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Death's Queen #1
Death's Queen
An assassin without a name, born to kill. Owned by a vicious man who refuses to call her anything but girl, she is forced to commit atrocious acts of violence. Vowing to take her future into her own hands, the seventeen-year-old decides to risk everything on one act of defiance—drinking from The Death Drink. The beverage kills most whose lips touch it—only allowing those who are destined to be royalty survive the first sip. To the astonishment of the nation of Valcora, she imbibes it and lives, which crowns her queen. Thrown into a life of royal intrigue, she now has a purpose—to rule with the fairness she was never shown. Despite her altruistic plans, it becomes apparent that someone wants her dead. The new queen must use her training from the former life she only wants to forget in order to stay alive long enough to turn her kingdom into something she can be proud of. She’ll hold onto the crown… or die trying.
230 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 6, 2017
220 people are currently reading
607 people want to read
About the author
Janeal Falor
34 books810 followersJaneal Falor has published over twenty books including the Mine series, Death's Queen, and Sands of Eppla. She lives in Utah with her husband and three children. In her non-writing time she teaches her kids to make silly faces, cooks whatever strikes her fancy, and attempts to cultivate a garden even when half the things she plants die. When it's time for a break she can be found taking a scenic drive with her family or drinking hot chocolate.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
April 6, 2017
I got this book via netgalley. I was introduced to the author through netgalley because I fell in love with the first book I ever read by this author. That book was called You Are Mine and it’s a series. I LOVED IT, I own it! so this author has been on my radar since and I’ve read 3 off the books in the series and wish to read the rest. So when I saw this book and the synopsis sounded amazing I had to request it. Lucky me I got to read it!
I LOOOOOVED our main character. She’s everything I love in a strong female character. She’s strong, smart, faulty, snarky, sassy. So when this character that doesn’t have a name- drinks from a sacred goblet to kill herself, instead is crowned Queen. wait whaaaaaat? that’s cool. What’s perfect about this whole setting is the fact that she is nothing remotely calm or collected about this character and her new role. She makes hasty decisions, she hates dresses, hides weapons on her person, she throws tradition back in their faces, it’s all just so fun to watch and behold. I loved that about this story.
I loved the world building, the history of how the Queens came and come to be, the constant attempts on the queens life, the corruption of court and politicians. I enjoyed watching our main character weave in and out of all it.
I really liked Nash, he’s smart and he really helps compensate for the our main characters rash and rough exterior. Where she lacked in certain social skills and public communication, he excelled (which at the same time I felt was too convenient) and so helped to improve her interactions with the members of the council and court who don’t like her and think she doesn’t belong.
One big meh for me was the possible romance, I just couldn’t connect and feel it. Although I am beyond grateful and happy the possible main love interest is a manly man but a GOOD guy I just couldn’t feel that spark, plus it seemed rather quick for my tastes.
This story although really fun lacked on some things like beef-it’s all fast paced and not enough story I guess. Which isn’t altogether a bad thing just hindered on the over story. I wanted MORE of something.
Overall I really REALLY enjoyed the story and all that but, I couldn’t feel the blossoming romance nor was the story beefy enough for me.
Sexual Content: mild
Violence: moderate
Language: mild/none
Drugs/Alcohol: mild/none
I LOOOOOVED our main character. She’s everything I love in a strong female character. She’s strong, smart, faulty, snarky, sassy. So when this character that doesn’t have a name- drinks from a sacred goblet to kill herself, instead is crowned Queen. wait whaaaaaat? that’s cool. What’s perfect about this whole setting is the fact that she is nothing remotely calm or collected about this character and her new role. She makes hasty decisions, she hates dresses, hides weapons on her person, she throws tradition back in their faces, it’s all just so fun to watch and behold. I loved that about this story.
I loved the world building, the history of how the Queens came and come to be, the constant attempts on the queens life, the corruption of court and politicians. I enjoyed watching our main character weave in and out of all it.
I really liked Nash, he’s smart and he really helps compensate for the our main characters rash and rough exterior. Where she lacked in certain social skills and public communication, he excelled (which at the same time I felt was too convenient) and so helped to improve her interactions with the members of the council and court who don’t like her and think she doesn’t belong.
One big meh for me was the possible romance, I just couldn’t connect and feel it. Although I am beyond grateful and happy the possible main love interest is a manly man but a GOOD guy I just couldn’t feel that spark, plus it seemed rather quick for my tastes.
This story although really fun lacked on some things like beef-it’s all fast paced and not enough story I guess. Which isn’t altogether a bad thing just hindered on the over story. I wanted MORE of something.
Overall I really REALLY enjoyed the story and all that but, I couldn’t feel the blossoming romance nor was the story beefy enough for me.
Sexual Content: mild
Violence: moderate
Language: mild/none
Drugs/Alcohol: mild/none
April 1, 2017
An assassin queen? Could this be the second coming of Sarah J. Maas’s Throne of Glass series? Umm..... NO. To be fair, I am completely enamored with Maas’ works, so it will definitely be hard to best them in my mind. However, while Death's Queen had the potential of being great, it failed to live up to any of my expectations.
“I want them to like me, but apparently I’m not that likeable a person. I’ll have to figure out another reason for them to like me, other than for who I am.” - The Nameless Queen
Brief tangent: it’s upsetting to me that careless statements such as the one above appear in novels marketed towards teens. It’s a horrible message. The idea of getting other people to like you for reasons besides who you are is not one that should be spread and so casually uttered, regardless of the outlet or source. Statements like this one in the novel were very disappointing, and I sincerely hope that no teens are adversely affected by them and try to be someone they’re not for the sake of what others think of them.
With stupid comments like that peppered throughout the book, I struggled to relate and like the main character, the assassin Queen with no name. For the first half of the book, her thoughts are macabre and suicidal, with her constantly pondering why she is still living. It just became too much, and I also didn’t like how suicide or the idea of suicide was communicated frivolously.
"My choice is to die… This is for the best. I’m done with life."
"I still deserve to die… Why didn’t I let him finish me off?"
"I need to decide if I want to live or not. My life...it’s not worth living."
The Queen mentioned reasons why she wanted to die, but those memories that scarred her were never drawn upon, and her emotions ended up feeling superficial. And then there were moments where she just seemed like a petulant child. She did what she wanted to do, when she wanted to do it, and didn’t abide or care for any customs or opinions from others. Her response was always, “I am the queen. There is no but. Get a move on my request.” Towards the end, I glimpsed a little bit of character growth and caring that I appreciated, but it happened too little, too late.
Other characters, including the Queen’s love interest, Nash, were pretty non-existent and next to nothing about their person was fleshed out. Since the Queen gave everyone the cold shoulder, it was hard to learn more about members of her court, her ladies-in-waiting, and servants since there was barely any dialogue exchanged.
One of the selling points to the story is figuring out who is attempting to kill her. But to me, it was painfully obvious which character was the antagonist. It wasn’t even like Falor was trying to drop hints as to who villain was; the character was basically running around naked screaming, “It’s me, it’s me!”
Hello, you sexy villain, you.
Well, maybe not quite to that extreme, but you get the picture. And when you guess who the killer or stalker is halfway through a thriller/mystery novel, the story dies a little bit. That’s exactly what happened for me, and I lost interest.
This book is short, only taking about 2.5 hours to read, which is why it didn’t take too much effort to finish. There are only so many details an author can throw into a short work, but there has to be something that causes you to take pause and reflect on what you just read. Was there a crazy plot twist that made you think at the end or stuck with you for a couple days? Was there a lesson learned at the end, or did you really feel for the characters? Short stories that come to mind that reference such elements are A Sound of Thunder by Ray Bradbury and The Snows of Kilimanjaro by Ernest Hemingway. Or for an amazing fantasy short, check out Brandon Sanderson’s The Emperor's Soul.
