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The Secret Lives of Royals
Olivia can’t take it anymore. She’s had enough of the big city and it’s lack of fulfilling her dreams. Then, just when she’s about to give up and move home, out of the blue, she is offered her dream job. Olivia is suspicious but that could just be the New York in her. She decides not to pull at threads. Despite her best efforts to remain blissfully oblivious, the secret to her life upgrade is soon uncovered when she finds herself invited to be part of a secret society.
Olivia learns that there is a thin curtain separating our world from theirs. Just beneath the surface, an entirely different one exists. One that is controlled by those of Royal lineage. The chosen ones, the Royals, hold the fate of the world in their hands. Will Olivia be able to bear the weight of the crown?
Confessions of a Shopaholic meets The Adjustment Bureau, this contemporary fairytale is both relatable and aspirational. Taking a look at the current balance of media and power with a healthy dose of humor, fashion, food and wanderlust.
Olivia learns that there is a thin curtain separating our world from theirs. Just beneath the surface, an entirely different one exists. One that is controlled by those of Royal lineage. The chosen ones, the Royals, hold the fate of the world in their hands. Will Olivia be able to bear the weight of the crown?
Confessions of a Shopaholic meets The Adjustment Bureau, this contemporary fairytale is both relatable and aspirational. Taking a look at the current balance of media and power with a healthy dose of humor, fashion, food and wanderlust.
218 pages, Paperback
First published June 12, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
June 21, 2018
I received a free ebook version of this book from Netgalley. Thankyou to Netgalley and CreateSpace for allowing me to read this! My review is still entirely honest.
Oh no. I really wanted to give this a good review. The author of this book is a debut author, and after seeing that the average rating on Goodreads was quite low, I really wanted to introduce something positive. While I do have some great things to say about this, overall I can't say it's a book I was especially pleased with.
I absolutely loved the concept of this book. It introduces a world where an elite group of people called The Circle effectively control everything in the world. They decide what trends will become popular, what politicians will be voted in, who will become famous and have control over the economy, wars, and everything in between. If you're a lover of conspiracy theories like me, this book will really appeal to you. I would also like to add that Dua has a very quirky, different writing style that I think has a whole boatload of potential. Her descriptive paragraphs were very well formulated and while the characters weren't all time favourites, I did like them. She may be one of the only authors I've read who has created a love triangle in which I'm truly not sure which one I have a preference for.
Where this book fell flat for me was with the writing. While I did say that the writing could be quirky and different, I didn't find this to be consistent. My main feeling was that this book needs a few more edits. Often the chapter breaks didn't seem to have any logic, and certain scenes would be brushed over by telling us quickly what happened in a paragraph. It could be very show-not-tell at times. I felt it lacked a certain fluency, and events didn't seem to lead from one another, but almost seemed entirely independent of one another. This is certainly not irredeemable-as I say, there were times in the book where I felt the writing was quite strong, but as a whole, I just think this could have used more work from an editorial team.
To summarise, this is a book that had a whole lot of potential but just wasn't quite there for me. I would be interested in reading more from this author in the future however.
Oh no. I really wanted to give this a good review. The author of this book is a debut author, and after seeing that the average rating on Goodreads was quite low, I really wanted to introduce something positive. While I do have some great things to say about this, overall I can't say it's a book I was especially pleased with.
I absolutely loved the concept of this book. It introduces a world where an elite group of people called The Circle effectively control everything in the world. They decide what trends will become popular, what politicians will be voted in, who will become famous and have control over the economy, wars, and everything in between. If you're a lover of conspiracy theories like me, this book will really appeal to you. I would also like to add that Dua has a very quirky, different writing style that I think has a whole boatload of potential. Her descriptive paragraphs were very well formulated and while the characters weren't all time favourites, I did like them. She may be one of the only authors I've read who has created a love triangle in which I'm truly not sure which one I have a preference for.
Where this book fell flat for me was with the writing. While I did say that the writing could be quirky and different, I didn't find this to be consistent. My main feeling was that this book needs a few more edits. Often the chapter breaks didn't seem to have any logic, and certain scenes would be brushed over by telling us quickly what happened in a paragraph. It could be very show-not-tell at times. I felt it lacked a certain fluency, and events didn't seem to lead from one another, but almost seemed entirely independent of one another. This is certainly not irredeemable-as I say, there were times in the book where I felt the writing was quite strong, but as a whole, I just think this could have used more work from an editorial team.
To summarise, this is a book that had a whole lot of potential but just wasn't quite there for me. I would be interested in reading more from this author in the future however.
September 2, 2018
Dear God! This book made sigh with exasperation and roll my eyes to a permanent position in the back of my head. Seriously, it was dreadfully basic and uninspiring. If you have ever watched or read a “chick flick” type storyline then you know all about the book! The cast was seriously bland, and I have totally forgotten them. The main character was also very generic and lifeless. I could not get into the book at all. The pacing was slow, the writing was rudimentary, the editing was lack lustering at best, and then there was the fact that the author contradicts themselves so many times that you never know what your reading is new or confused timelines.
The heroine is supposed to be the first American in this wild take on “Royalty” but then they say there is an American line… so which is it? Or that in some parts of the book its night and the five seconds later midday. Did we time warp? Speaking of time warps… This character decided to go shopping in Italy, so she flew there, shopped all day, and flew back – ALL BY LUNCHTIME! Someone please tell me how that is possible?!? Did anyone bother to edit this book? Which is why I gave it 1 Stars and DNF about 75% through.
The heroine is supposed to be the first American in this wild take on “Royalty” but then they say there is an American line… so which is it? Or that in some parts of the book its night and the five seconds later midday. Did we time warp? Speaking of time warps… This character decided to go shopping in Italy, so she flew there, shopped all day, and flew back – ALL BY LUNCHTIME! Someone please tell me how that is possible?!? Did anyone bother to edit this book? Which is why I gave it 1 Stars and DNF about 75% through.
May 21, 2018
IN SUMMARY:
If you've watched a single chick flick movie, you've already read this book. THE SECRET LIVES OF ROYALS brings nothing new to the table, with a plot so dull, a heroine so generic, and cast so forgettable that finally finishing the read was a moment of pure relief. Not even the royal wedding fever could keep me interested.
