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Kingdom of Cymmera #2
Lost Princess
Ryleigh Donnovan’s life changed forever the day she met Jackson Maynard, a Death Dealer, and followed him home to the kingdom of Cymmera. Now she is trying to care for her sister while saving a realm she knows nothing about…
Jackson has reluctantly accepted the throne of Cymmera, in place of his father. But his world is in turmoil, the kingdom under constant threat of attack. Worse still, Jackson suspects there is a traitor among his court. A powerful prophet has suggested a way to protect the realm, but that solution may drive Jackson and Ryleigh apart forever…
When a magic relic goes missing, Ryleigh has no choice but to journey in search of it. When Jackson discovers Ryleigh is missing, he must make a choice that will either claim their destiny, or bring an end to the only home he’s ever known.
Jackson has reluctantly accepted the throne of Cymmera, in place of his father. But his world is in turmoil, the kingdom under constant threat of attack. Worse still, Jackson suspects there is a traitor among his court. A powerful prophet has suggested a way to protect the realm, but that solution may drive Jackson and Ryleigh apart forever…
When a magic relic goes missing, Ryleigh has no choice but to journey in search of it. When Jackson discovers Ryleigh is missing, he must make a choice that will either claim their destiny, or bring an end to the only home he’s ever known.
162 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 13, 2015
5 people are currently reading
278 people want to read
About the author
Dani-Lyn Alexander
17 books209 followersDani-Lyn lives on Long Island with her husband, three kids and three dogs. She loves spending time with her family, at the beach, the playground, or just about anywhere. In her spare time, which is rare, she enjoys reading and shopping—especially in book stores. Some of her favorite things include; Superheroes, Bernese Mountain Dogs, musicals, bubble baths and soft blankets. She’s an incurable insomniac, and she has an addiction to chocolate.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
October 14, 2015
Easy and interested but not in love 3 stars. I read the first book and struggled to finish but liked the premise of it. When I began this book I noticed it seemed an editor helped smooth this story line out. This read was okay, not on the same detailed and fantastic lines as other fantasy novels. I found myself liking the moving pieces in the story and the heroine more than the hero which is rare. While I wasn't blown away I will probably still read the next novel.
May 24, 2020
A good continuation of the story although just as cheesy and a bit outdated as the first one. Overall, a fast, easy and fun series to read.
I received an ecopy of this through Netgalley; however, all opinions are my own.
I received an ecopy of this through Netgalley; however, all opinions are my own.
Want to read
August 9, 2015Shoot. I didn't realize it was the second one when I was given it.
May 6, 2017
*** I would like to thank Netgalley, Kensington Books and the author Dani-Lyn Alexander for sending me this digital copy of Lost Princess in exchange for an honest review***
There might be some light spoilers.
Lost Princess starts off right where Reluctant Prince ended, maybe a bit of time went by, about a week or two. It seemed like Ryleigh and Mia where going to be living a normal human life but right away they were sucked back into the Cymmera Kingdom's drama.
Ryleigh is still trying to protect her sister Mia . So she does anything to keep her safe, like taking her to the human realm or to the Cymmera Kingdom if it's safer there. She moves Mia around a couple of times. And she still treats Mia like a baby. Just the way she talks to her, it's like Mia's the most fragile, poor, innocent 14 year old girl you'll see, everyone treats her like that. But than Ry calls Mia strong and brave when Mia talks back to her, I'm just like, ooookkkaayy. I think Ry is brave but she still has a lot to learn about the Cymmera Kingdom. She has to learn how to fight and how to protect the people. Right away she's put on a dragon and rushed off to a kingdom she still doesn’t really know, to find something, without asking questions or anything. It's like where were you going girl? Is like saying "here's the keys to this car, now drive". To where? And of course she gets kidnapped. That’s what happens. I do like Ry cus she does seem like every teenage girl who wouldn’t know what to do in a situation like this. It's more realistic what she's feeling than if she just out of no where knew how to fight and knew her way around the kingdom. She's still learning and trying to prove herself to others, little by little.
Jackson is also trying to prove that he can be a good king to Cymmera. But in the beginning he wasn’t really doing much. He was mostly checking on Ry to see if she was okay. So I can see why his people didn’t really take him seriously. There was a second when he went and did whatever he wanted to do, he wasn't going to listen to Ry, and whatever she had to say. I don't know how I felt about that. I was like "you ass" but in the same time I was also like "you got to do what you got to do for your kingdom". It seems like ever since he met Ry, Jack has forgotten his duties or put them aside cus he was so distracted by Ry. But you do see his warrior side, you kind of forget that he trained to kill humans and Savages because he seems so nice but once he gets ready to fight, it comes back to you. I think he is the better choice to lead Cymmera. Chayce just wants to fight, and the others, we don’t really know much about.
I don’t know what to really think about Elijah. I liked him in Reluctant Prince, he seemed like a nice trustworthy guy. But in this book there's moments where he would turn his back on Ry, or he would look suspicious, even Jack and Ry thought so. Dakota was also one of the suspects, also Chayce was to.
I wasn't sure but it looks like everything in this book happened in one day, they never fell asleep, or took a break. It seemed like there was always something happening. The time there is different than in the human realm, it’s a bit confusing.
This book was filled with suspicious looking characters. You couldn’t really trust anyone. It seems like everyone was a traitor. But to me it was very obvious who the traitor was, it was kind of in your face and hard to miss, it was the others I didn’t know about. So anyone could be the one to betray Jack and Ry. There was also a lot of people being kidnapped or held captive. Many characters were.
Overall I did enjoy reading Lost Princess. It was a short read. It has Fantasy, a touch of PG teen Romance, there's violence though, a lot of it. It was a bit since I've read the first book, so it was nice getting back into this world. I hope that there are no more betrayals in the next book, cus that would suck, especially because they've known each other for hundreds of years, it would be hurtful and sad for the characters.
***
There might be some light spoilers.
Lost Princess starts off right where Reluctant Prince ended, maybe a bit of time went by, about a week or two. It seemed like Ryleigh and Mia where going to be living a normal human life but right away they were sucked back into the Cymmera Kingdom's drama.
Ryleigh is still trying to protect her sister Mia . So she does anything to keep her safe, like taking her to the human realm or to the Cymmera Kingdom if it's safer there. She moves Mia around a couple of times. And she still treats Mia like a baby. Just the way she talks to her, it's like Mia's the most fragile, poor, innocent 14 year old girl you'll see, everyone treats her like that. But than Ry calls Mia strong and brave when Mia talks back to her, I'm just like, ooookkkaayy. I think Ry is brave but she still has a lot to learn about the Cymmera Kingdom. She has to learn how to fight and how to protect the people. Right away she's put on a dragon and rushed off to a kingdom she still doesn’t really know, to find something, without asking questions or anything. It's like where were you going girl? Is like saying "here's the keys to this car, now drive". To where? And of course she gets kidnapped. That’s what happens. I do like Ry cus she does seem like every teenage girl who wouldn’t know what to do in a situation like this. It's more realistic what she's feeling than if she just out of no where knew how to fight and knew her way around the kingdom. She's still learning and trying to prove herself to others, little by little.