While Death's Queen was a quick read and I was able to finish it, there was no emotion or character depth, little plot and world-building, and nothing that really drew my interest. Unfortunately, for me, it’s not memorable and will probably never cross my mind again.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. Special thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy.*
“I want them to like me, but apparently I’m not that likeable a person. I’ll have to figure out another reason for them to like me, other than for who I am.” - The Nameless Queen
Brief tangent: it’s upsetting to me that careless statements such as the one above appear in novels marketed towards teens. It’s a horrible message. The idea of getting other people to like you for reasons besides who you are is not one that should be spread and so casually uttered, regardless of the outlet or source. Statements like this one in the novel were very disappointing, and I sincerely hope that no teens are adversely affected by them and try to be someone they’re not for the sake of what others think of them.
With stupid comments like that peppered throughout the book, I struggled to relate and like the main character, the assassin Queen with no name. For the first half of the book, her thoughts are macabre and suicidal, with her constantly pondering why she is still living. It just became too much, and I also didn’t like how suicide or the idea of suicide was communicated frivolously.
"My choice is to die… This is for the best. I’m done with life."
"I still deserve to die… Why didn’t I let him finish me off?"
"I need to decide if I want to live or not. My life...it’s not worth living."
The Queen mentioned reasons why she wanted to die, but those memories that scarred her were never drawn upon, and her emotions ended up feeling superficial. And then there were moments where she just seemed like a petulant child. She did what she wanted to do, when she wanted to do it, and didn’t abide or care for any customs or opinions from others. Her response was always, “I am the queen. There is no but. Get a move on my request.” Towards the end, I glimpsed a little bit of character growth and caring that I appreciated, but it happened too little, too late.
Other characters, including the Queen’s love interest, Nash, were pretty non-existent and next to nothing about their person was fleshed out. Since the Queen gave everyone the cold shoulder, it was hard to learn more about members of her court, her ladies-in-waiting, and servants since there was barely any dialogue exchanged.
One of the selling points to the story is figuring out who is attempting to kill her. But to me, it was painfully obvious which character was the antagonist. It wasn’t even like Falor was trying to drop hints as to who villain was; the character was basically running around naked screaming, “It’s me, it’s me!”
Hello, you sexy villain, you.
Well, maybe not quite to that extreme, but you get the picture. And when you guess who the killer or stalker is halfway through a thriller/mystery novel, the story dies a little bit. That’s exactly what happened for me, and I lost interest.
This book is short, only taking about 2.5 hours to read, which is why it didn’t take too much effort to finish. There are only so many details an author can throw into a short work, but there has to be something that causes you to take pause and reflect on what you just read. Was there a crazy plot twist that made you think at the end or stuck with you for a couple days? Was there a lesson learned at the end, or did you really feel for the characters? Short stories that come to mind that reference such elements are A Sound of Thunder by Ray Bradbury and The Snows of Kilimanjaro by Ernest Hemingway. Or for an amazing fantasy short, check out Brandon Sanderson’s The Emperor's Soul.
While Death's Queen was a quick read and I was able to finish it, there was no emotion or character depth, little plot and world-building, and nothing that really drew my interest. Unfortunately, for me, it’s not memorable and will probably never cross my mind again.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. Special thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy.*
July 29, 2019
Thanks to Netgalley and Weapenry Co-op for giving me this book to review.
Death’s Queen is a new novel by Janeal Falor which is fast paced and predictable but I never found it boring. There was action, politics and some romance but I felt that this part was a bit too rushed. I really liked this world and the idea of a drink deciding who the next Queen is. I can understand the comparison to the Throne of Glass series but as I found that series to be underwhelming, this book is much better in my opinion.
The Queen (who has no name which makes it difficult to talk about her in this review) has so many walls around herself, which makes it hard for her to open up but she is very strong, does not care about other people’s negative opinions of her which shows in her lack of social skills, but during this book has a good development arc. There are a few secondary characters but my favourite is Nash as he is loyal, intelligent and protective but is also not afraid to speak his mind.
I really enjoyed this novel and am looking forward to reading the next book Death’s Betrayal. I would recommend this book to fans of YA fantasy books with magic, royalty and assassins.
This and my other reviews can be found at Amethyst Bookwyrm
Death’s Queen is a new novel by Janeal Falor which is fast paced and predictable but I never found it boring. There was action, politics and some romance but I felt that this part was a bit too rushed. I really liked this world and the idea of a drink deciding who the next Queen is. I can understand the comparison to the Throne of Glass series but as I found that series to be underwhelming, this book is much better in my opinion.
The Queen (who has no name which makes it difficult to talk about her in this review) has so many walls around herself, which makes it hard for her to open up but she is very strong, does not care about other people’s negative opinions of her which shows in her lack of social skills, but during this book has a good development arc. There are a few secondary characters but my favourite is Nash as he is loyal, intelligent and protective but is also not afraid to speak his mind.
I really enjoyed this novel and am looking forward to reading the next book Death’s Betrayal. I would recommend this book to fans of YA fantasy books with magic, royalty and assassins.
This and my other reviews can be found at Amethyst Bookwyrm
June 4, 2019
Well that was a disappointment. -_- 2.5 stars ~
You want to throw a suicidal on the throne who happens to be an assassin?
You want to slam the readers with a lot of questions then NOT answer them?
You want to make the MC a jerk who has no feelings whatsoever?
AND THEN you expect readers to fall in love with this brilliant plot!!!! Wow. Me over here, not impressed.
The summary and cover seemed interesting so I downloaded it and read it immediately. Wasn't the smartest choice of my fangirl career. I was extremely disappointed with the quality of the style and the unanswered questions. A nameless assassin!! Sounds like my style. Who becomes Queen!! Ummm . . . . GIVE ME THE BOOK. This is why I picked it up.
The thing I didn't understand was that this MC was a brat, a jerk, and an idiot all rolled up in one mess who has no feelings whatsoever. Why the author thought this brilliant character was going to excite readers I have no idea. Who would fall in love and understand such a dark character who can't even explain herself without talking too much or too little. (*headdesks* When will the torture end??)
Truthfully though, I didn't hate the book this much until the very end. It was exciting in the first few chapters, but as the plot progressed I noticed many things that kept bugging me. The unanswered questions, unlikable characters, easily spotted villain, watered down details, horrible setting (I have no clue what her kingdom looks like!!), instant romance, cliche "it's illegal to be together", non-stop suicidal thoughts, unexplained magic, and the list goes on and on. It bothered me so much . . . but the constant action made me hope that Falor would redeem her story and their would be an awesome plot twist. My hopes were childish. -_-
Setting ~ Haha!! What setting?? All I know is she (the Queen or MC) lives in a castle and she once lived on the streets!!
Plot ~ It did hold a decent amount of action, however, the farther into the story I read the more I realized Falor just kept dealing out questions that I wanted answers to. But..... There were no answers. 0.0 Until the very last chapter where (Ryn) the Queen basically explained her whole past to Nash (her Head Advisor) and it wasn't as bad or as dark as she seemed to describe throughout the whole book. The MC couldn't stop thinking about how dark she was and all that she had gone through . . . then in Chapter 45 I could imagine her past worse than what she said!! It wasn't satisfying.
Romance ~ Ugh. Please it was so horrible. It reminded me of Rae Carson and Sarah J. Mass mixed together with no originality. And can someone explain to me how a guy as caring as Nash could possibly LIKE the Queen???
Details ~ Falor broke her book. There was nothing but dirt with her description. I'm am SO disappointed.
Content ~ One very well described kiss (wrong thing to describe Falor, wrong thing!) with the two MC's. They're were so many scenes with a male and female alone in a room for hours. And a lot of talk about lovey feelings or passions. Also death. And blood. And poison. And weapons. And assassinations. :P
Characters ~ They were bad. I just prefer Nash and the Queen's servant be the main characters. I liked Jem better. Oh yeah, and that villain I picked out Immediately. (There were so many side characters that also weren't flushed out enough to be satisfactory.)
Overall ~ It was a Meh, just below average. xD I'm really not impressed with this book or it's continued dryness. There were so many scenes that started out the same way, so many chapters that began similarly to ones past, and so. many. unanswered. questions. I will not be trying this author again. Nor shall I continue the series.
**NOTE** I mean no harm to the author or offence. This is just my personal opinion as is the same with every other book I read & review.
You want to throw a suicidal on the throne who happens to be an assassin?
You want to slam the readers with a lot of questions then NOT answer them?
