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Forsaken Thrones
Three sisters formed into weapons. One called to fight for the Queen set on conquering their land. The other two are determined to find their own paths.
But if the three are brought back together, could they be the key to ending the Queen’s terrible war? Ellie Batair was sure of one thing and one thing only. If given the chance, she could defeat any man that stood in her way. But when forced to enlist in the army of a Queen she hates, and endure brutal, life threatening trials, she comes face to face with the truths of her past. Truths that her years of training never could have prepared her for.
In order to survive, Ellie finds allies in the most unlikely of people; a young elf, a cunning witch, and a haughty Fae. The Forsaken Kingdom Series is an action packed fantasy, with an intricate magic system, multiple bad-ass heroines, and fated mates. This series is perfect for fans of the Throne of Glass series, Air Awakens, and These Hollow Vows.
But if the three are brought back together, could they be the key to ending the Queen’s terrible war? Ellie Batair was sure of one thing and one thing only. If given the chance, she could defeat any man that stood in her way. But when forced to enlist in the army of a Queen she hates, and endure brutal, life threatening trials, she comes face to face with the truths of her past. Truths that her years of training never could have prepared her for.
In order to survive, Ellie finds allies in the most unlikely of people; a young elf, a cunning witch, and a haughty Fae. The Forsaken Kingdom Series is an action packed fantasy, with an intricate magic system, multiple bad-ass heroines, and fated mates. This series is perfect for fans of the Throne of Glass series, Air Awakens, and These Hollow Vows.
468 pages, Paperback
First published February 21, 2023
159 people are currently reading
2143 people want to read
About the author
L.L. Stiles
1 book130 followersBorn in Virginia, raised in California, Author L.L. Stiles now lives in Lexington, Kentucky with her husband and two wild kids. When not writing, Stiles enjoys reading, playing video games with her boys, drawing, and making content for her TikTok.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 107 reviews
February 13, 2023
My review is extremely biased since I’m the author of this book. I just hope you fall in love with this world and it’s characters as much as I have. And I hope it’s an adventure and story that was worth diving into.
February 12, 2023
Rating: 4.5✨
Spice: 0.5🌶
Before starting, I would like to thank the author for the eARC opportunity. Like always, this review is completely voluntary and honest!
Okay so I liked this book, like, I REALLY enjoyed it. The ending, it left me so excited for book two and some parts HURT. A warning, you will definitely get attached to so many characters that are part of the "alliance". Seriously, my heart goes boom boom for them.
Also, this book gave me TOG vibes but I mean that loosely. And I mean that in a good way because this story, the plot and its characters are completely unique. The author truly did a great job of planning this story and unfolding it the way she did.
Let me start of with Ellie because she is such a badass and also completely relatable throughout her journey. The way she was thrown into this cruel world, trained mentally and physically, & yet going in completely blind at the same time? You may not agree with some actions and decisions, but they were completely justified. And the Ellie I saw by the end? I'm ready to see her become who she was meant to become, a leader, a warrior. I truly loved her.
Auden (insert purr here). Listen, he had me screaming at his first appearance. A flirty, fierce & yet incredibly kind male, who will also tear the world apart for those he cares for? Yup, I was a goner for him at first sight. His teasing nature also had me rolling my eyes & yet saying "no no, keep going" at my kindle. His witty banter was just everything. But don't let that fool you. He would completely intimidate me because he can be terrifying too when he wants to be.
Ames? (insert another louder purr here) If you read this book and aren't wilding for Ames too, did we read the same book? He is dark, dangerous, a force to be reckoned with. He will do whatever needs to be done for the future he wishes to have. His sneers had me grinning the whole time, don't judge me.
Nate, he has my heart too. He is extremely loyal & has a heart of gold. Can't wait to see who he becomes! So many other characters in the alliance stole my heart & I cannot wait to see their story further unfold as well! I fully recommend this book & hope you give it a shot!
Spice: 0.5🌶
Before starting, I would like to thank the author for the eARC opportunity. Like always, this review is completely voluntary and honest!
Okay so I liked this book, like, I REALLY enjoyed it. The ending, it left me so excited for book two and some parts HURT. A warning, you will definitely get attached to so many characters that are part of the "alliance". Seriously, my heart goes boom boom for them.
Also, this book gave me TOG vibes but I mean that loosely. And I mean that in a good way because this story, the plot and its characters are completely unique. The author truly did a great job of planning this story and unfolding it the way she did.
Let me start of with Ellie because she is such a badass and also completely relatable throughout her journey. The way she was thrown into this cruel world, trained mentally and physically, & yet going in completely blind at the same time? You may not agree with some actions and decisions, but they were completely justified. And the Ellie I saw by the end? I'm ready to see her become who she was meant to become, a leader, a warrior. I truly loved her.
Auden (insert purr here). Listen, he had me screaming at his first appearance. A flirty, fierce & yet incredibly kind male, who will also tear the world apart for those he cares for? Yup, I was a goner for him at first sight. His teasing nature also had me rolling my eyes & yet saying "no no, keep going" at my kindle. His witty banter was just everything. But don't let that fool you. He would completely intimidate me because he can be terrifying too when he wants to be.
Ames? (insert another louder purr here) If you read this book and aren't wilding for Ames too, did we read the same book? He is dark, dangerous, a force to be reckoned with. He will do whatever needs to be done for the future he wishes to have. His sneers had me grinning the whole time, don't judge me.
Nate, he has my heart too. He is extremely loyal & has a heart of gold. Can't wait to see who he becomes! So many other characters in the alliance stole my heart & I cannot wait to see their story further unfold as well! I fully recommend this book & hope you give it a shot!
February 22, 2023
I received an ARC for this book and have been following Linds on TikTok for a while for her skits, so I was super thrilled and so proud when she said she was writing a book.
For a debut author, this is a really great start! I agree with the others that the book has Throne of Glass and Hunger Games vibes, and I think considering those are two of some of the strongest YA/NA books of late, this is not a bad comparison at all.
The romance was sweet, and I'm glad it wasn't all consuming. I really liked the friendships formed, the people we met along the way and what we learned. The ending hurt me, but I'm excited for the next book in the series!
The only thing I found was that it was a teeny bit predictable, but to be perfectly clear, I do not mind this at all! I personally felt that sometimes Ellie found allies and friends a little too easily, but those are the only comments aside from how much I enjoyed it!
Keep up the awesome work, Linds! I can't wait to see what you give us next!
For a debut author, this is a really great start! I agree with the others that the book has Throne of Glass and Hunger Games vibes, and I think considering those are two of some of the strongest YA/NA books of late, this is not a bad comparison at all.
The romance was sweet, and I'm glad it wasn't all consuming. I really liked the friendships formed, the people we met along the way and what we learned. The ending hurt me, but I'm excited for the next book in the series!
The only thing I found was that it was a teeny bit predictable, but to be perfectly clear, I do not mind this at all! I personally felt that sometimes Ellie found allies and friends a little too easily, but those are the only comments aside from how much I enjoyed it!
