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The Forest of Good and Evil #2
The Glass Queen
Dare to enter the Forest of Good and Evil, where strength is weakness and weakness is strength, in this magical, romantic, and fascinating series, in which the fairy tales we know and love are prophecies of the future.
Pitied. Sickly. Unfit to rule.
Princess Ashleigh Charmaine is known as the Glass Princess, fragile enough to shatter with a whisper of wind. Born with a weak heart, she dreams of being treated like anyone else. Unlike her headstrong sisters, she received no magical ability at birth and lives every day expecting to die. Until an oracle announces that Ashleigh is fated to play the part of Cinderella, wed a handsome royal and save the Kingdom of Sevon from the evil king and queen who once ruled the land.
As war rages, Ashleigh begins to doubt her role in the fairy-tale prophecy. Animals despise her, she can't carry a merry tune, and she has zero social graces. Worse, the king whom she is supposed to enchant is the newly crowned sovereign of the winged warriors known as the Avian--and he despises her, too.
When Ashleigh develops a terrifying magical ability to commune with dragons and create fire from air--a power she cannot control--she must work with King Saxon to save their kingdoms and their lives. By the stroke of midnight, she must warm his icy heart--or forever break her own. Will Ashleigh ever become the queen she's prophesied to be, or will she lose everything she's come to love?
Pitied. Sickly. Unfit to rule.
Princess Ashleigh Charmaine is known as the Glass Princess, fragile enough to shatter with a whisper of wind. Born with a weak heart, she dreams of being treated like anyone else. Unlike her headstrong sisters, she received no magical ability at birth and lives every day expecting to die. Until an oracle announces that Ashleigh is fated to play the part of Cinderella, wed a handsome royal and save the Kingdom of Sevon from the evil king and queen who once ruled the land.
As war rages, Ashleigh begins to doubt her role in the fairy-tale prophecy. Animals despise her, she can't carry a merry tune, and she has zero social graces. Worse, the king whom she is supposed to enchant is the newly crowned sovereign of the winged warriors known as the Avian--and he despises her, too.
When Ashleigh develops a terrifying magical ability to commune with dragons and create fire from air--a power she cannot control--she must work with King Saxon to save their kingdoms and their lives. By the stroke of midnight, she must warm his icy heart--or forever break her own. Will Ashleigh ever become the queen she's prophesied to be, or will she lose everything she's come to love?
17 pages, Audiobook
First published September 29, 2020
272 people are currently reading
11157 people want to read
About the author
Gena Showalter
266 books27.9k followersGena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of over seventy books, including the acclaimed Lords of the Underworld series, the Gods of War series, the White Rabbit Chronicles, and the Forest of Good and Evil series. She writes sizzling paranormal romance, heartwarming contemporary romance, and unputdownable young adult novels, and lives in Oklahoma City with her family and menagerie of dogs and cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 363 reviews
November 20, 2020
The Glass Queen by Gena Showalter
Book 2 in The Forest of Good and Evil. Best read as part of the series. Mature YA. Enemies to lovers. Retelling of Cinderella. Alternating points of view between the heroine and hero.
Ashleigh and Saxon. Reincarnation or possession? Both? Good or evil?
Dragons, magic, war and conflict.
The heroine is wonderfully strong, often sarcastic, and will do what’s needed to prove her goodness.
An epic adventure.
Book 2 in The Forest of Good and Evil. Best read as part of the series. Mature YA. Enemies to lovers. Retelling of Cinderella. Alternating points of view between the heroine and hero.
Ashleigh and Saxon. Reincarnation or possession? Both? Good or evil?
Dragons, magic, war and conflict.
The heroine is wonderfully strong, often sarcastic, and will do what’s needed to prove her goodness.
An epic adventure.
May 30, 2024
I typically steer away from fairy-tale re-tellings, but I am glad I took a chance on this series.
I enjoyed the fast pace of the story. It featured a gladiator-style battle to the death, fierce warriors with tender hearts, malicious war-lord in a magical world with fire-breathing dragons. What's not to love?
Ashleigh had an awful beginning, and her prince did not fall in love after meeting her at a ball. In fact, after her first encounter with her prince, they became enemies; but, there was a prophecy, oracles, forces at play, and unexplainable magnetism leading to them going from enemies to friends.
I know! It sounds soft and mushy, but it was a beautiful, absorbing, and a cozy page-turner. I loved it! Four stars.
I enjoyed the fast pace of the story. It featured a gladiator-style battle to the death, fierce warriors with tender hearts, malicious war-lord in a magical world with fire-breathing dragons. What's not to love?
Ashleigh had an awful beginning, and her prince did not fall in love after meeting her at a ball. In fact, after her first encounter with her prince, they became enemies; but, there was a prophecy, oracles, forces at play, and unexplainable magnetism leading to them going from enemies to friends.
I know! It sounds soft and mushy, but it was a beautiful, absorbing, and a cozy page-turner. I loved it! Four stars.
February 18, 2021
My goodness this was good I was slightly worried that book two in this series wouldn’t match the previous experience I had but it did and I literally inhaled this I was that invested in the unfolding story.
So we are back in Enchantia and this time it’s the cinder girl or Cinderella as the fairytale focus.
Again this is a loosely based freshly unique retelling that borrows from that story but it’s mostly a symbolic resemblance rather than a tired seen before rehash.
This is incredibly imaginative and totally separate borrowing ideas and sentiments rather than actual plot directions from the original.
This time we get dual POV and like the first book this has some very dark roots and though I described the first book as mature YA I felt that this one had a much more adult vibe to it but genre-wise it’s again dark mature YA.
So Saxon the Avian Prince we met in book one is the love interest here and princess Ashleigh is his potential Cinder.
It’s an enemy to lovers story and is filled with magic, dragons, possession, obsession and a love story that has been playing out on a loop for aeons stuck on repeat until a new chapter again unfolds with the hope that this time it will play out differently and happiness will be achieved.
I do think you definitely need to read the first book in this series as there are certain things that may fly over your head without that input.
There’s also previous players that again make an appearance in this one and though a different story this is also a continuation of the plotline we were introduced to previously.
Its fast-paced slow burn and very well written with multi-faceted and imperfect characters that grow so much throughout the course of all this.
I was incredibly impressed with how we arrived where we did the trials that were overcome and the lesson learned along the way.
Another five-star read and I’m definitely hoping there’s more to come from this fascinating world as it’s seriously addictive.
I can’t wait to see who’s story will play-out next and also which fairy-tale inspiration will be the next muse.
This gets the full five-stars from me no issue I absolutely loved it and do recommend.
I voluntary reviewed a copy of The Glass Queen (The Forest Of Good And Evil #2).
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com
August 5, 2020
Disclaimer: I got an early copy of this book via the author.
This book was EVERYTHING! Dragons. Magic. Fire. Enemies to lovers. YA but make it more mature. Hero with WINGS. Heroine possessed by an evil being. Death tournament. Need I say more? And yes, you will see characters from the first book, they all play a big part in this one as well. Honestly, Gena did it again. This twisted Cinderella retelling was nothing like I was expecting and yet so much more than I thought it would be. I loved every page and highly recommend it. I can't wait for the third retelling, especially with the small hints Showalter gave us! Gimme!
