Take a photo of a barcode or cover
874 reviews by:
ambeesbookishpages
The full review + more can be found at The Book Bratz
*Thank you so much to Farrar, Straus and Giroux and Fierce Reads for the opportunity to read LIFE STYLES OF GODS AND MONSTERS!*
I love Greek Mythology retellings, so a modern day retelling of the Minotaur myth? Sign me up! Now lets add in reality TV and fight to the deaths and its basically a kick ass book. This book is basically: Keeping Up With The Kardashians + Greek Mythology + The Hunger Games = Lifestyle of Gods and Monsters. Lifestyle of Gods and Monsters is a refreshing take on a timeless myth and a breathe of fresh air in the fantasy genre. If you are looking for a fun but dark quick fantasy read this is the perfect book for you.
In Crete every year fourteen teens for Athens compete for the chance to qualify for the chance to appear on The Labyrinth Contest, a fight to the death on life TV. Beat the Minotaur and you'll be rich among your wildest dreams. But in the ten years since the show first aired, no one has beaten the Minotaur. Ariadne, one of the three princesses of Crete, is the Keeper of the Gates and leads each competitor to the gates where the they ultimately meet their death. Ariadne has her own reservations about being the Keeper, but its the Gods plans for her and you never disobey the Gods. That's until she meets Theseus and she can't deny her quick growing attraction to him or the chemistry they seem to have. When Theseus begs Ariadne to help him beat the Minotaur, Ariadne begins to question everything she has known her whole life. Especially as dark secrets begin to unravel.
I really loved Ariadne's character. She's funny and dedicated to her family. She doesn't question her father and as long as she has her VR video games she is happy. That is until she meets Theseus and begins to question things. After being caught on camera her and Theseus quickly become a plot line in The Labyrinth Contest, causing ratings go through the roof, but at what cost is this to Ariande and her connection to the Minotaur? She can't let the Minotaur die and that is Theseus' ultimate goal.
Besides the mythology and retelling in the Lifestyles of Gods and Monsters it casts an interesting light on things that happen behind the camera of reality television. How things are planned and orchestrated. We see Ariadne's sisters who have their own reality TV show,The Cretan Paradoxes, bask in their own fame. But at what cost? Not everyone is as happy as they look on camera. I loved seeing the obedient character that Ariadne started out as at the beginning of the novel and her growth to the end. Especially after the things her parents and best friend expected of her as being part of the plot line to boost ratings and making the this season the most watched in history. But after a while, enough it enough.
Overall I really enjoyed Lifestyles of Gods and Monsters and can't wait to read more from Emily. Her debut novel is a taste of something different in YA fantasy. A modern day retelling with a reality TV and dark twist that will keep you turning the pages until you reach the last one.
*Thank you so much to Farrar, Straus and Giroux and Fierce Reads for the opportunity to read LIFE STYLES OF GODS AND MONSTERS!*
I love Greek Mythology retellings, so a modern day retelling of the Minotaur myth? Sign me up! Now lets add in reality TV and fight to the deaths and its basically a kick ass book. This book is basically: Keeping Up With The Kardashians + Greek Mythology + The Hunger Games = Lifestyle of Gods and Monsters. Lifestyle of Gods and Monsters is a refreshing take on a timeless myth and a breathe of fresh air in the fantasy genre. If you are looking for a fun but dark quick fantasy read this is the perfect book for you.
In Crete every year fourteen teens for Athens compete for the chance to qualify for the chance to appear on The Labyrinth Contest, a fight to the death on life TV. Beat the Minotaur and you'll be rich among your wildest dreams. But in the ten years since the show first aired, no one has beaten the Minotaur. Ariadne, one of the three princesses of Crete, is the Keeper of the Gates and leads each competitor to the gates where the they ultimately meet their death. Ariadne has her own reservations about being the Keeper, but its the Gods plans for her and you never disobey the Gods. That's until she meets Theseus and she can't deny her quick growing attraction to him or the chemistry they seem to have. When Theseus begs Ariadne to help him beat the Minotaur, Ariadne begins to question everything she has known her whole life. Especially as dark secrets begin to unravel.