You want to make the MC a jerk who has no feelings whatsoever?
AND THEN you expect readers to fall in love with this brilliant plot!!!! Wow. Me over here, not impressed.
The summary and cover seemed interesting so I downloaded it and read it immediately. Wasn't the smartest choice of my fangirl career. I was extremely disappointed with the quality of the style and the unanswered questions. A nameless assassin!! Sounds like my style. Who becomes Queen!! Ummm . . . . GIVE ME THE BOOK. This is why I picked it up.
The thing I didn't understand was that this MC was a brat, a jerk, and an idiot all rolled up in one mess who has no feelings whatsoever. Why the author thought this brilliant character was going to excite readers I have no idea. Who would fall in love and understand such a dark character who can't even explain herself without talking too much or too little. (*headdesks* When will the torture end??)
Truthfully though, I didn't hate the book this much until the very end. It was exciting in the first few chapters, but as the plot progressed I noticed many things that kept bugging me. The unanswered questions, unlikable characters, easily spotted villain, watered down details, horrible setting (I have no clue what her kingdom looks like!!), instant romance, cliche "it's illegal to be together", non-stop suicidal thoughts, unexplained magic, and the list goes on and on. It bothered me so much . . . but the constant action made me hope that Falor would redeem her story and their would be an awesome plot twist. My hopes were childish. -_-
Setting ~ Haha!! What setting?? All I know is she (the Queen or MC) lives in a castle and she once lived on the streets!!
Plot ~ It did hold a decent amount of action, however, the farther into the story I read the more I realized Falor just kept dealing out questions that I wanted answers to. But..... There were no answers. 0.0 Until the very last chapter where (Ryn) the Queen basically explained her whole past to Nash (her Head Advisor) and it wasn't as bad or as dark as she seemed to describe throughout the whole book. The MC couldn't stop thinking about how dark she was and all that she had gone through . . . then in Chapter 45 I could imagine her past worse than what she said!! It wasn't satisfying.
Romance ~ Ugh. Please it was so horrible. It reminded me of Rae Carson and Sarah J. Mass mixed together with no originality. And can someone explain to me how a guy as caring as Nash could possibly LIKE the Queen???
Details ~ Falor broke her book. There was nothing but dirt with her description. I'm am SO disappointed.
Content ~ One very well described kiss (wrong thing to describe Falor, wrong thing!) with the two MC's. They're were so many scenes with a male and female alone in a room for hours. And a lot of talk about lovey feelings or passions. Also death. And blood. And poison. And weapons. And assassinations. :P
Characters ~ They were bad. I just prefer Nash and the Queen's servant be the main characters. I liked Jem better. Oh yeah, and that villain I picked out Immediately. (There were so many side characters that also weren't flushed out enough to be satisfactory.)
Overall ~ It was a Meh, just below average. xD I'm really not impressed with this book or it's continued dryness. There were so many scenes that started out the same way, so many chapters that began similarly to ones past, and so. many. unanswered. questions. I will not be trying this author again. Nor shall I continue the series.
**NOTE** I mean no harm to the author or offence. This is just my personal opinion as is the same with every other book I read & review.
April 6, 2017
I read this almost in one sitting. I liked how the concept reminded me a bit of Throne of Glass without being too similar. Being forced into being an assassin at a young age her guilt leads her to drink from the cup that will kill her or make her Queen, but more than likely she believes this will kill her and free her from her guilt. Instead she accidently becomes Queen. While trying to adapt to her new role she must discover who keeps sending assassins to kill her with the help of her new Head Advisor. Is it her old master or someone at the palace. Will she able to figure it out in time.
I thought some of the narration was choppy and the self pity was a little over done but it was an entertaining and quick read. I enjoyed the main character developpement. I liked how she didnt take shit from anyone but I think she should have pretended to care what her ladies in waiting and her old advisor had to say to avoid making so many enemies. Shes has a difficult time opening up but I liked how she came to depend on her Head Advisor Nash. Their relationship didnt come easy but it was realistic. I was shipping them together. I also loved her friendship with the Head Maid Inkga.
One of the twist was predictable but I didnt see the other ones coming. The pacing was exactly was I was looking for quick and easy. I love it when a book hooks me like that and I dont feel like putting it down to do something else. One of my favorite parts were her weird dreams. I was hoping she would get more information from them and that she would learn about magic but I was always looking forward to reading those parts. The lack of magic was a little disapointing but maybe we'll get some in the next book. The ending was satisfying and Im looking forward to the sequel.
*received in exchange for an honest review*
I thought some of the narration was choppy and the self pity was a little over done but it was an entertaining and quick read. I enjoyed the main character developpement. I liked how she didnt take shit from anyone but I think she should have pretended to care what her ladies in waiting and her old advisor had to say to avoid making so many enemies. Shes has a difficult time opening up but I liked how she came to depend on her Head Advisor Nash. Their relationship didnt come easy but it was realistic. I was shipping them together. I also loved her friendship with the Head Maid Inkga.
One of the twist was predictable but I didnt see the other ones coming. The pacing was exactly was I was looking for quick and easy. I love it when a book hooks me like that and I dont feel like putting it down to do something else. One of my favorite parts were her weird dreams. I was hoping she would get more information from them and that she would learn about magic but I was always looking forward to reading those parts. The lack of magic was a little disapointing but maybe we'll get some in the next book. The ending was satisfying and Im looking forward to the sequel.
*received in exchange for an honest review*
March 25, 2017
Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars!
Same Review Also Posted In My Blog: Dreamy Addictions
*ecopy received from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
I love reading books with female assassin as main character so when I saw this book and it's interesting synopsis, I decided to give this a shot. I had no high expectations before going into this book but I was hoping for a quick entertaining read. I enjoyed reading this book but I also had few issues with it. I really liked the female protagonist of this book who is totally kickass. The plot is decent but nothing mind blowing. I loved the interesting concept of this book which is the first thing that grabbed my attention.
The story starts with our nameless heroine/assassin who finally decides to stop being an assassin for her cruel master who raised her since she was young. She hated killing and she knew that her master wouldn't give up his greatest weapon easily so with no choice left she escapes from her master . While on the run, the guilt of all the killings is eating away inside her and she thinks that she doesn't deserve to live so she decides to end her life by drinking the Death Drink. The chalice is sort of an enchanted cup which determines the next queen and only women who is worthy of becoming the next queen is survived after drinking from it. When she drinks from the chalice and waits for her imminent death, shockingly nothing happens to her and the next second she becomes the new queen of Velcora. She really can't believe that she's become a queen and will live in the palace with everyone obeying her commands. During her time at the palace, assassins were sent to kill her by an unknown enemy but thanks to her old skills she survives. With the help of a guard named Nash whom she later makes him her royal advisor, she tries to become a good queen for her people in the kingdom.
I really liked the female protagonist of this book! She is totally badass character who has deadly fighting skills. She maybe strong on the outside but inside she's still vulnerable seventeen year old girl. Though I really liked her, I can't emotionally connect with her. It would be great if we had a few glimpses of the killings or the nightmares that are haunting her every night because her wanting to kill herself is pretty much annoyed me sometimes and I really want to know what she has gone through so that I could understand her better. Nash is pretty nice guy and a total gentleman who is loyal to his country and the queen. He didn't made much impact in the story but I liked his character in the book. There is not much romance in this book but there is a growing attraction between Nash and the heroine and I enjoyed their every interaction. The secondary characters are okay-ish but they aren't memorable enough to describe.
The plot is pretty good but unfortunately, it was quite predictable for me. However, I found myself enjoying the story only because I liked the main character and her badass attitude. The inner monologue's seemed a bit lengthy but I wasn't much bothered with it. The story is a fast paced read told from the mc's POV. The writing is good and I loved the simple world building but I was a little bit disappointed that there isn't much magical elements in it.
Overall, it was good but not great! The book finally concluded by leaving some things unresolved so I really hope there's going to be a sequel to it.