Jackson is also trying to prove that he can be a good king to Cymmera. But in the beginning he wasn’t really doing much. He was mostly checking on Ry to see if she was okay. So I can see why his people didn’t really take him seriously. There was a second when he went and did whatever he wanted to do, he wasn't going to listen to Ry, and whatever she had to say. I don't know how I felt about that. I was like "you ass" but in the same time I was also like "you got to do what you got to do for your kingdom". It seems like ever since he met Ry, Jack has forgotten his duties or put them aside cus he was so distracted by Ry. But you do see his warrior side, you kind of forget that he trained to kill humans and Savages because he seems so nice but once he gets ready to fight, it comes back to you. I think he is the better choice to lead Cymmera. Chayce just wants to fight, and the others, we don’t really know much about.
I don’t know what to really think about Elijah. I liked him in Reluctant Prince, he seemed like a nice trustworthy guy. But in this book there's moments where he would turn his back on Ry, or he would look suspicious, even Jack and Ry thought so. Dakota was also one of the suspects, also Chayce was to.
I wasn't sure but it looks like everything in this book happened in one day, they never fell asleep, or took a break. It seemed like there was always something happening. The time there is different than in the human realm, it’s a bit confusing.
This book was filled with suspicious looking characters. You couldn’t really trust anyone. It seems like everyone was a traitor. But to me it was very obvious who the traitor was, it was kind of in your face and hard to miss, it was the others I didn’t know about. So anyone could be the one to betray Jack and Ry. There was also a lot of people being kidnapped or held captive. Many characters were.
Overall I did enjoy reading Lost Princess. It was a short read. It has Fantasy, a touch of PG teen Romance, there's violence though, a lot of it. It was a bit since I've read the first book, so it was nice getting back into this world. I hope that there are no more betrayals in the next book, cus that would suck, especially because they've known each other for hundreds of years, it would be hurtful and sad for the characters.
***
February 23, 2016
I liked Lost Princess. It was a really great continuation of the story started in Reluctant Prince. In fact, I enjoyed it slightly more than the first book.
Lost Princess begins almost exactly where Reluctant Prince finishes and the action starts just pages in. It's great! There's no dragged-out build-up. You are thrown right into the story and because of this I only put it down once and only because it was so late. The suspense was just brilliant!
Once again the story is told via the alternating perspectives of Ryleigh and Jackson. Therefore, we continue to see the whole story as it progresses as Ryleigh and Jackson spend a lot of time apart during Lost Princess. This also makes it harder to suss out who exactly has betrayed Jackson by working alongside Kai. Although, I did have it narrowed down before the big reveal.
Lost Princess is a fairly fast paced read with lots of action. There were also plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader interested. Some plot lines aren't completely tied up and there is a slight cliff-hanger however I'm sure these will be handled in the nest instalment of the series.
I did once again really enjoy the characters. Particularly Ryliegh and Jackson. Ryleigh really does come “into her own” and accepts her role in Cymmera. She can be quite a fierce leader as not only can she be strategic but she also really cares about people.
Jackson is still struggling with his father’s death as it has only been a few days (I thin) however he is getting there slowly. This, to me, shows that he is "only human" (for lack of a better term as he is immortal). I really felt for him in terms of the betrayal and his confusion as he doesn't know he to trust.
I also liked that Ryleigh and Jackson clashed quite a bit in Lost Princess. It shows that they aren’t the perfect couple and there will be instances when they will have to agree to disagree. I think it also shows how little they actually know each other too.
However, as I said in my review of Reluctant Prince, I do wish there was more description. It would fill the story out a bit more and the world building would be so much better for it. Even so it is still a pretty cool world/dimension.
I would definitely recommend the Kingdom of Cymmera series to those who enjoy YA fantasy with a dash of romance. However, I believe "hard-core" fans of fantasy could be let down by the lack of description but it's still a really good read.
I look forward to reading the next instalment in the series and will definitely be keeping my eye out for more by Dani-Lyn Alexander.
I received a copy of Lost Princess via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This review and many more can be found at My Expanding Bookshelf.
Lost Princess begins almost exactly where Reluctant Prince finishes and the action starts just pages in. It's great! There's no dragged-out build-up. You are thrown right into the story and because of this I only put it down once and only because it was so late. The suspense was just brilliant!
Once again the story is told via the alternating perspectives of Ryleigh and Jackson. Therefore, we continue to see the whole story as it progresses as Ryleigh and Jackson spend a lot of time apart during Lost Princess. This also makes it harder to suss out who exactly has betrayed Jackson by working alongside Kai. Although, I did have it narrowed down before the big reveal.
Lost Princess is a fairly fast paced read with lots of action. There were also plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader interested. Some plot lines aren't completely tied up and there is a slight cliff-hanger however I'm sure these will be handled in the nest instalment of the series.
I did once again really enjoy the characters. Particularly Ryliegh and Jackson. Ryleigh really does come “into her own” and accepts her role in Cymmera. She can be quite a fierce leader as not only can she be strategic but she also really cares about people.
Jackson is still struggling with his father’s death as it has only been a few days (I thin) however he is getting there slowly. This, to me, shows that he is "only human" (for lack of a better term as he is immortal). I really felt for him in terms of the betrayal and his confusion as he doesn't know he to trust.
I also liked that Ryleigh and Jackson clashed quite a bit in Lost Princess. It shows that they aren’t the perfect couple and there will be instances when they will have to agree to disagree. I think it also shows how little they actually know each other too.
However, as I said in my review of Reluctant Prince, I do wish there was more description. It would fill the story out a bit more and the world building would be so much better for it. Even so it is still a pretty cool world/dimension.
I would definitely recommend the Kingdom of Cymmera series to those who enjoy YA fantasy with a dash of romance. However, I believe "hard-core" fans of fantasy could be let down by the lack of description but it's still a really good read.
I look forward to reading the next instalment in the series and will definitely be keeping my eye out for more by Dani-Lyn Alexander.
I received a copy of Lost Princess via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This review and many more can be found at My Expanding Bookshelf.
October 13, 2015
*Book aquired through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
Ryleigh Donovan is not only a Princess of Cymmera but she's also fated to be it's Queen, the only thing that's strange is that her "boyfriend", Jackson is it's King and that scares her.
Trying to understand a Kingdom that's entirely new to her while also taking care of her sister and working on her relationship with Jackson.
When a magic relic disappears Ryleigh has to go out and search for it leaving Jackson alone in his new position as King of Cymmera. Jackson finds out she's gone and want's to go out and search for her, but can he leave his kingdom and home to search for his heart?
I was so glad this book came out (and that I was able to read it early) because I really wanted to see what the future had in store for Ryleigh, Jackson, Mia and their friends.
This book had the exact mesures of excitement, delusion, loss and happiness making it a very pleasurable read and keeping me excited! The Kingdom of Cymmera is getting even better than before and the characthers are faced with true dilemmas and have very real problems that make you connect with him and feel like you are one of them once again.
The sci-fi-ish aspect of the book, with the parallel universe is standing out even more and the magical aspect keeps giving it amazing qualities that allowed the author to create awesome creatures that steal your breath away!
People who love magical adventurous with a love interest and a tastefull dose of reallity will certainly love this book and, if you don't like the things listed before, you can always give it a try!
http://thebewitchedreader.blogspot.pt...
Ryleigh Donovan is not only a Princess of Cymmera but she's also fated to be it's Queen, the only thing that's strange is that her "boyfriend", Jackson is it's King and that scares her.
Trying to understand a Kingdom that's entirely new to her while also taking care of her sister and working on her relationship with Jackson.
When a magic relic disappears Ryleigh has to go out and search for it leaving Jackson alone in his new position as King of Cymmera. Jackson finds out she's gone and want's to go out and search for her, but can he leave his kingdom and home to search for his heart?
