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potatochipswhat's review against another edition
4.0
Was overall a good read, got draggy in the middle. I felt like the end was tied up too nicely, I would have been happy with a uncertain future with the wraith and an open ending with Tobiah and Wils relationship, because that is what the whole book was subtly leading towards. Felt like the wraith retreating on its own with no explanation and tobiah having random powers was a bit of a cop out, but that’s alright.
fatimareadsbooks's review against another edition
4.0
Thanks to HarperCollins for providing my with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way impacted my views and opinions below.
This was hands down the most epic conclusion to a fantasy series ever. Take notes, authors! Complex, electrifying, and gorgeous, this book managed to wrap everything up perfectly – but not in that cliché perfect way. There were still stuff that everyone had to deal with obviously, but overall this was a very satisfying conclusion to a duology. I admit, at first, it took me a few days to actually get into the book, which was mostly due to the fact that I didn’t reread The Orphan Queen and I forgot a few stuff, but I still managed. So I’d definitely recommend a reread before going into this book.
Okay, can we just talk about how much I admire Wil?! She has to deal with reclaiming her kingdom, which is in pieces, in a time fraught with disaster and chaos. I love how she dealt with the pressure of everything and I think her character growth is off the charts! As for Tobiah, I admit I was iffy about him at the beginning. However, I’ve really grown to like him and become emotionally attached to him.
The secondary characters like James and Melanie were reallyy dimensional. I didn’t like Melanie in the first book, though. This is because I felt like her relationship with Wil wasn’t portrayed very well. For the first half of TMK, Wil goes on and on about the strong friendship bond between them but I really couldn’t bring myself to care about Melanie until halfway through. The Ospreys, on the other hand, were extremely memorable characters. The dynamic and bonds they had with each other were realistic and I just loved their interactions! The characters in this duology are spot on, to be honest.
The plot of The Mirror King is even more complex than that of The Orphan Queen’s. Literally, there was never a dull moment. The book opens up immediately after The Orphan Queen’s drama – smack-dab in the middle of it, in fact. It really sucks you in from beginning to finish; such a page turner! I was worried about how everything is going to happen in one book because there are a ton of things to be done, but Jodi managed that excellently. The important loose ends were tied, not hastily (thank god), and the character’s troubles were far from over but it was still an excellent conclusion. I can’t even find the words to describe how satisfying it was to finish this book.
In short, The Mirror King features a memorable cast of characters, excellent character development, a hell of an intricate plot, and it was a perfect wrap-up to the series. Props to Jodi Meadows for this exceptional duology!
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This was hands down the most epic conclusion to a fantasy series ever. Take notes, authors! Complex, electrifying, and gorgeous, this book managed to wrap everything up perfectly – but not in that cliché perfect way. There were still stuff that everyone had to deal with obviously, but overall this was a very satisfying conclusion to a duology. I admit, at first, it took me a few days to actually get into the book, which was mostly due to the fact that I didn’t reread The Orphan Queen and I forgot a few stuff, but I still managed. So I’d definitely recommend a reread before going into this book.
Okay, can we just talk about how much I admire Wil?! She has to deal with reclaiming her kingdom, which is in pieces, in a time fraught with disaster and chaos. I love how she dealt with the pressure of everything and I think her character growth is off the charts! As for Tobiah, I admit I was iffy about him at the beginning. However, I’ve really grown to like him and become emotionally attached to him.
The secondary characters like James and Melanie were reallyy dimensional. I didn’t like Melanie in the first book, though. This is because I felt like her relationship with Wil wasn’t portrayed very well. For the first half of TMK, Wil goes on and on about the strong friendship bond between them but I really couldn’t bring myself to care about Melanie until halfway through. The Ospreys, on the other hand, were extremely memorable characters. The dynamic and bonds they had with each other were realistic and I just loved their interactions!
