YA Buddy Readers' Corner ♥ discussion

N THE KINGDOM OF AXARIA, a darkness rises.

Some call it a monster, laying waste to the villagers and their homes.
Some say it is an invulnerable demon summoned from the deepest abysses of the Immortal Realm.
Many soldiers from the royal guard are sent out to hunt it down.

Not one has ever returned.

When Asterin Faelenhart, Princess of Axaria and heir to the throne, discovers that she may hold the key to defeating the mysterious demon terrorizing her kingdom, she vows not to rest until the beast is slain. With the help of her friends and the powers she wields—though has yet to fully understand—Asterin sets out to complete a single task. The task that countless, trained soldiers have failed.

To kill it.

But as they hunt for the demon, they unearth a plot to assassinate the Princess herself instead. Asterin and her friends begin to wonder how much of their lives have been lies, especially when they realize that the center of the web of deceit might very well be themselves. With no one else to turn to, they are forced to decide just how much they are willing to sacrifice to protect the only world they have ever known.

That is… if the demon doesn’t get to them first.

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Date changed. Restarting June 10th 2019. Happy Reading ☺

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I'm starting this today! I'm behind on everything it seems.

I'm super behind too but will be starting this tomorrow :)

It’s sooo good! I can’t believe a 15 year old wrote it!

First quarter - (view spoiler)[This begun so strongly. The Princess has magical abilities unusually strong for her people and they seem to have been somehow heightened when the commander gave her instruments to improve them. She casually almost killed her for doing so but shows little remorse afterwards for doing so. I understand they don't get on but I thought I'd see some emotion come out of her! I'm looking forward to learning more about these abilities.

Eadric and Luna are the cutest!! (hide spoiler)]

18% - (view spoiler)[ General Garringsford is shady af.. it didn't take no time for her to jump on the bandwagon to get the Princess out of the castle.. I'd watch my back in her presence for sure. It just feels like the author is setting Asterin up for some sort of betrayal.. but I dont think its Rose or Quinlan. (hide spoiler)]
21% (view spoiler)[ "And I," Rose continued, "am the Queen of Eradore."

Well crap maybe I spoke too dang soon.. but really why would she reveal herself if she was set up to betray us.. (hide spoiler)]
39% (view spoiler)[ Oh thank heavens, Orion and Harry have some instant chemistry. I'm so thankful this isn't going to be a love triangle. (hide spoiler)]
41% I don't know if I'm just super dense to not have realized it prior to almost half way through the book or if the author is just a master of reinvention lol. (view spoiler)[ This is totes a snow white reinvention.. I got goosies when I finally saw it.... Hunter in the woods... Staying a cabin with tons of beds.. Asterin has all these protectors... It totally is.. I know it. (hide spoiler)]
46% (view spoiler)[ Rose has a "Fairfest invitation" sounds alot like fairest.. I wonder if Rose is "sleeping beauty"... maybe she will have her own story? (hide spoiler)]
48% (view spoiler)[ Yea.. The evil guys are communing through mirrors.. I totally called it! "No, the girl Luna. She is valuable to the queen." Ok so its not the queen talking through the mirrors? It must be the general then. I still think the queen is involved. I mean there has to be an evil stepmother queen right? Why is Luna important though.. (hide spoiler)]
57% (view spoiler)[ "Perhaps her heart in a velvet case," Yea still tooting my own horn at discovering earlier it was a retelling lol. Yea it only took 1/2 the book before I realized. 🤦‍♀️. Not sure why I'm so proud of myself lol. (hide spoiler)]
66% REVEALFEST!!!
75% (view spoiler)[ I don't understand.. I mean I get that the queen and this guy had something early on in life and I'm pretty sure this guy is going to end up being Luna's dad.. but what was the original plan they had? and where did it go wrong? (hide spoiler)]
84% (view spoiler)[ Wait what is Harry trying to find here? And what happened to that dude who got hit by the reaper like figure? (hide spoiler)]
Finished: Really super great read. This author has a great future ahead of her if this is just a glimpse of what she is capable of. I am definitely a fan. Longest Spoiler Ever ahead. (view spoiler)[ So... phenomenal really that this is the author's first work, and that the author was only 15 at the time of writing it. Incredible. I thought the characters had great range and depth for having so many that was remarkable. Also the chemistry.. I thought Orion and Asterin were lacking on the chemistry in the beginning and I was thinking to myself oh no maybe Asterin is going to end up a little emotionally stunted but that's because it was all Quinlan all day. Love Quinlan. So that all being said there were a couple of things I noted that would have made the story better for me, and to be honest I wonder if the author didn't leave some of the things on my list out on purpose for sequel or even prequel reasons.
1. I wish we knew more backstory about the "immortals" and the world itself. We did get a rundown so I wasn't completely dissatisfied but something is definitely going on in the background here.
2. What was Queen Priscilla's original plan with the King there? She said over and over that she did it all for him.. It never explained why she thought she needed to so I was completely thrown by her arc from good to evil queen. Not really sure what went down there.
3. There is definitely a story going on between Rose and that Kane? dude.. whats the whole story on that we only go some vague deets and I'm left with questions. So many questions.
4. Plot holes: there was a brief mention of some rando that wakes up and triggers a darkness (In my head I was picturing the reaper but I didn't highlight it at the time and make a note and then I couldn't find it when I went back).. who was that talking about.. and also Harry tries to walk away from Luna at one point in the story because he senses? something? What was that about?
5. What is up with Luna and her completely irrational anger at the end.. like I couldn't reconcile it with the Luna that we have seen the whole book. Like where did this girl come from? I really hope that the author isn't setting Luna up for villain ville in a later book.

