Dystopia, Home, Young Adult

Review: Queen of the Tearling

Queen of the tearling

Ratings: 3/5 3 out of 5

 

Kelsea Glynn is the sole heir to the throne of Tearling but has been raised in secret by foster parents after her mother – Queen Elyssa, as vain as she was stupid – was murdered for ruining her kingdom. For 18 years, the Tearling has been ruled by Kelsea’s uncle in the role of Regent however he is but the debauched puppet of the Red Queen, the sorceress-tyrant of neighbouring realm of Mortmesme. On Kelsea’s 19th birthday, the tattered remnants of her mother’s guard – each pledged to defend the queen to the death – arrive to bring this most un-regal young woman out of hiding…

And so begins her journey back to her kingdom’s heart, to claim the throne, earn the loyalty of her people, overturn her mother’s legacy and redeem the Tearling from the forces of corruption and dark magic that are threatening to destroy it. But Kelsea’s story is not just about her learning the true nature of her inheritance – it’s about a heroine who must learn to acknowledge and live with the realities of coming of age in all its insecurities and attractions, alongside the ethical dilemmas of ruling justly and fairly while simply trying to stay alive..

I’ll be honest, I had very low expectations for this book, partly because of the abundance of negative reviews this book has on Goodreads and partly because of Emma Watson’s apparent obsession with this book. Now that I have finally read it myself, I am pleasantly surprised: Queen of the Tearling is an intriguing, entertaining, well-written piece of fantasy and a classic example of why we should all read a book ourselves in order to form our own opinion instead of listening to what the mass people are saying. The characters were very interesting and well developed–Kelsea is by far one of my favorite female characters; she has her flaws like any nineteen-year-old but what sets her apart Continue reading “Review: Queen of the Tearling”

Dystopia, Home, Young Adult

Review: Glass Sword (Red Queen#2) by Victoria Aveyard

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Ratings: ☕☕☕☕☕ (5/5)

SEE GOODREADS BLURB HERE

Trigger Warning: contains some scenes of graphic violence and torture. PG-13 

This is my review for the second book of the Red Queen series by Victoria Aveyard. Do not read this review if you have not read the previous book, as this review contains spoilers from the previous book. To see my review of Red Queen, click here.

If I thought Red Queen was “sweet” torture–you know, the kind of book that is really bad for your emotional stability but so addictive that you can’t help but want to keep reading it–then Glass Sword was, simply put, pure devastation. This book wrecked me, left emotional scars that will take a long time to heal, and made me have trust issues. Victoria Aveyard does not pull any punches, so if you are planning on picking this book up, readers beware: you are in for abrasive, ruthless protagonists, a violent psychopathic antagonist, and of course let’s not forget the disastrous fates of some beloved characters from the previous book.

Continue reading “Review: Glass Sword (Red Queen#2) by Victoria Aveyard”

Home, Other Bookish Stuff

Book Trailer: Red Queen + Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard

This is a world divided by blood – red or silver.

The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change.
That is, until she finds herself working in the Silver Palace. Here, surrounded by the people she hates the most, Mare discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power.

 

If you found Red Queen heartbreaking, then be prepared with a stressball and a tissue box (maybe even two) before you pick up Glass Sword, the second installment in Victoria Aveyard‘s stunning YA series. The sequel was just as exciting and thrilling as the first book in the series, but what really took my breath away was the plot and character Continue reading “Book Trailer: Red Queen + Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard”

Dystopia, Home, Retellings, Young Adult

Review: Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

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Ratings:  ☕☕☕☕☕ (5/5)

SEE  GOODREADS BLURB HERE

Excuse me while I collect my thoughts.

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I’ve been struggling to write this review without fangirling and failed five times. Just thinking about this story is making me feel tingly and excited inside! Unique, captivating and unforgettable, Victoria Aveyard’s debut novel Red Queen is a must-read for…well…everyone.

Continue reading “Review: Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard”