Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Metal Slinger is the first entry in the Fire & Metal series. It follows Brynne, who lives on an isolated island, as she goes through the consequences of unexpectedly threatening a treaty after attending an annual market on the mainland.

I definitely have mixed feelings about the book. I enjoyed how capable Brynne was. She is not afraid to try, has many skills built up from living on an island, and clearly states how she is feeling to others. While I liked the MMC (referencing as MMC as I didn't see his name mentioned in the synopsis of the book to avoid spoilers) towards the first half of the book when he was out of his element, I liked him less and less in the second half because there are times when Brynne clearly states that she is upset, but he tries to make light of the situation without addressing her concerns multiple times. I especially liked the side characters and the relationships between them, which helped round them out to stand on their own.

This is a fantasy book which centers mainly on Brynne and the MMC’s quests and relationship rather than the world and the magic in it. I did enjoy the descriptions of the different landscapes Brynne encounters and felt like there was a lot of potential in the setup of the world. I was disappointed to find that they do not have much time to explore the magic system of their world despite the title as they are mainly focused on getting from one place to another. This focus additionally led to some pacing issues. At one point, they are lost going from point A to point B for multiple chapters, which really slowed the story down.

The book ends on a cliffhanger that I felt was unexpected which can be good and bad. I appreciated the twist as it caught me off guard, but I also thought it did a disservice to Brynne’s first person point of view and her character for a vast majority of the book due to how out of the blue it was. Perhaps it explained a lot of the questions I had throughout the book, but it happened so sharply and so close to the end that I didn’t feel like they were resolved. I thought that if the book was written in third person, then I would have appreciated the twist more.

I think readers that like working through a book with a payoff at the very end and like being invested in a series with a long term goal will enjoy this and be excited to read the rest of the series. Just for me, personally, I just didn’t think the payoff was worth it, and it felt like all the important points of the book were crushed to the end while the rest of the book is just waiting for the ending to happen. However, I do feel like it has a lot of potential to expand as the series goes on.

Such a great fantasy romance! Adored the writing and the setting, and it was so easy to fall in love with the characters. I can't wait to read more of this author's work!

So, so happy to have received this as an ARC!! BELIEVE THE HYPE. I have whiplash and a book hangover from finishing this book. Gives me all the From Blood and Ash vibes. I need book two IMMEDIATELY.

One of my favorite quotes about Acker: "He is probably somewhere committing atrocities while being shamelessly good looking."

This review will be posted on my booksta, toomanyfivestarreads.

Ummm the plot twist?!?! I need book two ASAP! I wish some parts of the book were more drawn out but overall I really enjoyed this book!

After seeing so many great reviews I went into this fully expecting to love it but sadly, that wasn’t the case. The premise was interesting and there were some things I liked about it but the ending ruined it for me. Had we not spent the entire book in Jovie/Brynn’s head it may have been better but as it is, the twist isn’t very believable and felt like it was only added for the shock factor. It probably doesn’t help that I didn’t really care for Brynn or the romance either.
I’m glad a lot of people have loved this but it just wasn’t for me.

Thank you @saturdaybooks for an eARC of the traditionally published Metal Slinger! Ok, y’all, this has 4.3 ⭐️ and like 60,000 ratings on Goodreads 👀

If you want a beginner friendly romantasy, Metal Slinger is for you!!! It was easy to dive into and understand, with a unique world that’s not deeply complex. The romance is so sweet and well done. And as many fantasy books do, you’re left with quite the twist at the end! All good things!!

At about 500 pages, I did have moments where I felt like the book dragged, but generally it was full of action. I really loved the world and magic system, to the point where I wanted more of it!! I hope we continue to develop this in the next book.

I loved the characters, and I think Messer was low key my favorite!!! I will need more of him in book two.

Thank you St Martin’s Press for the free book! #SMPPartner #SMPRomance All opinions are my own.

“You can never get loving someone wrong.”

Attending the annual market is a rite of passage for all young guards but Brynn could never have expected the chaos that erupts when a century long peace treaty is broken in the process. Nor could she have predicted that she would find herself helping an enemy soldier and embarking on a journey to find the truth about who she is and where she comes from.

No spoilers but for those who have read it… that ending (jaw drop) This one took me by surprise because it started slow and it took me a minute to figure out what was going on. There is a ton of world building but also a strong romantasy vibe which made it right up my alley. I love a strong female lead and Brynn delivers in leaps and bounds. I honestly am not sure what else to say, less I give something away so instead I’ll just leave you with this: I’m not entirely sure what I read but I absolutely can’t wait for book two!

Read if you like:
Elemental Magic
Slow Burn
Forced Proximity
He Falls Firs
Touch her and Die
Lots of twists and turns
World Building

―୨♡୧―
⚔️First person pov
🖤Forced proximity
⚔️Fated match
🖤Spice Level🌶🌶
―୨♡୧―

Metal Slinger was an unpolished mess and a slog of a read. I have a hard time believing proper editing was done once the book was picked up for traditional publishing. I do think it has potential but it never quite gets there completely. It could have been a really fun read but it just meanders a lot.

