“Deep beneath the citadel, the executioner was waiting.”

Beneath the Citadel really impressed me throughout. Not only is this a really solid and satisfying standalone, and not only does it have some pretty amazing rep, but the story is also so unique. Every time I opened this book up, I never wanted to put it down.

The book starts out with four of our main characters being thrown into the dungeons, after being sentenced to death. Yet, this was completely their intention. From the opening scene, throughout the rest of the book, these group of five ragtag teens come together to try to pull off a quest that will completely change everything they’ve ever known.

➽ Cassa - PoC, and the leader whose parents left behind a huge rebellion legacy for her to try to live up to. Cassa is brave, and strong, and willing to do anything to erase the pain she feels inside, while also attempting to make the world a better place.

➽ Vesper - Cassa’s old best friend, who has betrayed them and who is put in a dangerous predicament because of her past with Cassa. I don’t want to say much else, but Vesper is a really cool character, who I loved learning more and more about.

➽ Alys - Plus sized, PoC, ace spectrum, has severe anxiety, and the genius of the group! Alys also is a bit if a prophetess, even though it has lead her astray in the past. Also, her parents are apothecary rebels.

➽ Evander - Bisexual, PoC, the charmer of the group, and is Alys’ brother! Also, he has a bit of magical power with manipulating silver that he received for a cost.

➽ Newt - Gay, a contortionist, and the sneaky rogue-like one of the group! Also, living with past trauma of an abusive parent. (And probably my favorite of the entire group!)

“He learned how to hold a world of hatred inside of him without a single crack in his exterior calm. Sometimes he felt like that was his greatest accomplishment. And sometimes he wished the Valeras hadn’t done him the favor of letting his father live.”

But beneath the citadel, something else lurks deep below. Cassa and her friends are offered two bargains, both of which they are unsure of taking. But time is ticking, and they have to make a choice; to help what everyone thinks is a monster down below, or to help what Cassa knows is a true monster above. And this story is told in the span of five days, so decisions happen rather quickly.

Yet, I do think that this is a book about friendship, found family, and how important it is to surround yourself with people who will accept you and unconditionally love you. These five teens have all been dealt very different hands in life, but they’ve all come together and truly try to make this world a better place. I honestly loved this entire cast.

“I’ll tell you the story,” he said. “I can’t promise you’ll believe me, but I promise it’s all true.”

I’ll be honest, this book reminded me a bit of Six of Crows and Senlin Ascends, which I’m not sure there is a more desirable combination on this planet. The characters all won me over so quickly. The story had me constantly questioning, while unable to put the book down, because I had to find out what the truth was. And this book had some pretty amazing (and heartbreaking) twists and turns along the way.

Overall, I really enjoyed this and would completely recommend. Not only is it unique, but Destiny Soria really took the time to put in some amazing diversity and representation in this book. I personally loved the bisexual representation, and the m/m romance was so pure and completely stole my heart. And I’m so impressed with what this author was able to deliver, both character and world building wise, in a standalone. This was a wonderful ride that I hope you all pick up come October 9th!

The quotes above were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

Content and trigger warnings for loss of a loved one, torture, abuse, murder, death, captivity, medical experimentation, panic and anxiety attacks, depictions of blood, and heavy depictions of grief and trauma.

With the failed rebellion nothing more than a memory, the people of Eldra are content to be lead by the Council. But what the people don’t know is that the power the Council has wielded with such devastation is slipping out of their control. As the Council’s power wanes and their desperation grows, Cassa is ready to set the city on fire and free it from the Council’s corrupt grasp.

Soria brings a wonderfully unique take on magic to the table. In Eldra there are sentients, seers, rooks and diviners. Rooks can devour people’s memories, sentients can read peoples thoughts, diviners can see the future and seers deliver the prophecies that the Council’s power is built on. Then there are those who are bloodbonded, able to wield the metal they are bonded to.