MY THOUGHTS:
Honestly, my summary says it all. The main character, Olivia Thorpland, is a speshul snowflake walking cliché with two identical love interests (who are of course super rich, powerful, and royalty to boot) mooning over her. She is the epitome of a generic heroine: a ‘normal girl’ thrust into high society and a prophecy, with zero personality or agency beyond impulsive moments of stubbornness.
The forgettable and interchangeable supporting cast don’t tell the protagonist anything until it’s convenient for the barebones plot. Absolutely nothing of value happens until the last tenth of the book, and even then, stakes and urgency required to keep a reader invested in the story sorely lacked. Relationships are superficial and not at all fleshed out.
There isn’t even enough of the captivating factor in the writing to immerse you. Dialogue is weak and never advances the scene half the time, with a hundred repetitions of character names (“Olivia, how are you?” “I’m well, thank you, Connor. How are you, Connor?” “Olivia, I’m fine.”).
I skim-read this from 20% on, and I still missed nothing. If NetGalley’s rules regarding DNF’ing didn’t majorly screw up approval ratio, I would have easily DNF’d after the first chapter.
WILL I READ ON? Noooooope. I want to say this had potential, but unfortunately it just fell flat in every single area.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC.
MY THOUGHTS:
Honestly, my summary says it all. The main character, Olivia Thorpland, is a speshul snowflake walking cliché with two identical love interests (who are of course super rich, powerful, and royalty to boot) mooning over her. She is the epitome of a generic heroine: a ‘normal girl’ thrust into high society and a prophecy, with zero personality or agency beyond impulsive moments of stubbornness.
The forgettable and interchangeable supporting cast don’t tell the protagonist anything until it’s convenient for the barebones plot. Absolutely nothing of value happens until the last tenth of the book, and even then, stakes and urgency required to keep a reader invested in the story sorely lacked. Relationships are superficial and not at all fleshed out.
There isn’t even enough of the captivating factor in the writing to immerse you. Dialogue is weak and never advances the scene half the time, with a hundred repetitions of character names (“Olivia, how are you?” “I’m well, thank you, Connor. How are you, Connor?” “Olivia, I’m fine.”).
I skim-read this from 20% on, and I still missed nothing. If NetGalley’s rules regarding DNF’ing didn’t majorly screw up approval ratio, I would have easily DNF’d after the first chapter.
WILL I READ ON? Noooooope. I want to say this had potential, but unfortunately it just fell flat in every single area.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC.
November 18, 2018
This was an enjoyable book to read. Olivia is a strong character which when her world turns upside down she takes it all in her stride. After getting offered her dream job from a phone call interview she later learns that she is from a line of royals which is a secret society in this world.
There is also prophecies added into the story focusing on her love life. I feel that i definatley ship her with connor then i do Alex. The book is very fast paced with Olivia moving around a lot and this has a huge impact on her friendships that our outside of her new life.
I gave this book 4 stars.
There is also prophecies added into the story focusing on her love life. I feel that i definatley ship her with connor then i do Alex. The book is very fast paced with Olivia moving around a lot and this has a huge impact on her friendships that our outside of her new life.
I gave this book 4 stars.
June 7, 2018
Formal Review:
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. As always, thank you Netgalley.
I picked this up on Netgalley based on the description: Shopaholic meets Adjustment Bureau. Couple this with the royal wedding, and I was in the mood for some, light royalness. I had just finished The Heir and The Spare, so why not continue the trend?
I wanted to like this book, but based on the Acknowledgements, I don't think it has ran through an editor. And it needs one badly. This read like a not bad third draft, before it should go to an editor for review. At the very least, a copyeditor, as there are periods missing — I think even at one point at the end of a chapter. Also — the kindle addition has wordstogether every so often, which is jarring and hard to read and you never canquite get used toit.
First off, the book is written in present form — i.e. "I walk down the street and say hi to the mailman," rather than "I walked down the street and said hi to the mailman." This isn't a deal breaker for me, as long as I can get to the point where I don't recognize it. But the way this book flows is as if she's writing in her journal....but not....so it really shouldn't be in present tense, and thus is continuously awkward.
Second of all, I am tired of the trope of "woman starts job and no one tells her what she's doing because NYC jobs are above that." Look. I moved to the city two and a half years ago, to do a job that I was already doing for the same company I already worked for, and my boss:
*still walked me around to introduce me
* set me up with a desk and made sure I was connected to IT and who I needed to be
*took me to visit some of our brokers before making me go out on my own
*set up weekly meetings that we STILL do to this day.
Anyone I know who has walked into a job where there "is no training" has quit it fairly quickly or the company has gone under. NOT TO SAY THAT TRAINING HAS TO BE PERFECT, but god stop trying to be Devil Wears Prada people. The trope is tired.
Third, this book is written again like a third draft, where the author is still working out the dialogue. Most of it in here can use some work as it reads like twelve year olds are talking (the Main Character is 26), and other places there are just PARGRAPHS of info dump like:
"He gives me my newly assigned laptop and phone and shows me how to login and get my email from home. Then he says he has to go. And leaves me alone. I login and delete the auto-generated welcome message. I glance around. I look at my laptop. I walk down to the common room kitchen. I examine the snacked and the drinks selection. After much debate, I choose a yogurt and a blended juice. I walk back to my desk. I sit down. I open my yogurt and take a bite. I sigh. Loudly.
Just....I think I get what the author is trying to do, but because there is already so much info dumping before and a ton later, it just hurts. Again, not bad, just needs a good editor or a beta-reader who isn't afraid to be tough.
Gigi, our main character, turns out to be a secret Royal, a member of an elite and secret society that runs the world from behind the scenes. Not the Royals like the British, but even more intense. Cool premise! Except this means for most of the book, Gigi doesn't do her job and instead runs around the world shopping and partying — which would be fine, except that we are told that these dudes (three of them that have a crush on her) all like her writing. But we never see her write anything.
There is also apparently a prophecy of This is, again cool, except that it isn't first mentioned until 67% of the way through the book — in passing at a party. And then the Main Character acts like it's actually the biggest deal and that she's been hearing about it the entire book and WHY DOES EVERYONE KEEP TALKING ABOUT THE PROPHECY?!
