Posts Tagged 'kingdom'

Stardust in their Veins by Laura Sebastian

Published April 19, 2023 Uncategorized Leave a Comment
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Genre: Fantasy

This sequel to Castles In Their Bones follows the two remaining sisters, Daphne and Beatriz in the wake of Sophronia’s death. Daphne is still in denial that their mother could have had anything to do with her sister’s death and partly blames Sophronia for failing in the mission they have been trained to do since birth. Beatriz, meanwhile, has been imprisoned along with her husband for treason. Luckily, there are people willing to risk everything in order to help these sisters avenge Sophie and they do not want those efforts to be in vain. As Beatriz starts to explore the real possibility that she is an emphyrea she quickly learns that whatever her magical strength is is not a common one. Daphne is determined to find out exactly what happened to Sophie while also taking everything with a grain of salt, because up until now she has never had any reason to question what her mother tells her and it feels unnatural to stop trusting her now. As the stakes get higher, both sisters must choose where their loyalties lay in order to make the tough decisions they know are ahead. Can they get to the truth about their mother’s plan for them? How do the circumstances surrounding their birth explain their paths in life? Will they ever feel whole again without Sophie?

This was one of the most satisfying sequels that has been published in a while and fans will clamor for another installment. The plight of Beatriz and Daphne is so real and carefully created so that the reader cannot help but feel their anger, desperation, and pain as the true actions of their mother come to light. The action is so vivid that it’s easy to get caught up with both of their stories as the chapters switch between them. The characters are all really well described and despite how many there are, it’s easy to really become engrossed with what is happening with the supporting characters as well as the sisters. Highly Recommended.

A Thousand Heartbeats by Kiera Cass

Published February 8, 2023 Uncategorized Leave a Comment
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Genre: Romance

Princess Annika of Kadier knows it is her duty to marry someone she does not care for in order to secure the throne. She is more than willing to make this sacrifice for her people and their long term chance of peace. Meanwhile, Lennox is a Dahrainian and very much believes the throne was stolen from his people. He has done terrible things on the orders of his vicious stepdad in the hopes of proving his loyalty. When Lennox is given the chance to prove his worth as a leader he decides to sneak into Kadier and wreak havoc, but unexpectedly he comes across Annika (whose fiancee immediately flees and leaves her behind). Lennox takes Annika back to his home as a prisoner, but she is a lot feistier than anyone predicted and Lennox cannot help but feel respect for her. As their stories begin to connect they both start to realize they may not have all of the information about their countries’ respective histories. Can they trust each other? Can they trust those around them who may have been feeding them misinformation in order to control them? Can they move past their difficult pasts?

Fans of Kiera Cass will like this title even though it’s a touch predictable and tidy in places. The main characters are engaging and interesting and there are a few surprises in the plot, but many of the revelations won’t seem that astounding to readers. Nevertheless, it’s easy to root for these two as they try to find the truth and both truly want what is best for their people and that does not come without some steep losses for both of them. Anyone looking for a romance similar to Cass’s other books will enjoy this title.

Castles In Their Bones by Laura Sebastian

Published April 15, 2022 Uncategorized Leave a Comment
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Genre: Fantasy/Romance

Beatriz, Sophronia, and Daphne are princesses and triplets who were raised for the sole purpose of marrying the three nearby princes so that their mother could secretly find weaknesses that would allow her to invade and someday rule all of the land. They understood their purpose and endured a lifetime of training in poisons, code breaking, fighting, seductions, and so much more. Yet, once they are all sent to their new kingdoms things are not as simple as they first appeared and they start to realize there is more at play than they originally thought. Daphne arrives to find that her situation has changed irrevocably just prior to her arrival and is scrambling to re-strategize. Beatriz really likes her prince, but there is a problem that neither of them can ignore regarding their relationship. Sophronia, considered by their mother to be the weakest, starts to notice discrepancies in the way the kingdom collects and spends taxpayer dollars and starts to believe her and her new husband could potentially be really good rulers…if she doesn’t let her mother’s plotting get in the way. Can the three sisters who are so far from each other work together to untangle all the betrayals and secrets? How will they know who they can truly trust?