Keep up the awesome work, Linds! I can't wait to see what you give us next!
February 11, 2023
At first I got Hunger Games vibes but this novel absolutely has a strong Thrones of Glass influence. Girl trained from a young age to be feared is chosen to fight. Forcefully brought into a camp where she is tortured and beat down to satisfy the males who want nothing more than her failure. With the help of friends, and those who are more, she comes into what she’s always been destined for.
I really disliked this book in the beginning. I couldn’t get passed the idea that, initially, everyone followed her simply because she was beautiful. It seemed like not a single person questioned that she would be great just because she had a pretty face. There was also an element of instant trust that I don’t see happening in a situation like this. But once I got beyond that, I enjoyed it much more. The beginning is a tad slow but it absolutely picks up. The end felt like it went 0 to 100 in about a page.
The plot lines has a lot of promise. Not terribly unique, but there are elements that I’ve not seen used in books before. We only got to see one sister’s triumph, and we have two more who need to rise. Plus a romance I’m desperate to see more of since it was hardly even an element in this. What is it with girlies who are told they have a soulmate and think ‘no! I can’t be with you! My feelings are manufactured and not real! I will eventually come to love you but first I must make us both suffer! Woe is me!’. No! He’s perfect for you! You’re making us all suffer!
(Im)patiently waiting for book two.
eARC provided by L.L. Stiles in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much for allowing me to be one of the first to read your work.
I really disliked this book in the beginning. I couldn’t get passed the idea that, initially, everyone followed her simply because she was beautiful. It seemed like not a single person questioned that she would be great just because she had a pretty face. There was also an element of instant trust that I don’t see happening in a situation like this. But once I got beyond that, I enjoyed it much more. The beginning is a tad slow but it absolutely picks up. The end felt like it went 0 to 100 in about a page.
The plot lines has a lot of promise. Not terribly unique, but there are elements that I’ve not seen used in books before. We only got to see one sister’s triumph, and we have two more who need to rise. Plus a romance I’m desperate to see more of since it was hardly even an element in this. What is it with girlies who are told they have a soulmate and think ‘no! I can’t be with you! My feelings are manufactured and not real! I will eventually come to love you but first I must make us both suffer! Woe is me!’. No! He’s perfect for you! You’re making us all suffer!
(Im)patiently waiting for book two.
eARC provided by L.L. Stiles in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much for allowing me to be one of the first to read your work.
March 4, 2023
This book was so delightfully engrossing. It definitely gave Hunger Games vibes with a heavy sprinkling of fantasy, which I loved. It was entertaining with a wonderful balance of plot and fluff. Honestly, my favorite part was the side characters - they were all so unique and I cared so much about every single one of them. After I finished, they were who I miss and adore the most.
One thing that I appreciated the most from the author was what she chose to keep secret from the reader and for how long. It is a very difficult thing to pull off well, and this author very much succeeded.
There were a few minor copy editing issues in the KU edition I read, but the core of this book was so intriguing that I don’t think anyone could fault it too much.
One thing that I appreciated the most from the author was what she chose to keep secret from the reader and for how long. It is a very difficult thing to pull off well, and this author very much succeeded.
There were a few minor copy editing issues in the KU edition I read, but the core of this book was so intriguing that I don’t think anyone could fault it too much.
February 17, 2023
I received a eARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I loved it. Hunger Games meets Throne of Glass. Ellie is a strong female main character, trained from a young age to become a warrior and a leader. The plot is a little predictable but it still had me flipping through the digital pages as fast as I could read it. The world building was easy to follow and I feel like I have a good grasp of the character’s personalities. I loved discovering secrets as they were revealed or trying to guess. There weren’t any more secrets hinted at as the book ended but I still can’t wait to read about what happens next. The preview of the second book at the end hints towards the next book happening in another sister’s pov so I am already dying in anticipation.
I loved it. Hunger Games meets Throne of Glass. Ellie is a strong female main character, trained from a young age to become a warrior and a leader. The plot is a little predictable but it still had me flipping through the digital pages as fast as I could read it. The world building was easy to follow and I feel like I have a good grasp of the character’s personalities. I loved discovering secrets as they were revealed or trying to guess. There weren’t any more secrets hinted at as the book ended but I still can’t wait to read about what happens next. The preview of the second book at the end hints towards the next book happening in another sister’s pov so I am already dying in anticipation.
August 13, 2023
This is the first fantasy book I’ve read in a long time. I loved it. The ending wasn’t rushed at all, and I feel like most books end up rushing the ending. I can’t wait for the 2nd book!
February 12, 2023
4⭐️
0🌶
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
If you love Throne of Glass, you will love Forsaken Thrones. Not only are there major similarities, but this book basically combines Throne of Glass through Queen of Shadows.
So much happens in this book. There is trials, mysteries, magic, and a love triangle. This book is very well written with only a couple of rough edges. Sometimes it was a tad difficult to realize which POV you are reading. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you entertained and wanting to keep reading.
Overall, this a good debut novel. I am looking forward to the next book.
0🌶
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
If you love Throne of Glass, you will love Forsaken Thrones. Not only are there major similarities, but this book basically combines Throne of Glass through Queen of Shadows.
So much happens in this book. There is trials, mysteries, magic, and a love triangle. This book is very well written with only a couple of rough edges. Sometimes it was a tad difficult to realize which POV you are reading. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you entertained and wanting to keep reading.
Overall, this a good debut novel. I am looking forward to the next book.
February 10, 2023
''How else am I supposed to secretly talk to you when we're surrounded by people? Affection makes people uncomfortable, and therefore not listen.''
Actual rating: 4.5 ⭐
It had nearly been a century since Eternal Queen arrived on Karmalo soil and decided to wage a war. In her bid for more land and to never ran out of men, an annual decree for Designation Day was introduced. One man between ages of 15 and 50 from every family must enlist and undergo multiple brutal trials that will determine their placement among the Queen's forces. Then a new decree was issued - either one female or male, in the required age restriction, may volunteer. And this is where Ellie and her sisters journey starts.
Forsaken Thrones is fantastic action packed debut novel that keeps you engrossed into the story from start to finish. Stiles does an excellent job catching the reader's attention and not going into overwhelming details that your mind starts to wander. There is romance, but it's secondary to the plot.
What truly stood out in this book were the characters. I loved Ellie's new found friendships, interactions between each other, their heartfelt moments and occasional jabs. The magical system is not particularly innovative, as it follows typical fantasy basics, but it has some nice elements/surprises that makes it refreshing. You will get to meet witches, fae, elves and other possible creatures that roam the world.
''Ellie may have been chosen for her ability to easily make allies, but she was capable and more than willing to destroy her enemies.''
There’s very little I didn’t like about this book. Minor minuses would be (for me) predictable plot and little bit 'too fast and trusting' support from strangers that Ellie just met. Pretty much all major secrets were revealed in this book, so I assume future focus will be more on honing particular skills and preparing for war. Despite the minuses, I'm very curious about what will unfold in the sequel :)
Thank you to L.L. Stiles, for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review! All thoughts are my own and left voluntarily.