This book was EVERYTHING! Dragons. Magic. Fire. Enemies to lovers. YA but make it more mature. Hero with WINGS. Heroine possessed by an evil being. Death tournament. Need I say more? And yes, you will see characters from the first book, they all play a big part in this one as well. Honestly, Gena did it again. This twisted Cinderella retelling was nothing like I was expecting and yet so much more than I thought it would be. I loved every page and highly recommend it. I can't wait for the third retelling, especially with the small hints Showalter gave us! Gimme!
October 3, 2020
"She loved fiercely, with a fire of her own burning in her veins. She was a queen who didn't need a king in order to rule her people - but thankfully she wanted one."
More people need to read these books. They are a ton of fun and the romances are adorable. The Glass Queen is the second book in The Forest of Good and Evil series, and though it would majorly spoil The Evil Queen to read this one first, you could do it and still understand the story. This novel is dual point of view, following totally new characters. It reminds me a little of ACOMAF if ACOMAF was a Cassian-Elide (from ToG) romance. It doesn't sound like it would work, but it does. The magic system is a little wonky and unexplained (hence the four stars), but the dialog is hilarious, the characters are well developed, and the tournament aspect was well done. I was grinning for about 3/4ths of the novel, and would highly recommended it for anyone who wants to get lost in a cute romance.
More people need to read these books. They are a ton of fun and the romances are adorable. The Glass Queen is the second book in The Forest of Good and Evil series, and though it would majorly spoil The Evil Queen to read this one first, you could do it and still understand the story. This novel is dual point of view, following totally new characters. It reminds me a little of ACOMAF if ACOMAF was a Cassian-Elide (from ToG) romance. It doesn't sound like it would work, but it does. The magic system is a little wonky and unexplained (hence the four stars), but the dialog is hilarious, the characters are well developed, and the tournament aspect was well done. I was grinning for about 3/4ths of the novel, and would highly recommended it for anyone who wants to get lost in a cute romance.
October 14, 2020
Star Rating: —> 4.5 Stars
This series just keeps getting better! This was phenomenal.
This series just keeps getting better! This was phenomenal.
October 16, 2020
THE GLASS QUEEN is the second installment in Gena Showalter’s The Forest of Good and Evil. If you don’t know already, this entire series is based on fairy tales, so I was quite interested to see how this new book would pan out.
As you can expect with this title, it’s all about Cinderella. I feel like this fairy tale is quite popular amongst Young Adult Fantasy readers, so it’s no surprise to see Showalter putting her own twist on things. I enjoyed this book more than the first in the series. It reminded me a lot of Marissa Meyer’s Lunar Chronicles series, which is one of my all-time favorite YA series. So if you enjoyed that series, I have no doubt that you’ll enjoy this one too.
Although this is a YA book, I enjoyed the fact that Showalter doesn’t change her writing style very much. It’s eloquent and quite complex, which actually makes me really happy. Sometimes, I find that her writing can be a little choppy, but this one worked for me. I didn’t love all points of this plot, however. But of course, you can’t love everything. All in all, I think it was something fun and different. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.
May 26, 2021
Come see this review and more at my blog, The Scribe Owl!
1/5 stars
The Evil Queen:★★★☆☆
The Glass Queen: ★☆☆☆☆
Thanks to Edelweiss for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and anything could be fixed/changed in post.
I just don't think these books are a good fit for me. They're stylistic, I'm just not sure it's my style. I liked the whole retelling part, but the writing fell a little flat. Like I said, it's more of a stylistic choice, and I prefer writing and books with a bit more depth.
Would it just be plain horrible if I said I cared more about the cameos from the characters in book one than our new MCs? I just loved it when Everly or Roth would pop up, and lose interest when we went back to Ashleigh or Saxon, especially Saxon. They were both decent MCs, not much in either direction. I did enjoy the enemies-to-lovers trope though, so I'll award bonus points there.
Though this is part of a series, it seems more like a bunch of standalones set in the same world. I have no problem with that, except it's still called a series so I'd like a bit more of a segue into each book. The Glass Queen deals with reincarnation, something that we didn't even know existed while reading The Evil Queen! It would have been nice if it was at least hinted at, so I could get a better sense of the world.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. I think Gena Showalter has been reading too much Sarah J Maas. We have "females", "males", and "mates", which are a staple in any of SJM's books. This book in particular felt like a dollar store version of ACOTAR. We have almost-Illyrian wings, and even symbolic feeding to represent love and mating. If I wanted to read that kind of stuff, I'd just pick up ACOTAR. Something new, please?
Again, I've said this before, but there seems to be no end to the cheesiness. Starting with the rhymes that start each chapter. I get that she did them in the first book and wants to keep doing it, but she'd honestly be better off dropping them. They just bring a whole new level of the cheese factor to a land that's been named Enchantia. How much cheesier can it get, you ask? Well, that's easy. Avians that shed dust to show love! Yes, you read that right. I'm not kidding. I've learned to deal with a lot of cheese (well obviously, I read YA) but this is a whole new level.
Gena Showalter used to write paranormal romance, correct? Then why are her sex scenes so disgusting? I don't mean to offend, I'm sure you're a fantastic person Gena, but they just weren't for me. Too much moaning "touch my wings." Ew.
On the brighter side, there were a few things I liked about this book. The dragons! They were adorable, almost like Phobia the spidorpion from book one. I loved them! So cute. I also appreciated Ashleigh's character growth from a breakable girl with heart problems to a strong, magic-wielding dragon momma.
All in all, this book had its ups and downs and ended up just not being for me. I enjoyed parts of it, skim-read parts of it, and ended up with a low rating.
1/5 stars
The Evil Queen:★★★☆☆
The Glass Queen: ★☆☆☆☆
Thanks to Edelweiss for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and anything could be fixed/changed in post.
I just don't think these books are a good fit for me. They're stylistic, I'm just not sure it's my style. I liked the whole retelling part, but the writing fell a little flat. Like I said, it's more of a stylistic choice, and I prefer writing and books with a bit more depth.
Would it just be plain horrible if I said I cared more about the cameos from the characters in book one than our new MCs? I just loved it when Everly or Roth would pop up, and lose interest when we went back to Ashleigh or Saxon, especially Saxon. They were both decent MCs, not much in either direction. I did enjoy the enemies-to-lovers trope though, so I'll award bonus points there.
Though this is part of a series, it seems more like a bunch of standalones set in the same world. I have no problem with that, except it's still called a series so I'd like a bit more of a segue into each book. The Glass Queen deals with reincarnation, something that we didn't even know existed while reading The Evil Queen! It would have been nice if it was at least hinted at, so I could get a better sense of the world.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. I think Gena Showalter has been reading too much Sarah J Maas. We have "females", "males", and "mates", which are a staple in any of SJM's books. This book in particular felt like a dollar store version of ACOTAR. We have almost-Illyrian wings, and even symbolic feeding to represent love and mating. If I wanted to read that kind of stuff, I'd just pick up ACOTAR. Something new, please?
