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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
RE-READ: June 2018
5/5 stars
I just love this book so much, it is definitely one of my all time favourites. The concept is so captivating and intriguing to me, I was so interested in it even though this is my second time reading it. The characters are so three-dimensional, charming and completely loveable. Each and every one of the main characters hold a special place in my heart and I adored them. In my first read I loved Ava and Ambrose’s story most, especially the romance. I still adored their story and their relationship, but I seemed to love Thorne and Rose’s chapters the most during this read through. There wasn’t one chapter that I didn’t feel intensely interested and emotionally invested in the story. This book has a complex fantastical world, amazing characters and a fantastic romance....ie. it is pretty darn perfect to me.
The people of Kaya die in pairs, that is until Ava. When Avery, Ava’s soul-mate was killed she was sure that she would die too. Instead, her soul was ripped in two and she was left alive, with sort of her soul missing and a chip on her shoulder. Shunned from her society, she dedicates her life to seeking revenge on the woman that killed her bondmate, the Queen of Pirenti. Her plans are thwarted when she is captured by a prince of Pirenti and she is condemned to be locked away on a prison island. Prince Ambrose was taught by his mother to hate and kill all enemies. When things go south while accompanying the Kayan prisoner to the island, Ambrose and Ava must help each other to survive. In the process, Ambrose realises that not all Kayans are enemies and Ava comes to the realisation that maybe she still has a soul.
I think this book is character-driven as well as having a very strong plot and world. The characters are all complex and their relationships are even more three-dimensional and dynamic. I fell in love with these characters and how they interacted with one another. The romantic relationships, the family and the relationship between enemies drives this book, and I loved every moment of it. The interesting concept of Kayans dying in pairs and the magic system in this world was equally as interesting to me. On top of it all, there are warring nations and a plot that attempts to overthrow this, which which is also phenomenally well constructed and fascinating. This book altogether has everything that I could possibly want in a fantasy.
Even though this is my second reading, this book spared none of my emotions. It was truly an emotional rollercoaster that I experienced from both complex and emotional storylines. During my first read I really focused on Ava and Ambrose, who had an amazing romance and story, but this time I felt equally towards Rose and Thorne’s story. I seriously admire the emotional complexity of this book as these two storylines are so strong by themselves but are even more perfect as they intertwine.
Ambrose and Ava have a very angsty relationship that is also full of healing and beauty. I absolutely loved watching their relationship unfold. This book has some of my favourite tropes of hidden identities as Ava hides her gender from Ambrose and also the enemies to lovers trope. This brought even more angst to their story, which was amplified considering they were both quite tortured souls, especially Ava. I especially loved how Ambrose admitted that he was falling in love with Ava even though at the time he thought she was a man. I feel like this showed the truthfulness and strength of their relationship as it wasn't asked on appearance or gender. Basically, I am complete trash and loved all the angst of their relationship.
This time around, it was Rose and Thorne that resulted in my river of tears. Seriously, I was so torn up by their storyline as it emotionally abused my poor heart. Thorne was the oldest son of the barbarian queen and he also had Berserker blood in him. He was hateful, angry and violent, even towards Rose. On the opposite spectrum, Rose was quite, timid and strange. All she wanted was for Thorne to love her. I'm not going to romanticise it, and neither did the author, this was an abusive relationship, but the characters were very self aware about it. It was Thorne’s attempt to better himself and change as well as Rose learning to become strong and empower herself that really got to my heart. Their storyline truly destroyed me as they grew to better themselves, they also grew together more. Even thinking back now, my heart hurts to think of them.
2015:
This book is absolutely amazing! This is definitely one of my absolute favourite books! This book is so full of hope and redemption and the way the characters build throughout the book is mesmerising. This is action packed, romantic and heart wrenchingly beautiful!
I loved the moral that's I found in this story. The way the characters fell in love with each other's souls and not their gender or their face! I absolutely recommend this book to everyone!
5/5 stars
“The people of Kaya die in pairs. So it is and will always be.”
I just love this book so much, it is definitely one of my all time favourites. The concept is so captivating and intriguing to me, I was so interested in it even though this is my second time reading it. The characters are so three-dimensional, charming and completely loveable. Each and every one of the main characters hold a special place in my heart and I adored them. In my first read I loved Ava and Ambrose’s story most, especially the romance. I still adored their story and their relationship, but I seemed to love Thorne and Rose’s chapters the most during this read through. There wasn’t one chapter that I didn’t feel intensely interested and emotionally invested in the story. This book has a complex fantastical world, amazing characters and a fantastic romance....ie. it is pretty darn perfect to me.
