Thank you Netgalley and Saturday Books for an eARC of “Fallen City” by Adrienne Young.

The beginning of this book was a little difficult to follow, the author dove right in and it took me a moment to figure out what exactly was going on. It didn’t take long, however, to find myself completely engrossed in the characters and the political intrigue. The author’s tone and style of writing is lovely. She’s woven a tale of love, war, politics, deception and so much more. Written in dual POV multiple timeline format, she manages to move the story along at a good pace and had me eager to learn what our MCs ultimate fates will be - sigh, I’ll have to read the sequel to find out :)

I rate this book 4.25*

I love anything Adrienne Young writes, but I'll admit that this one wasn't my absolute favorite! The forbidden romance is great, but the characters stay apart for most of the book (except in flashbacks). I have a feeling the next book in this duo is going to be the real winner -- this one felt like a builder to me!

To say this book is poetry is an understatement.

It is love and hope, rebellion and rage, legacy and expectations, fate and freedom, dirt on the ground reality and magical realism. It is beautiful and I was swept away.

Written with Young's trademark atmospheric prose, Fallen City tells the story of Luca and Maris's Forbidden love in a greco-roman inspired world, in the shadow of a crumbling empire. They are on two sides of a city under siege. Written in dual timelines, we encounter their love story in the truest of tension building slow burn situations, one building their love story and the other walking in the present city living the aftermath of their decisions and the reality of war.

While the characters and story are top notch, the world building is the icing on the cake. The city itself becomes a character with a culture and voice all of its own. The history, secrets and revelations woven through the backdrop of a crumbling city are what, in my mind, helps build all the relational tension.

And it simmers.

Right up to the shocking cliff hanger ending that left me scrambling to find out the release date of book two.

I thoroughly enjoyed this read and would rate it 4.5 stars if I had the half-star option.

I will start off by saying that I typically struggle with dual timeline storytelling, and initially thought that this would be compounded by it being a dual POV (FMC and MMC) as well, but it was so well done that I surprisngly enjoyed the slow unfurling of the story that was possible because of this formatting. The pacing builds via a steady crescendo, with more tension developing in every chapter. I loved the longing and depth between the two MCs that was slowly revealed- absolutely a marvelously executed and thoroughly rewarding slow burn. I loved the Greek/Roman inspired setting, the political intrigue, and the balance between plot and romance. My biggest regret is that I now have read yet another book that is the first installment of an incomplete series and I must wait impatiently for the next book.

Thank you to Adrienne Young, St Martin's Press, and Netgalley for the opportunity to enjoy an ARC of this fantastic book.

This was such a unique story. A different “magic” or power than what I’ve read before. It’s a different take on the gods. It reminded me of a Greek tragedy. Well written. All the heartache and angst that comes with a tragedy. I’ll be following this author form now on.

I haven’t been this engrossed in a fictional world since Manacled and ACOTAR.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
5 stars for plot, world-building, political intrigue, characters I would go to war for and the pacing that felt like a quickening drumroll

-50 aura points though for the EMOTIONAL DAMAGE INFLICTED and for keeping me up until 2:30 am on a weekday.

((Thank you for NetGalley for the e-ARC. Book publishes in Nov 2025!))

I am not okay emotionally. I am frazzled. The characters said they felt like they aged 20 years and I FEEL THAT! These characters and their precarious political / philosophical positions had me STRESSED.

First- THE PACING! The story flips POVs of the FMC and MMC. It also flips between the past and present. I didn’t find myself rushing through certain POVs. The reader is always learning something new, especially building onto the knowledge about the gods and myths of this world.

There is a love story that plays a central role, but it fits perfectly into the overall plot. I’m usually a skip-the-battle-scenes-to-get-to-the-almost-kiss girlie. This book had me invested in the side characters and varying players on the metaphorical chessboard. All of the storylines weave together brilliantly. When I reread, I plan to take notes to try to catch all of the connections I imagine I missed the first read-through.

I read in the author’s note that this has been in the works since COVID. It was 100% well worth the wait! (But please don’t make me wait that long for Book Two. I need just enough time to stitch my heart back together before the next books pulls it out and stomps on it again.)



—/-//

I recently started a bookstagram so I’ll be posting my review there closer to pub date. Instagram handle is smutandstitch . Thank you for the e-ARC!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 stars!

