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Blood Rose Rebellion #2
Lost Crow Conspiracy
Sixteen-year old Anna Arden was once just the magically barren girl from an elite Luminate family. Now she has broken the Binding—and Praetheria, the creatures held captive by the spell, wreak havoc across Europe. Lower-class citizens have access to magic for the first time, while other Luminates lose theirs forever. Austria and Hungary are at odds once more.
Anna Arden did not know breaking the Binding would break the world.
Anna thought the Praetheria were on her side, content and grateful to be free from the Binding. She thought her cousin Matyas's blood sacrifice to the disarm the spell would bring peace, equality, justice. She thought her future looked like a society that would let her love a Romani boy, Gabor.
But with the Monarchy breathing down her neck and the Praetheria intimidating her at every turn, it seems the conspiracies have only just begun.
As threat of war sweeps the region, Anna quickly discovers she can't solve everything on her own. Now there's only one other person who might be able to save the country before war breaks out. The one person Anna was sure she'd never see again. A bandit. A fellow outlaw. A man known as the King of Crows. Matyas.
Anna Arden did not know breaking the Binding would break the world.
Anna thought the Praetheria were on her side, content and grateful to be free from the Binding. She thought her cousin Matyas's blood sacrifice to the disarm the spell would bring peace, equality, justice. She thought her future looked like a society that would let her love a Romani boy, Gabor.
But with the Monarchy breathing down her neck and the Praetheria intimidating her at every turn, it seems the conspiracies have only just begun.
As threat of war sweeps the region, Anna quickly discovers she can't solve everything on her own. Now there's only one other person who might be able to save the country before war breaks out. The one person Anna was sure she'd never see again. A bandit. A fellow outlaw. A man known as the King of Crows. Matyas.
464 pages, Hardcover
First published March 27, 2018
65 people are currently reading
3050 people want to read
About the author
Rosalyn Eves
8 books711 followersRosalyn Eves grew up in the Rocky Mountains, dividing her time between reading books and bossing her siblings into performing her dramatic scripts. As an adult, the telling and reading of stories is still one of her favorite things to do. When she's not reading or writing, she enjoys spending time with her chemistry professor husband and three children, watching British period pieces, or hiking through the splendid landscape of southern Utah, where she lives. She dislikes housework on principle.
She is the author of the BLOOD ROSE REBELLION trilogy, BEYOND THE MAPPED STARS, and AN IMPROBABLE SEASON
Review policy: I only review books that I enjoyed and would recommend to others (hence the predominance of 4-5 star reviews).
She is the author of the BLOOD ROSE REBELLION trilogy, BEYOND THE MAPPED STARS, and AN IMPROBABLE SEASON
Review policy: I only review books that I enjoyed and would recommend to others (hence the predominance of 4-5 star reviews).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews
April 9, 2019
2 stars.
Historical fantasy is a tricky thing to work with. On the one hand, you have to do a lot of research on the time period you're writing about and the important events around said time period. On the other hand, you also have to involve a fantasy aspect to it which can be hard. There is plenty of historical fantasy that is good albeit, having to suspend your disbelief every now and then. Which isn't a bad thing if you enjoy reading them.
Then there's Lost Crow Conspiracy, or rather, the entire Blood Rose Rebellion trilogy which does a poor job at being a historical fantasy series. It doesn't even do a good job at even being a fantasy.
Having read Blood Rose Rebellion when it came out, I was not impressed by it. I loathed the book enough to give it 1-star. It had so much potential but we got a mess of a story instead. I was hoping that Lost Crow Conspiracy would fix some of that. It didn't, in the end.
I won't go into detail about the plot for LCC, but it picks up months after the events of Blood Rose Rebellion. Anna has broken the Binding and now most nobles don't have their original magic and commoners now have it. There are also mystical creatures, Praetheria, roaming around Europe. This brings up a lot of political talk and Anna is in the center of it, wondering if she truly did the right thing while also trying to help the Praetheria.
From the get-go, there are a lot of issues the series has in regards to not only the plot but also the setting. The setting is 19th century Europe with magic and mystical creatures are roaming about. By all means, this should've changed how the world is. Because when you look at it, if people could fire lightning out of their hands during let's say the Civil War or even during the Mongolian Empire, it would change the course of history as we know it.
As I said before, I don't mind historical fantasy. I have read some and most of them were good and I did suspend my disbelief so I can enjoy them. The problem with LCC is that it tries too hard to be taken seriously, it fails at it. There's no substance to it even when there are magic and mystical creatures. It comes off as dull and uninspired.
You can't sit there and tell me that the events of history as we know it would be the same if magic was discovered a hundred or a thousand years ago. If it was, there is no telling what type of world you and I would be living in if it's still the same modern world or not. And that is my biggest issue with this series as a whole. It doesn't know if it wants to be historical or fantasy.
In my honest opinion, this series should've taken place in a fantasy setting, not a historical one. A lot of things would've worked better had this series taken place in fantasy.
This also brings me back to the historical setting. I'll be upfront, I know nothing about European history or any of the wars that had taken place in it. But something one of my history professors said was that war and other important events aren't as simple as most people think. There has to be a catalyst for something to happen. Several things, really. The Hungarian Revolution of 1848 (in BRR, the revolution happened a year early) is more complicated and requires a lot of understanding and research to know why it happened. BRR treats it like it's "oh, this happened and now there's a war."
The worldbuilding is a mess and very poorly thought out.
Now onto Anna, our insufferable main character. Anna is more boring than a Mary Sue. She is a character who's only purpose is to be that one person who stands up against everything and everyone because she is right and wants people to understand her. She has no personality whatsoever. She acts very immaturely that it's hard to take her seriously as a protagonist. She's also unbelievably stupid. I see no growth from her.
Lastly, the plot was just too slow at some points. The book is told in two POVs, Anna and her cousin Matyas. Matyas's parts added little substance to the story I wondered why he was given a POV to begin with. But, I will give credit and say that his POV, while boring at times, did give us a little background on the Binding and other things. But still, his POV at the beginning was boring and it didn't pick up until the end.
Anna's chapter was filled with political talk that was boring and didn't add much to the story. It was just too slow.
Verdict
Lost Crow Conspiracy tries to make up for what happened in the first book. Unfortunately, not much has changed. I will be reading the last book but I don't have any expectations for it.
Thanks for reading my review!
-Cesar
****************************
"But Cesar, didn't you hate the first book? Why would you read the sequel?"
Well, when it comes to me not liking the first book in a series, I want to believe the sequel would be better. There are many cases where the first book is complete crap but the sequel is ten times betters. I like to give the underdogs a chance.
Here's hoping this one isn't complete crap like the first book.
Historical fantasy is a tricky thing to work with. On the one hand, you have to do a lot of research on the time period you're writing about and the important events around said time period. On the other hand, you also have to involve a fantasy aspect to it which can be hard. There is plenty of historical fantasy that is good albeit, having to suspend your disbelief every now and then. Which isn't a bad thing if you enjoy reading them.
Then there's Lost Crow Conspiracy, or rather, the entire Blood Rose Rebellion trilogy which does a poor job at being a historical fantasy series. It doesn't even do a good job at even being a fantasy.
Having read Blood Rose Rebellion when it came out, I was not impressed by it. I loathed the book enough to give it 1-star. It had so much potential but we got a mess of a story instead. I was hoping that Lost Crow Conspiracy would fix some of that. It didn't, in the end.
I won't go into detail about the plot for LCC, but it picks up months after the events of Blood Rose Rebellion. Anna has broken the Binding and now most nobles don't have their original magic and commoners now have it. There are also mystical creatures, Praetheria, roaming around Europe. This brings up a lot of political talk and Anna is in the center of it, wondering if she truly did the right thing while also trying to help the Praetheria.
From the get-go, there are a lot of issues the series has in regards to not only the plot but also the setting. The setting is 19th century Europe with magic and mystical creatures are roaming about. By all means, this should've changed how the world is. Because when you look at it, if people could fire lightning out of their hands during let's say the Civil War or even during the Mongolian Empire, it would change the course of history as we know it.
As I said before, I don't mind historical fantasy. I have read some and most of them were good and I did suspend my disbelief so I can enjoy them. The problem with LCC is that it tries too hard to be taken seriously, it fails at it. There's no substance to it even when there are magic and mystical creatures. It comes off as dull and uninspired.
You can't sit there and tell me that the events of history as we know it would be the same if magic was discovered a hundred or a thousand years ago. If it was, there is no telling what type of world you and I would be living in if it's still the same modern world or not. And that is my biggest issue with this series as a whole. It doesn't know if it wants to be historical or fantasy.
In my honest opinion, this series should've taken place in a fantasy setting, not a historical one. A lot of things would've worked better had this series taken place in fantasy.
This also brings me back to the historical setting. I'll be upfront, I know nothing about European history or any of the wars that had taken place in it. But something one of my history professors said was that war and other important events aren't as simple as most people think. There has to be a catalyst for something to happen. Several things, really. The Hungarian Revolution of 1848 (in BRR, the revolution happened a year early) is more complicated and requires a lot of understanding and research to know why it happened. BRR treats it like it's "oh, this happened and now there's a war."
The worldbuilding is a mess and very poorly thought out.
Now onto Anna, our insufferable main character. Anna is more boring than a Mary Sue. She is a character who's only purpose is to be that one person who stands up against everything and everyone because she is right and wants people to understand her. She has no personality whatsoever. She acts very immaturely that it's hard to take her seriously as a protagonist. She's also unbelievably stupid. I see no growth from her.
Lastly, the plot was just too slow at some points. The book is told in two POVs, Anna and her cousin Matyas. Matyas's parts added little substance to the story I wondered why he was given a POV to begin with. But, I will give credit and say that his POV, while boring at times, did give us a little background on the Binding and other things. But still, his POV at the beginning was boring and it didn't pick up until the end.
Anna's chapter was filled with political talk that was boring and didn't add much to the story. It was just too slow.
Verdict
Lost Crow Conspiracy tries to make up for what happened in the first book. Unfortunately, not much has changed. I will be reading the last book but I don't have any expectations for it.
Thanks for reading my review!
-Cesar
****************************
"But Cesar, didn't you hate the first book? Why would you read the sequel?"
Well, when it comes to me not liking the first book in a series, I want to believe the sequel would be better. There are many cases where the first book is complete crap but the sequel is ten times betters. I like to give the underdogs a chance.
Here's hoping this one isn't complete crap like the first book.
November 21, 2017
Amor absoluto. Es mucho mejor que el primero, más dramático, más dinámico, mucho más divertido y llevadero. Es que tenemos un segundo narrador que... es amor y sufrimiento.
Las partes de Anna son más lentas, pero de todas maneras patea los culos suficientes para hacerte sentir orgulloso.
El fantasy es fantástico, hermoso, excelente. Lo que a penas se cocina en Rebelión de sangre y rosas, se desarrolla con toda la furia en este y está muy bueno. Realmente es uno de los fantasy más ricos y bonitos que he leído en cierto tiempo. Me encanta.
Las partes de Anna son más lentas, pero de todas maneras patea los culos suficientes para hacerte sentir orgulloso.
El fantasy es fantástico, hermoso, excelente. Lo que a penas se cocina en Rebelión de sangre y rosas, se desarrolla con toda la furia en este y está muy bueno. Realmente es uno de los fantasy más ricos y bonitos que he leído en cierto tiempo. Me encanta.
March 9, 2018
”Speaking your truth always matters. Don’t be afraid to be different—- sometimes those very differences are what lend your voice strength.”
April 1, 2020
pooled ink Reviews:
4.5 Stars
Brace yourself for the intensely exhilarating sequel that is Lost Crow Conspiracy. Rife with political machinations, nightmares come flesh, forbidden romance, and a patriotic fire that faces the storm with resolution, this YA Historical Fantasy is sure to halt your breath and leave you clamoring for more. Do not miss out on this tale of revolution taken from our very own history books and spun with faeries of the dark.
Read my FULL review here: https://pooledink.com/2018/03/16/lost...
Thank you so much to Rosalyn Eves for sending me an ARC of her sequel to the stunning debut, Blood Rose Rebellion! I was absolutely thrilled to receive it!
4.5 Stars
Brace yourself for the intensely exhilarating sequel that is Lost Crow Conspiracy. Rife with political machinations, nightmares come flesh, forbidden romance, and a patriotic fire that faces the storm with resolution, this YA Historical Fantasy is sure to halt your breath and leave you clamoring for more. Do not miss out on this tale of revolution taken from our very own history books and spun with faeries of the dark.
Read my FULL review here: https://pooledink.com/2018/03/16/lost...
Thank you so much to Rosalyn Eves for sending me an ARC of her sequel to the stunning debut, Blood Rose Rebellion! I was absolutely thrilled to receive it!
December 13, 2017
** I won this in a GR giveaway**
I enjoyed this book better than the first one in the series. The story started out a bit slow for me but picked up speed towards the middle of the book. The story alternates POV between Anna and Matyas. I found Matyas's POV to be more exciting and interesting and Anna's was more dull and political for my tastes although I did enjoy her POV later on in the book.
Overall, Lost Crow Conspiracy was a quick, entertaining read which ended on a high note and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
I enjoyed this book better than the first one in the series. The story started out a bit slow for me but picked up speed towards the middle of the book. The story alternates POV between Anna and Matyas. I found Matyas's POV to be more exciting and interesting and Anna's was more dull and political for my tastes although I did enjoy her POV later on in the book.
Overall, Lost Crow Conspiracy was a quick, entertaining read which ended on a high note and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
March 16, 2018
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**Note: this is the second book in a series that must be read in order. Though I will keep spoilers to a minimum there may be spoilers for the first book in the series.
If you are new to the series, you can check out my review of book one- Blood Rose Rebellion, HERE
Lost Crow Conspiracy is the second book in the young adult fantasy series, called Blood Rose Rebellion. It is also author Rosalyn Eves debut series which really impressed me. The first book, Blood Rose Rebellion was an excellent read for me, and I can't wait to journey back into this crazy world. The first book ended on a great note, with Anna breaking the binding with her breaking magic and releasing magic to the masses. Initially it seems like a fantastic idea, but this is only the start of the second book, where we get to delve deeply into the class struggles and political drama that have really heightened in the world that Rosalyn Eves has created. And I have to tell you, I am here for it! I loved Lost Crow Conspiracy...even more than the first book!
One of the things I loved most about Blood Rose Rebellion is that the story kept growing and growing. This is a very intricate world not only with the different classes, which all have their own struggles and intricatsies, but also with the politics of the world itself and various countries. So be sure you read closely or you might find yourself confused at some points. I will admit that it took me a quick minute to fall back into the world. I had to remind myself of what went down in the first book, but once I got back into this rebellious mindset, I was off on an adventure with Anna and Matyas. Lost Crow Conspiracy is told from both of their perspectives, which I loved!
I will say this, History, politics and class struggles are very present in this series. I love that, but I do recognize that might not be everyone's cup of tea. i loved how Rosalyn Eves infused magic into this age old history lesson class systems and divides. In the world of Lost Crow Conspiracy, magic is no longer something only reserved for the upper classes. Now that Anna has broken the binding, people from any class have the ability to be a conduit for magic, which leads t a whole slew of extra interesting side effects. I loved seeing how magic heightening all of the intense rebellion elements in this story.
Bottom line: If you are a fan of fantasies that have tons of layers, politics, magic and secrets, with action and fighting and lots of political history thrown in, you will love the Blood Rose Rebellion series. I found the premise to be super interesting and wholly unique. The second book was even better than the first book. I am really loving how this series is unfolding and I cannot wait for more!
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
If you are new to the series, you can check out my review of book one- Blood Rose Rebellion, HERE
Lost Crow Conspiracy is the second book in the young adult fantasy series, called Blood Rose Rebellion. It is also author Rosalyn Eves debut series which really impressed me. The first book, Blood Rose Rebellion was an excellent read for me, and I can't wait to journey back into this crazy world. The first book ended on a great note, with Anna breaking the binding with her breaking magic and releasing magic to the masses. Initially it seems like a fantastic idea, but this is only the start of the second book, where we get to delve deeply into the class struggles and political drama that have really heightened in the world that Rosalyn Eves has created. And I have to tell you, I am here for it! I loved Lost Crow Conspiracy...even more than the first book!
One of the things I loved most about Blood Rose Rebellion is that the story kept growing and growing. This is a very intricate world not only with the different classes, which all have their own struggles and intricatsies, but also with the politics of the world itself and various countries. So be sure you read closely or you might find yourself confused at some points. I will admit that it took me a quick minute to fall back into the world. I had to remind myself of what went down in the first book, but once I got back into this rebellious mindset, I was off on an adventure with Anna and Matyas. Lost Crow Conspiracy is told from both of their perspectives, which I loved!
I will say this, History, politics and class struggles are very present in this series. I love that, but I do recognize that might not be everyone's cup of tea. i loved how Rosalyn Eves infused magic into this age old history lesson class systems and divides. In the world of Lost Crow Conspiracy, magic is no longer something only reserved for the upper classes. Now that Anna has broken the binding, people from any class have the ability to be a conduit for magic, which leads t a whole slew of extra interesting side effects. I loved seeing how magic heightening all of the intense rebellion elements in this story.
Bottom line: If you are a fan of fantasies that have tons of layers, politics, magic and secrets, with action and fighting and lots of political history thrown in, you will love the Blood Rose Rebellion series. I found the premise to be super interesting and wholly unique. The second book was even better than the first book. I am really loving how this series is unfolding and I cannot wait for more!
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
February 25, 2018
3.5 Stars
The Lost Crow Conspiracy by Rosalyn Eves is the second book of the Blood Rose Rebellion series and admittedly I was a bit on the fence jumping into this book as the first one left me a little wanting but based on the ending of book one, I knew I was going to have to see what happens next for the characters, so I immediately dove into it and I am glad I did as the story got interesting. If you have not yet read book one, you might want to hold on reading this review as there are some things I will talk about that will for sure ruin that book for you if you don’t want any spoilers.
This book picks up shortly after the end of book one and things have drastically changed in Anna’s world. She is facing danger and conflict from both the Monarchy and the Praetheria and because her family doesn’t know the whole truth about her breaking the Binding, she doesn’t have anyone she can really rely on other than Gabor.
Politics plays a big role in this book. With the Binding broken, some Luminates who had magic have lost it and some lower-class citizens now have access to their magic for the first time. This is creating some unforeseen issues and add to that the Praetheria who are wandering free now want to be able to do what they like, and Anna is in a tough position. When she finds herself engaging with the Archduchess and her son both politically and personally, Anna needs to figure out where she stands and what she wants. Her heart still belongs to Gabor, but Gabor recognizes that they are coming from different worlds and will never be accepted which drives him to a decision that Anna doesn’t want to accept.
As I mentioned, Anna is trying to figure out what she wants. It is important to note that she is getting pressure from Hunger and Vasilisa (Praetheria) to help them get what they want, either through her attendance in the Congress or just her everyday activities. Because of who she is and who she knows, Anna has the ability to get the ear of some pretty powerful people. Unfortunately for her, as a young woman, her opinions and thoughts aren’t always accepted by those around her and when she discloses to all what her role was in releasing the Binding, things take a turn for the worse for her.
This book actually alternates perspectives from Anna to Matyas and while I found the chapters that were from Matyas’ perspective, I found myself hurrying through them to get back to Anna’s story. For some reason I found that part of the book more compelling and yes, we needed to understand what was happening with Matyas but I just happened to be more interested in what was going on with Anna.
For Matyas, he is coming to terms with who/what he is now and what his role in the world is. It was interesting to get his point of view on what he sacrificed to help Anna and then too, to hear how he felt he even failed at dying. I also thought it was interesting that at times, he had a bit of anger toward the fact that Anna was continuing to live her life and he didn’t know what to do with his now. As he starts to figure out where he fits and ultimately as his story starts to meet up with Anna’s I found myself turning the pages to see where Eves was going to link it all up.
Overall, I found myself enjoying this book more than the first one. I think the pacing felt better and the addition of Matyas’ point of view added a layer to the story that we didn’t have before. There were still points of the story that dragged a bit for me but overall, there was a great balance of character development, story development, and action / political intrigue. Consider checking out this series if you have not yet done so. I will be waiting on the next book to see what happens next for these characters.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy in exchange for an honest review.
The Lost Crow Conspiracy by Rosalyn Eves is the second book of the Blood Rose Rebellion series and admittedly I was a bit on the fence jumping into this book as the first one left me a little wanting but based on the ending of book one, I knew I was going to have to see what happens next for the characters, so I immediately dove into it and I am glad I did as the story got interesting. If you have not yet read book one, you might want to hold on reading this review as there are some things I will talk about that will for sure ruin that book for you if you don’t want any spoilers.
This book picks up shortly after the end of book one and things have drastically changed in Anna’s world. She is facing danger and conflict from both the Monarchy and the Praetheria and because her family doesn’t know the whole truth about her breaking the Binding, she doesn’t have anyone she can really rely on other than Gabor.
Politics plays a big role in this book. With the Binding broken, some Luminates who had magic have lost it and some lower-class citizens now have access to their magic for the first time. This is creating some unforeseen issues and add to that the Praetheria who are wandering free now want to be able to do what they like, and Anna is in a tough position. When she finds herself engaging with the Archduchess and her son both politically and personally, Anna needs to figure out where she stands and what she wants. Her heart still belongs to Gabor, but Gabor recognizes that they are coming from different worlds and will never be accepted which drives him to a decision that Anna doesn’t want to accept.
As I mentioned, Anna is trying to figure out what she wants. It is important to note that she is getting pressure from Hunger and Vasilisa (Praetheria) to help them get what they want, either through her attendance in the Congress or just her everyday activities. Because of who she is and who she knows, Anna has the ability to get the ear of some pretty powerful people. Unfortunately for her, as a young woman, her opinions and thoughts aren’t always accepted by those around her and when she discloses to all what her role was in releasing the Binding, things take a turn for the worse for her.
This book actually alternates perspectives from Anna to Matyas and while I found the chapters that were from Matyas’ perspective, I found myself hurrying through them to get back to Anna’s story. For some reason I found that part of the book more compelling and yes, we needed to understand what was happening with Matyas but I just happened to be more interested in what was going on with Anna.
For Matyas, he is coming to terms with who/what he is now and what his role in the world is. It was interesting to get his point of view on what he sacrificed to help Anna and then too, to hear how he felt he even failed at dying. I also thought it was interesting that at times, he had a bit of anger toward the fact that Anna was continuing to live her life and he didn’t know what to do with his now. As he starts to figure out where he fits and ultimately as his story starts to meet up with Anna’s I found myself turning the pages to see where Eves was going to link it all up.
Overall, I found myself enjoying this book more than the first one. I think the pacing felt better and the addition of Matyas’ point of view added a layer to the story that we didn’t have before. There were still points of the story that dragged a bit for me but overall, there was a great balance of character development, story development, and action / political intrigue. Consider checking out this series if you have not yet done so. I will be waiting on the next book to see what happens next for these characters.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy in exchange for an honest review.
February 23, 2018
I received this book through NetGalley against an honest review
I had a great time with Blood Rose Rebellionand I was curious to find out more with it ending, so I was happy to receive an e-arc.
It is always difficult to write a sequel, there are the classic traps of the love triangle, the transition to book 3 which is sometimes to slow, among many others things. Here, I sincerely find that the author has done really well. At the end of Blood Rose Rebellion, the Praetheria were released in Hungary, the latter have multiple forms and intentions towards the humankind. I found it interesting to see their political game , just like the one from the humans. We feel very quickly that a war will be inevitable between them and humankind and the big question iss who will be the winners. It is a book in itself that does not have a huge "physical" action, but that has captivated me all the same with the political aspect.
This novel continues to follow Anna, she is a girl who dreams of ideal, she thought her acts were going to lead to a big change but it is not really the case here. She is a very idealistic heroine who is thirsty for justice, unfortunately she is also very naive and we learn very quickly that she will be screwed at some point. The book also follows another point of view, which surprised me, I will not say who, but it is easily guessed with the summary (big spoiler), and I must admit that it is a very good idea.
This second volume is therefore in my eyes a solid reading, the author has made good decisions that change a bit about what we see in YA. We are not in fantasy with a physically badass heroine, but Anna is touching. The clues for the sequel and last book are promising and I sincerely think I'll have a good time reading it when it comes out.
I had a great time with Blood Rose Rebellionand I was curious to find out more with it ending, so I was happy to receive an e-arc.
It is always difficult to write a sequel, there are the classic traps of the love triangle, the transition to book 3 which is sometimes to slow, among many others things. Here, I sincerely find that the author has done really well. At the end of Blood Rose Rebellion, the Praetheria were released in Hungary, the latter have multiple forms and intentions towards the humankind. I found it interesting to see their political game , just like the one from the humans. We feel very quickly that a war will be inevitable between them and humankind and the big question iss who will be the winners. It is a book in itself that does not have a huge "physical" action, but that has captivated me all the same with the political aspect.
This novel continues to follow Anna, she is a girl who dreams of ideal, she thought her acts were going to lead to a big change but it is not really the case here. She is a very idealistic heroine who is thirsty for justice, unfortunately she is also very naive and we learn very quickly that she will be screwed at some point. The book also follows another point of view, which surprised me, I will not say who, but it is easily guessed with the summary (big spoiler), and I must admit that it is a very good idea.
This second volume is therefore in my eyes a solid reading, the author has made good decisions that change a bit about what we see in YA. We are not in fantasy with a physically badass heroine, but Anna is touching. The clues for the sequel and last book are promising and I sincerely think I'll have a good time reading it when it comes out.
February 19, 2018
Anna Arden thought that she was finished being a hero after breaking the Binding, freeing the praetheria, and securing Hungary's independence. She coming to terms with the death of her beloved Grandmama and the sacrifice of her cousin Matyas. But life couldn't be that easy. The upper class Luminates who lost their magic are resentful. Many commoners now have magic. The Austrian Empire wants Hungary back.
A Congress is being held in Vienna to discuss the fate of the Praetheria with no input from the praetheria. Russia wants to provide a refuge. Austria wants to regain Hungary. England wants to do anything to thwart Russia's land grab. Anna is being courted by Archduke Franz Joseph who is heir to the Austrian Empire but she is still in love with her Romani boy Gabor who is an aide in the Hungarian delegation.
Meanwhile, the praetheria have an agenda of their own. While some want to just want to live in peace, others are more interested in taking over the world and intent on using Anna to help them do so.
Still another faction of the praetheria has managed to bring Matyas back from the dead and want him to aide them in resisting those praetheria who want to conquer the world. Matyas isn't interested and falls in with a band of Robin Hood-like bandits and begins collecting preaetheria of his own who see him as a refuge and place of safely. Matyas doesn't want the responsibility; he doesn't see himself as any kind of hero. But events demand that he step up.
