Esperaba mucho más de Seven Faceless Saints la novela de M.K. Lobb que he visto en algún sitio calificada como juvenil. Con una portada bastante impactante podríamos pensar que nos íbamos a encontrar con una novela “bañada en sangre”, pero nada más lejos de la realidad.


Lo primero, el escenario “italianizado” que pretende dar un sabor especial pero que se queda en meros toques genéricos. No creo que sea suficiente poner nombres italianos o decir “buona sera” de vez en cuando para imbuir una novela de una ambientación determinada. En este sentido, M.K. Lobb se queda muy corta.

La idea sobre la que gira la novela, podría hacerla algo más interesante. En la antigüedad existieron 7 santos que tenían poderes y sobre esa base se creó el sistema en el que se sustenta la sociedad de la novela. Hay unos cuantos privilegiados bendecidos por los santos que son capaces de utilizar esta magia y por lo tanto disfrutan de incontables beneficios, mientras que la plebe vive marginada y obligada a luchar en una guerra con una escisión de la ciudad estado en la que tiene lugar la historia. Vale que haya un movimiento reivindicativo en contra de la guerra y a favor de la igualdad de clases, pero es que está planteado muy burdamente.

Los personajes tampoco se salvan. La pareja protagonista son jóvenes torturados por su atracción mutua pero también con un pasado que los condena a enfrentarse. Sus relaciones familiares son bastante tóxicas, y esto se ve reflejado también en la narración. Pero es todo muy extremo y maniqueo, con el manejo de las emociones de los protagonistas y sus compañeros tan sutil como un bocadillo de algarrobas.

No puedo recomendar un libro con el que no he logrado conectar en ningún momento. Entiendo perfectamente que yo no soy el público objetivo de esta novela, pero me temo que los fallos estructurales del libro no son achacables a que el tema sea más o menos del gusto del lector.

An action adventure fantasy packed rollercoaster that will have you hanging off every word from start to finish.

I absolutely loved this book. The mystery grips you from the beginning, and although the final plot twist was a bit predictable, each chapter carried the tension enough for me to keep turning the page. This is not an enemies to lovers though, it's more a childhood friends to lovers to estranged traumatized teens. Still, I loved the relationship between Damian and Roz and the pining and angst. That said, Damian is my favorite: Soft conflicted boy that makes you wanna hug him.
At the end I found myself craving more of this fantasy world and I don't know if it wasn't explored more due to the wordcount. The italian setting and the saints magic system was interesting but you don't really see magic hapenning throughout the book. It would have been cool to see how each magic type worked and how that affects the world beyond the social hierarchies. Even roz doesn't use her magic almost at all and I was kind of expecting she would come around and really take advantage of it by the end.
My biggest critique is that the author could leave the saints but take all magic out and the story would remain the same. Still, very enjoyable book and I'll definitely read the sequel.

2-3 stars

Unfortanatly I did not love this one. I think I compared it to Nevernight too much for its MX and it just did not live up to that.

I wanted a more developed “enemies to lovers to enemies etc” romance developed but it was underwhelming for me and was almost too secondary to the book.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the free Arc!

DNFed at 44%, I just wasn't feeling this one. I have more exciting things to read, this felt super slow to me, and I'm not one for mysteries. The relationship was a lot of telling us how to feel rather than showing us their past and their feelings, it felt rather unfounded. I did really enjoy the seven Saints and how they bestow powers on some people and have their own guilds. It felt really original

3.75 stars

I've been wanting to read Seven Faceless Saints since the PW announcement for this went live. For one, it sounded like the type of book I would enjoy. I really enjoy murder mysteries set in a fantasy world and this one was very intriguing. The world-building was a tad bit confusing; with my understanding of the saints' powers only happening about halfway through the book. I also felt as though the pacing was a bit off; at the start it was quite slow so it took me some time to get through it.

I did enjoy both Roz and Damian's characters; they were the perfect foil to each other. Their dynamic was pretty interesting to read about. With how things ended, I have no idea what's going to happen in the next book, but I am excited to find out more.

SEVEN FACELESS SAINTS is a great debut.

This is a fantasy murder mystery with an unknown killer who seems to have access anywhere they want. I like mysteries, and I really like fantasy, so it's a very good combination for me. You get to explore another world and follow people as they try to solve what's happened (and the fantasy element means deaths can happen in a lot more ways.)

It's also a murder who is, unintentionally, highlighting inequality. Roz and Damian come up against the "who is considered important enough to have a proper investigation?" issue, which motivates them in different ways. I particularly enjoyed how it tangled with Damian's desire for approval. I think there's a part of many people (myself included) that can identify with at least some part of that desire and it makes it a really engaging arc.

There are only glimpses of the mythology of the Saints, but what I saw I loved. The Saints all represent a characteristic (sort of) - Chaos, Patience, Strength, Death (the one that isn't so much of a characteristic!) and so on. Their disciples have abilities that feel like a very fun, novel take on what you might expect for such names (metal for Patience, for example.) The creation myth hints sounded fascinating and I would love to know more.

For some reasons (not sure why) I thought this was a standalone, and it wasn't until I added the book on Goodreads that I discovered the book was actually the first in a duology. I really liked that the mystery this book is built around was resolved by the end. A new world is dawning, and new threats, thanks to the events of the ending, but the primary plot is wrapped up, which makes for a satisfying end but still makes you want to read the next book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC of 'Seven Faceless Saints' by M.K. Lobb.

'Seven Faceless Saints' was such a fantastic read from page 1. The plot hooked me from the start and I fell in love with the way Lobb wove in the beautiful but complex writing style with the themes of politics and injustice. The characters added to this sense with Damian and Roz. Roz was a perfect protagonist in my eyes, strong and determined but also willing to see other points of views when necessary.

It is so hard to believe that this is Lobb's first novel because this is of such high a caliber, I would have expected her to have been writing like this for ages. I definitely will be picking up book 2 and ordering my own copy of this beauty because I just adored it.

Many Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing the digital review copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
This book was on my look-for reads this year so I was very happy to be given the chance to review this book, having said that, I’ve got to say I was slightly disappointed in the book. So, the book starts with a murder, Damian is the captain, of the Palazzo security, which is the complex in which the saint’s representatives on earth are located. (think the Vatican) and following the murder of the official representative of the Saint of Death, Damian is charged with finding the killer. Soon Damian realises that this murder is similar to other murders in the city, and together with a former lover Roz, Damian and Roz must form an alliance to find the killer that is killing the saint blessed and the normal people of the city of Ombrazia.
The setting of the book is really good, and Lobb, had some good world building, however, I do think this could have been explored more, from references they are on earth, and we know that they are in a city, but this has no other frame of reference other than they are in a war with another city to the North. I also enjoyed the connection that Damian and Roz had, but in some parts what I thought they had was very naive, they have both changed so much since Damian left for war, and when they started to reconnect, it was only on the surface as they failed to reveal anything real about who the people they had become.
I think the most disappointing aspect of the book for me, is that the bones of the story, which is the murder mystery was just so obvious, while this kind of being pushed towards a concussion would have been ok for a younger audience, this is adult fiction and definitely needed more in terms of content.
I have seen quite a few of this same troupe over the last few months and I’m sorry to say that for me, this book isn’t one of the better ones.

Favourite Parts: The City of Ombrazia
Recommendations: Yes if you like Fantasy Murder Mystery
Rating: Three Stars

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

This was probably one of my favourite reads of the year so far. Lobb's worldbuilding is utterly engaging and I bought into the mythology of the seven saints almost immediately. Damian and Roz are both believeable and fascinating characters, and their relationship uses the enemies to lovers trope in a different way. I saw quite a few of the twists coming (and think I have a handle on a big one that should happen in the next book) but still loved the journey, and I'm really intrigued to see where the plot goes next.

I fell hard for this book since the first pages and I imagined Ombrazia as Florence, a city I visited more times, and the references to the wars made me think of a time around the end of XV century.
I loved this novel set in a society where magic and religion mixes and the magical skills are a badge of power and prestige. The disciples are the follower of the Faceless Saints and their gift are related to the saint.
This is the beginning and we start with a murder, Damian who suffers from PTSD and Roz, a spy of the rebels.
This unlikely couple will try to solve the murder and solve the riff between them.
The author is good storyteller and delivers a novel with a complex world building and intriguing characters.
I can't wait to read the next book in this series.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

Thankyou to NetGalley and Titan Books for a e-arc in exchange for an honest reveiew.

Narration- i really enjoy a dual POV narration and it helped with the pacing here (something that it struggled with in parts due to the writing being repetitive). Both the main characters did seem to get tedious at times as really reiterated their guilt, self loathing or anger at things that has happened in the past.

Story Plot- i love a good murder mystery and i do feel that this is the strongest/ most enjoyable part of the story for me. It kept me questioning things and despite the fact i did correctly guess at around 50% (due to some big hint being dropped) it didnt stop me enjoying it any less.