Actual rating: 4.5 ⭐
It had nearly been a century since Eternal Queen arrived on Karmalo soil and decided to wage a war. In her bid for more land and to never ran out of men, an annual decree for Designation Day was introduced. One man between ages of 15 and 50 from every family must enlist and undergo multiple brutal trials that will determine their placement among the Queen's forces. Then a new decree was issued - either one female or male, in the required age restriction, may volunteer. And this is where Ellie and her sisters journey starts.
Forsaken Thrones is fantastic action packed debut novel that keeps you engrossed into the story from start to finish. Stiles does an excellent job catching the reader's attention and not going into overwhelming details that your mind starts to wander. There is romance, but it's secondary to the plot.
What truly stood out in this book were the characters. I loved Ellie's new found friendships, interactions between each other, their heartfelt moments and occasional jabs. The magical system is not particularly innovative, as it follows typical fantasy basics, but it has some nice elements/surprises that makes it refreshing. You will get to meet witches, fae, elves and other possible creatures that roam the world.
''Ellie may have been chosen for her ability to easily make allies, but she was capable and more than willing to destroy her enemies.''
There’s very little I didn’t like about this book. Minor minuses would be (for me) predictable plot and little bit 'too fast and trusting' support from strangers that Ellie just met. Pretty much all major secrets were revealed in this book, so I assume future focus will be more on honing particular skills and preparing for war. Despite the minuses, I'm very curious about what will unfold in the sequel :)
Thank you to L.L. Stiles, for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review! All thoughts are my own and left voluntarily.
June 23, 2023
Amazing story! I really loved the whole book. It’s fast paced and has some serious Throne of Glass vibes! Must read if you love any of the SJM books as it has a similar style. There is Romance in the book but it is kind of on a side burner and not the main part of the story, which is quite refreshing. I would describe the spice level as absolute minimal to no spice senes.
All in all, I can’t wait for the second book:)
Disclaimer: I got this book before it’s official release due to an Amazon pre-order issue. That is why I was able to read it before it’s release date.
All in all, I can’t wait for the second book:)
Disclaimer: I got this book before it’s official release due to an Amazon pre-order issue. That is why I was able to read it before it’s release date.
April 18, 2023
This is honestly probably 3.5 stars. It was a well written book that had me coming back to it excited to read more. There were a few frustrating things - I’m not a fan that Ellie seems to not have a brain about anything that doesn’t involve fighting. Most of the book was fairly straightforward with its tropes and that made it predictable. I was surprised that the author didn’t pull punches on killing characters, though most of the characters that die were never named.
There were a few things that really tested my suspension of disbelief, and that’s why I didn’t rate it higher. Ellie gaining allies because she’s pretty, and doing so openly in the middle of enemy territory was hard to pick up. I understand that the author didn’t want Ellie to have to earn trust over months and years. It was just a little too fast that it almost felt superficial.
I did enjoy it and do plan on reading the sequel though!
There were a few things that really tested my suspension of disbelief, and that’s why I didn’t rate it higher. Ellie gaining allies because she’s pretty, and doing so openly in the middle of enemy territory was hard to pick up. I understand that the author didn’t want Ellie to have to earn trust over months and years. It was just a little too fast that it almost felt superficial.
I did enjoy it and do plan on reading the sequel though!
February 9, 2023
Like other reviews, Forsaken Throne gives TOG vibes for sure. I’d also add with the act of Designation Day, it can also be compared to the Hunger Games series. Instead of tributes from the district being used for entertainment, the people of Malavor are forced to join a tyrannical Queen’s army.
To be Stiles debut novel, this is a great start. With a foundation like this I can’t wait to see the growth and creativity she will show in her future works.
To be Stiles debut novel, this is a great start. With a foundation like this I can’t wait to see the growth and creativity she will show in her future works.
February 15, 2023
SO GOOD! I can’t wait to read what happens next! This definitely gave off Throne of Glass vibes. Ellie and Aelin would be besties for sure 😂
May 8, 2023
3.75
It’s giving Hunger Games but in a fantasy war setting !
Ce livre fut une belle découverte ! Je suivais déjà l’auteure sur Tiktok (avant qu’elle le devienne) et qui de mieux que quelqu’un qui a lu beaucoup de fantasy pour en écrire.
Je ne vais pas mentir, l’écriture de ce livre est assez « straight forward » et il est assez prévisible. Par contre, il m’a captivé du début à la fin. Il n’y avait pas de longueurs, le ratio politique/action était bien dosé. SAUF qu’il est répété à de nombreuses reprises à quel point le personnage principal est dont belle et que tout le monde se vire sur son passage, un moment donné, c’était trop, je roulais des yeux.
Les personnages ont l’âge adulte pour la plupart, mais ça se lit comme du YA et peut-être même du jeune YA, mais c’est exactement ce qui m’a plu.
Le plus gros point négatif de ce roman sont les fautes d’orthographe. J’espère seulement que ce sera amélioré dans le futur!
It’s giving Hunger Games but in a fantasy war setting !
Ce livre fut une belle découverte ! Je suivais déjà l’auteure sur Tiktok (avant qu’elle le devienne) et qui de mieux que quelqu’un qui a lu beaucoup de fantasy pour en écrire.
Je ne vais pas mentir, l’écriture de ce livre est assez « straight forward » et il est assez prévisible. Par contre, il m’a captivé du début à la fin. Il n’y avait pas de longueurs, le ratio politique/action était bien dosé. SAUF qu’il est répété à de nombreuses reprises à quel point le personnage principal est dont belle et que tout le monde se vire sur son passage, un moment donné, c’était trop, je roulais des yeux.
Les personnages ont l’âge adulte pour la plupart, mais ça se lit comme du YA et peut-être même du jeune YA, mais c’est exactement ce qui m’a plu.
Le plus gros point négatif de ce roman sont les fautes d’orthographe. J’espère seulement que ce sera amélioré dans le futur!
March 24, 2023
DNF at 22%
February 18, 2023
I knew I was going to enjoy this even before I picked it up - I was already getting throne of glass vibes from the blurb so was really excited to read this!!
Thankyou for the opportunity to read this as an eARC and here is my honest review! Overall I really liked this and it delivered exactly what I wanted!
(Minor spoilers below)
What did I enjoy?
I thought the pacing was great - it did take me a little to get into it, but that it pretty normal for me for the first in a fantasy series. Once the story got going, it kept me intrigued and although there were some features common to fantasy novels, the story and the characters were unique!
I really liked Ellie as an FMC - I loved her combination of strength, femininity, confidence and self-doubt. She leapt off the page as a leader for me and I loved how her story has progressed so far!
I also liked the way our other main characters were introduced - especially Auden!! I knew the second he was on the page I was going to fall in love with him. The witty banter combined with the soft and tender moments between him and Ellie had me begging for them to get together the whole time!!!
Nate intrigues me - I’m not sure where his character is going yet, will he turn against Ellie?!? But I really liked his story as well and hope to see more of their friendship in later books!