Spoiler
I felt a little twinge in my heart when I thought they died.The plot of The Mirror King is even more complex than that of The Orphan Queen’s. Literally, there was never a dull moment. The book opens up immediately after The Orphan Queen’s drama – smack-dab in the middle of it, in fact. It really sucks you in from beginning to finish; such a page turner! I was worried about how everything is going to happen in one book because there are a ton of things to be done, but Jodi managed that excellently. The important loose ends were tied, not hastily (thank god), and the character’s troubles were far from over but it was still an excellent conclusion. I can’t even find the words to describe how satisfying it was to finish this book.
In short, The Mirror King features a memorable cast of characters, excellent character development, a hell of an intricate plot, and it was a perfect wrap-up to the series. Props to Jodi Meadows for this exceptional duology!
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teaturtlesandbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
buffy_garden's review against another edition
fast-paced
5.0
What an incredible duology. This book felt like a great lesson in not judging a book by its cover. By the cover, I expected a Princess with a heart of gold (but also a badass) takes back her kingdom, but it was much more compelling than that. I continually kept changing my mind how I felt about the characters and what I hoped would happen. There were real stakes and many heart wrenching moments. There were many times I felt frustrated by a character's choices, but ultimately it felt very believable and real. Meadows does a great job making you feel the utter exhaustion the characters are experiencing and I couldn't help but feel understanding towards their mistakes. For part of the book, I had a very love/hate feeling towards Tobiah. I found him very charming, funny, and thoughtful and I totally understood why Wilhelmina fell for him. I hated the way it felt like he was stringing along Wilhelmina when he kept pursing his upcoming marriage to Meredith. When Chrysalis murdered Meredith, I thought "there is no way for them to move forward". My thoughts on that felt confirmed by Tobiah's actions after the fact. I actually started rooting for Wilhelmina and James to fall in love. Meadows did an amazing job of pacing them finding their way back to each other. It felt earned. After their trauma, I think it puts things in perspective. I'm so glad that Wilhemina hugged Chrysalis and told him she wishes she would have got to know him. She obviously had too much on her plate to really form a relationship with him, but I loved that she was able to recognize him as a being that was doing the best he could. I felt devastated by his and Jame's sacrifice. This book is a powerful reminder of how great a story is when there are actual stakes- like beloved characters dying and a villain that isn't destroyed in one battle. I also really loved having such a complicated love story. I get the appeal of the perfect book boyfriend, but it's refreshing to have a love interest who isn't obsessed with the woman and has other interests and priorities.
steph01924's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars.
Had this sitting around and wanted to finish it up since it was only a duology (woohoo!). Man, this was long! I feel like I've been reading it for ages today.
Fairly solid ending; I enjoyed it for the most part. I liked Wil and most of the other characters, though aside from Wil and Tobiah, I don't know if I really got to know anyone else very well. It definitely portrayed the un-glamorous side of ruling a kingdom.
I could've gone with some tightening up of the plot, which would've helped with the length. There were some scenes that felt repetitive and the characters had multiple iterations of the same conversation about their failure to stop the wraith or understand how to defeat it.
What also bugged me a bit was Wil and.
Had this sitting around and wanted to finish it up since it was only a duology (woohoo!). Man, this was long! I feel like I've been reading it for ages today.
Fairly solid ending; I enjoyed it for the most part. I liked Wil and most of the other characters, though aside from Wil and Tobiah, I don't know if I really got to know anyone else very well. It definitely portrayed the un-glamorous side of ruling a kingdom.
I could've gone with some tightening up of the plot, which would've helped with the length. There were some scenes that felt repetitive and the characters had multiple iterations of the same conversation about their failure to stop the wraith or understand how to defeat it.
What also bugged me a bit was Wil and
Spoiler
Chrysalis, and how she consistently never learned from her experiences in locking him away during big events. I know she was always worried she couldn't 'control' him, but usually if he was right in front of her she would say no and he would stop what he was doing. It was when he was by himself and imagining what she needed that shit went down. So just keep him closer! I'm glad she at least acknowledged her mistake at the end when he was giving up his life to help, this fact that she should've gotten to know him better. That was one part of the book I kept expecting: for her to maybe learn more about the wraith through him, or for him to have a bigger role than just sacrificing himself, or to learn a little more about WHY he was so loyal to her...just something more than what we got, basicallyeireen's review against another edition
4.0
Slightly boring in the middle, but the ending is perfect. Wished there was an epilogue tho.