I really loved Ariadne's character. She's funny and dedicated to her family. She doesn't question her father and as long as she has her VR video games she is happy. That is until she meets Theseus and begins to question things. After being caught on camera her and Theseus quickly become a plot line in The Labyrinth Contest, causing ratings go through the roof, but at what cost is this to Ariande and her connection to the Minotaur? She can't let the Minotaur die and that is Theseus' ultimate goal.
Besides the mythology and retelling in the Lifestyles of Gods and Monsters it casts an interesting light on things that happen behind the camera of reality television. How things are planned and orchestrated. We see Ariadne's sisters who have their own reality TV show,The Cretan Paradoxes, bask in their own fame. But at what cost? Not everyone is as happy as they look on camera. I loved seeing the obedient character that Ariadne started out as at the beginning of the novel and her growth to the end. Especially after the things her parents and best friend expected of her as being part of the plot line to boost ratings and making the this season the most watched in history. But after a while, enough it enough.
Overall I really enjoyed Lifestyles of Gods and Monsters and can't wait to read more from Emily. Her debut novel is a taste of something different in YA fantasy. A modern day retelling with a reality TV and dark twist that will keep you turning the pages until you reach the last one.
The full review + more can be found at The Book Bratz
To be brutally honest, I never head of How We Became Wicked until I spotted it on NetGalley. Immediately the summary sucked me in. Ultra-violet mosquitoes that spread a plague that causes people to become incredibly violent and sadistic, sign me up! This book had my name written all over it. How We Became Wicked wasn't just a book about a world that had ended, but the sacrifices you make for the ones you love and how dark secrets can have really deadly and horrid consequences. I ended up loving How We Became Wicked a lot more then I thought I was going too.
How We Became Wicked is told in two point of views: Astrid and Natalie. Astrid has recently broke up with her childhood best friend Hank, but there is one problem. They are the youngest people in their domed town leaving people disappointed in them no longer being together. When the light house on the island across from where Astrid and Hank live begins to go off, Astrid begins to ask questions that lead to dark and deadly consequences. Natalie lives on the island that Astrid is asking question about. Her mother is heavily pregnant and her grandfather is locked in the light house because he became Wicked years prior. But when Natalie's mother goes into labor and gives birth to a baby girl it is up to Natalie to take her to the mainland and have her bitten by the bugs, its the only way to get her vexed, immune, to the virus just like Natalie and her mother. Only once on the mainland Natalie learns that her and her tiny family aren't the only survivors and there are people looking for answers too.
I really enjoyed the writing style of How We Became Wicked. The characters and setting became alive in front of my eyes. The terror of the Wicked and how sadistic and terrifying they are was palpable. I waited a majority of the book for Natalie's and Astrid's paths to cross, only to be let in on the most amazing plot twist I've read in a while. I didn't expect the twist at all, but looking back at certain things that happened, it makes perfect sense. Overall I really enjoyed How We Became Wicked and hope we will get to see more of Natalie and Astrid's story.
To be brutally honest, I never head of How We Became Wicked until I spotted it on NetGalley. Immediately the summary sucked me in. Ultra-violet mosquitoes that spread a plague that causes people to become incredibly violent and sadistic, sign me up! This book had my name written all over it. How We Became Wicked wasn't just a book about a world that had ended, but the sacrifices you make for the ones you love and how dark secrets can have really deadly and horrid consequences. I ended up loving How We Became Wicked a lot more then I thought I was going too.
How We Became Wicked is told in two point of views: Astrid and Natalie. Astrid has recently broke up with her childhood best friend Hank, but there is one problem. They are the youngest people in their domed town leaving people disappointed in them no longer being together. When the light house on the island across from where Astrid and Hank live begins to go off, Astrid begins to ask questions that lead to dark and deadly consequences. Natalie lives on the island that Astrid is asking question about. Her mother is heavily pregnant and her grandfather is locked in the light house because he became Wicked years prior. But when Natalie's mother goes into labor and gives birth to a baby girl it is up to Natalie to take her to the mainland and have her bitten by the bugs, its the only way to get her vexed, immune, to the virus just like Natalie and her mother. Only once on the mainland Natalie learns that her and her tiny family aren't the only survivors and there are people looking for answers too.
