4.5 stars 
 Of Metal and Wishes was one of my most anticipated books of 2014. I mean, it's by Sarah Fine = enough said. I know that any book with her name on it will be amazing and I will finish it with a content smile on my face and in awe, just like before. Not to mention, a little flustered because I finished. 
 Yep. That happened. 
 Of Metal and Wishes can't be placed in one single boat. It's a mystery, fantasy with steam punk elements, romance and it has a historical feel to it. Oh, and it's a retelling. AND it's in a slaughter-house. I haven't read many books with so many different genre elements mixed so well together. Ever. It's eerie, and at times, gruesome (who doesn't LOVE that!?) with such amazing, well crafted characters that you immediately connect with. 
 One of my favorite things about Sarah's books is that she doesn't hold back. Scenes are gory & intense. Characters are full of flaws, and they're right out in the open, even those more dirty ones. Not everything is happy-go-lucky, people suffer - have had a bad hand dealt. Yet her writing helps you see the beauty in everything. 
 I just adored Wen. She is strong, fierce and isn't afraid to show compassion and stand up for what she believes in. Recently moving to live with - and train - with her father, she is still grieving the death of her mother, and is still learning the ins and outs of the slaughter-house and it's workers. She is very protective over the Noor and how unfairly they were treated, even with the warnings she got and stories she was told. I just loved that about her. She wasn't one to swim with the crowd, but one to break free and swim upstream. 
 Her relationship with Melik was an intense, slow build from the beginning. There are many things between them, social class, the ghost etc. - but you know she genuinely cares are him. I loved their scenes together, especially when Melik was telling her about his past and how he grew up. Relationships that really have to overcome several real obstacles are my favorite, and this is one of the things Sarah does best. 
 This is where the ghost comes in. As far as he is concerned - I don't want to discuss much about him. it's not technically a spoiler, but I do believe the less you know, the better. His actions, thought process and well, everything about him was fascinating. He too, cares for Wen and goes to such great lengths to protect her, it's pretty freaking scary. 
 The ending was bittersweet, yet perfect. I knew there was doing to be a sequel, but the book would have been perfect as a standalone. 
 My Peeve - 
 The only thing that really bothered me - I wasn't able to read it straight through. Of course, this has absolutely nothing to do with the book itself, but I needed to get it out there. READ IT STRAIGHT from cover to cover. 
 Overall - 
 I loved it. I wish I was able to express all my love for this book, but.... 
 Sarah Fine is one of my absolute favorite authors and I can't recommend her books enough. Seriously. Read it. Oh! And I still can't look at a spider without shuddering. 
 *I received this book from the Publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.*