This review was written for ninedaysqueen, and is dedicated to them. Please click the dedication to go check out their work!

* Note: This is the review portion of a line-by-line critique. The critique was shared with the author via Google Docs.

Book Title: Iron and Wood

Book Genre: Vampire/Fantasy/LGBTQ+

Date of Review: March 7, 2016

Chapter(s) Reviewed: 1 & 2

Approximate Chapter Length: 1000 & 2100

Content Flags: None in the first two chapters

Summary (copied from book description)

Shal has had her future laid out for her for as long as she can remember. Cursed with vampirism and trained as a killer, she has accepted her fate as an enforcer for the Empire. Escape has never seemed possible until now, when an opportunity arises in the form of a fragile young woman chosen to die in a dark ceremony. They may make it to the woods, but it's miles of wild territory to uncertain safety, and the Imperial trackers are always following...

Review

Shal is a Templar in the Fortress City, and as such it is her duty to lead five Chosen girls to the altar as an offering to the Emperor each year even knowing that four of them are doomed to die. Shal is not blood shy; she needs it to survive, and she'll kill for it if she has to. But it's different looking innocent young women in the eye as you lead them to the slaughter.

Everything changes when the father of one of the Chosen offers Shal an out: he has the key that can unlock her collar, giving her a chance to earn her freedom. In exchange, she will take his daughter to safety. It's an offer Shal isn't sure she wants to take. So many things could go wrong, and she's not ready to die. In the end, though, the promise of freedom is too enticing to ignore.

ninedaysqueen crafts a compelling story in Iron and Wood, particularly once the second chapter starts and the plot picks up. There are some flaws to work out in this draft of the book, and there are skills the author could add to her repertoire to fully immerse readers in the main character's perspective. However, the base story is quite strong. The author has a good eye for balancing action with detail. Her dialogue is well-crafted and the stakes of the story raise early.

For those who enjoy vampire stories, this is certainly one to check out!