Beneath the Citadel has some absolutely great characters. Cassa is headstrong and burning with the desire to finish what her parents started. Evander, easygoing and quick to bring some humour, and Alys, who sees the world in equations and logic. Newt who is quiet and seemingly harmless but has a tough core and is resilient. Distant Vesper who betrayed the group for reasons that aren’t clear at first but we slowly get to know.

Though I loved all of these characters it was Cassa’s fire that I connected to most, even why you wanted to take her by the shoulders and shake some sense into her.

Something that I particularly loved about the main cast is the rep. Cassa, Evander and Alys, the latter two who are siblings, are POC. Evander is bi and Alys is asexual, both which were mentioned on page. Newt is gay. Alys also struggles with panic attacks and is fat, neither of which are ever presented like a character flaw.

I did feel like the pace dropped off a little towards the middle and it wasn’t holding my attention as much as it did at first but by the last third the action ramps up and nothing is what is seems as Soria through twist after twist at us.

Beneath the Citadel is a wonderful standalone fantasy with a fierce bunch of leads that leave you in awe of their humanity and an ending that will leave you reeling. Seriously I am not over that ending.

The summary for Beneath the Citadel was really the thing that caught my eye. Rebels, prophecies, and a ragtag group of misfits? Sounds like my kind of thing. Unfortunately, I did not love this book as much as I thought I would, although I did find it an enjoyable read.

I liked the world building, with its four subsets of magical (idk the word tbh) beings: seers, rooks, diviners, and sentients. It was interesting reading about a land that ran on prophecies. However, other than that, there wasn't much world building. Why do the people depend on prophecies? That was never really explained; we just had to go with it.

There were five different main points of view, which I liked. Each character had distinctive voices, which is always a good thing in my book. Also! Two of the characters had on-the-page representation using the words, which is so rare in fantasy. Alys is asexual, and her brother Evander is bisexual; Newt is never explicitly said, I don't think, but he has a thing with Evander so. Also! Alys has anxiety and is fat.

A lot of what I didn't care for was the writing and the pacing. The four of them would plan something, and then literally in the next chapter, their plan would be wrecked. I mean, that's fine and all, but that happened like three or four different times, and I got tired of all the changes they had to make.

The pacing was weird because we literally jump right into the plot. The first four chapters are each of the four being sentenced to death. And then? I thought we would flash back to why and how they started their plan, but we just kept going with a sentence or two to explain what happened before they were caught. It threw me off a little because it made it feel like the whole book had a middle and an end, with no beginning.

If you know me at all, you probably know I'm a sucker for romances, even in books where they're not really centered in the plot. However, I thought the romance in this book was a bit superfluous. Like, I did not care at all. I just wanted to move through the plot but we would get scenes of **spoilers** Newt pining for Evander and vice versa. And then after a major thing happens at the end, and you'd think we'd get chapters with them dealing with it? Barely any of that but we do get two full chapters of Newt and Evander getting together. Honestly, at that point I didn't even care anymore and just skimmed those two chapters.

And this is going to be a really random complaint but . . . I felt like this book was trying too hard to be like Six of Crows? It could just be me, unable to read anything with a band of misfits without comparing them to the SoC gang, but honestly there are so many comparisons you could make. Cassa is the leader who the rest of the gang follows and loves but also kinda hates. Newt and Wylan are basically the same character, right down to the daddy issues and crushing on another guy in the gang. The random flashbacks (the only time we would get any real backstory!) felt like it was imitating the pacing in SoC, except the flashbacks here were 4, maybe 5 pages of one-scene backstory while SoC actually built up over time. Yeah, again maybe all of this is just me reading too much into it idk.

Beneath the Citadel is definitely a book you should pick up if you want a dead rebellion, a world built around prophecies, a lovable cast of characters, or all three. It's fast paced and the cast's interactions are nice to read. Check it out October 9!

Beneath the Citadel has been high on my to read shelf since pretty much the first moment I heard about it. The synopsis gives off vague Six of Crows vibes, so I'm fairly sure if you liked that, you will also like this one.

