Metal Slinger by Rachel Schneider was such a wild, adrenaline-filled ride. I wasn’t totally sure what to expect going in, but once I started, I couldn’t stop. The world-building is gritty and immersive, and I loved how raw and unapologetic everything felt, from the action scenes to the emotions. The main character is tough, but with just enough vulnerability to make you really care about what happens next. There’s this great balance of chaos and heart that kept me totally hooked. If you’re into fierce characters, dystopian vibes, and stories that don’t hold back, this one absolutely delivers.

Oh. My. This was AMAZING.
This is one of the most perfectly addictive fantasy romance books I’ve read in a long time. It was so good. It was fantastic. And it had a twist I absolutely did not see coming. Not for one second. I adored it.

The characters were so well done. I loved all of them and the side characters were flushed out but I can’t wait to see more from all of them. Literally this book is not put downable. Unputdownable. That’s a word now.

If you’re looking for high stakes fantasy, romantic tension, unique/elemental magic systems, with political intrigue and danger. This is it.

ONE bed ONE ship, and ONE horse. There’s a lot of tension. I’m obsessed and cannot wait for more.

I believed Metal Slinger was a very fun journey overall. Rachel got me with the plot twist at the end, something I was not expecting at all. For a Romantasy, I thought the world and the magic was very digestable. Our FMC, Jovie/Brynn was a joy to have as a POV and I am very interested to see how the story plays out with her with that big reveal at the end. I honestly wanted more Acker. I hope in the next book we get a chapter or two in his POV because I think that would be extremely interesting to see how it plays out in the story. I felt like there were some pacing issues especially after the first two or three chapters until about the middle of the book which is why it is not a five star read for me. I do believe that if you are fan of the Romantasy genre, you would overall enjoy this book.

Wow, what a doozy this book is on the ole’ brain! For me, Metal Slinger required a significant amount of time processing after I finished it, but I will say I was not as shocked by the cliffhanger as others have been. It was a fun journey to that ending: sea voyages, explosions, elemental magic, forced proximity, and a pet bird. I went in with no expectations (outside of the cliffhanger), and I enjoyed reading this overall.

This is a challenging review to write because it’s tricky to find aspects of the book to share thoughts about without giving anything important away. Here’s what I can say:

I liked some of the side characters, including Messer, Beau, and Hallis. Depending on which side character we’re talking about, they added levity and sarcasm, or companionship and support. She had a much smaller role, but I also enjoyed Greta, the librarian. She had arguably the best joke in the entire book!

This story is also very fast-paced; I read it in just a couple of days. One aspect that helps with the pacing, I think, is that the setting frequently changes. They’re on a ship sailing to and then from the Market; then they’re in Alaha; then a precarious sea voyage; and so on. This frequent change in location added to the world-building, as well, allowing you to “see” different territories.

I do have a couple of critiques about the plot, though, which I’ll share next.

While the plot twist was shocking and exciting, I do think it performed at the expense of more solid character development. I felt like I couldn’t say anything significant to describe the FMC for at least the first half of the book. It was a little strange reading from her POV the entire time but simultaneously feeling like I didn’t know anything about her. (IYKYK, though!) I will say, though, that I felt like I got to know the MMC fairly well, even though we didn’t get his POV at all.

My other big critique is that I feel there are too many questions left unanswered at the end of the book. The longer I process, the more questions I think of! This is going to be a duology, and I feel like there’s going to need to be a lot of backtracking to explain some things. I hope the sequel is up to the task.

I can’t wait to reread it, though, knowing what I know now!

DNF @12%. Thank you NetGalley for an e-ARC of this book.

The bday present i gave to myself today was DNF’ing this book ❤️

I tried to start this book 4 times this past month and I couldn’t get through the first chapter. To me, I didn’t enjoy the writing style, and the world-building was nonexistent. I got the gist of the rift between the Kenta and Alaha people, but it hard to imagine their worlds, politics, or even the setting when my brain kept thinking “pirates”.

It eventually got better once they were off the boat but not much. Like the hand scene was insane and lowkey a jump scare!

Last thing bc I’m not letting it pass but “Dang Rabbits” kept reminding me of Robbie Ray Stewart saying “Dang Flabbit” to Miley all the time 😂

This feels like its going to be a romantasy series that takes off. All the elements are there! Really enjoyed it personally and definitely will recommend it.

I saw so many great reviews for this one, unfortunately it wasn’t for me. I couldn’t get into the story. Maybe it was wrong timing

A highly anticipated indie gone trad romantasy! This was one of my most anticipated books for this year.

The beginning had me hooked pretty quickly with the writing style. Possible love triangle, deceits and treachery, and forbidden love, combined with a strong FMC and Pirates? Sign me up. Metal Slinger's world building and unique magic hit the spot for me. Unfortunately, the style of banter was just not my thing. It felt a little forced. But the twist at the end?! I need book two now!!!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this eArc!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️|🔥🔥

Metal Slinger is the first book in the Fire & Metal duology. I went into Metal Slinger blind after seeing it recommended as an indie book being republished as trad.

