Don't Blame the Reckless

Don't Blame The Reckless by Maddyson Wilson ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Maddyson Wilson wrote a fantasy book that felt more dystopian than the normal medieval route people tend to take. Tech was included in the book where others would have left it out. I have to say, it totally paid off.


We follow Ember, an assassin badass who's fighting for the good of her people.
And Roman, a prince in a rival Nation who just wants change and to get out from under his father.

The plot twists in this book left my head spinning.

I finished Dont Blame The Reckless in one sitting.

AND THAT ENDING.

I need the next book asap.

I really enjoyed this book! I loved having a somewhat morally gray main character, she was one of my favorite parts of this book. When I finished it, I immediately needed the next book because of the way it ended!

Don't Blame the Reckless follows Ember, the so called Bloodhound of the East Sector. A vigilante assassin, she kills in hopes of gaining a better life for her people. After being caught trying to kill the Empress, she is sent on a mission to free a prison of war from the rival nation. During her mission, she meets Prince Roman, and discovers that they may be just what the world needs.

Let's start this by skipping straight to the end of the book! Ummm, cliffhanger!!! That was absolutely shocking, I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't that. It left me desperate for the next book. I do have to say that there were a few conflicts that were left completely unanswered, but I'm depending on the next book to answer those.

The world building in Don't Blame the Reckless was decent, it was a pretty basic fantasy kingdom setup, but I liked it. I loved having the inclusion of tech, so many fantasies leave out tech and go medieval, but having phones added a whole new element. It allowed the plot to move faster, because less time was needed for communication.

I really liked the characters. They all felt somewhat realistic, they both had inner demons you were hoping they could conquer. I liked them before they got together, which says a lot. I've read a lot of books that have assassins as main characters, and it's one of my favorite things to read. That being said, I want to see Ember actually being an assassin in the next book, not just failing to kill people.

The romance in this book was not my favorite, but I still liked it. I was sooo happy that it wasn't a love triangle, I've gotten so tired of those in fantasy books. Although it was insta love, it felt slightly more realistic because it took a bit longer to happen.

The plot was pretty entertaining, but it mainly focused on killing the king. I'm super excited to see where the next book takes it, there's a lot of potential for character development.

As soon as I saw the cover, I needed the book. Its simplicity drew me in, and the color scheme was beautiful. I loved the quote that gave this book the title, it was immediately added to my wall of favorite book quotes. I want the next book now, this book kept me hooked the entire time!

"I guess you can't blame the reckless, though. They never stop to care about who they are hurting, do they?

Thanks to Netgalley and Maddyson Wilson for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wow is all I can say this book took me on an emotional roller coaster. I do wish there was an epilogue to the story. I want to know what happens to Ty. I do wonder if people corrupt power or if power corrupts people. I would recommend this book lots of action and heart wrenching moments. Thanks netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

I loved the representation in this book and thought that the pacing was very well done. I loved the world that the author created and couldn't get enough of this story.

Worth a read. There are lots of the usual young adult themes but the book is well written and the plot is well placed.

An assassin, a prince, a betrayl, and a lot of heart ache.

Rating: 4/5

Don't Blame the Reckless is a fantastic story of what happens when one powerful, strong willed woman is pushed to her limits and when one unsteady man lets a strong woman into his life. Wilson was able to craft explicitly strong, willfull characters that stormed through their world and tried, seriously tried, to make a change. Reading this book in the wake of the 2020 election was a treat (it left me really hopeful that regardless the outcome, there is such a strong will for change that anything is possible) and helped block out some of the craziness in the world around me for a few days.

I loved Ember. The attitude, the confidence, the ability to do what needed to be done, all of it was extremely refreshing. And to have such a strong female MC, one who has little time for romance (despite the fact that she and Roman totally vibe) was also extremely inspiring. While the beginning is a little hard to sift through, and I really do believe that Wilson should have put a little more work into letting us know that despite it's more aged undertones that the book was a modern dystopian fairytale, the ending was phenomenal. I am very hopeful that the book will lead to a series, because I would love to see how Ember continues to rock the world around her.

There were some consistency issues throughout the book, including some moments where I felt that there were a few words, or even paragraphs, missing. Overall, though, this is a book that I would recommend for anyone looking for a touch of modern dystopian fiction.

Thank you to the publishers, GenZ Publishing, and the author for a copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

So very intriguing! The world building was great, and I loved all the character dynamics and relationships! I also love anything that includes some spying and stealth! Would highly recommend this to anyone looking for some adventure and high-stakes!

Ember is an assassin that kills in order to save her people from the corruption of the government. When she is captured after trying to kill the Empress, she makesa deal. She has to go to the neighboring country of Angeles and free a prisoner in exchange for her life and the reforms her people needs. While on her mission she meets the Angelesan prince, Roman. Roman is just trying to survive. Together they decide to try and do what is best for both countries while staying true to each other.

I really enjoyed this book. It was fast paced and had a lot of action. I loved how there was politics involved but it didn't overwhelm the story. The ending caught me by surprise and I am really hoping that there is a second book....

What an emotional rollercoaster that was!

This book had me hooked from the very beginning. I kept telling myself I would read one more chapter only to be greeted with another cliffhanger.
It was fast paced and gripping the whole way through. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to full process my emotions towards this book but wow, it is worth the read.