Same Review Also Posted In My Blog: Dreamy Addictions
*ecopy received from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
I love reading books with female assassin as main character so when I saw this book and it's interesting synopsis, I decided to give this a shot. I had no high expectations before going into this book but I was hoping for a quick entertaining read. I enjoyed reading this book but I also had few issues with it. I really liked the female protagonist of this book who is totally kickass. The plot is decent but nothing mind blowing. I loved the interesting concept of this book which is the first thing that grabbed my attention.
The story starts with our nameless heroine/assassin who finally decides to stop being an assassin for her cruel master who raised her since she was young. She hated killing and she knew that her master wouldn't give up his greatest weapon easily so with no choice left she escapes from her master . While on the run, the guilt of all the killings is eating away inside her and she thinks that she doesn't deserve to live so she decides to end her life by drinking the Death Drink. The chalice is sort of an enchanted cup which determines the next queen and only women who is worthy of becoming the next queen is survived after drinking from it. When she drinks from the chalice and waits for her imminent death, shockingly nothing happens to her and the next second she becomes the new queen of Velcora. She really can't believe that she's become a queen and will live in the palace with everyone obeying her commands. During her time at the palace, assassins were sent to kill her by an unknown enemy but thanks to her old skills she survives. With the help of a guard named Nash whom she later makes him her royal advisor, she tries to become a good queen for her people in the kingdom.
I really liked the female protagonist of this book! She is totally badass character who has deadly fighting skills. She maybe strong on the outside but inside she's still vulnerable seventeen year old girl. Though I really liked her, I can't emotionally connect with her. It would be great if we had a few glimpses of the killings or the nightmares that are haunting her every night because her wanting to kill herself is pretty much annoyed me sometimes and I really want to know what she has gone through so that I could understand her better. Nash is pretty nice guy and a total gentleman who is loyal to his country and the queen. He didn't made much impact in the story but I liked his character in the book. There is not much romance in this book but there is a growing attraction between Nash and the heroine and I enjoyed their every interaction. The secondary characters are okay-ish but they aren't memorable enough to describe.
The plot is pretty good but unfortunately, it was quite predictable for me. However, I found myself enjoying the story only because I liked the main character and her badass attitude. The inner monologue's seemed a bit lengthy but I wasn't much bothered with it. The story is a fast paced read told from the mc's POV. The writing is good and I loved the simple world building but I was a little bit disappointed that there isn't much magical elements in it.
Overall, it was good but not great! The book finally concluded by leaving some things unresolved so I really hope there's going to be a sequel to it.
March 23, 2017
*I RECEIVED A FREE ARC FROM NETGALLEY*
Going into this book, i was pretty nervous thinking it would be a little too similar to Throne Of Glass but the only similarities were that both MC's were assassins and they had manipulative former masters. The MC from this book (we don't know her name) wasn't voluntarily an assassin and every time she kills she dies a little more inside which is why she decides she'd rather die than keep killing.
The MC's character went through an awesome evolution! When she first took the crown, she was completely lost and was using it only as a means to hide from her previous owner. So she spent her days locked up in her room and creating chaos with her lack of tradition. But after a while she starts to open up to her responsibilities with the guidance of Nash, her bodyguard whom she promoted to Royal Adviser.
I liked Nash's intellect, he really compensated for the MC's rash and rough exterior. Where she lacked social skills and public communication, he excelled and so helped to improve her interactions with the members of the council who pretty think she's a joke.
I liked the idea that only Queen's ruled the country and they weren't allowed to marry/be in a relationship in case they got heirs who would later fight for their claim to the throne, It was actually a pretty intelligent concept when you think about it cause no one would ever claim the throne as a birthright or something.
Okay i just have to rant about what an AWESOME personality the MC has! And no i'm not talking about her kickass fighting skills which just seem like a dull background compared to her badass attitude. So when she first gets to the castle and she noticed the court adviser is a total snake and doesn't respect her, what does she do? Does she exile him? Nope. Does she kill him? Nuh-uh. Frame him and then put him in jail? No. She makes him her Royal Furniture Adviser because the furniture is ugly and uncomfortable!!!
(Side note: Baby Daddy is one of the best comedies out there you guys should watch it :P!)
She doesn't have a care in the world for traditions and she doesn't melt under the pressure of becoming a poised and graceful queen. She really remained true to her antisocial/opinionated/generous self. She took Scandalous Queen to a whole new level!!! Even refusing to see her Ladies In Waiting for weeks (i don't blame her they were irritating!). Oh and she basically has zero social skills since she mostly stuck to the shadows as an assassin; which makes being a queen much more difficult for her. Not to mention she doesn't earn many fans within the council.
I can't give it above 4 stars because i wasn't really feeling the romance and though the plot was good, it was pretty basic. And i would have liked more world building! We get hints and a few magical aspects but i needed a little more! And i kind of already guessed who was trying to kill her...There was a lot of potential but it fell a little short to me.
Nevertheless it was a quick, short and enjoyable read! Loved the concept and the characters but i just wished it was a little more developed! I would definitely pick up a sequel though :P!
Going into this book, i was pretty nervous thinking it would be a little too similar to Throne Of Glass but the only similarities were that both MC's were assassins and they had manipulative former masters. The MC from this book (we don't know her name) wasn't voluntarily an assassin and every time she kills she dies a little more inside which is why she decides she'd rather die than keep killing.
The MC's character went through an awesome evolution! When she first took the crown, she was completely lost and was using it only as a means to hide from her previous owner. So she spent her days locked up in her room and creating chaos with her lack of tradition. But after a while she starts to open up to her responsibilities with the guidance of Nash, her bodyguard whom she promoted to Royal Adviser.
I liked Nash's intellect, he really compensated for the MC's rash and rough exterior. Where she lacked social skills and public communication, he excelled and so helped to improve her interactions with the members of the council who pretty think she's a joke.
I liked the idea that only Queen's ruled the country and they weren't allowed to marry/be in a relationship in case they got heirs who would later fight for their claim to the throne, It was actually a pretty intelligent concept when you think about it cause no one would ever claim the throne as a birthright or something.
Okay i just have to rant about what an AWESOME personality the MC has! And no i'm not talking about her kickass fighting skills which just seem like a dull background compared to her badass attitude. So when she first gets to the castle and she noticed the court adviser is a total snake and doesn't respect her, what does she do? Does she exile him? Nope. Does she kill him? Nuh-uh. Frame him and then put him in jail? No. She makes him her Royal Furniture Adviser because the furniture is ugly and uncomfortable!!!
(Side note: Baby Daddy is one of the best comedies out there you guys should watch it :P!)
She doesn't have a care in the world for traditions and she doesn't melt under the pressure of becoming a poised and graceful queen. She really remained true to her antisocial/opinionated/generous self. She took Scandalous Queen to a whole new level!!! Even refusing to see her Ladies In Waiting for weeks (i don't blame her they were irritating!). Oh and she basically has zero social skills since she mostly stuck to the shadows as an assassin; which makes being a queen much more difficult for her. Not to mention she doesn't earn many fans within the council.
I can't give it above 4 stars because i wasn't really feeling the romance and though the plot was good, it was pretty basic. And i would have liked more world building! We get hints and a few magical aspects but i needed a little more! And i kind of already guessed who was trying to kill her...There was a lot of potential but it fell a little short to me.
Nevertheless it was a quick, short and enjoyable read! Loved the concept and the characters but i just wished it was a little more developed! I would definitely pick up a sequel though :P!
August 19, 2019
I had high hopes for this book. A trained assassin becomes the new queen? How cool is that?! Imagine the political strife when the magic drink chooses her. (anyone else getting Excaliber vibes here?) There was promise.
It just didn't hit the mark.
Our new queen doesn't have a name. Her entire existence has been at the command of her Master. When she escapes and chooses death over running for the rest of her life, she finds herself at the altar of the Death Drink.
This drink chooses the new queen, if it doesn't choose you, you die.
She thinks she will die by drinking but it ends up declaring her as queen instead.
The rest of the story is mostly her giving attitude and not willing to work with anyone. Complaining about uncomfortable furniture and so forth. She felt like a spoiled little girl rather than a hard trained assassin that has taken many lives.
Actually, the book itself felt like a first write. There seemed to be little editing in the content department and emotions seemed to come and go on a whim.