Layla and Kia - I love seeing a strong and healthy female friendship in a book so this was a highlight for me!
The ending was wild, in true fantasy book style and I thought this book revealed enough information of the overarching plot while also simultaneously leaving enough questions unanswered to make me desperate for book 2!
What didn’t I enjoy?
Basically nothing - I really liked this!
Only thing for me was many of the characters were quick to side with Ellie, but without knowing their backstory it seemed like a leap sometimes. As the story progressed this didn’t bother me, especially as we learnt more about their motivations!
Looking forward to book 2!
Thankyou for the opportunity to read this as an eARC and here is my honest review! Overall I really liked this and it delivered exactly what I wanted!
(Minor spoilers below)
What did I enjoy?
I thought the pacing was great - it did take me a little to get into it, but that it pretty normal for me for the first in a fantasy series. Once the story got going, it kept me intrigued and although there were some features common to fantasy novels, the story and the characters were unique!
I really liked Ellie as an FMC - I loved her combination of strength, femininity, confidence and self-doubt. She leapt off the page as a leader for me and I loved how her story has progressed so far!
I also liked the way our other main characters were introduced - especially Auden!! I knew the second he was on the page I was going to fall in love with him. The witty banter combined with the soft and tender moments between him and Ellie had me begging for them to get together the whole time!!!
Nate intrigues me - I’m not sure where his character is going yet, will he turn against Ellie?!? But I really liked his story as well and hope to see more of their friendship in later books!
Layla and Kia - I love seeing a strong and healthy female friendship in a book so this was a highlight for me!
The ending was wild, in true fantasy book style and I thought this book revealed enough information of the overarching plot while also simultaneously leaving enough questions unanswered to make me desperate for book 2!
What didn’t I enjoy?
Basically nothing - I really liked this!
Only thing for me was many of the characters were quick to side with Ellie, but without knowing their backstory it seemed like a leap sometimes. As the story progressed this didn’t bother me, especially as we learnt more about their motivations!
Looking forward to book 2!
January 22, 2024
The story is great, but the grammar and spelling are atrocious. I was borrowing a friend's copy; had it been my own, I probably would have gotten out a pencil or pen and corrected things. My friend claims that Stiles just wrote in the "common, uneducated language of the characters." However, I counted multiple misspellings of common homophones like where she repeatedly spelled "pedals" when describing flower petals. This author could have at least put the book through Grammarly before putting it through Vellum.
This story also seems heavily influenced by the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J Maas.
This story also seems heavily influenced by the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J Maas.
November 11, 2023
I'm going to be honest - I went into this book seeing a lot of praise and left thinking that myself or everyone else was losing their minds.
The writing is filled with typos and exceedingly simplistic language (I know it's YA, but this is... Exceptionally so) most of the characters exist solely to rave about the MC, and she exists to be perfect and strong and beautiful in every way.
The concept is decent, but the execution is... Lacking. I'm normally pretty easy to please with books, but this unfortunately did not resonate with me in any sort of good way.
The writing is filled with typos and exceedingly simplistic language (I know it's YA, but this is... Exceptionally so) most of the characters exist solely to rave about the MC, and she exists to be perfect and strong and beautiful in every way.
The concept is decent, but the execution is... Lacking. I'm normally pretty easy to please with books, but this unfortunately did not resonate with me in any sort of good way.
April 22, 2023
Unfortunately, it's going to be a DNF for me.
I don't tend to DNF, but I did tell myself I need to start doing that more, and I can't physically pull myself through this book any longer.
Let me start off by saying this isn't a BAD book. It's a debut book, and I respect the work that was put into it. I saw the author's TikTok promoting the book and I love supporting indie authors so it was a no brainer for me, and I bought a signed copy. I got the cute packaging with the artwork and the little dagger and I have big respect for her. But this was not for me. I'm not going to go deep, but here are some thoughts:
-Ellie was probably the biggest Mary Sue that I've read in a while. If you don't know the term, here you go:
There's no stakes in a book where the author doesn't give the MC any weaknesses because you know nothing truly bad is ever going to happen to them. It is impossible to go five pages without someone reminding Ellie how beautiful she is, or gasping when she walks into a room, or staring at her in whatever hot, new getup she's wearing.
Here's what would have made this book better for me. Right before they go to this army camp for training and the trials, she suffers an injury from what I'm basically imagining to be a mix between a taser and a cattle prod. Everyone else who has been attacked with this particular weapon has died, but she lived (I'm fine with that, I imagine those who finished the book figured out why she of all people survived), and she does almost die but obviously lives. This was sad to be a horrendous injury that spanned her entire back but in days she's back to new and kicking everyone's asses in training because she's just That Good, remember?
What would have made the book better to me is if that injury followed her through training and the trials and instead of everything being so easy for her, she had to struggle with having to actually work her ass off to survive and make it through the trials alive. I guess that would defeat the purpose of people wanting her dead because she was so Powerful that it Scared Them. But alas --
-One love interest has no personality except for loving Ellie, which makes the idea of a love triangle kind of unnecessary because one option is such a nonoption you already know what's going to happen.
-Genuinely actually no male character really has any huge personality traits other than all loving Ellie or thinking she's hot or being loyal to her.
-There was some serious effort made in the worldbuilding, but definitely still a little lacking. I had a middling grasp on what was going on, enough to get by but not really enough to care.
-It feels so long. I made it to page 200 then realized I had another 300 pages and that's when I had to give up. But the pacing is kind of wild -- like how am I almost halfway through this book and reading her talking about how it's only her first day at camp?
-She uses the term oxidation. Now this is very personal to me, but with worldbuilding, stuff like that pulls me out immediately. We're in a fantasy world, and she's using chemistry terms that I'm not sure she should know. Again, some people can totally roll with stuff like that in fantasy, but I can be a little weird about it.
-Tiny bunny is not a nickname I could endure for a moment longer.
Anyway. This book may be for you, but it wasn't for me. I think the author has potential for sure, and I'll be keeping an eye out for more books (but probably not this series if there are more, because I'll likely be taking a pass on these).
I don't tend to DNF, but I did tell myself I need to start doing that more, and I can't physically pull myself through this book any longer.
Let me start off by saying this isn't a BAD book. It's a debut book, and I respect the work that was put into it. I saw the author's TikTok promoting the book and I love supporting indie authors so it was a no brainer for me, and I bought a signed copy. I got the cute packaging with the artwork and the little dagger and I have big respect for her. But this was not for me. I'm not going to go deep, but here are some thoughts:
-Ellie was probably the biggest Mary Sue that I've read in a while. If you don't know the term, here you go:
Mary Sue: (originally in fan fiction) a type of female character who is depicted as unrealistically lacking in flaws or weaknesses.
There's no stakes in a book where the author doesn't give the MC any weaknesses because you know nothing truly bad is ever going to happen to them. It is impossible to go five pages without someone reminding Ellie how beautiful she is, or gasping when she walks into a room, or staring at her in whatever hot, new getup she's wearing.