The story follows five points of view - Cassa, Evander, Newt, Alys and Vesper - five teens who are fighting against the corrupt council of the citadel itself. Cassa is the daughter of two rebels who died when the chancellor brutally put down an attempted revolution. Evander and Alys are the children of two apothecaries, who were branded rebels after healing a true rebel, while Newt is the son of a man who betrayed the rebellion. Vesper, the final character, is the grandniece of the chancellor himself.

The book opens up with Cassa, Evander, Newt and Alys being sentenced to death by the chancellor. It's definitely the kind of ending to get you hooked quickly, and the plot is fairly rapid from thereon. In fact, the whole book only spans about five days. The POVs alternate, interspersed with occasional flashbacks into the past for exposition. I liked being able to see into all the characters' minds and everything, but occasionally it felt like having so many POVs left some plot threads underdeveloped, although that equally might have been because some of them also started in the past we did not see. Case in point: Vesper is shown within the first few chapters to have betrayed them to the council, but the only problem is, because you haven't seen how close Vesper and Cassa are, you've only been told it, there's no real emotional involvement in the betrayal. Despite that, the characters themselves were probably what carried the book along for me. Yes, the plot itself was good, but I wouldn't have cared about a lot of it if I hadn't really liked the characters. It did take a little while for Alys and Cassa both to grow on me, but by the end I liked them as much as everyone else.

One of the places this book falls down, however, is in its worldbuilding. There's an infodump right near the beginning, that includes explaining four types of powers (seers, sentients, diviners, and rooks) and bloodbonds, but I really still couldn't for the life of me tell you what the difference between seers and diviners is supposed to be. And even worse, I didn't realise that the citadel/city was even part of a country until about two thirds of the way through. Because the events happen solely enclosed within the city (which in itself seems to be somewhat insular and out of touch with the rest of the country), there was no need to really expand on the whole what's-the-rest-of-the-country-like idea. It felt instead like the city existed in a vacuum. Not to mention the fact that I can't really tell you that much distinctive about the city - there are some wards? Some tiers? Rich people live in the first ward, poor people in the lower wards? It's really not so much different from other fantasies in that respect. But like I said, I really did like the characters, and therefore the plot, so that kind of made up for any weaknesses in the worldbuilding.

Finally, I really appreciate that, in this book, a fantasy book (and a high fantasy at that), Destiny Soria chose to use the word "bisexual". Because there have been so many fantasy books I've read where such "modern" terms for sexuality have been eschewed in favour of just not giving labels. In a completely made up world, there's no reason not to use these terms. So yeah. I liked that.

And that ending. I don't want to spoil it, but I'll just say: Destiny Soria has some real guts.

I’ve been having a streak of good luck with my Netgalley ARCs – this is yet another that has fallen in the category of ‘addictive enough to keep me up all night reading’! I’m really in love with this one, I need to add it to my collection once it’s published!

I thought the structure of this story was very interesting - when I read the first chapter, I wasn't sure if my digital ARC had been formatted incorrectly with the pages out of order because it started in media res (a fancy way of saying 'in the middle of things') with our heroes already captured and facing trial for treason. As I kept reading, I saw how character descriptions were given as we moved from one protagonist to another, with small details doled out to assemble a picture of the world we've landed in, and I realized this was right after all - but it was such a dizzying start! I do like that the author shook the usual format up like this, because I needed to actively engage with the story to work out what was going on and how things got to this point.

Throughout the story, we had flashbacks either to establish backstory on the main characters or show the lead-up to the main plotline, and while I occasionally became a little impatient because I wanted to see how the main events progressed, I did appreciate learning more about the characters and their world. For a story that dealt with prophecies and trying to avert them or fulfill them as well as thwarting antagonists who have access to knowledge of what our heroes are going to do, the flashbacks ended up feeding into the plot in very clever ways. My mind was blown by the end, and I had to sit there and digest what I'd just read, because the story was so intricately plotted and beautifully assembled. I had the wool pulled over my eyes, but it was justified by the rules of the world that the author had set out as well as the character development that she had laid the groundwork for; I honestly freaked out and flailed quite a bit at random points because OMG, SHE DID THAT. There was nothing safe or predictable about the plotline, there were several points where I was stunned at the curveballs thrown at the protagonists, and it was so much fun to be blindsided!