Thank you to Adrienne Young and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Fallen City!

This book had everything I love in a fantasy novel - immersive world-building, a compelling dual POV, a romance that added depth without overpowering the main storyline, and a magic system that was new and fascinating. I was absolutely hooked from the very first page, and the ending left me desperate for the next book!

Fallen City was such an enjoyable and fun read - it made me feel everything: frustration, joy, heartbreak... 🥲While the ending devastated me emotionally (in the best way), I totally understand the need to set the stage for what’s coming next.

Overall, I highly recommend this to fans of fantasy and romantasy alike. Adrienne Young is an amazing author, and I can’t wait to see where the story goes next!

As much as I was eagerly awaiting this book I just couldn't get into this one. Had to DNF at 22%. Found myself very confused and not sure what exactly was happening. Some politics, some Greek mythology and a lot of characters with multiple names. Unfortunately this one wasn't for me, but I'm sure there are many people who will enjoy it.

I really liked this book. I enjoyed the two point of views. I noticed in smut scenes Luca never takes off his pants. Just wanted to point it out so it might be caught before publishing. I enjoyed the romance between Luca and Maris. The ending was devastating and left me wanting to read more. Thank you for the opportunity to read this as an arc I am excited for this to release.

thank you to adrienne young & netgalley for an arc of this book. all opinions are my own. ♡

₊˚⊹⋆ first thoughts: i absolutely loved the unmaking of june farrow by adrienne young and have vowed to read more from her so getting this arc was a DREAM!! i cannot wait to crack this one open and explore this new world

₊˚⊹⋆ final thoughts:

The Fallen City is the kind of book that sweeps you up and refuses to let go. From the very first line, Adrienne Young draws you into a crumbling Greco-Roman-inspired world, where rebellion brews, gods stir, and love fights to survive amid political ruin. It’s emotionally charged, deeply atmospheric, and absolutely captivating.

Told in a dual timeline and dual POV, the story follows Maris and Luca as their forbidden love unfolds alongside a brutal war that threatens to tear their city, and their relationship, apart. The pacing builds like a crescendo, layering tension with every chapter, and the final act hits with devastating weight.

Young’s prose is cinematic and precise. Her ability to craft quiet, aching moments alongside sweeping political intrigue is what makes her writing stand out. Isara, the city at the heart of it all, feels alive. The worldbuilding is immersive, filled with divine bloodlines, philosophical debates, and a crumbling power structure. The gods, while mysterious, loom large and beg for deeper exploration in the next instalment.

Maris and Luca’s chemistry is subtle but powerful. Their romance isn’t heavily front-loaded, but the emotional depth and longing run deep. I only wish we had a few more scenes of them together during the "before" chapters to truly feel the full weight of their separation. Even so, Luca’s quiet devotion and the intensity of their bond had me underlining passages and clutching my chest.

Some readers may find the beginning disorienting. You’re thrown into the middle of a siege with little context, and the slow unravelling of the political landscape takes patience. There were moments where I found myself wishing for just a bit more clarity about the gods and the rebellion’s roots. Still, once everything clicks into place, the payoff is worth it.

Secondary characters like Théo added richness to the story, and the alternating timelines provided emotional layering that made the narrative all the more impactful. The story ends on a cliff hanger that left me breathless and already desperate for the conclusion to this duology.

If you loved Divine Rivals or The Song of Achilles, this will hit all the right notes. It’s a slow burn of a book, but one that’s deeply rewarding, filled with sacrifice, legacy, and the question of whether fate or free will shapes our lives.

This wasn’t just a good read, it was a haunting one.

thank you Adrienne Young (Keep writing I heart your books) and Net Gallery/ publishers for letting me read the story early for review.

This story flips back and forth between Luca and Morris their past and their present. This book feels historical even though it's fantasy. It feels nitty gritty like you are in it while still maintaining some distance from the characters with the point of view chosen. If this is YA, it definitely is older YA, with the very clear insinuation that sex is a tool that women use for political swaying.

Some readers may find it slow or hard to get into but by the end as a reader I was invested and what was going on and I want to find out what happens.(I have some vague guesses...)

There is some light Romance and a little bit of magic from the impartial? gods.