World building- The story is set in what seems like our Italy, except with a dash of magic. There's a strong commentary that looks at the politics behind religion that seems to parallel real world beliefs. I do wish it had showed more of the magic system as opposed to the politics of it- however this does leave it open to be developed more in the series.

Writing- i felt it was a little choppy and felt long and a little boring in parts... and then parts i was enjoying could have been developed further. It tried to be dark and atmospheric (and definitely succeeded at parts) but the immaturity of the characters ruined it for me.

Characters- liked them, but as i said i found them immature and repetitive. that being said, i do like the way that trauma was portrayed and maybe the trauma had stunted their maturity growth? I liked Damien SO much more than Roz. Roz infuriated me and she came across as a child spitting her dummy out (she did have genuine reason) but her anger was really all consuming and it made it difficult for me to like her. There romance was sweet at times and i loved that part of the story. I also love the friendship and loyalty between the security guards and Damian and would love more of that in the sequel.

Over all i did enjoy it! It just didnt blow me away or consume me... potentially because political fantasy isnt usually my kind of thing.. it has great potential going forward though!

This was such an addictive read, darker than I expected but i loved every second, the plot was so fast paced that it really kept you turning the pages beyond my bedtime. The world building is good and the story, murder mystery fantasy full of twists and turns is brilliant, the end really had me surprised, I’m so looking forward to the next book and where MK Lobb is taking me next

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

Seven Faceless Saints is an intriguing start to a blended series of fantasy, murder mystery, political tensions and a good old dash of intrigue to boot.

The world building of this book was meticulous, laying the groundwork for what promises to be an interesting series. In particular, Lobb sets a lot of time into building up the political and magic systems, both of which play a key role in the book. I found the whole concept of the seven Saints deeply fascinating and seeing the different powers manifest on the page was wonderful. When this is combined with some political manoeuvring, plenty of intrigue and a few dead bodies, you have a definite recipe for success.

The murder mystery aspect of the plot was brilliant, consistently engaging and surprising. The ritualistic killing was deeply horrifying, going into some gnarly details around the violence inflicted on the victims. That eye horror warning is definitely there for a reason. I liked how bloody the book was though, creating a genuine sense of danger and a high stakes investigation. Every time I thought I had it nailed down, some slight shift would happen and rupture everything. There is also a keen sense of whose deaths are seen as worth investigating and whose lives are seen as expendable, creating some timely commentary on class, power and the ‘perfect’ victims. In the same vein, I love a book that really digs into political corruption and the imbalance of power, building to an explosive shift. Lobb does this with such malevolent power, creating tension so thick and unbearable. The shifting motivations and allegiances of the characters meant you could never truly trust anyone and this tipped that mystery into a whole new level.

Seven Faceless Saints is a blood soaked series opener, gory and uncompromising in its interrogation of the corruption and abuse of power. I also loved the addition of an enemies to lovers plotline that really shines.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for providing me this arc in exchange fro an honest review.

This book was an amazing mystery with a touch of romance. It gave me angels and demons - illuminati vibes and I loved it.

If you're seeking to read a book like Six of Crows and Nevernight do NOT read it because you will not do it justice.


"When a group starts rebelling it's because they're desperate. It's because nothing else has worked."
It was really amazing. I loved the rebels and revolution side of the story.

"That was how people loved, wasn't it? By giving away pieces of themselves, little by little?"

First of all I love an angry heroine and Roz did deliver that. Also I liked a lot a more vulnerable male hero, like Damian. I detest male heroes with overpowering self-esteem who reek muscularity and testosterone. Roz the other way was really fiery and I loved her. And when they collided boy it was HOT!
I missed some of the found family which I loved and I wanted to see more of their friendships but other than that I can't wait for book two.

Roz and Damien are on opposite sides of a budding rebellion and in different social tiers of a city that favours disciples blessed with abilities from their saints. They have been avoiding each other, and their mutual past, but when they find themselves with the common goal of solving a string of murders in their city, they find themselves in close proximity forced to face their past and present. A dark and intriguing mix of fantasy & murder mystery with a sprinkling of past love turned enemies to lovers romance, this novel had me completely gripped. I loved the undertones exploring both privilege and the role of religion in society, as well as the setting and world building. I stayed up late to finish the book, unwilling to put it down, then awoke wishing there was already more story to ready. I can't wait for the next book.

