My first ARC! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me this advanced copy. All opinions are 100% my own.

Fallen City begins with the city of Isara, which has stood for over a hundred years, days away from collapse. Told in a dual POV, dual timeline format, this Roman-inspired fantasy is full of political intrigue, mythology, tense battles, and the most heartbreaking romance.

Luca and Maris are star-crossed lovers who are heirs to powerful Magistrate seats in rival political factions. Both disillusioned with the overt corruption of the Forum and how Magistrates lie to and oppress the good people who live in the Lower City, they both vow to use their future positions to completely change how the Forum operates and ensure it serves all citizens of the city, not just the wealthy. However, before their plan can come to fruition, Luca unwittingly sets off a civil war which is further complicated when it's revealed he's been chosen by the gods.

The mortal civil war now seemingly coincides with a mysterious holy war between the gods, and the people of Isara are all caught in the cross-hairs in one way or another. The stakes felt so high the entire book, and I constantly found myself anxious to see how Luca and Maris could possibly make it out to the other side unscathed. I loved how even though the main couple were apart for much of the book, the narrative still kept you connected to their relationship and allowed you to see exactly how they felt for each other and how they came to be together. The worldbuilding and history was extremely interesting, and the ending left me dying for book 2. I'm so excited to learn more about certain side characters in the next book as well!

The only reason I didn't rate this 5 full stars is because there were certain elements I was left wanting more details about, like the gods, godsblood, and the ancient war. There were also times where I felt the need to go back and reread certain sections because I was getting confused with the different names of gods and if references were being made to the stories of the gods or to the actual old war. Overall I really loved this book and has further cemented Adrienne Young as one of my auto-buy authors!

This was one of my most looked forward to books of the year after previously loving others by Young. Unfortunately it incredibly difficult to comprehend. There was no world building we were just thrown in to the story. I hope others love it more than me!

While I absolutely loved this novel and our library has several of her YA titles. I think this novel is better suited for a public or college library.

I don’t even know where to start with this review. I have read some exceptional books this year, but this one sent me into orbit. However, I want to set some expectations because I want this book to find the right readers.

I would categorize this as a romantasy with a heavy fantasy plot. Adrienne Young’s writing is atmospheric and descriptive, while remaining efficient. No wasted words! No prattling on for 1,000 pages. She immerses the reader into her world and makes every word count. The eBook came in at under 500 pages but I could picture every detail of this world and feel every emotion of our characters. Don’t try to fly through this book and thing you’ll enjoy it, because you’ll miss everything.

The structure of the narrative is dual POVs and two converging timelines. We have “before” and “now” from the POV of both main characters. The author does not hold your hand, and I appreciate that more than I have words to express. If you have a problem with a novel starting in media res, this book is NOT for you. Trust the author, trust the process, and you will not be disappointed. The unveiling of the plot is masterful.

The plot is highly political. This is going to sound like an odd comparison, but I have been desperately seeking something that made me feel the same way I felt as when I read the second part of the Red Rising saga, and this was it. The plot, pacing, narrative structure were NOT similar, but there was so much tension and sense of things falling apart, that it made me feel that same. Every cell in my body was buzzing with anticipation.

This book was everything I want. But do not go into this book expecting your typical romantasy. It is so much more than that.

Thank you NetGalley and Saturday books for an eARC to review!

I'm not sure how I want to rate Fallen City. Overall, I've enjoyed Adrienne Young's books - they're unique, easy to read, and suck you in. Fallen City had me struggling a bit. Overall, I think I liked the way the dual POV/dual timeline (Maris / Luca and then / now) was set up, and it was a good device to let the story unfold. You know something big happened because you see the aftermath of the rebellion, and then you slowly start to see what happened to get there amongst the (now-still-elites and then-elites/lower class).

"It was just me and Luca. Not the young fools who'd thought they could change their world. Now we were wounded and ruined. Healing all wrong."

I'm not sure if I would personally call this star-crossed/forbidden lovers, but I guess "well we were both privileged class and our parents/guardians led rival factions in the government, then we saw each other and instantly connected, then we made some grand plans about Being Better, then one of us did a sort of spontaneous thing and ended up one of the leaders of a lower-class rebellion against the government while the other one stayed affiliated with the government, now we're on opposite sides of this conflict but are still worried/yearning for the other, and we're trying to find our way back to each other" doesn't quite roll off the tongue.

