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Maids of Honor #3
Maid of Wonder
Sophia must master her psychic ability if she is to save the life of Queen Elizabeth and her fellow maids from a dark prophecy, in this third book in the Maids of Honor series.
Sophia Dee, the most unusual spy in Queen Elizabeth’s Maids of Honor, has run out of time for her psychic skills to fully manifest. A terrible prophecy haunts Windsor Castle, and the Queen demands answers before the next doomed soul dies.
Thrust into a dangerous competition to solve the deadly prediction, Sophia finds herself pitted against the most celebrated mystics of John Dee, her devious uncle and the Queen’s personal astrologer, and Nostradamus, the renowned prophet-seer of France.
In a court where whispers of witchcraft, poisonous plots, and grim assassins threaten her at every turn, Sophia needs answers fast. But does she dare trust Marcus Quinn, her uncle’s striking assistant? Or should she turn to the tortured dark angel of the spirit realm, who whispers to her only of danger and death?
As new dangers surface and the prophecy sweeps toward its final victim, the five Maids of Honor prepare to do battle. Only then will the girl who so often sees the future finally discover if she can save the Crown—and herself.
Sophia Dee, the most unusual spy in Queen Elizabeth’s Maids of Honor, has run out of time for her psychic skills to fully manifest. A terrible prophecy haunts Windsor Castle, and the Queen demands answers before the next doomed soul dies.
Thrust into a dangerous competition to solve the deadly prediction, Sophia finds herself pitted against the most celebrated mystics of John Dee, her devious uncle and the Queen’s personal astrologer, and Nostradamus, the renowned prophet-seer of France.
In a court where whispers of witchcraft, poisonous plots, and grim assassins threaten her at every turn, Sophia needs answers fast. But does she dare trust Marcus Quinn, her uncle’s striking assistant? Or should she turn to the tortured dark angel of the spirit realm, who whispers to her only of danger and death?
As new dangers surface and the prophecy sweeps toward its final victim, the five Maids of Honor prepare to do battle. Only then will the girl who so often sees the future finally discover if she can save the Crown—and herself.
336 pages, Paperback
First published August 25, 2015
14 people are currently reading
903 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer McGowan
5 books325 followersJennifer McGowan writes Young Adult romance full of swash and buckle. Her novels in the Maids of Honor series include MAID OF SECRETS, MAID OF DECEPTION and the upcoming MAID OF WONDER
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
August 18, 2015
Jennifer McGowan's Maid of Honor series is an underrated series that I think deserves more love. Each book features a different protagonist, but the main storyline is connected. I really enjoyed the first two books in the series, but I was especially looking forward to Sophia's story in Maid of Wonder. While I found this installment to be lacking in certain areas, I still thought it was a decent addition to the series.
Sophia has always been the most intriguing character out of all of Queen Elizabeth's maids of honor in this series. She was quiet and battling with strange visions. Her intriguing personality is what really drew me in and I was anticipating learning more about her and her psychic abilities in Maid of Wonder. Sophia underwent quite the growth in the book, while at the same time becoming comfortable with her powers and using them in the right way. By the end of the book, she was no longer the reserved and quiet girl that she was in the first two books. Her love interest, Marcus, who also shared similar abilities as her, was also interesting. He was a sweet fellow, often shrouded in secrets and mysteries that at times made it hard for me to understand his intentions. I did think he was a good match for Sophia, however, because they seemed to be cut of the same cloth. All that being said about Marcus, I still felt that I didn't really get to know him as much as I would have liked. I needed him to be a bit more fleshed out than he was. I had similar feelings towards the romance. It was certainly sweet, but I found myself not really caring for it as I did with the previous romances. Like Marcus, the romance too needed more meat for me to sink my teeth into and completely enjoy. Parts of me felt like it developed too hastily and I wanted to see more of Sophia and Marcus together.
The main plot in Maid of Wonder involved a prophesied attempt at Queen Elizabeth's life. Elizabeth herself has been a hugely riveting character in the Maid of Honor series, her manipulative nature often leading readers to not knowing exactly what she was up to. Her devious mind made her the most interesting character in this series for me and I'm curious as to how she's going to fare in the next books. The plot, I felt, was a bit slow and dragged a little bit - it didn't hold my attention as well as the first two books did because there wasn't as many revelations and twists as the previous books had. This installment also had more of a supernatural feel to it as compared to the previous books because of Sophia's visions and readers being transported to them alongside her. It was a different experience than the first two books for sure. I also liked being reunited with the other maids of honor. Their camaraderie is one of my favorite things about this series.
Maid of Wonder, while not as strong a book as the first two books in the Maid of Wonder series, was still an enjoyable story that furthered the world building. This series, overall, is one that I highly recommend if you enjoy historical fiction with a dash of romance and feisty characters.
October 14, 2015
Coming into Maid of Wonder, I was nervous. Sophia has been my least favorite maid since book one, not because she was hateful but because I found her boring. Plus, I was seriously skeptical of her plot line. Still, I hoped that the romance would be adorable and the plot would surprise me. Sadly, this is one of those cases where my fears came 100% true. I still liked parts of Maid of Wonder, but it was slower and less delightful than the others.
I’m all for historical fantasy or historical paranormal (don’t ask me where the line is between the two because I don’t precisely know), but not for the third book in a series. Up to now, the Maids of Honor books have been pretty solidly historical. Sophia had the occasional vision, but that’s easily dismissed; there was a lot of belief in mystics and seers at the time, so it wasn’t weird for her to be there or anything.
However, in Sophia’s book, you’re obviously confronted with Sophia’s powers. It’s full on paranormal or fantasy, whatever you want to call it. Sophia scries and goes to another plane where she asks angels questions. The entire plot and much of the action has to do with mystical, otherworldly stuff, which, in normal situations I like, but which I did not care for here at all. Worse, since she’s the only one who could go to that plane, the other maids didn’t feature too much either.