I found the magical system to be quite original and intriguing - aside from those who could make prophecies that governed society, we also had people who could be born with the ability to read minds, erase memories or see future possibilities, as well as those who could choose to undergo a painful process called bloodbonding where they bonded to a material of their choice that they could then manipulate (like Magneto in X-men with metal). It was cool to me that having powers was not only acceptable in this world, but outright desirable, because in a lot of fantasy or sci-fi books, people with powers are discriminated against and it gets really boring. It was also quite original the way that the author had a council whose function was to 'interpret' the prophecies, and who then went corrupt with power and instead used it to benefit themselves and oppress the lower classes - sure, the act of subjugating the people you're meant to serve isn't a new idea, the but twist with using prophecies against them was new to me!

Moving on to the characters, the real reason I requested this ARC was because of the diversity in the cast - we have a variety of LGBT+ rep with Evander (bisexual), Newt (gay) and Alys (asexual); Evander, Alys and Cassa are described as brown-skinned, and Alys is also plus-size and struggles with anxiety and panic attacks. I love the casual diversity in sexuality, ethnicity and body shape, as well as mental health awareness. It's SO easy to do and I'm always thrilled when authors make the effort with inclusiveness. Alys was my fave as I'm also an ace (although we differ as she's an aromantic asexual, ie. not interested in romance), and she was just hilariously snarky and brusque with everyone, I loved her introduction where she puts the council soundly in their place and makes them feel inferior, mwahaha. There is actually quite a bit of humor in the banter between the protagonists, I snickered to myself quite often at their witty quips!

What I'm impressed with is how we got an idea of how all these characters relate to each other, how they came to be in each other's lives and what their interactions are like whether it's platonic or romantic or familial - it's not easy to do when you're juggling four main protagonists PLUS a few other important characters, like the fifth member of the group, Vesper, who we learn from the start has betrayed them and who astonishingly grew more multi-faceted and sympathetic as the story went on, and actually became another favorite character of mine. It bothers me when you have a core cast of friends who are meant to be a rock-solid group, but you don't know the dynamics between them all, and that's definitely not the case here. Alys and Evander are siblings, Evander and Cassa used to be a couple and are now just friends, Evander and Newt became friends first (with the hint of sexual tension developing!) before the latter was enfolded into the group, Alys and Cassa are on friendly terms but bicker quite frequently, Cassa and Newt aren't close as she doesn't like him since his father was a traitor, and the whole group misses Vesper, who was the one person that could help keep Cassa grounded and stand up to her without things flaring out of control. 

So what's the reason I'm not giving this a perfect 5-star rating when I've been singing praises to the plot and characterization? One word - CASSA. What's my issue with her? Let me provide a quote from Cassa herself:

"I thought you would have figured out by now that all I bring to the table is an endless supply of irrationality and sarcasm."

She's the leader of the group, and I can't figure out for the life of me why the four (including Vesper) are so devoutly loyal to her. I honestly wanted them to leave her to fend for herself so many times throughout the story and they were unflagging in their determination to stand by her, no matter how reckless and selfish and downright idiotic her decisions were; more than that, they didn't call her out enough - at a couple points, someone would challenge her, but she'd just double-down and get aggressively defensive and the others would back off. I thought she'd learned from her mistakes in the second half of the story, but instead Cassa continued to act like she knew it all and had the right to make decisions for everyone and risk countless lives because of her personal agenda. By the time the author finally redeemed her, I was beyond the point of caring, she'd been a frustrating thorn in my side for too long! I felt like Alys or Vesper should've been the leader of the group, both of those ladies were so awesome and Vesper especially was a fascinating character with her conflicting loyalties and untapped potential. 

In Summary: wonderful world-building, complex and rewarding plot with mostly endearing and lovable characters.

The people of Eldra have been ruled by ancient prophecies for centuries that keep the high council at power. Cassa Valera has grown up the daughter of famous rebels and now she is determined to fight back against the council. However, the council may not be the only threat behind the walls of the Citadel. The real danger, may lie beneath...

