Update 8/29/17: 
 See more reviews on my blog Novels and Necklaces 
 Actual rating: 3.5 stars 
 While I had my doubts when I first started reading Lesley Livingston's newest novel, it turned out to be an amazing story that I can't wait to find out what happens next! I have been a fan of Lesley Livingston for awhile, but unfortunately, her last couple of books fell flat for me. But I was willing to give this book a shot because...FEMALE GLADIATORS!! Who could possibly turn that down?! When I first started reading, it was incredibly slow and all I was thinking was, "Please not again :(" But luckily this book really picks up and the development of not only the characters but also the plot was astounding! It was well worth trudging through the beginning to arrive at the end fully satisfied and hungry for more. 
 Fallon, our main character, is an absolutely amazing protagonist for this book. She's badass and genuinely good. She has a strong sense of self and good morals. If Fallon feels someone is being treated unfairly, she sticks up for them, and she truly blossoms into a one-of-a-kind character by the end of this book. Fallon never gives up, and that shines through with every page. I applaud the strong female friendship that Ms. Livingston wrote. It's so rare that such a strong female friendship is even mentioned in YA books these days, and it was refreshing to see. Honestly, the bond between Fallon and Elka was fun and sister-like. They can go from wanting to tear each other's hair out to fighting for each other in a snap....and if that doesn't describe a sister than what does? They both can kick some major butt on their own, but together they're even stronger! 
 One of my absolute favorite parts of this entire book though was the actual plot and the setting. It was so unique and richly described that I felt as if I was right there alongside of the characters. I loved that she didn't shy away from the more unpleasant things that go along with this time period. You can tell that Ms. Livingston researched the Roman empire and its hierarchy in great detail before writing this book. And the result of that research is what makes this book so incredibly good. 
 However, there were two main reasons I had to lower the rating on this book. First was the beginning. It was very boring and slow to me. I did almost DNF it because it was that dull. I kept waiting and waiting for what the synopsis promised and the book wasn't delivering. But, I stuck in there (because after all, this isn't that long of a book to begin with), and was happy I did. The second thing was the romance. It was very much insta-love, but a super awkward insta-love...and that is not a good mix. It's hard to describe, but I just never could get into the relationship that developed between Cai and Fallon. This book definitely didn't need it in any way, and would have been much better focusing on either just Fallon and being her badass female gladiator self with maybe a friendship developing into something more in later books between Fallon and Cai. 
 I definitely would recommend checking out this book! Although it has a slow start, once you get through this you will never want to stop reading!! With a unique and interesting setting and plot, and a strong female lead, there is a lot to love about this book. I can't wait to see what is going to happen next!! 
 Happy reading :)