and it was SO entertaining to read! Was it perfect? No. But it kept me hooked all the way through, which is exactly what I wanted.

This is an assassin story that actually delivers on what it promises: action, assassins, blood, and diamonds. The prologue jumps right into the action and grabbed my attention immediately! I was desperate to learn more about Aina, the main female character, and what drove her to become an assassin.

The setting/world-building in this novel is refreshingly unique in my opinion. It is a gritty, industrialized fantasy world that also has a bit of a dystopian feel. The descriptions of the world sucked me in and largely contribute to the mood of the story as well. The people who are at the top of the social ladder are called Steels. A group called the Diamond Guards is essentially the police force under the authority of the city’s oligarchy. Inosen are the people (often from the lower classes) who believe in magic and worship two goddesses. The Steels often persecute the Inosen due to a civil war that resulted from a clash between industrialization and religion.

I liked that the author explores the themes of poverty and toxic relationships in this novel. I think she does a good job painting a picture of Aina’s struggles. Aina struggles with a lot under the surface of her fierce exterior.

The pacing is overall done very well. Diamond City is fast-paced and absolutely action-packed! I wasn’t ever too bored or disinterested. There was always something exciting happening that pulled me through the story. There are wolf-sized spiders and daring prison breakouts! At the end of each chapter, I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next! But sometimes I had to stop reading to get some sleep :D

If she was good at anything, it was survival, and she refused to let anyone take that away from her.
-Francesca Flores, Diamond City

Characters & Romance:

Here is a brief overview of some of the characters and the romance(s). I really appreciated that the author created characters with real flaws, which made the people seem more real and relatable.

Aina is, of course, our main female assassin. She struggles with a lot of internal conflict due to her traumatic past, as well as some decisions that she currently she faces. When she was a child, her parents were murdered before her eyes, yet she herself regularly takes human lives. Will she go through with her current assignment? And what happens when that assignment goes horribly awry? Maybe Aina isn’t a perfect human being, but she undergoes a good character arc throughout the story.
Kohl Pavel is Aina’s boss, the Blood King. He finds her when she is a young orphan and gives her a place to stay if she agrees to become an assassin. He trains her well, but perhaps doesn’t have her best interests at heart.
Teo is Aina’s good friend. He, too, is an assassin. But unlike Aina, he is his own boss and chooses which marks to take out. He only kills in order to make a living for his sickly mother. He is willing to do almost anything for Aina, and his loyalty is so endearing!
Ryuu is a rich Steel and the brother of Aina’s most important assignment. Aina’s path becomes tangled with his in a way she doesn’t expect. I’ll leave it at that to avoid spoilers.
One other thing to mention is Aina’s potential romance(s). Aina’s relationships get COMPLICATED. Aina has at least three – and maybe a fourth – potential love-interests, which is kind of a lot. I usually prefer when there is only one or two love-interests to keep track of. It seems like she sort of feels attracted to all of them, but isn’t really sure. Aina doesn’t choose at the end of this book, but maybe she will choose in the sequel.

‘You still have a chance to do good in the world, Aina. You’re not a lost cause.’
-Francesca Flores, Diamond City

Final Thoughts:

A few scenes here and there may feel slightly rushed due to the action-driven writing style, but I really enjoyed the action. It kept me at the edge of my seat! Sometimes, I didn’t feel the emotional connections between characters as much as I wanted to. But overall, I’m rating this book highly for how entertaining it is! Happy reading :)

*Content warnings: Intentional self-harm (blood magic + glue/drug addiction); LOTS of action violence, blood, gore, knife and gun fights, etc.*