Except for 67% of the book, no one has.
Which brings me to my last issue with this book: there is a major time inconsistencies and lack of description of things that suddenly are important later:
*Gigi is the first American — except that we are never told that the other people who are members of this group that we have been introduced to are anything but American. One gets hinted at being Italian, and one might be British?
* Kings are called Your Majesty or My Lord. A Duke is Your Higness. These are used backwards.
*Chapter 16 ends at night and goes through Chapter 17 but then it's suddenly mid-afternoon in Chapter 17 without any mention of it being a new day as it goes into night and then is night again later. Again — this needs an editor or a beta reader that isn't afraid to point out inconsistencies.
*You cannot fly NYC to Italy, get out and shop for hours, fly back, all in literally one day and get back in mid-afternoon.
*The Main Character is the first American, yet "America's nobility is established through heirs to the existing Royal families." So is Gigi the first, or not?
*You've just met a guy who called you to take a job for the second time — he's taking you up to your job — and you are whining and asking for the tenth time if you can go upstairs??
*Your characters are supposed to be in their mid-20s to 30s(?) and yet they're acting like teenagers.
Overall, all the characters are just too flat to care about and the story meanders to a place of just a main character eating, drinking, and partying, but not even in a fun Gossip Girl kind of way.
Original Review:
I have a lot of thoughts on this book that I'll put together tonight or tomorrow, but I DO want to say that this has potential to be a good book with a few more drafts and lots of revisions. More to come later.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. As always, thank you Netgalley.
I picked this up on Netgalley based on the description: Shopaholic meets Adjustment Bureau. Couple this with the royal wedding, and I was in the mood for some, light royalness. I had just finished The Heir and The Spare, so why not continue the trend?
I wanted to like this book, but based on the Acknowledgements, I don't think it has ran through an editor. And it needs one badly. This read like a not bad third draft, before it should go to an editor for review. At the very least, a copyeditor, as there are periods missing — I think even at one point at the end of a chapter. Also — the kindle addition has wordstogether every so often, which is jarring and hard to read and you never canquite get used toit.
First off, the book is written in present form — i.e. "I walk down the street and say hi to the mailman," rather than "I walked down the street and said hi to the mailman." This isn't a deal breaker for me, as long as I can get to the point where I don't recognize it. But the way this book flows is as if she's writing in her journal....but not....so it really shouldn't be in present tense, and thus is continuously awkward.
Second of all, I am tired of the trope of "woman starts job and no one tells her what she's doing because NYC jobs are above that." Look. I moved to the city two and a half years ago, to do a job that I was already doing for the same company I already worked for, and my boss:
*still walked me around to introduce me
* set me up with a desk and made sure I was connected to IT and who I needed to be
*took me to visit some of our brokers before making me go out on my own
*set up weekly meetings that we STILL do to this day.
Anyone I know who has walked into a job where there "is no training" has quit it fairly quickly or the company has gone under. NOT TO SAY THAT TRAINING HAS TO BE PERFECT, but god stop trying to be Devil Wears Prada people. The trope is tired.
Third, this book is written again like a third draft, where the author is still working out the dialogue. Most of it in here can use some work as it reads like twelve year olds are talking (the Main Character is 26), and other places there are just PARGRAPHS of info dump like:
"He gives me my newly assigned laptop and phone and shows me how to login and get my email from home. Then he says he has to go. And leaves me alone. I login and delete the auto-generated welcome message. I glance around. I look at my laptop. I walk down to the common room kitchen. I examine the snacked and the drinks selection. After much debate, I choose a yogurt and a blended juice. I walk back to my desk. I sit down. I open my yogurt and take a bite. I sigh. Loudly.
Just....I think I get what the author is trying to do, but because there is already so much info dumping before and a ton later, it just hurts. Again, not bad, just needs a good editor or a beta-reader who isn't afraid to be tough.
Gigi, our main character, turns out to be a secret Royal, a member of an elite and secret society that runs the world from behind the scenes. Not the Royals like the British, but even more intense. Cool premise! Except this means for most of the book, Gigi doesn't do her job and instead runs around the world shopping and partying — which would be fine, except that we are told that these dudes (three of them that have a crush on her) all like her writing. But we never see her write anything.
There is also apparently a prophecy of This is, again cool, except that it isn't first mentioned until 67% of the way through the book — in passing at a party. And then the Main Character acts like it's actually the biggest deal and that she's been hearing about it the entire book and WHY DOES EVERYONE KEEP TALKING ABOUT THE PROPHECY?!
Except for 67% of the book, no one has.
Which brings me to my last issue with this book: there is a major time inconsistencies and lack of description of things that suddenly are important later:
*Gigi is the first American — except that we are never told that the other people who are members of this group that we have been introduced to are anything but American. One gets hinted at being Italian, and one might be British?
* Kings are called Your Majesty or My Lord. A Duke is Your Higness. These are used backwards.
*Chapter 16 ends at night and goes through Chapter 17 but then it's suddenly mid-afternoon in Chapter 17 without any mention of it being a new day as it goes into night and then is night again later. Again — this needs an editor or a beta reader that isn't afraid to point out inconsistencies.
*You cannot fly NYC to Italy, get out and shop for hours, fly back, all in literally one day and get back in mid-afternoon.
*The Main Character is the first American, yet "America's nobility is established through heirs to the existing Royal families." So is Gigi the first, or not?
*You've just met a guy who called you to take a job for the second time — he's taking you up to your job — and you are whining and asking for the tenth time if you can go upstairs??
*Your characters are supposed to be in their mid-20s to 30s(?) and yet they're acting like teenagers.
Overall, all the characters are just too flat to care about and the story meanders to a place of just a main character eating, drinking, and partying, but not even in a fun Gossip Girl kind of way.
Original Review:
I have a lot of thoughts on this book that I'll put together tonight or tomorrow, but I DO want to say that this has potential to be a good book with a few more drafts and lots of revisions. More to come later.