Seven Faceless Saints lured me in with that intriguing title and beautiful cover. Set in the world of Ombrazia, the story follows our two main characters – Damian and Roz – as they attempt to uncover the truth about a series of murders that have taken place. Damian is head of security at the Palazzo, and recently returned from the war, he wants nothing more than to solve the murders and make his father proud. Roz is a disciple of the saint Patience, meaning she has magic and a more privileged life than many around her. But Roz never wanted to be a disciple and is strongly against the unjust systems that cost her father his life when he was killed as a deserter. While by day she is a disciple, by night she is part of the rebellion desperate to turn things around for Ombrazia’s people. Damian and Roz have a difficult history, but can the two team up and discover what is killing innocent people?

This was such a dark and addictive read. I found the concept so intriguing – a murder mystery set in a fantasy world and the fast-paced plot really kept me hooked. The story has solid world building and I must admit the reveal at the end did, in fact, take me by surprise. I really enjoyed Lobb’s writing style and there is plenty of time spent laying out the lore around the saints and the magic in the story. I am definitely keen to know more about the saints and am so intrigued to find out where Lobb will take things in book two.

Where I think Seven Faceless Saints shines is our two main protagonists. Told from both points of view, both characters are well developed as the story progresses. Roz is still grieving the loss of her father, determined to help the rebellion and her friends. Damian is tortured by the things that happened during the war and wants to solve the mystery and live up to his father’s name. Both characters have a difficult past and it was nice to have two characters already have a history instead of meeting for the first time. There is quite a heavy romance focus in the story, however, it was well executed. Overall Seven Faceless Saints is an impressive debut and if you’re looking for a dark fantasy story with plenty of magic, mystery, and romance, this will definitely be up your street.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

What an incredible debut! I need the second book in my hands right now!

This is a dual POV fantasy following Roz and Damian. Before Damian was drafted for the war up north, Damian and Roz were inseparable but after Damian’s father ordered the death of Roz’s father and Damian basically abandoned her, she can never forgive him. Now someone is murdering people around the city of Ombrazia with a mysterious poison and to solve the murders, Roz and Damian must team up. The only issue is, Damian is now a security officer at the Palazzo, the home of each of the representatives of the six faceless saints while Roz, despite being a disciple of Patience is not happy with the system and is a rebel trying to tear down the very thing Damian is trying to protect.

Ombrazia is clearly an Italian inspired city and that made me so happy being from an Italian family myself. This book was the perfect blend of romance and fantasy. We get the slow burn and tension between Roz and Damian while getting the world building and intriguing fantasy plot along with a murder mystery. All of my favourite things!

I DEVOURED this book, I had to force myself to put it down so I could sleep. There were some great twists in the plot, a couple I could see coming but I feel that the reader is supposed to be able to put some of the clues together themselves and figure things out along with the characters so I enjoyed that aspect.

The magic system was so interesting! I will admit it wasn’t utilised much at all in this book but I can tell that it’s going to be a lot more prominent in the next book. This one is very much about world and character building and getting us invested in the series. I really enjoyed the pacing and the characters; I love that this was dual POV because it gave us a chance to get to know each character intimately and to see their thoughts and inner monologues which made us understand their motivations and desires.

If you enjoy great world building, character development, enemies to lovers romance/second chance romance and a unique magic system then you will love this book. I am stunned that this is a debut honestly and I can’t wait to read more from M.K. Lobb! This book is out now so go grab it!

It always feels such a bummer to end up with a low rating for an ARC, but an honest opinion is what it is.
I heard about this book through my friends who mostly enjoyed it and said so many nice things so when I was reasonably excited to get approved for the ARC. But I guess I should learn my lesson to not trust the mass opinions because they very rarely match mine.
The reason why I didn't like it so much starts with the fact that it is just plain old Italy being slapped on a new name and suddenly supposedly being something completely different, and ends with the fact it was just a rebranded Kingdom of the Wicked.
The worldbuilding felt lackluster and the characters were.. I don't know. I liked Damien despite his blandness, but not Roz. She was self righteous and holier-than-thou, while simultaneously making unreasonable decisions.
I don't think there was anything original about this, at least nothing that stood out to me. Very juvenile both in plot and in characters, and reads more like an insufferable YA than the intended NA range.

It was good but not really….wowing? I know that’s not technically a word but I have no other way to describe the fact that the book was just a little flat. There was not much tension, not much sense of danger and not much of a climax where you need to keep turning the page to find out what happens next. But it has decent world building and decently developed characters. I loved when Roz showed her vulnerable side and I quite liked the secondary characters too. The romance was pretty good too, that was where the tension was at *chefs kiss*