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bannec19's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
ambeesbookishpages's review
4.0
The full review + more can be found at The Book Bratz
Thank you Blink for sending me a copy of TIGER QUEEN in the mail in exchange for an honest review!
I must admit, I never heard of “The Lady, or the Tiger?” before reading Tiger Queen, which is based off the short story. After doing some research and learning more about "The Lady, or the Tiger?" I was really excited to see where Annie Sullivan was going to take Tiger Queen. A fierce desert princess who is hell bent on saving her kingdom? Sign me up!
By ancient law in the kingdom of Achra, Kateri must battle competitors to the throne in the arena each month up until her birthday. If Kateri looses, the throne becomes her competitor's and she in return becomes their wife. Luckily for Kateri she has beaten every one of them. When the competitor for her last battle is revealed and Kateri knows she doesn’t stand a chance at winning, but she knows that if this person was to rule, he would destroy the kingdom she swore to her mother she would protect. Achra has been plagued by drought and awful sandstorms making the kingdom dry and arid. The water is rationed and the people are the furthest thing from content but Kateri has hope that if she can win the throne she could restore Achra to what it once was. Kateri, desperate to win does something she never thought to do, she seeks out the Desert Boys a gang that steals water from the wells around the kingdom, to help her defeat her rival. But soon Kateri learns secrets that break her world in half, leaving her behind two doors. One with a tiger and one with a future.
I really did enjoy Kateri’s character and the trials she faced through out the novel. She starts Tiger Queen as the naive princess who “fights” for her people. But really she is only fighting to keep the promise she made to her mother before she died. As a reader you watch Kateri grown through out Tiger Queen. Her eyes are opened and through out the pages you see as her world is flipped upside down and she longs to do what will make things right. In the last pages of Tiger Queen you can’t help but cheer for Kateri and for the battle she is fighting.
I really enjoyed Annie’s writing style and how she described the kingdom of Achra. The poor and dreadful conditions came to life in front of my eyes. In flash backs you could see the kingdom for what it was and for what it could be if Kateri manages to take the throne.
The only problem I had with Tiger Queen was that I felt like some of that characters could be used a bit more time being fleshed out. I wanted to know more about them, what drove them and the circumstances but I feel like it was only brushed over, giving you a taste but not leaving you satisfied. I think if I didn’t find Cion, the leader of the Desert Boys to be underdeveloped I would have falling in love with the romance aspect of Tiger Queen more. I still enjoyed the romance aspect and routed for Kateri and Cion but, I didn’t love it. Where I felt like they lacked, Kateri didn’t. She was developed and relatable. You were able to feel her internal struggles and see that events that made her who she is and will be.
Overall Tiger Queen was a quick enjoyable read that is perfect for fantasy lovers. This is also a standalone which means there was no cliffhanger! I think Annie did an amazing job at wrapping up Kateri’s journey and tying up the loose ends of the last several chapters. Annie Sullivan will be an author I look out for in the future of YA Fantasy and can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!
Thank you Blink for sending me a copy of TIGER QUEEN in the mail in exchange for an honest review!
I must admit, I never heard of “The Lady, or the Tiger?” before reading Tiger Queen, which is based off the short story. After doing some research and learning more about "The Lady, or the Tiger?" I was really excited to see where Annie Sullivan was going to take Tiger Queen. A fierce desert princess who is hell bent on saving her kingdom? Sign me up!
By ancient law in the kingdom of Achra, Kateri must battle competitors to the throne in the arena each month up until her birthday. If Kateri looses, the throne becomes her competitor's and she in return becomes their wife. Luckily for Kateri she has beaten every one of them. When the competitor for her last battle is revealed and Kateri knows she doesn’t stand a chance at winning, but she knows that if this person was to rule, he would destroy the kingdom she swore to her mother she would protect. Achra has been plagued by drought and awful sandstorms making the kingdom dry and arid. The water is rationed and the people are the furthest thing from content but Kateri has hope that if she can win the throne she could restore Achra to what it once was. Kateri, desperate to win does something she never thought to do, she seeks out the Desert Boys a gang that steals water from the wells around the kingdom, to help her defeat her rival. But soon Kateri learns secrets that break her world in half, leaving her behind two doors. One with a tiger and one with a future.
I really did enjoy Kateri’s character and the trials she faced through out the novel. She starts Tiger Queen as the naive princess who “fights” for her people. But really she is only fighting to keep the promise she made to her mother before she died. As a reader you watch Kateri grown through out Tiger Queen. Her eyes are opened and through out the pages you see as her world is flipped upside down and she longs to do what will make things right. In the last pages of Tiger Queen you can’t help but cheer for Kateri and for the battle she is fighting.
I really enjoyed Annie’s writing style and how she described the kingdom of Achra. The poor and dreadful conditions came to life in front of my eyes. In flash backs you could see the kingdom for what it was and for what it could be if Kateri manages to take the throne.
The only problem I had with Tiger Queen was that I felt like some of that characters could be used a bit more time being fleshed out. I wanted to know more about them, what drove them and the circumstances but I feel like it was only brushed over, giving you a taste but not leaving you satisfied. I think if I didn’t find Cion, the leader of the Desert Boys to be underdeveloped I would have falling in love with the romance aspect of Tiger Queen more. I still enjoyed the romance aspect and routed for Kateri and Cion but, I didn’t love it. Where I felt like they lacked, Kateri didn’t. She was developed and relatable. You were able to feel her internal struggles and see that events that made her who she is and will be.
Overall Tiger Queen was a quick enjoyable read that is perfect for fantasy lovers. This is also a standalone which means there was no cliffhanger! I think Annie did an amazing job at wrapping up Kateri’s journey and tying up the loose ends of the last several chapters. Annie Sullivan will be an author I look out for in the future of YA Fantasy and can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!
atrailofpages's review against another edition
5.0
I RRALLY loved Annie Sullivan’s A Touch of Gold. And so when I heard there was this other book she wrote, I knew I had to read it!
And once again, she did not disappoint! I really enjoyed this book! It was a fairly easy read for me, but kept me on my toes wondering what will happen next.
I love how the focus of the book was primarily on Kateri and her growth throughout the book, rather than just romance. Watching her grow from this hateful, vengeful princess to a caring, loving, doing anything she can to help others princess. She was always caring about the people, but she learned where she may have actually looked away, when she could have done something. She obviously had fears of her father and Rodric(I mean I would too! They were crazy!), but she learned to use her voice and be more like her mother and take her life in her own hands and do what SHE thought was right.
It was such a beautiful story, I loved every moment of it. The romance is was a long slow burn and I loved every second of it! I do wish there was more description of the people. I like to visualize what they look like and I really had no idea what anyone looked like. Other than that, it was a very good story and enjoyable to the end!
And once again, she did not disappoint! I really enjoyed this book! It was a fairly easy read for me, but kept me on my toes wondering what will happen next.
I love how the focus of the book was primarily on Kateri and her growth throughout the book, rather than just romance. Watching her grow from this hateful, vengeful princess to a caring, loving, doing anything she can to help others princess. She was always caring about the people, but she learned where she may have actually looked away, when she could have done something. She obviously had fears of her father and Rodric(I mean I would too! They were crazy!), but she learned to use her voice and be more like her mother and take her life in her own hands and do what SHE thought was right.
It was such a beautiful story, I loved every moment of it. The romance is was a long slow burn and I loved every second of it! I do wish there was more description of the people. I like to visualize what they look like and I really had no idea what anyone looked like. Other than that, it was a very good story and enjoyable to the end!
ipetrine's review against another edition
5.0
What a ride! Annie Sullivan made me feel the hot desert sand on my skin, made me feel the thirst dry my mouth and chap my lips, made my eyes tear up and my husband startle when I laughed out loud.
My heart broke for Kateri and I felt her need for revenge. I loved her development through the story, and how each character had their own backstory and a depth that made them feel real. Tiger Queen will stay with me.
Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss+ for providing me with an eARC of Tiger Queen.
My heart broke for Kateri and I felt her need for revenge. I loved her development through the story, and how each character had their own backstory and a depth that made them feel real. Tiger Queen will stay with me.
Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss+ for providing me with an eARC of Tiger Queen.
egurgens's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
nicolemhewitt's review against another edition
5.0
This review and many more can be found on my blog: Feed Your Fiction Addiction
When I heard that Annie Sullivan had written a retelling of "The Lady or the Tiger" I was incredibly excited! I'd loved her unique retelling of "The Midas Touch," and I had no doubt she'd do one of my favorite short stories justice. I distinctly remember reading this story when I was a teenager and being left with that agonizing open ending. I read the story again with my own students when I taught at my homeschool co-op, and one of our exercises was to write their own ending (and, yes, a few of my students did have the princess sick the tiger on her lost love). I was curious to see if Sullivan would leave us with an open ending as well or give us her own version of closure. Of course, I can't tell you the answer to that. You'll have to read to find out!
Sullivan has created a unique ancient desert world where water has been rationed to an extreme and many people die from thirst or from the dangers of the desert. The brutality of the world is accented by the king's system of justice---if someone is accused of a crime, they must go into an arena and choose door #1 or door #2. Behind one is (supposedly) something they want or need; behind the other is a tiger that will rip them to shreds.
