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Book Review: Kingdom of Briars & Roses, by Heather Hildenbrand

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I was recently lucky enough to win a giveaway on Instagram that included a copy of Heather Hildenbrand‘s Kingdom of Briars and Roses.

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I’m caught between two powerful fae princes. One will be my savior. The other will be my death.

I’ve spent years trapped behind these walls—cursed to live among the sleeping for eternity. When trespassers find their way into my castle, it’s both a dream and a nightmare.

Prince Callan is the first outsider I’ve met in years—and the realm’s most arrogant prick. He’s also the only one with the power to break this wretched curse and restore my kingdom.

Unfortunately, Callan’s assistance comes at a price. If I want his help, I’ll have to belong to him.

A sacrifice I’m willing to make for the people I love.

Until I lay eyes on Rydian.

The second fae prince is everything the elder heir is not. Strong, wise—lethal. He is a distraction I can’t afford.

And he hates me on sight.

In a realm where evil disguises itself as friendship, I am forced to rely on two men whose disgust for each other is only outweighed by their obsession with me.

One of them will save me, the other will tear me apart. I just wish I knew which to trust with my life—and my heart.

my review

I’m torn on how to feel about this book. On the one hand, I really liked Aurelia. And I think I’d like Rydian. But he remained little more than a shadow (pun intended) in this book. On the other hand, however, I was eternally frustrated that the solution to the problem (the twist to come, so to speak) was so glaringly apparent that I couldn’t suspend my disbelief far enough to believe none of the characters figured it out.

kingdom of briars and roses photoWhat’s more, this book covers a lot of ground before the real plot finally starts. It makes the pacing inconsistent. I suspect that’s a first-book problem that might not continue in the series. However, I can’t be sure of that.

All in all, I’d call this a middle-of-the-road read. But I’d have bought and read the second book, Prince of Secrets & Shadows, if it were out yet. I’d gambled that the series would improve. So, that’s a sign it wasn’t a complete flop.

Other Reviews:

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Audio Book Review: Magical Intelligence, M.K. Wiseman 

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Somewhere on the internet, I came across a freebie Audible code for M.K. Wiseman‘s Magical Intelligence.

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When you are a member of Britain’s first team of wizard spies, every mission might be your last. But as the dawning of the 20th century draws ever nearer, magic grows weak. Violectric Dampening, the clash of man-made electricity with the Gifts of magekind, threatens M.I.’s existence. And if that isn’t enough, they’ve now been discharged from their own government. Obsolete. Distrusted.

And now hunted by one of their own.

Myra Wetherby has always feared her so-called fits, strange visions of people and places that she cannot explain. It is the emotional manipulation, however, a strange empathic connection to those around her, which threatens her very sanity. A danger to her family, Myra runs away, falling straight into the hands of the newly ousted Magical Intelligence team. Who just so happen to need an ability like hers.

Which makes Myra one of them…whether she likes it or not.

my review

The description for this book isn’t untrue, but it misdirects. It does not give an accurate impression of the story. Most of it is the history that the story builds on, rather than the story itself, and it more problematically leaves out the fact that the main character, Myra, is 14 years old, which makes this a much different story than one is led to expect by the blurb.

Having said that, nothing about the story actually feels like she is 14 years old. I say that as a parent of a 14-year-old. So, I feel ideally placed to say her young age does not work for the character or the plotline. She does not act 14, no one treats her as if she is 14, and the plot does not lend itself to a 14-year-old. Honestly, several of the other characters are also in their teens, and they don’t act their age either. But it is especially problematic for Myra, as the main character. Plus,14 feels so much younger than 18 in this context. Eighteen might round up to a young adult. 14 rounds down to a child.

Outside that one big glaring problem, I generally liked this. I didn’t love it, but I liked it well enough. However, the pacing is a bit off. Somehow, the beginning dragged on and on, and then the end rushed too fast. Honestly, I felt like I was constantly scrambling, being like, “Wait, who is this again?”

I do feel like this book did a lot of work setting up the series. So, the rest of the series might not suffer from the same pacing problems, which could just be a symptom of first-book syndrome. All in all, it was a middle-of-the-road read for me. Alyson Grauer did a nice job with the narration, however.

Other Reviews:

Blog Tour Book Review: Magical Intelligence – M. K. Wiseman

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Book Review: Avidian, by Ashley R. O’Donovan

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I was recently lucky enough to win a giveaway on Instagram that included a copy of Avidian, by Ashley R. O’Donovan.

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I can see the dead. They tell me their secrets. But this time, their secrets might get me killed.

My name is Kat Sinclair, and the Volkov family owns me. People like me, born with special abilities, are called Avids. But my gift doesn’t spare me from the demands of Marco Volkov, the ruthless family patriarch who keeps me in line with the ever-present threat of violence.

When a grisly double murder involving a family nephew and a cook shakes the household, I’m forced to uncover the truth. The whispers of the dead reveal more than I bargained for, unearthing secrets that could destroy the Volkovs—and me.

But I met a charming stranger who might be able to help. Except he doesn’t know about my gift, my scars, or the dark past I can’t escape. But in his eyes, I see something I thought I’d lost long ago—hope.

If I want to escape, I’ll have to play along. But this murder might be hiding something even more dangerous. If I’m not careful, I’ll be the next one the dead are whispering about.

my review

I didn’t particularly care for this book. However, I’m pretty certain it’s just a case of the wrong book for the wrong reader. My main complaint is that I never trusted the main male character (MMC); therefore, I could never trust the developing relationship. This is essentially insta-love, and for me, O’Donovan never managed to bridge the gap between the MMC and the female lead, who meet in questionable circumstances and then fall in love. I don’t feel the reader is given any reason to believe the FMC would trust the MMC, especially how strongly the FFC emphasizes that she can’t trust anyone.

The whole thing also just felt inconsistent to me. We’re given a wretched post-apocalyptic world, but the reader never feels it at all. The FMC is enslaved, but her internal monologue is all about strength and agency. Which, yeah, I don’t want a doormat. However, her internal self doesn’t align with the self she describes to the reader, given the circumstances she’s supposed to have endured. Mostly, I feel like O’Donovan wanted a gritty, dark, and dangerous world, but then wimped out on actually writing it or allowing her character to live it. The FMC emerges far too untarnished to have lived the life we’re told she does.

Lastly, I wanted so, so, so much more of the paranormal/fantasy aspect of this plot. It’s photo of avidiansprinkled throughout, but mostly this is a contemporary romance. I frequently forgot that some of the characters have magic powers. And I was waiting for that last chapter plot twist from very, very early on.

Having said all of that, the writing is good, and there’s a cute ghost dog in it. If you’re a reader who would rather stories with darker themes not actually get dark, this is likely a good read for you.

Other Reviews:

Isha Dowlyn, Author: Avidian