This was a problematic read: the characters are overidealized cardboard templates, the plot contrived, the writing simplistic, the worldbuilding non-existent, and the clichés heavy. Out of all those issues, I had the most problems with the very basic writing that felt more like a fan fiction than a published work (don’t get me started on the anachronistic dialogue).
Story: Jasmine is treated poorly: she comes from the slums of the city and is of a racial heritage that is despised for their wanton magic use in the past. But she has no magic and has found a way out of the slums by using her fighting skills to become a Keeper – a bodyguard of the magic elite. Too bad she is too stupid for every other aspect of the position and failed everything but sword fighting. When she is assigned (before her training is completed) to an annoying young noble, she will have to use all her skills to keep him alive. He is being stalked by a secret organization hell bent on destroying his bloodline.
When the books begins, our heroine is sparring with a smug and handsome young man named Asher. As soon as I read the name, I knew a) this was her love interest and b) the book would lack originality, subtlety, and any kind of depth. 50% into the book I gave up – it was silly, the characters were unrealistic and illogical, the romance was a joke, the main character continually mouthed off to people and was obnoxiously rude (the trope that being rude means being spirited is so overused in YA) and could not body guard a kitten, nonetheless a human being. That anyone trusted her with her poor judgement was a joke.
Of course, she was thrown in with emo boy who seems to be a masochist since she physically and verbally abuses him most of the time. But hey, that’s what love is built upon, right? Let’s not even get into the ludicrous ‘magic’ and non existent worldbuilding that did nothing to prop up the cardboard characters.
This was a solid DNF – life is too short and there are far too many better books with which to invest my time. If you want a simple/simplistic romantic YA fantasy that skews somewhat young, here you go. A harmless Summer time waster. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.
The Online Eccentric Librarian 