Again, I've said this before, but there seems to be no end to the cheesiness. Starting with the rhymes that start each chapter. I get that she did them in the first book and wants to keep doing it, but she'd honestly be better off dropping them. They just bring a whole new level of the cheese factor to a land that's been named Enchantia. How much cheesier can it get, you ask? Well, that's easy. Avians that shed dust to show love! Yes, you read that right. I'm not kidding. I've learned to deal with a lot of cheese (well obviously, I read YA) but this is a whole new level.
Gena Showalter used to write paranormal romance, correct? Then why are her sex scenes so disgusting? I don't mean to offend, I'm sure you're a fantastic person Gena, but they just weren't for me. Too much moaning "touch my wings." Ew.
On the brighter side, there were a few things I liked about this book. The dragons! They were adorable, almost like Phobia the spidorpion from book one. I loved them! So cute. I also appreciated Ashleigh's character growth from a breakable girl with heart problems to a strong, magic-wielding dragon momma.
All in all, this book had its ups and downs and ended up just not being for me. I enjoyed parts of it, skim-read parts of it, and ended up with a low rating.
October 23, 2020
OMG please tell me there's going to be another book?
The Glass Princess was beyond addicting to read. Just like the first one, I devoured this within hours. There's just something about retellings that sucks me into the book and I never regret it. In this wicked retelling, you will meet Ashleigh and Saxon. At the beginning, I didn't know what I was going to think about this story but I ended up devouring and loving every second.
It all started when the King was acting like a crazy douche and the sweet Cinderella had to die. Dun dun dun! Enter Ashleigh who is all grown up and basically the snow white of the kingdom because she's kind of kept away from everyone. Until Saxon enters her life and makes her his maid. Oh lord, the things he asked her to do and the sass she gave back - it gave me life. Also, it made me think if I was in this book and I gave the amount of sass and sarcasm that I do on a daily basis... I would technically die in the very beginning of the book. Most likely because I would probably say.. 'Are your arms broken? Your legs? No? Do it your damn self then.'
Other than that, the romance, twists, and the magic just made me enjoy every second. It was very easy to ship these two together and I'm really happy that I got the chance to dive into this book. If there is ever a third book, I will be completely and unapologetically available to read it.
The Glass Princess was beyond addicting to read. Just like the first one, I devoured this within hours. There's just something about retellings that sucks me into the book and I never regret it. In this wicked retelling, you will meet Ashleigh and Saxon. At the beginning, I didn't know what I was going to think about this story but I ended up devouring and loving every second.
It all started when the King was acting like a crazy douche and the sweet Cinderella had to die. Dun dun dun! Enter Ashleigh who is all grown up and basically the snow white of the kingdom because she's kind of kept away from everyone. Until Saxon enters her life and makes her his maid. Oh lord, the things he asked her to do and the sass she gave back - it gave me life. Also, it made me think if I was in this book and I gave the amount of sass and sarcasm that I do on a daily basis... I would technically die in the very beginning of the book. Most likely because I would probably say.. 'Are your arms broken? Your legs? No? Do it your damn self then.'
Other than that, the romance, twists, and the magic just made me enjoy every second. It was very easy to ship these two together and I'm really happy that I got the chance to dive into this book. If there is ever a third book, I will be completely and unapologetically available to read it.
March 1, 2023
I was not expecting to love this book so much. Hear me out. I didn't like Saxon because of some of the events of the first book, The Evil Queen. As a result, I wasn't too enthused about him as a romantic lead. However, I am so happy to say that I was wrong. Saxton definitely won me over. The audiobook is excellent. Ashley and Saxton have different narrators for their parts, Caitlin Kelley and James Fouhey, which worked very well. I enjoyed both. Can I say, I was so seduced by the narrator who voiced Saxton's parts? His voice was so deep and silky. I have loved other books narrated by Kelley and I definitely plan to look for more books read by Fouhey.
This book is for fans of fairy tale retellings that don't just follow the script line by line, and also those who love the metafictional analysis of fairy tales, where you look at the subjects and story elements from the inside in and people in the story also are self-aware of the fairy tale stories they are living through.
Ashley is The Glass Princess of Flora. She has been mistreated by her father and her people because of her heart infirmity. Ashley still has dreams that she strives for, her goal to be a maker of her weapons that she designs. She desires a simple life, and to live. However, Ashley has a problem. Her body is inhabited by an evil persona who sometimes makes her do bad things. Additionally, that persona is the sworn enemy of Saxton, the boy for whom she has unrequited feelings. Apparently, that persona has destroyed his previous incarnations and caused trouble for his people, the Avian. Saxton is holding a grudge and has a plan to make sure that persona can never both him or his people ever again.
It did take me a little while to get invested, but it wasn't for dislike of Ashley. I loved her from the beginning. I didn't like the way Saxton was treating her initially. It kind of reminds me of how the hero would treat the heroine in Harlequin Presents books (admittedly I love them). I wasn't sure what way this story would go, but I'm glad that I kept listening. Ashley is so sweet and just a wonderful person. She's suffered so much, but never gives up. She is very resourceful and thoughtful. Her view of the world just lit up my heart. I think that her character is very good disability representation from the standpoint of a character whose body doesn't work optimally, how she's treated by others, and how she works around and through those issues. People with chronic illness and fatigue issues will probably appreciate her character. I wanted her to have the world. I just wasn't sure I wanted her with Saxton. But oh, when Saxton turns around, he turns around so good. I love that there is no stupid misunderstanding or big lie or anything like that. Instead, they join forces to fight for their love and life together.
Saxton did have a lot of qualities that were extremely appealing. He turns into such a devoted hero. He's intelligent, a formidable warrior, and really cares about his people and those who are important to him. I'm so glad his point of view was very well developed, because it made falling for him possible. If I was only seeing the story from Ashley's perspective, I don't know if that would have happened. But seeing the way his feelings change for Ashley and how it feels so natural and so right, and how it's so clear he would burn down the world for her (I'm a sucker for that), made me just adore him.
Although this is a young adult book, it doesn't quite feel like that. For one, it's very violent. Much of the plot revolves around a type of gladiator game that Saxton and others participate. The fight scenes are really quite gruesome. I won't spoil too much, but there are some scenes where Ashley is harmed that were so hard to listen to (not sexual and not by Saxton). In contrast, while there are love scenes, they are more sensual and about the emotions than with physical descriptions. I also feel that it's written with a type of maturity that I appreciated as I don't think young adult books should be babyish. The concepts of family legacy, the desire to help one's people, and having hopes for one's life in the face of serious obstacles are very impactful. Also there are some interesting themes of fighting against oneself and the warring inside a person's own psyche (admittedly through the lens of possession and reincarnation).
Readers who enjoyed the previous book will appreciate seeing characters from that book and catching up with them. I am a huge Everly stan, so I was glad she was in this book so much. In fact, I loved the contrast between her and Ashley, and I love Ashley just as much.
As I said when I reviewed The Evil Queen, I've been a fan of Gena Showalter's writing for a long time. I think she is topping her previous works with these books. I can see influences there from other media, but she's made this story her own and infused it with so much depth. I literally couldn't stop listening to this book. I listened to it in the car when I ran errands and I had to put it on when I was cleaning up and cooking dinner last night because I had to know what was going to happen next. This is absolutely a five star read for me. I hope there are more books in the series.
This book is for fans of fairy tale retellings that don't just follow the script line by line, and also those who love the metafictional analysis of fairy tales, where you look at the subjects and story elements from the inside in and people in the story also are self-aware of the fairy tale stories they are living through.
Ashley is The Glass Princess of Flora. She has been mistreated by her father and her people because of her heart infirmity. Ashley still has dreams that she strives for, her goal to be a maker of her weapons that she designs. She desires a simple life, and to live. However, Ashley has a problem. Her body is inhabited by an evil persona who sometimes makes her do bad things. Additionally, that persona is the sworn enemy of Saxton, the boy for whom she has unrequited feelings. Apparently, that persona has destroyed his previous incarnations and caused trouble for his people, the Avian. Saxton is holding a grudge and has a plan to make sure that persona can never both him or his people ever again.
It did take me a little while to get invested, but it wasn't for dislike of Ashley. I loved her from the beginning. I didn't like the way Saxton was treating her initially. It kind of reminds me of how the hero would treat the heroine in Harlequin Presents books (admittedly I love them). I wasn't sure what way this story would go, but I'm glad that I kept listening. Ashley is so sweet and just a wonderful person. She's suffered so much, but never gives up. She is very resourceful and thoughtful. Her view of the world just lit up my heart. I think that her character is very good disability representation from the standpoint of a character whose body doesn't work optimally, how she's treated by others, and how she works around and through those issues. People with chronic illness and fatigue issues will probably appreciate her character. I wanted her to have the world. I just wasn't sure I wanted her with Saxton. But oh, when Saxton turns around, he turns around so good. I love that there is no stupid misunderstanding or big lie or anything like that. Instead, they join forces to fight for their love and life together.
Saxton did have a lot of qualities that were extremely appealing. He turns into such a devoted hero. He's intelligent, a formidable warrior, and really cares about his people and those who are important to him. I'm so glad his point of view was very well developed, because it made falling for him possible. If I was only seeing the story from Ashley's perspective, I don't know if that would have happened. But seeing the way his feelings change for Ashley and how it feels so natural and so right, and how it's so clear he would burn down the world for her (I'm a sucker for that), made me just adore him.
Although this is a young adult book, it doesn't quite feel like that. For one, it's very violent. Much of the plot revolves around a type of gladiator game that Saxton and others participate. The fight scenes are really quite gruesome. I won't spoil too much, but there are some scenes where Ashley is harmed that were so hard to listen to (not sexual and not by Saxton). In contrast, while there are love scenes, they are more sensual and about the emotions than with physical descriptions. I also feel that it's written with a type of maturity that I appreciated as I don't think young adult books should be babyish. The concepts of family legacy, the desire to help one's people, and having hopes for one's life in the face of serious obstacles are very impactful. Also there are some interesting themes of fighting against oneself and the warring inside a person's own psyche (admittedly through the lens of possession and reincarnation).
Readers who enjoyed the previous book will appreciate seeing characters from that book and catching up with them. I am a huge Everly stan, so I was glad she was in this book so much. In fact, I loved the contrast between her and Ashley, and I love Ashley just as much.
As I said when I reviewed The Evil Queen, I've been a fan of Gena Showalter's writing for a long time. I think she is topping her previous works with these books. I can see influences there from other media, but she's made this story her own and infused it with so much depth. I literally couldn't stop listening to this book. I listened to it in the car when I ran errands and I had to put it on when I was cleaning up and cooking dinner last night because I had to know what was going to happen next. This is absolutely a five star read for me. I hope there are more books in the series.
January 16, 2026
This book was so much fun! I enjoyed it more than the 1st book in the series, and loved seeing the characters from the 1st books pop up in this book.
The retelling of Cinderella that includes hot avian men, dragons and an evil phantom with past lives is a story everyone needs!
The retelling of Cinderella that includes hot avian men, dragons and an evil phantom with past lives is a story everyone needs!
February 6, 2021
REVIEW OF THIS BOOK:
I like the retelling of fairytales, so this book was a TOOT for me. Saxon & Ashleigh had a good amount of drama between them, but also a lot of romantic and badass moments. Loved seeing their dynamic evolving throughout the book.
The only problem I had with it was confusing family relationships and royal relationships. Honestly, after two books set in the same world, I still can't name the kingdoms and their respective kings or queens.
I was ecstatic to see Everly and Roth playing a part in this story, though. Ophelia and Noel were delightful too.
BEFORE READING:
Did someone say 'dragons'?
I like the retelling of fairytales, so this book was a TOOT for me. Saxon & Ashleigh had a good amount of drama between them, but also a lot of romantic and badass moments. Loved seeing their dynamic evolving throughout the book.
The only problem I had with it was confusing family relationships and royal relationships. Honestly, after two books set in the same world, I still can't name the kingdoms and their respective kings or queens.
I was ecstatic to see Everly and Roth playing a part in this story, though. Ophelia and Noel were delightful too.
BEFORE READING:
Did someone say 'dragons'?
October 13, 2020
I loved this book so much best sequel ever I actually loved this book better than the first book by a whole lot. I loved all of the characters so much new and old but the characters I loved most were Ashleigh and Saxon. What I loved about Ashleigh was her spirit and the resilience to be more than that fragile glass princess I also loved how deeply she loves and her determination for things to be how they should of been the last couple lives ago. What I really loved about Saxon was his ability to learn from his mistakes and his deep and all consuming love for Ashleigh he would do anything for her. I really loved the plot so much it started with a sad girl whose mother has died and is seemingly hated by a boy for no reason. The story is so much more than that I amazingly well written romance with so much heart. So overall I loved this book so much and I am really looking forward to the next book.
June 22, 2022
The forrest of Good and Evil (2):
Breekbaar als Glas ~ Gena Showalter
HarperCollins YoungAdult, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ik vond het eerste deel al heerlijk om te lezen, maar dit tweede boek vinkte ook alle hokjes weer af! Geweldig hoe ze om een bestaand sprookjes toch weer een heel nieuw verhaal heeft weten te schrijven. Enorm genoten van deze glazen prinses. Wat een verschrikkelijk stoer wijf! Het verhaal is nu afgesloten, maar er wordt toch weer geteased voor een derde deel. Bij deze al op de wishlist, heerlijk!
Breekbaar als Glas ~ Gena Showalter
HarperCollins YoungAdult, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ik vond het eerste deel al heerlijk om te lezen, maar dit tweede boek vinkte ook alle hokjes weer af! Geweldig hoe ze om een bestaand sprookjes toch weer een heel nieuw verhaal heeft weten te schrijven. Enorm genoten van deze glazen prinses. Wat een verschrikkelijk stoer wijf! Het verhaal is nu afgesloten, maar er wordt toch weer geteased voor een derde deel. Bij deze al op de wishlist, heerlijk!
October 5, 2020
Okay ... I am a sucker for fairytale retellings. Here is one that is reimagined in a totally modern way - intrigue, drama, action and romance. This particular retelling is Cinderella as you never could have imagined. The Glass Queen is the second book in The Forest of Good and Evil series, however, readers can easily pick up and quickly get up to speed. It almost reads as a standalone.
‘I wasn’t just Cinder. I was a mother of dragons, the fated one of Craven, a designer of spectacular weapons, and a slayer of wicked phantoms.’
Maybe not so much Game of Thrones but definitely traces of Once Upon A Time are evident here. Fun modern twists on traditional classics. Ashleigh is quite the Cinder - brave, strong and very determined. I love the fact that in this world of reincarnation, no one is truly sure what fairytale role they will fulfill in the prophecy. There are loads of characters here that bring much to the story and the whole concept of working through lives to reach your destiny is clever.
‘The second I remembered I stood in the presence of an enemy, I shot around, facing her again. I jutted my chin. More than anyone else in Enchantia, I knew the devastation this girl could cause. I knew the cruelties that lived in her heart.’
The few issues I had concerned some of the dialogue which was far too cheesy for me (but that might just be my age! LOL!) It is questionable whether this is ‘teen’ and rather more young adult due to the sexual content (my age once again!) It was also rather long and could have been edited to lose some of the scenes that added little to the storyline eg. What was happening in the tournament? Who cares!
As fairytale retellings go this was a winner for its unique and action packed twist. This is a great world created by the author and I look forward to what she has in store next for this series.
“You know as well as I that the tales are symbolic rather than literal. The obvious is never the answer. What seems to be right is always wrong. What seems to go this way always veers that way. But I would take care, if I were you.” His voice turned menacing. “The king who despises his daughter has a queen who dies far too soon.’
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.
‘I wasn’t just Cinder. I was a mother of dragons, the fated one of Craven, a designer of spectacular weapons, and a slayer of wicked phantoms.’
Maybe not so much Game of Thrones but definitely traces of Once Upon A Time are evident here. Fun modern twists on traditional classics. Ashleigh is quite the Cinder - brave, strong and very determined. I love the fact that in this world of reincarnation, no one is truly sure what fairytale role they will fulfill in the prophecy. There are loads of characters here that bring much to the story and the whole concept of working through lives to reach your destiny is clever.
‘The second I remembered I stood in the presence of an enemy, I shot around, facing her again. I jutted my chin. More than anyone else in Enchantia, I knew the devastation this girl could cause. I knew the cruelties that lived in her heart.’
The few issues I had concerned some of the dialogue which was far too cheesy for me (but that might just be my age! LOL!) It is questionable whether this is ‘teen’ and rather more young adult due to the sexual content (my age once again!) It was also rather long and could have been edited to lose some of the scenes that added little to the storyline eg. What was happening in the tournament? Who cares!
As fairytale retellings go this was a winner for its unique and action packed twist. This is a great world created by the author and I look forward to what she has in store next for this series.
“You know as well as I that the tales are symbolic rather than literal. The obvious is never the answer. What seems to be right is always wrong. What seems to go this way always veers that way. But I would take care, if I were you.” His voice turned menacing. “The king who despises his daughter has a queen who dies far too soon.’
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.
October 15, 2020
no i will not explain why i picked up a cinderella retelling sequel to a book i haven't read during my century long slump
what in the sarah j mass was this... i was not expecting h word avians and r rated jokes nah it Was entertaining tho i'll give it that and i liked ashleigh despite her naivety and cluelessness
what in the sarah j mass was this... i was not expecting h word avians and r rated jokes nah it Was entertaining tho i'll give it that and i liked ashleigh despite her naivety and cluelessness
September 5, 2020
Gena Showalter does it again! The dark and twisted journey Gena takes the reader on in The Glass Queen is full of magic, mayhem, and romance that simmers to the point it sizzles. I'll never look at the fairy tale of Cinderella the same again. I cannot wait for more in this series.
July 12, 2023
I loved this! I am a sucker for a fairytale retelling and this was perfect! Enemies to lovers, characters from book one were also in this story, intrigue and just a very fun plot! I literally cannot wait for the next book! 🤩🤩🤩🤩
December 25, 2020
This is Young Adult - Fantasy - Retellings. It wasn't quite 4 stars for me, but I rounded up because it was one of my favorite retellings that I've listened to. Some of this sounded so sensible. I was happy to go along with the author's logic in her fairy tale retelling. It was creatively thought out.
At times this seemed a little long, but usually the pace was not a problem. There was plenty going on. Also, the boom-chicka-wow-wow parts were a little gag worthy. They were repetitive and drawn out for so long which probably contributed to the pacing issues. Not a deal breaker. I'm still rounding up because this retelling was unusual and fun to listen to in audio.
At times this seemed a little long, but usually the pace was not a problem. There was plenty going on. Also, the boom-chicka-wow-wow parts were a little gag worthy. They were repetitive and drawn out for so long which probably contributed to the pacing issues. Not a deal breaker. I'm still rounding up because this retelling was unusual and fun to listen to in audio.
March 25, 2022
I actually really liked this story, it was a good retelling in a different and beautifull way. I also think the title has a beautiful meaning. But for me personally the main charcters were to 'in love' and it was just weird that they were saying 'i love you' and such things whole the time. I think it's nice if they say it but not that much as they did.
August 17, 2022
För de som gillar ACOTAR! 🥰😍
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July 1, 2021Categories
Young Adult Fantasy, Young Adult Romance, Young Adult Social Themes, Young Adult Fairy Tales & Folklore
Miniseries
The Forest of Good and Evil (Book #2)
Young Adult Fantasy, Young Adult Romance, Young Adult Social Themes, Young Adult Fairy Tales & Folklore
Miniseries
The Forest of Good and Evil (Book #2)
October 9, 2020
The majority of The Glass Queen takes place shortly after The Evil Queen. The only real exception is the very beginning. There is a scene from Ashleigh's birth and then another from 14 years later when her mom died. And then the rest takes place in the present-day.
Ashleigh plays the role of Cinderella in this retelling. She was born with a weak heart (physically) and her father never wanted her. Only her mother's love saved her, but her mother died when Ashleigh was 14. She meets Prince Saxon at her mother's funeral and he immediately begins to glare at her with hatred in his eyes. The two have a short confrontation that Ashleigh doesn't remember involving fire being shot at Prince Saxon. Outraged, he vows she will pay reparations. Her father then exiles her to a temple where she works as a servant until called back to her father's side to work as "palace liaison" to Prince Saxon in a tournament to win her stepsister's hand in marriage. Saxon is determined to use this opportunity to make Ashleigh pay for her past sins. More sins than she even realizes she's committed.
The players of The Glass Queen were much more obvious than The Evil Queen. At least in that Ashleigh never questions that she plays the role of Cinder in the prophecy and Saxon the role of the "marriage-minded prince." The two are drawn to each other despite having a more complicated history than Ashleigh knows in the beginning and despite appearing to be doomed. I found it enjoyable to not feel 100% confident in who was who when I read The Evil Queen, but I think I enjoyed it even more in The Glass Queen to feel confident in knowing who each character represented.
One of my complaints about The Evil Queen was the maturity levels of the characters. Each of the main characters had a retaliation mindset. You hurt me now I have to hurt you worse. And Saxon had that attitude as well. At least in the beginning. But Ashleigh was leagues above this mindset. She was the type of character that endures true hardships and remains positive, remains hopeful, and refuses to attack those who have harmed her in the past. Even when she has the power to do so. I like rooting for this type of character.
Because Saxon and Ashleigh started off in such a rocky place, I enjoyed their journey very much. Hate to love relationships often turn out to be some of my favorites. Theirs was no different.
Favorite quotes:
One thing I did find contradictory...The characters seemed a little hypocritical when it came to their feelings about death and killing. They didn't seem to mind fighting in a tournament that including much killing. Roth and Saxon were doing a large portion of that. And the tournament was really just a ruse. Yet when it came to Ashleigh's father or even other major characters at the end, they couldn't bring themselves to kill out of punishment or justice. Yet for sport...as a distraction...didn't seem to bother them. And actually, Ashleigh comments about how attractive Saxon is multiple times after he battles others resulting in his killing them during the tournament. It just felt a little disjointed and contradictory to me.
I read The Glass Queen really quickly. I didn't want to put it down even when I had to. As a matter of fact, I had to force myself not to read a couple of times in order to get things done around the house. I enjoyed Ashleigh and Saxon's relationship journey as I tend to do with hate-to-love relationships. I also appreciated knowing who each character represented in the retelling. The Glass Queen gets 4 Stars. Have you read The Glass Queen? What did you think? Let me know!
Ashleigh plays the role of Cinderella in this retelling. She was born with a weak heart (physically) and her father never wanted her. Only her mother's love saved her, but her mother died when Ashleigh was 14. She meets Prince Saxon at her mother's funeral and he immediately begins to glare at her with hatred in his eyes. The two have a short confrontation that Ashleigh doesn't remember involving fire being shot at Prince Saxon. Outraged, he vows she will pay reparations. Her father then exiles her to a temple where she works as a servant until called back to her father's side to work as "palace liaison" to Prince Saxon in a tournament to win her stepsister's hand in marriage. Saxon is determined to use this opportunity to make Ashleigh pay for her past sins. More sins than she even realizes she's committed.
The players of The Glass Queen were much more obvious than The Evil Queen. At least in that Ashleigh never questions that she plays the role of Cinder in the prophecy and Saxon the role of the "marriage-minded prince." The two are drawn to each other despite having a more complicated history than Ashleigh knows in the beginning and despite appearing to be doomed. I found it enjoyable to not feel 100% confident in who was who when I read The Evil Queen, but I think I enjoyed it even more in The Glass Queen to feel confident in knowing who each character represented.
One of my complaints about The Evil Queen was the maturity levels of the characters. Each of the main characters had a retaliation mindset. You hurt me now I have to hurt you worse. And Saxon had that attitude as well. At least in the beginning. But Ashleigh was leagues above this mindset. She was the type of character that endures true hardships and remains positive, remains hopeful, and refuses to attack those who have harmed her in the past. Even when she has the power to do so. I like rooting for this type of character.
Because Saxon and Ashleigh started off in such a rocky place, I enjoyed their journey very much. Hate to love relationships often turn out to be some of my favorites. Theirs was no different.
Favorite quotes:
-Noel polled a bunch of random strangers about our situation, and asked if it was all right to hurt an innocent girl in order to kill an evil phantom. Apparently, polling random strangers is the best way to make a decision in the mortal world...
-“Stop being ridiculous, boys. For the lastish time, I’m betraying you both.”
-“From my vantage point, I don’t think fate has ever helped me.” “Then you aren’t paying attention.”
One thing I did find contradictory...The characters seemed a little hypocritical when it came to their feelings about death and killing. They didn't seem to mind fighting in a tournament that including much killing. Roth and Saxon were doing a large portion of that. And the tournament was really just a ruse. Yet when it came to Ashleigh's father or even other major characters at the end, they couldn't bring themselves to kill out of punishment or justice. Yet for sport...as a distraction...didn't seem to bother them. And actually, Ashleigh comments about how attractive Saxon is multiple times after he battles others resulting in his killing them during the tournament. It just felt a little disjointed and contradictory to me.
I read The Glass Queen really quickly. I didn't want to put it down even when I had to. As a matter of fact, I had to force myself not to read a couple of times in order to get things done around the house. I enjoyed Ashleigh and Saxon's relationship journey as I tend to do with hate-to-love relationships. I also appreciated knowing who each character represented in the retelling. The Glass Queen gets 4 Stars. Have you read The Glass Queen? What did you think? Let me know!
August 22, 2020
Thank you to Netgalley and Inkyard Press for the opportunity to review this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Good
• Wilting roses! This was so much more rewarding than book one and I did love book one. Cinderella is one of my favorite fairy tales so I was instantly attached to this.
• Absolutely adored Ashleigh and her ferociousness and fight for life. She had every reason to stop fighting but never did. She was protective and passionate and I love her dearly.
• THE ROMANCE. This was such a rewarding slow burn with a twist on the enemies to lovers trope. I really liked what set this apart. The character growth between Ashleigh and Saxon was exactly what I needed..not too insta and no one fought against what was inevitable more so than one would expect. Thank the stars.
..just let me adore you..
• I was SO excited to get a Saxon story. I’m really not super into sequels that follow secondary characters from the first one but this one was just fine for me. He was such a mystery in the first book so getting to see this side of him was *chef’s kiss*
• The dialogue and writing were much better in this book. Ashleigh was a much more likable character than Everly was. Just enough sass but a world full of maturity. But I also loved the little entrances of Everly and Roth. I was glad to see them again. Heart.
The Bad
• Honestly, I think the only thing I can really come up with was that the dialogue between Saxon and Ashleigh got real cheesy at the end. It was a little cringey but since it hadn’t been a cheese fest the whole book, I dealt with it. I mean, it was sweet..but cream cheesy.
I was looking for a cheesy gif but then this gem showed up and you just never miss an opportunity to present He-Man gifs.
• I mean, it wasn’t perfect but I can’t find anything else off color that I feel needs being said. It’s a fairy tale retelling that was fun and easy and cheesy.
The Wicked
• Wicked Good: Saxon!! He was such an incredibly sweet man and I loved getting more of his history and personality. I loved the relationship between he and Ashleigh and how so fiercely protective he was of her. He just accepted like, “this my girl and these are her dragons so I guess I’m a father now”. We stan.
• Wicked Bad: I must be in a forgiving mood because again, I honestly can’t say anything bad about this other than the cheese fest at the end and it was bearable so not wicked.
Final Thoughts
This is much more Once Upon A Time than Game of Thrones so don’t get confused. The only GOF similarity I guess is the ‘mother of dragons’ bit and Ashleigh is the pre-school teacher version of Daenerys so..no, not quite. That isn’t a bad thing though and by pre-school teacher I don’t mean she is a Mary Sue. Quite the opposite really. She is brave and fierce and strong. Just not, *GOF spoiler* murder the entirety of King’s Landing fierce. If you like fairy tale retellings with a little twist and a lot of sass and battle action, pick this one up. I feel like you don’t have to read the first one to read this because characters and events are explained well enough. This was fun and *hot* with some fantastic characters. You will swoon. You will gasp. You will cheer.
August 8, 2021
I wanted to love this book as much as a I loved the first instalment, but I just couldn't. These are my thoughts:
1. I knew that the second instalment wasn't going to be about Everly, even though I wanted it to be. I knew that it would be a different fairy tale (Cinderella) and that Everly, Roth, etc would show up in supporting roles. But I honestly didn't think Saxon would become one of the main characters, and worse, that I wouldn't like him anymore.
2. I just couldn't get into Saxon, and I overall didn't feel like he had much of a personality? One minute he hates her, and the next he doesn't? I'm going to talk about some pretty obvious spoilers below, so stop reading now if you cannot handle any type of spoiler.
I think Saxon is a bit basic. He hates her, makes her do chores and penance (which is weird) but doesn't kill her even though he wants to? Yet kills other people in battle like it's nothing? It sort of doesn't make sense to me. People aren't like that. Then, all of a sudden he begins to love Ash, like there's no "like" at any point. One minute he hates her and the next he'll die for her. It's kind of weird. And a bit over the top. I had to skip some of the last pages where he's just professing his love over and over and over again. Like we get it. You love her. Good for you. Oh, you'll die for her? Great. Oh, you'll give your life for her? Cool. I mean, that's sort of like saying you'll die for her, but sure, tell us how much you love her again. Saxon whispers "I would not live so that she could live".
3. The armour dust was weird. Really weird. That shouldn't be a thing. It's just making me picture them all being covered in pollen (which I guess is kind of like, uh, flower sperm, so it's fitting, but still weird).
4. Dior should have been Cinder and had more of a role in the fairy tale. I thought she was great.
5. Where are the dragons? They needed more ink time (like air time in tv shows but for books).
6. Ash's magical ability was such a cop-out. How convenient that she happens to have the strangest power which somehow provides her with the best solution?
7. Philip needed to be put in his place a bit better. He also needed a bit of a better back story as to why he hated Ash. It all felt very superficial. At least pretend he hated Ash because she broke his favourite watch or something. I don't know, I don't care, just give me something.
8. MORE EVERLY. MORE ROTH. AND FOR GODS SAKE, MORE HARTLY. There really should have been a bit more about them. I don't care if it's not really their story. They're the heart of The Forest of Good and Evil, and I want more closure.
1. I knew that the second instalment wasn't going to be about Everly, even though I wanted it to be. I knew that it would be a different fairy tale (Cinderella) and that Everly, Roth, etc would show up in supporting roles. But I honestly didn't think Saxon would become one of the main characters, and worse, that I wouldn't like him anymore.
2. I just couldn't get into Saxon, and I overall didn't feel like he had much of a personality? One minute he hates her, and the next he doesn't? I'm going to talk about some pretty obvious spoilers below, so stop reading now if you cannot handle any type of spoiler.
I think Saxon is a bit basic. He hates her, makes her do chores and penance (which is weird) but doesn't kill her even though he wants to? Yet kills other people in battle like it's nothing? It sort of doesn't make sense to me. People aren't like that. Then, all of a sudden he begins to love Ash, like there's no "like" at any point. One minute he hates her and the next he'll die for her. It's kind of weird. And a bit over the top. I had to skip some of the last pages where he's just professing his love over and over and over again. Like we get it. You love her. Good for you. Oh, you'll die for her? Great. Oh, you'll give your life for her? Cool. I mean, that's sort of like saying you'll die for her, but sure, tell us how much you love her again. Saxon whispers "I would not live so that she could live".
3. The armour dust was weird. Really weird. That shouldn't be a thing. It's just making me picture them all being covered in pollen (which I guess is kind of like, uh, flower sperm, so it's fitting, but still weird).
4. Dior should have been Cinder and had more of a role in the fairy tale. I thought she was great.
5. Where are the dragons? They needed more ink time (like air time in tv shows but for books).
6. Ash's magical ability was such a cop-out. How convenient that she happens to have the strangest power which somehow provides her with the best solution?
7. Philip needed to be put in his place a bit better. He also needed a bit of a better back story as to why he hated Ash. It all felt very superficial. At least pretend he hated Ash because she broke his favourite watch or something. I don't know, I don't care, just give me something.
8. MORE EVERLY. MORE ROTH. AND FOR GODS SAKE, MORE HARTLY. There really should have been a bit more about them. I don't care if it's not really their story. They're the heart of The Forest of Good and Evil, and I want more closure.
January 22, 2021
This book was a really good read. You have princess Ashleigh, who was born with a malformed heart, her mother tries to get a witch to imbue her with magic to make her stronger, but it turns out that the "witch" in the dungeons was a phantom instead. So the phantom decides to go into baby Ashleigh. Leonora is the phantom that possesses and haunts princess Ashleigh. It seems as though I can’t go a page or two without seeing Leonora’s name at least two or three times, honestly it gets annoying after a while. Authors should be more careful with the verbal vomit, just my opinion. Ashleigh is attracted to the handsome prince Saxon, or is she? Little does princess Ashleigh know, prince Saxon and Leonora have a very long history and disastrous relationships from the past. Leonora and Saxon have been reincarnated three times, each time Leonora destroys everything and everyone he loves. Leonora is obsessed with Saxon, to say the least. Obviously she can’t take the hint that he doesn’t truly love her. Princess Ashleigh is considered weak because of her malformed heart, and everyone treats her as such. But she is anything but weak. She constantly finds ways to undermine prince Saxon and avoid his orders while with him. He thinks that Ashleigh attacked him with fire, unbeknownst to him at the time that it was Leonora taking control of Ashleigh. Prince Saxon is an avian, part human part something else, I forget. He has wings. He certainly doesn’t intend to fall in love with Ashleigh, especially as he knows that Leonora resides within her. He certainly tries not to like her, but he inevitably fails at this as you can guess. Ashleigh has a passion for making weapons, although everyone overlooks her and her work because she’s a female and because of her condition. Turns out she has a real talent for it, a talent that could make her a fortune one day. In this tale it’s hard to say who you can trust, especially those apple babies, Noel and Ophelia. They constantly answer questions with riddles instead of straight forward answers. And everything they say or do seems to go against the greater good sometimes. They’re oracles and can see the future and give prophecies, and people pay an extortionate amount of riches for the privilege. This story was a very good read as was the last book, The evil queen. Very inventive and imaginative stories from a very talented author. I hope to see more of these books in the future.
September 1, 2020
Book: The Glass Queen
Author: Gena Showalter
Rating: 2 Out of 5 Stars
I would like to thank the publisher, Inkyard Press, for providing me with an ARC.
I just don’t think that this book was for me. It’s nothing that the author did or that there’s anything actually wrong with the book. I just don’t think it’s one for me. I’ve been reading a lot of epic fantasy and this was just a chance for me.
I honestly didn’t care about the characters either. They just weren’t what I was looking for in a book and just didn’t have that punch that I wanted. I mean, they were fine, but I just felt like they were kind of flat for me. I want something more and something a bit more fleshed out. I found it very difficult to keep everyone straight because of that. It honestly felt like the author was trying to write Sarah J Maas characters, but it just didn’t work. I think had we had some more development then it would have worked a lot more.
I felt like the writing was kind of flat as well. The overuse of the rhymes just didn’t work. I personally think that the book would have worked a lot better had the author chosen to drop them. I wanted something a little bit more and something a little bit, once again, fleshed out. I just think it would have worked a lot better. I just felt like the author wanted to cross that line, but couldn’t make herself. If you aren’t going to cross that line, then you really shouldn’t be bringing it up into books. That’s just my opinion and all.
Anyway, this book comes out on September 29, 2020.
Author: Gena Showalter
Rating: 2 Out of 5 Stars
I would like to thank the publisher, Inkyard Press, for providing me with an ARC.
I just don’t think that this book was for me. It’s nothing that the author did or that there’s anything actually wrong with the book. I just don’t think it’s one for me. I’ve been reading a lot of epic fantasy and this was just a chance for me.
I honestly didn’t care about the characters either. They just weren’t what I was looking for in a book and just didn’t have that punch that I wanted. I mean, they were fine, but I just felt like they were kind of flat for me. I want something more and something a bit more fleshed out. I found it very difficult to keep everyone straight because of that. It honestly felt like the author was trying to write Sarah J Maas characters, but it just didn’t work. I think had we had some more development then it would have worked a lot more.
I felt like the writing was kind of flat as well. The overuse of the rhymes just didn’t work. I personally think that the book would have worked a lot better had the author chosen to drop them. I wanted something a little bit more and something a little bit, once again, fleshed out. I just think it would have worked a lot better. I just felt like the author wanted to cross that line, but couldn’t make herself. If you aren’t going to cross that line, then you really shouldn’t be bringing it up into books. That’s just my opinion and all.
Anyway, this book comes out on September 29, 2020.
October 10, 2020
Ugh....I was so excited for this book. Books like these being labeled as YA/Teen is why I will be reading teen books ahead of my kids when they are a bit older. This book is so not appropriate for a teenager. There were explicit sex scenes and violence. I choose to read YA books as an adult and avoid adult romance because I don't want to be reading that junk, but to put it in a teen book honestly has me really concerned about what children may unwittingly read. I spent a lot of time skimming because I certainly wasn't going to be reading it either. The girl is also only 17....so explicit content of a 17 year old really doesn't sit right for me.
I enjoyed the first book and don't recall it having anything like this in it. However, going from YA to mature content isn't the only reason I did not enjoy the book, the plot was fairly interesting, but also quite boring in comparison to the first book. The main character's voice was so convoluted. One minute she is speaking contemporary and then the next she is confused by other characters using modern colloquialisms. The characters were inconsistent in speech, personality, and even relationships. It was super cheesy at some points. I don't mind a bit of cheese...I mean come one, I love YA, but this was too much at points.
Props for an interesting concept (I love fairy tales) and dragons, but overall, this book was a big nope from me. I'm pretty annoyed I wasted my time on 500+ pages of this.
Don't let your children read it and don't read it yourself it you don't want to read a subpar novel with inappropriate content.
I enjoyed the first book and don't recall it having anything like this in it. However, going from YA to mature content isn't the only reason I did not enjoy the book, the plot was fairly interesting, but also quite boring in comparison to the first book. The main character's voice was so convoluted. One minute she is speaking contemporary and then the next she is confused by other characters using modern colloquialisms. The characters were inconsistent in speech, personality, and even relationships. It was super cheesy at some points. I don't mind a bit of cheese...I mean come one, I love YA, but this was too much at points.
Props for an interesting concept (I love fairy tales) and dragons, but overall, this book was a big nope from me. I'm pretty annoyed I wasted my time on 500+ pages of this.
Don't let your children read it and don't read it yourself it you don't want to read a subpar novel with inappropriate content.
February 11, 2021
My obsession with The Forest of Good and Evil series continues.
After enjoying the main character of The Evil Queen so much, I was extremely apprehensive about the change of main character. My experiences with fairy-tale series that switch characters each book have not been positive (I'm looking at you, Lunar Chronicles and Curse so Dark and Lonely), but I was really glad I mustered up the courage to read Glass Queen.
Much like book one, Glass Queen has an over-dramatic soap opera vibe to it, with a cliché enemies-to-lovers romance, but this time, inspired by the fairy-tale, Cinderella.
Cinderella is not my go-to princess, but the main girl was witty, funny and easy to grow fond of. The love interest, who was previously a side character in Evil Queen, was everything my dark-and-tortured-bad-boy-enthusiast self wanted in a character. Their romance was predictable, but again, like Evil Queen, the predictability of it all made it fun. I think the two characters complemented each other nicely, and I was rooting for them from start to finish.
To ice the cake--Dragons. Say less.
The down side of this book is that I CANNOT IMMEDIATELY READ THE NEXT ONE. From clues alluded to in book two, I'm predicting four books in total, with one of them being Little Mermaid themed, but my Disney princess knowledge does not span far enough to guess what a forth book would be inspired by.
Regardless, I'm excited.
After enjoying the main character of The Evil Queen so much, I was extremely apprehensive about the change of main character. My experiences with fairy-tale series that switch characters each book have not been positive (I'm looking at you, Lunar Chronicles and Curse so Dark and Lonely), but I was really glad I mustered up the courage to read Glass Queen.
Much like book one, Glass Queen has an over-dramatic soap opera vibe to it, with a cliché enemies-to-lovers romance, but this time, inspired by the fairy-tale, Cinderella.
Cinderella is not my go-to princess, but the main girl was witty, funny and easy to grow fond of. The love interest, who was previously a side character in Evil Queen, was everything my dark-and-tortured-bad-boy-enthusiast self wanted in a character. Their romance was predictable, but again, like Evil Queen, the predictability of it all made it fun. I think the two characters complemented each other nicely, and I was rooting for them from start to finish.
To ice the cake--Dragons. Say less.
The down side of this book is that I CANNOT IMMEDIATELY READ THE NEXT ONE. From clues alluded to in book two, I'm predicting four books in total, with one of them being Little Mermaid themed, but my Disney princess knowledge does not span far enough to guess what a forth book would be inspired by.
Regardless, I'm excited.
September 23, 2020
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Thank you Harlequin for this book in exchange for an honest review
The Glass Queen is the sequel to Evil Queen and reminiscing on the Evil Queen it was one of those books that was a building up to something… So when The Glass Queen popped up for review I knew that I had to read it to see where the story went!
The Glass Queen was more enjoyable than the Evil Queen, the sequel contained more sass, humour and you can see the change in the characters while they didn’t change or mature much in the first book.
Whilst it was entertaining at the beginning and end of the of the book, the middle did seem to lag and I wasn’t a huge fan on the inner monologue, I felt as though it took the love and suspense away from the book.
Bookstagram
Website
Thank you Harlequin for this book in exchange for an honest review
The Glass Queen is the sequel to Evil Queen and reminiscing on the Evil Queen it was one of those books that was a building up to something… So when The Glass Queen popped up for review I knew that I had to read it to see where the story went!
The Glass Queen was more enjoyable than the Evil Queen, the sequel contained more sass, humour and you can see the change in the characters while they didn’t change or mature much in the first book.
Whilst it was entertaining at the beginning and end of the of the book, the middle did seem to lag and I wasn’t a huge fan on the inner monologue, I felt as though it took the love and suspense away from the book.
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