This is going to be one of those books that I'm not really sure how to rate because it wasn't outstanding, but wasn't awful.

Firstly, Destiny Soria does a great job at creating a diverse cast of characters. Three of the four main characters are POC. Cassa is straight. Evander is bisexual. Alys is asexual and plus size and Newt is gay. I like that all of this is made obvious. The book features multiple POVs including the four main characters along with Vesper and a few with Chancellor Dane. This gives Soria the opportunity to go in-depth on each character, their past and sexuality. You don't need to guess, because Soria blatantly spells it out for you.

However, just because they are diverse, doesn't mean I like them all. I wouldn't say any of them are bad characters, but Cassa is extremely annoying. She is insanely cocky for no reason, thinks she'e right constantly even when she isn't and puts the blame on others when it is her fault. This is all shown within the first 20% of the book. This honestly made reading the rest of the book a little difficult because I couldn't stand her. I was waiting for one of the other characters to snap and tell her like it is, but none of them did. They just went along with their 'fearless leader. There is a difference between fearless and just plain stupid.

The rest of the characters were a lot more tolerable. I liked Evander. He was probably the most solid of the four in regard to development and overall characterisation. Alys was OK. I liked how she was plus size but still very active and present in any of the action. She also has anxiety and even has a panic attack which is rare to see in fantasy. Newt was also a solid character. I would like to have known more about him. You were given quite a bit if back story on the other characters but Newt's was a little more brief unfortunately. I actually found Vesper to be the most interesting of all the characters. Which is quite sad for me because she really isn't there that much and I thought she was the most compelling.

The story itself I thought was actually quite bland. There wasn't really any anticipation or build. It stayed on the same level. It never really went up or down. It was just stagnant. It also felt extremely obvious to me. What I assume to be the plot twist was very obvious the second it was set up. It then made the book feel very pointless because you were essentially waiting for Cassa to realise she had made a huge mistake and put both her and her friends lives in danger. A realisation you, as the reader, had come to about 300 pages before.

The world-building is seemingly limited to the Citadel. There is a decent amount of description about the Citadel, its surroundings and underground, but not much in regards to the rest of the world. There definitely could have been a lot more. I also found the history rather bland. There had been a rebellion for centuries against the council, but I couldn't really tell you why. Essentially, the rebels didn't like the prophecies being told - I think. To me, that isn't a very strong cause to rebel and cost hundreds of thousands of lives, especially when the council saw it coming. In a way Beneath the Citadel is essentially the aftermath of a rebellion and nothing more.

The only reason Cassa is fighting against the council is because her parents were rebels. Her parents were, she is not. There are only four of them. That isn't enough to bring down a council that has stood for centuries and the fact that she thought they could made for many melodramatics. Cassa isn't special, that much is made clear, yet Soria seems to keep trying to make her so. She's only there because of who her parents were and it isn't enough.

Ultimately, I feel very deflated. I really wanted to like this book. I've loved the cover since I first saw it, but the contents just isn't enough. I find myself finding more things I didn't like over things I did which is very disappointing. The ending fizzled rather than banged and it almost felt like Soria was trying to give an open ending at one point but then bailed on it. I'm trying to convince myself to give it a 3-star rating because despite my grievances, it wasn't bad enough for a 2

I received a digital copy of the book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest feedback. Proof acquired at YALC

Lately, when I read, I'm more likely to think about which books will be best for my work kiddos in different ways, but this one - this one was the book Past Me didn't know she needed. Alys will always hold a special place in my heart as possibly the first asexual character I've seen on the page, and definitely the first one who has panic attacks. Seeing yourself represented MATTERS! But Alys is only part of the reason I adored this book.

A beautifully written story that doesn't pull punches and isn't afraid to explore the dark corners, but is nonetheless deeply hopeful. I fell absolutely in love with these characters and their story, and I can't wait until BENEATH THE CITADEL is actually published so I can share it with others.

