I give the book 4 stars. I would recommend the book to anyone. I enjoyed the different POVs in the book. I enjoyed the story and how it’s different from other books I have read.

I was really looking forward to reading this book. I was first drawn to it by the cover and then the premise of the book.

There are about four/five main characters. Yet, I could not form a strong human connection to any of them. Thus, when this happens it makes for hard reading. Yet, the story and where it was going had some intrigue. This is why I kept reading until I got to the half way mark. Be this point, I was over the story and didn't want to continue on the journey.

I would have picked up this book for the sheer fact of it being a book with an asexual main character by an #ownvoices gray-ace author, but the storyline blew me away. I loved the worldbuilding, I loved the way the characters played off one another whether they were working together or tearing each other apart, and I loved the story jumping from present to past to flashbacks to character exploration. Pretty much one of the best books I've read all year.

I was a big fan of Destony Soria’s Iron Cast, so when I saw Beneath the Citadel up n NetGalley I immediately requested it. That badass cover, the awesome sounding synopsis, and the diversity that the author had spoken about all piqued my interest. Unfortunately, I didn’t end up loving Beneath the Citadel as much as I thought I would, and here are the two reasons why:

1) The characters

I honestly could not connect to any of the characters, and yet there were five of them with POV chapters. I desperately wanted to connect with at least one of them – that’s all I would have needed to really invest in the book, but I didn’t. The only one I came close to caring about is Newt because he was a quiet, soft boy that I wanted to protect. And it’s not even that I didn’t like them – I quite liked all of them. But I just didn’t connect with or deeply care about any of them. None of their troubles made my heart hurt, and none of their triumphs made my heart soar. There was just nothing in me for these characters, and it was a damn shame.

However, the diversity of these characters was a delight. Three of the main characters – Cassa, Evander, and Alys - are PoC (described as having brown skin). Evander is also bi, Alys is ace (and fat!), and Newt is gay (or at least he never showed interest in anyone but Evander). The diversity was on point, and I loved that this wasn’t a YA book about a group of skinny white non-queer people because we have surely had enough of those.

2) The plot

The plot of Beneath the Citadel is very slow. As is the world building. There’s quite a lot you need to know about all the supernatural abilities and if I’m being honest, I was lost a lot of the time. I’d just go with it and hope I’d figure it out… which sometimes I did and sometimes I didn’t. The layout of the city was confusing to me and I never really understood what it was supposed to look like. I feel like there might have been levels with a big building for the rich people right at the top but I could be very wrong here.

I thought the plot would be fast paced and full of action, but it wasn’t. There were random chapters of reminiscing about how each of the characters met, which could have been interesting but instead just interrupted the flow of the actual story. There were also huge chunks of the plot that were just the characters moving about the citadel. Now, I don’t mind a journey book but there’s only so much I can take of characters walking through underground tunnels before I want something interesting to happen.

I thought the climax of the book was going to happen at a certain point, but instead of being towards the last third of the story it seemed to happen all at once, which didn’t let me really soak in what was happening. Instead it left me feeling kind of adrift because there had been so much build up for such a short climax.

~

So there they are: the two reasons why I didn’t love Beneath the Citadel. I really wanted to love this one, but I guess we can’t control how we feel about a book. I know that this will appeal to a lot of readers, especially since connection is a personal thing. All in all, I’m still a fan of Destiny Soria’s and I’ll definitely keep reading her work

© 2018, Chiara @ Books for a Delicate Eternity. All rights reserved.

I enjoyed reading this book. The story was good, the characters were interesting and the pace was steady. The ending kind of dragged on but not so bad that I didn't want to finish it. There were elements of the story that would have been great to have more insight about. Overall though, the story was interesting and had compelling characters.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ebook.

I mainly enjoyed this story because of the diverse characters. Each of their POV were told incredibly well. Which had me hooked through most of the book. But at certain points I found myself not grasping the words I was reading. Sadly it was a miss for me but I know others who have really enjoyed reading it.

Summary
In a city ruled by seers and prophesiers, where the government knows your every move before you make it, four friends attempt to break into the Citadel to find proof of corruption. They’re caught, of course. But in the course of escaping, they also discover the very proof they were after, in the form of a living prisoner with all the answers. Now they have to decide whether or not to help this prisoner escape, and figure out how to do so against an enemy that is always one step ahead of them.