Here's what would have made this book better for me. Right before they go to this army camp for training and the trials, she suffers an injury from what I'm basically imagining to be a mix between a taser and a cattle prod. Everyone else who has been attacked with this particular weapon has died, but she lived (I'm fine with that, I imagine those who finished the book figured out why she of all people survived), and she does almost die but obviously lives. This was sad to be a horrendous injury that spanned her entire back but in days she's back to new and kicking everyone's asses in training because she's just That Good, remember?
What would have made the book better to me is if that injury followed her through training and the trials and instead of everything being so easy for her, she had to struggle with having to actually work her ass off to survive and make it through the trials alive. I guess that would defeat the purpose of people wanting her dead because she was so Powerful that it Scared Them. But alas --
-One love interest has no personality except for loving Ellie, which makes the idea of a love triangle kind of unnecessary because one option is such a nonoption you already know what's going to happen.
-Genuinely actually no male character really has any huge personality traits other than all loving Ellie or thinking she's hot or being loyal to her.
-There was some serious effort made in the worldbuilding, but definitely still a little lacking. I had a middling grasp on what was going on, enough to get by but not really enough to care.
-It feels so long. I made it to page 200 then realized I had another 300 pages and that's when I had to give up. But the pacing is kind of wild -- like how am I almost halfway through this book and reading her talking about how it's only her first day at camp?
-She uses the term oxidation. Now this is very personal to me, but with worldbuilding, stuff like that pulls me out immediately. We're in a fantasy world, and she's using chemistry terms that I'm not sure she should know. Again, some people can totally roll with stuff like that in fantasy, but I can be a little weird about it.
-Tiny bunny is not a nickname I could endure for a moment longer.
Anyway. This book may be for you, but it wasn't for me. I think the author has potential for sure, and I'll be keeping an eye out for more books (but probably not this series if there are more, because I'll likely be taking a pass on these).
March 5, 2023
Forsaken Thrones by L.L. Stiles
3 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐
This was an enjoyable read. I was able to complete it in one day. The magic system is pretty standard and the plot, while mostly predictable, held my attention. While the relationships developed quickly I became very attached to particular characters. I am excited to continue this series.
*Spoilers Ahead*
Ellie is the middle of three sisters who have a more traumatic past then they can remember. She is raised in a semi quiet farming town a few days' journey from the old city of the Fae Kings and Queens, Malavor. Some decades ago the Eternal Queen laid siege to Malavor in hopes of claiming it and its powerful treasures for herself. Unbeknownst to her, the King was steps ahead of her and although he perished that day his plan was already in motion to bring her down. Currently the Queen uses the city as a training camp for her army. Each year there is a designation day which is set to collect the new recruits from their home towns across her lands and to administer the first trial to the designees.
Ellie and her best friend, Nate, are part of this year's class. While growing up Ellie’s grandfather teaches her and her sisters the art of warfare to one day stand a chance of fighting back against the evil Queen. While in Malavor, Ellie remembers her grandfather’s advice to form alliances and to find out as much as she can about the Queen's plans. As well as, her role in all of this mess.
Clearly, Nate has a thing for Ellie and she seemed to fall into feelings for him out of comfort and familiarity. Their friendship is strong and he helps her through every step of this journey. The romantic relationship between them felt yucky. Yes, that is the only term I really have for it. During their make out scene I audibly went.. “No, no thank you.” It felt forced and she overall didn’t seem that into him.
Officer Auden on the other hand, I wish his and Ellie’s interactions remained playful for a longer time. He sank into the “I’m here to be your protector” role a bit too quickly for my liking. I thoroughly enjoyed their back and forth regardless.
Do not even get me started on the death of Officer Shea! I will cry a thousand tears.
3 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐
This was an enjoyable read. I was able to complete it in one day. The magic system is pretty standard and the plot, while mostly predictable, held my attention. While the relationships developed quickly I became very attached to particular characters. I am excited to continue this series.
*Spoilers Ahead*
Ellie is the middle of three sisters who have a more traumatic past then they can remember. She is raised in a semi quiet farming town a few days' journey from the old city of the Fae Kings and Queens, Malavor. Some decades ago the Eternal Queen laid siege to Malavor in hopes of claiming it and its powerful treasures for herself. Unbeknownst to her, the King was steps ahead of her and although he perished that day his plan was already in motion to bring her down. Currently the Queen uses the city as a training camp for her army. Each year there is a designation day which is set to collect the new recruits from their home towns across her lands and to administer the first trial to the designees.
Ellie and her best friend, Nate, are part of this year's class. While growing up Ellie’s grandfather teaches her and her sisters the art of warfare to one day stand a chance of fighting back against the evil Queen. While in Malavor, Ellie remembers her grandfather’s advice to form alliances and to find out as much as she can about the Queen's plans. As well as, her role in all of this mess.
Clearly, Nate has a thing for Ellie and she seemed to fall into feelings for him out of comfort and familiarity. Their friendship is strong and he helps her through every step of this journey. The romantic relationship between them felt yucky. Yes, that is the only term I really have for it. During their make out scene I audibly went.. “No, no thank you.” It felt forced and she overall didn’t seem that into him.
Officer Auden on the other hand, I wish his and Ellie’s interactions remained playful for a longer time. He sank into the “I’m here to be your protector” role a bit too quickly for my liking. I thoroughly enjoyed their back and forth regardless.
Do not even get me started on the death of Officer Shea! I will cry a thousand tears.
February 26, 2023
I follow Lindsey on tiktok, following her journey of writing and publishing this book I’ve been so excited for its release.
It lived up to all my expectations!! Crazy to think this is her debut book!
I’m confident it will rate up in my top 3 reads for 2023!
A griping storyline with excellent world building and well thought out characters.
A FMC who is fierce and strong yet compassionate and logical! It was refreshing to read a powerful lead who actually listens to her friends and takes on their input.
Ellie thought she knew what she was doing going into the training camp, instead it was a journey of self discovery.
Helllloooooo Auden, he is all I want in a MMC. Sweet, protective, with morals and a side of cocky. Obvious very early on he is Ellie’s fated mate (that’s stated in the tropes). Even though he knows it, Ellie doesn’t and he is respectful of her choices and my impression is he wants her to pick him for him, not because they are fated.
It does come out they are “soulmates” but it’s not accepted by the end … leading into future books.
Supporting characters are equally great, Ames is a favourite and I can’t wait for more of him!
I love the diversity of characters; witches, elves, humans with various traits.
Leaving Nate to last, so easy to fall in love with Nate and his loyalty. Why is there the need to turn the male best friend into a love interest that isn’t meant to be? Why can’t a male & female be just best friends who love & support each other as friends? My heart broke for Nate as he was so honourable.
It is mentioned this book is similar to Throne of Glass. Thankfully I didn’t get those vibes! The only aspect of similarity is the constant mention of Ellie being beautiful (just like we constantly heard about Celaena/Aelin).
Ellie’s beauty being what will gain her alliances. Why isn’t her fierceness, kindness and willingness to fight for freedom the traits to gain loyalty? Why is beauty such a huge focal point?