I really enjoyed the writing style of How We Became Wicked. The characters and setting became alive in front of my eyes. The terror of the Wicked and how sadistic and terrifying they are was palpable. I waited a majority of the book for Natalie's and Astrid's paths to cross, only to be let in on the most amazing plot twist I've read in a while. I didn't expect the twist at all, but looking back at certain things that happened, it makes perfect sense. Overall I really enjoyed How We Became Wicked and hope we will get to see more of Natalie and Astrid's story.
The full review + more can be found at The Book Bratz
I really wasn't sure what I was expecting when I began to read Heartwood Box, but I think compared to the summary I was expecting something a lot different. I also am not the biggest contemporary fan. I love fantasy and science fiction and things with heavy world building. So it was a little different reading something that takes place in the real world. Heartwood Box also takes place in New York, so I was really intrigued with that aspect. The only thing that got me through reading Heartwood Box was the need to know what the mystery behind the town was. Other then that there wasn't much. I wasn't really invested in the story or the characters.
The biggest thing about Heartwood Box that sticks out to me that on the first page Araceli mentions how she took the LIRR (Long Island Rail Road) to the small sleepy town in which her great aunt Ottilie lives. But later on in the book it is mentioned that this unnamed sleepy town is about a half hour away from Silver Lake, New York which is ALL the way upstate in New York. Which is nowhere near Long Island. 336 miles away to be exact and 6 hours away. So, you're probably like: "Amber what is the point of this?" Well, Araceli technically should be taking Amtrak to get to her aunt's town. The LIRR is strictly Long Island, it runs from Manhattan and all the way to Long Island's Eastern tip (Montauk.) Basically, there is no way that the LIRR got Araceli from JFK airport to her new home 6 hours upstate. This little bit just annoyed me because it is something that is easily looked up and over looked. But this is part of New York and how you get from point A to point B. I feel like in this aspect at least there wasn't research done. Now, you're like: "Amber, this really isn't a big deal." But it bothered me.
I couldn't connect with Araceli. I found her to be whiny and a bit selfish. I don't know if this has to do with that I don't read contemporary often so I am not use to characters who actually act their age and are still in high school. But I found her immature and only out for herself. I also feel as if as a character I didn't really know her, I knew she moved around about once a year and her parents sent her to live with her aunt while the investigated civil unrest in Venezuela. But that is about it.
The only part of the novel I really enjoyed was the mystery aspect. Why can't she go into the woods? What are the lights? Why are people dissapearing? Why are there people wearing bio-hazard suits in the woods of the town? I wanted the answers to these questions and that is why I kept reading on rather then straight up DNFing it. I hate writing negative book reviews, but I also know that I am not going to love every single book I read. I am not saying that I though Heartwood Box was horrible, but there are a lot of things that could have changed or worked differently. This book and I just didn't mesh well and that's all there is to it really.
I really wasn't sure what I was expecting when I began to read Heartwood Box, but I think compared to the summary I was expecting something a lot different. I also am not the biggest contemporary fan. I love fantasy and science fiction and things with heavy world building. So it was a little different reading something that takes place in the real world. Heartwood Box also takes place in New York, so I was really intrigued with that aspect. The only thing that got me through reading Heartwood Box was the need to know what the mystery behind the town was. Other then that there wasn't much. I wasn't really invested in the story or the characters.