The story is divided into Anna's part and Matyas's part. Both are in danger and face tremendous dangers. They also both grow and change greatly in this middle book of a trilogy. Fans of epic fantasy which is also an alternate history story will enjoy this series. I'd start with book one though.
A Congress is being held in Vienna to discuss the fate of the Praetheria with no input from the praetheria. Russia wants to provide a refuge. Austria wants to regain Hungary. England wants to do anything to thwart Russia's land grab. Anna is being courted by Archduke Franz Joseph who is heir to the Austrian Empire but she is still in love with her Romani boy Gabor who is an aide in the Hungarian delegation.
Meanwhile, the praetheria have an agenda of their own. While some want to just want to live in peace, others are more interested in taking over the world and intent on using Anna to help them do so.
Still another faction of the praetheria has managed to bring Matyas back from the dead and want him to aide them in resisting those praetheria who want to conquer the world. Matyas isn't interested and falls in with a band of Robin Hood-like bandits and begins collecting preaetheria of his own who see him as a refuge and place of safely. Matyas doesn't want the responsibility; he doesn't see himself as any kind of hero. But events demand that he step up.
The story is divided into Anna's part and Matyas's part. Both are in danger and face tremendous dangers. They also both grow and change greatly in this middle book of a trilogy. Fans of epic fantasy which is also an alternate history story will enjoy this series. I'd start with book one though.
July 8, 2017
I really liked this one so much better than Blood Rose Rebellion. Lost Crow Conspiracy picks up shortly after BRR leaves off. Our main characters are at the tail end of her cousins death and are still coping, Anna is living with Catherine now, and the world is struggling with how to live with the creatures newly released in the binding.
Anna's sections were slow for me in the beginning, but deff picked up towards the last half of the book. The Crow Kings perspective was absolutely my favorite parts of this book. As he struggles with how he fits into this new world he must decide whether to do what is right or do what is easy. The book was filled with the politics of that era, navigating the fine line between the "right thing" and the "greater good", and some culture references (four horseman anyone!?!). Adding this series to my recommended ones at work!
Anna's sections were slow for me in the beginning, but deff picked up towards the last half of the book. The Crow Kings perspective was absolutely my favorite parts of this book. As he struggles with how he fits into this new world he must decide whether to do what is right or do what is easy. The book was filled with the politics of that era, navigating the fine line between the "right thing" and the "greater good", and some culture references (four horseman anyone!?!). Adding this series to my recommended ones at work!
March 16, 2018
3.75 (very, very, very, very close to a 4)
RTC!
RTC!
April 16, 2018
See my full thoughts here: https://youtu.be/mdDmnHVKU9o
What is there to say at this point? Last year I read and reviewed "Blood Rose Rebellion" and it is the worst book I've ever read with the exception of "The Lovely Bones." Literally every aspect of it is bad, from the characters to the dialogue to the plot to the worldbuilding. And "Lost Crow Conspiracy" is in the same boat. Honestly I don't know what I can say that won't seem like I'm just repeating myself. But I'm still typing so here we go.
This book takes place about eight months after the last one ended. After breaking the Binding, Anna fled Austria to avoid the civil unrest as Hungary gained quasi independence. But by the time the book starts she's already in Vienna, so it's totally pointless. The praetheria have come back to Earth and are now causing trouble so all of the major European powers are hosting a congress to figure out how to deal with them. And Matyas didn't actually die at the end of the last book. That might sound like a spoiler but it's literally in the description.
So here's the first thing about this book that makes it worse than the first one: Almost nothing happens. For all it's faults, "Blood Rose Rebellion" had an actual plot where the main characters had goals and worked to accomplish them. In this one, Anna just sort of watches more important people argue while pining after boys. Meanwhile, Matyas acts like a spoiled asshole. In the last 100 pages, things pick up a bit but all the events are so poorly explained that it doesn't matter. By the end (I think) there was a civil war between Austrian loyalists and nationalists from Hungary, Croatia, Poland, Romania, and the praetheria. But I don't know because it's confusing.
So let's talk about Anna. If you've read the first one (which you should have if you're reading this review) then you know that she's an irredeemable bitch. Somehow, this book makes her worse. When she broke the Binding at the end of the last book, she upended society and released some very powerful creatures upon the world. This is causing a lot of trouble and getting people killed but she never seems to stop and wonder if she did the right thing. There's an argument to be made that her actions were correct, but she never even stops to think about it. Because hey, if it doesn't affect her it doesn't matter, right?
And if that wasn't enough to display her utter selfishness, consider her new love interest. Archduke Franz Joseph is the real-life heir to the throne in Austria who meets Anna during the congress. They start a sort of relationship, and he even sort of proposes to her. It's more of a political move than anything, a beloved Hungarian heroine marrying the future Austrian emperor would prevent war. But Anna doesn't seem to care about the fact that she has the opportunity to potentially save the lives of millions of people. She loves Gabor and wants to be with him, despite the fact that he's made it clear he wants nothing to do with her. She's in *love* and if you think she's being selfish it's just because you don't understand *love*. Fuck. This.
And then there's Matyas. If you want to know how to make a sympathetic character into an unsympathetic asshole, just study Matyas. After sacrificing himself to break the Binding and save his friends, he's brought back to life by some powerful praetheria. What does he do with this second chance at life? Become a bandit of course! Just steal some of the money that people have worked for while not telling your family that you're alive. That's the moral decision, right?
We spend 1/3 of the book with him, but his narrative voice is exactly the same as Anna's. I had to keep reminding myself which one of them was narrating. This review is already long enough, but why is this such a common theme in modern YA? Really, it's never necessary. The protagonist will do interesting stuff and then the other major character just sort of... stands around. It's a trope that needs to die.
As for the worldbuilding, I only have one thing to add. At one point, it's mentioned that Muslims are not allowed to use magic due to their religion... And they still conquered 1/4 of Europe... In this world where magic plays a major role in warfare... Jesus, guys! Just think! Think before you write!
When I said that "Blood Rose Rebellion" was the second worst book I've ever read I lied. It's now the third worst, "Lost Crow Conspiracy" has jumped forward to second place because it has more filler. Avoid this shit like the plague. It's not just bad, it leaves you frustrated and angry beyond all reason.
What is there to say at this point? Last year I read and reviewed "Blood Rose Rebellion" and it is the worst book I've ever read with the exception of "The Lovely Bones." Literally every aspect of it is bad, from the characters to the dialogue to the plot to the worldbuilding. And "Lost Crow Conspiracy" is in the same boat. Honestly I don't know what I can say that won't seem like I'm just repeating myself. But I'm still typing so here we go.
This book takes place about eight months after the last one ended. After breaking the Binding, Anna fled Austria to avoid the civil unrest as Hungary gained quasi independence. But by the time the book starts she's already in Vienna, so it's totally pointless. The praetheria have come back to Earth and are now causing trouble so all of the major European powers are hosting a congress to figure out how to deal with them. And Matyas didn't actually die at the end of the last book. That might sound like a spoiler but it's literally in the description.
So here's the first thing about this book that makes it worse than the first one: Almost nothing happens. For all it's faults, "Blood Rose Rebellion" had an actual plot where the main characters had goals and worked to accomplish them. In this one, Anna just sort of watches more important people argue while pining after boys. Meanwhile, Matyas acts like a spoiled asshole. In the last 100 pages, things pick up a bit but all the events are so poorly explained that it doesn't matter. By the end (I think) there was a civil war between Austrian loyalists and nationalists from Hungary, Croatia, Poland, Romania, and the praetheria. But I don't know because it's confusing.
So let's talk about Anna. If you've read the first one (which you should have if you're reading this review) then you know that she's an irredeemable bitch. Somehow, this book makes her worse. When she broke the Binding at the end of the last book, she upended society and released some very powerful creatures upon the world. This is causing a lot of trouble and getting people killed but she never seems to stop and wonder if she did the right thing. There's an argument to be made that her actions were correct, but she never even stops to think about it. Because hey, if it doesn't affect her it doesn't matter, right?
And if that wasn't enough to display her utter selfishness, consider her new love interest. Archduke Franz Joseph is the real-life heir to the throne in Austria who meets Anna during the congress. They start a sort of relationship, and he even sort of proposes to her. It's more of a political move than anything, a beloved Hungarian heroine marrying the future Austrian emperor would prevent war. But Anna doesn't seem to care about the fact that she has the opportunity to potentially save the lives of millions of people. She loves Gabor and wants to be with him, despite the fact that he's made it clear he wants nothing to do with her. She's in *love* and if you think she's being selfish it's just because you don't understand *love*. Fuck. This.
And then there's Matyas. If you want to know how to make a sympathetic character into an unsympathetic asshole, just study Matyas. After sacrificing himself to break the Binding and save his friends, he's brought back to life by some powerful praetheria. What does he do with this second chance at life? Become a bandit of course! Just steal some of the money that people have worked for while not telling your family that you're alive. That's the moral decision, right?