I was so glad this book came out (and that I was able to read it early) because I really wanted to see what the future had in store for Ryleigh, Jackson, Mia and their friends.
This book had the exact mesures of excitement, delusion, loss and happiness making it a very pleasurable read and keeping me excited! The Kingdom of Cymmera is getting even better than before and the characthers are faced with true dilemmas and have very real problems that make you connect with him and feel like you are one of them once again.
The sci-fi-ish aspect of the book, with the parallel universe is standing out even more and the magical aspect keeps giving it amazing qualities that allowed the author to create awesome creatures that steal your breath away!
People who love magical adventurous with a love interest and a tastefull dose of reallity will certainly love this book and, if you don't like the things listed before, you can always give it a try!
http://thebewitchedreader.blogspot.pt...
August 23, 2015
My Review :
**** 3 Stars ****
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.
This is the second book in this series and I found to it to be even better than the first. While I was pleasantly surprised by the first book, I was unsure of I could get past some of the things that bothered me. With that in mind, I did continue on to the second book.
The author seems to lack a bit of 'polish' and extensive detail in her writing that is typically seen in high fanasty authors. While the first book was initially jumbled and felt like things happened just a little too fast, the second book, actually came across at a more reasonable pace with what seemed like more depth that significantly improved the writing.
The plot is enjoyable with dark twists and just enough suspense to keep you turning the pages. The characters are interesting and have depth and actually have growth. The romance is a little off key, in my opinion but I still enjoyed the element it added to the story.
Overall, I give this book a solid three stars and recommend it probably more so for a younger crowd.
December 16, 2015
I will admit that I didn't realize this was a sequel in a series until after I started reading. When I couldn't figure out what was going on in the first chapter, I went back and did more research and found the first book of the series, a The Reluctant Prince, and purchased it from iTunes. Everything made a lot more sense after finishing the first book.
The only reason I'm giving this book four stars is because you have to read the first book to be able to understand this book. Some book series give you a brief summary in the beginning to get the reader up to speed. The book tried to do that but it was difficult to understand.
After reading both books in the series, I have to say that I really enjoyed them both. The world created was interesting and the story moved swiftly. The characters were enchanting and you couldn't help being sucked into their story. They grew and really came into their own during the course of the books. Definitely worth checking out this series.
*ARC given by Netgalley
The only reason I'm giving this book four stars is because you have to read the first book to be able to understand this book. Some book series give you a brief summary in the beginning to get the reader up to speed. The book tried to do that but it was difficult to understand.
After reading both books in the series, I have to say that I really enjoyed them both. The world created was interesting and the story moved swiftly. The characters were enchanting and you couldn't help being sucked into their story. They grew and really came into their own during the course of the books. Definitely worth checking out this series.
*ARC given by Netgalley
August 14, 2015
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!
I wasn't expecting to be blown away. The Reluctant Prince was good, but not amazing. This one, however, was way more exciting. The action was better, the betrayal hurt more, there were a lot of moments where you felt the hopelessness and the happiness along with the characters, and the ending left you wanting more. I physically NEED the traitor from this book (No spoiler here, you'll have to figure it out for yourself) to die. The world building is still beautiful and the animals make me jealous. I want one of my own! I do recommend this book.
I wasn't expecting to be blown away. The Reluctant Prince was good, but not amazing. This one, however, was way more exciting. The action was better, the betrayal hurt more, there were a lot of moments where you felt the hopelessness and the happiness along with the characters, and the ending left you wanting more. I physically NEED the traitor from this book (No spoiler here, you'll have to figure it out for yourself) to die. The world building is still beautiful and the animals make me jealous. I want one of my own! I do recommend this book.
November 8, 2015
Kingdom of Cymmera #2
Publisher: Lyrical Press
Publication Date: October 13, 2015
Rating: 3 Stars
Source: eARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Add it on Goodreads!!
Summary (from Goodreads):
Ryleigh Donnovan’s life changed forever the day she met Jackson Maynard, a Death Dealer, and followed him home to the kingdom of Cymmera. Now she is trying to care for her sister while saving a realm she knows nothing about…
Jackson has reluctantly accepted the throne of Cymmera, in place of his father. But his world is in turmoil, the kingdom under constant threat of attack. Worse still, Jackson suspects there is a traitor among his court. A powerful prophet has suggested a way to protect the realm, but that solution may drive Jackson and Ryleigh apart forever…
When a magic relic goes missing, Ryleigh has no choice but to journey in search of it. When Jackson discovers Ryleigh is missing, he must make a choice that will either claim their destiny, or bring an end to the only home he’s ever known.
Cymmera is in chaos. There is a traitor loose in the kingdom and Jackson doesn't know what to do with his newfound title as King. Ryleigh and Mia are back in Cymmera after an unwelcome intruder disturbed the peace in their new home in the human realm. Jackson is trying to hold his kingdom, and himself, together. He wants to claim Ryleigh, but she isn't ready. Things just aren't going smoothly for anyone in this book. When the same unwelcome intruder makes his way into Ryleigh's chambers, taking her Divination Stone and leaving behind the bat that they took from her house, she is sent by Elijah on a journey to get back the stone. Which, naturally, doesn't go smoothly for anyone because no one will just listen to the prophet and seer and take his visions at face value.
As in the last book, I do not know how I feel about the characters. I think they're okay, but at the same time I don't feel anything strongly for them. Ryleigh knows her destiny is in Cymmera, but can't help feeling like she wants to take Mia and just forget about everything. But she overcomes a LOT in this book and she is pretty fierce and strong and still annoyingly overprotective of her younger sister, which isn't a bad thing, but still annoying. She accepts her role as queen and she pretty much OWNS IT.
Jackson... I don't know if I think that he's kinda creepy because he just decides that he is going to claim Ryleigh, that it's best for everyone in the kingdom, but he knows it's not what she's ready for yet, or if I think he's awesome because he's really protective of Ryleigh and Mia and he would do basically anything for them or for his kingdom. And he does go out of his way to do anything for them. The lack of care the rulers in this kingdom have for themselves and their kingdom when they go rushing into battles for each other is kind of astounding.
I appreciated Mia a lot more as a character in this book. I thought she seemed to act more her age in this book. She wasn't constantly crying and clinging to Ryleigh in this book. She wasn't constantly babied by everyone anymore. She really stepped up in some situations in this book and I just liked her a lot more.
There is still the romance between Ryleigh and Jackson, but it's kind of on a back burner because they're pretty much separated or fighting or acting completely unnecessarily jealous about something dumb for this whole book. But they really seem to work well together and I do like their romance.
The plot of this book is pretty much what has kept me reading. Not that it's really a great plot, but there is always something happening and it keeps you interested and engaged and wanting to know what happens next. The action is pretty much constant in this book and that is what I loved about this book. I can't say that I was ever bored while reading this.
Once again, I did not care for the writing of this book. It didn't feel like it was original to me. Throughout this book and the first book, phrases are repeated entirely too much. Ryleigh constantly has her bottom lip caught in her teeth. It was to the point that I was just hoping that she would bite it off so I didn't have to read about it anymore. People are seemingly always 'ruthlessly' or 'brutally' pushing feelings or tears or something else aside. Always with those words. Also, people always seemed to be resisting the urge to throw up over every little thing. The repetitive-ness of phrases really put me off.