The pace picked up in about the last third of the book, but before then I wasn't absorbed into the storytelling and reading this took a lot of stops and starts. What may have been missing was some more depth to decision-making / motivations -- I think I fell off the cliffhanger at the end still not quite sure why everyone had gotten to the point they were at, or had made the decisions they had. Luca did a thing and then (in linear time, not book story-telling time) next thing we know he's one of the main leaders of a entrenched rebellion?

"You couldn't understand the city or its problems without understanding the Old War. And you couldn't understand the Old War unless you understood the magic we stole from Valshad. The very godsblood that ran through the Priestess's veins."

The problem is I don't understand??? The worldbuilding was uneven for me -- I think the politics were well established and represented, but I was still confused about the gods and their role and what the godsblood / priestess did and what the history was?? There was probably some off-page / missing content that would have made things feel more connected and understandable.

So I didn't necessarily not like Fallen City, but I also didn't necessarily really enjoy Fallen City. But, that cliffhanger had me committed and now I want to see what happens next. Also, Théo was the most compelling character and had a lot of potential, for a guy we didn't learn what his name was until way way later.

Thanks to the author, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

This book had a lot of hope, and for me it ultimately fell flat. The story perspective and time switching seemed somewhat unnecessary and confusing to the reader. The story started abruptly, you’re almost immediately cast into this political environment with almost little to no understanding of what is going on. While much of that is later revealed, it could have prevented the reader from being confused so much out of the gate by some stronger storytelling in the beginning. The story was slow- until it wasn’t about 50% in when you feel and understand more of the story and what is at stake.


The story has its moments of excitement where there are tense and high stakes situations, but most are predictable.

Young is an auto buy author for me because of how amazing her other books have been- but this one I did not enjoy. Such a bummer!

Wow, I was not expecting to enjoy this as much as I did. This was a dark story that really played into the feelings of hopelessness that come from living under a corrupt system and trying, and oftentimes failing, to change it.

Fallen City drew heavily from Ancient Rome making it fairly easy to picture the setting and characters which gave room for exploring the politics and religion of Isara more. I enjoyed hopping between the past and present. It ensured that we uncovered more information about why things were happening as it became relevant and made reveals have more gravity.

While this book was by no means flawless, it scratched an itch I didn't know I had for dystopia while still maintaining the fantasy atmosphere I am most comfortable with. One thing I struggled with initially was the lack of agency it felt like many of the characters had. As I continued reading though, this ended up being a strength of the story as that was the point.

Overall, I loved this and will be impatiently awaiting the other half of the duology.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read Fallen City in exchange for an honest review.

Oh Adrienne Young! I was kicking my feet! I was clutching my pearls! I was on the edge of my seat! How will I survive waiting for the next book!

Maris is the daughter of a formidable politician in the powerful and privileged Citadel of the city of Isara, destined to one day step into her mother's role. Luca was born on the wrong side of the river but as his Uncle grows old with no one else to carry on his legacy, Luca is brought into the fold to take up his Uncle's seat. Information is revealed that shows years of deceit by the city's leaders and the city is thrust into turmoil. A political execution spurs Luca to act and sets off a chain of events that ends life in Istara as it has been since the Old War. Maris and Luca find themselves on opposite sides of the siege, impossibly searching for a way back to each other. Where will their loyalties lie: to themselves, to their city, or to each other?

Adrienne Young has this beautiful, atmospheric way of writing that directly projects her story into my brain and I can so easily see this world she's created. The world building was so incredibly well done, almost effortless in how well she described the city itself and also the political workings. The story telling alternates between Luca and Maris' POV but also shifts between before and now. This is so well done as the author is able to drop intriguing morsels and then flash back later so you go OH there it is! I will say there was a part in the middle of the book where I had the briefest thought that things were moving a little slowly, and then right after that things kicked up! There were a lot of characters and each one was so purposeful and thoughtfully done. The romantic aspect was convincing and settled nicely in with the rest of the plot, There were some lines that made me shriek with glee. I have already recommended it to two people. I cannot wait to see where this story goes!

