Prokletý trůn

Dividing Eden #1

by Joelle Charbonneau, Alžběta Kalinová (Translator)

Dvojčata Carys a Andreas vždycky držela spolu a ochraňovala se navzájem: před dvorem, intrikami, tajemstvími i krvelačnými zrůdami, které žijí v horách za hradbami. Nikdy by je nenapadlo, že se budou muset postavit proti sobě a bojovat o trůn. Jenže přesně to se stalo, když krále i jejich staršího bratra – korunního prince – někdo zavraždil. Nyní země potřebuje nového panovníka a je čeká zkouška následnictví. Ten, kdo bude lepší, se ujme trůnu. Boj o korunu se začne brzy projevovat na jejich vzájemné důvěře. Země je rozdělená a Carys i Andreas najednou také. Zjišťují, že ten druhý je ochoten udělat pro moc cokoliv, třeba i zradit vlastní krev…

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Young Adult Fantasy, Romance, Fiction, High Fantasy, Magic

280 pages, Hardcover

First published June 6, 2017

About the author

I am a storyteller at heart. I have performed in a variety of operas, musical theatre and children's theatre productions across the Chicagoland area.

While I'm happy to perform for an audience, I am equally delighted to teach private voice lessons and use my experience from the stage to create compelling characters on the page. I am the author of the Rebecca Robbins mystery series (Minotaur Books), The Paige Marshall Glee Club mysteries (Berkley) and The Testing YA triology (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt).

Reviews

[s · Rating 1 out of 5]

warning: uhhhh lots of swearing ahead

my eyes. oh my god, my poor fucking EYES. i'm died. this book is just so fucking terrible, I'M FUCKING DIED FROM THE BULLSHIT.

i mean, it has a good concept and all. two twins forced to battle for the crown with lots of political intrigue and murder, but like, i was expecting them to come together and take on the council and have the ultimate greatest sibling bond or whatever.

instead, i got fed a McDick Andreus and his dumbass decisions. being a piece of shit person in general and fucking his dead brother's fiance a few fucking minutes after he DIES.

if i haven't made it clear already: i fucking hate Andreus, this little bitch boy ass piece of fucking shit, you dumb ass selfish mother fucker. fucking DUMB ASS I WANT TO THROTTLE THIS DUMB FUCKING ASSHOLE.

reasons to hate Andreus, little McBitch:
1. he fucks his dead brothers fiance
he fucks his dead brother's fiance

HE FUCKS HIS DEAD BROTHER'S FIANCE literally like, FIVE MINUTES AFTER HIS BROTHER DIES.

"After all, no matter what they both felt, she had been his brother's promised wife.

But he didn't feel guilty."

and he also has sex with her WHILE his brother was alive. how gross, selfish and just gross is this guy, oh my god. and the fiance, Imogen, little cheating bitch. i hate them both.

"'Micah.' The word was a whisper before Imogen pushed away from his chest and out of his arms.

The jealousy he'd been denying for months clawed at him."

hMmmmM, your brother is FUCKING DEAD, what is WRONG WITH THIS GUY?

but if that's what gets him off then uhhh...........okay, I guess.

2. he literally wants to sleep with anything that has a pair of tits and a vagina and i just didn't care about how much he wants to sleep around with women. shut the fuck UP Andreus.

3. his sister got whipped because she defended him and instead of comforting her and making sure she's okay, he's off to fuck his dead brothers fiance. woohoo 11/10 personality, marry me daddy.

4. he's so stupid and just so fucking dumb. he blindly and easily trusts other people about the shit they were saying about his sister, how she's against him, when she CLEARLY FUCKING TOLD HIM, she wants him to become King and would support him. Like, his sister, Carys, takes fucking whippings for him and he's so easily willing to betray her. he's so blind for power, he would deadass turn against the only person who will ever probably love him.

5. he's just a selfish asshole who i hate.

the writing is so simple and immature as well. it's from 2 perspectives, McBitch's and Carys. I loathed Andreus' POV. now i gotta throw the whole book out because it's filled with this annoying little fuck. there's nothing intriguing or fun about the story. it was a nice idea, but horrible execution.

30% in i stopped giving a fuck and started skimming hardcore and just wanted to get this book over with, god damn.

Carys is the only character saving this book. unlike her brother, she's selfless and actually has a fucking brain.

the Queen, their mom, is a horrible parent and i hoped she died along with her husband and son. what type of parent ALLOWS their kid to get whipped and fucking beaten, jesus fucking christ. gross ass, annoying ass and dumb ass bitch, she is.

overall, get this book away from me. we both know we hate each other and will 10/10 square up and one of us might end up dead.

[Isa Cantos (Crónicas de una Merodeadora) · Rating 2 out of 5]

”Because everyone wanted something, and when someone coveted a thing enough, rarely did they question the price”.

Estoy en una racha… madre mía. Vamos a ver, en Dividing Eden nos encontramos con la historia del reino de Eden, un lugar que ha vivido en las penumbras, pero que, últimamente, ha descubierto la maravilla de la electricidad. Y, además, este gran invento ha permitido que unas criaturas de la noche no se acerquen y destrocen a todo el mundo. Carys y Andreus son gemelos, princesa y príncipe del reino, respectivamente, pero nunca han tenido que preocuparse por heredar el trono, pues tienen un hermano mayor: Micah. Sin embargo, cuando un ataque repentino acaba con la vida del rey y de Micah y la reina se vuelve loca por el duelo de su esposo y su hijo, son Carys y Andreus los que tienen la responsabilidad de sacar el reino adelante. Ahora, aunque todos saben que Andreus es el mayor por unos minutos, eso no le basta al Consejo y desentierran una ley antiquísima y absurda que determina que los gemelos tendrán que enfrentarse en unas pruebas hasta la muerte para demostrar cuál es el más apto para quedarse con el trono.

