I really enjoyed reading this book, it had a great concept for a young adult novel. It was a fun side story in this series and I enjoyed the dystopian elements in this book and would be happy to read a full story in this world. The characters were interesting and I’m glad I got to read this. Pamela Hart has a great writing style and I can’t wait for more.

City of a Thousand Tears by Pamela Hart is a quickly paced, engaging read. It has elements of dystopia, science fiction, fantasy, steampunk, strangers-to-lovers romance with a side of second chances, and roman-style gladiators. It is a side story to Ms. Hart's Beauty from Ashes series that is, at it's heart, a Christian allegory. If you were not aware of the Christian aspects of her books, you would likely not even notice that part of her stories. You can absolutely read this as a standalone if you wish and you will not be missing anything.

While there are quite a few tropes in this book, it is not confusing or boring. I very much enjoyed reading about Ellio and Kaya and how their lives begin converging. He's a genius at the bottom of society and she's a rebellious member of a much higher strata. They both struggle against their lot in life while creating one together against the odds. The worldbuilding made it easy to imagine the setting and events of the book.

Thank you Potato Chip Publishing LLC and NetGalley for the review copy of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for giving me a free eARC of this book to read in exchange for my review!

I enjoyed this a lot. It was a quick read, fast paced and interesting, and the main characters had chemistry that I found believable and enjoyable. I did feel like it could've used another review or two - there was a plot twist about Kaya that Ellio realizes about halfway through, and then again toward the end as if it hadn't happened, and that tripped me up. Overall though, it's an exciting world and I'd love to read more!