The book with the plot twist that RIVALS Onyx Storm 😳 😮 😡 Thank you @netgalley for the arc of this rerelease but @rachelschneiderauthor you sucked me into an incredible slow burn enemies to lovers bonded mates romance with the absolute perfect amount of tension and tease just to rip my heart out and throw it on the floor!!! Sitting over here praying you will somehow work miracles and redeem this ultimate love story in book 2. When will that be???!!! 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

I gave Metal Slinger 3.5, rounded up to four ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. Thank you St Martin’s press, Rachel Schneider and Net Galley for the copy. These are my honest opinions.

Ummm, I don’t even know what happened. This was a solid four or, possibly, 5 star read for me right up until the last 2-3 chapters. The ending was not okay - don’t get me wrong, I love a good twist. But, this was like the whole first 475 pages, in first person POV, I might add, was not the truth. If it’s first person POV, there should have been some foreshadowing (and I don’t mean doubts about a bond that is supposedly common). There should have been something other than, Ope!

I loved the first 475 ish pages and would have loved the last 30 ish pages if there would have been even a sprinkling of clues at any point.

What you can expect:
Forced Proximity
Enemies to Lovers
Elemental Magic
He Falls First
Slow Burn

Most definitely one of my top Romantasy reads of the year! World building- chefs kiss! Characters- two chefs kisses!! Mild spice!
And let’s talk about that ending!!! 🤯😳🤩 talk about TWIST!! 😮‍💨

I loved everything about this book! I didn't expect that twist at the end and it had me FERAL! I'm so excited for the next book!!

4.5/5⭐️

**Metal Slinger is being traditionally published and released June 17th, 2025**

OKAY WHAT WAS THISSSSS. I LOVED this book. Truly it is everything I CRAVE in a romantasy. Truly though you need to go into it blind

This book had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I absolutely had no idea who to trust and honestly? I loved it. Did that end in pain for me with the ending? Yes. Do I regret it? No.

I am curious how the author will continue the series with some of the twists in the story. It will make or break the series for sure, as some of the plot twists could make it difficult to keep the readers trust in some of the characters. However I trust this author and am excited to see where it will go!!

What to expect:
♦️ sea voyage vibes
♦️ elemental magic
♦️ fated mates
♦️ forced proximity
♦️ plot twists and turns that had me gasping!!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press & Saturday Books for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I’m speechless, dumbfounded and still in shock. HOLY HECK! This book had me rooted, strapped in and buckled down on a rollercoaster and I enjoyed every second of it!
I can’t even type my review cus 1. my brain is still in shambles and 2. how can I without giving spoilers?!
All I have left in me to say is I loved the pacing; fast without losing necessary info. Slow burn you can feel the yearning. Side characters that have just as bright of a spotlight. Witty banter that has you swooning. And so much mystery the anticipation punches you in the gut.
Well played Rachel, well played. But what the heck am I supposed to do now?!

Forced Proximity
Enemies to Lovers
Elemental Magic
He Falls First
Slow Burn

I just finished and I am UNWELL! The ending... no way!
Metal Slinger just became my top Romantasy! I devoured this book in less than 24 hours. The world building is easy to follow which I really enjoyed. This slow burn, enemies to lovers is a must read!!

It's impossible to write a review, the twists and turns are just too good to spoil. Buckle up, this book takes off from the start and doesn't let up. The ending/Cliffhanger you will never see coming and it is hands down, THE BEST!

As a longtime reader of the romantasy genre, I know the familiar rhythm many of these stories follow—the tropes we all secretly (or not-so-secretly) love, the predictable arcs, the slow-burns, the chosen ones. So when I picked up Metal Slinger, I was excited but cautiously so. I’d heard quite a bit of early buzz, and now that I’ve finished it, I can say with confidence: I’m even more excited for the second book.

Yes, there were moments that felt a bit on the generic side—inevitable, perhaps, when you're delivering the comfort food of genre fiction—but Rachel Schneider found ways to make those expected beats feel fresh and crisp. The pacing kept me turning pages, the world-building had just enough grit and intrigue, and the character dynamics gave me exactly what I was craving.

But let’s talk about that ENDING—ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! I pride myself on having strong pattern recognition when it comes to twists and reveals, but Schneider got me. I did not see that twist coming, and it completely reframed the book in the best way. What had been a solid 3.5-star read instantly jumped to a 4.5 for me based on that final act alone. It was bold, satisfying, and made me want to start the book over to see what clues I missed.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this ARC. I’ll be counting down the days until book two hits the shelves!

thank you to netgalley and rachel schneider for the arc. thrilled to see this is getting traditionally published because it needs to reach more bookshelves (and emotionally damage more readers).

listen. “you want me to stop? make me.” excuse me??? make me??? this man is her enemy. her mortal enemy. and i still found myself rooting for him like i was in some deranged hunger games simulation. the banter? sharp. the angst? piping hot. the pacing? illegal. every chapter was like being yanked by the collar into another emotional trap and i kept walking in willingly.

the characters are actually characters..like, living-breathing people with rage and charm and trauma and motives. brynn is a strong female lead who doesn’t just posture strength; she feels the cost of it. acker? messy, morally gray, devastatingly hot. even the side characters (messer, you beautiful legend) had me emotionally unstable. and the worldbuilding? metallic magic with underground rebellion flavor? obsessed. i could feel the grime, the grit, the tension thrumming off the page.

the ending wrecked me just enough to keep it respectful. if you like morally gray men, competent heroines, rebellion plots, and scenes that make you foam at the mouth a little..this one’s for you! i can’t wait for book two.