Thank you to Net Galley, St. Martin's Press, and the author for the opportunity to review the book. All opinions are my own.

I was excited to see that Adrienne Young is publishing a high fantasy novel! I’ve liked her magical realism stories, but full on fantasy is much more my jam so I was eager to dive in.

Fallen City is an Ancient Greco-Roman inspired story, told in dual perspectives and a shifting timeline between past and present. This was a little tricky to get a handle on at first, as the reader is thrown directly into Luca and Maris’s perspective present day, where it’s made clear a lot has happened in the months prior—their city is in chaos, a rebellion has risen against the Citadel where the elites/ruling class reside, the gods they worship appear to have abandoned them, Luca and Maris are on opposing sides of the struggle.

I love fantasy stories heavy on political intrigue, scheming, and sticking it to tyrants—Fallen City delivers on all fronts. Luca, low born but adopted by his Magistrate uncle is set to inherit his seat in the Forum but has no desire to lead a life of corruption and politicking. Maris, high born daughter of her Magistrate mother (who happens to be Luca’s uncle’s rival) has also been brought up primed to inherit a seat in the Forum and has every intention to do so.

As with all Adrienne Young books thus far, the story revolves around their romance. While I see other reviews wishing there were more of the romantic elements, particularly in the past timeline, I prefer romance to be secondary to plot and was happy with how much the reader is given. Once in the groove and used to the time jumps, the shifting POVs, I thought the pacing was engaging, the politics and social hierarchy fascinating, and the magic system introduced intriguing. Young’s writing, as always, is atmospheric and lovely and I enjoyed the star-crossed lovers' romance interwoven into the turmoil. That ending also absolutely has me on the hook for the second installment of this duology, and I hope we get more of the gods, their lore, and how their blood magic works to feel fully satisfied with the execution of this story. Here’s to hoping we get more fantasy novels from Adrienne Young!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press/Saturday Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Fallen City was one of my anticipated reads this year. I enjoyed books by Adrienne Young, but some some reason I can’t put my finger on, I had a hard time getting through this one even though I found it interesting and needing to know what happened next. The world building is fairly in-depth and immersive, and as you start to see what’s going on, you need to understand how the world in this book works.

The story swaps between Luca and Maris in present day and also the past. If’s through the glimpses of the past that you start to see the connections to the present times and what’s going on. Both Luca and Maris are fighting for something bigger than they realize.

It ends on quite the cliffhanger and I’m eager to see where book 2 goes!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the copy.

🔱Fallen City🔱

Author: @adrienneyoungbooks

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Release Date: Nov 4th, 2025

🥀"You're the only God i believe in."🥀

Thank you, @adrienneyoungbooks and @stmartinspress for the advanced reader copy 📚

Adrienne Young has done it again! Fallen City completely swept me away, just like every other book she’s written. Her plot twists are magnificent. They're perfectly timed and utterly unexpected. Her storytelling is breathtaking. The writing is lyrical and so immersive that I felt like I was walking the streets of the city alongside these lovable characters. I was in the citadel, I journeyed across the river and fought in the war with the rebellion.

I absolutely loved Maris and Luca together. I just love a strong FMC, Maris was such a strong-willed character, and Luca, I loved his values and everything he stood for. Their dynamic was beautiful and powerful, and so very emotional. I can’t wait to see where their journey goes in the next book.

4.25★

I am so glad I was able to read an early copy of this book because I’m not sure I would have purchased it and that would have been a mistake! This story seems so much different from the others written by this author which makes picking this up a bit of a gamble but one I’m glad I went for- I will definitely be continuing on with the series after that cliffhanger ending that took the whole plot in a completely different direction.

The magic system is both unique and interesting/ the Gods bestow gifts upon the favored which materialize in fascinating ways. The favored bear a mark of sorts whether it be a literal halo or a golden cuff around the arm that cannot be removed. The blood of the Gods play’s a big role in the story as well and I really like how these things were incorporated into the story.

The book opens with a civil war of sorts between the upper and lower classes. Using dual timelines the author slowly reveals the events that brought the war to the precise its at at the opening of story and this was a great way to lay the foundation because it leaves the reader with a hunger for more pieces to the puzzle. There is a love story at the center of the plot that plays a pivotal role in the growing unrest among the people and I’m very interested to see how it will play out in the next novel.