It annoyed me in TOG and annoyed me in this book. Was going to drop half a star for it but this book was such an enjoyable read it made me overlook the focus on beauty being the most important trait.
It lived up to all my expectations!! Crazy to think this is her debut book!
I’m confident it will rate up in my top 3 reads for 2023!
A griping storyline with excellent world building and well thought out characters.
A FMC who is fierce and strong yet compassionate and logical! It was refreshing to read a powerful lead who actually listens to her friends and takes on their input.
Ellie thought she knew what she was doing going into the training camp, instead it was a journey of self discovery.
Helllloooooo Auden, he is all I want in a MMC. Sweet, protective, with morals and a side of cocky. Obvious very early on he is Ellie’s fated mate (that’s stated in the tropes). Even though he knows it, Ellie doesn’t and he is respectful of her choices and my impression is he wants her to pick him for him, not because they are fated.
It does come out they are “soulmates” but it’s not accepted by the end … leading into future books.
Supporting characters are equally great, Ames is a favourite and I can’t wait for more of him!
I love the diversity of characters; witches, elves, humans with various traits.
Leaving Nate to last, so easy to fall in love with Nate and his loyalty. Why is there the need to turn the male best friend into a love interest that isn’t meant to be? Why can’t a male & female be just best friends who love & support each other as friends? My heart broke for Nate as he was so honourable.
It is mentioned this book is similar to Throne of Glass. Thankfully I didn’t get those vibes! The only aspect of similarity is the constant mention of Ellie being beautiful (just like we constantly heard about Celaena/Aelin).
Ellie’s beauty being what will gain her alliances. Why isn’t her fierceness, kindness and willingness to fight for freedom the traits to gain loyalty? Why is beauty such a huge focal point?
It annoyed me in TOG and annoyed me in this book. Was going to drop half a star for it but this book was such an enjoyable read it made me overlook the focus on beauty being the most important trait.
January 11, 2025
The most important part of any book for me is whether or not the main character(s) are likable and make me want to root for them to succeed. I really enjoyed getting to know Ellie in this book and so far she is a great FMC. I found her inner rage and anger fascinating and I loved her character growth during this book. I look forward to seeing more of that as she grows in the next 2 books as well.
There are many familiar fantasy tropes and races (elves, fae, etc) in this book that I always enjoy, but the author has taken these well known tropes and creatures and gave them her own unique twists. I definitely get some Throne of Glass vibes and would say that Ellie’s character is similar to Celaena in some ways. But I love it!
The first 1/3 - 1/2 of this book was a bit on the slow side but then it really picked up in the second half! I will say some of the character relationships moved a bit quickly (trust was earned fairly easily) but I did appreciate the time spent by the author on the character and relationship building between our cast of characters.
There were lots of “reveals” in this book, some more obvious than others. I do enjoy being able to predict some of the reveals in books, but also being surprised but some details and nuances. I found this book to be a good mixture of reveals that were obvious to watchful readers and some that were more of a surprise.
Some things that lowered my rating of this book were some obvious spelling errors/grammar mistakes. For example, using the word pedal vs. petal. There were also some small moments of confusion/possible continuity errors for me where I had to reread passages to figure out what was going on.
Another annoyance with this book was the focus on Ellie’s beauty and it being the reason people would follow her? I think she is a great character and has the natural charisma and skill as a leader without the need to rely on blind loyalty based on her appearance.
Overall, I think we have a great setup for this trilogy and I am anxiously awaiting for the next book to be released!
There are many familiar fantasy tropes and races (elves, fae, etc) in this book that I always enjoy, but the author has taken these well known tropes and creatures and gave them her own unique twists. I definitely get some Throne of Glass vibes and would say that Ellie’s character is similar to Celaena in some ways. But I love it!
The first 1/3 - 1/2 of this book was a bit on the slow side but then it really picked up in the second half! I will say some of the character relationships moved a bit quickly (trust was earned fairly easily) but I did appreciate the time spent by the author on the character and relationship building between our cast of characters.
There were lots of “reveals” in this book, some more obvious than others. I do enjoy being able to predict some of the reveals in books, but also being surprised but some details and nuances. I found this book to be a good mixture of reveals that were obvious to watchful readers and some that were more of a surprise.
Some things that lowered my rating of this book were some obvious spelling errors/grammar mistakes. For example, using the word pedal vs. petal. There were also some small moments of confusion/possible continuity errors for me where I had to reread passages to figure out what was going on.
Another annoyance with this book was the focus on Ellie’s beauty and it being the reason people would follow her? I think she is a great character and has the natural charisma and skill as a leader without the need to rely on blind loyalty based on her appearance.
Overall, I think we have a great setup for this trilogy and I am anxiously awaiting for the next book to be released!
March 22, 2023
Forsaken Thrones by L. L. Stiles is about a young woman who is called to enlist into the army for a ruthless Queen and her horrifying generals. She and her sisters have been secretly trained by their grandfather since they could walk, in preparation that they would be integral to ending this war. It is her task to make allies amongst the arbitrators and her fellow enlistees if she is to survive the trials established by the Queen’s generals.
I was so engrossed by this book that I read it in one sitting. The main characters, Ellie, Nate, Auden, Kiarhem, and Layla, are so lovable and strong that I couldn’t put the book down. As the plot unravels and their individual secrets are revealed, I found myself connecting with and caring for each person, empathizing with their personal struggles and losses. Including Officers Shea and Ames too, of course.
At times, though, I noticed that it didn’t feel like they were in the middle of a war camp with thousands of other people. The characters we encountered were one brutal general, a few officers and witches, and tent twenty-four. Because of this, most of their escapades felt too easy. I wanted more struggle and risk. I feel like including encounters with more officers and enlistees who would have challenged Ellie and her friends, and who would not be won over by her strength, charisma, and natural leadership would have helped immensely.
I rated this four out of five stars only because I would have loved more setting description and a little more struggle and doubt amongst the characters toward one another. I enjoyed where the plot took us and the character development of Ellie and Nate, and it leaves me highly anticipating the next book in the series. I recommend this book to those who enjoy fantasy dystopias with a love triangle and fated mates tropes.
I was so engrossed by this book that I read it in one sitting. The main characters, Ellie, Nate, Auden, Kiarhem, and Layla, are so lovable and strong that I couldn’t put the book down. As the plot unravels and their individual secrets are revealed, I found myself connecting with and caring for each person, empathizing with their personal struggles and losses. Including Officers Shea and Ames too, of course.
At times, though, I noticed that it didn’t feel like they were in the middle of a war camp with thousands of other people. The characters we encountered were one brutal general, a few officers and witches, and tent twenty-four. Because of this, most of their escapades felt too easy. I wanted more struggle and risk. I feel like including encounters with more officers and enlistees who would have challenged Ellie and her friends, and who would not be won over by her strength, charisma, and natural leadership would have helped immensely.