There were parts that I liked such as the tether aspects of the bond, but the story itself felt like it was really dragging on. This is in part due to the pacing being a bit off it just felt boring to read at some parts. It gives off this feeling of reading their literal day to day. It doesn't help that the journey on the sea then to Kenta felt a bit repetitive as the chapters went on. It never really fully picks up steam either.

The writing style was a bit choppy and short at times like it just didn't flow that well. This shows in the world building too. I found it to be a bit minimal like concept wise its interesting on paper but that's it. The world just didn't feel very fleshed out like I had trouble really visualizing it and really feeling immersed in it as a setting.

*spoilers ahead*
What really didn't work for me in the book was the twist and it's where the book lost me because it doesn't make sense.

There's a great quote by George R.R. Martin that feels applicable here, "it’s easy to do things that are shocking or unexpected, but they have to grow out of characters. They have to grow out of situations. Otherwise, it’s just being shocking for being shocking."

The surprise twist felt like it was more for shock value rather than what made sense for the characters. Maybe it would have worked a bit more with proper foreshadowing or breadcrumbs sprinkled throughout the book, but that's not what we got. Instead the book randomly switches back in time and the reader finds out right before the book concludes.

Then there's the aspect of the perspective being from first person rather than third person. By going with first person pov we as a reader are directly privy to Brynn/Jovie's thoughts, feelings, and motivations, so with the twist it makes her seem unhinged and not internally consistent. I don't think it's a case of an unreliable narrator either cause if so I don't buy it. Is she trying to gaslight herself the whole entire time? Her personal thoughts and reactions should have reflected Jovie's ultimate end goal. It should show that her thoughts versus her actions cannot be trusted. There's definitely way too much happening off page in order to make the twist seem more shocking, but it just left me feeling cheated of a proper story.

Any possible development we get for the romance gets thrown out the window like everytime Jovie gets upset at Acker for withholding or lying about information, looks real minor now. It just makes Jovie seems crazy and super petty when she's the one that's withholding the biggest lie.

The twist could have even been improved with a dual point of view, but by solely having Brynn/Jovie's as the only narrator, it fails in terms of execution. Also, the twist is very similar to another romantasy book, How Does it Feel? by Jeneane O'Riley, which also didn't work for me. So it's not like Metal Slinger improved on the concept either.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and Saturday Books for the eARC.

Noooooo 😭. I KNEW the book was going too perfectly for something tragic (to my heart) not to happen, like I literally should have known better. The cliffhanger?? What am I literally going to do until the sequel comes out?? You think any other book is going to fill the void? Because I’m not sure! lol okay I’m a big dramatic with this review and all over the place but as someone who is a cliffhanger lover, I just not okay 😂.

I can honestly say that I didn’t see the ending coming at all and that really is quite impressive. I’m desperately begging Saturday Books to have ARCs for the sequel because my mind will not be resting until then ahahah.

I went into this book pretty sure I was going to love it, thanks to all the hype and what I was hearing about it. I’m so happy to report that it didn’t let me down at all! I will say I had icks towards the main love interest for a while and then he grew on me. Don’t ask why, sometimes I was just like 🤨 but now I adore him which makes me even more sad.

Honestly I’m just going to keep this review just like this so I don’t give anything away accidentally but take this as a sign that I loved the book ahah.

Breath of fresh air in the romantasy genre. The unique world and action will have you captivated from the beginning. The forced proximity of an action packed escape adventure will keep you hooked!

I loved getting to explore this new world through the POV of our FMC! She's learning with us, so it makes all the world building easily digestible. Along the way there were a bunch of surprises that left me with my jaw on the floor. The stakes are high, but the author seamlessly adds in these really sweet scenes that balance the mood of the book perfectly.

Now lets talk about the big final twist! Spoilers ahead!
I have a big love/ hate relationship with this twist. Love because of where the story will go from here. There are so many possibilities and the concept is unique. I hated it because it doesn't really make any sense for 1st person POV! It brings into question the rest of the book. It should have been written in 3rd person! Literally would have been perfection in 3rd. Regardless, I had such a good time reading this book that I will most definitely be continuing on this series!

“You’re delusional if you think I’d go anywhere with you.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️.5

Metal Slinger was originally indie and picked up for trad publishing by Saturday Books. I have the indie paperback as well as the e-arc of the trad version. I found very few differences between the versions of this book.

Metal Slinger was a really fun, fast paced book. It was kind of a standard romantasy, but there was something a bit addictive about it. Overall, the writing is simple and at times there were parts where it felt like the plot was a bit choppy. It definitely could be a bit more polished. All that to say, I had a great time reading this book and I will definitely be reading the second book.

There are some big plot twists, and I would agree with many other reviews that I have seen of this book that say just go in blind. Don’t go in with any background or expectations for maximum enjoyment.

