DARK OF THE WEST (Glass Alliance #1) by Joanna Hathaway #BlogTour #ARC #Review #Giveaway


DARK OF THE WEST (Glass Alliance #1) 
by Joanna Hathaway 
Release Date: February 5th 2019; Tor Teen
Fantasy, Young Adult

About the book:
He was raised in revolution. She was raised in a palace. Can their love stop a war? Code Name Verity meets The Winner's Curse in Joanna Hathaway's Dark of the West, a breathtaking YA fantasy debut.

Aurelia Isendare is a princess of a small kingdom in the North, raised in privilege but shielded from politics as her brother prepares to step up to the throne. Halfway around the world, Athan Dakar, the youngest son of a ruthless general, is a fighter pilot longing for a life away from the front lines. When Athan’s mother is shot and killed, his father is convinced it’s the work of his old rival, the Queen of Etania—Aurelia’s mother. Determined to avenge his wife’s murder, he devises a plot to overthrow the Queen, a plot which sends Athan undercover to Etania to gain intel from her children.

Athan’s mission becomes complicated when he finds himself falling for the girl he’s been tasked with spying upon. Aurelia feels the same attraction, all the while desperately seeking to stop the war threatening to break between the Southern territory and the old Northern kingdoms that control it—a war in which Athan’s father is determined to play a role. As diplomatic ties manage to just barely hold, the two teens struggle to remain loyal to their families and each other as they learn that war is not as black and white as they’ve been raised to believe.


Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Okay first of all. I expected this book to be amazing way before I read it. The cover is simple yet stunning. The short description screams an epic, star-crossed romance and of course I'm ALL for that. And I may not have read Code Name Verity yet but The Winner's Curse is definitely one of my most loved books. Of course, OF COURSE it's gonna be amazing. But what I got? What I got was so, so much more than that.

I love how incredibly complex the story is. Lots of omg and wtf moments. I admit I had no idea what was happening for the first few chapters. I was completely lost. I found myself confused about all the who's who and where's what. But I LOVED it. I think that's what made this unputdownable for me. I HAD to know what the heck was happening.


"War is no good for the young, or for love."


THE PROLOGUE. I.. just had to get it out there. Because holy shit. I've never fallen in love with a book as fast as I did with Dark of the West.

Dark of the West is written in dual POVs which I very much enjoyed. Aurelia is a likable heroine who started out to be a bit naive and sheltered but who grew into someone stronger and bolder with a fierce belief in doing what's right. I did enjoy Athan's chapters more. He's a very interesting character. He's struggling between who he wants to be and the expectation of who he should be that comes with being a Dakar. And when he flies? It feels like I'm right there with him and it is glorious! Flying to him is what reading is to me. And I love that.


"But you go, of course, and then the runway’s stretched out before you like a shadow. Follow the flare path as you throttle back. They flash by and up you go into the unknown, into anyone’s sky."


Cyar and Athan's friendship was one of the highlights of the book for me. I've never seen anything so pure and honest and selfless. I loved Cyar from the start. There's something very genuine and likable about him.


"His face is inspiring in the darkness. Flickering lights play across his soft features, his black hair merging with shadows. Honesty woven like loyalty in his gaze."


The romance. What to say? It was EVERYTHING. Granted, I may have gone into this expecting an enemies to lovers approach but what I got was so much better! It was maddeningly sweet and gentle and innocent. It felt exactly like how I imagine falling in love would feel like. The letters especially. THE LETTERS. I was drowning in Athan's beautiful words and I wouldn't have it any other way. Please don't step on the puddle of lovesick goo I've become.


"Her eyes linger on my face, and I want her to like what she sees. I want her to find what she’s hoping for."

"I see your face in the sky, Ali. Your warm eyes in the golden dawn. You’re the sky I love so much, the place I want to be, and I feel like there’s nothing that can take that away."


I love how much Joanna's passion for history is evident in the story. How much it exudes in her writing. This could not have been written by anyone more perfect. Also? I now have a new appreciation for Unicorn. Unicorn, unicorn, unicorn. (I don't know if this made it into the finished copy, but I hope it did!)

The political intrigue, the action, the romance, the beautiful and thrilling writing, the family dynamics and just the overall complexity of the story. All these things that made Dark of the West such a breathtaking debut. I am in desperate need for book two!


“Some men look to the stars to find their destiny. Some men wait on fate. But Savient leaves stars and fate to lesser men, for we forge our own destiny and shape it to our will."

“But you are the sky, my love. You are limitless.”

"We’re all mosaics no one sees."


P.S. I know my thoughts are all over the place. *apologizes and hides in the corner* But! Please believe me when I say Dark of the West is an absolute must-read! I swear, you wouldn't want to miss this!

I received an e-arc via Netgalley to read and review. Quotes are subject to change in the final print.


Author Links:     Website     Goodreads     Twitter     Instagram     Pinterest

Joanna was born in Montréal and is an avid storyteller who was inspired to write after reading her great-grandfather’s memoirs of the First World War. A lifelong history buff, she now has shelves filled with biographies and historical accounts, and perhaps one too many books about pilots. She can often be found reading, traveling, or riding horses.

Her debut novel, DARK OF THE WEST (Tor Teen, February 5th, 2019), is the first in a WWII-infused fantasy series of forbidden love and deadly revenge.

Win (1) of (10) physical copies of DARK OF THE WEST by Joanna Hathaway (US Only) 


FOLLOW THE TOUR!
FEBRUARY 5th
The Unofficial Addiction Book Fan Club - Welcome Post

FEBRUARY 6th
Wishful Endings - Guest Post
Paws and Paperbacks - Review
Book-Keeping - Review
Confessions of a YA Reader - Promotional Posts

FEBRUARY 7th
Dazzled by Books - Review + Favourite Quotes
Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile - Review
Maddie.TV - Review
My Bookish Escapades - Review + Favourite Quotes

FEBRUARY 8th
NovelKnight - Guest Post
Another Book in the Wall - Review
Samodivas - Review
Adventures Thru Wonderland - Review

FEBRUARY 9th
Oh Hey! Books. - Interview
Library of a Book Witch - Review
Moonlight Rendezvous - Review + Favourite Quotes
Novel Nerd Faction - Review

FEBRUARY 10th
Book Slaying - Review + Favourite Quotes
It Starts at Midnight - Review
A Dream Within A Dream - Review
A Bookish Dream - Review

FEBRUARY 11th
A Court of Coffee and Books - Interview
The SecretReader - Review + Playlist
Omg Books and More Books - Review
Utopia State of Mind - Review


Blog tour organized by:
Fantastic Flying Book Club




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