Fallen City is a binge-able read with plenty of twists, angst, betrayal and action to keep you reading until the end. As I said earlier, I’ll definitely be continuing on with this series and can happily say I recommend picking this one up!

"It was just me and Luca. Not the young fools who’d thought they could change their world. Now we were wounded and ruined. Healing all wrong."

Adrienne Young's writing is so diverse but it hits every single time. Fallen City isn't similar in any way to her other books, but it is fantastic. What could have been a confusing political mess was instead a well woven, if complex, tapestry of a story. Almost like a Greco-Roman Romeo and Juliet, Maris and Luca end up on the opposite sides of not just a political faction divide, but also a revolution.

Founded on shady principles in the first place, Isara is a walled city that feels doomed from the beginning. The young people, like Maris and Luca, seem fated to pay for the crimes of their ancestors as the city struggles to maintain its sense of order and identity. There is magic afoot, along with political conspiracies, and everyone seems to be looking out for themselves. There are gods giving gifts of unknown power, family members with devious plots, and throughout it all, two people who are just desperate to stay together.

I loved how Young throws us into the middle of the action, with well-placed timeline jumps to show us how we were inevitably going to get here. With the two timelines being actually very close to each other (only about 6 months apart), it could be difficult to write both a dual-POV and a dual timeline story, but she managed it beautifully.

There are some plot points that I wish were further explored - like why do the gods gift certain people and how is it historically relevant, and why is Theo determined to help Maris on Luca's behalf? - but I'm holding my criticism until the second book. If there's anything I've learned from reading Adrienne Young's books is that sometimes, we're not meant to know everything about a world and we just have to suspend our disbelief and accept that the world is as she has written.

While parts of me would have loved to dive into more of the world building, I also deeply appreciate a tight narrative that doesn't stray far from the story, and gives you just enough exposition to keep the plot moving, especially in a story that could otherwise be so dense.

A captivating emotional journey. I wasn't prepared for the intricate connections between characters and the intense energy driving their decisions. The cast, including minor characters, was fascinating. Adrienne Young masterfully weaves dual timelines and POVs, creating an immersive experience that flows beautifully regardless of the leading voice.

The world-building was compelling, with a rich political legacy that entwines family and fractured loyalties. Fate is a recurring theme throughout, and the fantasy elements craft an engaging magic system that I'm eager to explore further in the sequel.

Thanks to NetGalley and author Adrienne Young for the ARC!

4.5 stars (rounded up :)

This story takes place in the walled city of Isara, which is split between the Citadel district, where the elite Magistrates who run the city in the Forum live, and the Lower City, where the rest of the city dwells. Maris Casperia is the daughter of Magistrate Casperia, in influential leader of one of the political factions in the forum. Luca Matius grew up in the lower city after his mother was exiled from the Citadel District. When his dying uncle, a Magistrate, desperately needs an heir to take his seat on the forum, he takes Luca and raises him in the ways of the Citadel district in preparation.
Isara is on the edge of civil war between the two sides of the city. The fragile peace slowly falls to pieces around them as Luca and Maris fall in love, and they form a careful plan to fix everything. But when blood, betrayal, and the will of the gods bring their hopes and dreams to their knees, the two are split, forced to fight on opposite sides of a war they never meant to start. This is a story of love, loss, political intrigue, war, and so much more.

This book was good, like really, REALLY good. I fell in love with these characters! I love how Maris never really gives up, she just keeps fighting, for herself, for Luca, for her home. She loves Luca, she never lets him go. And Luca never let her go. He said, and I quote, "You're the only god I believe in." AAAAAAHHHH. I can't say enough about either of them. They were good on their own, but they were even better. Their romance was so good, it was complex and deep and their feelings felt so real. I could almost believe that they were real people.
The worldbuilding was actually pretty good, it just a bit confusing in the beginning because I didn't know where anything was. A map would have been useful. But otherwise it was fine, I feel like nothing was overexplained and this Grecco-Roman styled world was nothing like I've ever read before. It was fresh and new and I actually really liked it.