Beneath the Citadel was a pleasant surprise. I'm not sure what I was expecting but it certainly wasn't this fast paced adventure story about the importance of choice and the consequences of believing you have none. There are five viewpoint characters - wildfire Cassa, daughter of dead rebel parents trying desperately to live up to their legacy; Plump and clever Alys, supremely disdainful on the outside , a maelstrom within; Evander, her happy-go-luck trickster brother, and Newt, outwardly calm and competent, a natural sneak for whom still waters run deep. And then there's Vesper who is in a position more difficult than her friends can imagine, one that will test every fibre of her moral courage.

The Citadel itself is almost a character in it'sown right. Basically there's the Citadel and the city - a very definite divide between the elite and the unprivileged. The Citadel is dedicated to the religion of the Slain God - in this respect it's a theocratic state - and the council run everything, using the infallible prophecies to foil revolts and uprisings. Basically, he Slain God left his mark on certain bloodlines and children of those bloodlines sometimes manifest one of his gifts - Sentience - the ability to read thoughts, truth or lies in someone's face, Divination - the ability to read the future in coins or bones or some other device and Rookery - the ability to take and store other people's memories with a touch. Because the council have all the knowledge of the future, it's impossible for people to rise up against their corrupt regime. This is actually very clever if you think about it (if a bit disheartening) because if someone knows what you'll do before you even o it, then where are your choices? Where is your freedom to act? Easy enough to twist things from there ad say that free will is a lie and anything you manage to do, you are permitted to do by the will of the god, and anything you don't manage to do was condemned by the same.

The five MCs form an unlikely team of misfits attempting to bring down the Citadel and end the corrupt regime despite having everything stacked against them. But they have reckoned without the High Chancellor who is playing a far longer game and the monster that lurks in the dark caverns beneath the Citadel.

This was a fast paced fantasy adventure with a slight 'Six of Crows' vibe. The characters were sufficiently developed and engaging. There was decent diversity rep (a bi boy, a probably gay boy, an asexual girl) without it derailing the story. There was a healthy portrayal of relationships and break us here too which is no mean feat when it's not part of the main arc in a fantasy novel and it doesn't throw the story off. I felt that we never really went emotionally deep with the characters and occasionally the message was a little heavy handed but that's me being super picky. There were one or two small plot holes or hanging threads. I found Solan under developed as a character. That said there's no sag here. It careers along at a decent clip, interspersed with interludes of back story which add to the story instead of feeling info dumpy., and hits a very satisfying if slightly unexpected end. Ok in hindsight I could see it was foreshadowed but I just never expected the author to do that. I wasn't left feeling cheated though. So all in all this was a great book. Quite a find. I highly recommend it for those looking to fill the Six of Crows void and fans of team fantasy adventure in general.

I want to start by saying if I could give Beneath the Citadel 6 stars out of 5 I totally would because it was so incredible! I can honestly say that our of the 61 books I have read so far this year Beneath the Citadel is my favourite.

Beneath the Citadel got off to an incredible start, from the very first words I fell in love with the world, the characters and the writing style. The novel follows 5 teens on an quest to save their city, and it is a truly magical read. The world building was incredible, and I loved the magical system both the mind based talents and bloodbonding.

The characters are unique and vivid. There is plus size rep, ace rep, bi boys, a character who has anxiety and panic attacks and even a character who is hypermobile (like me). I love all of the five main characters but Alys and Newt were my favourites. I could not have asked for a better cast of characters for a fantasy quest and I loved reading from each of their viewpoints.

I love the writing style, it was so beautiful and descriptive - there are some incredible quotes lurking in the pages of Beneath the Citadel. I loved the flashbacks to pivotal points in the characters lives, it worked really well to ensure the pace of the novel is perfect.

The plot was so twisty and perfectly paced. I don't want to say too much for fear of spoilers, but Beneath the Citadel is absolutely incredible, a thoroughly enjoyable read and I would definitely recommend it for any fantasy fans!

I'm not sure what I was expecting with this book, but I'm absolutely loving it! The characters are great, the Story is interesting and it keeps me interested and invested in the character arcs and I love reading it! It's just taking longer to do things than I anticipated!