We spend 1/3 of the book with him, but his narrative voice is exactly the same as Anna's. I had to keep reminding myself which one of them was narrating. This review is already long enough, but why is this such a common theme in modern YA? Really, it's never necessary. The protagonist will do interesting stuff and then the other major character just sort of... stands around. It's a trope that needs to die.
As for the worldbuilding, I only have one thing to add. At one point, it's mentioned that Muslims are not allowed to use magic due to their religion... And they still conquered 1/4 of Europe... In this world where magic plays a major role in warfare... Jesus, guys! Just think! Think before you write!
When I said that "Blood Rose Rebellion" was the second worst book I've ever read I lied. It's now the third worst, "Lost Crow Conspiracy" has jumped forward to second place because it has more filler. Avoid this shit like the plague. It's not just bad, it leaves you frustrated and angry beyond all reason.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 18, 2018
LOST CROW CONSPIRACY is everything you could want in a sequel and so much more. It is action-packed, edge-of-your-seat exciting, suspense-filled, and full of surprises. Magical beings, spell-casting and spell-breaking, hidden agendas, manipulation, betrayal, injustice, fierce battles, and a touch of romance make this installment riveting.
The story picks up shortly after the events in the first book in the series. And while things may seem to have settled down following the rebellion, the reality is quite different. The shift in magic has left many uneasy or angry. The fear of the unknown and of the praetheria has the decision-makers on edge. The now-free Hungary has caused power struggles among the countries looking to expand their empires and has presented opportunities for those looking to lead. And a new, even deadlier threat is on the horizon.
Anna thought she made the right decision when she chose to break the Binding, releasing the magic and freeing the praetheria. Even with what it cost her and with the secrets she had to keep. But her Hungary wasn’t as free as she thought it was. The beings she unleashed on the world might not be as benevolent. The Congress wasn’t as open-minded as she would have hoped. And she may have put herself in a position where she’d have to choose duty, responsibility, country over love.
Author Rosalyn Eves did not let up on the intensity in this second book in her series. She added more battles, more chases and escapes, more fascinating beings, more magical abilities, and many more threats and dangers. She continued to make a connection to the events, people, and climate of the time. She touched on issues of women’s rights and equality. She developed Anna into even more of a strong female lead.
LOST CROW CONSPIRACY is the perfect follow-up to BLOOD ROSE REBELLION. It has a faster pace. It has a whole host of new and interesting issues and characters. It advances the storyline in different and unexpected ways. It offers dual points-of-view that give a peek at very separate and distinct parts of the world. And it sets things up and teases things to come in the third installment in the series.
Thrilling, nail-biting, at times inciting, and completely all-consuming, LOST CROW CONSPIRACY is an absolute must.
The story picks up shortly after the events in the first book in the series. And while things may seem to have settled down following the rebellion, the reality is quite different. The shift in magic has left many uneasy or angry. The fear of the unknown and of the praetheria has the decision-makers on edge. The now-free Hungary has caused power struggles among the countries looking to expand their empires and has presented opportunities for those looking to lead. And a new, even deadlier threat is on the horizon.
Anna thought she made the right decision when she chose to break the Binding, releasing the magic and freeing the praetheria. Even with what it cost her and with the secrets she had to keep. But her Hungary wasn’t as free as she thought it was. The beings she unleashed on the world might not be as benevolent. The Congress wasn’t as open-minded as she would have hoped. And she may have put herself in a position where she’d have to choose duty, responsibility, country over love.
Author Rosalyn Eves did not let up on the intensity in this second book in her series. She added more battles, more chases and escapes, more fascinating beings, more magical abilities, and many more threats and dangers. She continued to make a connection to the events, people, and climate of the time. She touched on issues of women’s rights and equality. She developed Anna into even more of a strong female lead.
LOST CROW CONSPIRACY is the perfect follow-up to BLOOD ROSE REBELLION. It has a faster pace. It has a whole host of new and interesting issues and characters. It advances the storyline in different and unexpected ways. It offers dual points-of-view that give a peek at very separate and distinct parts of the world. And it sets things up and teases things to come in the third installment in the series.
Thrilling, nail-biting, at times inciting, and completely all-consuming, LOST CROW CONSPIRACY is an absolute must.
November 14, 2017
Absolutely incredible and fantastic sequel!!! It was spellbinding and so many things happened in this. ❤️❤️❤️
Lost Crow Conspiracy picks up straight where Blood Rose Rebellion ended. Anna is now in Vienna and met various members of nobility including the royal family of Austria. There she uncovers so much more about herself and the Praetheria, these beings which were trapped in the Binding.
The story flows really well and I loved the additional POV of a certain male character we got to see alot more of. I really liked his part of the story as it was divided into parts which had distinctive voices and characters which grew on me. The scenes got me hooked and there was less romance which made the book much more exciting in terms of plot and pace.
I loved the character development in this book and the theme of acceptance and forgiveness in Lost Crow Conspiracy.
Furthermore, I liked the meddling of the court, politics and a brewing war between the two camps of Luminate and Praetheria due to their unjust treatment of each other (particularly the Praetheria).
Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an ARC of this book for review!
I am truly looking forward to readig Book 3 now!
Lost Crow Conspiracy picks up straight where Blood Rose Rebellion ended. Anna is now in Vienna and met various members of nobility including the royal family of Austria. There she uncovers so much more about herself and the Praetheria, these beings which were trapped in the Binding.
The story flows really well and I loved the additional POV of a certain male character we got to see alot more of. I really liked his part of the story as it was divided into parts which had distinctive voices and characters which grew on me. The scenes got me hooked and there was less romance which made the book much more exciting in terms of plot and pace.
I loved the character development in this book and the theme of acceptance and forgiveness in Lost Crow Conspiracy.
Furthermore, I liked the meddling of the court, politics and a brewing war between the two camps of Luminate and Praetheria due to their unjust treatment of each other (particularly the Praetheria).
Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an ARC of this book for review!
I am truly looking forward to readig Book 3 now!
Read
May 9, 2020*SPOILERS for book 1 (Blood Rose Rebellion) ahead*
I wasn't really a fan of the last novel (I found it to have some issues with introducing the historical context as well as just the magical system being confusing and the characters not having a clear focus; find my review here), but I was hoping that this book would be different.
And although its plot thankfully was not confusing, I just ended up not being into it and generally apathetic to the whole thing.
I didn't actually fall asleep reading, but like the first book, I felt like nothing really happened. Anna is just a confusing character in general for me--what are her motivations? Sometimes she's like "Oh I wish the class boundaries would go away why haven't they gone away yet" and other times she's like "Tehehe! It's a prince!" and what she's fighting for didn't seem defined enough for what I was looking for.
She has a lot of desires and she never really focuses on one. Sometimes she wants to help this group, other times it's this group, other times its herself, and although she wasn't annoying per se, Anna was just kind of confused in general about who she wanted to be.
She tries so hard to fit into society despite how she doesn't like society and it comes off as very contradictory to me. I know she has that old fashioned view OMG calves--blasphemy! and all sorts of societal things like that, but part of her viewpoint was getting rid of class boundaries and societal standards. It felt a little hypocritical at times.
I wished she would have had a stronger focus on one thing instead of flitting around to the different issues she wanted to address, and I think this is Eves' way of trying to fit complexity into her character, but it didn't really work for me.
I did have a much easier time understanding what was going on and wasn't perplexed by the complicated magical rituals, compared to book 1. But, in retrospect, I still don't really know what happened?
The plot felt a lot like Anna trying to do stuff but ultimately not really achieving anything? Everything just goes downhill for her throughout the novel and it just gets worse and worse until she's just out of society in general.
I did think there is a lot of potential in the concept of the Praetheria and how they can be used to address social issues and I'm hoping Eves will do a lot with this during book 3.
It was interesting to see how it was almost split half and half between Matayas and Anna, which I was very much not expecting to happen. Matayas ended up spicing things up a bit and although I wouldn't have necessarily condoned this move, it didn't end up really bothering me.
The romance wasn't very present, which was fine by me. I liked Gabor in the last book, he was smart, but if he was in the book, he'd probably also bring love into the picture.
The writing is fine and that was somehow one of this books more redeeming characteristics? I enjoy Eves' writing style and think if she was writing a different story, I'd enjoy it more. It's got that kind of soothing quality that's a nice balance between concise and flowery that helps me read smoothly.
I guess the pacing was okay? It didn't seem overly long when I was reading it, but adding up what actually happened and how many pages makes this book seems like it was too much.
Overall, I think if you liked the first book, you'll like this one. But if you didn't like the first, it's probably better to just read something else because there's no "OH MY GOSH WHEN DID THIS SERIES TURN AMAZING?" moment happening in this book. I liked the writing, but the story was just kind of bland in generally and I ended up pretty apathetic to it all.
I wasn't really a fan of the last novel (I found it to have some issues with introducing the historical context as well as just the magical system being confusing and the characters not having a clear focus; find my review here), but I was hoping that this book would be different.
