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izzys_internet_bookshelf's review against another edition
3.0
3.5/5
I felt like it took me a while to read this book. That’s what happens when you’ve had a bad week i guess. I for one, loved the world this story was set in. I wish there was a map so I could visualize it better. I loved Jen and the mage, though I felt like there was something missing. The plot was overall fun to read but I kept waiting for something to happen. I kept waiting for there to be dark magic sometime throughout the book but it never showed up.
I felt like it took me a while to read this book. That’s what happens when you’ve had a bad week i guess. I for one, loved the world this story was set in. I wish there was a map so I could visualize it better. I loved Jen and the mage, though I felt like there was something missing. The plot was overall fun to read but I kept waiting for something to happen. I kept waiting for there to be dark magic sometime throughout the book but it never showed up.
lenaaa_miii's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
finnishelderberry's review against another edition
DNF 104 nothing is peaking my interest, the main character is very childish as is the writing there is little to no plot.
itputsthebookupontheshelf's review against another edition
3.0
This was said to be like Furyborn meets Sorcery of Thorns and while I haven't read Furyborn, I did quite enjoy Sorcery of Thorns. This book felt more to me like The Kiss of Deception, which I loved. However, this book was just ok for me and not quite what I was hoping for.
The story itself was quite slow at the beginning and I found myself not wanting to pick it back up, frequently. It was a bit of a struggle to keep reading while not much at all was happening in almost the first half of the book. The second half picked up a lot more but there were so many stop and go parts happening that it contnued to pull me from ejoying the story.
The characters were just meh, I didn't love them or hate them which took the fun out of reading the book. There were a few scenes with Janessara and Enzo that were enjoyable but all together, I just couldn't feel that pull that I like to from characters.
I did like the bits of world building and magic, but again it was not enough to make me love to story as a whole. There were parts I felt could have been left out completely while others could have used more embelisment. You win some, you lose some.
I do think that there are people that will really enjoy this story but it was all but a bit too simplistic for my taste.
Thank you to Netgalley and Delacorte Press for a copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.
The story itself was quite slow at the beginning and I found myself not wanting to pick it back up, frequently. It was a bit of a struggle to keep reading while not much at all was happening in almost the first half of the book. The second half picked up a lot more but there were so many stop and go parts happening that it contnued to pull me from ejoying the story.
The characters were just meh, I didn't love them or hate them which took the fun out of reading the book. There were a few scenes with Janessara and Enzo that were enjoyable but all together, I just couldn't feel that pull that I like to from characters.
I did like the bits of world building and magic, but again it was not enough to make me love to story as a whole. There were parts I felt could have been left out completely while others could have used more embelisment. You win some, you lose some.
I do think that there are people that will really enjoy this story but it was all but a bit too simplistic for my taste.
Thank you to Netgalley and Delacorte Press for a copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.
aimeebix's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
kleonard's review against another edition
1.0
A princess in love with her brother and her brother's friend must survive when enemy forces attack her homeland and the country adjacent to it, all while hiding a distinctive white stripe of hair that indicates that she's magic. There was so much in this that was inconsistent and didn't make sense that I can't even begin to list it all. Filled with stereotypes and "plot twists" visible for miles, this book screams "bad Disney film treatment" all over it.
anotherstoryreader's review against another edition
5.0
I could tell it was going to happen. About 70% through this book I felt myself slow down because I knew the end was coming and I wasn't going to be ready for it. One of the bad things about reading new books is the very long wait between the end and the release of the next book in the series.
I very much enjoyed this book. I liked it enough that I'll probably be buying a paper copy when available. I can give it no greater praise because my bookshelf space is limited.
I can't say it was completely new and groundbreaking. But that doesn't mean there is nothing to love. The writing was good, the world-building was good. The characters were loveable except for the bad guys who gave you the willies in all the right ways. I know some people hate the insta-love but felt like there was a believable connection.
Jenna: Her people are warriors with magical abilities. She is trained with a sword from a young age. In fact she can kick butt in the training field. Even though she is well able to defend herself she leads a very sheltered life. She is not allowed to leave the castle and seems to avoid a social life. Partially because her mother died unexpectedly when she was young and her father (The King) tries to protect her. She also separates herself because of her magical ability. Which the second-born heir shouldn't be born with. Her magical ability is marked with a white streak in her hair and she is always worried about being found out. To protect her from from a threat her father secretly betroths her to the neighboring kingdom. Even though she faces some tough challenges in her life she is not a whiney little baby. She is tough but not bloodthirsty. She is kind and loyal. Overall I just really liked her.
Enzo: Oh Enzo you dreamboat! *Drool* Handsome, brave, a good fighter. He has dark curling hair and a slightly imperfect smile. And smile he does! He's Kind and quick to laugh. I kind of have a crush. Please don't tell my husband. *wink*
The ending was very satisfying. I'm forever grateful to the author for not prolonging the painful wait with a cliffhanger.
To conclude I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review. I sincerely hope you all me to review book 2. I'll be eagerly be watching for it to come available.
I very much enjoyed this book. I liked it enough that I'll probably be buying a paper copy when available. I can give it no greater praise because my bookshelf space is limited.
I can't say it was completely new and groundbreaking. But that doesn't mean there is nothing to love. The writing was good, the world-building was good. The characters were loveable except for the bad guys who gave you the willies in all the right ways. I know some people hate the insta-love but felt like there was a believable connection.
Jenna: Her people are warriors with magical abilities. She is trained with a sword from a young age. In fact she can kick butt in the training field. Even though she is well able to defend herself she leads a very sheltered life. She is not allowed to leave the castle and seems to avoid a social life. Partially because her mother died unexpectedly when she was young and her father (The King) tries to protect her. She also separates herself because of her magical ability. Which the second-born heir shouldn't be born with. Her magical ability is marked with a white streak in her hair and she is always worried about being found out. To protect her from from a threat her father secretly betroths her to the neighboring kingdom. Even though she faces some tough challenges in her life she is not a whiney little baby. She is tough but not bloodthirsty. She is kind and loyal. Overall I just really liked her.
Enzo: Oh Enzo you dreamboat! *Drool* Handsome, brave, a good fighter. He has dark curling hair and a slightly imperfect smile. And smile he does! He's Kind and quick to laugh. I kind of have a crush. Please don't tell my husband. *wink*
The ending was very satisfying. I'm forever grateful to the author for not prolonging the painful wait with a cliffhanger.
To conclude I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review. I sincerely hope you all me to review book 2. I'll be eagerly be watching for it to come available.
mayaharp's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed reading this book as it used many tropes/themes that I generally really like (sword/weapon wielding female protagonist, a cute little love story and some magic). However, I thought certain plot points just weren't thought out completely and pretty much every single conflict was just resolved way too easily even though the stakes were so high like save the world high ; it, to me, felt like the ending and the solution to (almost) every problem was way too convenient and way too rushed.
The bad guys were also pretty one dimensional but maybe they'll be more fleshed out in the second book
I did really like how the relationship between Jenna, her love interest and his sisters was built and how it developed.
Shielded is a pretty typical but good YA book with some intriguing twists and turns to change it up a little. If what you're looking for is a book with some romance, a war in the making, some magic and a sword-wielding protagonist then this is the book for you.
The bad guys were also pretty one dimensional
I did really like how the relationship between Jenna, her love interest and his sisters was built and how it developed.
Shielded is a pretty typical but good YA book with some intriguing twists and turns to change it up a little. If what you're looking for is a book with some romance, a war in the making, some magic and a sword-wielding protagonist then this is the book for you.