If I could give a rating of 3 1/2 stars I would for this book. It took me a long time to finish and a couple of times throughout I almost gave up and shelved it as a lost cause. I loved the concept of the book but I didn't like the alternate storytelling by 4, 5 sometimes 6 different characters. I found it too much. I think this book would have been better if the author stuck to third person through the whole story.

I really enjoyed the way this story was written. Right from the beginning Soria does an amazing job at introducing this charming little group of rebels. I thought the idea was a great way to tell about a group of characters without making it seem like she was just writing a bunch of description for us (even though it kind of was that way) With this book, Soria isn't shy about throwing the reader straight into the action. She doesn't give anything away at first, all we know if that these people are being sentenced to death for treason, but its so much more than that.

Everything in this book happens within a span of just a few days. It goes by so quickly and I think that was one of the things that I really enjoyed about this book. I would assume that when it comes to a rebellion, especially one where one group has people that can see the future, things have to happen fast in order to avoid getting caught. This book had everything I love about rebellions against a government force. Beneath the Citadel changed thing by throwing in an old god, some diviners, seers, and a whole bunch of other really cool characters. Now, I really did enjoy these characters, some more than others (Alys is everything to me. Her and Evander are the reasons I live and breath). I liked learning about them and the way their parts in this elaborate story was playing out, but while I did enjoy the fast pace, I think it didn't help me see the connections in this group.

The characters were great, but I think since everything was happening so fast and since your dropped in right in the middle, its hard to picture how these people came to be together. Sometimes they all worked well together, but other times, I just don't know. It wasn't that I didn't like it (cause trust me I did) It was more like I was missing something. Maybe just a little more time? I'm not sure. It felt the same for the world. While theres so much focusing on this kids trying hard not to escape from their execution, just so they can keep their rebellion going, I don't think I got enough of the why. I got that Cassa was literally born into it. It's what her parents raised her to be, but it was just so much of what she focused on that I wish I could have seen more of the girl that she was alongside the angry, cocky, leader. It honestly was the same for all of them. I just wanted a little bit more time to get to know everything better.

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Magic, mystery, and alchemy OH MY! Delightful cast of characters challenge fates foretold on a non-stop adventure. Chapters alternate point of view and the relationships between the teens evolve fantastically.I have been reading so many trilogies that it was nice to have a fantastic standalone...even though I could have kept on reading about this group forever!

This explosion of underground revolutions and prophetic conspiracies is the equivalent of City of Ember for teens. Add in a healthy dose of LGBTQ romance, mental health awareness, and you've got a truly dynamic story on your hands.

Destiny Soria is definitely a favorite author of mine. I absolutely adored her debut, Iron Cast, and I feel the same way about her sophomore novel. I was immediately hooked into the story and I wanted to know everything I could about these characters, right from the beginning. Everyone felt incredibly real and multi-dimensional. I loved the pacing in this - we're thrown right into the plot from the very first page. When you're thrown in with no prior introduction to the characters it can be hard to get into the book/care about what happens to the characters, but like I said, I had absolutely no trouble with this. Soria instantly drew me in. Overall, Beneath the Citadel was a lot of fun, but it also had its sad moments. It's a book about choices and how there's not always a single right choice to make. I know it's a standalone, but I would love to read more books in this world or with these characters. It's definitely a story I'll be revisiting.

This book jumped around a lot from past to present. I got really confused. I loved the story and the determination of the characters.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. It was a non-stop adventure of four teens trying to take down the corrupted hierarchy. It was also difficult who to trust because there was another person who wanted to take down the bad guys, but they weren’t sure if they could trust him either. They were an interesting bunch of characters and I liked them except for one, Cassa. She was okay, and I didn’t hate her. She was just a little hot headed for me. Other than that, I really liked this story. I’m glad this was also a standalone too so it wrapped up pretty nicely.

