Markswoman: {Review}

Publication date: January 23rd, 2018
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Series: Asiana #1
Format: Paperback, 384 pages
Source: Library
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Kyra is the youngest Markswoman in the Order of Kali, one of a handful of sisterhoods of highly trained elite warriors. Armed with blades whose metal is imbued with magic and guided by a strict code of conduct, the Orders are sworn to keep the peace and protect the people of Asiana. Kyra has pledged to do so—yet she secretly harbors a fierce desire to avenge her murdered family.

When Tamsyn, the powerful and dangerous Mistress of Mental Arts, assumes control of the Order, Kyra is forced on the run. She is certain that Tamsyn committed murder in a twisted bid for power, but she has no proof.

Kyra escapes through one of the strange Transport Hubs that are the remnants of Asiana’s long-lost past and finds herself in the unforgiving wilderness of a desert that is home to the Order of Khur, the only Order composed of men. Among them is Rustan, a disillusioned Marksman whose skill with a blade is unmatched. He understands the desperation of Kyra’s quest to prove Tamsyn’s guilt, and as the two grow closer, training daily on the windswept dunes of Khur, both begin to question their commitment to their Orders. But what they don’t yet realize is that the line between justice and vengeance is thin . . . as thin as the blade of a knife.

I wanted to really love this book, but sadly it was just an okay read for me. The concept was so interesting-female assassins that for a bond with their blades, a Fantasy/Sci-Fi combo, what could go wrong?! 

Unfortunately, I was bored throughout most of the book. The ending was where things got really interesting, but by then I was just ready to finish the entire thing. It was mostly about Kyra complaining that her old mentor never told her anything and her journey from her home to the desert where she meets Rustan and finally gets some answers to her past. 

Some of my main complaints were the huge plot holes. Rustan's story is pretty big because he uncovers lies and deceit within his clan but when Kyra arrives, that entire story is shoved under the rug to make room for her story. We hear nothing else about Rustan's struggle with what happened with his mark.

 The other main issue was the writing. I never really got interested in the story because of how it was written. I feel like it was too blank and passive for what was happening. We were introduced to this really cool world of female assassins and transport hubs that could take you places but it just never held my attention.

I loved the world building though! The Sci-Fi-Fi/Fantasy genre has never really been done like this before and it had so much potential to be great.

Considering that so much was left off after the ending, I will probably read the next book just to see where things go, but it won't be a priority.