And although its plot thankfully was not confusing, I just ended up not being into it and generally apathetic to the whole thing.
I didn't actually fall asleep reading, but like the first book, I felt like nothing really happened. Anna is just a confusing character in general for me--what are her motivations? Sometimes she's like "Oh I wish the class boundaries would go away why haven't they gone away yet" and other times she's like "Tehehe! It's a prince!" and what she's fighting for didn't seem defined enough for what I was looking for.
She has a lot of desires and she never really focuses on one. Sometimes she wants to help this group, other times it's this group, other times its herself, and although she wasn't annoying per se, Anna was just kind of confused in general about who she wanted to be.
She tries so hard to fit into society despite how she doesn't like society and it comes off as very contradictory to me. I know she has that old fashioned view OMG calves--blasphemy! and all sorts of societal things like that, but part of her viewpoint was getting rid of class boundaries and societal standards. It felt a little hypocritical at times.
I wished she would have had a stronger focus on one thing instead of flitting around to the different issues she wanted to address, and I think this is Eves' way of trying to fit complexity into her character, but it didn't really work for me.
I did have a much easier time understanding what was going on and wasn't perplexed by the complicated magical rituals, compared to book 1. But, in retrospect, I still don't really know what happened?
The plot felt a lot like Anna trying to do stuff but ultimately not really achieving anything? Everything just goes downhill for her throughout the novel and it just gets worse and worse until she's just out of society in general.
I did think there is a lot of potential in the concept of the Praetheria and how they can be used to address social issues and I'm hoping Eves will do a lot with this during book 3.
It was interesting to see how it was almost split half and half between Matayas and Anna, which I was very much not expecting to happen. Matayas ended up spicing things up a bit and although I wouldn't have necessarily condoned this move, it didn't end up really bothering me.
The romance wasn't very present, which was fine by me. I liked Gabor in the last book, he was smart, but if he was in the book, he'd probably also bring love into the picture.
The writing is fine and that was somehow one of this books more redeeming characteristics? I enjoy Eves' writing style and think if she was writing a different story, I'd enjoy it more. It's got that kind of soothing quality that's a nice balance between concise and flowery that helps me read smoothly.
I guess the pacing was okay? It didn't seem overly long when I was reading it, but adding up what actually happened and how many pages makes this book seems like it was too much.
Overall, I think if you liked the first book, you'll like this one. But if you didn't like the first, it's probably better to just read something else because there's no "OH MY GOSH WHEN DID THIS SERIES TURN AMAZING?" moment happening in this book. I liked the writing, but the story was just kind of bland in generally and I ended up pretty apathetic to it all.
October 13, 2017
Rosalyn Eves did a fantastic job with The Blood Rose Rebellion, and I think she continued, and even exceeded my expectations with the second novel of the series, Lost Crow Conspiracy. I had a hard time putting the book down so I could do non-essential things like sleep, eat, and go to work!
Lost Crow Conspiracy continues the story of Anna as she comes to term with a world where the Binding is no longer constraining magic to only the nobility, and no longer binds the praetheria; an ancient, magical race of beasts and humanoids that are released and now trying to find their place in the human realm. As the humans are trying to determine what to do with the praetheria, the praetheria are determining what THEY want to do with the world itself.
The book takes on a bit of a new format as it shifts focus between our heroin Anna and (SPOILER ALERT) her distant cousin, whom she thinks is dead, Mátyás! I really liked the format since I LOVED Mátyás from the first book so it was great that 1) he is ALIVE and 2) I get to know him better from knowing how he thinks and what he is up to directly from his point of view. I could tell that Eves did this format well when I found myself wanting to just keep reading from one perspective, but at the same time being completely torn because I wanted to continue reading from the others perspective at the same time!
When the book mentioned a big convention I was a little worried that I might get bored (politicians going on and on about different agendas has never been my cup of tea) but I found that not to be the case. The very subject matter, determining what should be done with/about the praetheria, made it more interesting as well as the time spent at the actual conference was not overwhelmingly long. You spend just the right amount at the conference to get the feel of what is truly happening and then you are swept away with the flow of the next events. The next ball that Anna attends, or trying to be able to meet with Gábor (and don't even get me started on how much I loved that part of the story development too), or following Mátyás as he struggles to come to terms with his new position in the world as the King of Crows!
I will be honest that I had one HUGE issue with Lost Crow Conspiracy…it ends! I just wanted to keep reading! It kills me that I do not have the last book in the series in my hand RIGHT NOW!
Write fast Rosalyn Eves! You have won a lifelong fan with your lifelike characters, creative spin on mythical beasts, story development and fantastical world building! I need more books from you sooner rather than later! Pretty please? :-)
Well done Eves. Well done!
Lost Crow Conspiracy continues the story of Anna as she comes to term with a world where the Binding is no longer constraining magic to only the nobility, and no longer binds the praetheria; an ancient, magical race of beasts and humanoids that are released and now trying to find their place in the human realm. As the humans are trying to determine what to do with the praetheria, the praetheria are determining what THEY want to do with the world itself.
The book takes on a bit of a new format as it shifts focus between our heroin Anna and (SPOILER ALERT) her distant cousin, whom she thinks is dead, Mátyás! I really liked the format since I LOVED Mátyás from the first book so it was great that 1) he is ALIVE and 2) I get to know him better from knowing how he thinks and what he is up to directly from his point of view. I could tell that Eves did this format well when I found myself wanting to just keep reading from one perspective, but at the same time being completely torn because I wanted to continue reading from the others perspective at the same time!
When the book mentioned a big convention I was a little worried that I might get bored (politicians going on and on about different agendas has never been my cup of tea) but I found that not to be the case. The very subject matter, determining what should be done with/about the praetheria, made it more interesting as well as the time spent at the actual conference was not overwhelmingly long. You spend just the right amount at the conference to get the feel of what is truly happening and then you are swept away with the flow of the next events. The next ball that Anna attends, or trying to be able to meet with Gábor (and don't even get me started on how much I loved that part of the story development too), or following Mátyás as he struggles to come to terms with his new position in the world as the King of Crows!
I will be honest that I had one HUGE issue with Lost Crow Conspiracy…it ends! I just wanted to keep reading! It kills me that I do not have the last book in the series in my hand RIGHT NOW!
Write fast Rosalyn Eves! You have won a lifelong fan with your lifelike characters, creative spin on mythical beasts, story development and fantastical world building! I need more books from you sooner rather than later! Pretty please? :-)
Well done Eves. Well done!
March 27, 2018
.... I loved the historical elements, and getting a deeper look into the fantasy elements, and the mix of the two. I really enjoyed the character development. I should add characters, because the characters all had interesting storylines, and I was not excepting a lot of what happens, to happen. The pacing itself is slow in a lot areas, which made for me not loving the book as much as I wanted to. However, Eve's richly detailed storytelling definitely kept me hooked, and I can't wait to see what happens in the next book.
FULL REVIEW https://mundiemoms.blogspot.com/2018/...
3.5 stars
FULL REVIEW https://mundiemoms.blogspot.com/2018/...
3.5 stars
October 4, 2017
What a ride. If I'd had one whole day set apart just to read this book, I would have taken it. As it is though, it took me some time. But every moment I spent reading this book, I was engaged and nothing in the world could bother me. I found Blood Rose Rebellion fascinating, interesting, and engaging. I found the Lost Crow Conspiracy exciting, thrilling, and heartbreaking.
Anna Arden is in Vienna with her sister, Caroline, and Caroline's husband. Anna feels constantly confined by her sister's rules and expectations, but she is determined to find a way to the the Congress, which is being held to decide what to do with the newly released Praetheria (the name coined for the beings released from the Binding.) She will have her voice heard and she will find a way to make sure that Matyas's death wasn't for nothing. There is politics, intrigue, romance, suspense, and action. And oh is there action.
I wasn't expecting to be at the edge of my seat, waiting to see everything that came next, but Eves really knew how to keep me wondering about the next step, the next problem, the next worry. The whole book mows on at almost a reckless speed that I found myself enjoying every minute.
I also found that I had a deeper connection with all of the characters. Anna's true character, her spunk, her need for justice, is still there, but I can also connect more deeply because of how she has grown. I could feel when she was angry, embarrassed, terrified, or justified. She is not ignorant any more and she wants to fight for what she believes in. Anna is wonderful, but I found that the other characters in the book are just as fantastic.
Everything about this book exceeded my expectations and I can't wait to get my hands on the third book!
Anna Arden is in Vienna with her sister, Caroline, and Caroline's husband. Anna feels constantly confined by her sister's rules and expectations, but she is determined to find a way to the the Congress, which is being held to decide what to do with the newly released Praetheria (the name coined for the beings released from the Binding.) She will have her voice heard and she will find a way to make sure that Matyas's death wasn't for nothing. There is politics, intrigue, romance, suspense, and action. And oh is there action.
I wasn't expecting to be at the edge of my seat, waiting to see everything that came next, but Eves really knew how to keep me wondering about the next step, the next problem, the next worry. The whole book mows on at almost a reckless speed that I found myself enjoying every minute.
