Metal Slinger: Fire & Metal: Book One

I think this book was over-hyped to me, so I thought it was pretty good, but I was a little disappointed because I had higher expectations.

I read Metal Slinger in about three days. The premise is genuinely intriguing, and the story had potential to be a standout in the romantasy space. But the execution left me frustrated.

The pacing felt uneven, and the magic system often came across as too convenient—more like a plot device than something fully developed. The ending was abrupt, and while it did leave me curious about what happens next, I couldn’t imagine continuing the book any longer. I might skim a summary of the sequel just to tie up loose ends, but I’m not sure I’ll commit to reading it.

I’m usually not too picky about grammar or spelling errors in published works—things get missed, and that’s understandable. But this was excessive. Misspelled words, missing words, poor grammar… it was a mess throughout, and only got worse toward the end. It wasn’t just distracting—it made the storytelling feel rushed and under-edited. The characters didn’t help either. I struggled to connect with the MCs, and they didn’t feel fleshed out enough to carry the emotional weight of the story.

What’s especially disappointing is that this book could have been a 4 or even 5-star read with stronger editing and deeper character work. I really wanted to love it. What’s baffling is how much attention Metal Slinger is getting on Instagram and BookTok, while so many better-crafted romantasy series are flying under the radar. The hype doesn’t match the quality, and it’s frustrating to see overlooked gems passed by in favor of something that feels unfinished.

As it stands, this is a 2, maybe 2.5-star read for me. I wish it had been given more time and care—it deserved it.

Huge plot twist and cliff hanger at the end!

I enjoyed the story and overall experience of reading this book. I think it would be helpful to include a map of the world and further explanation of the magic system. Hopefully that will happen in book two. The end was quite the twist, but I thought it made the main character more interesting. What I did find surprising was the numerous punctuation and editing errors. They didn’t hinder the story but by the end were more and more noticeable.

I just finished this book and I feel like I just went through whiplash. I knew something was coming, but I didn't expect the plot twist, which honestly felt so out of left field. I reread chapters 55-56 twice just to make sure that I didn't skip anything. There was very little foreshadowing and I felt betrayed. Betrayed by everyone really, and especially the author. Other than the plot twist, this was mainly a vibe read. The vibes were good, the love story was good but questionable at times. The magic was oddly described, and when it was, it seemed to be changed every time to further the romance/lack of plot that was happening. I'm still very confused when it came to the world building, and maybe a map could have helped? Will I read the next book? Absolutely. Because this duology now hinges on that book making up for the holes and the thrown-together tropes we are given in this one.