Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller--Restarting November 4th, 2021

[Dr. Andy]

I Needed to Win.
They Needed to Die.

Sallot Leon is a thief, and a good one at that. But gender fluid Sal wants nothing more than to escape the drudgery of life as a highway robber and get closer to the upper-class—and the nobles who destroyed their home.

When Sal steals a flyer for an audition to become a member of The Left Hand—the Queen’s personal assassins, named after the rings she wears—Sal jumps at the chance to infiltrate the court and get revenge.

But the audition is a fight to the death filled with clever circus acrobats, lethal apothecaries, and vicious ex-soldiers. A childhood as a common criminal hardly prepared Sal for the trials. And as Sal succeeds in the competition, and wins the heart of Elise, an intriguing scribe at court, they start to dream of a new life and a different future, but one that Sal can have only if they survive.

[Ashley W]

This will be the first book I've read about a gender fluid MC and honestly I'm more excited about that than any other part of the story. :)

[Ashley W]

Chapter 5
(view spoiler)[ I am already loving the whole premise of this book! I understand Sal's mission of revenge and love their skills, both physical and the way they can talk to people. Not sneaky exactly, but a way of getting what they need. (hide spoiler)]

[Dr. Andy]

Ashley wrote: "This will be the first book I've read about a gender fluid MC and honestly I'm more excited about that than any other part of the story. :)"

ah that's so exciting! I hope you enjoy it!

[Ashley W]

Andy wrote: "Ashley wrote: "This will be the first book I've read about a gender fluid MC and honestly I'm more excited about that than any other part of the story. :)"

ah that's so exciting! I hope you enjoy it!"

So far I really am!

[Ashley W]

Chapters 6-8
(view spoiler)[ Mice to try the food is clever. I wouldn't have thought of that. They would all have to be so paranoid. I would be dead on day one. At least breakfast is safe though. The invited vs uninvited reminds me of the careers in Hunger Games. (hide spoiler)]

[Ashley W]

Chapter 11
(view spoiler)[ I am so glad Sal didn't have to give explanations for anything for their clothes. I would hate to constantly have to give people answers. The competition is moving much faster than I thought it would. I thought they would last a little longer. (hide spoiler)]

[Ashley W]

Chapter 18
(view spoiler)[ That was really intense. If Sal is already struggling like this with seeing the death of three, the rest of the competition is going to be really rough, not that it would have been easy otherwise. Oddly, I just want to go back to Sal and Elise and not so much with the contest. (hide spoiler)]

[Ashley W]

Chapter 30
(view spoiler)[ Sal is very lucky to have Maud. Getting four wasn't easy. I love that she called her a goat. haha. (hide spoiler)]

[Dr. Andy]

I'm reading this with my bookclub so I'll be finishing around the 16th of the month!

[Ashley W]

Andy wrote: "I'm reading this with my bookclub so I'll be finishing around the 16th of the month!"

Oh, I can wait for the rest.

[Dr. Andy]

Ashley wrote: "Andy wrote: "I'm reading this with my bookclub so I'll be finishing around the 16th of the month!"

Oh, I can wait for the rest."

Nah finish it if you want to! This is a reread for me so I am going slow and savoring it :)

[Dr. Andy]

Ashley wrote: "Chapters 6-8
[spoilers removed]"

I would literally eat nothing except the breakfast lmao

[Dr. Andy]

Ashley wrote: "Chapter 11
[spoilers removed]"

Right! These contestants are very bloodthirsty!

[Ashley W]

Andy wrote: "Ashley wrote: "Andy wrote: "I'm reading this with my bookclub so I'll be finishing around the 16th of the month!"

Oh, I can wait for the rest."

Nah finish it if you want to! This is a reread for ..."

Okay :)

[Dr. Andy]

Ch. 17 (view spoiler)[ I wonder what Sal is going to see now that they've looked up in the forest. Can't imagine it's anything good. The training shit is so rough and I do not envy anyone. I love the competition aspect and seeing how Sal and Maud interact. Then Elisa!! Ahh i am so hype to see these tutoring lessons. (hide spoiler)]

[Ashley W]

Andy wrote: "Ch. 17 [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[Yes! The tutoring sessions are one of my favorite parts of the story so far, which I wasn't expecting at all. Normally, I prefer action and thought they would be boring, but the tension between Elisa and Sal makes me want to read more about them than anything else. (hide spoiler)]

[Ashley W]

Chapter 37
(view spoiler)[ I love how involved Maud is in this. Elise and Sal are moving right along. lol I would be weary, knowing that Sal could die at any time. (hide spoiler)]

[Ashley W]

Chapter 38
(view spoiler)[ They talk about fashion and murder back forth so nonchalantly. haha (hide spoiler)]

[Ashley W]

Chapter 43
(view spoiler)[ That was the meeting that I was waiting for! Sal did so well, better than I thought they would. Much more respectful given what they were actually saying. (hide spoiler)]

[Ashley W]

Chapter 44
(view spoiler)[ Yay! I mean, I knew they were going to be the new Opal, but still yay! (hide spoiler)]

[Ashley W]

Chapter 48
(view spoiler)[ Ugh, there was no good solution for Sal there. Either way was a sacrifice. I don't think they would have been satisfied with either option. (hide spoiler)]

[Ashley W]

Finished
(view spoiler)[ That ending! I just knew Five was treacherous, but I wasn't expecting all that. Not sure how I feel about the queen now. I'm so excited to see what happens to Sal in the next book! (hide spoiler)]

[Dr. Andy]

ch 30 (view spoiler)[ I love seeing Maud and Sal become closer! And I'm glad Sal set Elise right about how they sound. Just because people talk a certain way that doesn't make them inferior. (hide spoiler)]

[Dr. Andy]

Ashley wrote: "Chapter 38
[spoilers removed]"

Everything is so chill hahaha

[Dr. Andy]

Ashley wrote: "Finished
[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ Five is the absolute worst! I'm super excited about book 2 too! (hide spoiler)]

[Dr. Andy]

Finished (view spoiler)[ Agh what a book. I still enjoyed it! I wish we got more about what the shadows are and how they're controlled cause I'm still pretty confused about all that, but I absolutely loved the competition and seeing Sal succeed. I hope we see more from them, Maud and Elise! (hide spoiler)]