Metal Slinger by Rachel Schneider
-Fire and Metal, Book 1-

3.75/5⭐️
2/3🌶️ (spice: 3 scenes)
1/3🦋

•My Thoughts•
I don’t know how to feel about this book. Was I engaged? The whole freaking time. I had trouble putting this down and enjoyed quite a few things. The main characters were mixed bag, I both loved and was annoyed with each of them at different times. The world was interesting but I would have appreciated a little more world building around the magic system and the different types. I have questions! I loved the survival at sea and the travel moments. The main thing that bothered me is a major spoiler so I’ll just say the story took a path I didn’t love but also can appreciate the choice? Either way, I can see why people loved this one and I will be reading the next book in this duology to see how this ends!!

Thank you to Saturday Books, St. Martins Press and Rachel Schneider for the early copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

My brain no longer belongs to me. This is officially my new personality. 😵

When I think of what I want out of a great romantacy, this checks every single box. Twice. The magic is seriously cool. The slow burn is utterly delicious.

The story’s buildup was thoughtful and I felt the pace allowed me to really connect with (and possibly be destroyed by) the MC’s. The ending sent me into oblivion. I am no longer even sure where I thought things were going, but I can assure you NOT THAT. I will not be able to stop thinking about this book and am absolutely desperate for the series to continue.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC

Many thanks to SMP and NetGalley for the preview. All opinions are my own.

OK EXCUSE ME WTF!! My mind is SPINNING at that ending!

I’m going to be pretty vague with my review, because there are some really huge surprises in this book, and it’s better if you don’t see them coming (but also, HOW could you see them coming?!). This is a super bingeable read. I read it in one sitting—could not put it down. There’s plenty of action, a sloooooooow burn romance that ends up scorching, and some great characters.

All that being said, there were definitely some issues. The pacing could have been improved in parts, there are some gaps I still see in the narrative, and it overall could still use some editing and polishing. Acker is a super frustrating character too. I yelled at him a lot.
I can absolutely see why some people might not love it and why others will be obsessed. I ate it up even when it irritated me.

I have just got to see what happens next!

Metal Slinger - Rachel Schneider
4⭐️/5
🌶 mild spice

Okay I get the hype now...
It took me just over 24 hours to read this book - the storyline sucked me in by chapter 4 and didn't let go. As soon as I read the last line, I wanted to go back and IMMEDIATELY re-read it to see if there was foreshadowing that I might have missed.
The magic system was fun and I can't wait to explore the world and the characters in more depth.
I have so many questions that need answers....

the story of a girl out-of-place who has been exiled, kidnapped and manipulated finally uncovers the truth of her identity and is brought back on land. the story and magic system was captivating and unique, hooking me to the story quickly. I slowly became obsessed with acker, the deadly soldier who showed a soft side to his love for brynn/jovie. not only did i love acker, but i built a fonding for messer, a best friend that protected his friends and gave them comfort. since the eight months that this book has sat on my tbr, i have experienced different levels of multitude in excitement and expectation. but reading the actual book exceeded it all. even though the beginning started of slow, the characters were flawed, real, and witty but demonstrated strength and loyalty that support their missions earned my love for this book. but last but not least, the ending - gasp. no comment, that's it. i gasped and am still in disbelief. i will be sat when light wielder is released and cannot wait for the continuation of this story.

I’ve been dying to read Metal Slinger since it was independently published. And let me tell you: the hype is warranted. I read this book in ONE DAY, because I quite literally could not put it down.

The story follows Brynn, from a water based kingdom, as she ventures to a neighboring kingdom for supplies. There, she comes into contact with a handsome soldier and physical land- both of which change her forever. The soldier, Acker, shows up to her kingdom, where she is confronted with information about her life and true identity. From there, everything changes for both Brynn and Acker.

Not only are Brynn and Acker well formed characters, but the side characters are so much fun as well. I had such a great time getting to see each part of the adventure, as well as the love story as it developed. This is exactly what I didn’t know I needed in a romantasy. I absolutely loved how this story was told, and I’m so thankful that it’s a duology so that I won’t have to wait too much longer to see what happens. Metal Slinger releases on June 17, 2025.

Read if you love:
Slow burn
Magic Systems
Sword/ Knife Action
Forced Proximity
Shared dreams
He Falls First

Books with similar vibes:
The Veiled Kingdom
Shadow and Bone

Thank you Saturday Books (via NetGalley) for gifting me with an eARC, all thoughts expressed are my own.