Claustrophobic worldbuilding
The setting for this book is a great example of small-scale worldbuilding in a fantasy. The city of Eldra is walled-off, self-governing, separated from their country, and left behind by their wider culture. It’s a city in decline, in a world where their magic used to make them powerful but that magic has faded and everyone else has moved on to more efficient things. So Eldra consolidated its power and focused very narrowly on controlling its immediate population as thoroughly as possible. The whole book does a great job of giving off this claustrophobic feeling, using that as an element that drives the tension of the book’s plot.

The magic system is one that relies on four kinds of magic users related to seeing the future, seeing the future but better, reading people’s minds, and taking people’s memories. And I love the way that prophesies were used in this book. Its so easy for prophesies to be a kind of short-cut way for authors to explain things or get out of a plot hole, but Beneath the Citadel uses prophesy magic so deliberately to drive the plot and the tension.

The characters
Some of the best character introductions, really. A bit info-dumpy, but the introduction is a great way to see how that can work as long as you make it entertaining.

I liked most of the characters. There was a wide variety of personality types and struggles, and they each had different relationships with each other that were unique and complicated. Newt was probably my favorite, with his self-doubt and his history that he grapples with, his quiet nature, and of course the absolutely adorable romance that develops between him and Evander. Gah, they’re so cute. Cassa struggling with her history, the legacy of her parents, and her own need to leave a mark on the world was also pretty great.

Alys… Alys is asexual (doesn’t use the word, but describes it pretty clearly) and has anxiety and panic attacks. And while I love her and feel that she is a good character in her own right, I still feel the next to bring up this fact relative to the wider context of ace rep. I’m not sure I have anything to say besides bringing it up, though. There’s certainly plenty of people with anxiety who might want to see those two factors in the same character, as it is for their own life. There’s also people for whom their sexuality was blamed on anxiety or other disorders (whether they had it or not), and seeing those presented concurrently might feel…less than validating. I didn’t feel like Alys’s asexuality and anxiety were linked in the text, but I’m still putting that information out for anyone who might want it.
My thoughts overall
A wonderfully paced book with a magic system that contributes to its plot twists without being predictable, carried by thoroughly engaging characters.

Will I read this author again? Yup.
Will I continue this series? I don't think it's part of a series.

More Reviews for Beneath the Citadel

Mel to the Any - Beneath the Citadel by Destiny Soria
Dreamer J's Book Reviews - 'Beneath the Citadel' by Destiny Soria


Note: I received this copy from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. The price of the book and its origin in no way affected my stated opinions.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me a digital ARC of "Beneath the Citadel" by Destiny Soria. This is such a wonderful book! It is original and interesting. I have to add that I do not at all like the cover but what is inside made up for it. The characters are intriguing and I cared about their fates.

Four teens are condemned to death for treason after trying to learn the council’s secret. They escape and learn the secret only to receive a proposition to kill the Chancellor. The question is whether the Chancellor and the council the biggest threat to the city of Eldra. This is one fun book. You have a group of four interesting but flawed heroes: Cassa, Evander, Alys, and Newt trying to stop the infallible prophecies Eldra's council use to cement their ironclad rule on its citizens. The question is whether our fates predetermined our lives or do we have a choice in the direction of our lives. Soria keeps things interesting by constantly upping the stakes by having the characters constantly question their actions. There's a fifth teen in this group, Cassa who did not get caught with the rest of the group and the reasons why provides some tension within the group. Each chapter alternates between the point of view of each of these teens. Soria fills in the backstory with between chapter interludes which explains why and how certain things happened before and during the course of the events of the book. Even the antagonists have motives that are more complex than is apparent. While our heroes are rebelling against the council they are questioning their own abilities and the cause they are fighting for. There is even a romance that develop between two of the characters which develops organically, mainly due to characters knowing each other for several years prior to the story. At the heart of this adventure is the bond between these individuals which is tested at several points during the story. This an enjoyable fantasy adventure recommended for those who enjoy fantasy heist books like the the Six of Crows series.

Many thanks to Abrams Kids for providing me with this E-Arc of Beneath the Citadel in exchange for an honest review.

Beneath the Citadel follows a group of teens, who all have reason to hate the council ruling over their home, Eldra.  When one of their group betrays them to the council, by reporting their planned infiltration, they must try to escape in the tunnels under the citadel.  What they find there will make them question who is telling the truth and whether they should succumb to the infallible prophecy they've been told.