Setting that aside for the moment, McGowan’s books are still good reads. The writing remains fun and engaging, the voice light and easily digestible. Sophia does lack the sass of the previous two heroines, Meg and Beatrice, but she does have her own voice. Once again, I very much liked seeing a new take on Elizabeth; seeing the queen through the various lenses is one of my favorite things about this series.
Though I didn’t care for the fantastical nature, the last 100 pages of the book went super quickly. Up to then, the pace had been somewhat plotting, but I devoured the end eagerly. I just didn’t entirely love what I found there, which pretty much is how I feel about this book as a whole. After all the hullabaloo, it was weird that Nostradamus really didn’t serve any purpose whatsoever and that whole thing with Arc made me curl my lip.
The romance too left me cold. It’s really a shame because romance is the easiest place to leave me pleased. Unfortunately, I don’t care for Marcus. I also don’t like that, like with Meg, she was immediately captivated with his gorgeous looks despite herself. There’s even less to like in this ship than that one though, because while Meg and Rafe enjoyed spying on one another, Marcus was spying on Sophia without her knowledge and she wasn’t spying back. Marcus struck me as rather creepy at various points and I do not feel the swoons. View Spoiler »
I’m grateful that I’m not a stickler for having full sets of series on my shelf, because I own the first two and do not intend to buy this one. It will go better for those who liked the visions aspect of the prior books, however.
I’m all for historical fantasy or historical paranormal (don’t ask me where the line is between the two because I don’t precisely know), but not for the third book in a series. Up to now, the Maids of Honor books have been pretty solidly historical. Sophia had the occasional vision, but that’s easily dismissed; there was a lot of belief in mystics and seers at the time, so it wasn’t weird for her to be there or anything.
However, in Sophia’s book, you’re obviously confronted with Sophia’s powers. It’s full on paranormal or fantasy, whatever you want to call it. Sophia scries and goes to another plane where she asks angels questions. The entire plot and much of the action has to do with mystical, otherworldly stuff, which, in normal situations I like, but which I did not care for here at all. Worse, since she’s the only one who could go to that plane, the other maids didn’t feature too much either.
Setting that aside for the moment, McGowan’s books are still good reads. The writing remains fun and engaging, the voice light and easily digestible. Sophia does lack the sass of the previous two heroines, Meg and Beatrice, but she does have her own voice. Once again, I very much liked seeing a new take on Elizabeth; seeing the queen through the various lenses is one of my favorite things about this series.
Though I didn’t care for the fantastical nature, the last 100 pages of the book went super quickly. Up to then, the pace had been somewhat plotting, but I devoured the end eagerly. I just didn’t entirely love what I found there, which pretty much is how I feel about this book as a whole. After all the hullabaloo, it was weird that Nostradamus really didn’t serve any purpose whatsoever and that whole thing with Arc made me curl my lip.
The romance too left me cold. It’s really a shame because romance is the easiest place to leave me pleased. Unfortunately, I don’t care for Marcus. I also don’t like that, like with Meg, she was immediately captivated with his gorgeous looks despite herself. There’s even less to like in this ship than that one though, because while Meg and Rafe enjoyed spying on one another, Marcus was spying on Sophia without her knowledge and she wasn’t spying back. Marcus struck me as rather creepy at various points and I do not feel the swoons. View Spoiler »
I’m grateful that I’m not a stickler for having full sets of series on my shelf, because I own the first two and do not intend to buy this one. It will go better for those who liked the visions aspect of the prior books, however.
February 25, 2016
I was bursting at the seams to read Sophia's story. McGowan has been building up to Sophia's burgeoning powers since the beginning. In the previous books, Sophia was portrayed as a weak and fragile girl with no power to control her overwhelming gift. But now she is stronger, a 'mystical warrior.' McGowan has created such flawed and complicated characters. The other maids make less appearances in this installment, but Sophia constantly reminds herself of the bond between her and them. I appreciate how Queen Elizabeth has a different relationship with each of the maids. While reading about the maids, you also get to know the Queen, a many layered onion. I can't wait for the story to come full circle. There is so many pieces to this puzzle!
December 23, 2015
3.5 stars. Not my favorite maid, but still an enjoyable read. The final 30 pages really ratcheted up my interest and now I wish the next book was about Sophia.
Originally posted on Small Review
The first two books in this series, Maid of Secrets and Maid of Deception, were much better than this book. But, I expected that.
The first book follows Meg. I like Meg. She's feisty, theatrical, dramatic, and a super spy. The second book follows Beatrice. I like Beatrice. She's a mean girl with heart, and all the sass and sympathy that goes along with that. Both of their romances were swoony with great guys.
This third book follows Sophia. Sophia is a dishrag. She's meek, weak, and oh so boring. Her romance was weird and I still don't get it. Though, for a brief time there in the paranormal beyond world (that I also still don't understand) it was smoldering with potential.
The plot also felt like it wandered all over the place with no purpose. I know things happened, and if I try to recite events I can do it, and some events are actually even great, but I still can't shake this overwhelming feeling of nothing is happening, even though that isn't even true. I think it's just that I didn't care because whatever was happening was happening to Sophia and Sophia is boring.
Bottom line: Chalk this one up to me just disliking Sophia. I'm still excited to read the next book in the series (especially if it's Jane's book, because Jane is badass).
Originally posted on Small Review
Originally posted on Small Review
The first two books in this series, Maid of Secrets and Maid of Deception, were much better than this book. But, I expected that.
The first book follows Meg. I like Meg. She's feisty, theatrical, dramatic, and a super spy. The second book follows Beatrice. I like Beatrice. She's a mean girl with heart, and all the sass and sympathy that goes along with that. Both of their romances were swoony with great guys.