The biggest thing about Heartwood Box that sticks out to me that on the first page Araceli mentions how she took the LIRR (Long Island Rail Road) to the small sleepy town in which her great aunt Ottilie lives. But later on in the book it is mentioned that this unnamed sleepy town is about a half hour away from Silver Lake, New York which is ALL the way upstate in New York. Which is nowhere near Long Island. 336 miles away to be exact and 6 hours away. So, you're probably like: "Amber what is the point of this?" Well, Araceli technically should be taking Amtrak to get to her aunt's town. The LIRR is strictly Long Island, it runs from Manhattan and all the way to Long Island's Eastern tip (Montauk.) Basically, there is no way that the LIRR got Araceli from JFK airport to her new home 6 hours upstate. This little bit just annoyed me because it is something that is easily looked up and over looked. But this is part of New York and how you get from point A to point B. I feel like in this aspect at least there wasn't research done. Now, you're like: "Amber, this really isn't a big deal." But it bothered me.
I couldn't connect with Araceli. I found her to be whiny and a bit selfish. I don't know if this has to do with that I don't read contemporary often so I am not use to characters who actually act their age and are still in high school. But I found her immature and only out for herself. I also feel as if as a character I didn't really know her, I knew she moved around about once a year and her parents sent her to live with her aunt while the investigated civil unrest in Venezuela. But that is about it.
The only part of the novel I really enjoyed was the mystery aspect. Why can't she go into the woods? What are the lights? Why are people dissapearing? Why are there people wearing bio-hazard suits in the woods of the town? I wanted the answers to these questions and that is why I kept reading on rather then straight up DNFing it. I hate writing negative book reviews, but I also know that I am not going to love every single book I read. I am not saying that I though Heartwood Box was horrible, but there are a lot of things that could have changed or worked differently. This book and I just didn't mesh well and that's all there is to it really.
The full review + more can be found at The Book Bratz
This is actually my first Jenn Bennett book. I know, I am a little late to the game. But, better late then never, right? Jessica loved Jenn's contemporaries works so when I saw that she was going to be releasing a young adult fantasy I was super excited. Plus, look at the detailing on that cover? It is simply stunning and I love it. Long story short I was real excited for this one and I am really sad that I didn't love it as much as I was hoping to.
I always talk about how my biggest thing in a book is being able to connect to the main character or at least the main character being likable, and in all honesty? I didn't find Theo to be relatable or likable at all. I found her to be extremely entitled with no respect for rules or her elders. Theo doesn't even take into account the reasons why Huck had to leave after that night in her room or how they effected him. She only cared about how she was hurt and betrayed and how he left to run away from her. Not that there was a possibility of it being something more.
I was expecting The Lady Rogue to be dark and mysterious and a little heavier on the fantasy aspect then it was. I found it to be more or less a "fluffy fantasy with a witty romance aspect?" If that would be the correct way to characterize it? If you are looking for a fantasy novel with a fun romance aspect that is going to make you laugh and want to re-read parts, The Lady Rogue is going to be perfect for you.
This is actually my first Jenn Bennett book. I know, I am a little late to the game. But, better late then never, right? Jessica loved Jenn's contemporaries works so when I saw that she was going to be releasing a young adult fantasy I was super excited. Plus, look at the detailing on that cover? It is simply stunning and I love it. Long story short I was real excited for this one and I am really sad that I didn't love it as much as I was hoping to.
I always talk about how my biggest thing in a book is being able to connect to the main character or at least the main character being likable, and in all honesty? I didn't find Theo to be relatable or likable at all. I found her to be extremely entitled with no respect for rules or her elders. Theo doesn't even take into account the reasons why Huck had to leave after that night in her room or how they effected him. She only cared about how she was hurt and betrayed and how he left to run away from her. Not that there was a possibility of it being something more.
I was expecting The Lady Rogue to be dark and mysterious and a little heavier on the fantasy aspect then it was. I found it to be more or less a "fluffy fantasy with a witty romance aspect?" If that would be the correct way to characterize it? If you are looking for a fantasy novel with a fun romance aspect that is going to make you laugh and want to re-read parts, The Lady Rogue is going to be perfect for you.
The full review + more can be found at The Book Bratz
When I finished Sanctuary I had no idea if there was going to be a sequel or not. So when I saw news of Containment I was super excited! Though I loved Sanctuary it was left very open ended, so I was excited to get the answers that I been waiting for. Containment answered some of those questions but also added more to that list. This book was a 500 page emotional roller coaster that had me laughing, crying and angry all in the span of ten pages.