July 8, 2018
hank you BookSparks for the free finished copy of The Secret Lives of Royals. This is a self-published title by Shalini Dua. 📖
Olivia has recently graduated from Yale and working at Starbucks when a job as an editor at a Vogue-like magazine practically falls in her lap. The ensuing story is what she discovers about herself (that she’s royalty) and the people who leveraged her to get the job (the Circle).
📖
My twelve-year-old self would have loved this book. It’s like Princess Diaries on steroids. I have to give props to any author who self-publishes. There’s a lot of hard work and effort that goes into producing a book that deserves acknowledgement. 👏🏻 If I was to throw out some constructive points for this author, I’d suggest either lowering the age of the characters, or mature their personalities to fit the age depicted in the book. Also, don’t be afraid to give Olivia the brains and common sense that befits her Yale degree. Lastly, though the characters were jetting around the globe almost daily, jet lag didn’t seem to be an issue nor did the time difference. A 12 year-old wouldn’t notice that but if the target audience is older, I’d work out the details. Not a bad read for a first effort depending on the intended audience!
Olivia has recently graduated from Yale and working at Starbucks when a job as an editor at a Vogue-like magazine practically falls in her lap. The ensuing story is what she discovers about herself (that she’s royalty) and the people who leveraged her to get the job (the Circle).
📖
My twelve-year-old self would have loved this book. It’s like Princess Diaries on steroids. I have to give props to any author who self-publishes. There’s a lot of hard work and effort that goes into producing a book that deserves acknowledgement. 👏🏻 If I was to throw out some constructive points for this author, I’d suggest either lowering the age of the characters, or mature their personalities to fit the age depicted in the book. Also, don’t be afraid to give Olivia the brains and common sense that befits her Yale degree. Lastly, though the characters were jetting around the globe almost daily, jet lag didn’t seem to be an issue nor did the time difference. A 12 year-old wouldn’t notice that but if the target audience is older, I’d work out the details. Not a bad read for a first effort depending on the intended audience!
May 13, 2018
I received a copy from NetGalley for review.
Seemingly ordinary girl Olivia receives dream job, and everything is not what it appears to be.
Finds out she's part of a secret society, a shadow governments that is descended from royalty from Europe. Raised in anonymity from parents who tried to protect and shield her, to give her an opportunity at a normal life away from this organization. While the jet set life of the wealthy and celebrities comes with the trapping she's always imagine and dreamed of, it has hefty strings attached and instructions that must be followed from those above.
Deciding how the rest of the world proceeds, runs, from what music is in, to what food is popular, so world wide economic decisions, The Circle pulls all the strings, nothing is random, nothing is by chance, everything is a coordinated dance, decided by this elite group of people.
Is this life for her, or is the weight of it too much to bear?
While the premise is interesting (it honestly reminds me of the plot line for the Josie and the Pussycats movie), and the girl thrust into it is just as benign and not as alert as I'd like for a main character who really should know better. She seems so content to just go with everything. I know it's an ARC but I hope the editing mistakes and corrected before it's published because they are glaring and many.
The plot when a little sideways for me, and it's all just too much, hardly believable, and it's got tons of holes. It's even comes with a prophecy and a love triangle. I wanted to like this because the premise is good but. It's kind of a mess.
Seemingly ordinary girl Olivia receives dream job, and everything is not what it appears to be.
Finds out she's part of a secret society, a shadow governments that is descended from royalty from Europe. Raised in anonymity from parents who tried to protect and shield her, to give her an opportunity at a normal life away from this organization. While the jet set life of the wealthy and celebrities comes with the trapping she's always imagine and dreamed of, it has hefty strings attached and instructions that must be followed from those above.
Deciding how the rest of the world proceeds, runs, from what music is in, to what food is popular, so world wide economic decisions, The Circle pulls all the strings, nothing is random, nothing is by chance, everything is a coordinated dance, decided by this elite group of people.
Is this life for her, or is the weight of it too much to bear?
While the premise is interesting (it honestly reminds me of the plot line for the Josie and the Pussycats movie), and the girl thrust into it is just as benign and not as alert as I'd like for a main character who really should know better. She seems so content to just go with everything. I know it's an ARC but I hope the editing mistakes and corrected before it's published because they are glaring and many.
The plot when a little sideways for me, and it's all just too much, hardly believable, and it's got tons of holes. It's even comes with a prophecy and a love triangle. I wanted to like this because the premise is good but. It's kind of a mess.
May 17, 2018
This book started out reminding me Of The Devil Wears Prada for a moment and then seemed like Gossip Girl. It wasn't what I expected and it took me a moment to really figure out what was going on but I really liked it. I read it all in a out a day. The whole royals thing could have been fleshed out more, I am left with a lot of questions. Is this a standalone book or a series? After that ending, I would expect a series. If it isn't, that ending was a little unsatisfying. I thought it was an interesting and original idea for a book and I flew through it.
I received this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 13, 2018
The Secret Lives of Royals, Shalini Dua
Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
Genre: General fiction (adult), New Adult.
I was intrigued by this, and really wanted to like it. It seems to be a debut book, at least I can't find any others by this author so I wanted to be able to write a positive review. Writing is darn hard work, so I admire those who go on to actually publish. Sadly for me this book just didn't work though :-( I'm sure others will love it but for me its a fail.
I didn't really like Olivia much, she veered from over confident to cautious, all about the wrong (IMO) things. She dropped her long time friends like a hot brick and seemed to just accept this strange job, one she dreamed of but was totally unqualified for without any worries of why it just fell into her lap. Tells her long time friends she's too tired to go out, but jumps up and happily goes off with her new friends when they call.
The story itself was so intriguing, a society within society that's really running the world, calling the shots. If that were so though they would never let some un-briefed, unsigned new girl be party to all the facts.
I felt when they were having meetings, especially with the King that there were lots of heavy words put together to make what they were doing sound good, but in fact there was little or no detail about what they were actually doing and how. “Beets need promoting Olivia, trundle off and talk to Gordon Ramsey, push it in the top mags, get it talked about on TV”. “OK then, super, jolly good sir”. Well, it wasn't quite like that but it ran along those lines. I couldn't really believe that this society with few rules, very lax on details was capable of running the world, and that was a disappointment because I really wanted to be convinced. I needed to know how things were arranged, how all this lush lifestyle was financed, how they got and kept control of information, checked fats, actually did things. I'm not convinced the royal tags were correct either, we in the UK have some strange ways about titles and they don't always run as simple as it seemed here. TBH I felt that the Royal stuff, the details of how the Society ran were too thin, too poorly researched and it showed. It could be a great novel, its a terrific idea, secret bloodlines, people behind the scenes forcing changed, and running things for the greater good, but in my view it needed a lot more work on the details.
I think maybe the New Adult tag is correct and the General fiction (Adult) is over optimistic, and maybe teens will take this as its meanr, while older readers like me are too much a cynic to believe in this without more detail of the how, why, when stuff.
Stars: Two, a story with lots of potential but which I struggled to believe, didn't feel real to me. Maybe will have greater appeal for younger readers.
ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers
Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
Genre: General fiction (adult), New Adult.
I was intrigued by this, and really wanted to like it. It seems to be a debut book, at least I can't find any others by this author so I wanted to be able to write a positive review. Writing is darn hard work, so I admire those who go on to actually publish. Sadly for me this book just didn't work though :-( I'm sure others will love it but for me its a fail.
I didn't really like Olivia much, she veered from over confident to cautious, all about the wrong (IMO) things. She dropped her long time friends like a hot brick and seemed to just accept this strange job, one she dreamed of but was totally unqualified for without any worries of why it just fell into her lap. Tells her long time friends she's too tired to go out, but jumps up and happily goes off with her new friends when they call.
The story itself was so intriguing, a society within society that's really running the world, calling the shots. If that were so though they would never let some un-briefed, unsigned new girl be party to all the facts.
I felt when they were having meetings, especially with the King that there were lots of heavy words put together to make what they were doing sound good, but in fact there was little or no detail about what they were actually doing and how. “Beets need promoting Olivia, trundle off and talk to Gordon Ramsey, push it in the top mags, get it talked about on TV”. “OK then, super, jolly good sir”. Well, it wasn't quite like that but it ran along those lines. I couldn't really believe that this society with few rules, very lax on details was capable of running the world, and that was a disappointment because I really wanted to be convinced. I needed to know how things were arranged, how all this lush lifestyle was financed, how they got and kept control of information, checked fats, actually did things. I'm not convinced the royal tags were correct either, we in the UK have some strange ways about titles and they don't always run as simple as it seemed here. TBH I felt that the Royal stuff, the details of how the Society ran were too thin, too poorly researched and it showed. It could be a great novel, its a terrific idea, secret bloodlines, people behind the scenes forcing changed, and running things for the greater good, but in my view it needed a lot more work on the details.
I think maybe the New Adult tag is correct and the General fiction (Adult) is over optimistic, and maybe teens will take this as its meanr, while older readers like me are too much a cynic to believe in this without more detail of the how, why, when stuff.
Stars: Two, a story with lots of potential but which I struggled to believe, didn't feel real to me. Maybe will have greater appeal for younger readers.
ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers
May 20, 2018
Shalini Dua’s “The Secret Lives of Royals” is a career-in-New-York-publishing story crossed with a conspiracy-theory page-turner – imagine if Dan Brown had written the TV show Ugly Betty. It makes for a fun, light read.
Olivia (sometimes called Gigi or Gracie) is a Yale grad still working as a barista in NYC at age 26, while looking for her big break in publishing. One day it appears out of nowhere, and she lands her dream job at Le Salon magazine.
Just a few weeks into the glamorous new gig, she finds herself whisked off to the midnight meeting of a secret society of endlessly rich, non-reigning royals, who run the world. (Being whisked off at a moment’s notice is a recurring theme in this book. Olivia isn’t a big packer, apparently.) The Circle informs her that she is actually an elite, so they’re grooming her for bigger things and a fabulous life.
That is, those things will be hers if she chooses to join the Circle, a decision made simpler by luxurious international travel, cost-free pampering, little work, and multiple love interests. But, what about her parents and best friend? (You’ll find out.)
The story proceeds without a lot of tension or drama, as Olivia seems more delighted than curious about her new fortunes. The last third of the book involves a Circle-related conspiracy, which propels things to the end. Without giving up the ending, Dua seems to have left the door open for another book in the future.
The book could have used a stronger editorial hand, especially in smoothing out timelines and details. (Names of fake countries, travel times, and details like passports get a little bungled.) But, it’s a cheerful, pleasant story.
Olivia (sometimes called Gigi or Gracie) is a Yale grad still working as a barista in NYC at age 26, while looking for her big break in publishing. One day it appears out of nowhere, and she lands her dream job at Le Salon magazine.
Just a few weeks into the glamorous new gig, she finds herself whisked off to the midnight meeting of a secret society of endlessly rich, non-reigning royals, who run the world. (Being whisked off at a moment’s notice is a recurring theme in this book. Olivia isn’t a big packer, apparently.) The Circle informs her that she is actually an elite, so they’re grooming her for bigger things and a fabulous life.
That is, those things will be hers if she chooses to join the Circle, a decision made simpler by luxurious international travel, cost-free pampering, little work, and multiple love interests. But, what about her parents and best friend? (You’ll find out.)
The story proceeds without a lot of tension or drama, as Olivia seems more delighted than curious about her new fortunes. The last third of the book involves a Circle-related conspiracy, which propels things to the end. Without giving up the ending, Dua seems to have left the door open for another book in the future.
The book could have used a stronger editorial hand, especially in smoothing out timelines and details. (Names of fake countries, travel times, and details like passports get a little bungled.) But, it’s a cheerful, pleasant story.
May 21, 2018
Ok...um.
I give this one two stars. I didn’t like the writing style. It was, I don’t know, not very immersive maybe. I wasn’t sucked in.
The characterization was sorely lacking. The main character stays pretty much the same throughout the short novel. The best friend was treated with vague mentions and two or three big scenes. The two, yeah love triangle, love interests were without chemistry.
I don’t think we can even call it a love triangle.
Neither boy put up much of a fight or even an inkling of feelings for Olivia.
Until the end. The almost very end. Like what even is that? One boy she had history, not chemistry, with and that was what they were building their relationship on when they hadn’t seen each other in over 10 years. What?!
