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review 2018-12-01 00:58
A magically delicious start to a new adult fantasy series...
Kill the Queen - Jennifer Estep

๏ ๏ ๏  Book Blurb ๏ ๏ ๏ 

 

In a realm where one’s magical power determines one’s worth, Lady Everleigh’s lack of obvious ability relegates her to the shadows of the royal court of Bellona, a kingdom steeped in gladiator tradition. Seventeenth in line for the throne, Evie is nothing more than a ceremonial fixture, overlooked and mostly forgotten.

 

But dark forces are at work inside the palace. When her cousin Vasilia, the crown princess, assassinates her mother the queen and takes the throne by force, Evie is also attacked, along with the rest of the royal family. Luckily for Evie, her secret immunity to magic helps her escape the massacre.

 

Forced into hiding to survive, she falls in with a gladiator troupe. Though they use their talents to entertain and amuse the masses, the gladiators are actually highly trained warriors skilled in the art of war, especially Lucas Sullivan, a powerful magier with secrets of his own. Uncertain of her future—or if she even has one—Evie begins training with the troupe until she can decide her next move.

 

But as the bloodthirsty Vasilia exerts her power, pushing Bellona to the brink of war, Evie’s fate becomes clear: she must become a fearsome gladiator herself . . . and kill the queen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

๏ ๏ ๏  My Review ๏ ๏ ๏ 

 

This first entry in the Crown of Shards Series opens up with this magically fantastical and intriguing world that feels part medieval mixed with some modern flourishes.  The cover encompasses this medieval-modern-ness that it has going on, perfectly. This is billed as Gladiator meets Game of Thrones (albeit it's a whole lot cleaner than GOT) and from what I know of those works...it's a fairly apt description. 

 

This book doesn't burden you with a whole lot of info dumping, it cuts right to the action and doesn't let up until the end.  This fast-pace is paired with a 28-year-old heroine that isn't the typical teenager heroine that you get with Fantasy.  There is also only a splash of romance and it's kept fairly tame, but for me personally, I hope that the romance heats up a bit in the second book.  Overall this was exquisitely bad-ass and I couldn't stop listening and I totally can't wait to listen to the sequel.

 

 

๏ ๏ ๏  MY RATING ๏ ๏ ๏ 

 

☆5STARS - GRADE=A+

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

๏ Breakdown of Ratings ๏ 

 
Plot⇝ 5/5
Main Characters⇝ 5/5
Secondary Characters⇝ 5/5
The Feels⇝ 5/5
Pacing⇝ 4.7/5
Addictiveness⇝ 5/5
Theme or Tone⇝ 5/5
Flow (Writing Style)⇝ 4.8/5
Backdrop (World Building)⇝ 4.5/5
Originality⇝ 5/5
Ending⇝ 5/5 Cliffhanger⇝ "to be continued"
๏ ๏ ๏
Book Cover⇝ Love it!  It is rather badass...
Narration⇝ ☆4.5☆ for Lauren Fortgang, I liked her better in this than I did in the Grisha Trilogy.
Series⇝ Crown of Shards #1
Setting⇝ Bellona
Source⇝ Audiobook (Library)
๏ ๏ ๏
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review 2014-06-15 00:51
"A librarian can't live by books alone, and I wouldn't eat them if I could. Feel too much like cannibalism."
Ashfall (Ashfall Trilogy) - Mike Mullin

--Mike Mullin, Ashfall

 

Synopsis:

 

Under the bubbling hot springs and geysers of Yellowstone National Park is a supervolcano. Most people don't know it's there. The caldera is so large that it can only be seen from a plane or satellite. It just could be overdue for an eruption, which would change the landscape and climate of our planet.

For Alex, being left alone for the weekend means having the freedom to play computer games and hang out with his friends without hassle from his mother. Then the Yellowstone supervolcano erupts, plunging his hometown into a nightmare of darkness, ash, and violence. Alex begins a harrowing trek to seach for his family and finds help in Darla, a travel partner he meets along the way. Together they must find the strength and skills to survive and outlast an epic disaster.

 

While this book could be depressing, (it is about the end of the world as we know it, after all); it still had it's moments like that quote from the librarian that made you laugh.  I believe she was bartering some food for some books when she said that.

 

I was thoroughly entertained while reading this book, it never really got bogged down, always something going on, and not always "cringe worthy" stuff either.  They were heartfelt parts and some "edge of your seat" action, plus some funny shit and angsty teenage love parts too.

 

It it a refreshing, coming of age story with some crazy, holy shit disaster moments.  Darla and Alex's interactions with each other are so endearing, I really quite liked them.

 

I will definitely be reading the rest of the series.

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