It made for a rough read that I ended up skimming the last 50%.
It just didn't hit the mark.
Our new queen doesn't have a name. Her entire existence has been at the command of her Master. When she escapes and chooses death over running for the rest of her life, she finds herself at the altar of the Death Drink.
This drink chooses the new queen, if it doesn't choose you, you die.
She thinks she will die by drinking but it ends up declaring her as queen instead.
The rest of the story is mostly her giving attitude and not willing to work with anyone. Complaining about uncomfortable furniture and so forth. She felt like a spoiled little girl rather than a hard trained assassin that has taken many lives.
Actually, the book itself felt like a first write. There seemed to be little editing in the content department and emotions seemed to come and go on a whim.
It made for a rough read that I ended up skimming the last 50%.
March 17, 2017
Before I start, I would like to thank the author with providing me a copy of Death's Queen in exchange for my honest review.
When I first read the blurb, I found it to be most intriguing. A nameless assassin, born only to kill, wanting to give it all up by welcoming death. Death is her only salvation from the torment she has endured, and it comes in the way of drinking the "Death Drink" out of a chalice designed to determine the next Queen, i.e. the girl who is worthy of being Queen will survive, killing all those who aren't. A very promising concept that unfortunately fell short, in my opinion. The writing was a little too simple and told me everything I wanted to know, as opposed to showing me, and it lacked the depth I so richly desire from a fantasy. It felt very one dimensional and characters were under-developed. I would have loved to have some connection to the characters and the world, but alas, I wasn't interested at all. I'm sorry, this book just wasn't meant for me, but that doesn't mean it's not meant for anyone else.
When I first read the blurb, I found it to be most intriguing. A nameless assassin, born only to kill, wanting to give it all up by welcoming death. Death is her only salvation from the torment she has endured, and it comes in the way of drinking the "Death Drink" out of a chalice designed to determine the next Queen, i.e. the girl who is worthy of being Queen will survive, killing all those who aren't. A very promising concept that unfortunately fell short, in my opinion. The writing was a little too simple and told me everything I wanted to know, as opposed to showing me, and it lacked the depth I so richly desire from a fantasy. It felt very one dimensional and characters were under-developed. I would have loved to have some connection to the characters and the world, but alas, I wasn't interested at all. I'm sorry, this book just wasn't meant for me, but that doesn't mean it's not meant for anyone else.
September 2, 2017
Review to come :)
April 6, 2017
So sad but this just wasn't working for me. I was having a hard time connecting or caring about the main character. I think this was more of a me not the book issue.
April 15, 2017
Review to come- too much left unanswered at the end for a stand alone
April 25, 2017
Thank you to author for providing me with an ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Find this review and more on my blog The Rest Is Still Unwritten!
Death’s Queen is the thrilling latest release by Janeal Falor and is a sensational fantasy tale filled with danger, excitement and forbidden romance, perfect for fans of Maria V. Snyder and Sarah J. Maas!
She is known as death; a faceless assassin trained to kill, owned by a ruthless man whose cruelty knows no bounds and who pushes her to kill. Desperate and haunted, the broken seventeen year old runs away, recklessly choosing to ingest a centuries old liquid known for killing all but a select few who drink it. Dismayed to discover she is one of the few who live and crowned Queen, this nameless assassin must decide who to trust in a brand new world of politics and court life, all the while trying to stay ahead of unknown individuals who will stop at nothing to see her dead…..
As someone who considers herself a Janeal Falor fan, I have to say I went into Death’s Queen with big expectations….and I’m happy to say she delivered on them! There’s nothing about Death’s Queen I didn’t love. Honestly. Well written, paced and depicted, Falor introduces readers to a beguiling fantasy world and a main character who is easy to follow and genuinely likable.
I was easily captivated by the nameless heroine in Death’s Queen. This was a young woman who had experienced a hard life and who had been responsible for taking the lives of so many. A hasty decision to ingest a liquid that should have killed her in the hopes of death, our heroine now finds herself Queen of a nation she barely knows anything about. It was really entertaining to follow this lass. She’s brass and awkward and doesn’t mince her words, but underneath her calm and stoic exterior she’s really kind and caring. Intelligent and quick thinking, she actually cares about the people of Valcora and wants to better things for them. She’s also able to kick butt, so there’s that too—nothing wrong with a capable woman.
Exciting and often filled with great fight scenes, Death’s Queen sees a number of assassins try to take the life of our main character, and Janeal Falor keeps the mystery encompassing this all the way to the end. In a land where motives are often questionable, who can our main character trust? Aside from a truthful and honourable guard who makes her stomach flutter, our Queen will need to decide who she can rely on as well as find out who’s trying to kill her before it’s too late.
Fused with magic and featuring a storyline that makes me wonder what will happen next, Death’s Queen races to an exhilarating ending and has me eager to see what Janeal Falor has in store for the series with the second book!
Find this review and more on my blog The Rest Is Still Unwritten!
Death’s Queen is the thrilling latest release by Janeal Falor and is a sensational fantasy tale filled with danger, excitement and forbidden romance, perfect for fans of Maria V. Snyder and Sarah J. Maas!
She is known as death; a faceless assassin trained to kill, owned by a ruthless man whose cruelty knows no bounds and who pushes her to kill. Desperate and haunted, the broken seventeen year old runs away, recklessly choosing to ingest a centuries old liquid known for killing all but a select few who drink it. Dismayed to discover she is one of the few who live and crowned Queen, this nameless assassin must decide who to trust in a brand new world of politics and court life, all the while trying to stay ahead of unknown individuals who will stop at nothing to see her dead…..
As someone who considers herself a Janeal Falor fan, I have to say I went into Death’s Queen with big expectations….and I’m happy to say she delivered on them! There’s nothing about Death’s Queen I didn’t love. Honestly. Well written, paced and depicted, Falor introduces readers to a beguiling fantasy world and a main character who is easy to follow and genuinely likable.
I was easily captivated by the nameless heroine in Death’s Queen. This was a young woman who had experienced a hard life and who had been responsible for taking the lives of so many. A hasty decision to ingest a liquid that should have killed her in the hopes of death, our heroine now finds herself Queen of a nation she barely knows anything about. It was really entertaining to follow this lass. She’s brass and awkward and doesn’t mince her words, but underneath her calm and stoic exterior she’s really kind and caring. Intelligent and quick thinking, she actually cares about the people of Valcora and wants to better things for them. She’s also able to kick butt, so there’s that too—nothing wrong with a capable woman.
Exciting and often filled with great fight scenes, Death’s Queen sees a number of assassins try to take the life of our main character, and Janeal Falor keeps the mystery encompassing this all the way to the end. In a land where motives are often questionable, who can our main character trust? Aside from a truthful and honourable guard who makes her stomach flutter, our Queen will need to decide who she can rely on as well as find out who’s trying to kill her before it’s too late.
Fused with magic and featuring a storyline that makes me wonder what will happen next, Death’s Queen races to an exhilarating ending and has me eager to see what Janeal Falor has in store for the series with the second book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 4, 2017
Janeal Falor does it again! She managed to create a totally new world with fascinating characters and storyline! I can't wait to read more about this queen and her world!
I received a copy and choose to review it. Thank you, Janeal Falor, for giving me a chance to read this!
I received a copy and choose to review it. Thank you, Janeal Falor, for giving me a chance to read this!
Read
September 22, 2018Not giving it a rating since that would probably be not all that useful at this point, especially as a dnf. I figured that the least I could do after being a snarky bitch was to review it more beyond the blurb + preview and jot down some notes for the folks still interested in female assassin books in the year of our Lord 20gayteen.
- If you're wondering how the protag manages to go unnamed throughout the novel , it's all in first person. Some readers dig that, some readers don't.
- Yeah, you pretty much are dumped in the universe without much context except what the protag's POV gives you so you pretty much hit the ground running. Lotsa assassin angst, as I expected with books like this one. (For real, tho: I'd give my first born to someone who wrote a truly morally gray or evil assassin who doesn't angst at all hours of the day over the people they've killed.)