The people of Kaya die in pairs, that is until Ava. When Avery, Ava’s soul-mate was killed she was sure that she would die too. Instead, her soul was ripped in two and she was left alive, with sort of her soul missing and a chip on her shoulder. Shunned from her society, she dedicates her life to seeking revenge on the woman that killed her bondmate, the Queen of Pirenti. Her plans are thwarted when she is captured by a prince of Pirenti and she is condemned to be locked away on a prison island. Prince Ambrose was taught by his mother to hate and kill all enemies. When things go south while accompanying the Kayan prisoner to the island, Ambrose and Ava must help each other to survive. In the process, Ambrose realises that not all Kayans are enemies and Ava comes to the realisation that maybe she still has a soul.
"We have no say in this life, on how hard things will be. What we can control is how hard we fight. How long we endure. How strongly we love."
I think this book is character-driven as well as having a very strong plot and world. The characters are all complex and their relationships are even more three-dimensional and dynamic. I fell in love with these characters and how they interacted with one another. The romantic relationships, the family and the relationship between enemies drives this book, and I loved every moment of it. The interesting concept of Kayans dying in pairs and the magic system in this world was equally as interesting to me. On top of it all, there are warring nations and a plot that attempts to overthrow this, which which is also phenomenally well constructed and fascinating. This book altogether has everything that I could possibly want in a fantasy.
Even though this is my second reading, this book spared none of my emotions. It was truly an emotional rollercoaster that I experienced from both complex and emotional storylines. During my first read I really focused on Ava and Ambrose, who had an amazing romance and story, but this time I felt equally towards Rose and Thorne’s story. I seriously admire the emotional complexity of this book as these two storylines are so strong by themselves but are even more perfect as they intertwine.
“I love you as a women. I see you as you are, Ave – broken into pieces and suffocating – and I love all the pieces of you, no matter how small they’ve shattered, nor how far they’ve been scattered.”
Ambrose and Ava have a very angsty relationship that is also full of healing and beauty. I absolutely loved watching their relationship unfold. This book has some of my favourite tropes of hidden identities as Ava hides her gender from Ambrose and also the enemies to lovers trope. This brought even more angst to their story, which was amplified considering they were both quite tortured souls, especially Ava. I especially loved how Ambrose admitted that he was falling in love with Ava even though at the time he thought she was a man. I feel like this showed the truthfulness and strength of their relationship as it wasn't asked on appearance or gender. Basically, I am complete trash and loved all the angst of their relationship.
This time around, it was Rose and Thorne that resulted in my river of tears. Seriously, I was so torn up by their storyline as it emotionally abused my poor heart. Thorne was the oldest son of the barbarian queen and he also had Berserker blood in him. He was hateful, angry and violent, even towards Rose. On the opposite spectrum, Rose was quite, timid and strange. All she wanted was for Thorne to love her. I'm not going to romanticise it, and neither did the author, this was an abusive relationship, but the characters were very self aware about it. It was Thorne’s attempt to better himself and change as well as Rose learning to become strong and empower herself that really got to my heart. Their storyline truly destroyed me as they grew to better themselves, they also grew together more. Even thinking back now, my heart hurts to think of them.
2015:
This book is absolutely amazing! This is definitely one of my absolute favourite books! This book is so full of hope and redemption and the way the characters build throughout the book is mesmerising. This is action packed, romantic and heart wrenchingly beautiful!
I loved the moral that's I found in this story. The way the characters fell in love with each other's souls and not their gender or their face! I absolutely recommend this book to everyone!
This book started off so well. I loved the tag line, I loved the idea, but the reality was a bit of a let down.
For the first two-thirds of the book I was enthralled with Ava and Ambrose, I couldn't get enough of their POV. But then I got to a point where the story took a turn and I just became angry and frustrated
For the first two-thirds of the book I was enthralled with Ava and Ambrose, I couldn't get enough of their POV. But then I got to a point where the story took a turn and I just became angry and frustrated
Avery, the first book in Charlotte McConaghy's romantic fantasy adventure trilogy, The Chronicles of Kaya, introduces a nation divided by war. For centuries the people of Kaya and Pirenti have fought bloody battles for dominance. The Pirenti, ruled by the sadistic Barbarian Queen, have the advantage of size and strength, the Kyan rely on the magic of the Warders and the bravery of their people to fight the tyranny.
During a mission to assassinate the queen in her castle, Avery is caught and savagely murdered much to the horror of his bond-mate, Ava. The people of Kyan die in pairs, and his passing should condemn Ava to death, but instead she is the first of her kind to survive. With her soul ripped in two, and cast out of Kayan society as 'unnatural', Ava assumes Avery's identity and plots her revenge on the Queen but her plans are thwarted when she is captured by Ambrose, the Pirenti Prince.