I might not have had many(read any) significant relationships but even I know a person changes so much over the years that one can’t go back.
The other guy, she was working with.... and that was it. Until he could suddenly sing....and made her a cute little picnic. And then they made her choose between them. Like....um...nope.
The parents. Ugh. They completely changed their tune as soon as their past was revealed. Instead of acting like they have for the last twenty something years; I forget how old Olivia is; they turn around and are all for everything they just condemned. Why?
All in all, I really didn’t like this book. I couldn’t get into it, the chemistry was nonexistent and the “problem” they had to solve was extremely vague. It seemed as though the main focus was on the “budding romance” that the main character had.
I give this one two stars. I didn’t like the writing style. It was, I don’t know, not very immersive maybe. I wasn’t sucked in.
The characterization was sorely lacking. The main character stays pretty much the same throughout the short novel. The best friend was treated with vague mentions and two or three big scenes. The two, yeah love triangle, love interests were without chemistry.
I don’t think we can even call it a love triangle.
Neither boy put up much of a fight or even an inkling of feelings for Olivia.
Until the end. The almost very end. Like what even is that? One boy she had history, not chemistry, with and that was what they were building their relationship on when they hadn’t seen each other in over 10 years. What?!
I might not have had many(read any) significant relationships but even I know a person changes so much over the years that one can’t go back.
The other guy, she was working with.... and that was it. Until he could suddenly sing....and made her a cute little picnic. And then they made her choose between them. Like....um...nope.
The parents. Ugh. They completely changed their tune as soon as their past was revealed. Instead of acting like they have for the last twenty something years; I forget how old Olivia is; they turn around and are all for everything they just condemned. Why?
All in all, I really didn’t like this book. I couldn’t get into it, the chemistry was nonexistent and the “problem” they had to solve was extremely vague. It seemed as though the main focus was on the “budding romance” that the main character had.
July 9, 2018
Initially, I got a lot of "Devil Wears Prada" vibes..."new adult" girl striking out into a media profession, snagging the coveted seemingly luxe position of Editor at a posher-than-posh publication, without REALLY even trying. The inevitable "fitting in" period, the fairy godmother-like helpers with a closet to die for, and an ever expanding social circle that will definitely benefit her in some way in the future...like I said, definitely some similarities...but then we add a royal twist. Now we're introducing a secret circle based on bloodlines with shady rules, cryptic influences, and far reaching power that seems potentially without end...unless it comes abruptly to one thanks to a cloak and dagger-esque scheme to take someone down through any means necessary. Did I mention there's a good old fashioned kidnapping, a BIG SECRET reveal outside of the initial one...oh, and the ending, OH THE ENDING?! Like I said, though initially a somewhat shadowed version of the other ever popular story, it definitely had it's own flavor, it's own flair, it's own heritage, if you will, to set the lay of the land for future stories...because seriously, who wouldn't want to see where this one goes next!
**copy received for review
**copy received for review
July 9, 2018
I received this book for free. I entered a contest on Goodreads, but there was no letter attached or a request to give a review. I believe the return address said NetGalley, but couldn't be sure of that.
Anyway, I thought I would write a review since I did receive the book for free. Thank you by the way to whoever sent it!
I really liked the beginning of the story. Olivia starts a new job and it has a "Devil Wears Prada" feel to the story, but then it gets kinda weird with the society and this whole other life that Olivia didn't know anything about. She gets involved in a love triangle because every story has to have one of those. But I really didn't feel she had feelings for either suitor and honestly I forgot about "the curse" which was a basis for the relationships.
I hope that the author will continue with a series and that it will grow, because there really is potential to this story line. There's so much history that could be explored plus the society and of course the curse.
The book overall was a nice, easy read. Just give it a chance, you might like it.
Anyway, I thought I would write a review since I did receive the book for free. Thank you by the way to whoever sent it!
I really liked the beginning of the story. Olivia starts a new job and it has a "Devil Wears Prada" feel to the story, but then it gets kinda weird with the society and this whole other life that Olivia didn't know anything about. She gets involved in a love triangle because every story has to have one of those. But I really didn't feel she had feelings for either suitor and honestly I forgot about "the curse" which was a basis for the relationships.
I hope that the author will continue with a series and that it will grow, because there really is potential to this story line. There's so much history that could be explored plus the society and of course the curse.
The book overall was a nice, easy read. Just give it a chance, you might like it.
May 19, 2018
This book has everything including the kitchen sink; but, not in a good way. There's a secret society that runs the world, a normal girl who finds out she's a 'princess', a love triangle, and OF COURSE a prophecy about the girl. All of the characters are flat and there's occasionally a very weak plot.
Olivia, the protagonist, is obnoxious and is willing to just go with the flow until events start to involve her best friend. Then she decides to run away from the world for weeks or months (the timeline was hard to follow). Olivia's parents want nothing to do with the royal life until they find out Olivia seems to enjoy it. They warn her against it for about a page and then five pages later they're moving into a castle!
The most interesting plot point is introduced in the last 20% of the book, forgotten for about 2 chapters, and wrapped up in another couple chapters.
Thank you Net gally for giving me an advanced copy of this book. I only finished it because it was an easy read and I was hoping a real storyline would eventually emerge.
Olivia, the protagonist, is obnoxious and is willing to just go with the flow until events start to involve her best friend. Then she decides to run away from the world for weeks or months (the timeline was hard to follow). Olivia's parents want nothing to do with the royal life until they find out Olivia seems to enjoy it. They warn her against it for about a page and then five pages later they're moving into a castle!
The most interesting plot point is introduced in the last 20% of the book, forgotten for about 2 chapters, and wrapped up in another couple chapters.
Thank you Net gally for giving me an advanced copy of this book. I only finished it because it was an easy read and I was hoping a real storyline would eventually emerge.
May 31, 2018
I received a copy of this book in exchange for a review.
This book started out live The Devil Wears Prada,then The Royals then The Gossip Girl. So, if you are a fan of all these movies, you will like this book.
Olivia, a normal girl, works in Starbucks. She lives with her best friend and all is just normal until she receives a phone call for an interview with a famous magazine. Then she was told that she was from a line of royals.