The one thing that bugged me the most about this book was the villain. He seems to be so smart and has his wits about him to betray a whole kingdom so well, but then when Ryleigh or Jackson finally get around to facing him, he acts like a spoiled brat who doesn't get his way and it just didn't even feel like the same character to me.
Overall, I think that this was an alright book. I would probably not recommend it unless you're looking for something with lots of action. I will probably read a third book in this series because I am really enjoying the plot and really want to know what happens next.
Publisher: Lyrical Press
Publication Date: October 13, 2015
Rating: 3 Stars
Source: eARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Add it on Goodreads!!
Summary (from Goodreads):
Ryleigh Donnovan’s life changed forever the day she met Jackson Maynard, a Death Dealer, and followed him home to the kingdom of Cymmera. Now she is trying to care for her sister while saving a realm she knows nothing about…
Jackson has reluctantly accepted the throne of Cymmera, in place of his father. But his world is in turmoil, the kingdom under constant threat of attack. Worse still, Jackson suspects there is a traitor among his court. A powerful prophet has suggested a way to protect the realm, but that solution may drive Jackson and Ryleigh apart forever…
When a magic relic goes missing, Ryleigh has no choice but to journey in search of it. When Jackson discovers Ryleigh is missing, he must make a choice that will either claim their destiny, or bring an end to the only home he’s ever known.
Cymmera is in chaos. There is a traitor loose in the kingdom and Jackson doesn't know what to do with his newfound title as King. Ryleigh and Mia are back in Cymmera after an unwelcome intruder disturbed the peace in their new home in the human realm. Jackson is trying to hold his kingdom, and himself, together. He wants to claim Ryleigh, but she isn't ready. Things just aren't going smoothly for anyone in this book. When the same unwelcome intruder makes his way into Ryleigh's chambers, taking her Divination Stone and leaving behind the bat that they took from her house, she is sent by Elijah on a journey to get back the stone. Which, naturally, doesn't go smoothly for anyone because no one will just listen to the prophet and seer and take his visions at face value.
As in the last book, I do not know how I feel about the characters. I think they're okay, but at the same time I don't feel anything strongly for them. Ryleigh knows her destiny is in Cymmera, but can't help feeling like she wants to take Mia and just forget about everything. But she overcomes a LOT in this book and she is pretty fierce and strong and still annoyingly overprotective of her younger sister, which isn't a bad thing, but still annoying. She accepts her role as queen and she pretty much OWNS IT.
Jackson... I don't know if I think that he's kinda creepy because he just decides that he is going to claim Ryleigh, that it's best for everyone in the kingdom, but he knows it's not what she's ready for yet, or if I think he's awesome because he's really protective of Ryleigh and Mia and he would do basically anything for them or for his kingdom. And he does go out of his way to do anything for them. The lack of care the rulers in this kingdom have for themselves and their kingdom when they go rushing into battles for each other is kind of astounding.
I appreciated Mia a lot more as a character in this book. I thought she seemed to act more her age in this book. She wasn't constantly crying and clinging to Ryleigh in this book. She wasn't constantly babied by everyone anymore. She really stepped up in some situations in this book and I just liked her a lot more.
There is still the romance between Ryleigh and Jackson, but it's kind of on a back burner because they're pretty much separated or fighting or acting completely unnecessarily jealous about something dumb for this whole book. But they really seem to work well together and I do like their romance.
The plot of this book is pretty much what has kept me reading. Not that it's really a great plot, but there is always something happening and it keeps you interested and engaged and wanting to know what happens next. The action is pretty much constant in this book and that is what I loved about this book. I can't say that I was ever bored while reading this.
Once again, I did not care for the writing of this book. It didn't feel like it was original to me. Throughout this book and the first book, phrases are repeated entirely too much. Ryleigh constantly has her bottom lip caught in her teeth. It was to the point that I was just hoping that she would bite it off so I didn't have to read about it anymore. People are seemingly always 'ruthlessly' or 'brutally' pushing feelings or tears or something else aside. Always with those words. Also, people always seemed to be resisting the urge to throw up over every little thing. The repetitive-ness of phrases really put me off.
The one thing that bugged me the most about this book was the villain. He seems to be so smart and has his wits about him to betray a whole kingdom so well, but then when Ryleigh or Jackson finally get around to facing him, he acts like a spoiled brat who doesn't get his way and it just didn't even feel like the same character to me.
Overall, I think that this was an alright book. I would probably not recommend it unless you're looking for something with lots of action. I will probably read a third book in this series because I am really enjoying the plot and really want to know what happens next.
September 29, 2015
3.5 stars
I really want to give this book a higher rating because after about half way thru or so, the story got really good. But the thing that just can't let me give it 4 stars was Ryleigh. She was so aggravating for so much of the story. I understand her reasons for most of her decisions, I really do. But that doesn't mean that it didn't tick me off. I just felt like she was being such a spoiled, selfish brat. And it was mostly Jackson that suffered for it. Even when she took charge of things, she was constantly whining about it and wanting Jackson back mostly so that she could put it all on him and run away to go back to the human realm.
I felt really bad for Jackson many times here. He wasn't exactly ready to rule the kingdom and without Ryleigh by his side he's distracted and unable to do what is all required of him. I did like seeing when his temper got the best of him though. It just made him seem that much more realistic.
Mia undoubtedly has gotten stronger. But even so it really seems like Ryleigh can't stop treating her like a child. Which, if I were Mia, would kind of bug me. Isn't she, like, 16 now? Sometimes it seemed more like she was 10 with the way she was treated.
Ryleigh and Mia have been staying in the human realm and Ryleigh seems content to stay there for as long as she can/wants. While all Jackson can think about is her and how he needs her by his side. When something happens where she's staying, she has no choice but to go back to Cymmera with him though. Things are not peaceful there for long. When something goes missing from Ryleigh's rooms and she's sent to retrieve it on her own, everything falls into place for the bad guys. Ryleigh is ill prepared for what happens to her, but she eventually finds a companion that was pretty freakin' cool. While she was missing, Jackson was trying to decide what's most important for him to do. And in doing so could have easily lost everything. Things go from bad to worse for him, but it also leads to him finally acknowledging what was given to him by his father to make him the best king he could be. Things most definitely seem hopeless to him at a point, but Ryleigh has finally decided to step into her role as queen and take charge to rescue him and Mia who was also taken. It's hard for her to ignore all the things clearly marking her as their queen when they all seem to fall into place. And I was thrilled that by the end she finally accepts this and decides to stay there with Jackson.
It was painfully obvious to the reader who the traitor was, so it was frustrating when nobody realized it. Especially when Jackson even would have suspicious thoughts just to easily dismiss them. But at the same time, it's easy to see how those close could be so blind to it.
Jackson does something incredibly stupid at the very end that I don't quite get why it was in the story. There was no way at all that it could have gone well for him and, to me, it didn't really add anything to the story. Especially when it could have gone so wrong. But we do know where the story is going to be leading and I am looking forward to getting more.
ARC provided by publisher via Netgalley.
I really want to give this book a higher rating because after about half way thru or so, the story got really good. But the thing that just can't let me give it 4 stars was Ryleigh. She was so aggravating for so much of the story. I understand her reasons for most of her decisions, I really do. But that doesn't mean that it didn't tick me off. I just felt like she was being such a spoiled, selfish brat. And it was mostly Jackson that suffered for it. Even when she took charge of things, she was constantly whining about it and wanting Jackson back mostly so that she could put it all on him and run away to go back to the human realm.