Taken in as a young child, Brynn was raised by her adopted community, the Alaha people. Now grown, she embarks on the rite of passage to attend the market held by those who exiled her people. When Brynn breaks her captain’s rule of not wandering alone at the market, a century-long peace treaty is broken after she is intensely pursued by an enemy soldier. When the solider pursues her across the sea to Alaha, Brynn is faced with harsh truths that test her loyalty to the people who raised her. As more secrets are uncovered and the magic she was denied revealed, Brynn questions everything she knows, and, who she loves.

I devoured this book in 2 days and was forced to pause at 98% when my flight landed. I finished reading while waiting for my husband to get our rental car. I proceeded to crash out (slide 2) and stare blankly at the wall in front of me while waiting for him to return. Once in the car, my husband witnessed my crash out continue, aka *a lot* of yapping while I tried to process the ending and put pieces of what led there together in my head. He is a good egg.

So why did I love this book? A few of the many reasons include 1) the FMC was strong, brave, capable, and smart (and her approach to the romance was realistic), 2) it was an action-packed adventure in a well-built world, and 3) the ending surprised me in the best way possible. I love when I do not see a plot twist coming, and am absolutely in adoration when it makes me question my entire perception of a story.

I ordered a copy of the indie paperback after reading my ARC, and it will be republished traditionally this month! Metal Slinger is out in the US in paperback on June 17 and will include a teaser from Book 2 that I can’t wait to get my hands on!

Thank you @rachelschneiderauthor and @saturdaybooks for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

Unfortunately, I didn't really like this book.

I found the premise to be interesting, but the writing and dialogue felt stilted and I didn't see any chemistry between the main character and the love interest. The romance felt out of place and unnatural. Even the side characters didn't hold my interest, which was a shame.
The story was confusing to keep up with, and I will attribute it to the lack of worldbuilding. I still don't understand how magic works, how it's passed down; there are all these territories, but I wouldn't be able to explain why there are conflicts between them. If I were to guess, I'd say the choice to keep most information a secret was on purpose in order for the big reveal at the end to work, but for me it didn't.

However, to its credit, I couldn't stop reading. When I woke up in the mornings, the first thing I did was reach for my kindle. I went through my tasks every day as fast as possible so I could go back to reading.

I'm still unsure if I'll read book 2, but I would recommend as it's an easy read and it keeps you hooked.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy

Metal Slinger by Rachel Schneider is a first person-POV fantasy romance. The people of Alaha move from place to place, unable to stay anywhere for long. As a child, Brynn was found by Kai’s mother and brought onto their ship as an orphan. Now adults, Brynn and Kai are discussing possibly becoming life partners, but Acker, a young man from a different kingdom, throws a wrench in those plans.

What I liked was the magic system. I’m always down for elemental magic that contains ideas of power and responsibility. I also appreciate a magic system that has a similar thread to Pacific Rim where the two can enter each other’s minds and there is a bit of a struggle from one or both people around that. It is an invasion of privacy if it is done without consent and even if there is consent, it can still feel weird or uncomfortable at times, so I did like that the nuance was touched on.

The worldbuilding felt like fantasy Canada including a city called Calgary and having pancakes and maple syrup. I cannot decide if Alaha is meant to be fantasy Alaska or Hawai’i, I’m leaning towards Hawai’i, but the coding felt almost like a dystopia set in the remains of what was once North America and included mentions of feudal kings of the past like I would expect someone to talk about European history.

I would recommend this to fans of fantasy romance who like magic systems similar to the Drift in Pacific Rim

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️

I don’t even know what to say. I loved this book. Fast-paced, gritty, and totally addictive — Metal Slinger had me hooked from page one. But that plot twist at the end?! WHAT. THE. HELL. (In the best way possible). I did not see that coming and now I’m just sitting here, jaw on the floor, wondering how I’m supposed to function after that.

I went into this book blind (as I do with most books), and I highly recommend doing the same. Don’t read about it. Don’t watch reviews. Just dive in. Let the story surprise you, because Metal Slinger is absolutely worth it.

Thank you to the publisher, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.

What a fun read! A story of a girl who leaves her sheltered life at sea to experience land for the first time and also uncovers her magical abilities along the way.

All the settings were so interesting. The ocean-dwelling people were very unique, and I spent a lot of the book trying to decide if their higher-ups were wrong for how they led their people. Then we got to see a few contrasting countries on land, and started unraveling the history between all of them.

The magic was super fun, with the metal-controlling MMC and the powers that the FMC discovers. I kept wanting to see more of what people could do! Aura reading, influence, control, it was all so interesting.

I really liked the relationship between the two leads. They bonded in strange circumstances and things just continued developing from there in ways I won't spoil!

I do have to say that I'm torn on the ending. There was a very interesting plot twist, but I couldn't help feeling a little cheated and like it was sort of unearned due to the way the story was told. (Hard to say much without spoilers, but I know a lot of people loved it.) I'm very interested to see where things go from here.