It isn't often that you see PTSD represented in Science Fiction novels and I really enjoyed seeing that representation in Containment. Some characters go through hell and back and can bounce back, but others can't. Watching Kenzie's actions through out Containment you can see how the events on Sanctuary shaped and changed her. How in certain moments she freezes up or how she had nightmares about Matt's death. I'm intrigued to see where Kenzie's character is going to go in the next book.
Overall I loved Containment and I am eagerly awaiting news of a third book. Containment was action packed and didn't slow down for a moment. With the introduction of knew characters, powers and setting Containment will keep you entertained from the first and until the last page.
When I finished Sanctuary I had no idea if there was going to be a sequel or not. So when I saw news of Containment I was super excited! Though I loved Sanctuary it was left very open ended, so I was excited to get the answers that I been waiting for. Containment answered some of those questions but also added more to that list. This book was a 500 page emotional roller coaster that had me laughing, crying and angry all in the span of ten pages.
It isn't often that you see PTSD represented in Science Fiction novels and I really enjoyed seeing that representation in Containment. Some characters go through hell and back and can bounce back, but others can't. Watching Kenzie's actions through out Containment you can see how the events on Sanctuary shaped and changed her. How in certain moments she freezes up or how she had nightmares about Matt's death. I'm intrigued to see where Kenzie's character is going to go in the next book.
Overall I loved Containment and I am eagerly awaiting news of a third book. Containment was action packed and didn't slow down for a moment. With the introduction of knew characters, powers and setting Containment will keep you entertained from the first and until the last page.
The full review + more can be found at The Book Bratz
I received an ARC of UNPREGNANT at BookExpo 2019
Jessica is actually the one who put Unpregnant on my radar. We were discussing debut novels we wanted to cover in 2019 and Jessica mentioned this one to me. Unpregnant stood out to me because I've never heard this in YA: The main character is actively seeking an abortion. That's not something you see everyday in YA literature. While I was eager for this book, I was also nervous because abortion isn't an easy thing to discuss. It's a matter that many people have their own opinions on. Unpregnant is going to be some peoples favorite book and for others they aren't even going to pick it up. But Unpregnant was about so much more then just a teenager who was seeking an abortion.
I read Unpregnant in a little over two hours. It was a quick and entertaining read that help my attention from the first sentence. Veronica is a senior in high school and is ready for her life to get started, but she never planned on seeing the two little pink lines on a pregnancy test that she took. There is one thing Veronica knows for sure though, she does not want a baby yet nor is she ready for the responsibility. When Veronica decides that she wants to have an abortion she learns that the closest center to get one with out her parents consent is over nine hundred miles away in New Mexico. With the help from her ex-bestfriend, Bailey, Veronica takes a weekend trip that changes her life.
At first I really wasn't sure about Veronica's character but the more you sit in her head and read her thoughts and learn about her as a person the more I grew to love her. The road trip isn't just about her seeking an abortion but it's also about her finding who she truly is, the people who truly love her and how even in some sucky situations you got to make the best of it. There were so many moments that I would be like "Hell yeah!" or "You go girl!" at some of the things Veronica would say and do. She started off the novel and ended the novel as two different characters and I loved seeing that growth.
I haven't laughed so hard at a book in quite sometime and I couldn't help it. There were so many moments that Veronica and Bailey basically ended up having to do the stupidest things or when you thought it couldn't get worse it did. But in the funniest ways. They act like seventeen year old girls who are about to graduate high school. Veronica doesn't even start making a real plan until she is in the car with Bailey and they are leaving their small town. Their characters were relatable and the authors made me feel as if I was sitting in the back seat with this duo.
Overall, I really loved Unpregnant and I can't wait to read more from these authors. Unpregnant is a funny story about finding who you are, learning the true meaning of friendship and what it means to be in a relationship and having to make a huge life altering decision. Unpregnant is a book needed in this day and age and is going to bring forth a powerful but much needed discussion.