This third book follows Sophia. Sophia is a dishrag. She's meek, weak, and oh so boring. Her romance was weird and I still don't get it. Though, for a brief time there in the paranormal beyond world (that I also still don't understand) it was smoldering with potential.
The plot also felt like it wandered all over the place with no purpose. I know things happened, and if I try to recite events I can do it, and some events are actually even great, but I still can't shake this overwhelming feeling of nothing is happening, even though that isn't even true. I think it's just that I didn't care because whatever was happening was happening to Sophia and Sophia is boring.
Bottom line: Chalk this one up to me just disliking Sophia. I'm still excited to read the next book in the series (especially if it's Jane's book, because Jane is badass).
Originally posted on Small Review
June 14, 2016
There's a cover!!
And its BEAUTIFUL
And its BEAUTIFUL
March 23, 2016
Maybe slightly less.
Bit disappointed in this one. I felt bored, disconnected for the majority of the book :(
And don't get me started on the romance.
Hopefully the next one will be better!
Bit disappointed in this one. I felt bored, disconnected for the majority of the book :(
And don't get me started on the romance.
Hopefully the next one will be better!
March 6, 2017
Rating: 3.6 / 5
After reading the first two books of this series, naturally, I wanted to get the third one off my plate as well. I must say though, that while the world that McGowan had made and maintained in the first two books is upheld quite well, at the same time, in this book, things get a little shaky, and thus, the rating for this is the lowest, in my view.
Sophia is by far the Maid of Honor with the most intrigue, seeing as the extent of her gifts as a Seer were really vague as far as description went in the first two books. In this book, they are indeed more clear, especially as told from her point of view, but...that's just the problem, in that McGowan is blending too much fantasy with the charming Elizabethan atmosphere that she had going for her so far.
Don't get me wrong--it's nice to see Sophia as more mature and stronger than before, not just a girl who other fakes fainting or really faints at practically every party. There's some fainting in this book, but there's a reason for it, and it's never just random. Sophia as a character as definitely improved, and that's really something that I can appreciate.
But, McGowan's mistake for this novel is going too in-depth about the "spectral plane" where Sophia sees angels and spectres, to whom she poses questions about the future so as to be of use to the Queen. The details are far too many and come along far too often in the book for it to retain as much of its charm from the previous two books, such that it's more of a blend of fantasy and historical fiction than I'd really prefer. If the series included this blend of fantasy from the beginning, then it'd be fine, since at least that's constant; but, from introducing so many fantasy-related elements in just the third book, it's really disjointed compared to the other two. I get that maybe this is because Sophia is more mystical in herself as a character compared to Meg and Beatrice, two of her fellow maids on which the previous books, focused, but still, after a while, it just gets confusing and a bit annoying.
Some more focus on the bitchy Elizabeth, crafty Walsingham, merciless Cecil, and charming Maids of Honor, if you'd please?
Other than that, the romance is (once again) not too distracting, although this one is also slightly involved with the fantasy realm of spirits and whatnot as to its explanation. If it just took place in the "mortal realm", it wouldn't really be realistic, so I'll give it a pass as having fantasy-related elements, I suppose.
Compared to "The Passion of Dolssa" that I've also recently read, the inquisition-, witchcraft-related elements of this book aren't that strong, but, again, it's fine to let it pass, since we're talking about a strongly-Protestant Elizabethan England here, not a Catholic France.
If McGowan decides to write a fourth book on either Jane or Anna (the two maids that she has yet to feature as the protagonists for this series), then I will be happy to read it. For now though, I will content myself with it as a book that I have been able to check off my shelf, and thus move on.
After reading the first two books of this series, naturally, I wanted to get the third one off my plate as well. I must say though, that while the world that McGowan had made and maintained in the first two books is upheld quite well, at the same time, in this book, things get a little shaky, and thus, the rating for this is the lowest, in my view.
Sophia is by far the Maid of Honor with the most intrigue, seeing as the extent of her gifts as a Seer were really vague as far as description went in the first two books. In this book, they are indeed more clear, especially as told from her point of view, but...that's just the problem, in that McGowan is blending too much fantasy with the charming Elizabethan atmosphere that she had going for her so far.
Don't get me wrong--it's nice to see Sophia as more mature and stronger than before, not just a girl who other fakes fainting or really faints at practically every party. There's some fainting in this book, but there's a reason for it, and it's never just random. Sophia as a character as definitely improved, and that's really something that I can appreciate.
But, McGowan's mistake for this novel is going too in-depth about the "spectral plane" where Sophia sees angels and spectres, to whom she poses questions about the future so as to be of use to the Queen. The details are far too many and come along far too often in the book for it to retain as much of its charm from the previous two books, such that it's more of a blend of fantasy and historical fiction than I'd really prefer. If the series included this blend of fantasy from the beginning, then it'd be fine, since at least that's constant; but, from introducing so many fantasy-related elements in just the third book, it's really disjointed compared to the other two. I get that maybe this is because Sophia is more mystical in herself as a character compared to Meg and Beatrice, two of her fellow maids on which the previous books, focused, but still, after a while, it just gets confusing and a bit annoying.
Some more focus on the bitchy Elizabeth, crafty Walsingham, merciless Cecil, and charming Maids of Honor, if you'd please?
Other than that, the romance is (once again) not too distracting, although this one is also slightly involved with the fantasy realm of spirits and whatnot as to its explanation. If it just took place in the "mortal realm", it wouldn't really be realistic, so I'll give it a pass as having fantasy-related elements, I suppose.
Compared to "The Passion of Dolssa" that I've also recently read, the inquisition-, witchcraft-related elements of this book aren't that strong, but, again, it's fine to let it pass, since we're talking about a strongly-Protestant Elizabethan England here, not a Catholic France.
If McGowan decides to write a fourth book on either Jane or Anna (the two maids that she has yet to feature as the protagonists for this series), then I will be happy to read it. For now though, I will content myself with it as a book that I have been able to check off my shelf, and thus move on.
