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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - 5 stars!
Queen of Ashes continues right where we left off, and I have to say that the sequel was even better than the first book!
We continue the story of Emilia, Thessian and Laurence, delving deeper into their intricately interwoven storylines. Things get interesting when we learn there are hidden catacombs beneath the castle, where an evil man has been conducting experiments of mage children.
Our characters band together to uncover what they can, all while Emilia carefully plays a political game against the Church of Light, who have left her characters reputation in shadow.
I really loved this book - the pacing, the dialogue, the characters blossoming relationships (Clayton… swoon!!) and I cannot wait to dive into the next one.
Thank you to May for the ARC copy! I am so very grateful!
Queen of Ashes continues right where we left off, and I have to say that the sequel was even better than the first book!
We continue the story of Emilia, Thessian and Laurence, delving deeper into their intricately interwoven storylines. Things get interesting when we learn there are hidden catacombs beneath the castle, where an evil man has been conducting experiments of mage children.
Our characters band together to uncover what they can, all while Emilia carefully plays a political game against the Church of Light, who have left her characters reputation in shadow.
I really loved this book - the pacing, the dialogue, the characters blossoming relationships (Clayton… swoon!!) and I cannot wait to dive into the next one.
Thank you to May for the ARC copy! I am so very grateful!
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
This was so good! I can't wait to read the rest. Also, I adore Clayton with all my heart
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse
Moderate: Blood
This is the follow up to Queen of Deception and continues the adventures of Queen Emelia, Prince Thessian, and loyal friends and guards Lawrence, Ambrose, Cali, Lionhart, Clayton and many others.
This book jumps right in after the events of book 1 and flows nicely with a good pace.
There are lots of mini adventures running alongside Emelia's plot to help Thessian take over the empire, including hunting beasts, discovering slaves, fighting dragons and capturing the elusive criminal on the run.
Like the first book this was a delightful read which keeps you hooked and wanting to read more. It was nice to see relationships blossoming too.
Looking forward to reading more adventures in the next book!
(Arc review)
This book jumps right in after the events of book 1 and flows nicely with a good pace.
There are lots of mini adventures running alongside Emelia's plot to help Thessian take over the empire, including hunting beasts, discovering slaves, fighting dragons and capturing the elusive criminal on the run.
Like the first book this was a delightful read which keeps you hooked and wanting to read more. It was nice to see relationships blossoming too.
Looking forward to reading more adventures in the next book!
(Arc review)
I'm not sure how I would rate this entire series. I like it very much, I enjoyed the plot from the start and I was fascinated by the main idea of an FMC reborn and transported into a fantasy world from one of her favorite novels. Still, something is lacking and now I know what that is (and this is purely personal preference) - the romance is missing. I keep waiting for it, there are some glimpses but it's all still in the making. I know romance isn't the main part of the story and I don't mind it, but still, I feel like it's missing the romantic subplot.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Ahh, I was delighted to know this picked up exactly where the last one did! Emilia is still keeping up with the men, making sure nothing goes to heck, in a handbag. The Prince on the other hand, knows that this isn't going to end well, he knows that something has to go wrong at some point... and he is right!
Enjoy the second installment of the Empire of Shattered Crowns! I can't wait for the next one.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Enjoy the second installment of the Empire of Shattered Crowns! I can't wait for the next one.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I liked this second book much more than the first!
Let me start first with the pros and what I enjoyed:
1. I loved the introduction of Lady Riga (the whole intro scene with her and her sisters was great comedic relief). A few new characters here were mysterious enough to remain exciting and maintain my attention. I also really liked the expansion of the world-building by introducing mages and more nonhuman characters. I'm curious to see how that plays out.
2. I also really liked the mystery element of this section of the story. It had a whodunnit feeling, which captured my attention better than book one. Because the romance is mild and there isn't deep character development, the presence of that mystery element kept the plot moving.
This is what I'm not loving:
I am not a massive fan of Emilia. She seems so juvenile and inconsistent for someone who is mentally in her forties. My biggest hangup is the inconsistency in language between her inner monologue and when she speaks to others (e.g., when she's speaking to others in a more formal setting for the period but then her inner monologue is talking about "hot guys."), I found that it took me out of the story a few times. I began questioning what period this was all taking place. I have not entirely given up on Emilia, but I am more invested in Prince Thessian, Lionheart, and Lady Riga.
My advice is to flush out the dialogue and staging for scenes better. The readers could benefit from things not being revealed immediately and more character development. Sometimes, it feels too easy because everything is laid out for us, so there's no real need to read between the lines.
I am excited to see what book 3 brings!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Let me start first with the pros and what I enjoyed:
1. I loved the introduction of Lady Riga (the whole intro scene with her and her sisters was great comedic relief). A few new characters here were mysterious enough to remain exciting and maintain my attention. I also really liked the expansion of the world-building by introducing mages and more nonhuman characters. I'm curious to see how that plays out.
2. I also really liked the mystery element of this section of the story. It had a whodunnit feeling, which captured my attention better than book one. Because the romance is mild and there isn't deep character development, the presence of that mystery element kept the plot moving.
This is what I'm not loving:
I am not a massive fan of Emilia. She seems so juvenile and inconsistent for someone who is mentally in her forties. My biggest hangup is the inconsistency in language between her inner monologue and when she speaks to others (e.g., when she's speaking to others in a more formal setting for the period but then her inner monologue is talking about "hot guys."), I found that it took me out of the story a few times. I began questioning what period this was all taking place. I have not entirely given up on Emilia, but I am more invested in Prince Thessian, Lionheart, and Lady Riga.
My advice is to flush out the dialogue and staging for scenes better. The readers could benefit from things not being revealed immediately and more character development. Sometimes, it feels too easy because everything is laid out for us, so there's no real need to read between the lines.
I am excited to see what book 3 brings!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I thought book one was a fantastic book to read but this book makes me want to read and see what happens next. The characters are so life like and the story makes you feel like you are going through the same struggles. Can't wait for book three to see what happens next with the story and characters.
If I were being specific I would give this a 3.5 star as I was a little torn. Overall, I still thoroughly enjoyed this second installment in the Empire of Shattered Crowns series. I read it all in one sitting and had my fair share of chuckles and enjoyment out of the banter. I love the relationship and banter between the Queen and her friend/maid Ambrose and many of the other characters. It was easy to get into and I loved how the world just kept expanding more and more as you went. I was really sad that there wasn’t more of Emilia’s past life in this book as I had been dying to know more. Some of the situations seemed a little random with little cohesion to tie it together and the ending felt a little abrupt but fitting in the authors style. Overall, an enjoyable and easy read and I’m looking forward to book 3.
A strong FMC as the lead, equally strong Male characters. The world-building and character development is right on spot. The story picks up where the first left off and is so great.
Readers will find themselves drawn in and unable to put the book down.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Readers will find themselves drawn in and unable to put the book down.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.