I received an ARC of UNPREGNANT at BookExpo 2019
Jessica is actually the one who put Unpregnant on my radar. We were discussing debut novels we wanted to cover in 2019 and Jessica mentioned this one to me. Unpregnant stood out to me because I've never heard this in YA: The main character is actively seeking an abortion. That's not something you see everyday in YA literature. While I was eager for this book, I was also nervous because abortion isn't an easy thing to discuss. It's a matter that many people have their own opinions on. Unpregnant is going to be some peoples favorite book and for others they aren't even going to pick it up. But Unpregnant was about so much more then just a teenager who was seeking an abortion.
I read Unpregnant in a little over two hours. It was a quick and entertaining read that help my attention from the first sentence. Veronica is a senior in high school and is ready for her life to get started, but she never planned on seeing the two little pink lines on a pregnancy test that she took. There is one thing Veronica knows for sure though, she does not want a baby yet nor is she ready for the responsibility. When Veronica decides that she wants to have an abortion she learns that the closest center to get one with out her parents consent is over nine hundred miles away in New Mexico. With the help from her ex-bestfriend, Bailey, Veronica takes a weekend trip that changes her life.
At first I really wasn't sure about Veronica's character but the more you sit in her head and read her thoughts and learn about her as a person the more I grew to love her. The road trip isn't just about her seeking an abortion but it's also about her finding who she truly is, the people who truly love her and how even in some sucky situations you got to make the best of it. There were so many moments that I would be like "Hell yeah!" or "You go girl!" at some of the things Veronica would say and do. She started off the novel and ended the novel as two different characters and I loved seeing that growth.
I haven't laughed so hard at a book in quite sometime and I couldn't help it. There were so many moments that Veronica and Bailey basically ended up having to do the stupidest things or when you thought it couldn't get worse it did. But in the funniest ways. They act like seventeen year old girls who are about to graduate high school. Veronica doesn't even start making a real plan until she is in the car with Bailey and they are leaving their small town. Their characters were relatable and the authors made me feel as if I was sitting in the back seat with this duo.
Overall, I really loved Unpregnant and I can't wait to read more from these authors. Unpregnant is a funny story about finding who you are, learning the true meaning of friendship and what it means to be in a relationship and having to make a huge life altering decision. Unpregnant is a book needed in this day and age and is going to bring forth a powerful but much needed discussion.
The full review + more can be found at The Book Bratz
Thank you Blink for sending me a copy of TIGER QUEEN in the mail in exchange for an honest review!
I must admit, I never heard of “The Lady, or the Tiger?” before reading Tiger Queen, which is based off the short story. After doing some research and learning more about "The Lady, or the Tiger?" I was really excited to see where Annie Sullivan was going to take Tiger Queen. A fierce desert princess who is hell bent on saving her kingdom? Sign me up!
By ancient law in the kingdom of Achra, Kateri must battle competitors to the throne in the arena each month up until her birthday. If Kateri looses, the throne becomes her competitor's and she in return becomes their wife. Luckily for Kateri she has beaten every one of them. When the competitor for her last battle is revealed and Kateri knows she doesn’t stand a chance at winning, but she knows that if this person was to rule, he would destroy the kingdom she swore to her mother she would protect. Achra has been plagued by drought and awful sandstorms making the kingdom dry and arid. The water is rationed and the people are the furthest thing from content but Kateri has hope that if she can win the throne she could restore Achra to what it once was. Kateri, desperate to win does something she never thought to do, she seeks out the Desert Boys a gang that steals water from the wells around the kingdom, to help her defeat her rival. But soon Kateri learns secrets that break her world in half, leaving her behind two doors. One with a tiger and one with a future.
I really did enjoy Kateri’s character and the trials she faced through out the novel. She starts Tiger Queen as the naive princess who “fights” for her people. But really she is only fighting to keep the promise she made to her mother before she died. As a reader you watch Kateri grown through out Tiger Queen. Her eyes are opened and through out the pages you see as her world is flipped upside down and she longs to do what will make things right. In the last pages of Tiger Queen you can’t help but cheer for Kateri and for the battle she is fighting.