I felt really bad for Jackson many times here. He wasn't exactly ready to rule the kingdom and without Ryleigh by his side he's distracted and unable to do what is all required of him. I did like seeing when his temper got the best of him though. It just made him seem that much more realistic.
Mia undoubtedly has gotten stronger. But even so it really seems like Ryleigh can't stop treating her like a child. Which, if I were Mia, would kind of bug me. Isn't she, like, 16 now? Sometimes it seemed more like she was 10 with the way she was treated.
Ryleigh and Mia have been staying in the human realm and Ryleigh seems content to stay there for as long as she can/wants. While all Jackson can think about is her and how he needs her by his side. When something happens where she's staying, she has no choice but to go back to Cymmera with him though. Things are not peaceful there for long. When something goes missing from Ryleigh's rooms and she's sent to retrieve it on her own, everything falls into place for the bad guys. Ryleigh is ill prepared for what happens to her, but she eventually finds a companion that was pretty freakin' cool. While she was missing, Jackson was trying to decide what's most important for him to do. And in doing so could have easily lost everything. Things go from bad to worse for him, but it also leads to him finally acknowledging what was given to him by his father to make him the best king he could be. Things most definitely seem hopeless to him at a point, but Ryleigh has finally decided to step into her role as queen and take charge to rescue him and Mia who was also taken. It's hard for her to ignore all the things clearly marking her as their queen when they all seem to fall into place. And I was thrilled that by the end she finally accepts this and decides to stay there with Jackson.
It was painfully obvious to the reader who the traitor was, so it was frustrating when nobody realized it. Especially when Jackson even would have suspicious thoughts just to easily dismiss them. But at the same time, it's easy to see how those close could be so blind to it.
Jackson does something incredibly stupid at the very end that I don't quite get why it was in the story. There was no way at all that it could have gone well for him and, to me, it didn't really add anything to the story. Especially when it could have gone so wrong. But we do know where the story is going to be leading and I am looking forward to getting more.
ARC provided by publisher via Netgalley.
August 12, 2015
I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley.
Lost Princess is the second book of the Kingdom of Cymmera series. In this one, Ryleigh and Mia return to the realm of Cymmera, where Jackson now rules in his late father's stead. Unfortunately, the problems from the first book are still not resolved and Jackson has a rising suspicion there's another traitor in his court.
I haven't read the first book and I didn't know this one was a part of a series when I got it from NetGalley. What first attracted me to the Lost Princess was its cover. I read the descriptions - love, treachery, new intriguing realms - and thought: "What could go wrong?"
Well, as it turns out, a couple of things.
I was really interested in reading about this Cymmera. I wanted to know more about portals, people's magic healing abilities and so much more. I presume (hope) all that was explained in the first book, because the descriptions in this one are kept at the minimum. I found myself confused about who or what are the savages, for example. I liked the original fantastical beings such as flying pet dogs. I'm really trying to come up with some more things that I liked to keep this review balanced.
As for the things that didn't really click with me, Ryleigh as the main and leading character was, in all honesty, pretty useless most of the time. She spends a lot of time crying. She froze up at a crucial moment and chose another wrong moment to get jealous. You're in the middle of a war, woman! Get your head in the game! Her sole purpose is to be with Jackson and that, along with saving her sister, is her only drive. I'm scared to see what kind of a queen would she become, since she doesn't seem like she can handle the responsibility.
As for the other characters, no one stood out, except maybe Mia, mainly because of the love Ryleigh feels for her. Mia is supposed to be 14, but she might as well been 7 by the way everyone treated her.
The writing was repetitive and it personally annoyed me to no end. Here's a drinking game: drink every time someone tamped/resisted/fought the urge/need. The phrase was used so much that at one point I wanted to give up on the book just because of that.
If there were so many things I didn't like, you may be wondering why I'm even giving it 3 stars. I was excited to read this book and the plot isn't bad. Someone who has read the first book would probably have enjoyed this one much more. It was an interesting premise, but to me it just fell flat.
Review also posted on the blog
Lost Princess is the second book of the Kingdom of Cymmera series. In this one, Ryleigh and Mia return to the realm of Cymmera, where Jackson now rules in his late father's stead. Unfortunately, the problems from the first book are still not resolved and Jackson has a rising suspicion there's another traitor in his court.
I haven't read the first book and I didn't know this one was a part of a series when I got it from NetGalley. What first attracted me to the Lost Princess was its cover. I read the descriptions - love, treachery, new intriguing realms - and thought: "What could go wrong?"
Well, as it turns out, a couple of things.
I was really interested in reading about this Cymmera. I wanted to know more about portals, people's magic healing abilities and so much more. I presume (hope) all that was explained in the first book, because the descriptions in this one are kept at the minimum. I found myself confused about who or what are the savages, for example. I liked the original fantastical beings such as flying pet dogs. I'm really trying to come up with some more things that I liked to keep this review balanced.
As for the things that didn't really click with me, Ryleigh as the main and leading character was, in all honesty, pretty useless most of the time. She spends a lot of time crying. She froze up at a crucial moment and chose another wrong moment to get jealous. You're in the middle of a war, woman! Get your head in the game! Her sole purpose is to be with Jackson and that, along with saving her sister, is her only drive. I'm scared to see what kind of a queen would she become, since she doesn't seem like she can handle the responsibility.
As soon as they found Jackson, he'd take control, and everything would be fine.
As for the other characters, no one stood out, except maybe Mia, mainly because of the love Ryleigh feels for her. Mia is supposed to be 14, but she might as well been 7 by the way everyone treated her.
The writing was repetitive and it personally annoyed me to no end. Here's a drinking game: drink every time someone tamped/resisted/fought the urge/need. The phrase was used so much that at one point I wanted to give up on the book just because of that.
If there were so many things I didn't like, you may be wondering why I'm even giving it 3 stars. I was excited to read this book and the plot isn't bad. Someone who has read the first book would probably have enjoyed this one much more. It was an interesting premise, but to me it just fell flat.
Review also posted on the blog
October 22, 2015
Before I get into the review, I have to say that I read this book (the second book in the series) without reading book one first. That was a mistake. Although I was able to figure out what was going on, it would have made it much easier to immerse myself in the story if I'd known what had happened up to that point. In other words, not really a stand-alone.
That said, I was very excited to read this. The cover is gorgeous and the blurb guaranteed that it was right down my alley.
We start with Ryleigh (the somewhat princess) in the human world with her sister. Even on that very first page, they face danger. The pace doesn't stop from there. Ryleigh constantly faces her own indecision about who she is and what she wants, while going up against an evil force. To make the layers nice and thick, no one knows who the true enemy is, what their intentions are, or even how many others have already sided with them. This constant fog of treachery, lies and deception grows heavier each time an answer is found, making it a grabbing plot which doesn't let go until the end.
I'll admit, I found the first chapters rough. Not only was this due to my lack of information (which was my own fault), but the emotions and reactions of the characters seemed to drop heavy like a brick. It felt a little choppy and sometimes a bit lacking in lead-up. But I'm so glad I didn't lay this book down. As Ryleigh slides into the other reality and tension mounts, the story takes flight. All the roughness disappeared, and I was swept away in the magical land.
I learned to adore Ryleigh. Her somewhat meek and unsure character does a fantastic transition, which had me cheering for her. The self-discovery is inspirational, and I find her a great character for the intended age group. Jackson, the reluctant King and her heart's desire, doesn't come over quite as smooth. He's heroic and likable, but Ryleigh's character definitely takes center stage.