amybraunauthor's review against another edition
5.0
Had lots of fun reading this one! It was way longer than I expected, but the page length seemed appropriate given everything that happened. This was definitely the ending I was hoping for, and I'm pretty happy with the directions the story took. It kept me riveted whenever I picked it up––so much so that I almost missed my train stop! The story opened with a bang of course, and from there it grew and expanded as political intrigue, choices, sacrifices, and romance blossomed. There were some wild twists, including one at the end which I wish had gone on a little longer because it was HUGE!! Still, I was glad to see Wil back and better than ever, fighting for her people and seeking her queenship with grace and power. She's a great character, and I'm going to miss her. I also really adored Tobiah and the direction his story took. This was a series I had put off for a while, but now I'm super happy that I've had the chance to read and enjoy it. Not to be missed if you like political fantasy romances and YA!
books4susie's review against another edition
5.0
Great end to this series, even if my heart did crack a tiny bit. Would love to see an epilogue in the future.
nicolemhewitt's review against another edition
5.0
This review and many more can be found on my blog: Feed Your Fiction Addiction
Oh my goodness, this book!!! I seriously have no words for how utterly fantastic this book was. In fact, this review is going to be somewhat short because I don't feel like I can talk about anything specific without giving things away. Suffice it to say, the book was everything I was hoping for in a sequel and it finished off the duology beautifully!
What Fed My Addiction:
So. Many. Things.
I'm honestly going to have a really hard time talking about this book because there were so many amazing things that took me by surprise, but to talk about any of them, even vaguely, would feel spoilery. Wil and Tobias go through some EXTREME ups and downs and Wil's strength and character are tested in incredible ways. Meadows took so many unexpected turns, and I loved every moment of it!
The feels.
This book put me through an emotional wringer - There were parts of this book that made me gasp aloud, scenes that made me angry and frustrated (for the characters, not because I wasn't liking the book), scenes that had me swooning, and key events that made me cry. It was killing me in all the best ways!!!
The conclusion.
The finale was so incredibly satisfying - everything I was hoping for and more.
What Left Me Wanting More:
Nothing.
Okay, at 544 pages, this book does feel a bit long. It didn't drag for me at all, though. Meadows packed a lot into this book in order to make this a duology. But, in the end, I'd much rather have a slightly longer book two than a plot that's stretched out to fill three books.
I loved The Orphan Queen but honestly wasn't expecting to be so blown away by this finish. This book propelled the series into All-Time Favorite status for me. Without a doubt, 5/5 stars!
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
Oh my goodness, this book!!! I seriously have no words for how utterly fantastic this book was. In fact, this review is going to be somewhat short because I don't feel like I can talk about anything specific without giving things away. Suffice it to say, the book was everything I was hoping for in a sequel and it finished off the duology beautifully!
What Fed My Addiction:
So. Many. Things.
I'm honestly going to have a really hard time talking about this book because there were so many amazing things that took me by surprise, but to talk about any of them, even vaguely, would feel spoilery. Wil and Tobias go through some EXTREME ups and downs and Wil's strength and character are tested in incredible ways. Meadows took so many unexpected turns, and I loved every moment of it!
The feels.
This book put me through an emotional wringer - There were parts of this book that made me gasp aloud, scenes that made me angry and frustrated (for the characters, not because I wasn't liking the book), scenes that had me swooning, and key events that made me cry. It was killing me in all the best ways!!!
The conclusion.
The finale was so incredibly satisfying - everything I was hoping for and more.
What Left Me Wanting More:
Nothing.
Okay, at 544 pages, this book does feel a bit long. It didn't drag for me at all, though. Meadows packed a lot into this book in order to make this a duology. But, in the end, I'd much rather have a slightly longer book two than a plot that's stretched out to fill three books.
I loved The Orphan Queen but honestly wasn't expecting to be so blown away by this finish. This book propelled the series into All-Time Favorite status for me. Without a doubt, 5/5 stars!
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***