An excellent YA fantasy. The cover art is fantastic and preludes the exciting content inside perfectly. I look forward to more content from this author and within this world!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Magi? Spies? Daggers? Magic? A wonderful world? OMG....this novel had everything for me! The idea of a technocrat? Want to know what one is? Well, pick up a copy of TWIN DAGGERS!!!!!!!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

Wow, this book was really enjoyable. I wasn't expecting to like this so much, but the magic and story line had me hooked until the very end. I liked how it was a quick read and the writing style was easy to comprehend. I like a quick story once in a while.

I will definitely read a sequel if there is one planned! I need more Aissa and Aro.

Myscical and fantastic. Twin Daggers is a book I hadn't heard much about but requested because of the beautiful cover. I didn't expect to be so taken with the book but honestly it was sweeeping and fantastical.

I really enjoyed this, however, there were a few reasons why I'm giving it four stars rather than five.

The writing style was good. I don't like first-person perspective because it's rarely ever written in such a way that it's not constantly there reminding you, repeating 'I this, I that, I the other', which I find to grate. However, I didn't have that problem with this book at all, which was a refreshing change. I think the writing was really quite well, the style fit the story, and the present tense, which I prefer, keeps the pace going nicely along. There were a few things about the writing that did get a little redundant after a while, though, and that's repetition throughout pertaining to constant reminders of the plot whenever something new happens. I understand that if something takes place in the first chapter and it gets to the half-way point a gentle reminder might be in order, subtly woven in there, but certain things were repeated over and over at least once a chapter. Reminders of the Techno-Magi war, for example, how dangerous this is or how secret that is, or that there's a missing library and how hateful the Techno people are, etc.. It wasn't so over-done that I gave up on the whole thing, but it did get a little irritating after a while, it was like reading and re-reading the same thing over and over throughout the whole thing. Info dumps aren't good at the best of times, but repeatedly does hinder the story a little, however small the info dumps are. Other than that, though, the writing itself wasn't an issue for me, though on the copy of the book that I received a lot of paragraphs were mashed together making it difficult to follow who was saying what at times - I can only assume this won't be an issue come the official publishing.

Considering what the story is about and how integral the twins are to it, I did expect to see more of Zandria despite it being from Aissa's point of view, especially seeing as the two of them are told to us to be really close as identical twins - it would have been nice to have seen a bit more of it before everything goes down. There were times when it was quite easy to forget Zandria even existed, she seemed to insignificant in places, and I understand there were times she obviously couldn't be around, but the rest of the time she could have made more appearances.

One thing that really niggled me about this story, as it tends to with a lot of others I've read, is that this is a story based in a fantasy / steampunk / AU-dystopian world, and yet sexism is still quite pronounced. Early into the book we're told that the father is the fighter, the one who knows weapons and fighting techniques, and the mother is the herb gatherer and healer; the cook. It might be nice to have those roles reversed every once in a while. This is a world that doesn't reflect our own, after all. And there's also the issue of Leon and how he treats Aissa when she gets her apprenticeship with him, the comment about how he's been sent a girl this time around, and how he undermines her at every turn, making her pretty much beg for approval of her good work and falling short even when he does compliment her. In a completely other world outside of our own, I would one day love to read a book where everyone is treated equal unless there's a plot-purpose to a certain group of people not being so.

But the plot itself? I was hooked from the beginning and gripped by it the whole way through. Somehow I missed the fact that it was a re-telling of Romeo and Juliet, but I worked it out pretty early on at a guess, anyway, and I'm glad for it - if I'd read that beforehand, I might not have been as bothered by it, but it was a unique take on it and however much there was a romance connection here or there, and however much it might have woven into and around the main plot, it never really took over from it - it built on it and upped the stakes, making the overall plot more exciting. I was really pleased with that, as I'm not big into purely romance books, and I hate when a good plot starts, but is then overtaken by an instant romance and the plot falls by the wayside, so that was a nice surprise.