Luca seems believable. I have questions about Theo. I feel like Marius should be smarter since she's been exposed to the long political game for longer....

I am so grateful, this book was so amazing! Highly recommend to my fantasy lovers! It was such a fun concept

Young once again proves her prowess in creating breathtaking, immersive worlds. This read was a thrilling journey into a land on the brink, filled with compelling characters and high-stakes adventure.

The action is relentless, the emotional beats are powerful, and the world-building is simply superb. A captivating read that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Saturday Books for a temporary e-ARC!

Adrianne Young is so good at writing characters that readers care about. I loved Fallen City— the world building, the YEARNING! My only complaint is I have to wait to find out what happens next!

<i>Netgalley ARC review</i>

<i><b>DNF</b></i>

I'm tapping out. I really tried, but I'm just so <b>bored</b>. I'm extremely grateful for the opportunity to review this book, but I believe in honesty and my honest opinion is that this book is just boring.

Dual POV's AND dual timelines are difficult to pull off at the same time, and Young doesn't quite manage to do it. There's a distinct lack of separation between the timelines, and not much difference in the mmc and fmc POV. They sound much the same, and several times I had to flip back to the beginning of the chapter to remind myself who that chapter was following and when it was set.

There are several really interesting elements to the book that I really wanted to enjoy. The story takes place in a Roman Empire type setting, which is one of my favorites. The lore was interesting and unique, and I do love a good dual POV when it works.

Unfortunately, none of that was enough to overcome the extremely slow-moving plot, the lack of distinction between character voices, and the clunky timeline jumping. Every time I started to immerse myself in the story, a new chapter would start and it would either pull out of the present for a flashback chapter or jump POVs or BOTH. It was really difficult to sink into the story and care about what either character was fighting for.

30% into the book should have been more than enough time to at least establish the characters and get me invested in their struggles, but by that point I was still trying to remember what all their names were.

The story goes back and forth between past and present and also between two main characters. It starts in the middle of a rebellion and this makes it difficult to follow. I had a hard time figuring out the plot or getting into the book at all.

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨✨ 3.5 stars

✨ I feel I need to preface this review with the fact that The Unmaking of June farrow was one of my favorite books of 2024, if not a top 3 book, but unfortunately (and I hate writing this) Fallen City “fell” way short for me.

✨ I’ll start by stating I’m the biggest fantasy fan, so I was nearly certain this was a five star read for me considering the author, topic and synopsis. Unfortunately, it took me quite a while to get into the story.

✨ Admittedly, the fact that I did not love this book surprised me. For the past year and a half, I’ve been writing a novel where the main character is a priestess and the setting is similar to this book! There is much of the novel that I slowed down and soaked in because of the setting, but the plot line didn’t keep my attention as much as I wanted it to.

✨ The ending was, in my opinion, unsatisfying and felt unresolved. When I finally got into the story towards the end of the book and the action climaxed, the resolution was swift and didn’t give me what I wanted.

✨ Restating that I hated writing this review! I will still give all of her books a chance because I think she’s a brilliant author but this one just didn’t do it for me.

Thank you so much to Netgalley for accepting my request and for providing me with an advance reading copy! I had the honor to read Fallen city and what a joy it was, Adrienne Young is an exceptional storyteller and this book wasn’t the exception. I finished it in less than 24 hours because the chokehold it had on me was insane. If i could reread it over again I would. The plot was incredible and the twists were amaziiiiing. Highly recommend it.

I devoured this. Fallen City is rich with divine gods, political intrigue, and the kind of worldbuilding that completely sweeps you away. The dual POV and the “before” and “now” timelines didn’t pull me out of the story at all. If anything, they pulled me deeper, layering the emotional weight of every choice and revelation.

Maris and Luca are such compelling characters to follow. Maris loves deeply, is fiercely driven, and knows how to navigate the dangerous political game, even when the game keeps shifting against her. Luca is more complicated, and I didn’t always agree with his decisions, but one thing is clear—he loves Maris. Their forbidden romance was impossible to look away from, full of longing and tension that kept me hooked.

And that ending… I’m devastated. Utterly heartbroken. This is the first book in a duology and doesn’t release until November 4, and I’ll be on edge until the sequel. I can’t wait to see how this ends.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an early copy! I received an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.