August 3, 2017
I liked the previous book in the series, but disliked this book so much that I doubt I'll bother looking for the first. In Maid of Secrets, I thought Sophia was an interesting character. In this book... it was hard to form an opinion.
I expected her story to have more closure than it did. In the previous book, the maids discovered the truth about Sophia's family, so i had hoped to see her father make an appearance here. Even if he'd only been a footnote to the plot.
Then there's the alleged love story: Marcus stalks Sophia in the angel realm for John Dee, then stalks her around Windsor and keeps forcibly kissing her until she decides maybe she likes him after all. This is both really creepy and problematic. And even if it wasn't, I see zero chemistry between these characters.
Finally we have the "dark angel", Sophia's angelic realm stalker- because if there's one thing this girl needs, it's another stalker. I could propose a theory on this character's origins, but the truth is that I just don't care. And that's the overall problem I had with this book: I just don't care, about the plot or the characters.
I expected her story to have more closure than it did. In the previous book, the maids discovered the truth about Sophia's family, so i had hoped to see her father make an appearance here. Even if he'd only been a footnote to the plot.
Then there's the alleged love story: Marcus stalks Sophia in the angel realm for John Dee, then stalks her around Windsor and keeps forcibly kissing her until she decides maybe she likes him after all. This is both really creepy and problematic. And even if it wasn't, I see zero chemistry between these characters.
Finally we have the "dark angel", Sophia's angelic realm stalker- because if there's one thing this girl needs, it's another stalker. I could propose a theory on this character's origins, but the truth is that I just don't care. And that's the overall problem I had with this book: I just don't care, about the plot or the characters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 19, 2020
"For I am the keeper of words that cannot be spoken, of visions that cannot be shared."
After the strong first two books, Maid of Secrets was a big let down for me. I felt like the paranormal themes didn't really mix well with the historical setting and story, and they were a big part of this book, so possibly that's what influenced my reading experience. Obviously, Sophia's psychic powers were mentioned in the previous books, but the way they were actually showed and explained, didn't really appeal to me.
Apart from that, the story was okay and seeing how this might be the last book in the series, I'm happy with how it wrapped up. I think I might re-read my favourite installment, Maid of Deception in the future.
My reviews for all books in the series:
Maid of Secrets - 4,5 ★
Maid of Deception - 5 ★
Maid of Wonder - 2 ★
After the strong first two books, Maid of Secrets was a big let down for me. I felt like the paranormal themes didn't really mix well with the historical setting and story, and they were a big part of this book, so possibly that's what influenced my reading experience. Obviously, Sophia's psychic powers were mentioned in the previous books, but the way they were actually showed and explained, didn't really appeal to me.
Apart from that, the story was okay and seeing how this might be the last book in the series, I'm happy with how it wrapped up. I think I might re-read my favourite installment, Maid of Deception in the future.
My reviews for all books in the series:
Maid of Secrets - 4,5 ★
Maid of Deception - 5 ★
Maid of Wonder - 2 ★
July 31, 2017
I am a little sad and confused, not by the wonderful book I just finished, but with how things ended. I felt like there were so many loose threads and then I learn that this is the last in the series? What happens to Meg, Beatrice, Sophia, Jane, and Anna? Why do Jane and Anna not have their own stories to tell? Will there be more to come, or has the theme of publishing trilogies cut this story short? I want answers people! I need to read more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 16, 2024
It took me a while to get into this book. I enjoyed it very much once I got about 100 pages in. Seeing this through Sophia's perspective was very interesting and also creepy ( I would not like to have to live with visions all of my life, some of which that
don't come true). Overall, the Maids Of Honor was a great series that I will be returning to again!
don't come true). Overall, the Maids Of Honor was a great series that I will be returning to again!
July 21, 2017
To be honest, I don't get why they're still serving Elizabeth. I hope to keep reading and find out.
October 6, 2017
Good series but have grown tired of the story thread. Will try this again at a later date.
December 17, 2017
I liked this book much like the others due to it being set in Queen Elizabeth's court, but I wasn't a fan of the whole sight ability. Not my favorite of the series, but still well written.
April 10, 2018
What a wonderful book. I wish there was more.
May 14, 2018
liked it, good ending, bit boring in the middle though
June 8, 2018
3.5 / 5 stars rating
September 28, 2015
"Death always starts as a whisper."
If you haven't read the first two books in this series (Maid of Secrets #1 and Maid of Deception #2) then I highly recommend them. This series follows five Maids of Honor in Queen Elizabeth's court. Each book tells the story of a different girl, although it is best to read them in order.
I had been eagerly anticipating Maid of Wonder ever since I put down Maid of Deception, Sophia, the narrator of this book, is a psychic. She can go into trances and ask "angels" questions to which she sometimes gets answers and, more often, simply gets riddles in response. In the previous book she had been a very quiet presence and I don't feel like I ever got a real sense of who she was. In Maid of Wonder she definitely came into her own. Throughout the book she insisted she was going to "show them all" but she had to walk a dangerous path. If she showed her powers too much then she could be taken as a witch, but if she doesn't show any then she is of no use to the Queen and could be married off. This was one of the things I really enjoyed whilst reading the book. There was a very real sense of how trapped Sophia was. As long as she stays at Court she isn't safe but there is no way she can leave without the Queen's permission and there is no way the Queen will let her go. It made me very excited to keep reading and find out if things went Sophia's way.
Maid of Wonder is quite a bit shorter than the previous two books and unfortunately this does show negatively in the story. The element most affected was the romance between Sophia and Marcus. It bypassed insta-love and went into "I've loved you since before I knew you" territory which I wasn't a huge fan of. I felt like, where the previous two Maids had realistic and slower building romances, this one just moved way too fast for me to feel any connection with it. Marcus himself was not a character I really warmed to either. I appreciate that he was in a difficult situation, like Sophia but he never really showed any consideration for the situation she was in. If he wanted to court her, he would ignore all her protests or rational arguments about the fact that she will be the one punished by the Queen and forge ahead.
