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A review by erinarkin20
Gambit by C.L. Denault
5.0
4.5 stars rounding to 5.
Gambit is a story I came across as I was flipping through pages in NetGalley and I am so glad I took a chance on it. I ended up starting this one and being unable to put it down until I finished.
Willow has grown up outside of the Core as the daughter of a tavern owner. I was immediately pulled into this story where people whose genetic makeup means they have skills that make them valuable, are taken and used by the Core for whatever they want. I thought Denault did a wonderful job of building out this world and using Willow’s new experiences to help explain everything.
The other thing I thought Denault did well was develop the characters of this story. The primary and the secondary characters all have interesting stories and I can’t wait to learn more as the series progresses.
I thought Willow was a solid character. She is strong-willed and as she comes to terms with who she is and what she can do, she is pulled into a life she never really imagined. All she really wanted was to learn who and where she comes from and she ends up with more than she bargained for.
As soon as Reece is introduced, it is clear that things are going to get interesting. He is a genetically enhanced military commander who serves the Core. He also notices something immediately about Willow and as the story progresses, he definitely has an agenda…that includes Willow.
Reece is interesting and not really what I expected. At first he comes across as the bad guy – example:
“So, I’ll give you a choice. You can come along quietly and spare your father’s life. Or I can shower you in his blood and take you by force.” The commander’s smile was heartless. “Choose wisely.”
He is absolutely working toward something, we just don’t know what it is right away and as the story moves forward, I admit it, I started to like him. He begins to change…or at least their feelings toward each other change.
I don’t want to give anything away about what happens but you do need to know that because of who Willow is and who her parents are, people are chasing them the entire time they are headed to the Core to meet her parents…and fulfill her marital contract. As Willow begins to learn about how things really operate in the Core, she begins to understand just what she needs to do in order to stay alive and with the people she cares about.
There is plenty of action, intrigue, and magic in this story to keep you turning the pages and if you haven’t added this one to your to be read list, definitely consider it. I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book as I am curious to see where Willow is headed after the way this book ended.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.
Gambit is a story I came across as I was flipping through pages in NetGalley and I am so glad I took a chance on it. I ended up starting this one and being unable to put it down until I finished.
Willow has grown up outside of the Core as the daughter of a tavern owner. I was immediately pulled into this story where people whose genetic makeup means they have skills that make them valuable, are taken and used by the Core for whatever they want. I thought Denault did a wonderful job of building out this world and using Willow’s new experiences to help explain everything.
The other thing I thought Denault did well was develop the characters of this story. The primary and the secondary characters all have interesting stories and I can’t wait to learn more as the series progresses.
I thought Willow was a solid character. She is strong-willed and as she comes to terms with who she is and what she can do, she is pulled into a life she never really imagined. All she really wanted was to learn who and where she comes from and she ends up with more than she bargained for.
As soon as Reece is introduced, it is clear that things are going to get interesting. He is a genetically enhanced military commander who serves the Core. He also notices something immediately about Willow and as the story progresses, he definitely has an agenda…that includes Willow.
Reece is interesting and not really what I expected. At first he comes across as the bad guy – example:
“So, I’ll give you a choice. You can come along quietly and spare your father’s life. Or I can shower you in his blood and take you by force.” The commander’s smile was heartless. “Choose wisely.”
He is absolutely working toward something, we just don’t know what it is right away and as the story moves forward, I admit it, I started to like him. He begins to change…or at least their feelings toward each other change.
I don’t want to give anything away about what happens but you do need to know that because of who Willow is and who her parents are, people are chasing them the entire time they are headed to the Core to meet her parents…and fulfill her marital contract. As Willow begins to learn about how things really operate in the Core, she begins to understand just what she needs to do in order to stay alive and with the people she cares about.
There is plenty of action, intrigue, and magic in this story to keep you turning the pages and if you haven’t added this one to your to be read list, definitely consider it. I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book as I am curious to see where Willow is headed after the way this book ended.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.