The little bits about the gods and their influence over the mort world was well done and very interesting. A select few people throughout the book received mysterious "gifts" from the gods. Not too much was explained about them, but I think we'll get more info in the next book.

The only bad thing I have to say is that it was a bit difficult to understand what was happening in the beginning, since the chapters were switching between the past and the present. But that said I still liked the different POVs. The beginning was a little but slow, but it was still interesting and the pace picked up throughout the story so I won't complain too much about it.

I absolutely cannot wait to read the next book! I can't believe I gaslit myself into starting a duology. Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin Press for this ARC! I appreciate and enjoy this opportunity!

My review can also be found on goodreads.

I don’t think I caught how Romeo and Juliet this story was going to be from skimming summaries as a requested them on NetGalley, but for what it was, it was very well written. I’m not a fan of tragedies in my fiction, given *waves hand generally around us* but the characters and setting were compelling. It has a bit of a Les Mis flair with understated gay side characters who have perhaps the only functional relationship of the book.
It’s also set up to potentially resolve in a sequel or more, so maybe the mysterious gods have more in store for our star crossed lovers.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Saturday Books for the advanced ebook in exchange for my honest review.

The walled city of Isara is built on the ruins of the great city of Valshad. Sophane river separates the city into the Lower City and the Citadel District where the corrupt body of the government is located. The story starts when the city is torn in two: The rebels (New Legion) vs the rulers (Loyal legion) - both sides questioning their goals and purpose.

Fallen City is a story of science, religion and military. It's a tragedy full of despair, with the type of love that hurts so bad it feels like the world is ending. It's written in dual POV and dual timelines. The book has a very strong start, it drags you in and artfully gives a load of information about the world and promises a complex political climate. Throughout the book, you'll keep asking yourself how did they get here and will impatiently wait for the backstory. What I loved most about the book is that it's full of morally grey characters. The character development is so strong that you even end up caring deeply about the characters who only show up a few times throughout the book. I also very much appreciate the maturity of the characters, it was a breath of fresh air in comparison to many other books.

This is the best romantacy book of 2025 so you won't want to miss it if you enjoy this genre.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for my honest review.

I LOVE Adrienne Young - I read seven of her books prior to this one. But I don’t see her voice anywhere in these pages. I had to DNF the book at 8% bc this just wasn’t what I signed up for. Young is such a powerhouse atmospheric writer – just not in CITY (and I’m not entirely sure why).

The book is told in alternating POVs AND alternating timelines. We get no preamble before the reader spawns – not even in the middle – but at the tail-end of the story. It’s incredibly confusing. Confusing I can sometimes handle – but the storytelling is so lifeless here. (Young is NEVER lifeless!)

The characters have no personality. You may argue that I didn’t make it far enough into the story to make this determination, which… fair. But it has never taken Young this long to paint a portrait (ironic considering we meet the FMC during a portrait session). And there’s SO MUCH going on here – a rebellion, a complex governing system, a pantheon, rituals, holidays. It was dizzying. There’s a lot of worldbuilding thrust upon us, but since the characters left me cold, it was going in one ear and out the other.

I’m really not sure what happened here?!

This book was an excellent start to a duology. The world building was done well and the development of the story. I love when books feature both dual pov & different timelines. It paints a superb picture with the before and now aspects. I’m excited to find out the answers to my burning questions & see where the story takes us in the next book.

Adrienne Young has done it again.

Fallen City by Adrienne Young is the first book in The Fallen City Duology and it did not disappoint.

This is how you write a rebellion that seeps into your soul and you find yourself thinking about it.
A story in which politics were at the top of the story with philosophy woven into it.

The world building was truly mesmerizing. I could vividly imagine everything.

The story does jump between timelines. It may be a bit confusing if that's not your thing but it starts right in the middle of the action and starts to tie events together. The political and intrigue and conflict are the main focus with a romance subplot. There is yearning and desire but it takes a backseat to the story and is more told as in a story rather than experienced as each character. It was enjoyable as a whole.

I couldn’t stop reading it, Adrienne Young’s writing is addictive and thought provoking.

It ends on a cliffhanger, and I’m really excited to see where the sequel takes us!

This is intended to be a duology.


Thank you so much to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for the gifted eARC in exchange for an honest review.