I absolutely adored Destiny Soria's debut Iron Cast and automatically requested Beneath the Citadel when I saw it posted on NetGalley. While it's very different from her first novel, Beneath the Citadel was just as good or even better! The book is full of adventure, magic and political intrigue and I simply couldn't get enough! For being almost 500 pages long, I read through it so quickly and was so sad when it ended.

The story begins with four of the characters being sentences to death for the involvement in a treasonous plot. It starts off with no explanation and throws the reader right into the world of the characters. This was exhilarating...I could feel the danger the characters faced, their urgency to find a way out and escape. Books that start this way are always my favourite. The author wasted no time in getting right into the story and the rest of the book was the same way. There was never a moment when the characters weren't on their toes, not having to solve a puzzle or fight for their freedom. This made me want to keep reading and reading, even when it was 2am and I was extremely tired. I just had to keep on going to find out what would happen next! 

I really feel that this novel and its themes can tie in to what is currently happening in the world today. It focuses on topics such as the abuse of power, corruption, censorship, violence and mass murder. The main characters are fighting against this but along the way also realize that sometimes people who want to help are actually only in for it to help themselves. Nothing in this book is black and white. The characters and the situations that they find themselves in are very complex and fluid. 

Talking about characters, the novel is very much driven by hem, with six different points of view. This method of story telling could have become confusing, but the author has masterfully created six unique characters with very different voices. The book also features gay, bisexual, aromantic/asexual characters, as well as fat representation. Now I can't comment on how well this representation was written, however, I did like how this didn't become what the book revolved around. Instead, it was who the characters were and wasn't add to create drama or shock value. I loved how everything was slowly explained through their narratives. The beginning of the story didn't feature an information dump. Instead, the reader had to be patient as the secrets of the characters and the world were revealed. 

Beneath the Citadel is a fantastic standalone that fans of YA fantasy and adventure should totally check out. Go add it to your TBR and don't forget to pre-order it now! Also, in the meantime, you can listen to the book's soundtrack recorded by the Paper Crane Society (which I think is such a cool idea).

For a relatively unknown author, I felt that Soria really hit the mark in her vision of the city of Eldra. Although there was no map, the ease with which I could identify each characters journey through the world was a refreshing change compared to other fantasies I have read.

The character development seemed to take a logical progression rather than using the cliched 'I'm a child who knows no power' and then suddenly they are the most powerful mage anyone has ever come across. The relationships between characters were also enjoyable to read - rather than a traditional familial bond Alys and Evander seem to have something special (I quite enjoyed the question of Truth or Lie being utlised on multiple occassions). When discussing intimate relationships, the non-heterosexual pairing felt natural rather than placed within for shock factor.

Secondary characters were for the most part well fleshed out although I did take exception to Mira and the ironbound guard. I particularly enjoyed Solan as a character with his progression proving you can't judge a book by its cover.

While the majority of the story was well paced, I almost gave up around the 30% mark. I am however, unsure whether the narrative stagnated or I simply had a moment of lack of focus.

Overall I enjoyed this novel for what it was, a story following 4 renegades in their mission to bring down The Man.

5 stars - A YA high fantasy with alchemy, magic, and mystery.

Really enjoyed all the twists and turns in this YA fantasy novel. Narrated by 6 different characters, all keeping secrets, readers slowly learn of the history of the Citadel, its religious leadership, and the relationships between these characters. Though this allows the plot to unfold slowly, this is a very character-driven novel, and so understanding each of their histories and motivations is key to following the plot. As most of the narrators are teenagers (friends, siblings, former/future lovers) their interactions are often teasing, witty, and fun.

I appreciated author Destiny Soria’s approach to ‘magic’ - various abilities, prophecies, and control of certain elements. Not every character possesses one of these abilities, but the world of ‘Beneath the Citadel’ thrives upon the use of elder seer’s prophecies. These prophecies have kept the powerful council in their positions for centuries and led to rebellions for equality.

LGBTQ+ friendly. Gay, bi, and ace characters to be found here. This clean YA fantasy acknowledges character sexuality without making it a central focus point. I liked that the attributes were as mentioned just as casually as their height or hair color.

Can't recommend this book enough! I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s. #CitadelBook #NetGalley