I will not lie, this book was a mess. But a fun mess.
The setting and worldbuilding really drew me in and the unstructured chaos of a story always kept me on my toes. ( )

I have got to stop starting RJ Blain books near bedtime - the sun is coming up. New and interesting world - post-apocalypse with magic, and a lot of physical damage (Florida is mostly underwater, for instance). Shifters - not quite the same as any of her other worlds. Mystics. Mercenaries, armed mostly with swords and poison/sedative darts. Assassins, and a complex bounty system. Magic stones that "burst" and have strong effects on land and people nearby. And the weirdest family tangle yet. Next, please! ( )

Unique and fun

Several interesting ideas wrapped around standard romance tropes. A couple of really great lines, but overall a bit too long. It's really a short story and two novels all bound together. It made some of the banter feel repetitive. There were also a few continuity grey areas. Better editing would help.

I would love to read another in this universe. I'd pay full price without flinching. ( )

The setting is post-apocalyptic United States where technology and magic have clashed. While not a unique concept, the execution has its own style, look, and tone, making it more than "another one of those". The characters are strong individuals with distinctive personalities and the protagonist has depth. The well-written story takes some unexpected turns and the telling held me rapt for hours.

Honestly, the only downside to this novel is that while the plot concludes very satisfyingly, its romance does not. Fortunately, the sequel officially arrives December 2019. I recently re-read this and am avidly looking forward to the sequel. I highly recommend this as something a little different from your average urban fantasy, with plenty of fantasy elements and a smattering of modern touch-points built in to remind the reader how the world is askew from what you know-- without going over-the-top and re-naming everything just to make it artificially weird. If you enjoy the genre, this is truly a book well worth your time. ( )

Starfall changed everything, leaving some cities in ruins while survivors in others developed magical abilities. Jesse Alexander, once the pride of her clan, ran away after accidentally choosing to become a woman and is now a respected bodyguard who moonlights as the infamous assassin, Water Viper. A fateful encounter in a sinking Miami leaves her with a pulsing Starfall stone that could burst at any moment and a high bounty on her head. With herself, her secrets, and her friends in danger, Jesse skips town and disappears, retiring to raise horses and work as a courier. A promise forces her to return to her erstwhile home in Charlotte and Jesse finds herself at the centre of a dangerous situation. This could be her chance to right all the wrongs of her past, if she survives.

The post-Starfall world RJ Blain has created is realistic, exciting, and populated with memorable characters. It’s always refreshing to encounter a post-apocalyptic style setting where the government hasn’t fallen apart. The prose is direct and evokes vivid descriptions with a minimum of exposition. In general, I avoid books involving shifters, but Water Viper is one of the few that incorporates them while maintaining a balanced plot and allowing the characters to retain their higher thinking processes. There’s a trick to creating strong female characters and Blain has mastered it. Jesse strikes the perfect balance between physical strength, skill, and vulnerability. Water Viper is the most enjoyable book I’ve read this year, and the latest addition to my list of favourites.

(Reviewed for Reader's Favorite) ( )