I rated this four out of five stars only because I would have loved more setting description and a little more struggle and doubt amongst the characters toward one another. I enjoyed where the plot took us and the character development of Ellie and Nate, and it leaves me highly anticipating the next book in the series. I recommend this book to those who enjoy fantasy dystopias with a love triangle and fated mates tropes.
April 17, 2023
Forsaken Thrones by LL Stiles
🗡️🩸🥀🛡️
Synopsis: Ellie Battair and her sisters are destined for war. The Eternal Queen has ransacked their homeland, and her generals are reaping more and more conscripted fighters for her armies. This year is even worse, as the rules of the draft have changed. Now, one of the sisters will be required to serve. All three have trained for this possibility since their youth, but their grandfather selects Ellie as their families offering. She has always known that she was trained for something greater than a slave-soldiers death at the hands of a merciless queen. So, surrounded by the danger of the ruthless army trials and an ancient and unknown magic, Ellie will stop at nothing to reunite her family, and uncover their hidden destiny.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟/🌶️
Review:
I loved it! The worldbuilding in this novel is super intense, and well thought out. Once I found my stride with the background information, I was completely hooked.
There is not a dull moment, and the action scenes are so engaging. I loved the combination of wild elemental magic and sword combat, and it flowed together with grace. The magic system was familiar enough to be easily understood, but still unique enough to be exciting!
I really enjoyed Ellies perspective, and I loved the development that she went through, but I was even more impressed with the complexity of the supporting characters! I love a large cast of characters, especially when they are easy to keep track of. Stiles created a unique voice and attitude for each character, so I felt like they really came to life.
This book is also jam-packed with tropes that fantasy readers love. Something that really stood out to me was the love-triangle romance. I am the type of person who usually struggles to invest in a love-triangle plot, but Stiles writing style made it easy and I loved it!
🗡️🩸🥀🛡️
Synopsis: Ellie Battair and her sisters are destined for war. The Eternal Queen has ransacked their homeland, and her generals are reaping more and more conscripted fighters for her armies. This year is even worse, as the rules of the draft have changed. Now, one of the sisters will be required to serve. All three have trained for this possibility since their youth, but their grandfather selects Ellie as their families offering. She has always known that she was trained for something greater than a slave-soldiers death at the hands of a merciless queen. So, surrounded by the danger of the ruthless army trials and an ancient and unknown magic, Ellie will stop at nothing to reunite her family, and uncover their hidden destiny.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟/🌶️
Review:
I loved it! The worldbuilding in this novel is super intense, and well thought out. Once I found my stride with the background information, I was completely hooked.
There is not a dull moment, and the action scenes are so engaging. I loved the combination of wild elemental magic and sword combat, and it flowed together with grace. The magic system was familiar enough to be easily understood, but still unique enough to be exciting!
I really enjoyed Ellies perspective, and I loved the development that she went through, but I was even more impressed with the complexity of the supporting characters! I love a large cast of characters, especially when they are easy to keep track of. Stiles created a unique voice and attitude for each character, so I felt like they really came to life.
This book is also jam-packed with tropes that fantasy readers love. Something that really stood out to me was the love-triangle romance. I am the type of person who usually struggles to invest in a love-triangle plot, but Stiles writing style made it easy and I loved it!
March 14, 2023
3.75/5 ⭐️
Hunger Games meets Throne of Glass? SIGN ME UP
I enjoyed this book thoroughly, but there were some parts that seemed rushed and a little too fast-paced in comparison to the rest of the book (e.g. Ellie befriending half of her group, Layla being an ally… it all lacks depth and, in result, the relationships between the characters feel flat). The *big* reveals felt rather unimpressive and throw in-between inner monologues that could’ve been shortened a bit.
I hope the ending of this book and the next one mean THE END of the love triangle between Ellie, Nate and Auden.
Speaking of Auden… his interactions with Ellie was so playful and entertaining. What happened to them? Sadly, he changed from a snarky officer to a man whose only goal was to protect and gawk at Ellie :(
Ames, however? UGH I WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT HIM.
It’s also kind of hard to believe (but that might be because we still know very little about her past) that Ellie is such a great warrior and strategist when she was trained by a grandpa with wooden sticks lol I will ignore that though cause she’s badass and WE LOVE BADASS WOMEN.
ALSO!!! I loved the idea with the curse placed on the house and the events that led to Ellie finding out the truth about herself. It was amazing.
Can’t wait for the second book!
Hunger Games meets Throne of Glass? SIGN ME UP
I enjoyed this book thoroughly, but there were some parts that seemed rushed and a little too fast-paced in comparison to the rest of the book (e.g. Ellie befriending half of her group, Layla being an ally… it all lacks depth and, in result, the relationships between the characters feel flat). The *big* reveals felt rather unimpressive and throw in-between inner monologues that could’ve been shortened a bit.
I hope the ending of this book and the next one mean THE END of the love triangle between Ellie, Nate and Auden.
Speaking of Auden… his interactions with Ellie was so playful and entertaining. What happened to them? Sadly, he changed from a snarky officer to a man whose only goal was to protect and gawk at Ellie :(
Ames, however? UGH I WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT HIM.
It’s also kind of hard to believe (but that might be because we still know very little about her past) that Ellie is such a great warrior and strategist when she was trained by a grandpa with wooden sticks lol I will ignore that though cause she’s badass and WE LOVE BADASS WOMEN.
ALSO!!! I loved the idea with the curse placed on the house and the events that led to Ellie finding out the truth about herself. It was amazing.
Can’t wait for the second book!
July 27, 2023
I decided that this review would be broken into 2 parts.
Part One, story. If I was rating this book solely on the story, I would've given it 5 stars. The idea behind this book was incredibly gripping. You meet Ellie as the middle sister and a character who is mostly unknown. You follow her through her struggles, triumphs, and emotions, and you slowly but surely fall in love with her as the other characters do. More than once, the plot of this story caught me by surprise in the best of ways. I can't wait to see where book two takes us. I'm hoping Ellie's other two sisters return.
Part two is the writing. I want to preface this part by stating that this is the authors first book. Nothing here will prevent me from reading the second book, and nothing mentioned should deter you from reading this. However, there is definitely some clumsiness in the writing. There are several typos throughout the story, and the POV often changes without any clear designations. I think this story would've benefitted from each chapter having a character POV listed. (i.e., chapter 3 Ellie) Several times I got into a chapter only to discover the POV was different than the last and I had to jump back to reframe my brain in the right character, it made the story a little hard to follow at times.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the second one.
Part One, story. If I was rating this book solely on the story, I would've given it 5 stars. The idea behind this book was incredibly gripping. You meet Ellie as the middle sister and a character who is mostly unknown. You follow her through her struggles, triumphs, and emotions, and you slowly but surely fall in love with her as the other characters do. More than once, the plot of this story caught me by surprise in the best of ways. I can't wait to see where book two takes us. I'm hoping Ellie's other two sisters return.