The historical details, as in all the books, were really great to read about and I especially loved the introduction (however brief) in this one of Nostradamus, he is someone who definitely interests me. John Dee felt sort of vague, he was menacing but he never felt insurmountable. It's Cecil who really comes across as the true threat to all the girls and he has done in all the books so far, I always tense up when he enters the story. He is supposedly on their side but he does not treat them that way!
Like all the previous books this one had a bit of an unfinished ending, I feel like the last book in the series will have all the loose threads tied together but with each book being narrated by a separate person I don't see as much of the characters as I would like. Rafe from book one made a brief appearance but I would have liked to have seen more of him with Meg. I am not sure how the final book is going to pull together all the final threads of each individual story if it is only narrated by one girl, but then it doesn't seem fair for either Jane or Anna to have to share their book will all the other Maids either. I will be very interested to see and I will definitely be reading books 4 and 5 and I will be keen to see what else Jennifer McGowan may write in the future.
You can read this and other reviews at dualreads.blogspot.co.uk
If you haven't read the first two books in this series (Maid of Secrets #1 and Maid of Deception #2) then I highly recommend them. This series follows five Maids of Honor in Queen Elizabeth's court. Each book tells the story of a different girl, although it is best to read them in order.
I had been eagerly anticipating Maid of Wonder ever since I put down Maid of Deception, Sophia, the narrator of this book, is a psychic. She can go into trances and ask "angels" questions to which she sometimes gets answers and, more often, simply gets riddles in response. In the previous book she had been a very quiet presence and I don't feel like I ever got a real sense of who she was. In Maid of Wonder she definitely came into her own. Throughout the book she insisted she was going to "show them all" but she had to walk a dangerous path. If she showed her powers too much then she could be taken as a witch, but if she doesn't show any then she is of no use to the Queen and could be married off. This was one of the things I really enjoyed whilst reading the book. There was a very real sense of how trapped Sophia was. As long as she stays at Court she isn't safe but there is no way she can leave without the Queen's permission and there is no way the Queen will let her go. It made me very excited to keep reading and find out if things went Sophia's way.
Maid of Wonder is quite a bit shorter than the previous two books and unfortunately this does show negatively in the story. The element most affected was the romance between Sophia and Marcus. It bypassed insta-love and went into "I've loved you since before I knew you" territory which I wasn't a huge fan of. I felt like, where the previous two Maids had realistic and slower building romances, this one just moved way too fast for me to feel any connection with it. Marcus himself was not a character I really warmed to either. I appreciate that he was in a difficult situation, like Sophia but he never really showed any consideration for the situation she was in. If he wanted to court her, he would ignore all her protests or rational arguments about the fact that she will be the one punished by the Queen and forge ahead.
The historical details, as in all the books, were really great to read about and I especially loved the introduction (however brief) in this one of Nostradamus, he is someone who definitely interests me. John Dee felt sort of vague, he was menacing but he never felt insurmountable. It's Cecil who really comes across as the true threat to all the girls and he has done in all the books so far, I always tense up when he enters the story. He is supposedly on their side but he does not treat them that way!
Like all the previous books this one had a bit of an unfinished ending, I feel like the last book in the series will have all the loose threads tied together but with each book being narrated by a separate person I don't see as much of the characters as I would like. Rafe from book one made a brief appearance but I would have liked to have seen more of him with Meg. I am not sure how the final book is going to pull together all the final threads of each individual story if it is only narrated by one girl, but then it doesn't seem fair for either Jane or Anna to have to share their book will all the other Maids either. I will be very interested to see and I will definitely be reading books 4 and 5 and I will be keen to see what else Jennifer McGowan may write in the future.
You can read this and other reviews at dualreads.blogspot.co.uk
June 27, 2015
Originally posted on City of Books
So for starters, I love everything about this series - the history, the danger, the mystery. Maid of Wonder is no exception, and though it wasn't as fast-paced or riveting as the previous two books, I enjoyed it a lot.
Sophia's gifts have developed quite a lot since the last book, when they were just emerging. Now, she sees visions of the future and can communicate with the angels. But Sophia is still a novice, and her increasingly frequent visits to the other side of the spectral plane have consequences. She also sees that the Queen is in grave danger, but cannot gather enough proof to be taken seriously. On top of that, she has to deal with the return of her uncle whom she despises for the lies he told her, and the arrival of Marcus, her uncle's assistant and a man she feels a real connection to.
Sophia has always been the most elusive of the five spies. After all, the others have very distinct characteristics - Meg is sharp and witty, Jane is tough and dangerous, Anna is intelligent and prudent, and Beatrice is beguiling and seductive. But Sophia? I can't really describe her. So it was an interesting journey to get to know her in this book. We see that she has just as strong a character as the other maids. She's naive, yes, but also stubborn and curious and defiant. Though I didn't warm to Sophia as much as I did to Meg in the first book, I like her.
My favourite parts of the book were the times when Sophia would use her gift for scrying or to contact the angels. There is one in particular, the one she calls her dark angel, who is the most interesting. At first he scares Sophia, but she realizes he's protecting her. But why? And how is he different from the other angels? I was really eager to find out all the answers. The main plot, though, dragged a bit in my opinion. I don't care much for the Queen portrayed in this novel, so I didn't care about her impending danger at all. She's petty and can be quite cruel, and though I sympathize with her situation, I can't bring myself to like Elizabeth much.