I quite like the book but the characters especially Alex and Connor actually annoyed the hell out of me. I liked the Connor from the start of the book but it just ended up with both guys chasing after one girl.
Alex was Olivia's ex boyfriend who left without any explanation. Poof, just disappeared. Then he came back into the story and with no questions asked, they became friends. What!? Seriously? I don't know if I want to accept that.
This is definitely a quick read but would leave you with lots of questions.
I hope that this is a serious because this books left a lot of questions unanswered!
This book started out live The Devil Wears Prada,then The Royals then The Gossip Girl. So, if you are a fan of all these movies, you will like this book.
Olivia, a normal girl, works in Starbucks. She lives with her best friend and all is just normal until she receives a phone call for an interview with a famous magazine. Then she was told that she was from a line of royals.
I quite like the book but the characters especially Alex and Connor actually annoyed the hell out of me. I liked the Connor from the start of the book but it just ended up with both guys chasing after one girl.
Alex was Olivia's ex boyfriend who left without any explanation. Poof, just disappeared. Then he came back into the story and with no questions asked, they became friends. What!? Seriously? I don't know if I want to accept that.
This is definitely a quick read but would leave you with lots of questions.
I hope that this is a serious because this books left a lot of questions unanswered!
June 7, 2018
From the title, I thought this would be an awesome royal romance. Sadly, The Secret Lives of Royals fell short for me. I don't know what I was expecting when I started reading it but it wasn't what I thought it would be. Our main character, Olivia, is pulled into this secret society called "The Circle". From the first time we meed the Circle, I was a bit freaked out by it. It's a group of highly respectable people or those with royal blood that basically oversee everything. I guess the idea of people secretly influencing the world scares me.
There were times where I did enjoy the inner dialogue of our main character. Olivia is light hearted and funny, which I liked. Other than that, I felt that the interactions with other characters didn't create a connection with the reader. I ended up slightly bored and struggled to finish the book. I don't think The Secret Lives of Royals was a right fit for me.
There were times where I did enjoy the inner dialogue of our main character. Olivia is light hearted and funny, which I liked. Other than that, I felt that the interactions with other characters didn't create a connection with the reader. I ended up slightly bored and struggled to finish the book. I don't think The Secret Lives of Royals was a right fit for me.
June 8, 2018
This book started off well, but then it took a turn that made no sense. I found The Circle to be intriguing. I liked the secrecy and royal treatment that it gave Olivia. I loved Connor and didn't mind the return of Alex. I hated how Olivia just dropped Maddy and her friends for months at a time. Another odd thing was the introduction of characters who seemed like they'd be influential, only to never hear from them again. The oddest part though, was the last few chapters. In those few chapters, there was Olivia going back to work, being kidnapped, breaking free, kidnapped again, breaking free again, a birth mystery reveal, Maddy being adopted, Olivia having to choose between Alex & Connor, and her taking the royal oath. The ending was so rushed and inconsistent. I was really rooting for this book, but it definitely fell short.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 26, 2018
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was only less than a month ago, the book came in a perfect time for my royal withdrawal. I really like the concept of this book, a secret circle for the modern royalties. It is a fun and easy read. There is also a love triangle that might or might not involve a prophecy. The competition is quite fair, that would make readers wonder til the end.
There are some minor con that I have to mention. I hope the copy I got is not final version of the book. There are many typos in the beginning. =( Also, the title for people in the Circle are weird. Not everyone can be prince or princess, maybe a a lady or duke. There are some questions that have not been answered. Will there be a second book?
#TeamAlex
3 out of 5 stars
Received a complimentary copy from BookSparks Pop-Up Tour in exchange for an honest review.
There are some minor con that I have to mention. I hope the copy I got is not final version of the book. There are many typos in the beginning. =( Also, the title for people in the Circle are weird. Not everyone can be prince or princess, maybe a a lady or duke. There are some questions that have not been answered. Will there be a second book?
#TeamAlex
3 out of 5 stars
Received a complimentary copy from BookSparks Pop-Up Tour in exchange for an honest review.
May 12, 2018
I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my review.
This book was intensely readable and had an interesting premise that pulled me in from page one. I will say that the last twenty percent of the book felt rushed and a bit disjointed, but I'd love to read a sequel to the story.
I found the characters enjoyable, the plot entertaining, and think this would make a perfect summer pool or beach read, as well as a great TV show, on a network like FreeForm or The CW or Netflix.
This book was intensely readable and had an interesting premise that pulled me in from page one. I will say that the last twenty percent of the book felt rushed and a bit disjointed, but I'd love to read a sequel to the story.
I found the characters enjoyable, the plot entertaining, and think this would make a perfect summer pool or beach read, as well as a great TV show, on a network like FreeForm or The CW or Netflix.
June 13, 2018
The Secret Lives of Royals is the debut novel of Shalini Dua. It is an excellent read. The characters are fun and relatable, and the story is imaginative. I especially liked the imagery and got swept up while travelling with the main character, Olivia, through Europe. I’m ready to book some tickets and go on an actual trip. This book should definitely be on top of your summer reading list. I would highly recommend this book by first time author, Shalini Dua.
June 16, 2018
*thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me this copy in exchange for an honest review.*
This book was exceptionally difficult to get into. The grammar and syntax of the author is hard to decipher, and at times doesn’t make any sense. The concept of the story seemed like one I’d enjoy, but in the end, I struggled so hard with language issues, I couldn’t even focus on the plot line.
This book was exceptionally difficult to get into. The grammar and syntax of the author is hard to decipher, and at times doesn’t make any sense. The concept of the story seemed like one I’d enjoy, but in the end, I struggled so hard with language issues, I couldn’t even focus on the plot line.
June 22, 2018
This should be a fun, light-hearted read. Sadly, I did not get a taste or experience this during my reading time. The reason is because I found the characters to be muted and the story as well. In fact, I didn't notice that Olivia had two love interest in the beginning. Both men did not stand out in my eyes. Thus you could say that I was not into the romance.
The mystery aspect of the secret society didn't peak my intrigue either. You can say that this whole book kind of missed the mark. This truly is sad as there could have been something there but with lackluster characters; it failed.
