Title: Of Metal and Wishes
Author: Sarah Fine
Series: Of Metal and Wishes #1
Genre: YA Paranormal
Format: Hardcover, 320 pages
Release Date: August 5th 2014
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Source: ARC received from publisher in exchange for an honest review

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There are whispers of a ghost in the slaughterhouse where sixteen-year-old Wen assists her father in his medical clinic—a ghost who grants wishes to those who need them most. When one of the Noor, men hired as cheap factory labor, humiliates Wen, she makes an impulsive wish of her own, and the Ghost grants it. Brutally.

Guilt-ridden, Wen befriends the Noor, including their outspoken leader, a young man named Melik. At the same time, she is lured by the mystery of the Ghost and learns he has been watching her … for a very long time.

As deadly accidents fuel tensions within the factory, Wen must confront her growing feelings for Melik, who is enraged at the sadistic factory bosses and the prejudice faced by his people at the hand of Wen’s, and her need to appease the Ghost, who is determined to protect her against any threat—real or imagined. She must decide whom she can trust, because as her heart is torn, the factory is exploding around her … and she might go down with it.
 

When I went into this book, I honestly did not know what to expect. What I got was one of the most original YA stories I have read in years. For the category this kind of transcended genres. To be honest I really don't know how to explain this book to someone who has no read it because there were so many elements to this book that it would be hard to explain. So instead of trying to explain what the story is about, I will just say what I liked about this book.

The setting. Now I don't really know when the story takes place. It seems like the past but I am not sure exactly when, but what I loved the most was that it was set in a slaughterhouse! For one it was gruesome in parts because, really, it was set it a slaughterhouse! This setting made for a great dark and ominous environment and made for a great read. I was on the edge of my seat throughout the whole thing because I honestly did not know what to expect.

There were many characters in this book, but there were really 3 that outshines the others. There was our narrator Wen who was an amazing character herself. She was strong, independent and yet held back by the society around her. The undertone of this book was really the star of the show, especially since it reacted on race, gender and class. I loved that aspect and I cant wait for more in the next few books. But back to the characters, after Wen there was Melik, a Noor who is an outsider to the slaughterhouse and his people are degraded by those that do not understand where they came from. He was a very interesting character to read about because he was an outsider and yet he got into Wen's head and we begin to see that she doesn't see him as different at all. More intriguing than anything else. Lastly there was The Ghost. I really can't say much about this character because it would ruin the story a bit but I think I liked this character the most out of all of them because I felt like there was more character growth in its part. We got to see so many sides of this character and in the end I really felt for it and what it was going through.

Everything about this book was unique and I am so glad I picked it up because I would have missed out on a great up and coming author. I seriously cannot wait for the next book in this series because the way this one ended did not satisfy me at all!