I did really like Marcus. He seems like the perfect match for Sophia, and not just because of their shared abilities. Marcus is gentle and kind, and just the guy Sophia can count on and trust in this castle with betrayal at every corner. I also loved seeing all the other maids again, and even Master James from the circus. He and Jane still have a weird thing going on, and I wonder if those two come together at some point in Jane's book.
There wasn't much action in this novel since the focus is on Sophia's psychic powers, and I guess that made things feel slow to me. I prefer the more fast-paced environment we saw in the previous books. Regardless, I liked getting back into this historical world and I'm excited to see whose story comes next!
*Thank you to Simon & Schuster for providing me with an eARC for review*
Rating: 3.5/5
So for starters, I love everything about this series - the history, the danger, the mystery. Maid of Wonder is no exception, and though it wasn't as fast-paced or riveting as the previous two books, I enjoyed it a lot.
Sophia's gifts have developed quite a lot since the last book, when they were just emerging. Now, she sees visions of the future and can communicate with the angels. But Sophia is still a novice, and her increasingly frequent visits to the other side of the spectral plane have consequences. She also sees that the Queen is in grave danger, but cannot gather enough proof to be taken seriously. On top of that, she has to deal with the return of her uncle whom she despises for the lies he told her, and the arrival of Marcus, her uncle's assistant and a man she feels a real connection to.
Sophia has always been the most elusive of the five spies. After all, the others have very distinct characteristics - Meg is sharp and witty, Jane is tough and dangerous, Anna is intelligent and prudent, and Beatrice is beguiling and seductive. But Sophia? I can't really describe her. So it was an interesting journey to get to know her in this book. We see that she has just as strong a character as the other maids. She's naive, yes, but also stubborn and curious and defiant. Though I didn't warm to Sophia as much as I did to Meg in the first book, I like her.
My favourite parts of the book were the times when Sophia would use her gift for scrying or to contact the angels. There is one in particular, the one she calls her dark angel, who is the most interesting. At first he scares Sophia, but she realizes he's protecting her. But why? And how is he different from the other angels? I was really eager to find out all the answers. The main plot, though, dragged a bit in my opinion. I don't care much for the Queen portrayed in this novel, so I didn't care about her impending danger at all. She's petty and can be quite cruel, and though I sympathize with her situation, I can't bring myself to like Elizabeth much.
I did really like Marcus. He seems like the perfect match for Sophia, and not just because of their shared abilities. Marcus is gentle and kind, and just the guy Sophia can count on and trust in this castle with betrayal at every corner. I also loved seeing all the other maids again, and even Master James from the circus. He and Jane still have a weird thing going on, and I wonder if those two come together at some point in Jane's book.
There wasn't much action in this novel since the focus is on Sophia's psychic powers, and I guess that made things feel slow to me. I prefer the more fast-paced environment we saw in the previous books. Regardless, I liked getting back into this historical world and I'm excited to see whose story comes next!
*Thank you to Simon & Schuster for providing me with an eARC for review*
Rating: 3.5/5
January 18, 2016
I really enjoyed the first two books in this series, though I will say the first book (Maid of Secrets) is my favorite.
I was excited to read Sophia's story. Mostly because we barely get to see her in Meg's book (Maid of Secrets) and she has a slightly more important role in Beatrice's book (Maid of Deception) but that only left me wanting to know more about her. She seemed a little crazy because she would always be staring into space, and when she would speak, it was mostly in riddles. So, of course, I wanted to know what was going on in her head.
I went into this book expecting more of a historical fantasy, since Sophia is a seer and all, where as the other 2 books were more historical fiction. We get to see how Sophia learns about the future from the angels in this other realm that she is able to see into and walk and talk to the angels who hang out there. She even has this creepy dark angel... thing following her around, who seems to be protecting her.
Speaking of creepy, lets talk about Marcus. This guy who pretty much loves Sophia before he ever met her. I was not a fan of him. Marcus can also get into the angel realm and relay back what the angels are saying. He works for Sophia's uncle, John Dee. Marcus can also see Sophia in the angel realm, but Sophia doesn't know this and he pretty much spies on her the whole time and doesn't see anything wrong with it. I also didn't trust him since he worked for John Dee, who has a sketchy background to begin with. I could not comprehend why Sophia would even consider him for that reason, but she does.
And then there's the dark angel, Arc, who is conveniently always around when Sophia is in trouble, or just whenever Sophia wants to talk to him. I actually found myself wanting Sophia to get together with him, I guess I just like doomed relationships. Though the ending kind of ruined that for me too.
This book just felt a lot more different than the other two. Sophia is kind of off on her own most of the time. We don't get to see the other girls as often as we did in the other books, which is what I enjoyed most. She's trying to figure out this prophecy that was told to the Queen saying someone was going to die. Nostradamus also has a part here, but I felt like he didn't really add to the story at all.
I liked Maid of Wonder well enough, but I was just a little disappointed in it. If you've read and enjoyed the other two books in this series, I say give this book a try, but go into it expecting something a little different.
I was excited to read Sophia's story. Mostly because we barely get to see her in Meg's book (Maid of Secrets) and she has a slightly more important role in Beatrice's book (Maid of Deception) but that only left me wanting to know more about her. She seemed a little crazy because she would always be staring into space, and when she would speak, it was mostly in riddles. So, of course, I wanted to know what was going on in her head.
I went into this book expecting more of a historical fantasy, since Sophia is a seer and all, where as the other 2 books were more historical fiction. We get to see how Sophia learns about the future from the angels in this other realm that she is able to see into and walk and talk to the angels who hang out there. She even has this creepy dark angel... thing following her around, who seems to be protecting her.
Speaking of creepy, lets talk about Marcus. This guy who pretty much loves Sophia before he ever met her. I was not a fan of him. Marcus can also get into the angel realm and relay back what the angels are saying. He works for Sophia's uncle, John Dee. Marcus can also see Sophia in the angel realm, but Sophia doesn't know this and he pretty much spies on her the whole time and doesn't see anything wrong with it. I also didn't trust him since he worked for John Dee, who has a sketchy background to begin with. I could not comprehend why Sophia would even consider him for that reason, but she does.