I loved Kateri's journey of discovery about the Desert Boys---the group of rebels who have been stealing water from the kingdom and killed her mother and brother years ago. She thinks she knows who they are and what they stand for, but of course, she learns that nothing is as it seems. I did feel like a few of the revelations came a little too easily---I wish she had discovered things more on her own instead of just being told what really happened---but I still thought that the emotional resonance of those discoveries was there. I was invested in Kateri's quest to save her kingdom from a vicious ruler, and I was also enamored with the clever and dashing Cion, so the romance resonated with me. The book doesn't have any magic, so I'm not sure if it can truly be called a "fantasy," but I understand why it's labeled this way---it is set in a fantastical desert world, chock full of dangers like poisonous snakes and scorpions, sandstorms, and deadly cacti. There is also a sense that the desert itself is a character---almost a god---who chooses those who deserve to rule.
This book has a vivid setting and a hearty dose of adventure, and it's sure to please fans of the original short story and also hopefully convince some people who've never read the original to see what they've been missing!
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via FFBC blog tours in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
When I heard that Annie Sullivan had written a retelling of "The Lady or the Tiger" I was incredibly excited! I'd loved her unique retelling of "The Midas Touch," and I had no doubt she'd do one of my favorite short stories justice. I distinctly remember reading this story when I was a teenager and being left with that agonizing open ending. I read the story again with my own students when I taught at my homeschool co-op, and one of our exercises was to write their own ending (and, yes, a few of my students did have the princess sick the tiger on her lost love). I was curious to see if Sullivan would leave us with an open ending as well or give us her own version of closure. Of course, I can't tell you the answer to that. You'll have to read to find out!
Sullivan has created a unique ancient desert world where water has been rationed to an extreme and many people die from thirst or from the dangers of the desert. The brutality of the world is accented by the king's system of justice---if someone is accused of a crime, they must go into an arena and choose door #1 or door #2. Behind one is (supposedly) something they want or need; behind the other is a tiger that will rip them to shreds.
I loved Kateri's journey of discovery about the Desert Boys---the group of rebels who have been stealing water from the kingdom and killed her mother and brother years ago. She thinks she knows who they are and what they stand for, but of course, she learns that nothing is as it seems. I did feel like a few of the revelations came a little too easily---I wish she had discovered things more on her own instead of just being told what really happened---but I still thought that the emotional resonance of those discoveries was there. I was invested in Kateri's quest to save her kingdom from a vicious ruler, and I was also enamored with the clever and dashing Cion, so the romance resonated with me. The book doesn't have any magic, so I'm not sure if it can truly be called a "fantasy," but I understand why it's labeled this way---it is set in a fantastical desert world, chock full of dangers like poisonous snakes and scorpions, sandstorms, and deadly cacti. There is also a sense that the desert itself is a character---almost a god---who chooses those who deserve to rule.
This book has a vivid setting and a hearty dose of adventure, and it's sure to please fans of the original short story and also hopefully convince some people who've never read the original to see what they've been missing!
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via FFBC blog tours in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
thebookishunicorn's review
4.0
Cion shook his head. "It is our emotions that give us strength. They are what drive us to make ourselves stronger."
sunshine169's review
4.0
The book was slow on the uptake but I am glad I stuck with it because the ending was oh so satisfying. I loved the main character, Princess Kateri, who had to fight her way to proving she is not weak and that she can indeed rule the desert.
This story has all the elements. Strong female lead. Bad and good characters that are not what they seem. Many deep secrets to be uncovered. Slow burn romance that I predicted before it started but I really did not mind.
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a solid fantasy read with a strong female lead and who loves desert settings.
Thank you Netgalley and Blink publishers for e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This story has all the elements. Strong female lead. Bad and good characters that are not what they seem. Many deep secrets to be uncovered. Slow burn romance that I predicted before it started but I really did not mind.
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a solid fantasy read with a strong female lead and who loves desert settings.
Thank you Netgalley and Blink publishers for e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
erincataldi's review against another edition
4.0
This was a young adult fantasy novel that reminded me a lot of Dune (in a good way) but had more scorpions, romance, and tigers and wasn't set in space. Achra is a kingdom secluded in the desert; it's people virtually trapped by the lack of water. For years, the "desert boys" have raided the city and stolen water; making the rationing even harder on the people. Princess Kateri wants to see the desert boys punished just as much as anybody; but right now she's focused on battling her suitors. Each month she has to defeat a suitor in the arena or else marry him, but when she finds out that her last opponent is her father's right hand man, her trainer, and the most cruel man she's ever met, she panics and flees into the desert. In the desert she'll find answers she didn't even know she was seeking and in the process might even find a new purpose and love. A young adult fantasy that's full of great fighting scenes and intrigue. As an adult though, I found it quite predictable, the Easter eggs were obvious and the characters were a little flat. Still very enjoyable though!
nickle4books's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0