This exciting plot twists and turns from the beginning right up to the end. Fans of Grace and Fury and The Ash Princess series will devour this book and clamor for more. The three main characters are all placed in very different yet equally precarious situations that they must figure out largely on their own. All of them uncover betrayals and secrets that leave them shocked, which is saying something considering they were all raised with the sole purpose of overthrowing kingdoms. Their mother, while not a big character, is felt throughout the story and clearly has more power than even they could have predicted. The ending reveals some answers, but there are still many more to be had. Recommended.

The Betrayed by Kiera Cass

Published September 27, 2021 Uncategorized Leave a Comment
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Genre: Romance

Number of Pages: 292

In this sequel to The Betrothed, Hollis has been forced to flee her home country after her husband and parents were brutally murdered. All she has left is her new mother-in-law and sister-in-law. They have chosen to return to their homeland, but they are unsure if they will be welcome as the Isoltan King has made it clear he does not trust their family. Her husband’s cousin, Etan, has come to help them on the long journey but he has made it very clear that he does not care for Hollis and feels she has put his family in unnecessary danger. Hollis finds that she must prove herself to everyone she meets in this new kingdom because so few people trust Coroans. As she tries time and again to prove her loyalty to the family, Etan begins to come around and eventually the two grow close. They can’t help but feel guilty about their new infatuation after the recent demise of Hollis’s husband, who was Etan’s cousin. When they are summoned for a wedding of the Prince of Isolte, the King is very surprised to hear that Hollis’s husband and his family were brutally murdered. Hollis finds this interesting because she had assumed he was the one who ordered the attack. If the King of Isolte did not order her husband’s death then who did? Is she still in danger from this person? Why would someone want to murder her entire family on her wedding day? Is there any way for her and Etan to be together without feeling terrible guilt?

This book has a lot more action and drama than the first one did. The Betrothed ended in a really exciting way, but The Betrayed has more action and plot twists throughout the entire story. Hollis is a much stronger character than she first appears, but that could be because she finds along the way that there are things she truly cares about. In the beginning she simply went along with whatever people asked her to do, but by the end she is a force and will not be silenced. The ending has a few convenient developments that readers might find to be too easy, but nonetheless they will be satisfied with the ending of the story. The characters grow and develop throughout this series and readers will care what happens to them in the end.

The Betrothed by Kiera Cass

Published October 23, 2020 Uncategorized Leave a Comment
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Genre: Romance

# of Pages: 307

Hollis is a wealthy young lady who has suddenly caught the eye of the King at court and she is unsure how she feels about it. Her parents are thrilled at the prospect of their daughter becoming a Queen, but Hollis is not sure if this is the life she really wants. At the same time, she doesn’t have any other ideas for what she wants to do in life so she might as well be pampered and adored wherever she goes. In this kingdom, Queens have always been highly respected and revered, which pressures Hollis into thinking she has to be great if she were to become Queen. Suddenly, a family of refugees from a nearby kingdom arrives and with them, a young man whom she feels instant chemistry with. He is a talented metalsmith and has a mysterious past and Hollis can’t help but feel drawn to him. Could she really give up becoming Queen in order to chase someone she barely knows? Could she let down all of those around her who plan to benefit off of her impending nuptials?

As a fan of The Selection series I was so excited to read this new title by Kiera Cass, but unfortunately, most of the book lacked any real character development or plot movement. The ending was really exciting and definitely opens up the possibility for Hollis’s story to find some excitement, but up until then Hollis was a very difficult character to care about. She was unsure how she felt most of the time and extremely impressionable, but she was also unbelievably forgiving to those around her who might wish her harm. Most of the characters around her were very one-note as well which made it hard to feel one way or another about who Hollis ended up with. After the dramatic ending the next book could be really good, but I wish that the first one had taken the first 200 pages to better develop the characters and drive the plot.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Published September 20, 2013 Uncategorized 1 Comment
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Genre:  Fantasy/Science Fiction

# of Pages:  390

RAC:  Yes

Iowa Teen Award Winner 2013-2014

Cinder is a cyborg living in squalor with her stepmother and two stepsisters.  She works everyday as a mechanic while her family does nothing and spends all the money.  A terrible plague is striking their kingdom and Prince Kai is trying desperately to find a cure.  He has lost his mother to this disease and now his father has contracted it.  When Prince Kai comes to Cinder for help with his broken cyborg she conceals the fact that she is a cyborg because many people look down on cyborgs as less than human.  The plague soon strikes Cinder’s house and she is blamed for bringing it to the family.  Her stepmother sends her away to “volunteer” to be a test subject in the royal labs in order to find a cure.  When Cinder arrives at the testing facility they end up learning much more about her past than she could even imagine.  Who is she?  Who were her parents?  How did she come to be a cyborg?  