I also found that I had a deeper connection with all of the characters. Anna's true character, her spunk, her need for justice, is still there, but I can also connect more deeply because of how she has grown. I could feel when she was angry, embarrassed, terrified, or justified. She is not ignorant any more and she wants to fight for what she believes in. Anna is wonderful, but I found that the other characters in the book are just as fantastic.
Everything about this book exceeded my expectations and I can't wait to get my hands on the third book!
December 15, 2017
I just finished this EPICALLY AWESOME book and now I'm crying over the fact that I'll have to wait a million years for Book 3. I often find that the second book in a trilogy is my least favorite, but in this case, I loved LOST CROW CONSPIRACY even more than BLOOD ROSE REBELLION. Combining political intrigue, glittering social affairs, gorgeous mythology, lyrical prose, and just enough romance to keep my heart pumping, this was everything I love in a historical fantasy. I can't WAIT till it's out in the world... And am even more impatient to get my hands on Book 3! (LOST CROW CONSPIRACY releases next March.)
September 12, 2017
As if returning to this innovative and magical world weren't reward enough, Eves weaves even more intrigue, magic, and world-changing stakes into the second book of her trilogy. Readers get to see Anna both different and yet similar to the heroine I came to love in Blood Rose Rebellion. Probably my favorite and unexpected part was the integration of creatures both stunning and dangerous. I cannot wait to dive in to the final installment.
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February 27, 2018Thank you to all the readers who continue to support me and my books!
As a thank-you for anyone who preorders Lost Crow Conspiracy (until 3/26/18), I'm offering a small gift:
* A fridge magnet with one of my favorite quotes from the book (featuring one of my own illustrations)
* A temporary tattoo with another favorite quote
* A bookmark
* A signed book plate
You can find more details at my website: http://www.rosalyneves.com/lost-crow-...
As a thank-you for anyone who preorders Lost Crow Conspiracy (until 3/26/18), I'm offering a small gift:
* A fridge magnet with one of my favorite quotes from the book (featuring one of my own illustrations)
* A temporary tattoo with another favorite quote
* A bookmark
* A signed book plate
You can find more details at my website: http://www.rosalyneves.com/lost-crow-...
November 12, 2017
Lovely writing, compelling characters and story, stunning historical-fantasy world and creatures = everything a YA fantasy should be. I loved it!! (Read ARC)
May 2, 2018
Lost Crow Conspiracy is the second book in the Blood Rose Rebellion series. While I was a bit on the fence about the first one, the ending was interesting enough to make me want to continue with the series. You absolutely need to read Blood Rose Rebellion before starting this one, it opens as society begins grappling with the aftermath from the events of book one.
Lost Crow Conspiracy is very politics heavy. As with the first book, I loved how the author melded real history with the fantasy aspects. It was interesting to see the repercussion of everything and I thought the author did an excellent job of making the complex political situation easily understandable. Anna really grew as a character in Lost Crow Conspiracy. I enjoyed watching her character growth as she struggled to find her voice in a society that discounted her solely based on her sex. However, I found Matyas’s chapters to be more interesting than Anna’s.
The main problem with this book was the pacing. It felt as if it stuttered a bit and generally uneven. As soon as I would start to become engrossed in the book, it would slow down and I would grow bored. Overall, Lost Crow Conspiracy did a good job of balancing politics with the more fantastical aspects. I enjoyed learning about the history and seeing the characters grow but the good parts weren’t enough to outweigh the pacing issues. If you enjoyed the first book, you’re likely to enjoy this one.
*Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Lost Crow Conspiracy is very politics heavy. As with the first book, I loved how the author melded real history with the fantasy aspects. It was interesting to see the repercussion of everything and I thought the author did an excellent job of making the complex political situation easily understandable. Anna really grew as a character in Lost Crow Conspiracy. I enjoyed watching her character growth as she struggled to find her voice in a society that discounted her solely based on her sex. However, I found Matyas’s chapters to be more interesting than Anna’s.
The main problem with this book was the pacing. It felt as if it stuttered a bit and generally uneven. As soon as I would start to become engrossed in the book, it would slow down and I would grow bored. Overall, Lost Crow Conspiracy did a good job of balancing politics with the more fantastical aspects. I enjoyed learning about the history and seeing the characters grow but the good parts weren’t enough to outweigh the pacing issues. If you enjoyed the first book, you’re likely to enjoy this one.
*Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
July 5, 2018
Rating: 4.5 stars
This does not happen very often with me at all, but I really liked the middle of this series (assuming that this will be a trilogy?) more than the first book! Gasp. I know! I understand that the first book had the responsibility of creating the base for the story, and explaining the world to us readers. But I also think that the characters have matured since book one, which is something that I took note of and appreciated. I can’t go into more detail about that, or a few other things because of spoilers, but I can say that there were a number of factors that lead to my enjoying this book more than Blood Rose Rebellion! For my detailed thoughts about the world (culture, history, fashion, etc.) since I don’t want to repeat myself in this review, here is my review for book one.
A few things that I can talk about, that played a part in why I enjoyed this book, are that a good part of it took place in Vienna (one of my favourite cities, even though I haven’t been back there since I was a child), I think that the author’s writing matured along with the characters, and that the same amount of thought and effort went into researching historical events and the effectiveness of how Eves used them in this series. I was also happy that some of my questions from book one were answered in book two. Of course, Lost Crow Conspiracy made me as a whole bunch of other questions, and I’m eager to have those answered in the next book. I also feel quite attached to a few of the characters, as well as the story, and want to see how both of these things will develop in the next portion! I will definitely be reading the next book!
This does not happen very often with me at all, but I really liked the middle of this series (assuming that this will be a trilogy?) more than the first book! Gasp. I know! I understand that the first book had the responsibility of creating the base for the story, and explaining the world to us readers. But I also think that the characters have matured since book one, which is something that I took note of and appreciated. I can’t go into more detail about that, or a few other things because of spoilers, but I can say that there were a number of factors that lead to my enjoying this book more than Blood Rose Rebellion! For my detailed thoughts about the world (culture, history, fashion, etc.) since I don’t want to repeat myself in this review, here is my review for book one.
A few things that I can talk about, that played a part in why I enjoyed this book, are that a good part of it took place in Vienna (one of my favourite cities, even though I haven’t been back there since I was a child), I think that the author’s writing matured along with the characters, and that the same amount of thought and effort went into researching historical events and the effectiveness of how Eves used them in this series. I was also happy that some of my questions from book one were answered in book two. Of course, Lost Crow Conspiracy made me as a whole bunch of other questions, and I’m eager to have those answered in the next book. I also feel quite attached to a few of the characters, as well as the story, and want to see how both of these things will develop in the next portion! I will definitely be reading the next book!
October 26, 2018
Started my eGalley but finished via audiobook
The sequel to Blood Rose Rebellion was a more character-driven adventure, with Anna and friends dealing with the aftermath of the previous book. Creatures called Pretheria are roaming across Eastern Europe, wreaking havoc, and Anna is balancing her various love lives and political machinations to undo the damage that had been done.
Somehow, even less happened in this book, but the threads were far more focused. Anna gains another love interest in the form of Franz Jozef, who didn't do much except serve as justification for his mother. Other new characters are introduced, like Vasilia and Ginny, who were fascinating and I really wished she was the protagonist. There is a line Noemi spits at Anna about her not doing anything, and when the book is calling out, it's a problem. I hope Anna can finally get over her pining because there are still vaguely interesting tracks laid that I hope go somewhere.
I don't know if listening to this book on audio enhanced all the editorial problems, but one thing I could not get over was the repetition of two key facts (hidden for spoilers from the first book) . It truly felt like the author was filling the page space with this dead air and it made for a very frustrating read.
Ultimately, sometimes you need to read a book to gain some perspective on what not to do and, with this one, I was hoping for an improvement, but I might finish the series if only for the aesthetic.
The sequel to Blood Rose Rebellion was a more character-driven adventure, with Anna and friends dealing with the aftermath of the previous book. Creatures called Pretheria are roaming across Eastern Europe, wreaking havoc, and Anna is balancing her various love lives and political machinations to undo the damage that had been done.
Somehow, even less happened in this book, but the threads were far more focused. Anna gains another love interest in the form of Franz Jozef, who didn't do much except serve as justification for his mother. Other new characters are introduced, like Vasilia and Ginny, who were fascinating and I really wished she was the protagonist. There is a line Noemi spits at Anna about her not doing anything, and when the book is calling out, it's a problem. I hope Anna can finally get over her pining because there are still vaguely interesting tracks laid that I hope go somewhere.
I don't know if listening to this book on audio enhanced all the editorial problems, but one thing I could not get over was the repetition of two key facts (hidden for spoilers from the first book) . It truly felt like the author was filling the page space with this dead air and it made for a very frustrating read.
Ultimately, sometimes you need to read a book to gain some perspective on what not to do and, with this one, I was hoping for an improvement, but I might finish the series if only for the aesthetic.