I mean… la premisa suena bien, pero realmente la ejecución me pareció bastante simple y, a decir verdad, las pruebas en las que tenían que enfrentarse los hermanos eran bastante patéticas. Y, además, tampoco hubo mucho misterio con respecto a quien ganaría porque desde el principio los gemelos hacen un pacto y, encima, poco tiempo después, vemos que el Consejo favorece claramente a uno de ellos. Así que no había nada de factor sorpresa.

Por otra parte, creo que la única que valía la pena como personaje era Carys, pues realmente era inteligente, estratega y tenía profundidad. Es decir, toda su historia con la adicción y con todo lo que ha hecho a lo largo de los años para evitar que las personas se enteren de la “maldición” de su hermano era impresionante. Andreus, por su parte, era absolutamente desesperante e idiota. Y cabrón. Sobre todo muy cabrón. ¿Quién carajos se tira a la prometida de su hermano CINCO MINUTOS DESPUÉS DE QUE SE ENTERA DE QUE LO ASESINARON? Es que… joder. Y luego la cantidad de decisiones absurdas que toma, su repentina ansia de poder y lo fácilmente manipulable que es… vaya, que no podía ser más tonto el pobre.

En fin, que este es un libro que calificaría como blando y como uno más del montón. Hoy en día tenemos tantísimos libros de fantasía que comparten clichés y algunos puntos clave de la trama, y eso no está mal. Lo que está fatal es que los autores no sean capaces de darles giros únicos a esos puntos comunes y terminemos con un montón de libros que no se van a poder diferencias unos de otros.

Ahora, a pesar de que el final tampoco es la quinta maravilla y, de nuevo, cae en un lugar común ENORME, me da pie a pensar que quizá en el segundo libro de esta bilogía Carys asesine a su hermano por idiota, así que eso sí que quiero leerlo, lol.

[Simona B · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF 10%

🢂 I wasn't sure whether I should rate this one or not, since a measly 10% doubtfully is enough to express a proper judgement on a book, so in this case I suggest you take the rating in itself with a pinch of salt.

•The problem I had with Dividing Eden has many faces but can ultimately be summed up in two simple words: the writing. It makes everything seem so childish, silly and fabulously bland, and thus unworthy of attention. The first two chapters are the most unoriginal thing I can think of, and the writing only makes it worse: to give you an idea, it's so naive and clumsy I could only conclude that Dividing Eden was Charbonneau's debut. Which it isn't at all. Imagine my astonishment when I found that out.

•Just for instance, one of the things where this gracelessness shows is the artless repetition of some points that only in the two chapters I've read are shoved in the face of the reader I don't know how many times (i.e. Andreus's got a big and secret secret, Andreus is a womaniser, Carys is not what you would call a proper lady). Show don't tell, the unknown.

•As I said I didn't stay with these characters for a long time, but the little I saw of them I didn't like. Carys snaps at her guards for asking how long should they wait for her, Andreus hits on everything that wears a gown using what I think is the most updated version of the Born a Romantic Clichés Handbook and we have a king who thinks it's such a nice idea to pave the streets white. Because the colour is supposed to be symbolic. It's like building a paper sculpture in the middle of the ocean knowing the waves will spray it.
Again, everything is no naive and simplistic. I think I'm too old for this specific kind of shit.

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

(I received an advance copy of this book for free. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)

“The council will create a series of trials for our prince and princess to participate in that will decide the true successor to the Throne of Light.”

This was a YA fantasy story, about a set of twins forced to compete for the crown.

I liked Carys, and I liked how much she looked out for her brother Andreus. She seemed to go above and beyond the call of duty to keep him safe and to keep his secret hidden, and it was clear how much love she had for him. Andreus on the other hand seemed a little weak and easily swayed for me.

The storyline in this was about Carys’ and Andreus’ father and older brother being killed, and the queen being unable to take the throne leaving twins Carys and Andreus as next in line to rule. However, because both had equal right to the throne, they had to take part in a Trial of Succession – fighting against each other to see who would who would be the next ruler, which was especially brutal because it pitted sibling against sibling, and because they had no other option. I liked how Carys tried to find a way for them both to survive the trials though, and continued to have her brother’s best interests at heart right the way through the book. I also thought the pace was pretty good, and I liked that things kept happening to keep the story interesting.

The ending to this was quite eventful, and it will be interesting to see what happens in the next book.



7 out of 10

[Caitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

BUDDY READ WITH MY OTHER HALF, AMBER

I haven't binge read a book in one sitting for a while. Something about this book had me so hooked and I honestly couldn't put it down. It was pretty much everything I expected and I'm so excited to see where this story goes! It had a lot of potential and I definitely recommend checking it out when it releases.

The story itself was pretty cliche and straight forward - there's twin heirs to the throne after the rest of the royal family either dies or goes crazy and in order for one of them to be crowned, they have to go through a series of trials. There's a whole bunch of deceit and scheming and a whole shit tonne of politics which I absolutely loved. There's a hint of magic mixed in at the end and honestly this book just has so much potential. I have no idea if this will be a series or only a duology, but I'm excited to see what comes next.

I'm 10/10 slacking on reviews at the moment and I don't even care anymore. Pick this book up when it comes out - it's pretty dang good.

I received an ARC for review but that in no way influences my opinions

[Suzzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! I need the next installment asap to see where this series is going. This book has so a good deal of twists and turns, and a great mixture of characters to love and hate. It is a quick read but it really packs a punch!

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reign meets An Ember in the Ashes. That’s what I thought of this book. Reign is a TV series that had a lot of court intrigue, which Dividing Eden had a lot of which makes me understand why people never finished this book or rated it lowly if they did.

I, however, loved this book. I’m a big fan of monarchial books and court intrigue. Naturally, I fell in love! An Ember in the Ashes comes into play when it came to the Trials the twins had to compete in to find out who will rule Eden because no one ruler can be name if there are two or more equal contenders–because, hello, they’re twins!

I do have to point out that the synopsis only takes place around 100 pages into the book. So be warned. The first few chapters rely on world building and establishing the characters and their respective roles. Again, this makes me understand why people disliked this book. Latching on is hard if you’re not into juicy court intrigue or learning about the history of the universe of Eden. It’s not as action packed as the synopsis made it out to be. It’s detailed-oriented and did not fight its battles through brute force. They were fought through secrets, cunning, and scheming.

Character-wise, I wasn’t that invested in them except for a few, namely Carys, Larkin, Errik, and Garret. Everyone else was either annoying or forgettable for me. We could see right through Imogen and it was clear that Andreus was a weak contender compared to his twin sister. I couldn’t find it in me to care or feel bad about them.

The first half of Dividing Eden may be slow paced but I guarantee you that it will pick up really quickly especially near the ending!

I was thinking of rating this book 4 stars but then that happened so it bumped it up to 5! The ending left much for me to anticipate so I can’t wait for Book 2!

You can read this review on https://bookallure.com/2017/07/24/div... and many more!

[Jasmine from How Useful It Is · Rating 4 out of 5]

About: Dividing Eden is a fiction novel written by Joelle Charbonneau. It will be published on 6/6/17 by Harper Teen, an imprint of Harper Collins, 336 pages. The genre is young adult fantasy. This book is intended for ages 13 and up, grades 8 and up.

My Experience: I started reading Dividing Eden on 3/24/17 and finished it on 3/28/17. I enjoy reading this book. I like the start of it and the fantasy world. There were hints of magic toward the end of the book, but I wish there were more of it throughout the book. I do enjoy the lack of trust that requires Princess Carys and Prince Andreus to meet in secret for privacy and to seek secret passageways within the castle to avoid the guards. I like how the author introduces readers about the prince and princess each having their own secrets that they kept and slowly revealing it out. I like that this book brings in a new fantasy with the concept of windmills and the power to control the light for the kingdom and its citizens.

This book has two point of views: Princess Carys and Prince Andreus, 17 years old twins where Princess Carys grows up protecting her brother Prince Andreus at all costs. They protect each other’s secrets and keep guard for each other. Their older brother Micah is the crowned King and often accompanied their father, King Ulron (Keeper of Virtues, Guardian of Light, Ruler of Eden) at court and out on the battlefield. The kingdom of Eden utilize windmills to provide light and believe in seers to foretold the future. Despite having a seer at the castle, seer Imogen failed to predict what’s to come. When Princess Carys and Prince Andreus found themselves having to compete against each other in sets of trials set by the high lords of Eden to take over the throne, they found their relationship is at risk. Concerns of who to trust and who is plotting against the throne are high risks.

The plot, world building, and characters in this book are worth the read. I like Princess Carys. She questions and analyze situations. She’s a critical thinker. I’m not too fond for Prince Andreus much, despite him saving Max. I really like Errik and his witty conversations. I’m curious of what secrets Lord Garret and Errik have up their sleeves. I am looking forward to reading the sequel. The ending leave me in a bit of a cliffhanger. I could use a little bit more humor, magic, and a little bit more adrenaline rush due to the plotting and the secrets but overall, this book is worth the read and I do recommend it.

Pro: secrets, who to trust, trials/challenges, good pacing, interesting plot, good ending twist, more than 1 POV, cover

Con: not enough magic & adrenaline rush, xhelozi & adderton is weak in this story

I rate it 4.5 stars!

***Disclaimer: Many thanks to the author Joelle Charbonneau, publisher Harper Teen, and Edelweiss for the opportunity to read and review. Please assured that my opinions are honest.

xoxo,
Jasmine at www.howusefulitis.wordpress.com

[ambsreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trigger Warnings: panic attacks, relapse (alcohol), anxiety, parental abuse, alcoholism, and abuse.

THIS REVIEW AND OTHERS ARE ON MY BLOG - CLICK HERE TO CHECK THEM OUT

R A M B L E

Dividing Eden wasn’t really a book I was excited to read. That’s strange to write considering I really enjoyed it. But, I started it at the beginning of the year and put it down. My best friend pushed through and loved it but at that time the concept was lost on me. Now, I fell in love with it.

I was a tad turned off by some of the concepts throughout, but that was purely because of my own life experiences. This is mainly the alcoholism that one of the main characters suffer with. Considering the close perspective we get of both twins through their POV’s it was difficult to read at times.

The concept of this book is what really encaptures me though. A pair of siblings fighting for a throne and neither will win at the end? Since this is a series I figure that last part of that will be made further in the series, for now, I am entrapped with it completely. This book really brings forth familial ties, friendship ties and how your choices can lead to your failure.

It’s a bit difficult to talk about this book in my ramble section because I feel saying too much will give away too many things that happen in this book. I was just completely unable to put this book down despite the fact it did take me a few days to read.

P L O T

A challenge between siblings for a throne with strange relationships woven into the story is what Dividing Eden is ultimately about. Carys and Andreus are happy to live their lives with their struggles and let their older brother take over the thrown. That is until their older brother and father are murdered leaving the pair to compete in trials to achieve succession to make sure a rival does not gain the throne. However, at the end of these trials, one of the twins will die.

Interwoven into this is the fact that upon the birth of the twins they were informed that Andreus was cursed, his struggles to breathe through his youth highlighted this. It was decided that this would be hidden in order to protect him. So, who really wants a cursed king on the throne?

Honestly, it was really interesting. My only problem was that it took a while to really work into the plot. We get to know the characters until around 40% where this challenge takes off. It also is as if we’re not exactly meant to root for either of the twins. In their own right, they both felt like some kind of anti-hero who would bring doom to Eden.

I’m very excited to see how Joelle Charbonneau continues the plot in the upcoming books. The ending of this particular one leaves many possibilities to come.

C H A R A C T E R S

#C A R Y S

Carys really isn’t the ‘typical’ kind of princess either. She isn’t happy to sit around but instead took it upon herself to learn the art of weaponry in order to protect her brother and her kingdom. This gets her in a tad of trouble throughout the course when people wonder why a princess who is meant to have more skill in embroidery has the ability to perfectly kill an assassin.

Carys had to be my favourite of the twins if I had to pick one. I found her struggles and panic to be written well into the narrative. I really enjoyed her perspective and typically groaned when I had to read an Andreus chapter.

Her dedication to her brother was admirable. I have never read a sister who cares more for her siblings than Carys did for Andreus, a character who in my belief really didn’t deserve that dedication.

#A N D R E U S

Andreus is the definition of a pampered prince. Until the death of his brother, he isn’t really expected to do much. When he is, his sister takes the fall and the beating for him. He is happy to run around the court sleeping his way through the women, including brother’s fiancee.

I definitely hated Andreus. It has been a while since I’ve read a character who was so easily manipulated and, well, terrible. I presume he was meant to be the anti-hero of this book and make us truly try to realise how someone’s personality can change. But, I found him to be a bit daft and want him to die within the trials. The way he treated his sister, especially, pissed me off.

One scenario I need to talk about, I promise this isn’t a big spoiler but if you want to go in knowing nothing skip to my overall section. Andreus is about to screw something up (I can’t remember what) so Carys steps in to make sure she is reprimanded for his actions. She is taken up to a tower and whipped. When she finally goes back to her rooms she expects Andreus to be there to help take care of her, as he always is since it was his fault. This time? He’s not. Where is he? Screwing his dead brother’s fiancee. What a real treat.

O V E R A L L

Overall, despite my hatred for Andreus I really did enjoy this book. It really helped pull me out of the slump I have been facing since reading Zenith by Lindsay Cummings and Sasha Alsberg (review on my blog, it’s a rant). Dividing Eden wasn’t exactly the best book either, so if you do choose to pick this up have low expectations. It was simply a fun and enjoyable read.

[Maddalena ☆ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ignore how I finished this at midnight
Pre-read-
I'm refusing to believe the reviews for this one cause the plot seems so interesting. Fingers crossed it's good.

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

dnf around 30%
I HATE not finishing books, but I'm really not enjoying this and it's putting me back into a reading slump. I dislike the characters, the writing isn't my thing, the plot doesn't have me engaged, and I just don't see myself enjoying it anymore than I am right now if I were to continue. *shrugs*

[Nassy]

DNF at 50%.

Couldn’t care less about anyone or the plot plus immature writing. Plus why does everyone in this have some type of sickness/issue ?

[Patry Fernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reseña completa -> https://thewordsofbooks.blogspot.com/...


Woooo... pues me ha gustado mucho, y vaya tensión durante todo el final.
Como el ansia de poder, las mentiras y traiciones pueden hacer cambiar a una persona. Personajes que evolucionan y crecen hasta el punto de que no sabes si quererlos u odiarlos. ¡Necesito el segundo!

[rowanthorn ✨ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2ish/5 STARS

*sighs* okay, i honestly HATE giving books bad reviews. i truly go into each book thinking i'll love it, and most of the time, i do! or at the very least i enjoy it. spoiler alert: i did not love this book. I'M SORRY.


things i liked/didn't hate
1.carys. she was the only person in the entire book i kind of liked.
2.their city is lit and run from the power of windmills? windmills are cool.

okay. that is honestly ... it. SORRY x 5000

not so much
1. the main problem was that i was just 500% not interested. and usually a book about political corruption and trials and royalty is right up my alley - so what went wrong? i honestly don't know. all i know is that the first 150 pages took me 2 weeks to read, and the rest of the book i hardcore skimmed because it NEVER grabbed me.
2. ANDREAS. he's an absolute *swears profusely for about an hour.* i was so stoked for a brother/sister book! i thought they'd overcome all this political corruption together! alas, NO. here's andreas in a nutshell: he wants to have sex with anything that wears a skirt and has long monologues with himself about how all the ladies love him. he readily has allowed his twin sister to get whipped,hurt,etc to "protect his secret" (he basically has like fainting spells) and then never thanks her. he gets with his murdered brother's fiance and is so obsessed with her that she easily convinces him his BFF AND TWIN SISTER is out to get him. and dumbass andreas believes this, and then instead of being a rational human being, tries to murder his sister. when that doesn't work, he leaves her to be murdered by the these mountain monster creatures. HE'S THE WORST. after i finished this book i ranted to my boyfriend about andreas for like half an hour. and i get that his character isn't SUPPOSED to be likeable, and i like morally-grey characters, but it just didn't seem realistic that suddenly, BOOM, he distrusts his twin and tries to murder her. like ????????????

me @ andreas:


me @ andreas part 2:


so all in all, this book just didn't do it for me. good idea, not so good execution, in my opinion.
RECAP: MUDER. POLITICAL INTRIGUE. A HORRIBLE BOY CALLED ANDREAS. HINTS OF MAGIC? TRIALS TO WIN THE CROWN.

[Katherine Karas · Rating 4 out of 5]

*not a review*

For most of this book I was like: no. buttttttt I really like how it ended, it "surprised" me in that it wrapped things up "nicely". I had thought with the way the book was going it would end frustratingly but no, and thank the universe cuz this book was very frustrating and annoying but now that it's done I can see that it was all for something. Maybe it could've been done another way, maybe this was a good way, u know idk I'm having a book reviewing crisis

[Alaina · Rating 4 out of 5]

OH MY FREAKING GOD!

Okay, first I finished this book like 6 days ago and I'm just now getting to this review.
Second, I loved everything about this book! No, really I did.
Third, I kind of want to reread it again.. right now.

Before I dive into this review: I really REALLY want/need the next book ASAP!

This book will probably most likely remind you of other books like, An Ember in the Ashes or I guess in some ways Three Dark Crowns (because it deals with twins going for the crown).

I also have a love/hate relationship with the twins. Loved Cary's character and hated the shit out of her brother, Andreus. Okay, hold up, what kind of name is Andreus. Like why give the girl such a god damn normal ass name and then him this snotty kind of name?!?! I don't know but I guess that's why I like the sister more. No, not because of their names but their personalities. God, Cary cared so much about her brother and protecting him at all cost. Whereas, he was just a little dipshit who I hated so much.

Besides the twins, you will probably end up loving or liking Larkin, Errik, and Garret. They are all pretty interesting characters that will make the book more intriguing. Anyone else you could probably forget - because I definitely did.

Even though I love this book I feel like I should warn people about the first half of the book. Yes, it's kind of boring. Don't DNF it because, trust me, it get's way freaking better. If you really want to DNF it then who am I to judge?

Other than that, some things were kind of predictable. For example, who the "bad guy" was in this book. Yeah, I kind of figured it out/guessed it pretty early on. It definitely helped that I didn't like the person to begin with so it didn't really change my opinion on that certain character.

Overall, I liked it. I wish the first half would have been better.
Would I reread it? Heck yeah because I can't wait for the next book! Also I really need to read the novella too! UGH! so many freaking books I need to read!

[High Lady of The Night Court · Rating 5 out of 5]

I NEED THE NEXT BOOK
I loved Carys's character from the beginning she is an amazing person who is devoted to protecting her brother no matter how it pains her. On the other hand I hated her brother by the 4th chapter- hated him

Again I felt like the blurb should have been a little more vague but I loved the plot of the story.
I loved the ending of the book and I look forward to all that will be revealed in the next book and since nearly everyone has secrets I am eager to learn about them.

I KNEW ANDREUS WOULD BE A BAD PERSON. At the first trial his attitude toward Carys and that ungratefulness (argh I hate him) after everything she did for him- she was whipped and he doesn't even help her instead he's with Imogen GOD HE DISGUSTS ME.
I find Lord Errik interesting and I look forward to getting to know him.
Now, Lord Garret is another story I'm not sure what to make of him other than that he knows a lot of information he's not going to reveal anytime soon...at least I think that.
Anyway, I loved this book and it gets 5 stars from me.

[Jeilen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Me ha sorprendido gratamente este libro,sin llegar a ser lo más asombroso de la vida es una lectura entretenida y con elementos interesantes. Me ha parecido un poco apresurado y simple en algunos momentos,pero se puede leer sin sufrir.

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know. I felt like the beginning was strong, but the trial aspect of the storyline felt a bit weak. I didn't particularly love any of the characters; which is not a good sign. However, I did somewhat enjoy the twists and turns. I'm hoping the Novella which is included in my book can solidify my interest in the remaining book.

(3) 🌟🌟🌟

[Kayla Silverss · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dividing Eden by Joelle Charbonneau is about two siblings up for one throne which one will make it to the top?

Okay so a little bit of a disclaimer. I hated this book. It was boring and just not really my type of book. I like books that are fast paced and action packed, this was the opposite. If you love this book or you read it in the future and love it. That's amazing and I am really happy for you. I will pick this up in the future and try harder to read it but at this momment in time I will not force myself to read a book that bores me to sleep.

CHARACTERS-
These charcters weren't anything that were special. They were just there.
They weren't mesmerising or fun or entertaining. They were just bland characters with no personality traits.

ROMANCE-
There is no romance that stuck out to me during my long..long... read of this.

PLOT-
When you read the blurb of this book, it sounds amazing and political but it isn't.

ENDING-
I didn't read it. I gave up. I'm sorry you might think I'm a quitter but this wasn't worth my reading time that I could of spent reading a better novel.

Characters-1/10
Romance-0.5/10
Plot-2/10
Ending-??
Speed- -1/10 (the slowest book I've ever laid my eyes on)

Update- 16/06/18
I'm moving this a whopping one star to two stars because it wasn't as bad as I was making it out to be but I still don't enjoy it and yeah this is not for me.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5 stars

Dividing Eden is the first book in a new YA fantasy series set in Eden about 17 year old twins Carys (girl) and Andreus (guy).

The narrators are Carys and Andreus. The book is told in alternating third person POVS.

Princess Carys and Prince Andreus are twins. When they were born a seer predicted that one of them would be dark and the other would be light.

The story kept my interest. Something happens fairly early on that forces a competition. I really enjoyed this aspect of the story.

The story is full of secrets and deception. I definitely enjoyed how the secrecy and deceit played into the story.

There is some romance in the story. But I wish that there had been more. Although I think that there is the potential for more romance in the next book.

I liked both Carys and Andreus. However I definitely liked Carys more. There were definitely some things that happen in this story that made me want to slap one or both of them.

I was very curious to see how this first book would end. Would there be a cliffhanger? There is not a cliffhanger per se, no shocking reveal on the final pages. However, there were definitely some interesting things that happened towards the end.

Overall, this was an intriguing first book. I think that the book ended in an interesting place. And it definitely made me curious to see what will happen in book 2.




Thanks to edelweiss and HarperTeen for allowing me to read this book.

[Shannon Miz · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight

This is going to be a really short review, and here's why: I liked this book a lot while reading it. Carys and Andreus were quite different characters, and I loved that I never could completely tell who I was supposed to be rooting for. I loved that they had to compete for the crown, and I loved the idea of games and betrayals and all that good stuff. There was romance involved too, of course. I read it really quickly, because I was excited to know what would happen next.

Thing is, when I was done, it didn't leave a lasting impression- in fact, I had to skim through it just to remember the characters' names and such. But, even so, I enjoyed the book and will most definitely be looking forward to the sequel. I just simply don't have a ton to say about it- but that's okay sometimes, right?

Bottom Line: A solid fantasy with a host of secrets, challenges, politics, and fighting. I'll be quite looking forward to the sequel!

*Copy provided by publisher for review

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars ✨

YA Dystopian Fantasy

“Because everyone wanted something, and when someone coveted a thing enough, rarely did they question the price.”

This was such a fun ride!! My head has not stopped spinning. I’m so glad I didn’t listen to the reviews on this one - and went into it hoping for the best. I also didn’t know much about the story , other than it was sort of like a sibling rivalry fighting for a throne.

There’s a prophecy :

****EVER SINCE I TOOK MY OATH AND BEGAN MY DUTIES AS THE SEER OF EDEN, THERE IS ONE VISION THAT APPEARS TO ME WHEN THE STARS ARE AT THEIR BRIGHTEST. I SEE TWO PATHS STRETCHING FROM EDEN'S ORB.
AT THE END OF BOTH PATHS IS

A CROWN.

ONE PATH IS COVERED IN DARKNESS. THE OTHER, BATHED IN LIGHT. YOU MUST FOLLOW THE ANCIENT LAW OF EDEN AS YOUR OATH COMMANDS OF YOU. ONLY THEN CAN WE BE CERTAIN

WE HAVE FOLLOWED THE LIGHT.****

I thought the writing was really good - the world building had some issues but it didn’t take away from my experience. Sure, I would have liked to have a little bit more information- but honestly the action and push and pull of these siblings kept me going. Usually characters grow, but you literally watch them decline - it’s very character driven!! I had no idea who was the better fit and everytime I thought I knew I was wrong. These siblings have secrets some they hide and some they have no clue about, but others do. There was so much scheming and plotting and everyone in this book literally has their own agenda and the reader won’t know who to trust. (I think that’s my favorite part about it, kept me on my toes and invested) I have no idea how to really review this properly because it was such a crazy read. So I’m sorry if you’re reading this wanting me to explain 😅, some books you just have to experience for yourself. Bottom line : this family has issues 🤭
I really hope the next book wraps up loose ends and answers some of my questions.

Content ⚠️
-no language
-no spice (there is mentions of having relations off page) kissing only
One of the characters is described as being promiscuous
-use of a concoction for pain (addiction implied, but not proven)

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Source* Edelweiss
*Genre* Young Adult, Fantasy
*Rating* 4.0

*My Thoughts*

Dividing Eden is the first installment in author Joelle Charbonneau's Dividing Eden series. The author is best known for her works on The Testing trilogy. Dividing Eden tells the story of twins Princess Carys, and Prince Andreus. After a series of unfortunate events that sees the King and his heir assassinated, a grand scheme of political machinations is created by The Council of Elders to force the siblings to face each other in a Trial of Virtuous Succession where anything can happen

*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*

http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...

[Melissa Souza · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 to 3 stars!!!

Where do I even start with this book? The writing is very clunky and the pacing is very slow. I was confused through at least 50% of the novel because nothing was explained properly. There's lack of worldbuilding as well. I was hoping for some descriptions regarding the magic system and the world that our characters were involved in but I didn't get anything of the sort. With regards to history of the world, even that was lacking. My basic idea is that the world is based on the seven virtues and there's something about wind power.

Secondly, the characters are so bland. It's like they are a mix of different characters from other books that I have read. Not one of them is unique or interesting. While I enjoyed the fact that there was no romance and the book focused on sibling relationship along with rivalry. I couldn't relate to it. I mean their relationship was so weak. I get that the MC Carys seems more feisty than her brother Andreus. But I could see from a mile away what was going to happen to them. As I said, this story wasn't fresh or original. Even the minor characters are like cardboard cutouts. They add nothing to the overall storyline.

Thirdly, the book deals with a lot of political deceit and court life, secrets, murder and such. However, all of this is relayed to the reader in the driest form imaginable. I think I tried DNfing this book twice. The only positives about this book were that it picked up in the last few chapters. There's a bit of action there. I wish the author had thought of adding more heart thumping and engaging chapters throughout the novel to make it more lively. Plus, we get some interesting reveals. This helped to bump up my rating to a 3 star. But, as I said, this book is just mediocre. I have come across way more captivating YA fantasy novels than this one for sure.

[Monica Haak · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75/5 sterren
Ondanks dat de eerste 1/3 van het boek bijna niks gebeurde, was het toch ook nog spannend en tof!

Recensie verschijnt 4 sept op www.myperfectbooklife.blogspot.nl

[reading.sacha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leuk. Minder leuk en toen weer leuk..

[BooksNCrannies · Rating 2 out of 5]

"'Ever since I took my oath and began my duties as the Seer of Eden, there is one vision that appears to me when the stars are at their brightest. I see two paths stretching from Eden's orb. At the end of both paths is a crown. One path is covered in darkness. The other bathed in light.... You must follow the ancient law of Eden as your oath commands you. Only then can we be certain we have followed the path of light.'"

✏️ Review ✏️

I have many mixed feelings about Dividing Eden. Good story? Yes, and I did enjoy it. But weak world building, a few worldview issues pertaining to some questionable morals, a few not-so-virtuous character qualities, and a loose moral tone definitely didn't help my impression of this book. For a mature YA audience, I think much of this questionable content is handled decently (although moral ambiguity is a problem in some areas); but it would be unsuitable for the lower YA range of younger teens. Before I discuss the worldview issues, let's start unpacking this book's literary elements....

The world building is minimal and (should I say?) rather weak. As an example: light vs. darkness is highlighted as one of the most important elements in Garden City. But why? Besides keeping the scary Xhelozi away, the need for a light-based kingdom isn't adequately addressed other than a few vague remarks. Same with the darkness. Several times the reader is told about darkness entering characters' minds and controlling them through the influence of drugs or curses but that's sorta about it. So that major part of the world building is vague. There's also several passing mentions of different elements (such as "Gods," a few brief histories, and other kingdoms) but no solid world building. Absolutely none! For some books minimal world building works (think The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen); for Dividing Eden it just doesn't because it's not only minimal but also weak.

Andreus and Carys have potential as deeply developed MCs. But for the most part, they get only superficial development. Now, yes, in the latter half of the plot, the tingling tension that builds between them does produce some welcome internal development. But by then much of the story's already over with. Had Andreus and Carys been more developed at the very beginning of the story, both the characters and the plot could have been more poignant. I do have to say, though, that Charbonneau (the author) does a pretty good job at exploring and utilizing the emotional contrasts between Andreus and Carys; these many contrasts bring a good amount of suspense and character tension to the plot.... And then there's the poor decisions/choices on Andreus's part that lead to a few undesirable moral issues (more details below). Not to mention that Andreus's character changes like almost way, way, way too quickly. It's kinda unrealistic. Here he's spent seventeen years loving and sharing a strong bond with his sister and then... *thinking of a way to keep this spoiler-free* and then... all of that changes in just one day???

And the romance? Oh my! It's like the most superficial, undesirable, shallow romances I think I've come across in a YA book. 😏 I'm refraining from starting a rant right now (I'll save the details for later on 👇🏼).

While some portions seen rather predictable, the plot does provide for some exciting reading (it feels like a mashup of Jennifer A. Nielsen's The False Prince and James Dashner's The Scorch Trails; many subtle similarities.) The intro's a bit slow. My favorite part of the plot is by far the last half, especially the Trials of Virtuous Succession. So many twists and turns that I didn't expect kept me flipping the pages; and I liked all the political and conspiracy developments — ah, so many conspiracies, secret allies, and the like (makes one wonder who to trust... 😁). As I mentioned, some parts are more predictable, but they were only a few. Not the most interesting plot by any means; however, it is constructed enough (not necessarily to its full potential) for it to be engaging.

Ok. It's time to discuss a few things that promote ideas/morals that go against a biblical worldview and that could have a negative impact on younger teens who read Dividing Eden. Spoilers will be preceded by a 🛑. When it's safe to start reading again, you'll see a 🟢.

1. Sexual immorality. The MMC, Andreus, is unashamedly promiscuous. The book makes it quite clear he's had several relationships with multiple women, and his thoughts can be loose quite a few times (such as thinking immoral thoughts about women). There's no guilt or shame whatsoever that ever enters his mind for his immoral actions. Oh, and Andreus's mom? She suggests that he use his "talents" to "seduce [a woman] into his bed" for political gain. Because, son, it's time to repay all the sacrifices your sister and I made for you over the years. WHAT!? Like, really?... Politics over family, I suppose. Sad. 😒

While there isn't a specific straightout endorsement of Andreus's lifestyle in the story, the other characters seem to believe (thus passively endorsing) that Andreus's immoral lifestyle is okay — I mean he's just finding pleasure, right? Wrong!! Christians, parents, older siblings, or whoever's reading this: Beware of this subtle acceptance of sinful lifestyles in teen/YA books. This philosophy can have a negative and dangerous impact on young and undiscerning readers.

2. Superficial (lustful?) romance: ... *tries not to burst out in a rambling rant* ... The romance is totally based on "live in the moment" decisions and physical desires. 🛑 Andreus and Imogen's relationship seems to be strong on the surface. But let's start at the beginning. Andeus loves Imogen (is it really true love?)... even though she's already engaged to Andreus's brother Micah. Ok, that could cause issues right there! Micah dies. So now Imogen is free from her engagement. What follows demonstrates the shifting, "live in the moment" foundation their relationship is based on: the book is clear that Andreus and Imogen have sex on the night of Micah's death and implies a few other times after that as well. 🟢 How committed is that relationship going to be when it's just based on physical desires? Not to even mention again that Andreus has already demonstrated his desire — pleasure — with his promiscuous lifestyle. In short: the romance lacks any kind of authenticity or depth whatsoever; it's built on nothing but "live in the moment" decisions and physical desires.

Worldview discussion and potential spoilers are now over.

Many things in Dividing Eden needed more work, such as the world building and the character development. Since I did enjoy most of this story and the ending leaves a ton of questions to be answered, I do want to read the sequel at some point.... Political intrigue, government conspiracies, and sibling rivalry abound in the fantasy tale Dividing Eden.

"'Be careful of your next steps.... There is more than one game being played in Eden. And unless you win them all, you may find yourself removed from the board.'"

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📊 A Quick Overview 📊

👍🏼 What I Liked:
• The last half of the plot.
• The emotional contrasts between the two MCs.
• The sibling rivalry — builds tension and conflict in the last half of the story.
• The political intrigue.

👎🏼 What I Did Not Like:
• The weak world building.
• The loose moral tone.
• The lack of any real character development in the first part of the story.
• The romance (bleh! 🙄).
• The unrealistically quick change in Andreus's character.

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❓ To Read or Not To Read? ❓

— Would I recommend this book? I suppose. But only very selectively.*
(Edit to add: To be honest, after thinking about it, I'm leaning more on the side of not recommending this book as there are more praiseworthy and virtuous books out there with a similar plot as Dividing Eden. The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen is one these better books.)

— To whom? To young adults and adults who enjoy politically intriguing, survival-type fantasy adventures that features sibling rivalry.

*(Note: I leave it up to each individual to decide the maturity and discernment level required to read the books I recommend, based on my content warnings below [in my Book Breakdown]. My content warnings [if any] should always be considered alongside my recommendations when deciding who these books are best suited for.)

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📖 BOOK BREAKDOWN 📖 (Overall: 2/5)
~Fundamentals: (1=worst; 5=best)
— 📈 Plot: 3/5
— 📝 Writing: 2.5/5
— 👥 Characters: 2.5/5

~Content: (0=none; 1=least; 5=most)

— 🤬 Language: 1/5

• Two uses of "d*mn."

• Several uses of "Gods" as a curse word (referring to the polytheistic system of gods in this fantasy world).

— ⚔️ Violence: 2/5

• One potentially disturbing graphic description of injuries (mentions blood and gore).

• One mildly graphic scene of an execution (mentions blood).

• A few scenes of mild action-adventure violence, including some brief descriptions of beatings and stabbings.

— ⚠️ Sexual: 3/5

• One fade-to-black sex scene. Mentions kissing, some brief touches, and the male and female character removing their clothing before the scene ends.

• Two other brief, mildly descriptive scenes of these same characters kissing; mentions a few touches.

• The MMC's promiscuous lifestyle is an obvious aspect in many places throughout the story.

• The MMC's mother suggest he "seduce [a woman] into his bed" for political gain.

• Several suggestive comments/remarks appear throughout the story.

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📣 Random Comments 📣

• Magic content: The only magic content in Dividing Eden is several mentions of the magical power of the seers. The seers can predict the future by reading the winds and the stars; the seers can also receive visions from the "Gods."

• Content note: The FMC is portrayed as having a drug addiction, so there are several scenes that focus on this. The story implies that one of the minor characters has a drug addiction as well.

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💬 Favorite Quotes 💬

• (None)

[Samm | Sassenach the Book Wizard · Rating 1 out of 5]

I cannot remember the last time I gave a one-star rating. Holy crap, are there problems with this book.

I don't mind when authors take a plot and make their own version of it--just do it well. I'm so much more willing to respect an author for flopping if they do something unique. This book has the same "royal-heir-battle-off" that soooooooooo many other books have but it was not done well.

The entire logic of the battle off doesn't even make sense. Two heirs have equal claim to the throne...so to avoid a problem the council wants to pick people other than them? wtf logic is that? I know there needs to be a problem but at least be creative.

The dialogue and inner monologues are are boring or repetitive (sometimes it's both). there is no need (other than to fill pages) to repeat the SAME damn thing over and over and over again when nothing has changed!

There is such little world development in this book. The author was either lazy, took up too much space with (paragraph above) or way too much edited out. The character development was also pretty lackluster. There are a few character traits at the beginning and the relationship established between the twins at the start...three pages later all of that is abandoned. The characters are infuriatingly stupid and naive. it's blatently obvious from the beginning that this person is the villain but everyone else is so stupid, boring and repetitive that I just started to hate them.--I WAS BEGGING FOR GEORGE R.R. MARTIN TO BURST IN AND JUST RED WEDDING EVERYONE. An illiterate toddler could've picked out the villain at the end of chapter two yet somehow two adult-ish aged people who are potentially going to be running a country were too dense to figure it out? really? And what royal family gives their children such poor education that they can be this easily manipulated?!

This book has been done to death so if you're going to publish it, you make sure to do a half decent book. Joelle did not and I am so beyond amazed that this was published. There's better fan fiction that I would've much rather read.

[Agustina Uliarte · Rating 4 out of 5]

RESEÑA COMPLETA EN EL BLOG: https://bookstwins.wordpress.com/2018...
4,5/5
El libro nos introduce al reino de Eden donde el rey y el príncipe heredero al trono son asesinado, por lo que Carys y Andreus, gemelos, próximos en la línea sucesoria deberán someterse a una serie de pruebas para ganarse el trono.
Carys y Andreus son muy unidos, saben que siempre van a estar para el otro. Cuando nacieron, el Adivino, un personaje muy importante en el reino, advirtió que uno tendría una maldición que haría que todo Eden cayera en la oscuridad mientras que el otro gemelo sería el “camino” hacia la luz, aunque nadie en el reino ni en el castillo sabe de esta maldición.
La historia en si es bastante completa, tenemos la intriga de que es la maldición que posee uno de los gemelos, además de complots en contra de estos por la sucesión al trono que nos hará dudar de cada personaje, y la traición más ASQUEROSA que puede sufrir una persona como es la de su propia sangre.
Un punto a favor o en contra dependiendo de los gustos de cada uno es el romance, tiene muy poco y solo se nos introduce, espero, para el próximo libro.
La NARRACIÓN esta bien, no me pareció excepcional. En las primeras 100 hojas más o menos es poco lo que sucede pero aun así se lee rápido y no aburre. Luego el libro agarra un ritmo más intenso llevándonos hasta un final totalmente abierto que nos deja picando para el segundo libro.
Y es por eso que el FINAL es la mejor parte sin lugar a dudas, se descubren las “verdaderas” intenciones y lados de cada personaje, principal y secundario.
En resumen le pondría en una escala goodreads 3,5 quizás 4 estrellas sobre 5. Tiene una buena idea, los personajes son sorpresivos y aunque hubo cosas bastantes obvias y flojas la historia promete mucho para su segunda parte.