The descriptions in the book are well done, never too much but enough to make it easy to slip into the scenes. I found that the author did a great job with the fight scenes, and despite the violence, managed to relay the brutality with grace.
Despite the dragons, magic and immortal creatures, there's enough modern feel to this to keep it familiar. The dialogue, the characters and the way Ryleigh and her sister react mirrored that of fairly normal teenagers. I especially appreciate the occasional sparks of humor and sarcasm there when they were needed most.
In other words, I enjoyed this and can recommend it to paranormal/fantasy friends.
That said, I was very excited to read this. The cover is gorgeous and the blurb guaranteed that it was right down my alley.
We start with Ryleigh (the somewhat princess) in the human world with her sister. Even on that very first page, they face danger. The pace doesn't stop from there. Ryleigh constantly faces her own indecision about who she is and what she wants, while going up against an evil force. To make the layers nice and thick, no one knows who the true enemy is, what their intentions are, or even how many others have already sided with them. This constant fog of treachery, lies and deception grows heavier each time an answer is found, making it a grabbing plot which doesn't let go until the end.
I'll admit, I found the first chapters rough. Not only was this due to my lack of information (which was my own fault), but the emotions and reactions of the characters seemed to drop heavy like a brick. It felt a little choppy and sometimes a bit lacking in lead-up. But I'm so glad I didn't lay this book down. As Ryleigh slides into the other reality and tension mounts, the story takes flight. All the roughness disappeared, and I was swept away in the magical land.
I learned to adore Ryleigh. Her somewhat meek and unsure character does a fantastic transition, which had me cheering for her. The self-discovery is inspirational, and I find her a great character for the intended age group. Jackson, the reluctant King and her heart's desire, doesn't come over quite as smooth. He's heroic and likable, but Ryleigh's character definitely takes center stage.
The descriptions in the book are well done, never too much but enough to make it easy to slip into the scenes. I found that the author did a great job with the fight scenes, and despite the violence, managed to relay the brutality with grace.
Despite the dragons, magic and immortal creatures, there's enough modern feel to this to keep it familiar. The dialogue, the characters and the way Ryleigh and her sister react mirrored that of fairly normal teenagers. I especially appreciate the occasional sparks of humor and sarcasm there when they were needed most.
In other words, I enjoyed this and can recommend it to paranormal/fantasy friends.
August 19, 2015
This review originally posted to https://fridaysandbooks.wordpress.com
The Good: I really enjoyed the writing of this book! It was well detailed but not exhaustively so. I felt that this book address some of the character development that the first book didn’t really go into. When Ryleigh and Jackson met, it was what Katy from the lux series calls “insta-love”, which I don’t usually have a problem with. However, there were some glaring issues I knew they didn’t see eye to eye on. I was happy to see them fighting about them, to see Ryleigh fighting for what she believes in. I also really love the relationship between Ryleigh and Mia. They are so sweet, and I love that Ryleigh takes their relationship and advice from Mia seriously. Even with the insta-love going on, she doesn’t leave her sister. I also enjoyed this alternate world. Cymmera is fairly old-fashioned, but it is painted as very lovely. Also, dragons. Warrior dragons. And anything with dragons has my vote ;) I did like the betrayal aspect of the story also. Although it was pretty easy to guess who the double-agent in the kingdom was, I did have some moments of doubt. I like a book that makes me second-guess myself.
The Just Okay: Alright, I liked a lot of things about this book. However, one of the most annoying things to me was how ridiculous everyone seems to think it is that a woman could rule as queen without a man. Maybe it’s just the feminist in me. But I feel that since Ryleigh is truly the rightful heir of Cymmera, all the male soldiers should get off their high horse about following a woman. In retrospect, this is supposed to be an old-fashioned kingdom. But still. These people are supposed to cross into the human world and learn. So why are women still viewed as less-than worthy? I will add that toward the end of this book, Ryleigh does take charge. She does assert her right as queen even without Jackson. But I felt that once he was back in the picture, she sort of stepped down a step to make room for him. Nothing is more annoying to me than a heroine that is second to a guy.
So, there you have it! Overall, I give this book 4.5 stars! I would recommend that anyone looking for a fun fantasy to give it a read! The first book is available on Amazon and Lost Princess is set for release October 16th!
The Good: I really enjoyed the writing of this book! It was well detailed but not exhaustively so. I felt that this book address some of the character development that the first book didn’t really go into. When Ryleigh and Jackson met, it was what Katy from the lux series calls “insta-love”, which I don’t usually have a problem with. However, there were some glaring issues I knew they didn’t see eye to eye on. I was happy to see them fighting about them, to see Ryleigh fighting for what she believes in. I also really love the relationship between Ryleigh and Mia. They are so sweet, and I love that Ryleigh takes their relationship and advice from Mia seriously. Even with the insta-love going on, she doesn’t leave her sister. I also enjoyed this alternate world. Cymmera is fairly old-fashioned, but it is painted as very lovely. Also, dragons. Warrior dragons. And anything with dragons has my vote ;) I did like the betrayal aspect of the story also. Although it was pretty easy to guess who the double-agent in the kingdom was, I did have some moments of doubt. I like a book that makes me second-guess myself.
The Just Okay: Alright, I liked a lot of things about this book. However, one of the most annoying things to me was how ridiculous everyone seems to think it is that a woman could rule as queen without a man. Maybe it’s just the feminist in me. But I feel that since Ryleigh is truly the rightful heir of Cymmera, all the male soldiers should get off their high horse about following a woman. In retrospect, this is supposed to be an old-fashioned kingdom. But still. These people are supposed to cross into the human world and learn. So why are women still viewed as less-than worthy? I will add that toward the end of this book, Ryleigh does take charge. She does assert her right as queen even without Jackson. But I felt that once he was back in the picture, she sort of stepped down a step to make room for him. Nothing is more annoying to me than a heroine that is second to a guy.
So, there you have it! Overall, I give this book 4.5 stars! I would recommend that anyone looking for a fun fantasy to give it a read! The first book is available on Amazon and Lost Princess is set for release October 16th!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 15, 2015
I received a digital edition of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a review.
Let me begin by saying that I didn't realize this was the second in a series when I requested it. I suppose things made sense without reading the first, but I probably wouldn't have requested it if I knew it was the second and I wouldn't normally have read it without reading the first. The next thing I have to say is that I did not finish this novel. I read about a third of the way through and had to stop. I will be using this review to explain why I stopped.
To begin with, I will say that I thought the premise was interesting. The description of the story made me excited to read it at first.
My main complaint was with the two main characters, Ryleigh and Jackson. From what I saw, Ryleigh is completely useless. All she did was complain and cry about things she didn't seem to really understand in the first place. As for Jackson, he is hot-tempered in the most unattractive way possible, and he seems to make a big deal about how nobody understands his struggles even though he never actually seems to do anything. (Again, I only read a little more than a third of the way through, so maybe he changes?) He also came across as slightly abusive and misogynistic, and I doubt that was what the author intended. None of the side characters were particularly interesting.
The writing itself is okay. It didn't do much to keep my interest, but there wasn't anything particularly bad about it, except maybe that it was on the simplistic side. I'm giving it two stars instead of one because I haven't read the complete novel nor have I read the first in the series, and I thought it deserved the benefit of the doubt. Aside from that, I thought the premise of another realm that kills people in the human world in order to make them into their own soldiers and the other fantasy aspects in general were very creative and interesting.