- Once she's made queen, there's mostly a lot of "How to Be a Queen 101" stuff with the protag getting frustrated with stuff like "do I have to give potentially politically important people any of my time?" and "why do I need XYZ royalty stereotype thing?" Also she deals with personality clashes with her new staff/servants/etc. Think: The Princess Diaries 2, but no Anne Hathaway-Julie Andrews humor dynamic.
- I mean, there is a dynamic that keeps cropping up, but that's with the young Head Advisor (who is kind of one of her bodyguards, too???). He's her love interest and a lot of the dialogue and scenes in the book are between the protag and this guy. With the usual royalty-flirting-with-a-commoner trope, except there's a twist on that because the protag was literally a commoner until her suicide attempt backfired spectacularly.
- Creepy abuser dude continues to be creepy throughout the book and I didn't quite read thoroughly enough to figure out if he dies or gets imprisoned, but I'm gonna assume he's behind some if not all of the assassination attempts on the protag. If he's somehow still alive, then may he take a long walk off a short pier in the sequel.
- By the end, this book is really more fantasy-romance than anything else so bear that in mind.
Choose to read the book or not, but I'm personally quite okay with moving on to the next stuff on my tbr.
- If you're wondering how the protag manages to go unnamed throughout the novel , it's all in first person. Some readers dig that, some readers don't.
- Yeah, you pretty much are dumped in the universe without much context except what the protag's POV gives you so you pretty much hit the ground running. Lotsa assassin angst, as I expected with books like this one. (For real, tho: I'd give my first born to someone who wrote a truly morally gray or evil assassin who doesn't angst at all hours of the day over the people they've killed.)
- Once she's made queen, there's mostly a lot of "How to Be a Queen 101" stuff with the protag getting frustrated with stuff like "do I have to give potentially politically important people any of my time?" and "why do I need XYZ royalty stereotype thing?" Also she deals with personality clashes with her new staff/servants/etc. Think: The Princess Diaries 2, but no Anne Hathaway-Julie Andrews humor dynamic.
- I mean, there is a dynamic that keeps cropping up, but that's with the young Head Advisor (who is kind of one of her bodyguards, too???). He's her love interest and a lot of the dialogue and scenes in the book are between the protag and this guy. With the usual royalty-flirting-with-a-commoner trope, except there's a twist on that because the protag was literally a commoner until her suicide attempt backfired spectacularly.
- Creepy abuser dude continues to be creepy throughout the book and I didn't quite read thoroughly enough to figure out if he dies or gets imprisoned, but I'm gonna assume he's behind some if not all of the assassination attempts on the protag. If he's somehow still alive, then may he take a long walk off a short pier in the sequel.
- By the end, this book is really more fantasy-romance than anything else so bear that in mind.
Choose to read the book or not, but I'm personally quite okay with moving on to the next stuff on my tbr.
May 8, 2021
This is the book by this author that I was actually meant to be reading and reviewing, lol.
Like the other book (You Are Mine) I found this one very easy to read. Took me a couple of days and certainly distracted me from the other book I'm reading, which I was finding a bit dull. I liked that there was less of an obvious romance-type setup in this one. The story has an interesting premise of a country where the Queen is chosen by a magical drink that either kills the drinker or makes her queen. The nameless protagonist is an assassin who feels guilty about what she's been forced to do, so takes the drink hoping to end her life but instead is made queen.
Fascinating setup, right? There should be lots of potential for an exciting plot where this girl has to navigate a whole new world of politics and grapple with the responsibilities of her role while confronting her own dark past. But sadly I found the whole thing rather rushed and shallow. The emotions didn't feel real to me and there was a fair bit of repetition. The protagonist was also pretty unlikeable at times, not that I mind that if it's done well but here there didn't seem any reason for the love interest to fall in love with her. The book also didn't have a proper ending, it just ended with a bunch of plot points left hanging, which is a shame because there was also a cool twist I didn't see coming.
So overall I feel like there is an amazing book in here but it needed more time spent on refining it.
Also a special shout out to "the Queen has a perchance for reading" which made me laugh-snort in a wonderfully attractive way. Think you meant "penchant". (My English teacher Ms Jonas would be ashamed of you lol.)
Like the other book (You Are Mine) I found this one very easy to read. Took me a couple of days and certainly distracted me from the other book I'm reading, which I was finding a bit dull. I liked that there was less of an obvious romance-type setup in this one. The story has an interesting premise of a country where the Queen is chosen by a magical drink that either kills the drinker or makes her queen. The nameless protagonist is an assassin who feels guilty about what she's been forced to do, so takes the drink hoping to end her life but instead is made queen.
Fascinating setup, right? There should be lots of potential for an exciting plot where this girl has to navigate a whole new world of politics and grapple with the responsibilities of her role while confronting her own dark past. But sadly I found the whole thing rather rushed and shallow. The emotions didn't feel real to me and there was a fair bit of repetition. The protagonist was also pretty unlikeable at times, not that I mind that if it's done well but here there didn't seem any reason for the love interest to fall in love with her. The book also didn't have a proper ending, it just ended with a bunch of plot points left hanging, which is a shame because there was also a cool twist I didn't see coming.
So overall I feel like there is an amazing book in here but it needed more time spent on refining it.
Also a special shout out to "the Queen has a perchance for reading" which made me laugh-snort in a wonderfully attractive way. Think you meant "penchant". (My English teacher Ms Jonas would be ashamed of you lol.)
April 16, 2018
I really gotta stop starting new books at 11pm, especially when they have a sweet premise like this.
Death's Queen follows a nameless assassin through homelessness, near suicide, awesome battles and a lot of shit our girl never expected to happen. Instead of dying when she drinks from an ancient chalice, instead she becomes queen. What a damn twist that one is, eh? She's been through so much, which is so well described that it really made my heart hurt for this poor girl. I was so pleased to see her life turning around, even if the turning point had a big slice of assassination attempts.
Miss Nameless is a truly well thought out, well executed, well developed character, and I cannot wait to read more about her and Nash, who was such a sweetheart, and I hope we get to know a lot more about him in book 2!
Though the characters were great, a few felt very obviously villain like, to the point I really wanted someone else to surprisingly be the villain (which someone was part of, but I don't want to spoil who). It did all come together though, painted Daros as the main(ish) villain in the end. He truly is a evil for the sake of evil villain though, so I'm hoping we get more story on his motivations to back up why he's so evil in the next book.
Will happily be continuing this series! Death's Queen is great for readers of YA and adult fantasy, especially those who love royal court politics, slow burn romance, dark themes, with a dash of kick ass heroine!
Death's Queen follows a nameless assassin through homelessness, near suicide, awesome battles and a lot of shit our girl never expected to happen. Instead of dying when she drinks from an ancient chalice, instead she becomes queen. What a damn twist that one is, eh? She's been through so much, which is so well described that it really made my heart hurt for this poor girl. I was so pleased to see her life turning around, even if the turning point had a big slice of assassination attempts.
Miss Nameless is a truly well thought out, well executed, well developed character, and I cannot wait to read more about her and Nash, who was such a sweetheart, and I hope we get to know a lot more about him in book 2!
Though the characters were great, a few felt very obviously villain like, to the point I really wanted someone else to surprisingly be the villain (which someone was part of, but I don't want to spoil who). It did all come together though, painted Daros as the main(ish) villain in the end. He truly is a evil for the sake of evil villain though, so I'm hoping we get more story on his motivations to back up why he's so evil in the next book.
Will happily be continuing this series! Death's Queen is great for readers of YA and adult fantasy, especially those who love royal court politics, slow burn romance, dark themes, with a dash of kick ass heroine!
March 6, 2017
I loved Death's Queen! The story starts out with our nameless assassin deciding she is done being an assassin because she hates to kill. Following this decision she leaves the only home she has ever known to live on the streets. While living on the streets, she becomes very depressed. This leads her to want to do one last, insane, thing--drink the Death Drink.
I loved how Janeal portrays the assassin's depression. It is so accurate in how more than sadness, but apathy rules her life while living on the streets. This also leads to giving our heroine so much room to grow. She is used to being on her own, having nothing and no one to rely on beyond her weapons. Now after drinking the death drink and surviving she has all of these people and ways of life thrust upon her suddenly. Watching her grow into the role of queen is so satisfying to me! I can't wait to see how much more she grows as the series continues!