And then there's the dark angel, Arc, who is conveniently always around when Sophia is in trouble, or just whenever Sophia wants to talk to him. I actually found myself wanting Sophia to get together with him, I guess I just like doomed relationships. Though the ending kind of ruined that for me too.
This book just felt a lot more different than the other two. Sophia is kind of off on her own most of the time. We don't get to see the other girls as often as we did in the other books, which is what I enjoyed most. She's trying to figure out this prophecy that was told to the Queen saying someone was going to die. Nostradamus also has a part here, but I felt like he didn't really add to the story at all.
I liked Maid of Wonder well enough, but I was just a little disappointed in it. If you've read and enjoyed the other two books in this series, I say give this book a try, but go into it expecting something a little different.
September 20, 2015
Maid of Wonder is different from the other books in the Maids of Honor series because of the bigger paranormal element. Sophia has the ability to commune with beings she calls angels. Since her encounter with the gypsies she has been using an obsidian stone to help her focus her visions. Sophia has been trying to keep her growing gift under wraps for her safety and because she still doesn't have the clarity she needs to interpret what she experiences. After a prophecy is given concerning death at Windsor that may refer to the Queen or someone at court, Sophia has to use all her skill to figure it out. At the same time she has rivals in John Dee and Nostradamus. She also has romantic attention from Marcus Quinn who has similar abilities to her own.
There is an element of danger and mystery at Elizabeth's court. One character seems to be a threat but no one will believe Sophia and the other Maids. The visions Sophia experiences are also exacting a higher toll physically and they become more frightening but Sophia is determined to find the threat to the Queen before it is too late.
3.5 stars
I liked this mystery but not as much as the first two books that focused on Meg and Beatrice respectively. Sophia's strange abilities and the visions were a little creepy (she bleeds from her eyes for example). It became a little too much for a historical fiction novel. I did like the character of Sophia and understanding her better but I could have done without all the paranormal aspects. The romance between Sophia and Marcus felt kind of forced and not as well developed. Marcus just seemed to adore her from the beginning without reason. The romances and heroes in the other books were better developed. Here it was like Sophia just had too much on her plate to devote much thought to romance and there was a weird twist towards the end with the dark angel.
While I didn't enjoy Maid of Wonder as much as I'd hoped I did find it to be page turning especially as the danger to the Queen grew. I like the Maids and learning more about them in each book. There are some interesting historical details too that added to the story. The Queen herself made for an intriguing and infuriating secondary character. I definitely plan to read the rest of the series. I would suggest the Maids of Honor series (first book Maid of Secrets) to fans of Tudor fiction and historical mystery.
There is an element of danger and mystery at Elizabeth's court. One character seems to be a threat but no one will believe Sophia and the other Maids. The visions Sophia experiences are also exacting a higher toll physically and they become more frightening but Sophia is determined to find the threat to the Queen before it is too late.
3.5 stars
I liked this mystery but not as much as the first two books that focused on Meg and Beatrice respectively. Sophia's strange abilities and the visions were a little creepy (she bleeds from her eyes for example). It became a little too much for a historical fiction novel. I did like the character of Sophia and understanding her better but I could have done without all the paranormal aspects. The romance between Sophia and Marcus felt kind of forced and not as well developed. Marcus just seemed to adore her from the beginning without reason. The romances and heroes in the other books were better developed. Here it was like Sophia just had too much on her plate to devote much thought to romance and there was a weird twist towards the end with the dark angel.
While I didn't enjoy Maid of Wonder as much as I'd hoped I did find it to be page turning especially as the danger to the Queen grew. I like the Maids and learning more about them in each book. There are some interesting historical details too that added to the story. The Queen herself made for an intriguing and infuriating secondary character. I definitely plan to read the rest of the series. I would suggest the Maids of Honor series (first book Maid of Secrets) to fans of Tudor fiction and historical mystery.
September 26, 2015
I have been loving this Elizabethan Romance series for its characters, humor, and history. Each book adds another dimension to the historical period in European power struggles among countries and Church. Each book also adds to the understanding of the individual Maid characters. (Maid of Honors are spies who serve Queen Elizabeth.)
Sophia's story in MAID OF WONDER was different than the previous Maid of Honor stories. It lacked the humor and took a dark ominous tone. But in many ways the author, Jennifer McGowan, showed brilliance in this paranormal, which could be classified as magic realism, as she displayed a deeper range of her abilities as an author. I was fascinated by the author's interpretation of what it might have been like for psychics, even the notorious French Nostradamus, to conjure up, or enter, the spirit world for their visions and predictions.
If there was any doubt, MAID OF WONDER proved that this series, though the books are fast easy reads, shouldn't be chalked off as just Romance novels. The history is deeply researched and the books well-written. I look forward to the next in the series. (I'm especially curious about Jane's story, as it undoubtedly will be a tragic tale.)
I bought all of the series at Barnes & Noble.
Sophia's story in MAID OF WONDER was different than the previous Maid of Honor stories. It lacked the humor and took a dark ominous tone. But in many ways the author, Jennifer McGowan, showed brilliance in this paranormal, which could be classified as magic realism, as she displayed a deeper range of her abilities as an author. I was fascinated by the author's interpretation of what it might have been like for psychics, even the notorious French Nostradamus, to conjure up, or enter, the spirit world for their visions and predictions.
If there was any doubt, MAID OF WONDER proved that this series, though the books are fast easy reads, shouldn't be chalked off as just Romance novels. The history is deeply researched and the books well-written. I look forward to the next in the series. (I'm especially curious about Jane's story, as it undoubtedly will be a tragic tale.)
I bought all of the series at Barnes & Noble.