I liked Aissa, even if she did start out a bit too much of a worrier to the point where it made her constantly cautious and wise, etc., she came into her own as the plot thickened and the danger grew, and although we were mostly told Zandria was the opposite, we didn't see it much, and once she was rescued at the end she was like a completely different person, which is understandable to a point. Again, she didn't get much page time even then. I hated Remy from the get-go, but he was the kind of character you enjoy hating and not one that was just hated because they were that awful, which is never a bad thing - he can never be trusted in my eyes, and I'm glad Aissa pretty much stuck with that - I guessed the Romeo and Juliet elements through him, guessing him to be the Paris character of the story (or, I guess, co-Paris role since Darian kind of fits as well). Aro was intriguing from the start, and although I did guess who he might be before the big reveal came, making it somewhat predictable (the re-telling aspect obviously giving it away as well, anyway), it was written so well that guessing beforehand didn't take away from the enjoyment of the story or how it all played out. The King didn't seem to be an actual character, and what we saw of the Queen was a character to hate, so it might be nice to see more of them in the sequel, especially knowing what we do now, and same with other Magi characters.

I loved the bits of the plot where we got to see what the Techno's technology was about, learning bits and pieces through Aissa's work, and the Heartless, but it would, again, have been nice to see more from their point of view, especially since we were told they were all sickly children who didn't live long while Aro never seemed ill at all. I think between the plot and the romance, there wasn't much room for seeing other characters and aspects outside of the main character, and so we were only told and not shown what development was going on - this is understandable to a point when it's first-person, but it seemed like there were plenty of chances to squeeze things in and around it. The parents weren't in much, either, and especially not the dad, and the fact there were so many more secrets than we were first lead to believe in the family and how there are so many questions left around that - I do hope the sequel sheds light on all of these unanswered questions and threads that were left hanging.

I haven't read anything quite like this in a while, so it made reading this refreshing, the plot was gripping, the characters, however few we saw, were interesting and more or less stood by themselves, the romance was tied heavily to the plot, though not overshadowing it, and the plot kept up a nice pace and left enough excitement to keep things interesting. It was a good story, and when I finished, I did wonder if there would be more from this little world, so I was glad to read there would be a sequel at some point in the future. I would most definitely love to read that when it's available, and this is a book I will probably re-read at one point or another.

An enjoyable read about two sisters who are powerful Magi, living undercover in a world run by the Technocrats. Told from the point of view of Aissa, we see the love she has for her sister and parents, her loyalty for the cause, but also her compassion. Zandria is the more daring of them, but they are stronger together have have to keep their true abilities a secret from all. Assia meets a Technocrat, Aro, who is more than he appears. However, deception is a common theme in this novel and many are keeping secrets along with ulterior motives. Assia goes undercover and tries to get information for the Magi Council, but never expected all she would discover. When Zandria is discovered, Assia will go above and beyond to save her, regardless of her current assignment orders. Assia finds out more about the Magi and the past as well as the truth to finding the cure for the Heartless. Her loyalties will be tested and she will have to become something more.
I received this novel from net galley and the publisher as an ARC. Thank you! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Hell yeah! We have a unique, detailedly crafted world building, fantasy genre dances with retelling of one of the epic Shakespeare play: Romeo and Juliet story which hooks you up from the beginning!

This is not future story of Capulets and Montagues. We are welcomed a new world word of Technocrats vs Magis. It seems like Technocrats are literally heartless bastards, barely surviving with mechanical replacements.

We’re also introduced twin sisters: Aissa and Zandria who are talented magis, and spies, living double life to avenge the Technocrats who are determined to harm their people. Day time they act like obedient Technocrats who try to fulfill their apprentice duties but at the night time they start to plot their revenge scheme.

Now their new mission is kidnapping the new heartless heir of the throne. Aissa knows her new mission may put her life in danger but she can not disobey the orders which results her path’s crossing with a researcher Aro who is adamant to cure those heartless Technocrats.
Aissa’s plan is simple. She will seduce Aro as a leverage but she lose her own game as she realizes she is the one who is falling in love with him. And her sister’s captivation makes things more complex. She has to find a way to save her in expanse to put herself in more dangerous position to finish her mission.

Overall: it was promising try to retell a classic in fantasy genre. I loved the characters and their slow burn romance story. Only thing bugged me was the extra detailed and described world building which slows down the pace with unnecessary additional pages. If they could be emitted to fasten the progression, it would be more dynamic story.

Honestly some exaggeratedly embellished parts of the book bored me. But instead of that, the ideas, the character development, the way of twins’ magic’s work were great elements of the story.