Thank you to Saturday Books for the e-arc. All opinions are my own.

Stars: 4.25

Overall, I was vibing with the book but the last few chapters totally amped it up to a whole new level. What an ending! I don’t get surprised easily anymore since I read so many romantasy books but this one really threw me through a loop. I’ve been thinking about it since I finished it a couple of days ago, and I honestly can’t wait to read how Rachel handles the aftermath of the plot twist in the second book.

Thank you to Rachel Schneider and St. Martin's Press | Saturday Books for providing an ebook. I am voluntarily leaving this honest review.

I thought the Maas-verse would never have a rival, but this is REALLY close. I thought I knew what was going on, it was a really good story, and then the last 20 pages had me backtracking every single line trying to figure things out. I was amazed at how satisfying the first read was, and even more so after the twist. I can't put this book down, even after reading it through twice. I am so thankful and thrilled to be introduced to this series and can't wait to see what happens next!

This story was incredibly addicting to read and I genuinely couldn't get enough of it!! The plot twists and turns throughout this book were so shocking and so good that I was completely immersed. I loved the pacing of this book because it wasn't too slow, but it also wasn't too fast, which was perfect. I can't wait for the next book!!

Rachel Schneider's *Metal Slinger*, the debut installment in her *Fire and Metal* series, is a Romantasy that pulled me in from the first page. The fiery tension between Brynn and Acker, laced with witty banter and undeniable chemistry, makes the slow-burn romance irresistible. I finished it in a single sitting, and that ending—bring on book two!

I was excited to pick up Metal Slinger since it was getting a lot of praise before being picked up for traditional publishing. I’m sad that it didn’t quite live up to the hype for me.

What I liked - I thought the side characters were really compelling. I liked how they supported the main characters and added to the story.

What I didn’t like - the ending pretty much ruined the book for me. It didn’t make sense at all? It felt like it was a plot twist to just have a plot twist. We spend all this time in the main characters head and it all felt negated with the last couple of chapters. All the character development and world building pretty much went out the window. There were also several scenes that pretty much added nothing to the story, even though it feels like they maybe originally did and were taken out later. There were also several contradictions to people’s descriptions and action sequences.

I think romantasy lovers will really enjoy this one, unfortunately, that just isn’t me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

4.5⭐️
I really enjoyed this book! It was entertaining, the magic system is cool, I like the characters, and I was SHOCKED at the ending.

I’ve pretty much become an “I trust no one” reader at this point, which made this even more enjoyable for me because I was suspicious of everyone’s sincerity and therefore was just anxiously awaiting everyone to fool me.

There were a few confusing moments, but who cares. Overall I really liked it. I loved that it was fast paced and took place over several different settings. It didn’t get boring or stale. Can’t wait for book 2.

Thank you St Marten Press and NetGalley for opportunity to read this arc in exchange for my honest review

I received this book as an ARC on NetGalley (thank you St Martin’s Press!) not knowing it was a trad publication re-release! All thoughts are my own.

First of all, I’m having such a hard time writing this review without giving away any of the plot! The story sucked me in right from the beginning and it usually takes me the first 150-200 pages of a fantasy book before I get invested in the story. Schneider is masterful at world building at the perfect pace (not too fast and not too slow). I was shocked with each and every plot twist and turn, and my jaw was ON THE FLOOR for that ending. Needless to say, I loved this book and I cannot wait for the next book in the series to be released!

This book is pure romantasy adrenaline. Metal Slinger is for readers who want their heroines sharp, their love interests brooding, and their plot twists to make them scream into a pillow at 2 a.m. Brynn is a knife-wielding, loyalty-torn guard who finds out she is more than she ever imagined. Her connection with the enemy soldier sent to retrieve her crackles from the first moment, and the seafaring high-stakes drama delivers from page one. This is for fans of fantasy with teeth. I already need book two like air.

It’s time for a Metal Slinger Review 🗡️

You’re JOKING. I finished this book last night and it’s all I could think about while trying to fall asleep. I woke up and it’s STILL all I can think about. @rachelschneiderauthor you are BRILLIANT. I want to reread this book even though I just finished it and that has to be a tell tale sign that it deserves a 5 🌟.

This book throws you RIGHT into the action. I was actually a little confused because I thought my book was initially missing chapters from how fast we jumped into things. 🫨

This was the type of book that had me giggling and gasping out loud. The world building is nothing like I’ve ever read before and the plot had me SAT 🧎🏻‍♀️. The angst and tension between the FMC and MMC was so so good and all the primary side characters felt well-developed.

The ENDING though? Not to be dramatic but I had to reread the last few chapters multiple times because I thought that it was a MISTAKE or that I had MISREAD. Initially, I didn’t know how to feel about the ending, but it grows on me more as time passes. I have so many questions and thoughts I still cannot articulate quite yet, but I know one thing for sure—I WILL be reading book 2!!! 👏🏼