Also, Nash may be my favorite character in the book! He is wonderful and so sweet. Even better he is a perfect compliment to our assassin. He doesn't let her get away with much but is willing to work with her in everything. I am excited to see more of him as well!!
The only problem I had was the fact that the story is written in present tense. However, I was able to get used to that quickly. And within the first two chapters or so I didn't even notice that anymore.
I loved how Janeal portrays the assassin's depression. It is so accurate in how more than sadness, but apathy rules her life while living on the streets. This also leads to giving our heroine so much room to grow. She is used to being on her own, having nothing and no one to rely on beyond her weapons. Now after drinking the death drink and surviving she has all of these people and ways of life thrust upon her suddenly. Watching her grow into the role of queen is so satisfying to me! I can't wait to see how much more she grows as the series continues!
Also, Nash may be my favorite character in the book! He is wonderful and so sweet. Even better he is a perfect compliment to our assassin. He doesn't let her get away with much but is willing to work with her in everything. I am excited to see more of him as well!!
The only problem I had was the fact that the story is written in present tense. However, I was able to get used to that quickly. And within the first two chapters or so I didn't even notice that anymore.
March 12, 2017
Review is up on my blog if you wanna check that out! :) https://toomuchofabooknerd.wordpress....
*Received an advance reader copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
Death’s Queen is about a nameless female assassin who has been following her master’s orders and committing murder all her life. One day she realises how much she despises to kill and leaves the only home she’s ever known. For days she lives on the streets, her mood and will to live slowly slipping away until she decides to end her life by drinking from The Death Drink – it either kills you or crowns you as the new queen. To her surprise she survives and gets thrown into a new life at the court, having people bow down before her and follow her orders and wishes.
With only 118 pages this was a quick read but that is by no means a negative thing, I actually enjoyed it!
I really liked our anonymous main character. We don’t get to know much about her, look-/personality-wise until a few chapters in, which makes her very mysterious and difficult to figure out at first. The people of the court and country don’t know that their new queen is a former deadly assassin but there are still people who want her dead due to her new position as queen. As the story progresses we don’t only get to see her deadly, fierce side where she takes down any man who tries to kill her, but also another more sensitive side. She has difficulty opening up to people or showing emotion and she trusts no one around her. With the exception of the young guard Nash who now is her newly appointed Head Advisor. He keeps her company, takes his time to explain politics to her and also how to act as a queen.
She also does a lot differently than all the queens before her. She changes rules and doesn’t let anyone talk down on her or try to talk her into something she doesn’t want to do. If she doesn’t like a dress, she lets them make her a new one. If she isn’t okay with the court’s courtesy rules she lets people know it. I like that she has a mind of her own and only pursues what she thinks is right. She opposes the council and only ever really listens to Nash.
I liked how her and Nash worked together but I do have to say their relationship developed a little too quickly for me. I think the whole story took place within a couple of weeks so they could have developed feelings for each other, sure, it just seemed a little too fast for my liking. But maybe I just felt that way because the book only has 100+ pages, I’m not sure!
The story was very fast-paced and there are some unexpected truths that are revealed throughout the story. If you’re looking for a quick read with a bit of action, betrayal, life at court, a little side-romance and a badass female character you should pick up Death’s Queen!
*Received an advance reader copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
Death’s Queen is about a nameless female assassin who has been following her master’s orders and committing murder all her life. One day she realises how much she despises to kill and leaves the only home she’s ever known. For days she lives on the streets, her mood and will to live slowly slipping away until she decides to end her life by drinking from The Death Drink – it either kills you or crowns you as the new queen. To her surprise she survives and gets thrown into a new life at the court, having people bow down before her and follow her orders and wishes.
With only 118 pages this was a quick read but that is by no means a negative thing, I actually enjoyed it!
I really liked our anonymous main character. We don’t get to know much about her, look-/personality-wise until a few chapters in, which makes her very mysterious and difficult to figure out at first. The people of the court and country don’t know that their new queen is a former deadly assassin but there are still people who want her dead due to her new position as queen. As the story progresses we don’t only get to see her deadly, fierce side where she takes down any man who tries to kill her, but also another more sensitive side. She has difficulty opening up to people or showing emotion and she trusts no one around her. With the exception of the young guard Nash who now is her newly appointed Head Advisor. He keeps her company, takes his time to explain politics to her and also how to act as a queen.
She also does a lot differently than all the queens before her. She changes rules and doesn’t let anyone talk down on her or try to talk her into something she doesn’t want to do. If she doesn’t like a dress, she lets them make her a new one. If she isn’t okay with the court’s courtesy rules she lets people know it. I like that she has a mind of her own and only pursues what she thinks is right. She opposes the council and only ever really listens to Nash.
I liked how her and Nash worked together but I do have to say their relationship developed a little too quickly for me. I think the whole story took place within a couple of weeks so they could have developed feelings for each other, sure, it just seemed a little too fast for my liking. But maybe I just felt that way because the book only has 100+ pages, I’m not sure!
The story was very fast-paced and there are some unexpected truths that are revealed throughout the story. If you’re looking for a quick read with a bit of action, betrayal, life at court, a little side-romance and a badass female character you should pick up Death’s Queen!
February 22, 2019
Tl;dr - This book reads more like a novella than a novel, and while the lack of development is frustrating in some places, the concept of a queen chosen by magic is an interesting and compelling one. Sometimes the protagonist does not come off as likable, but she certainly grows, and I’d be interested to see where she and the supporting cast go next. Worth a read.
I expected this novel to be a bit disappointing and lackluster, and while it was difficult to read at times because of the protagonist’s overwhelming self-loathing, it really grew on me as I kept reading. There is a definite correlation for protagonist likability and readability, but I suppose this is also a credit to the author for writing such an unlikable character early on and having her grow on the readers.
As mentioned, it definitely reads like a novella because in some places the plot is very bare-bones. I was constantly hoping for more elaboration on the protagonist and her former patron, but never got any. The plot twist at the end did not feel well-established either, so it lost a bit of its punch because I didn’t quite believe that it happened.
I definitely could have blasted though this book much faster if I’d had the time, so I think it’s a good afternoon read and enjoyable for what you’re getting.
I expected this novel to be a bit disappointing and lackluster, and while it was difficult to read at times because of the protagonist’s overwhelming self-loathing, it really grew on me as I kept reading. There is a definite correlation for protagonist likability and readability, but I suppose this is also a credit to the author for writing such an unlikable character early on and having her grow on the readers.
As mentioned, it definitely reads like a novella because in some places the plot is very bare-bones. I was constantly hoping for more elaboration on the protagonist and her former patron, but never got any. The plot twist at the end did not feel well-established either, so it lost a bit of its punch because I didn’t quite believe that it happened.
I definitely could have blasted though this book much faster if I’d had the time, so I think it’s a good afternoon read and enjoyable for what you’re getting.
May 19, 2017
The thing I liked most about this book were the action/fight scenes, as they were really intense and drove the pace of the story forward. This made the book a very fast read. The plot wasn't very complicated, but had unique flairs regarding the history and traditions of Valcora that were intriguing. Also, I enjoyed the beginnings of a romance between the main character and Nash.
However, there were several things about this book that bothered me. The first being that there was very little detail given about the world (Valcora) and its surrounding countries, except what is essential, and almost no descriptions (except for the fact that there are five moons of different colors) to allow the reader to put themselves in the world the author is creating. Additionally, there are very few specific's given about the main characters past, just letting the reader know that it was bad and she was an assassin for her previous master, repeatedly. Finally, the ending was very abrupt and left a bunch of unanswered questions, which would lead me to believe there might be a sequel though I haven't seen any evidence of that.
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.
However, there were several things about this book that bothered me. The first being that there was very little detail given about the world (Valcora) and its surrounding countries, except what is essential, and almost no descriptions (except for the fact that there are five moons of different colors) to allow the reader to put themselves in the world the author is creating. Additionally, there are very few specific's given about the main characters past, just letting the reader know that it was bad and she was an assassin for her previous master, repeatedly. Finally, the ending was very abrupt and left a bunch of unanswered questions, which would lead me to believe there might be a sequel though I haven't seen any evidence of that.