Political unrest and intrigue are not usually subjects that interest me, and I often find books centred around those themes quite boring.  That was not at all the case with Beneath the Citadel!  This book was very character driven, in fact each chapter is dedicated to how the particular people in the story met and important memories between them.  And the characters were fantastic.  With a crew that put me in mind of The Dregs in the Six of Crows duology, each character was complex and interesting.  I think Evander and Newt are two of my new favourite characters.   The magic system in the book was really interesting too.  Each of the characters had a different ability, and although some of the magic was a major plot point in the book, it didn't overtake the story or become confusing.  

Beneath the Citadel was fast paced and the action never stopped.  For quite a long book, I read it fairly quickly because I couldn't put it down.  There were some really great twists and the ending still has me reeling!  

Also, the cover, seriously look at that COVER.  I immediately ordered the hardback edition after I finished the e-ARC, just because I need it on my shelves.

Rating 4.5/5

This is the PERFECT YA novel for young readers of this generation, instilling values of friendship, sacrifice, loyalty and fighting for justice. In world full of racism and injustice, each character proves that nothing is impossible if you believe and have a great support group (despite all the fights you may have).

The story is told from a group of 5 friends with different sets of skills that help them attain their goal of defeating the Council and reshape their world to being better. Each character is so dimensional and well-developed, and their flashbacks of previous memories help to shape who they are and their actions. Destiny did such an amazing job at this that I actually did not favor one character over another! Each were so unique and each relatable in their own way!

I also loved the plot showcasing that no matter how small you are, you have the ability to make a difference - a big enough one to change the world! I highly recommend this read and the cover is GORGEOUS!

*I received a free copy from NetGalley and the publisher for my honest review.*

I have a lot of thoughts about Beneath the Citadel, mostly positive with some critiques.

First I have to mention the diversity. Among the 6 POVS, three of them are characters of color. Then there's bisexual, asexual, and gay representation as well for 3 of the POV characters. Each of them were so fleshed out as well though. I also enjoyed the anxiety and panic disorder representation that was shown as well and I found that aspect to be handled well.

The main cast in general, are all fleshed out with complex characterizations and motives. Although I think 6 POVs may have been too much to follow, with the voices sometimes sounding similar to other voices and becoming muddled at points.

The world-building was another strong point for me while reading this. The world created was so unique and fleshed out. The concepts that made the world are so imaginative. I could read more about a world like this.

The main thing I didn't like were the flashbacks which I felt slowed down the fast pacing that novel had going for it, for the most part.

Overall, I do highly recommend this if you want to read a book with a fantastically diverse cast and unique setting and magic system. Definitely keeping Destiny Soria on my list of authors look out for in the future!

Very interesting fantasy with wonderful work building. The best thing about this book, in my opinion, was the character building & diversity shown in the characters. I will definitely be reading more form this author.

Damn it! I really wanted to love this one, especially with a cover as dreamy as that! But it ended up being just okay 😭

First off, a round of applause for the way this book come out swinging! I mean, the first 5-10% is just such a fantastic example of how to grab your reader's attention. It served to put you right in the middle of the action, set up the story and the tone going forward and introduced every character in a full and vivid way. But once I hit about the 70% mark, I decided I didn't care anymore.

Don't get me wrong! This book has a lot of positives to recommend it. Particularly the characters. There are five main characters that the story progresses through, and they are as diverse as they come. Cassa is the daughter of dead rebels. Evander is bisexual and Cassa's ex. Alys is asexual and sister to Evander. Newt is gay and Vesper is the niece of the chancellor. It's a solid mix of personalities, strengths and weaknesses, but what really brought me in were the backstories. Each person has a fully developed backstory that explained their desires, their drives and the reasons why they are who they are, and I appreciated that. The multiple POVs worked really well to deliver the story too from all angles.