So I’m rounding up 3.5 stars to 4! This is still interesting,intriguing and well-written fantasy which has so many potential with likable characters.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Blink for sharing this Arc with me in exchange my honest opinions.

I was definitely intrigued by the premise of this book as a huge Shakespeare fan. The beginning of the story definitely drops you into an active plot that can be a little hard to pick up at first. However, I think that the writing and character building were solid and overall I enjoyed this story quite a bit.

Aissa and Zandra live a lie every day. They play the role of normal young Technocrats eager to fulfill the duties of their new apprenticeships, but they are, in fact, magi, a magical people most believe to be extinct. Their goal is to get their revenge against the Technocrats from the inside and destroy them.

Aissa reminds of a much cooler, and magical, version of myself: she takes herself and her role almost too seriously, but it's because she truly understands the perilous situation both she and her sister are in. Zandra, on the other hand is a free spirit, and more than once, while reading, I had to silence my inner control freak's desire to yell, "Stop it! You're going to get caught!" I did see on of the twists coming but the deeper one was much better hidden and I was surprised when I figured it out.

I think my favourite part of this book was the ending. The girls stayed strong realized how important their role in the world is, but also being cautious with the lives of those around them.

I found I started to enjoy this book almost straight away. The world and concept was both new and yet it mirrored the struggle here between Science and Religion/mysticism. And while I was not fond of the main character, who seemed predictably perfect and beautiful (though she did not know it) I liked many of the characters that she interacted with. The story was also a little predictable, but in a charming way that you dd not mind when your expectations were proved true. All in all, it was an enjoyable little escape, something I would recommend to anyone who needs such.

The blurb for this book had me real intrigued, especially when it mentions being a retelling for Romeo and Juliet. I will read anything that is a retelling of Shakespeare. Since that is the case, I really wanted to enjoy this book but there wasn't anything that connected me or made me want to continue swiping through the pages.

Aissa and Zandria are sisters. If you have read other reviews by me you will know that I am a fan of this type of bond in books. There wasn't anything that I didn't like about them but I just never felt that connection as a reader reading their story.

There are two other characters that get a lot of page time: Aro and Remy. Again, they weren't bad characters and they had their interesting moments but I just never felt a connection. I also felt that the relationships that were forming were just not my cup of tea either.

As for the plot, the beginning felt like we were dropped into a plot that had already formed and we got bits of what was going on but it took a lot more of the book to start putting everything together. That's not usually a bad thing but I just felt a bit of confused at the beginning. The plot twists were good and I have no complaints there.

I think my biggest gripe would be the writing style. It just wasn't for me. I had a hard time with it and it didn't grasp me like other books have. There were also things stated that were repetitive throughout the book.

Overall, this is probably a case of "it's me not you". If the writing style was a bit different I may have liked it more because there really isn't anything terribly wrong with the plot or the characters but when a writing style doesn't work for you it makes the whole book feel out of whack.

It’s been a long time since I’ve run across a book that kept me reading until 2:30 in the morning. Twin Daggers isn’t a book you can easily put down. That much was evident twenty pages in.

Zandria and Assia were both really strong female protagonists. They weren’t afraid to venture into sewers and seduce palace researchers to advance their people’s cause. And speaking of palace researchers, let me just take a moment to acknowledge how special and kind Aro was. Even at his own peril, he was willing to protect Assia and try to make things right for her people. I adored him, and it didn’t take long for Assia to as well.

I did figure out who the bad guy was 59% of the way through the book, but Assia caught on quickly enough that it wasn’t a big deal. I can’t stand it when the main characters are clueless and helpless. Let me assure you that Assia is definitely not like that. She is a tough fighter who protects her sister and her people to a fault. It’s an admirable trait to have.

There will definitely be a sequel to this book, and I can’t wait to read it! I’m confident that everyone who picks up this wonderful book will feel the same. Take a chance and read Twin Daggers by MarcyKate Connolly. You won’t regret it.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I really wanted to fall in love with this book, but I barely even managed to finish it. The overall story is good, and I liked Aissa and Zandria. I even liked the other characters introduced, Remy and Aro. Yet the writing itself didn't pull me in. It was so redundant. Yes it's dangerous for Aissa and Zandria as Magi living amongst the Technocrats, but after reading "it's so dangerous for us" a dozen of times in the first few chapters of the book, I started rolling my eyes.
The other part that got me was when I took a few days break away from the book. When I finally sat myself to start reading it again, I was shocked to see I was at 50% complete. I was thinking I was a third of the way through it at most. That's when I realized how slow the pace of the story was. It didn't feel like enough happened for me to be halfway done. At that point I mostly skimmed through it to the ending, which left me unsatisfied and constantly wondering "why would the characters do that?"

