YA Buddy Readers' Corner ♥ discussion

Two Hearts. One Hope.

Rose has been appointed as a healer's apprentice at Hagenheim Castle, a rare opportunity for a woodcutter's daughter like her. While she often feels uneasy at the sight of blood, Rose is determined to prove herself capable. Failure will mean returning home to marry the aging bachelor her mother has chosen for her—a bloated, disgusting merchant who makes Rose feel ill.

When Lord Hamlin, the future duke, is injured, it is Rose who must tend to him. As she works to heal his wound, she begins to understand emotions she's never felt before and wonders if he feels the same. But falling in love is forbidden, as Lord Hamlin is betrothed to a mysterious young woman in hiding. As Rose's life spins toward confusion, she must take the first steps on a journey to discover her own destiny.

Chapter 2
(view spoiler)[It took me a second to realize that Lord Hamlin and Wilhelm were the same person. The two different names confused me. (hide spoiler)]

I will be starting soon

Chapter 7

I feel like this book is moving very slowly.I'm starting to get a little bored. I hope something interesting happens soon

Chapter 13

(view spoiler)[So at this point, it kinda seems like Rose is the princess in hiding that Wilhelm is betrothed to, even though it doesn't make any sense to me why she wouldn't be aware of who she really is. I'm also pretty sure that Peter is that sorceror guy that Wilhelm has been looking for. Not sure how right or wrong I am yet though. (hide spoiler)]

Starting

Middle of chapter 1 (view spoiler)[ I like Rose. And not just cause I love the name Rose but because I like that she wants to succeed and not have to marry a guy for everything. She wants to work and learn languages and write a novel.

Looking forward to seeing how it plays out. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 21

(view spoiler)[I'm glad the relationship with Rupert is over. I really don't like him (hide spoiler)]

Katrina wrote: "Chapter 2
[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ I was the same. In the first chapter I had to go back and reread the names of the Brother's. (hide spoiler)]

Katrina wrote: "Chapter 7

I feel like this book is moving very slowly.I'm starting to get a little bored. I hope something interesting happens soon"

Chapter 8 (view spoiler)[ it is slow at parts but I'm enjoying it still. (hide spoiler)]

End

(view spoiler)[I had a really hard time getting in to this book. There was very little that related to Sleeping Beauty other then Wilhem kissing Rose to wake her up and that was a little dissapointing to me. I also think it was very predictable. (hide spoiler)]

Through chapter 10 (view spoiler)[ I'm enjoy this so far. It has it's slow parts but they are still enjoyable. I had a few guesses from chapter 1 that I'm finding to be ring.

I still believe that Rose is the hidden princess. I thought of that from chapter 1. Got to read more to find out. (hide spoiler)]

Middle of chapter 14 (view spoiler)[ poor Hildy. Being attacked. Sad. (hide spoiler)]

Done (view spoiler)[ I finished last night. And I have to say I was shocked on how much I enjoyed this book. Yes a few parts were predictable but it was still enjoyable. (hide spoiler)]

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Date changed. Restarting December 18th 2018. Happy Reading ☺

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Starting The Orphan's Wish

29%

(view spoiler)[I love how Abu is a little boy in this retelling. you can already tell a friendship is happening. (hide spoiler)]

43%

(view spoiler)[I hope she gets free soon. (hide spoiler)]

70%

(view spoiler)[ugh!!!! what a terrible thing to do (act like Aladdin had something to do with her kidnapping). (hide spoiler)]

83% (view spoiler)[
I hate how their relationship is failing right now... (hide spoiler)]

Finished

(view spoiler)[A cute read. Better than I expected, but not my favorite of the series. (hide spoiler)]

7%

(view spoiler)[SO far this is okay. (hide spoiler)]

13%

(view spoiler)[I know it is possible, but I find it very hard to believe she will be believed to be a man. (hide spoiler)]

25% - (view spoiler)[ well well its a Mulan retelling. I was kind of hoping for a little flare but so far its pretty tame. (hide spoiler)]
50% - (view spoiler)[ Not a fan of these Teutonic Knights at all... I hope they bring them down for sure. It is a lot like the Disney Mulan story in a different setting... I was kind of hoping for a little more spin on the story. (hide spoiler)]
75% - (view spoiler)[ I like a story that has devout people no matter what they have faith in but I also like a little mysticism and there isn't much of this.. (hide spoiler)]
Finished (view spoiler)[ So all in all it was a decent read, pretty straightforward and not a lot of intense emotion or action scenes. Mostly just ok for me. (hide spoiler)]

40% (view spoiler)[Interesting way to find out she was a girl. (hide spoiler)]

Tiera wrote: "
25% - [spoilers removed]
50% - [spoilers removed]
75% - [spoilers removed]
Finished [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I agree that is it pretty tame so far. (hide spoiler)]

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Reading from the 7th of March 2019

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Started a little earlyyyy 8'D

Chapter 1: (view spoiler)[So Lord Hamlin is apparently engaged… but judging by the “his expression changed and his features softened as he looked at her” I believe he might be the love interest of the main character. Honestly, I just hope it’s not Rupert, the younger brother. I know it’s shallow but I just REALLY hate his name for a primary love interest 8’D
--
...why on earth would someone who is squeamish of blood want to be a healer. You do realise that you would have to deal with that on a daily basis, right?
--
Oh look. Lord Hamlin has arrived to see the healer… when the healer is not there… guess it’s time for Rose to get over her squeamishness - and fast! :P (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 5: (view spoiler)[Annndddd Rupert has come across (and hit on) Rose. That was definitely something that seems as though it would have happened sooner or later, what with the way his character has been portrayed as a “skirt chaser”.
--
I feel sorry for Hildy, that she can’t go to the ball with Rose :/ (hide spoiler)]

Bit late, working on it now!

Hi Clephiro! c:

Chapter 15: (view spoiler)[Whoa, so for “defending his woman’s honour”, Gunther has been sentenced to death, what? o.O What the HELL did he DO?!
--
Oh. The guy’s dead. That’d do it. But I don’t think Gunther was the one to kill him. (hide spoiler)]

Natalie wrote: "Started a little earlyyyy 8'D

Chapter 1: "

Yeah.,.I think this is definitely an early work of the authors'. It's messy about things like that.

So...I didn't not take heed of the 'Christian fiction' tag before starting... and I spent so long wondering why the book was so preachy. LMAO XD

Personally, I don't really like the inclusion of real religions into fantasy books like this, so it's a pretty big turn off for me. Once I realized it was Christian fiction, I was hoping for more a vague Christian fiction I guess?

It's not for me, but I can definitely see that the book would have an audience.

Also, did any of y'all find the outlawing touching women inappropriately a little awkward? I mean I appreciate the sentiment because obviously, it's a serious issue, but like it just felt kind of awkwardly done?

Melanie wrote: "


7%

[spoilers removed]"


Yeah, I don't think I'm running out to buy the next volume (There are at least 8 of these???) but it was an OK read. Though definitely, the author needs to work on plotting and pacing a bit more.

The characters were also a bit one dimensional to me. The good people were virtuous and brave and beautiful and the bad people were not. There wasn't exactly a lot of gray area, but that could come along with the genre.

Clephiro (The Book Coven) wrote: "So...I didn't not take heed of the 'Christian fiction' tag before starting... and I spent so long wondering why the book was so preachy. LMAO XD

Personally, I don't really like the inclusion of re..."

Yeah, I was the same XD Didn't see the "Christian Fiction" bit until I went "wtf is with all this" and rechecked tags. I definitely prefer my fantasy to have more... fantasy 8'D

To be honest, The Healer's Apprentice seems kinda... bland... so far? I really want to love it but so far I'm not having much luck ._.

Clephiro (The Book Coven) wrote: "Also, did any of y'all find the outlawing touching women inappropriately a little awkward? I mean I appreciate the sentiment because obviously, it's a serious issue, but like it just felt kind of a..."

Yeahhh... I mean.... the sentiment behind it is actually really good, but I feel it should be less "no touching a women that is not your betrothed" and more "don't assault people".

Chapter 1 - (view spoiler)[ Well, the love interest was easy to figure out. There's no mystery on the matter... And yeah, if she's so weird around blood, why would she be a healer? I would have hoped for a stronger character but it's fine. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 5 - (view spoiler)[I'm not really surprised to see the author is using the little brother as a "love" interest even though we can guess he won't be a perfect gentleman in the future... (hide spoiler)]

Clephiro (The Book Coven) wrote: "So...I didn't not take heed of the 'Christian fiction' tag before starting... and I spent so long wondering why the book was so preachy. LMAO XD

Personally, I don't really like the inclusion of re..."

Yeah, me neither. I mean, I saw the Christian tag but I hoped it wouldn't be heavy on religion. It's not my thing but it's too late now. I've already finished the book (and I didn't like it).

Am I the only one who doesn't get why this book is tagged as Fantasy?? I really don't understand. I must have missed something. To me it was a historical/christian romance :/

@Natalie, you're right! The book was bland (imo) and I know I'll forget all about it soon... It feels like I kinda wasted my time :/ (I'm glad I listen at 2.0 speed)

Yeah it’s a book I’m glad to be done to know to avoid the author in the future. There are probably tons of people who are into this, but if I’m going to read Christian fiction I think I’d prefer it a bit more on the metaphorical side. This was way too on the nose

And yeah I didn’t really see much from a fantasy perspective

Kelly wrote: "Clephiro (The Book Coven) wrote: "So...I didn't not take heed of the 'Christian fiction' tag before starting... and I spent so long wondering why the book was so preachy. LMAO XD

Personally, I don..."

Yeah, it does seem to be super heavy on the inclusion of Christianity at the sake of plot to be honest... I mean, I don't mind the inclusion of a faith (and I'm Christian myself), but to include it just for the sake of including it, and it having no foreseeable use in the overall plot? It bothers me :/

Kelly wrote: "Am I the only one who doesn't get why this book is tagged as Fantasy?? I really don't understand. I must have missed something. To me it was a historical/christian romance :/"

I think the only thing (so far) that's fantasy is the inclusion of the sorcerer, but even then it seems to be kinda explained away as some "pagan" (and hence evil) aspect >.>

Clephiro (The Book Coven) wrote: "Yeah it’s a book I’m glad to be done to know to avoid the author in the future. There are probably tons of people who are into this, but if I’m going to read Christian fiction I think I’d prefer it..."

Yep :/
I want my fantasy to have more... fantasy ;u; And I mean, I love a good historical fantasy, but this seems more like historical fiction than anything else >.>

Chapter 20: (view spoiler)[So Rupert asks her to be his mistress because he's been offered the position of Bishop... fairly certain that that's against the rules.

But of course she ran away in tears only to be saved by Hamlin. Of course -.-' (hide spoiler)]

Natalie wrote: "Clephiro (The Book Coven) wrote: "Yeah it’s a book I’m glad to be done to know to avoid the author in the future. There are probably tons of people who are into this, but if I’m going to read Chris..."

Yeah. Pretty happy now I only committted myself to the first book!

Same here XD Need to finish regardless, because I'm going to use it for this month's challenge, but at least I won't have to worry about the others!

Still, I'm really disappointed that this one's so bland. All the covers and synopses for the series looked amazing ;u;