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.
October 3, 2018
A quick read
I girl who wants to die rather than remain an assassin suddenly becomes Queen. An interesting premise for this book. She drank the poisonous elixir from the chalice which was meant to kill but she survived to become the next queen. It seemed to me that the characters were a bit stilted and could have been more fleshed out. I had no real feelings one way or the other for them. Also, I felt there could have been a bit more world building as most of what we learn is that there was a poor class, medium class and high class, none of which wanted anything to do with the others. The protagonist felt sorry for the poor and wanted to help them by lowering the taxes and provide food for them when she could. I would like to have felt a little bit more angst between the Queen and her lead advisor. In spite of all this, I did enjoy the read. It was a quick read but nothing spectacular other than the Queen kept having attempts on her life. I will, however, continue reading this series more out of curiosity as to how the story develops further.
I girl who wants to die rather than remain an assassin suddenly becomes Queen. An interesting premise for this book. She drank the poisonous elixir from the chalice which was meant to kill but she survived to become the next queen. It seemed to me that the characters were a bit stilted and could have been more fleshed out. I had no real feelings one way or the other for them. Also, I felt there could have been a bit more world building as most of what we learn is that there was a poor class, medium class and high class, none of which wanted anything to do with the others. The protagonist felt sorry for the poor and wanted to help them by lowering the taxes and provide food for them when she could. I would like to have felt a little bit more angst between the Queen and her lead advisor. In spite of all this, I did enjoy the read. It was a quick read but nothing spectacular other than the Queen kept having attempts on her life. I will, however, continue reading this series more out of curiosity as to how the story develops further.
June 21, 2019
I didn’t “buy” the way the main character acted. I just don’t think she would have been selfish or demanding. Not with the way she was raised. Not that I know how an abused assassin should act, I guess. But I’m thinking she would have been more submissive. Even if she had had enough. She was a bit hard to like, really. Then she said a bunch of laws needed to be changed... but then she says she doesn’t know what to do... I just thought her character was inconsistent.
Nash turned out to be a wuss, I thought. He was forever “I don’t know what I would do without you!” 🤢 The end of the book was the worst part. Totally unrealistic, to me.
It is not hard to figure out who the “bad guys” are. No real twists. One little surprise for me, but that was it.
The book also gives off bad messages. Like, killing yourself because you’ve made too many mistakes and did not deserve to live. Women’s lives not really mattering (die or become queen). Acting fake to make people like you because you are unlikable.
I thought this book sounded interesting but I didn’t enjoy it
Nash turned out to be a wuss, I thought. He was forever “I don’t know what I would do without you!” 🤢 The end of the book was the worst part. Totally unrealistic, to me.
It is not hard to figure out who the “bad guys” are. No real twists. One little surprise for me, but that was it.
The book also gives off bad messages. Like, killing yourself because you’ve made too many mistakes and did not deserve to live. Women’s lives not really mattering (die or become queen). Acting fake to make people like you because you are unlikable.
I thought this book sounded interesting but I didn’t enjoy it
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 14, 2018
Janeal Falor’s Death's Queen series just gets more and more exciting - and more and more fascinatingly twisted and complex - as it goes on. That’s never more so than in its third book, Death's Embrace. Ryn has so many challenges; Daros, the couple who suddenly appear (at the book’s start) claiming to be her long lost parents, fighting for her country and, oh yeah, The First Queen (caps there are definitely on purpose) and some scary magic. Luckily Ryn isn’t a simple peasant girl anymore but well in the way to her true potential. Now let’s just hope it doesn’t get derailed. A truly exciting book with the wonderfully crafted world and characters reader’s of this series have come to love, and a real doozy of a twist at the very end (thank you, Daros). Highly recommended for those who have read the prior books. It’s still great for newcomers, but really you need to read the prior (fantastic) books first to get the full impact and understand everything going on.
July 9, 2021
I enjoyed the book, but I did have some trouble aligning the Queen's past and then realigning her past with her present.
Essentially, she was a slave, tortured by her owner; not taught to read and write, not given any possessions, provided with limited food. And supposedly, that training provided her with the skills to be an elite assassin. Without enough food, how would she be able to develop or maintain any kind of athletic training? Without literacy, how would she follow directions, find letters or maps, sift through information?
Then she becomes the queen and, despite years of abuse and trauma, she is functional. She does streamline her clothes and protects herself. But she doesn't hoard food, have any outbursts, become overwhelmed and shut down, or even run away. It just seems completely impossible that a purportedly tortured person would be so well-adjusted.
Essentially, she was a slave, tortured by her owner; not taught to read and write, not given any possessions, provided with limited food. And supposedly, that training provided her with the skills to be an elite assassin. Without enough food, how would she be able to develop or maintain any kind of athletic training? Without literacy, how would she follow directions, find letters or maps, sift through information?
Then she becomes the queen and, despite years of abuse and trauma, she is functional. She does streamline her clothes and protects herself. But she doesn't hoard food, have any outbursts, become overwhelmed and shut down, or even run away. It just seems completely impossible that a purportedly tortured person would be so well-adjusted.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 12, 2017
I don't know if this book was for me. I just didn't connect with it, the idea was pretty cool I just found myself frustrated with the main character more then anything. I was annoyed she wasn't immediately helping her people. She saw what they went through yet she seemed to be stuck in her own head with her own problems. and I mean I get it and understand why and it makes sense but it still frustrated me to the point of almost not liking it. so I am not sure if I would check out the second of this series. I'd have to wait and see how I feel when it comes out, my curiosity might get to me and I'll read it.
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
October 6, 2018
Intriguing Story But Builds Slowly
I liked the premise of the story a lot. It was different and it’s hard to find something different this day and age.
I found that the author repeated information often even though it wasn’t needed. There were often times when I wanted to skip ahead past information I already knew but was just said in a different way.
I don’t feel I got to know any of the other characters other than the main one and even then I am not sure how I feel about her. With how the story is, maybe that is intentional.
The story shows promise but not enough for me to read the second one.
I liked the premise of the story a lot. It was different and it’s hard to find something different this day and age.
I found that the author repeated information often even though it wasn’t needed. There were often times when I wanted to skip ahead past information I already knew but was just said in a different way.
I don’t feel I got to know any of the other characters other than the main one and even then I am not sure how I feel about her. With how the story is, maybe that is intentional.
The story shows promise but not enough for me to read the second one.
October 21, 2017
Definitely one of the most unique books I've ever read. The main character doesn't have a name! Imagine how hard it must be to write a book like that, but Janeal Falor makes it work. I gave it 4 stars because I did feel rather disconnected from the nameless assassin; I also felt like her character was a little flat. But then I also wonder to myself if that was how her character was supposed to be, because of her upbringing and her way of life. All in all, a good read!
***I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review.***
***I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review.***
September 27, 2018
Captivating
Fantastic! I loved every second of this book! I’d love to read more in the series. It’s intriguing, captivating, and keeps me wanting to learn more. It’s a love/hate relationship with the behavior of the main character. I love her strength but don’t like her brashness. She is kind to some but then quickly disregards others. I just want to read more about her. I especially love the little bit of magic being referenced to but still kept in the dark. It makes me hope for more in future books.
Fantastic! I loved every second of this book! I’d love to read more in the series. It’s intriguing, captivating, and keeps me wanting to learn more. It’s a love/hate relationship with the behavior of the main character. I love her strength but don’t like her brashness. She is kind to some but then quickly disregards others. I just want to read more about her. I especially love the little bit of magic being referenced to but still kept in the dark. It makes me hope for more in future books.
March 7, 2021
It made for an enjoyable and quick read, but at times it was frustrating. It lacked any kind of detail to describe the aesthetic of characters and settings. It was inconsistent in parts and then repetitively consistent in others. The pacing of the story was odd, the climactic point didn't really feel like a climax, and events were rushed to a point where everything seemed predictable and convenient at the end. It is obvious that this was made to be a series, however it would have been better to make this a longer book and focus on world building (of which there isn't much of).
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