Personally, I didn't feel like completing it was worth my time, but I could see how other people enjoyed it.
Let me begin by saying that I didn't realize this was the second in a series when I requested it. I suppose things made sense without reading the first, but I probably wouldn't have requested it if I knew it was the second and I wouldn't normally have read it without reading the first. The next thing I have to say is that I did not finish this novel. I read about a third of the way through and had to stop. I will be using this review to explain why I stopped.
To begin with, I will say that I thought the premise was interesting. The description of the story made me excited to read it at first.
My main complaint was with the two main characters, Ryleigh and Jackson. From what I saw, Ryleigh is completely useless. All she did was complain and cry about things she didn't seem to really understand in the first place. As for Jackson, he is hot-tempered in the most unattractive way possible, and he seems to make a big deal about how nobody understands his struggles even though he never actually seems to do anything. (Again, I only read a little more than a third of the way through, so maybe he changes?) He also came across as slightly abusive and misogynistic, and I doubt that was what the author intended. None of the side characters were particularly interesting.
The writing itself is okay. It didn't do much to keep my interest, but there wasn't anything particularly bad about it, except maybe that it was on the simplistic side. I'm giving it two stars instead of one because I haven't read the complete novel nor have I read the first in the series, and I thought it deserved the benefit of the doubt. Aside from that, I thought the premise of another realm that kills people in the human world in order to make them into their own soldiers and the other fantasy aspects in general were very creative and interesting.
Personally, I didn't feel like completing it was worth my time, but I could see how other people enjoyed it.
October 29, 2015
Lost Princess is the sequel to Reluctant Prince. Jackson is now King of Cymmera, and Ryleigh is his future prospective queen. Yet, not all is happily ever-after because there is still danger. It is suspected that within his court is a traitor. In order to protect their realm Ryleigh agrees to go on a mission to recover a magic relic, keeping her mission secret from Jackson. When Jackson discovers her gone, he goes in pursuit to find her.
Because I was disappointed in the first book, I found myself pleasantly surprised by Lost Princess. This is because the author seemed to fix her mistakes in the first novel. There is more character development to both the characters, Ryleigh and Jackson. Ryleigh grows in this book. She is strong, determined, and must rely on herself. She is also more mature. Jackson is insecure because he feels that he does not live up to his father. He is also trying to come to terms with his fate.
Overall, this book is about friendship, love, courage, and family. There were a lot of cool scenes in this book, my favorite being Ryleigh riding a dragon. I absolutely adored the cliffhanger ending, and I love Ryleigh’s last line in the novel. This ending is setting up for the final trilogy. If that is the case, then Ryleigh is definitely a woman you would not like to mess with. I loved the expanding world-building of Cymmera. The characters are fleshed out, and I felt that there is more build-up to their romance. There is a lot of tension between Ryleigh and Jackson in that they do have their rough moments, but eventually they make up for it. The book did start out slowly, but it picks up when Ryleigh goes on her mission. Lost Princess is definitely better than Reluctant Prince, and the author has shown massive improvement in her works. Because of Lost Princess, I am looking forward to reading the last book in the trilogy. I recommend this book to anyone interested in epic fantasy with dragons, perilous quests, royalty, and magic.
(Note: This book was given to me as part of a blog tour in exchange for an honest review.)
Because I was disappointed in the first book, I found myself pleasantly surprised by Lost Princess. This is because the author seemed to fix her mistakes in the first novel. There is more character development to both the characters, Ryleigh and Jackson. Ryleigh grows in this book. She is strong, determined, and must rely on herself. She is also more mature. Jackson is insecure because he feels that he does not live up to his father. He is also trying to come to terms with his fate.
Overall, this book is about friendship, love, courage, and family. There were a lot of cool scenes in this book, my favorite being Ryleigh riding a dragon. I absolutely adored the cliffhanger ending, and I love Ryleigh’s last line in the novel. This ending is setting up for the final trilogy. If that is the case, then Ryleigh is definitely a woman you would not like to mess with. I loved the expanding world-building of Cymmera. The characters are fleshed out, and I felt that there is more build-up to their romance. There is a lot of tension between Ryleigh and Jackson in that they do have their rough moments, but eventually they make up for it. The book did start out slowly, but it picks up when Ryleigh goes on her mission. Lost Princess is definitely better than Reluctant Prince, and the author has shown massive improvement in her works. Because of Lost Princess, I am looking forward to reading the last book in the trilogy. I recommend this book to anyone interested in epic fantasy with dragons, perilous quests, royalty, and magic.
(Note: This book was given to me as part of a blog tour in exchange for an honest review.)
December 15, 2015
Full review post originally posted on my blog
http://misslittlebookaddictya.blogspo...
Like most books I review, I received LOST PRINCESS ( KINGDOM OF CYMMERA #2) by Dani-Lyn Alexander form Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
Let me say this first: don't read this one without first reading book 1, Reluctant Prince. I didn't realize that when I picked this one up so at first several things didn't make much sense until I did some research on RELUCTANT PRINCE.
Ryleigh Donovan is Princes and future Queen of her kingdom Cymmera where her boyfriend, Jackson, is it's King.
What's a kingdom drama book without traitors, missing magic relics, drawn apart teens in love and the future safety and stability of the crown on the line? While I kinda enjoyed the idea behind LOST PRINCESS, it read very young to me, yet at the same time this is a very dark kind of book that seems better suited to older YA readers.
That alone confused me more than not reading the first book. I also had problems with the world created here. We all know how much I love a well build fantasy book world, but this one wasn't as unique as I'd hoped for. It was cliched in several ways right along with the plot.
I felt that nothing was really fleshed out the way it needed to be, to be a good book and get noticed in an over saturated YA sic-fi/fantasy market.
There is definitely good adventure here, and the romance is decent, but I just didn't connect with any character very much. I don't think I could even name some of the supporting cast if asked. I wish I could give a better review, but like I said before, this just didn't live up to expectations for me. I think it will be interesting to Dani-Lyn Alexander grows as an author in her career.
Ciao!
~Dynomoon
http://misslittlebookaddictya.blogspo...
Like most books I review, I received LOST PRINCESS ( KINGDOM OF CYMMERA #2) by Dani-Lyn Alexander form Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
Let me say this first: don't read this one without first reading book 1, Reluctant Prince. I didn't realize that when I picked this one up so at first several things didn't make much sense until I did some research on RELUCTANT PRINCE.
Ryleigh Donovan is Princes and future Queen of her kingdom Cymmera where her boyfriend, Jackson, is it's King.
What's a kingdom drama book without traitors, missing magic relics, drawn apart teens in love and the future safety and stability of the crown on the line? While I kinda enjoyed the idea behind LOST PRINCESS, it read very young to me, yet at the same time this is a very dark kind of book that seems better suited to older YA readers.
That alone confused me more than not reading the first book. I also had problems with the world created here. We all know how much I love a well build fantasy book world, but this one wasn't as unique as I'd hoped for. It was cliched in several ways right along with the plot.
I felt that nothing was really fleshed out the way it needed to be, to be a good book and get noticed in an over saturated YA sic-fi/fantasy market.
There is definitely good adventure here, and the romance is decent, but I just didn't connect with any character very much. I don't think I could even name some of the supporting cast if asked. I wish I could give a better review, but like I said before, this just didn't live up to expectations for me. I think it will be interesting to Dani-Lyn Alexander grows as an author in her career.
Ciao!