Part two is the writing. I want to preface this part by stating that this is the authors first book. Nothing here will prevent me from reading the second book, and nothing mentioned should deter you from reading this. However, there is definitely some clumsiness in the writing. There are several typos throughout the story, and the POV often changes without any clear designations. I think this story would've benefitted from each chapter having a character POV listed. (i.e., chapter 3 Ellie) Several times I got into a chapter only to discover the POV was different than the last and I had to jump back to reframe my brain in the right character, it made the story a little hard to follow at times.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the second one.
February 14, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and loved every moment of it and didn’t see its flaws until looking at other reviews, to be fair I did mostly do audiobook so I missed out on the spelling errors that a lot of reviewers mentioned cause that would probably have ruined the book for me if I’m honest, but I didn’t notice the lack of depth to most of her male characters until I read about that being an issue someone had with the book and then started thinking on it and a lot of her male characters really do have like little to no personality but I’m not going to say that’s awful as she is working on book two which can hopefully fix that for us. A lot of reviews also say Ellie is extremely over powered and has no flaws. I will agree to that. I’m pretty sure her temper was supposed to be her flaw but we very rarely saw the temper. If that was going to be her flaw she should have been raging constantly at everyone not just making a mental note to kill them later essentially. I think it could have been amended if maybe she was very plane Jane and then uncomfortable and awkward when she was put in the revealing outfits. If she was really good at fighting but clumsy when just like walking. Or even just giving her a speech impediment. Something minor that wouldn’t really change much about her character but even without flaws I still enjoyed Ellie and the book.
February 19, 2023
Note: I received a free ARC of Forsaken Thrones from the publisher.
I've been following the author on Tik Tok for some time prior to learning that she'd written a book, especially enjoying the Sarah J Maas related content that she's put out. When I learned that she'd written a book, I was very interested, especially when I started seeing the reviews saying that it reminded them of Throne of Glass.
And now that I've read the book I definitely see the similarities. Some of the elements are very similar to other fae books (the idea of hidden heirs to the throne, how the fae age, mates, etc.) but Stiles did a pretty decent job of making the story her own.
I thought Forsaken Thrones was actually pretty well written. There were some slight typos which may have been corrected in later editions and some passages where I felt the POV shifted in a odd way but it was very, very readable and the problems didn't bother me enough to dampen the reading experience.
It was definitely good enough that I think, when book two rolls around, I'll probably end up purchasing a physical copy of this book and book two so I have them both on my shelf.
I've definitely read books by debut authors that weren't as clean or entertaining as this one. So a big kudos to the author! I look forward to the next book and more of her online content.
I've been following the author on Tik Tok for some time prior to learning that she'd written a book, especially enjoying the Sarah J Maas related content that she's put out. When I learned that she'd written a book, I was very interested, especially when I started seeing the reviews saying that it reminded them of Throne of Glass.
And now that I've read the book I definitely see the similarities. Some of the elements are very similar to other fae books (the idea of hidden heirs to the throne, how the fae age, mates, etc.) but Stiles did a pretty decent job of making the story her own.
I thought Forsaken Thrones was actually pretty well written. There were some slight typos which may have been corrected in later editions and some passages where I felt the POV shifted in a odd way but it was very, very readable and the problems didn't bother me enough to dampen the reading experience.
It was definitely good enough that I think, when book two rolls around, I'll probably end up purchasing a physical copy of this book and book two so I have them both on my shelf.
I've definitely read books by debut authors that weren't as clean or entertaining as this one. So a big kudos to the author! I look forward to the next book and more of her online content.
March 11, 2023
The storyline gets an A+. As many have said, total TOG and Hunger Games vibes.
I loved the evolution of not just the FMC, but many of the supporting characters.
The world building was easy to follow and my brain felt comfy in the imagery.
The ending left me wanting more which is all you can ask for when reading fantasy.
Now, while I understand this is the first round of this publication, I had a couple issues.
First, the typos. There were so many and I am the kind of reader that is IRKED by typos. Like I said, I understand there was no team of editors to comb through the pages line by line. But some were so blatantly obvious it was hard to move past.
Second, the POV transitions. They were TOO smooth. I spent a lot of time having to imagine who’s brain we were in and when.
Micro chapters with name labels may have been easier to navigate.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story and the depth to some of the plot lines. It’s smart writing. It’s clever. It’s well thought out with a lot of foresight from the very beginning. I am truly looking forward to Forsaken Queens!!
Snaps for L.L Stiles ❤️
I loved the evolution of not just the FMC, but many of the supporting characters.
The world building was easy to follow and my brain felt comfy in the imagery.
The ending left me wanting more which is all you can ask for when reading fantasy.
Now, while I understand this is the first round of this publication, I had a couple issues.
First, the typos. There were so many and I am the kind of reader that is IRKED by typos. Like I said, I understand there was no team of editors to comb through the pages line by line. But some were so blatantly obvious it was hard to move past.
Second, the POV transitions. They were TOO smooth. I spent a lot of time having to imagine who’s brain we were in and when.
Micro chapters with name labels may have been easier to navigate.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story and the depth to some of the plot lines. It’s smart writing. It’s clever. It’s well thought out with a lot of foresight from the very beginning. I am truly looking forward to Forsaken Queens!!
Snaps for L.L Stiles ❤️
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March 21, 2023No. No. No. No.
I know L.L Stiles is an indie author and this is her debut. BUT, that does not change how I perceive them or rate/review them. This was not as strong as I expected it to be by the amount of hype it got from a couple of BookTok creators I follow -following this book’s drop. I couldn’t find either any review on this book after them raving about the PR package, but I was already reading it when I went snooping to see if anyone had a hard time with this book like I was.
I found myself very disappointed..
Ellie literally was just so beautiful and she was just wow so different, so strong, so noble for being a….you guessed it….girl. And Nate the guy she grew up with, omg, he has a hot bod and oh my I gotta flirt with a hot Fae.
I DNF’d this after I couldn’t take anymore. It was just not worth it.
I’m sorry L.L. Stiles if you ever read this review... I know a lot of review rave about this book, but it just did not work for me. I think honestly, comparing it to Throne of Glass and Hunger Games was a mistake. Gave me way too much expectation going in and left my really just sad and longing for the book it was promoted to be.
I know L.L Stiles is an indie author and this is her debut. BUT, that does not change how I perceive them or rate/review them. This was not as strong as I expected it to be by the amount of hype it got from a couple of BookTok creators I follow -following this book’s drop. I couldn’t find either any review on this book after them raving about the PR package, but I was already reading it when I went snooping to see if anyone had a hard time with this book like I was.
I found myself very disappointed..
Ellie literally was just so beautiful and she was just wow so different, so strong, so noble for being a….you guessed it….girl. And Nate the guy she grew up with, omg, he has a hot bod and oh my I gotta flirt with a hot Fae.
I DNF’d this after I couldn’t take anymore. It was just not worth it.
I’m sorry L.L. Stiles if you ever read this review... I know a lot of review rave about this book, but it just did not work for me. I think honestly, comparing it to Throne of Glass and Hunger Games was a mistake. Gave me way too much expectation going in and left my really just sad and longing for the book it was promoted to be.
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