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A modern retelling of Romeo and Juliet except with a society of Magi (magic users) and Technocrats. This story was an interesting story and the protagonist Aissa is quite likable and the love interest Aro was very sweet. I liked the story but I felt that some parts were dragged on and at times certain decisions made by the character frustrated me. However, this was an overall good story and I liked the society and world building within it. It ends with a bit of an open ending and I’ll be happy to read the sequel (if there is one) to see where the story goes!

*3.5 stars
This book pleasantly surprised me. I didn't expect anything amazing and it wasn't AMAZING per se, but it was pretty good. I really liked the character development and all of the twists and turns that made the story go. It was definitely a little predictable, but my prediction for the end was really only half right so I can't say it's that bad. I really liked the sort of blend of sci-fi and fantasy. I don't love sci-fi but the prevalence of the fantasy and magic in this book made it worthwhile.
I would mainly recommend this book to people who love that kind of "born enemies" trope, which isn't necessarily me, but I did like the execution here. It's also good for people who like fantasy or sci-fi genres in general, but mainly fantasy. Again, this book was a little predictable, but not completely. It wasn't amazing, but it was enjoyable and that's really what matters.

Twin Daggers is magical and full of sisterhood I could only dream of having and that pulls you in from the first sentence. It's an epic tale that takes the reader on a journey with the main characters as they discover who they are and just what it means to love themselves and trust others. Oh, and save a Heartless, too.

Aissa lives a secret life, a magi infiltrating the enemy society. When she meets soft-hearted Technocrat, she starts to question everything.

I received a free copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Aissa and her twin sister Zandria are magis. They have been trained since birth to be spies, hiding their nature has been drilled into them.
The twins have a second secret, that they have to keep from everyone: their magic affects metal, as well as natural substances.

Aissa gets a chance to work in the Technocrat palace, thanks to researcher Aro. She plans to encourage his attentions, to seduce him for the benefit of the magis; but as she gets to know him she starts to fall for him, too.

I really enjoyed this. Aissa is a powerful magi, and a well-trained spy. She follows orders as far as necessary, but isn't scared to think for herself, trying to track down the truth.
The connection between Aro and Aissa is really sweet and slow-burning. For all her talk of 'seducing' him, Aissa is completely clueless.

The focus of this story is on the world-building and Aissa getting over her race's prejudice, questioning what ulterior motives others may have.
The world, and history of the Magi and Technocrats is very rich. This does slow down the pace of the story, though.

There are a lot of twists and questions, which are well-thought out.
I thought that Aissa did flip-flop on who to trust and why, without any external change in the characters. It did feel drawn out, and unnecessary to the plot.

Overall, I enjoyed this, and look forward to the rest of the series.

Unfortunately, I had to DNF this book at 41%. I really tried; I just couldn’t get into it. I was so bored, and I’m honestly not sure what the plot even is. For the sisters to find the heir? Is that all.? I have no clue, and it drives me insane. It’s like I’m reading a bunch of information that isn’t going anywhere. The characters were also flat for me. I couldn’t connect with any of them. If I hadn’t just stopped reading a minute ago, I’m not sure I’d even remember their names. It had potential in the beginning with the girls searching the sewers and the magic. Unfortunately, it just fell flat and continued to sink.

I give 3 stars as an average since I didn’t finish the book.

This book was received as an ARC from Blink in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

At first when I read the first few pages, I was expecting to read between the lines and be dramatically confused. This book was not that at the slightest bit. The creativity of the plot and the spunkiness of the characters really brought the book to light and in a way came to life. I love books that are so descriptive that it transports you into the book as if you were part of the story along for the journey. That came forth when Zandria in kidnapped and Alissa is plotting away to destroy the Technocrats and rescue Zandria for good. It also gets exciting when characters risk it all to save their loved ones and themselves including their loyalties to other tribes. You never know where the story will go. I know our teen book club will have a lot of discussions for this book and I can't wait to hear them.

We will consider adding this title to our YA collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.