The mystery aspect of the secret society didn't peak my intrigue either. You can say that this whole book kind of missed the mark. This truly is sad as there could have been something there but with lackluster characters; it failed.
May 7, 2018
I was given a copy of this from NetGalley in return for my honest unbiased review.
I can't even say this was okay, it really wasn't. I hated the main character Olivia, she felt like someone much younger than 26. I don't think the writing style helped with this as it came across as very immature. This should be edited for a younger audience (late teens) rather than an adult one.
I can't even say this was okay, it really wasn't. I hated the main character Olivia, she felt like someone much younger than 26. I don't think the writing style helped with this as it came across as very immature. This should be edited for a younger audience (late teens) rather than an adult one.
June 27, 2018
The Secret Lives of Royals is a mix of THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA and THE PRINCESS DIARIES. Take out all of the drinking, and this book would be great for tweens.
For my full review, go to www.danithebookaholic.com
For my full review, go to www.danithebookaholic.com
July 15, 2018
This might work as a light beach read. It was a bit slow for my tastes.
July 23, 2018
Interesting idea...sometimes I lost the storyline but liked the characters!
October 25, 2018
That was creepy and predictable.
June 26, 2018
I was thoroughly excited for this book. Once I got a little further into it the story seemed full of frivolous people just being rich and blowing off work. Olivia started out as a relatable character with ambition and drive, but once she is presented with an opportunity to be rich she pretends to be torn and then proceeds to binge watch at eat at home instead of work for weeks at a time. I was hopeful when the Royal society talked about influencing the world for the better to make it a better place, but then those conversations seems to go nowhere and are eclipsed by gowns and private planes.
September 25, 2018
I enjoyed this book - It was a bit of a rags-to-riches story with heart, which is probably what the author was going for. :)
The pacing wasn't perfect, but it didn't distract me from my enjoyment of the plot & characterizations. It's a great concept, and I hope the author writes more in this universe.
The pacing wasn't perfect, but it didn't distract me from my enjoyment of the plot & characterizations. It's a great concept, and I hope the author writes more in this universe.
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November 9, 2019I received a copy of this book for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Read an excerpt and follow the Goddess Fish book tour here.
As far as fairy tales go, this book hits all the right points. Royalty? Check. Beautiful clothes? Check. Not one, but two, handsome princes? Double check. Toss in a modern-day setting and a long-lost princess who isn’t long-lost for all the usual reasons, and you’ve got quite the setup for a story.
For me, unfortunately, hitting the right points was the thing this book did best. Otherwise, this wasn’t as amazing as I hoped, and I just had a difficult time identifying with Olivia or getting into the story.
My first thought upon completing this book is that it felt inconsistent and paced incorrectly. Olivia, our leading lady, made a big deal out of things that didn’t feel worthy of a deal. On the flip side, things that should have been a deal felt glossed over. In addition, her reaction to any type of stress was to take a few days and do nothing but eat and think about how terrible her life was. You just flew to Europe and back on a private jet, and your life is terrible? Right.
Olivia’s behavior and qualities also seemed inconsistent. She would occasionally ask people to call her by a nickname. The other characters would either agree for a paragraph or completely ignore her, and Olivia would just move on as if the nickname thing really didn’t even matter to her. Later, when she reconnects with her old boyfriend, he calls her by a completely different nickname, which just confused me. As far as qualities go, Olivia makes a few notes about her natural clumsy tendencies. However, she turns out only to be clumsy when the story calls for it, and mystically, she’s very coordinated when drunk. To me, Olivia felt less like her own character and more like a compilation of young adult heroine traits that seem to be popular in the genre.
The pace of the story felt slow. The many stops for the characters to nurse their wounds was the biggest culprit. For the most part, the dialogue was realistic. Just, sometimes, there was too much of it about nothing. The ending left a sort of cliffhanger, but for me, it didn’t work. If there is a sequel to this, it is currently made up of a decision equivalent to “red or green?” I’m not sure why this one piece of information was withheld, but it didn’t hook me to read a next installment.
All in all, this had all the right things, just in the wrong places. I wanted to love this modern story of princesses and castles and the good life, but I’m left without the proverbial stars in my eyes.
Read an excerpt and follow the Goddess Fish book tour here.
As far as fairy tales go, this book hits all the right points. Royalty? Check. Beautiful clothes? Check. Not one, but two, handsome princes? Double check. Toss in a modern-day setting and a long-lost princess who isn’t long-lost for all the usual reasons, and you’ve got quite the setup for a story.
For me, unfortunately, hitting the right points was the thing this book did best. Otherwise, this wasn’t as amazing as I hoped, and I just had a difficult time identifying with Olivia or getting into the story.
My first thought upon completing this book is that it felt inconsistent and paced incorrectly. Olivia, our leading lady, made a big deal out of things that didn’t feel worthy of a deal. On the flip side, things that should have been a deal felt glossed over. In addition, her reaction to any type of stress was to take a few days and do nothing but eat and think about how terrible her life was. You just flew to Europe and back on a private jet, and your life is terrible? Right.
Olivia’s behavior and qualities also seemed inconsistent. She would occasionally ask people to call her by a nickname. The other characters would either agree for a paragraph or completely ignore her, and Olivia would just move on as if the nickname thing really didn’t even matter to her. Later, when she reconnects with her old boyfriend, he calls her by a completely different nickname, which just confused me. As far as qualities go, Olivia makes a few notes about her natural clumsy tendencies. However, she turns out only to be clumsy when the story calls for it, and mystically, she’s very coordinated when drunk. To me, Olivia felt less like her own character and more like a compilation of young adult heroine traits that seem to be popular in the genre.
The pace of the story felt slow. The many stops for the characters to nurse their wounds was the biggest culprit. For the most part, the dialogue was realistic. Just, sometimes, there was too much of it about nothing. The ending left a sort of cliffhanger, but for me, it didn’t work. If there is a sequel to this, it is currently made up of a decision equivalent to “red or green?” I’m not sure why this one piece of information was withheld, but it didn’t hook me to read a next installment.
All in all, this had all the right things, just in the wrong places. I wanted to love this modern story of princesses and castles and the good life, but I’m left without the proverbial stars in my eyes.
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