Yea its a little hard to rate because I don't know if these points are glossed over or not answered on purpose for sequels later or it was some sort of oversight.. (hide spoiler)] Anyways so yea I'm thinking a solid 4 stars for me at this point.. Its obvious this is not going to just be a stand alone.. At least I hope..

I'm going to finish this up later today and catch up with all your thoughts then :)

Wow the author just messaged me about my review and stated there are definitely sequels coming! That is so exciting!

Oh my gosh that's awesome!! I love when authors take the time to interact with their readers!

Second quarter - (view spoiler)[This is still progressing strongly for me. I'm a big fan of the whimsical writing style as well as the complex magic system that takes up much of the focus. Asterin is feisty and rebellious, which I love in a MC. She defies gender norms and goes against all expectations placed upon a princess. I'm excited to see her continue to control the differing magics and save her kingdom.

The palace has been left behind but not all the political intrigue! (hide spoiler)]

Third quarter - (view spoiler)[How did I not see it until I read your spoiler and you pointed it out , Tiera?? This is a fairy tale retelling!!

I love the little details in this, such as the sword names and how even the animals are infused with character. It makes for lively and fun reading. The plot is also muddling along at a consistent pace and there is little to dislike about it. (hide spoiler)]

Fourth quarter - (view spoiler)[This ended just as strongly for me as it begun. I was kept intrigued throughout and there were no lulls in the plot. I also felt I rooted for many of the characters equally. This isn't a new favourite fantasy but was a really enjoyable, solidly 4-star read. I agree with you, Tiera, about the few plot holes. They weren't enough to make me pause whilst reading it however or mar my enjoyment. (hide spoiler)]

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Date changed. Restarting March 1st 2020. Happy Reading ☺

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I'm super excited to start this one!

Me too :) I've already started. I'm reading an arc so there might be some changes compared to the finished copy.

15% - (view spoiler)[I really liked the very beginning and I love her and her guardian together. The Queen seems like she could be influenced easily by her General who clearly has something down her sleeve. I'm curious to find out what it is.

However I feel like the writing changed a bit when Rose and her cousin arrived. Their interactions felt very weird and informal. I expected something else from them since she's a Princess and they come from a foreign Kingdom. Something more official maybe? Idk. One of them literally jumps into her chambers through her window uninvited... and she doesn't seem all that bothered by it when they could be spies or worse. I really hope the romance will stick to her Guardian and not the new guy but I think my hopes are useless... (hide spoiler)]

30% - (view spoiler)[I really am not a fan of all the 'romances' here. At first, you think Orian and Asterin have something good going on they just need a little push but then Orion say something like he couldn't be happy with her romantically... whatever. And then the little love triangle with Quinlan when it seems like she'll end up with him. Also I have a feeling like the author might pair Rose and Orion together and I wouldn't like that. Ugh. Now that I'm thinking about it it's like everyone needs to be paired up. We'll see... (hide spoiler)]

I’m starting this book today too!

Up to chapter 2 and (view spoiler)[ the idea of the affinity to the stones and elements is really neat. (hide spoiler)]

62% - (view spoiler)[ So Luna is also a Queen? Seriously? That's the second time it happens and it's just too much royalty, too much of the same reveals for me. The effect of surprise is lost on me and it just made me roll my eyes... Edit: never mind, she's not a Queen but looked like one. I got confused here for a minute.