Hooked me right from the beginning! I really, really enjoyed this and am happy it's getting a traditional publication. That cliffhanger though! I hope NG approves me for book 2!!

Thank you, NetGalley, for the e-ARC!

This was a good book and definitely kept my interest since I didn’t want to set it down once I picked it up. I did feel like I was reading this book in anticipation of the twist at the end that is so hyped up. I had thought with all the hype that I had prepared myself for the end but it still hit me with shock when it came and I’m usually one to sniff out a twist from the very beginning.

I did love the shared dreams, anyone who has been here with me long enough knows that I have a weakness for dream worlds, shared dreams, etc. and this one did not disappoint with that!

I’m excited to read the next book and see where it goes from here because in the end I really liked both main characters and a lot of the side characters and I’m interested to know what happens next!

4 / 5 Stars
I have taken a few business days. I I have gathered my thoughts. I am ready to discuss this book.

First, I think everyone who reads this should go in completely without spoilers. I think in order for the twist to really twist, you need that. So here is my spoiler free lay-person synopsis: Brynn lives among the Alaha people who have been banished from land by the Kenta people. Every year the guard trainees (Brynn is one of them) get to attend the annual market at Kenta. Brynn goes to the market, shit ensues.

I know that isn’t a ton of info so here is my spoiler free trope list:
Elemental magic
Fated match
Stabby FMC
Stabby MMC
Touch her and die
“Oh no, there’s only one boat and we’ll have to smush bodies for heat to survive”
“Oh no, we only have one horse so we’ll have to smush bodies to traverse the land”
“Oh no, while there are other beds, we are deciding to share one and smush bodies”

Let’s get to the spoiler-free discussion of the plot twist. I screamed into my pillow when it happened. I was seething. Look, it was not how I wanted the book to end but that is a me problem. And while I do think there were very subtle hints throughout, for me, this was not the type of plot twist where things clicked into place after I read it. I, in fact, have a page of questions, most of which are logic and story related. Like why didn’t X happen earlier? Why is it written in first person POV? What does this actually mean about Y? Who is Z? And those questions may get answered in the next book but until then, please join my Metal Slinger Plot Twist Support Group (please message me when you finish the book – I would LOVE to chat).

All of that being said, I am still rating this book 4 out of 5 stars. Why? Because I ATE IT UP. I stayed up multiple nights in a row to read. The tropes above are some of my favorites in romance/romantasy books. I was down bad for our MMC. The supporting characters were super fun. And I’d rather have a plot twist that makes me feel everything than read a book where it goes in one eyeball and out the other. And will I be reading the next book? OF COURSE.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press – Saturday Books and NetGalley for providing this eARC! All opinions are my own.

Original Publication Date: May 12, 2024
Updated Publication Date: June 17, 2025 (new material)

This was one of my highly anticipated reads and I’m so glad I finally got around to reading it!

My favorite part of this book was the characters, they are so easy to love. The FMC, the MMC, and all the side characters are so well done. The banter between them all is SO GOOD, they’re funny, witty, sassy, and so so so easy to get attached to

I also think the magic system in this book is so cool and unique and we don’t even fully understand it all yet. I’m excited to learn more about it in the next book and uncover some of the breadcrumbs she placed throughout this book

The plot twists in this book are exceptional. Not only is the plot twists at the end mind blowing, but there are so many plot twists sprinkled throughout this book that change everything you previously read and thought. As someone who tends to see at least one or two plot twists coming, I was shocked at every single one in this book

The one thing I wish this book had is a map. I’m hoping since it’s getting trad published the trad version or the second book will come with a handy dandy map so I can reference it for all of the beautiful world building done in this book

I have to say, the hype is real on this one. It’s so easy to get sucked in and is a book you can easily binge in a day or two. The ending is wild and will leave you with so many questions, speculations, and wanting more!

Thank you @stmartinspress #partner for the gifted copy of this ebook!

YOU GUYS!! If you’re a romantasy lover, you need this book in your life ASAP. I’m so pumped that it’s being republished because I will happily reread this one (and probably obsess over it all over again) the second the audio drops. Honestly, I’m already tempted to dive back in.

I’m also so glad this was a pick for our #buriedinbookbuddies read this month because I devoured it. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time — completely hooked. The ending? Oh man, it was intense and SUCH a doozy of a cliffhanger. Consider yourself warned… but in the best way.

I loved the way this world was built, with two separate societies living on land and water, and how everything’s about to come crashing down around them thanks to our badass main character, Brynn. She’s fierce, brave, and so easy to root for. And let’s talk about the romance — if you love enemies-to-lovers and an excruciatingly good slow burn, you’re gonna eat this up. The tension! The chemistry! Ugh, it’s perfection.
I’m officially obsessed and already begging for book two. Rachel Schneider, if you’re reading this, please don’t keep us waiting too long!