However, I found it hard at times to keep up with what was going on plot-wise. There was a frightening number of times where my mind wandered while I was reading. Then suddenly I would realize what I was looking at and realize I'd just read two pages without taking in a word. I think that's part of the reason why the world-building fell a bit flat. Eldra is a city run on prophecy and the elite often include seers, diviners, sentients and rooks. Should be so fascinating, right? Well, the first two types are self explanatory, but the others I kept forgetting what they were and I got lost trying to figure it out each time they came up. It also got a bit repetitive at times. Alys goes here, Evander goes here, Newt goes there. Then Alys goes where Evander went and Cassa goes to where Newt is and Vesper goes to where Evander was. It felt very recycled at one point, thus why I just sort of stopped caring what happened.

Overall, I think if this was shorter and with one less character it might have been easier for me to get into. That said, this is a standalone and the allowance of pages and characters is acceptable.

RANDOM THOUGHT: Every time I read "Upper echelon" it came out in my head as Lana Del Rey's voice because of her song National Anthem. Only other time I've ever heard that phrase.

4.5/5 Stars

After reading Destiny Soria's debut I knew I needed to pick up Beneath the Citadel as soon as possible. Thankfully I was just as enthralled with this one as her first book. With impeccable worldbuilding and a unique story, Soria sets the reading stage and Cassa, Evander, Newt, Alys, and the rest breathe life into her words. It's non stop action with lots of emotions and I flew through it.

I'm a sucker for found families and friendship tales and this book fits that bill perfectly. There's Cassa, who may be bold, brave, and reckless but it makes her an excellent leader; Alys, asexual and anxiety ridden, is handy with medicinal properties and can even read the future; Evander, her bisexual brother, has charm for days and can control silver; and Newt, able to contort his body and sneak around, make up the core group. Their relationships are dynamic and endearing so I could read them forever.

Right from the start this book had a hold on me. With our main four being sentenced to death in the beginning, Soria drops the reader in the thick of it and never lets us catch a breath. As they race against time, the city of Eldra; it's history, politics, and religion unfurls. It's an atmospheric place with a maze of tunnels under the citadel as well as valleys and forests in the outskirts. Plus this book is packed with twists and turn that will leave you reeling.

Overall Beneath the Citadel by Destiny Soria was a fast-paced standalone with incredible characters that stole my heart. Cassa, Evander, Newt, and Alys provided so much energy for the story and their complicated lives and intense quest made for an intriguing narrative. All of this combines into a wonderful book and I absolutely recommend picking it up.

Beneath the Citadel by Destiny Soria is the first novel I've read from the author and after this I'm certainly excited to read more of her work in the future. In regards to this new standalone YA fantasy, I have a feeling that you will like it if you are a fan of Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo. The ensemble cast and alternating perspectives are fantastically written. Each of core cast member - Cassa, Evander, Alys, and Newt, along with Vesper - all have distinct voices and intriguing journeys. I couldn't help but love each of them for a variety of reasons - there's even plenty of good banter that helped cement my appreciation for Soria's style. Plus, the on page diversity representation here is great - gay, bi, ace, fat, dark skin, and anxiety - for our main characters. While the characters really made this story work for me, I also appreciated the world-building and the magic system. I have to admit, the citadel itself is practically a character in its own right. The idea that prophecies are political and that there are various other abilities were very intriguing to me to see them all worked into the story line. To be honest, my only real complaint is that the novel takes a little while to take off and hook you - not to mention that although this is a standalone I'd still like to spend more time with these characters. Overall, I highly recommend this new YA fantasy from Destiny Soria, especially if you're interested in getting to know a Kaz and company-esque gang.

.Beneath the Citadel follows a ragtag group of rebels as they attempt to infiltrate the citadel. They believe the government is hiding the reason that citizens of the city keep falling dead and they are determined to uncover the truth. This book is full of diverse characters fighting a corrupt government and has a plot that will keep you flipping the pages.

The cast of characters are all very three dimensional. There are flashback scenes that show memories of each character that have shaped them into who they are, giving each character a complex back story. The characters are also incredibly diverse. Alys, who is a diviner, is asexual and struggles with crippling anxiety. Newt, a contortionist, is gay and has suffered extreme trauma and probably has PTSD. Evander, who is blood bonded to silver, is bisexual. Then there is also Vesper, who can steal memories and Cassa, their leader. These types of characters represent the LGBTQ community and mental illnesses, but they are developed so well that their stories feel exceptionally genuine.

Destiny Soria does a great job weaving this fantasy world and bringing it to life. The different types of magic that exist in this world makes for a very interesting story. Rooks, or those that can steal memories, are probably my favorite because of how powerful they are. The way that these different abilities are described really helps bring this fantasy world to life.