I really enjoyed Annie’s writing style and how she described the kingdom of Achra. The poor and dreadful conditions came to life in front of my eyes. In flash backs you could see the kingdom for what it was and for what it could be if Kateri manages to take the throne.
The only problem I had with Tiger Queen was that I felt like some of that characters could be used a bit more time being fleshed out. I wanted to know more about them, what drove them and the circumstances but I feel like it was only brushed over, giving you a taste but not leaving you satisfied. I think if I didn’t find Cion, the leader of the Desert Boys to be underdeveloped I would have falling in love with the romance aspect of Tiger Queen more. I still enjoyed the romance aspect and routed for Kateri and Cion but, I didn’t love it. Where I felt like they lacked, Kateri didn’t. She was developed and relatable. You were able to feel her internal struggles and see that events that made her who she is and will be.
Overall Tiger Queen was a quick enjoyable read that is perfect for fantasy lovers. This is also a standalone which means there was no cliffhanger! I think Annie did an amazing job at wrapping up Kateri’s journey and tying up the loose ends of the last several chapters. Annie Sullivan will be an author I look out for in the future of YA Fantasy and can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!
Thank you Blink for sending me a copy of TIGER QUEEN in the mail in exchange for an honest review!
I must admit, I never heard of “The Lady, or the Tiger?” before reading Tiger Queen, which is based off the short story. After doing some research and learning more about "The Lady, or the Tiger?" I was really excited to see where Annie Sullivan was going to take Tiger Queen. A fierce desert princess who is hell bent on saving her kingdom? Sign me up!
By ancient law in the kingdom of Achra, Kateri must battle competitors to the throne in the arena each month up until her birthday. If Kateri looses, the throne becomes her competitor's and she in return becomes their wife. Luckily for Kateri she has beaten every one of them. When the competitor for her last battle is revealed and Kateri knows she doesn’t stand a chance at winning, but she knows that if this person was to rule, he would destroy the kingdom she swore to her mother she would protect. Achra has been plagued by drought and awful sandstorms making the kingdom dry and arid. The water is rationed and the people are the furthest thing from content but Kateri has hope that if she can win the throne she could restore Achra to what it once was. Kateri, desperate to win does something she never thought to do, she seeks out the Desert Boys a gang that steals water from the wells around the kingdom, to help her defeat her rival. But soon Kateri learns secrets that break her world in half, leaving her behind two doors. One with a tiger and one with a future.
I really did enjoy Kateri’s character and the trials she faced through out the novel. She starts Tiger Queen as the naive princess who “fights” for her people. But really she is only fighting to keep the promise she made to her mother before she died. As a reader you watch Kateri grown through out Tiger Queen. Her eyes are opened and through out the pages you see as her world is flipped upside down and she longs to do what will make things right. In the last pages of Tiger Queen you can’t help but cheer for Kateri and for the battle she is fighting.
I really enjoyed Annie’s writing style and how she described the kingdom of Achra. The poor and dreadful conditions came to life in front of my eyes. In flash backs you could see the kingdom for what it was and for what it could be if Kateri manages to take the throne.
The only problem I had with Tiger Queen was that I felt like some of that characters could be used a bit more time being fleshed out. I wanted to know more about them, what drove them and the circumstances but I feel like it was only brushed over, giving you a taste but not leaving you satisfied. I think if I didn’t find Cion, the leader of the Desert Boys to be underdeveloped I would have falling in love with the romance aspect of Tiger Queen more. I still enjoyed the romance aspect and routed for Kateri and Cion but, I didn’t love it. Where I felt like they lacked, Kateri didn’t. She was developed and relatable. You were able to feel her internal struggles and see that events that made her who she is and will be.
Overall Tiger Queen was a quick enjoyable read that is perfect for fantasy lovers. This is also a standalone which means there was no cliffhanger! I think Annie did an amazing job at wrapping up Kateri’s journey and tying up the loose ends of the last several chapters. Annie Sullivan will be an author I look out for in the future of YA Fantasy and can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!