Thanks to the publisher for the copy!

This restored my faith in romantasy books.

Metal Slinger by Rachel Schneider was an unexpected gem that completely captivated me. The world-building is immersive yet accessible, introducing a society divided between the sea-dwelling Alaha and the land-bound Kenta. Brynn, our fierce and intelligent heroine, navigates this complex world with strength and vulnerability.

The romance between Brynn and Acker is a masterclass in slow-burn tension. Their dynamic is electric, filled with banter and undeniable chemistry. Acker, with his enigmatic demeanor and subtle obsession, is the kind of morally grey character that keeps you hooked.

What truly sets this book apart is the plot twist. I pride myself on predicting story outcomes, and I could tell something was coming, but this twist blindsided me in the best way possible. It was a game-changer that redefined the entire narrative, leaving me reeling and eager for more.

The pacing dipped slightly in the middle, and I would have appreciated more depth in the magic system. However, these are minor quibbles in an otherwise stellar read.

If you're a fan of forced proximity, elemental magic, and plot twists that leave you questioning everything, this book is for you.

I'm already counting down the days until the sequel!!!

I wanted to love this one, but I fell a bit flat for me.

There are many plot holes, which may be explained in book 2, but it really bothered me while reading this. There are things that contradict themselves throughout the book, which made it difficult to follow along.

I am torn. I did like this book. I really liked the ending, but I’m not convinced she didn’t think of it at the last second and is just pretending it was the plan all along lol. I mean, WTF??? Is it just me or was there zero foreshadowing for that twist??? I love a twist I don’t see coming, but this felt almost random. I kept thinking I was in a dream chapter or another POV.

The beginning was really good. The middle dragged a bit. The writing somehow got worse as it went on?? I will still probably read book 2. I liked the characters at first and then didn’t and then did again?! Like I said, I’m torn. Acker is basically “you’re not asking the right questions” Iron Flame Xaden with anger issues that don’t feel justified. Daddy, chill.

The world was cool. The magic is confusing? It’s giving SJM where you’re like, okay this is a solid 3 stars… And then the ending is so good (but really just shocking) it makes you wanna give 4 stars. But I’m not gonna. 😂

4.5 stars

I’m glad I finally experienced the crazy plot twist I’ve heard so much about, and even knowing something was coming I was still completely shocked and outraged. I had no idea what to expect going into this and I think that’s the way to go, so I’ll try to keep it light on the details.

The FMC Brynn is part of a strange society of people living over the sea, and is a bit of an outcast among outcasts. Our mysterious MMC is a tall dark and handsome soldier with a nose ring. Need I say more?

This was giving everything you want from a slow burn enemies to lovers romance. There were so many secrets and mysteries and I didn’t want to stop turning the page. I do have very mixed feelings about the ending which is why I’m waffling between 4 and 5 stars. The next book has A LOT of explaining to do. Give in to the hype and read this!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I’VE BEEN RESURRECTED!! This one’s for the Romantasy lovers — an absolute must read! Honestly, it’s criminal how underrated this book is. Packed with witty banter and jaw-dropping twists (seriously, that ending left me unwell — I need the next book immediately).

The tension between the FMC and MMC? Chef’s kiss. It was downright delicious — I was feral. The enemies-to-lovers dynamic had me completely hooked, and I was foaming at the mouth multiple times because they were that hot.

The magic system was such a fun glimpse into a bigger world, and I’m dying to see where it goes next.

I’ve been in the worst reading slump and nothing was holding my attention… until this. It grabbed me by the throat in the best way. So fast-paced, so addictive — easily one of my favorite fantasy reads of the year.

Now excuse me while I go stare at a wall and try to emotionally recover.

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: Metal Slinger by Rachel Schneider
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Romantasy
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: June 17, 2025
📖 497 pages

✨️ Lush World Building
✨️ Match Bonds
✨️ Found Family
✨️ Slow Burn

Review: Action packed adventure with a super slow burn, high tension romance! Brynn has to grapple with devastating betrayals, a life of based off lies and a match bond she'd forgotten. I loved the slow burn and appreciated the low spice (up until 90%)! The world building was immersive and the lore was so interesting! Thankful for a booktok recommendation that finally deserves the hype!

The cliffhanger? Yeah, I didn't like that.

If you enjoy romantic fantasy stories with plenty of suspense and political intrigue, then Metal Singer should be your next read!

Thank you so much, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley, for the digital review copy!

⚠️ sexual content (mostly just suggestive until 90% where it becomes quite spicy)

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for sharing this ARC!

This is one of those books that I read and look around questioning, "Did I read the same thing as everyone else?" I attempted twice to read Metal Slinger, but I resigned myself to DNF-ing at 22%. The little I did read was an absolute struggle and I'm honestly not sure how this book made it to the ARC stage without some serious editing. The plot is all over the place, does not feel well fleshed out, and I don't care about any of the main characters or their motivations. I'm not sure if I will give it another chance at this point.