~Dynomoon
August 10, 2015
Lost Princess is the second book in the Kingdom of Cymmera series, and I high recommend that you read the book in order to get the full enjoyment out of them.
While the YA genre is not normally my thing, I have really enjoyed this series. With no sexual content in this book other than a couple small make-out scenes, it's great for fantasy readers of all age.
During the Reluctant Prince, we learned that there was at least one traitor within the Kingdom of Cymmera and there is hint of yet another. During the Lost Princess, all of the traitors are finally ousted and the fight to gain control over Cymmera has begun. All of the characters that you loved in the Reluctant Prince are back and better than ever. For me one of the flaws with Reluctant Prince was that they treated 14y/o Mia like a fragile child, however she begins to blossom in this book and we see her in a new light.
This story is easy to read, action packed, and entertaining. Ryleigh is finally understanding her role in Cymmera and at Jackson's side. If you thought that she was strong during the first book, she really comes into her own in the Lost Princess.
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions*
While the YA genre is not normally my thing, I have really enjoyed this series. With no sexual content in this book other than a couple small make-out scenes, it's great for fantasy readers of all age.
During the Reluctant Prince, we learned that there was at least one traitor within the Kingdom of Cymmera and there is hint of yet another. During the Lost Princess, all of the traitors are finally ousted and the fight to gain control over Cymmera has begun. All of the characters that you loved in the Reluctant Prince are back and better than ever. For me one of the flaws with Reluctant Prince was that they treated 14y/o Mia like a fragile child, however she begins to blossom in this book and we see her in a new light.
This story is easy to read, action packed, and entertaining. Ryleigh is finally understanding her role in Cymmera and at Jackson's side. If you thought that she was strong during the first book, she really comes into her own in the Lost Princess.
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions*
November 11, 2015
This is the second book to the trilogy. Ryleigh is back in the human realm trying to take care of Mia. She ends up having to go back to Cymmera to protect herself and Mia once some one breaks into her home. After she gets there the Divination stone is stolen from her room. She must go on a quest to retrieve it by herself. That is when she finds out who the real traitor is.
Jackson is now the king of Cymmera. He still does not know who the traitor is and who he can trust. With him not knowing who to trust he is having trouble delegating responsibility out. This is making him look incompetent to some. Once he finds out Ryleigh has left the castle alone he must call his army together to go get her back.
I enjoyed this book just as much as the first one. The written still had a fast pace to it. The characters work well with each other. Jackson was my favorite character because of the obstacles he had to overcome. He had to learn how to deal with emotions with himself and that others were having. He had to deal with becoming king and who he could trust and put in position of power. I'm looming forward to the third book coming out.
I would recommend this book to any one who enjoys paranormal romance.
Reviewer for Paranormal Romance and Authors that Rock.
Jackson is now the king of Cymmera. He still does not know who the traitor is and who he can trust. With him not knowing who to trust he is having trouble delegating responsibility out. This is making him look incompetent to some. Once he finds out Ryleigh has left the castle alone he must call his army together to go get her back.
I enjoyed this book just as much as the first one. The written still had a fast pace to it. The characters work well with each other. Jackson was my favorite character because of the obstacles he had to overcome. He had to learn how to deal with emotions with himself and that others were having. He had to deal with becoming king and who he could trust and put in position of power. I'm looming forward to the third book coming out.
I would recommend this book to any one who enjoys paranormal romance.
Reviewer for Paranormal Romance and Authors that Rock.
January 3, 2018
Book 2 of an overly exciting series left me breathless. Behind every page there was action and adventure.
This book allowed both Ryleigh and Jackson to find their inner strengths. I was really impressed that the author allowed then the opportunity to grow before they committed to each other fully.
Things I still struggled with in this book was how young Mia was treated and the lack of transitions.
I am impressed by the way Ryleigh has grown and hope she continues to mature as the series continues. (Yes the saga continues! Trust me there are loose ends that need tying.)
Thank you Net Galley for providing a copy for me to review.
2018: Ryleigh kicked some ASS! Boom. She's the best. She's going to grow into an amazing woman and she recognizes the hard work that is going to go into it. She also did a great job delegating and choosing people to help.
This book allowed both Ryleigh and Jackson to find their inner strengths. I was really impressed that the author allowed then the opportunity to grow before they committed to each other fully.
Things I still struggled with in this book was how young Mia was treated and the lack of transitions.
I am impressed by the way Ryleigh has grown and hope she continues to mature as the series continues. (Yes the saga continues! Trust me there are loose ends that need tying.)
Thank you Net Galley for providing a copy for me to review.
2018: Ryleigh kicked some ASS! Boom. She's the best. She's going to grow into an amazing woman and she recognizes the hard work that is going to go into it. She also did a great job delegating and choosing people to help.
October 21, 2015
*I received this book in exchange for an honest review*
I read book 1 of this series and really enjoyed it. On to book 2 and here we see Ryleigh and Jackson growing into their new roles. Ryleigh continuously fights it though. She doesn't want it, Jackson doesn't think he deserves it. I felt that the teen angst was a little over board.
I enjoyed the thrill of trying to figure out who the traitor is. There's family turmoil, Mia is stronger than she was in book 1. In all, it's great to see everyone growing as a character, but at the same time frustrating when they don't live up to what they could be. If you enjoyed book 1, you should certainly continue this story and move on the book 2. I'm already looking forward to book 3. I'm dying to see what happens to the royal families.
I read book 1 of this series and really enjoyed it. On to book 2 and here we see Ryleigh and Jackson growing into their new roles. Ryleigh continuously fights it though. She doesn't want it, Jackson doesn't think he deserves it. I felt that the teen angst was a little over board.
I enjoyed the thrill of trying to figure out who the traitor is. There's family turmoil, Mia is stronger than she was in book 1. In all, it's great to see everyone growing as a character, but at the same time frustrating when they don't live up to what they could be. If you enjoyed book 1, you should certainly continue this story and move on the book 2. I'm already looking forward to book 3. I'm dying to see what happens to the royal families.
October 28, 2015
I received this book in return for a honest review
This is book 2 in the Kingdom of Cymmera series.
It continues the story of Ryleigh and Mia that had entered into Cymmera to find out that Ryleigh is fated to be the princess and Jackson the king.
In this story they have to figure out chow to get control of Cymmera and defeat their enemies with a traitor or two in their mist. It is exciting to see how Ryleigh comes into her own and how they have to learn to trust.
It is not all fun and games for Ryleigh and Jackson nothing comes easy for them and it is a fight too the end.
I really enjoyed this book and you have to read the first book in order to be able to follow what is going on.
This is book 2 in the Kingdom of Cymmera series.
It continues the story of Ryleigh and Mia that had entered into Cymmera to find out that Ryleigh is fated to be the princess and Jackson the king.
In this story they have to figure out chow to get control of Cymmera and defeat their enemies with a traitor or two in their mist. It is exciting to see how Ryleigh comes into her own and how they have to learn to trust.
It is not all fun and games for Ryleigh and Jackson nothing comes easy for them and it is a fight too the end.
I really enjoyed this book and you have to read the first book in order to be able to follow what is going on.
November 25, 2015
great story
March 2, 2016
i love it i am love it so much i am dressing up as her on tuesday for world book day
July 13, 2018
Unfortunately this book was not an improvement from the first. I prefer a stronger female lead and more supportive male lead.
August 18, 2015
*Review to Come*
September 6, 2016
Review Coming
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews