When reviewing a book, I have to immediately begin writing the review up as soon as I finish reading the book, otherwise I’m prone to forgetting elements of the story or how the book made me feel, so below you will find a copy of the review that I wrote and posted on Goodreads as soon as I finished reading Half City and after you read that, if you choose to stick around after reading the review, I’ll share some thoughts of the book now that Half City has been released.
Congratulations on the new release Kate Golden!
The Review:
Rated 5 Stars
First up, I have to say that the wait for the next book is going to be vicious.
I had not read any of Kate Golden’s work before managing to snag a copy from Hachette Australia and New Zealand via Netgalley.
Thanks Hachette ANZ, for the opportunity to read this book, I really appreciate it.
I went into reading this book with the same nervous reservations that I do with any new to me author.
I knew little about the book aside from it was a romantasy and academy based – two things that I love in my books.
Within the first few pages I was immersed in the book, the world the author was creating and the more I read, the more I started to think of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Buffy, for those who don’t know, is the central character of the TV show that features The Slayer and her friends battling vampires and other forces of darkness and growing up I idolized Buffy – the strong, powerful, female warrior archetype.
I often thought to myself, who wouldn’t want to be as powerful and strong, as heroic as she is, who wouldn’t want to be the Chosen One?
It was only as I aged and grew more introspective that I would think about what being the Chosen One would actually feel like and it was those same feelings, that same introspection, the loneliness and bitterness, resolving into acceptance that drew me so thoroughly into the story and had me drawing parallels between Huntress Viv and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
This is definitely a book that I’m going to be thinking of for some time, especially because I’m eagerly awaiting seeing where the next story leads.
For sure, I can’t wait to see more of the sizzling chemistry and tension between Huntress Viv and ex-Brood demon, Reid – because I definitely think that there’s going to be more surprises coming from Reid in the next book. You can all but feel the emotional hits coming.
Also, I admit, I really want to learn more of Reid and his older brother, Deacon’s past.
With all that said, I hope that you pick up a copy of Half City and enjoy it just as much as I did.
Thoughts Now:
Now that some time has passed since I read Half City and wrote this review I can tell you that I felt like a complete dunderhead when, after posting this review, I immediately started following author, Kate Golden on her socials and saw Half City being advertised as Buffy x Fourth Wing and hear I thought that I was a clever chicken for seeing the similarities/inspiration, when Kate Golden had posted that she’d been inspired by the show, Buffy (total headslap moment).
As for my thoughts on Half City now, I stand by what I wrote in my review and will add that Half City was one of my favourite reads of 2025. Also, Reid and his older brother, Deacon have some serious Salvatore Brothers/Angel and Spike from Buffy energy happening, but don’t take my opinion on it, go and read the book and form your own.
Happy reading, my friends.
And, on one last note, I have since read A Dawn of Onyx, the first book in the Sacred Stones completed trilogy by Kate Golden and am a quarter of the way through the second book, A Promise of Peridot and have come to the conclusion that Kate Golden will now be an auto buy author for me.
Kit's Corner of Chaos 