This retelling of Cinderella is new and fresh as Cinder has a robotic foot which causes her stress throughout the story.  The kingdom is in peril both from the plague and from an evil outside ruler trying to take over during their time of need.  Fans of futuristic novels, such as Divergent, will enjoy this title for its unique twist on an old tale and will eagerly grab the sequel to see what happens next. 

Fire by Kristin Cashore

Published April 19, 2013 Adventure , Award Winners , Fantasy , RAC Leave a Comment
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Genre:  Fantasy

# of Pages:  461

RAC:  Yes

In this companion to Graceling, Fire is half human and half monster.  She is amazingly beautiful and has the ability to control people’s minds, but due to the horrible things her father had done she chooses not to use her abilities and often covers her multi-colored hair.  She lives in a remote area with her best friend, Archer.  The Kingdom Fire lives in is in great turmoil as other kings are trying to take control of King Nash’s land.  After offering a warning Fire sensed to Nash’s mother he extends an invitation for her to come to the castle and help him identify other possible threats.   Fire chooses to go to the castle even though she is terrified of how people will react to her after the heinous deeds her father committed because she believes she must help save the kingdom she has grown to love.  As time goes on, however, it appears that whoever is out to get the king also wants her.  Can she save them all from certain destruction?

Fans of Graceling have enjoyed this title since its release and it has been named an Iowa Award Winner for 2013-2014.  Fire’s story is compelling as she struggles against a reputation she did not earn simply because of who her father is.  She is surrounded by strong, open minded people who yearn to overcome their bias of her, which is refreshing.  The plot is fast paced and involved an elaborate plot that most readers will not figure out too early.  The ending is very satisfying.  Recommended.

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

Published September 10, 2012 Historical Fiction , RAC , Romance Leave a Comment
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Genre:  Romance/Historical Fiction

# of Pages:  549

RAC:  Yes

     Ismae was born with terrible scars on her back because her father is Death and her mother tried to have her killed before she was born.   Later, Ismae’s stepfather sells her into a terrible arranged marriage.  Once her new husband sees her scars he believes Ismae to be cursed and starts to beat her.  She is rescued and sent to a convent where everyone works for Death.  Ismae comes to find she has talents for working as an assassin whenever Death shows her the mark that someone should die.  She is sent on a mission to help a man named Gavriel to protect a young girl who has recently taken power over a big nation.  Ismae knows there is a traitor amongst the duchess’s advisors, but is not as prepared for the task as she thought she would be.  Can Ismae find the traitor who threatens to put an entire kingdom in jeopardy before it is overtaken by enemies?  Can she trust Gavriel as her convent believes or is he in fact hiding any secrets of his own?

     This book is getting a lot of attention because it is engaging right from the beginning.  Any reader naturally wants to know more about Ismae’s skills as well as who is betraying the young duchess.  The characters are all memorable, which is important in a book with so many characters any of which could be the traitor.   The ending is satisfying and readers will want to see more of this character to find out what she is capable of.  Fans of Graceling and Star Crossed will enjoy this title as well.

Twice Upon a Marigold by Jean Ferris

Published September 22, 2009 Fantasy , RAC 1 Comment
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Genre:  Fantasy

Age Level:  12 and up

# of Pages:  297

RAC:  Yes

Marigold and Christian are living happily ever after in this sequel to Once Upon a Marigold until one day when they have their first fight.  Little do they know that it is foreshadowing trouble ahead as Marigold’s mother, whom they thought was dead, is actually regaining her memory in a town far away.  She has had amnesia for a year since her accidental fall into the river, but now she remembers who she is and is determined to reclaim her throne.  King Swithbert has been enjoying having his kingdom back under his own control and has no plans to relinquish that control, unless it is to Marigold and Christian.  When Olympia returns and sees what has happened to her kingdom she immediately makes plans to change it back to when everyone was unhappy and afraid of her.  She is only too happy to get rid of anyone who stands in her way, even her own husband and daughter.

For fans of the first book, this is a must read.  The returning characters are fun and great new ones are introduced.  The story itself moves very quickly too as the different characters make their plans for gaining control of the kingdom.  It’s not quite as captivating as the first one, but a fun read nonetheless.  Fantasy and fairy tale lovers will enjoy it.

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