January 12, 2018
I had a weird thing happen when I read this book. I couldn't, for the life of me, remember what happened in book one, and I mixed up the plots of this and another book. I still can't tell you how book one went. I remember enjoying it, and I gave a 3-4 stars, but I... I don't know what is going on in book 2. I definitely need to read the first book again before I try the second, because, while it's written beautifully (despite my still not enjoying all of the accented names) nothing is sticking with me.
April 26, 2018
**Originally posted on The Fandom**
Anna Arden has broken The Binding, an ancient and cruel magic that subjugated ancient beings to give humans power, and dismantled the magical oversight organization known as The Circle in the process. Hungary has won autonomy in its uprising. But the problems threatening her world are still far from over.
Breaking The Binding released the Praetheria– the varied magical creatures with different forms, strengths, and abilities that once powered magic– back into society. It’s also drained powers from elite members of the Luminate and sparked powers among the working class. The Luminate are furious and ready to take their rage out on the person who broke The Binding… if only they knew who it was.
Now, Anna is in Vienna, Austria with her newlywed sister, trying to keep her head down. But as the Luminate begin to discriminate against and enslave the Praetheria, Anna must thrust aside polite politics and expectations of women in order to stand for the creatures during an international congress deciding their fate, earning the attention of Austrian royal Franz Joseph along the way. But every nation partaking in the council has their own plans in mind for the Praetheria, all of which seem to meld into their plans for the domination of Eastern Europe. On the eve of war, they don’t consider that the Praetheria may have plans of their own.
In a world in-between, Matyas has been given a second lease on life thanks to a Praetherian goddess. But in return, she wants him to become a hero. She says he’s destined to save the Praetheria through wartime and bring them to peace alongside humans, saving both species in the process. But Matyas has never considered himself a hero and he’s certainly not going to start doing so upon making his return to Hungary.
Lost Crow Conspiracy gains some speed on its predecessor, focusing on creating tension and suspense. The addition of Matyas’s point-of-view is massively helpful in this sense. Unfortunately, Anna’s story is remains pretty static for the majority of the story as she’s busy navigating politics and romance. Things seem to happen to her rather than because of her, which is a bit disappointing. I’d hoped she’d gain more agency after her massive assertion of power at the end of Blood Rose Rebellion. While she certainly has moments in which she shows off her skill, they’re reactionary. Meanwhile, Matyas strikes out on his own and joins an outlaw gang, reluctantly becoming a leader to his friends and Praetheria they meet along the way. It’s a much more fun and engaging storyline, and it helps you forget that Matyas was a bit of a dick in the early phases of book one.
The novel also does a great job truly introducing the Praetheria– their many forms, their personalities, and the moral ambiguities of their leaders (one of whom we’ve met before, another of whom is new and bone-chilling) that serve as a wildcard factor in the story.
Not all characters get a glow-up, however. Noemi and William, who were two of my favorites in the first novel, are criminally underutilized this time around. We also see very little of Anna’s love interest, Gabor. I wasn’t a huge fan of this relationship in Blood Rose Rebellion because I felt the story didn’t take enough time to build any real chemistry between them, and Lost Crow Conspiracy did the couple no additional favors by keeping them separated for all but a few quick scenes. Anna engages in witty banter and sweet courting moments with a character who was meant to be a lesser choice, but one I liked a lot more. If Anna is going to say “He’s just not Gabor” (which she does several times over,) then Gabor has to come off as the person who fits with Anna so much better than anyone else possibly could. And he doesn’t.
Lost Crow Conspiracy is a definite step up. It gives the series more action and intrigue. It connects with the main characters on a deeper level. But it sometimes struggles to find the balance between political warfare and tedious debate, it pushes side characters nearly out of view. Ultimately, the series is on the way to becoming a full-tilt action fantasy full of war and potential devastation in its final novel, so we’re going to stick around to see how to plays out.
Anna Arden has broken The Binding, an ancient and cruel magic that subjugated ancient beings to give humans power, and dismantled the magical oversight organization known as The Circle in the process. Hungary has won autonomy in its uprising. But the problems threatening her world are still far from over.
Breaking The Binding released the Praetheria– the varied magical creatures with different forms, strengths, and abilities that once powered magic– back into society. It’s also drained powers from elite members of the Luminate and sparked powers among the working class. The Luminate are furious and ready to take their rage out on the person who broke The Binding… if only they knew who it was.
Now, Anna is in Vienna, Austria with her newlywed sister, trying to keep her head down. But as the Luminate begin to discriminate against and enslave the Praetheria, Anna must thrust aside polite politics and expectations of women in order to stand for the creatures during an international congress deciding their fate, earning the attention of Austrian royal Franz Joseph along the way. But every nation partaking in the council has their own plans in mind for the Praetheria, all of which seem to meld into their plans for the domination of Eastern Europe. On the eve of war, they don’t consider that the Praetheria may have plans of their own.
In a world in-between, Matyas has been given a second lease on life thanks to a Praetherian goddess. But in return, she wants him to become a hero. She says he’s destined to save the Praetheria through wartime and bring them to peace alongside humans, saving both species in the process. But Matyas has never considered himself a hero and he’s certainly not going to start doing so upon making his return to Hungary.
Lost Crow Conspiracy gains some speed on its predecessor, focusing on creating tension and suspense. The addition of Matyas’s point-of-view is massively helpful in this sense. Unfortunately, Anna’s story is remains pretty static for the majority of the story as she’s busy navigating politics and romance. Things seem to happen to her rather than because of her, which is a bit disappointing. I’d hoped she’d gain more agency after her massive assertion of power at the end of Blood Rose Rebellion. While she certainly has moments in which she shows off her skill, they’re reactionary. Meanwhile, Matyas strikes out on his own and joins an outlaw gang, reluctantly becoming a leader to his friends and Praetheria they meet along the way. It’s a much more fun and engaging storyline, and it helps you forget that Matyas was a bit of a dick in the early phases of book one.
The novel also does a great job truly introducing the Praetheria– their many forms, their personalities, and the moral ambiguities of their leaders (one of whom we’ve met before, another of whom is new and bone-chilling) that serve as a wildcard factor in the story.
Not all characters get a glow-up, however. Noemi and William, who were two of my favorites in the first novel, are criminally underutilized this time around. We also see very little of Anna’s love interest, Gabor. I wasn’t a huge fan of this relationship in Blood Rose Rebellion because I felt the story didn’t take enough time to build any real chemistry between them, and Lost Crow Conspiracy did the couple no additional favors by keeping them separated for all but a few quick scenes. Anna engages in witty banter and sweet courting moments with a character who was meant to be a lesser choice, but one I liked a lot more. If Anna is going to say “He’s just not Gabor” (which she does several times over,) then Gabor has to come off as the person who fits with Anna so much better than anyone else possibly could. And he doesn’t.
Lost Crow Conspiracy is a definite step up. It gives the series more action and intrigue. It connects with the main characters on a deeper level. But it sometimes struggles to find the balance between political warfare and tedious debate, it pushes side characters nearly out of view. Ultimately, the series is on the way to becoming a full-tilt action fantasy full of war and potential devastation in its final novel, so we’re going to stick around to see how to plays out.
March 27, 2019
My Review: Politics and Magic come to a head in this sequel to Blood Rose Rebellion and the stakes couldn't be higher. I think that Eves did a wonderful job with this book and it didn't disappoint at all. If you love alternative history as well as fantaies then make sure to check this out. If you were a fan of book one this one will knock your socks clean off!! And that ending!!!
April 9, 2018
Just finished reading "Lost Crow Conspiracy". LOVED it! I felt transported as I read Rosalyn's book. I loved her description of St Stephen's Cathedral: "St Stephen's Cathedral hulked against the skyline like a dragon carcass: all blackened spires and knobs, the intricate curved details climbing like scales up it's wall. Even the multicolored tiling on the roof seemed only an extension of the reptilian skin." I had to look up St Stephen's Cathedral online and check out the pictures. The dragons throughout the book were fun to imagine after the cathedral description.
I loved watching Anna and Matyas as they struggled with their roles in society, with the Praetheria, their secrets and their self-doubt.
I want to visit Hungary and Austria! Thanks for the great adventure!
Ms Eves' LOST CROW CONSPIRACY was a grand adventure full of twists, manipulation, excitement, secret agendas, magic, injustice and a bit of romance. It was a perfect sequel to BLOOD ROSE REBELLION. I'm excited to see what happens to Anna, Matyas and the Praetheria.
I loved watching Anna and Matyas as they struggled with their roles in society, with the Praetheria, their secrets and their self-doubt.
I want to visit Hungary and Austria! Thanks for the great adventure!
Ms Eves' LOST CROW CONSPIRACY was a grand adventure full of twists, manipulation, excitement, secret agendas, magic, injustice and a bit of romance. It was a perfect sequel to BLOOD ROSE REBELLION. I'm excited to see what happens to Anna, Matyas and the Praetheria.
April 17, 2018
I didn’t enjoy this as much as the first book in the series. I was annoyed at the main characters and missed having Gabor more prominent in the story. I did enjoy Matayas’ story line.
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