The plot is incredibly captivating. The action hardly ever stops and there’s a quick- moving pace to the book. The tension is built up well for the rising action and climax. There are also twists to this tale that you will never see coming.

Beneath the Citadel is absolute fantasy gold. Destiny Soria gives you characters that you adore and places them in a fantasy world that is dark and magical and then creates a plot full of action and unexpected surprises. This book is a hidden gem. The cover drew me in, but the writing made me a fan. Keep an eye on Destiny Soria, because she very well might become your next favorite young adult fantasy author.

When I first received an eARC for this novel, I was really interested in the story and was excited to start. However, I did have to wait a bit to begin and dedicated the month of August to read the book. Unfortunately, when I did start Beneath the Citadel, I didn’t realize how hard it was going to read the book. I did not expect that it was going to be a battle.

Life has got in the way and I have entered a reading slump. My interest level went from the top to right down below. I read at every chance I had, but it was few in between and minimal progress. As I tried to continue, I couldn’t not retrieve the interest I had in the story. My interest was lost completely.

Nevertheless, I pushed back and was able to finally the story. I did not hate or dislike the story at all, but I never found the enjoyment I was hoping for either. I was interesting and I can see the goodness and potential of the story, but I just could not get into it as much as I would have liked to. The slump really defeated me for liking this story.

Based on other reviews, this novel has a lot of rep and should definitely be worth reading, which is why I kept pushing to read this novel. I only wished that I did not have the slump and I probably would have enjoyed this story a whole lot more.

Hi everybody!
Today I have a very exciting post for you all; I was able to receive an arc (thanks to NetGalley and ABRAMS Kids) of Beneath the Citadel by Destiny Soria in exchange for an honest review and my goodness, I absolutely adored this book to pieces.
In case you're unaware of what this story is about, I'm going to provide the synopsis that's on Goodreads for you all to read:
In the city of Eldra, people are ruled by ancient prophecies. For centuries, the high council has stayed in power by virtue of the prophecies of the elder seers. After the last infallible prophecy came to pass, growing unrest led to murders and an eventual rebellion that raged for more than a decade.
In the present day, Cassa, the orphaned daughter of rebels, is determined to fight back against the high council, which governs Eldra from behind the walls of the citadel. Her only allies are no-nonsense Alys, easygoing Evander, and perpetually underestimated Newt, and Cassa struggles to come to terms with the legacy of rebellion her dead parents have left her — and the fear that she may be inadequate to shoulder the burden. But by the time Cassa and her friends uncover the mystery of the final infallible prophecy, it may be too late to save the city — or themselves.
Beneath the Citadel is set to be released on October 9th (which is so soon!!) and before I delve into my thoughts about the book, I'd like to offer a few trigger warnings. This book does discuss anxiety, panic attacks (and at times goes into detail as a character is experiencing them), PTSD, and death of parents (as well as death in general); if any of these subjects could potentially cause you discomfort or unease, please take your well-being into account before reading this story. How you feel is so important and it's okay to put yourself first.
What I loved most about this book is how careful and thought out the author was with her characters. I was sucked into each of their perspectives and also really appreicated the points in where we were given chapters filling us in on what happened before they set out on this adventure to better understand them. You really get a glimpse inside each of the characters heads and I just really admired how well they all had their own voice and it was easy to tell (at least from my reading experience) who it was you were reading the perspective of.
As someone who has experienced anxiety and panic attacks before, I really appreciated the parts in which that subject matter was discussed and how it was done. When I was reading about Alys's anxiety, I honestly felt understood because she and I are very similar in how we handle it and it was really nice to see that representation.
Overall, Beneath the Citadel was a wonderful read and I can't wait for its official release on October 9th so you all can experience this journey these characters go on.

This was a fantastic book. Easy to read, I didn't even think I read as fast as I did. I loved this group of misfits so much. It was hard to pick a favorite of the group because I loved them all so much. The Representation of Cassa, Alys, Vesper, Evander and Newt was something I haven't read in awhile. Great plus sized representation for Alys who was also the genius of the group. This was a book about friendship and the bonds of a found family. With compelling plot, great characters, this was a fantastic book and I beyond happy I was able to read it for my blog. Thank you to Netgalley for the arc of this ahead of publication.