Other than that, I'm liking the plot with the demon and the woman (who I'm guessing is the General?). I'm not going to lie, at first, I didn't think it was believable that the demon didn't kill them immediately like he was ordered to when he didn't have a problem doing so with so many other people. (hide spoiler)]

About Orion (view spoiler)[ I'm glad it's not a love triangle but at the same time I hate that the author gave us an ambiguous beginning where the FMC was attracted to him, them saying they love the other etc when in the end there's nothing there and he's head over heels for Henry. I could have liked their relationship but so far it's not really the case since (view spoiler)[ Henry's the demon and I'm not buying him having a conscience so far. (hide spoiler)] The 'chemistry' felt a bit forced because every single paragraph had something like how he kept looking at him, how they're flushed and hiding in the closet blah blah blah. After a while you're like "WE GET IT." No need to remind us they have something going on every five seconds. (hide spoiler)]

100% - (view spoiler)[I can't believe Orion jumped into a portal, that's so stupid! I never thought he was a fool but clearly I was mistaken. I know the author used that to make us want to read the next book and will be part of the plot for the sequel but it actually have the opposite effect for me.

I also feel like the reveals in this book were too similar for each of the characters. Always about the parents, always about them being royals. Idk.

The whole passage about Queen Priscilla and the King felt very confusing. I didn't really know what was going on or what their history was.

A few times while reading it I thought there were too many POVs.
Also, sometimes I felt like the characters acted younger than they actually were. (hide spoiler)]

So I don't think this book was bad but I can't say I really enjoyed it. It was promising but too many things annoyed me and took the enjoyment out of it.

Krystal wrote: "Up to chapter 2 and [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I love the concept, though something about it feels like it could be explained a bit more/better. But we'll see as I continue on. (hide spoiler)]

Janine wrote: "Krystal wrote: "Up to chapter 2 and [spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ Absolutely, I do hope they really explain it more. (hide spoiler)]

15% - (view spoiler)[This has some interesting world building, magic and characters, but I'm fearing that witty one liners might not save this book. The writing style feels borderline monotone at times, and I felt lost in what exactly is going on here half the time. Also, Didn't they break their "no magic" rule in fighting, which is why Asterin is winning the fights now? (hide spoiler)]

Up to chapter 9. (view spoiler)[ So I would have liked a tiny clip of the monster coming back and terrorizing people because it was so abruptly brought back up. I had completely forgotten about the creature. I really like the princess! She’s funny and doesn’t use her powerful self against others. Meaning she doesn’t seem to brag or be haughty about it. (hide spoiler)]

Krystal wrote: "Up to chapter 9. [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I have the same thoughts. My fear is that it's falling into the prophecy bit, which is something I'm not a fan of. Also, I don't get the whole fake ruse, it felt like some sort of fake mystery. Also, I'm trying to understand what's actually going on here, it felt like there was hardly a plot until the last chapter or two. (hide spoiler)]

Janine wrote: "Krystal wrote: "Up to chapter 9. [spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ I must not be to the fake ruse part unless I missed it. (hide spoiler)]

27% - (view spoiler)[Why does it feel like the potential love interests are going to be fighting each other for a good chunk of the story? And I'm getting a lack of a sense of place, and yet another PoV has been introduced. It feels clumsy here. (hide spoiler)]

Kelly wrote: "30% - [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[The romances feel forced for sure, as well as any love triangle that seems to be developing. Let's pair everyone up because yes. Part of me wishes it was just an adventure with friends with witty banter. But the banter is not enough for character development. If you want to read a fantasy with magic and lots of witty banter along with the character development to match, check out the Twisted series by Jessi Elliott (it's New Adult and is a bit steamier than this, it's also heavy in the romance department). (hide spoiler)]

40% - (view spoiler)[There's something iffy about the pacing here. Not to mention the loads of info dumps and flashbacks that just break the pace of the story entirely. The prose is still iffy, the romance is over the top, and I can't care for the characters too much. Also, what exactly are we doing here? The magic is okay and has potential to be good, but it feels sorta muddled to an extent, like the rules and how it works needs to be more clear to the reader. The PoV shifts are not done well at all here, it feels unnatural. I've been reading The Venatrix Chronicles by Sylvia Mercedes over the past few months, and those books do PoV shifting really well. You know who you're following and the pace isn't broken up. Shadow Frost has interesting things going for it, but like half the time, I'm just thinking about better books. (hide spoiler)]

Kelly wrote: "62% - [spoilers removed]."

(view spoiler)[My question is more about Luna...like how is she in two places at once? Being the hangout buddy and the queen? And as a side note, I was starting to really hate the plot here, mostly due to the pacing, but this is actually a bit interesting...though I still feel lost on what's going on half the time. (hide spoiler)]

Janine wrote: "Kelly wrote: "62% - [spoilers removed]."

[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ Luna isn't actually Queen so she's not in two places at once. I think it was written that her eyes looked like Queen Priscilla. (hide spoiler)]

Kelly wrote: "Janine wrote: "Kelly wrote: "62% - [spoilers removed]."

[spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[Okay, that makes sense, it just confused me (like a lot of things in this book). The prose is just so disjointed and the pacing is all over the place. (hide spoiler)]

I agree completely. I was lost and confused for a while.

84% - (view spoiler)[I have zero clue what's going on. What's this about Asterin being dead? Did I miss something? (hide spoiler)]

92% - (view spoiler)[Great, Asterin chose the boyfriend over Luna. If this wasn't near the end, I would DNF this book right now, I'm so mad. (hide spoiler)]

Kelly wrote: "100% - [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I didn't expect to come out of this feeling so disappointed, despite having low expectations for this book. But I think it's that the story quality just kept going down and by the end, I didn't really care what happened. Like I more or less checked out after that stunt Asterin pulled, the battle went too long, and we have underdeveloped characters and magic, and just everything could have been great and it turned out nope, it's not. The pacing and prose was not good and made everything worse. Listen, books need more than snark and magic and a pretty cover to wow me, and this lacked a lot of the magic to really make something basic really great. (hide spoiler)]

I didn't like this book very much; I was going to give it a 2 because of some of the interesting stuff that I mentioned until that event at 92% happened and then I was done, it's one star for me.

Janine wrote: "Kelly wrote: "100% - [spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed]

I didn't like this book very much; I was going to give it a 2 because of some of the interesting stuff that I mentioned until that even..."

Uh oh! I'm behind on this book but can't wait to see this event!

Page 139 (view spoiler)[ in a world of fantasy and old fashion, this girl has said, “my bad.” ..... (hide spoiler)]

Krystal wrote: "Janine wrote: "Kelly wrote: "100% - [spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed]

I didn't like this book very much; I was going to give it a 2 because of some of the interesting stuff that I mentioned ..."

Don't get your hopes up lol

Kelly wrote: "Krystal wrote: "Janine wrote: "Kelly wrote: "100% - [spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed]

I didn't like this book very much; I was going to give it a 2 because of some of the interesting stuff t..."

(view spoiler)[ I've read a few more chapters and yeah.. I'm not exactly impressed. I go from liking the princess to not liking her to liking her. (hide spoiler)]

Up to chapter 24 (view spoiler)[ So Henry is the demon.. but seems to struggle a little with what he has to do, which is pretty typical.. hm. (hide spoiler)]

Up to chapter 30. (view spoiler)[Okay, I don't dislike Luna, at all, but ugh, is she royal now as well? But, I do like this mother switch! That was unexpected. So I guess the woman controlling the demon is the "Queen." or someone like that.. Or maybe the general? Hmm (hide spoiler)]

Kelly wrote: "62% - So Luna is also a Queen? Seriously? That's the second time it happens and it's just too much royalty, too much of the same reveals for me. The effect of surprise is lost on me and it just ma..."

(view spoiler)[So I thought this too. Way too much special people finding out they are special. But glad to know she isn't actually the queen or a queen. (hide spoiler)]

Finished.

Wow. What a strange book! (view spoiler)[So this book started off with cool magic and the use of stones to morphing into a strange retelling of Snow White?? (hide spoiler)]

Kelly wrote: "100% - I can't believe Orion jumped into a portal, that's so stupid! I never thought he was a fool but clearly I was mistaken. I know the author used that to make us want to read the next book and ..."

I agree with this. (view spoiler)[ Way too many points of views. Also, the whole queen and king background was weird. So she killed the true Queen just because she wanted power? (hide spoiler)]

Janine wrote: "92% - [spoilers removed]"

There were definitely a lot of DNF times I wanted to use.

Janine wrote: "92% - [spoilers removed]"

And also, wowwwww, yeah, I can't believe she did that.

Regarding the number of PoV: (view spoiler)[I don't think that seven PoV is excessive in a book, it can be done well, but it was the execution that was done poorly in this case. As I said, Venatrix Chronicles has a bunch of PoV in 3rd person past like this book, and for the most part, flows well in the PoV shifting, even within chapters. Four Dead Queens had six PoV and they flowed well. (hide spoiler)]