December 27, 2015
I just finished this book. I love the series, stumbled upon it from an Amazon daily deal. This is the weakest book in the series; to much ethereal, angel material that didn't really move the story. The mystery is a bit weak as well. I wanted more about the times, but this book could have been in any time period for how much she referenced the time period (yes we have some bits but much of the book is Sophia in the "angel realm."). The other world that Sophia ventures into is beyond frustrating and the author goes on and on about this world, not sure how it advanced the story, instead I would have preferred an editor to cut this down.
I did like the romance, though it was quick. I was hoping to see more of the previous two stories and the romances there, but not much. Also, would have liked to see more of the Maids of Honor working together and perhaps just some day to day life for them, does it always have to be life or death?? Does there always have to be torture?
I would say read this book if you are invested in the series but as a stand-alone, not worth it.
I did like the romance, though it was quick. I was hoping to see more of the previous two stories and the romances there, but not much. Also, would have liked to see more of the Maids of Honor working together and perhaps just some day to day life for them, does it always have to be life or death?? Does there always have to be torture?
I would say read this book if you are invested in the series but as a stand-alone, not worth it.
August 1, 2016
The Maids of Honor series is a fascinating and brilliant mixture of historical fact and fiction, but the latest installment, Maid of Wonder, elevates the series further by adding fantasy into the mix. While talents of the two young women that the first two novels (Maid of Secrets and Maid of Deception) each focused on (Meg and Beatrice) are quite within the boundaries of natural talents (deception and emotional manipulation, respectively), Sophia's talents are decidedly supernatural. Blessed - or perhaps cursed - with 'the Sight,' or the ability to see into and communicate with beings in the supernatural realm, Sophia was stolen away from her parents by her 'uncle' John Dee, the queen's astrologer, for his own personal ends when she was young - but now that her powers have been realized, her position with the queen is (theoretically) more secure.
Read the full review on my blog (spoiler-free): http://www.kidlitfrenzy.com/kid-lit-f...
Read the full review on my blog (spoiler-free): http://www.kidlitfrenzy.com/kid-lit-f...
April 27, 2016
Jennifer McGowan is a truly gifted, hardworking author. It really shows in her Maids of Honor series. As a fan of the real Queen Elizabeth I got hooked on her style from very first in the series: Maid of Secrets. She develops well thought out, strong female characters that I quickly became interested in and cared about.
In Maid of Wonder, the author tackles the daunting task of convincing the reader of metaphysical abilities of the main character, Sophia. She succeeds! Fantastic scenes lend themselves to getting lost in a surreal vision that few but Sophia experience.
I highly recommend this entire series to anyone who enjoys YA, but especially those who crave a literary acknowledgement on intelligent, important female historical characters!
In Maid of Wonder, the author tackles the daunting task of convincing the reader of metaphysical abilities of the main character, Sophia. She succeeds! Fantastic scenes lend themselves to getting lost in a surreal vision that few but Sophia experience.
I highly recommend this entire series to anyone who enjoys YA, but especially those who crave a literary acknowledgement on intelligent, important female historical characters!
February 14, 2016
Honestly, I didn't like this book as much as the previous two, and it's hard to put into words why. Part of it might be that with Sophia as the main character, and the focus on her abilities, the book was very narrow, perspective wise. There was a lot less court intrigue going on in the forefront, and way less of the other girls, and I missed that. Also I just found Queen Elizabeth and Walsingham and Cecil evil more awful and horrible in this book. I know none of them were NICE people, but in these books they're especially horrible vicious people and it just doesn't ring well with me, I don't know.
But overall it was far from awful and I did speed through it quite a bit to get to the end.
But overall it was far from awful and I did speed through it quite a bit to get to the end.
August 3, 2016
This book was phenomenal!! I enjoyed every page I turned. This is a remarkable historical read that captured me from beginning to end. I love how the author makes each book about a certain maid of honor. This book is about Sophia Dee. We get the chance to get to know her and how she became part of the Queen's court. I love the idea of being back in a time period when corsets, long dresses, and parties are forever going on. I feel as if I lived this time period in another life, because I am addicted and drawn into each of these stories. I can't wait to eead the next one to come. I highly recommend this magnificent book.
September 30, 2015
Not sure that I like Sophia as much as I like some of the others. She's a spacey girl and she definitely falls in insta-love. She reminds me of the kind of kid you protect, so I understand the feelings of the other maids about her.
It's a fun story that has Sophia back and forth between the physical world and the angelic realm, but also has poisons/poisoners, loyalties, and The Questionners. Elizabeth is hard and mercurial, but also pretty likeable in this book.
I thought the idea of a royal bastard was pretty true to the time.
It's a fun story that has Sophia back and forth between the physical world and the angelic realm, but also has poisons/poisoners, loyalties, and The Questionners. Elizabeth is hard and mercurial, but also pretty likeable in this book.
I thought the idea of a royal bastard was pretty true to the time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 23, 2015
From the very first book I have been hooked on Elizabeth's Maids of Honor. Beatrice's story had me worried for a moment, I felt it dragged on in some moments but Sophia's story had a completely different feel to it. I enjoyed the paranormal aspect of it, along with the focus being more about the schemes against the crown instead of the men. Now I'm very curious about who the next book will be about.
Will it be the Mind or the Assassin?
Will it be the Mind or the Assassin?
October 27, 2016
This wasn't as good as the first one, but it still was pretty good. I wasn't too taken, at first, with the idea of Sophia's story, but I really liked it once I got into it.
I really want to read a story for Anna and Jane (each). I also want to find out more about Master James. This book left me with quite a few questions that I really want answered...in another book. I want to see more action between Jane and Master James.
I really want to read a story for Anna and Jane (each). I also want to find out more about Master James. This book left me with quite a few questions that I really want answered...in another book. I want to see more action between Jane and Master James.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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