In a world that’s been divided into four rival factions in the wake of a devastating event known as the Annihilation, 23-year-old Rubi Morningtail—an Azure refugee living in the Dominion of the Silver Tyger—finds herself thrust into a world of political intrigue, powerful magic, and deadly martial arts. When Rubi injures a battle tyger in order to save her own life, she gains the unwanted attention of Blake Axefire, the devastatingly handsome leader of the royal Tyger Warriors and a powerful metal mage. To hurt a tyger is a punishable offense, so Blake sentences Rubi to the Bonding, a deadly trial in which tygers choose their riders and the rest are slaughtered by the beasts. If she survives, Rubi must join Blake’s elite magical team racing against time to seal the Anchors to the demon realm before it’s too late. To say there’s a lot happening in this novel would be an understatement. There are shifters as well as benders who can manipulate metal, fire, and water. Rival factions are distinguished by their blue and metallic hair. Giant tygers—which are indistinguishable from tigers, but spelled with a y—roam the world, and there are demons and a rebellion to contend with. The result, while ambitious, is messy, and it’s hard to keep track of what’s going on. In addition, the romance between Rubi and Blake progresses too quickly to feel authentic. One moment they’re strangers who are at each other’s throats, the next they’re acting like inseparable soul mates—this only adds to the confusion and sporadic pacing of the book.