Ambrose, like his elder brother Thorne, has been raised by his mother to hate the Kyan, scorning their physical weakness and soft emotions. A fierce and merciless warrior he is nevertheless beginning to question his mother's cruelty and the endless bloodshed. Tasked to transport the Kayan boy he captured to the Pirenti prison isle, and then shipwrecked during the journey, he slowly comes to admire Avery's courage and tenacity, challenging all he has been taught ...and his barren heart.
Unusually, the narrative of Avery is carried by the first person perspectives of Ava and Ambrose, as well as Thorne, Ambrose's elder brother, and Thorne's wife, Roselyn. The focus of the tale is on the emotional journey of these four characters, struggling to reconcile their expectations and desires. The characters are quite complex and stir a mixture of admiration, pity, distaste and respect.
It wasn't until I began to organise my thoughts to write this review that I realised there were elements of the romantic relationships that made me really uncomfortable. There is the idea that a man's violent nature can be changed by love, that Roselyn's patience with her abusive husband, and Ava's endurance of Ambrose's violence, are eventually rewarded by that change. That the Prince's are excused because of their twisted upbringing, and eventually redeemed simply because these women love them. There is some attempt to mitigate the dysfunction with apologies, promises and redemption, but it is still a troublesome model of romance.
I did enjoy a number of other elements of the plot, particularly the twist that reveals the Barbarian Queen's secrets. The action scenes, even those that are quite brutal, are well written, as are the more intimate and emotional scenes. Avery explores a number of facets of love - the love of country, and the bonds between siblings, parents and lovers.
The world-building is fairly simplistic, I understood the Pirenti but didn't feel I learned much about Kaya. I did find I could easily visualize the Pirenti castle, the hazards of the Prison isle and Ava soaring through the sky on the back of her Pegasi.
Avery is a tale of love, hate, revenge and redemption. Though I have my reservations about the romance I did enjoy the story in the moment and found it to be a quick read.
I really enjoyed this book, but boy did I feel exhausted after reading it. One moment you're heartbroken, then the next you're hopeful and then bam right back to the beginning.
Basically, this is a somewhat accurate order of my emotions while reading this book. Firstly loss, then hope, followed by heartbreak, anger, sadness, regret, joy, loss, hope, hatred, more heartbreak, anger, more anger, joy, desire and longing. - Nope, I'm still going - Some more sadness, hope, tears, TEARS, confusion?, sadness, happiness, then whoever knows while reading that epilogue because I lost track.
Although some aspects of this book did make me uncomfortable -the domestic violence - YET I still bloody cried for the dude?????
Overall, it's a refreshing read for the fantasy genre considering that's all I've read this year.
Basically, this is a somewhat accurate order of my emotions while reading this book. Firstly loss, then hope, followed by heartbreak, anger, sadness, regret, joy, loss, hope, hatred, more heartbreak, anger, more anger, joy, desire and longing. - Nope, I'm still going - Some more sadness, hope, tears, TEARS, confusion?, sadness, happiness, then whoever knows while reading that epilogue because I lost track.
Although some aspects of this book did make me uncomfortable -the domestic violence - YET I still bloody cried for the dude?????
Overall, it's a refreshing read for the fantasy genre considering that's all I've read this year.
4.5 stars
Oh my gosh! This book was so good. I have never read a book with a four person perspective. Charlotte is so talent every book is different with new characters and a completely different world. I cannot understand how her books are not on the best seller list, you can't even find them in a book store. And I really want a physical copy of this story, I loved it so much and cannot wait for the next one.
Oh my gosh! This book was so good. I have never read a book with a four person perspective. Charlotte is so talent every book is different with new characters and a completely different world. I cannot understand how her books are not on the best seller list, you can't even find them in a book store. And I really want a physical copy of this story, I loved it so much and cannot wait for the next one.
if you ignore a couple of the failed attempts at feminism, it's a very good book. love everything else about it.
In ‘Avery’ we meet Ava. A twenty year old girl from Kaya. In Kaya people are blessed/cursed to die in pairs. It’s a given that when you die, your bondmate also dies. That is until Ava. When Ava’s bondmate Avery dies it’s a great shock to everyone that Ava is still alive. But alive isn’t really the right word. Ever since Avery died, Ava is a shadow from the person she ones was. Now she is after revenge and is on a mission to kill the barbarian Queen of Pirenti who killed Avery right before her eyes.
Prince Ambrose is the second in line to the throne. He is the youngest son of the barbarian Queen and all his life he has been trained and forced to be a killing machine. But unlike his brother Thorne, Ambrose feels like there’s something wrong in his life. When Ambrose is send on a mission to take a Kaya prisoner to prison his life changes forever.
First things first, I seriously loved this book!! From the very first page I was completely pulled into the story of the Kayan and Pirenti people. I loved the way Charlotte McConaghy wrote this story and the way I was immediately hooked. Although you read about a violent country, this book is full of passion, love, hope and romance. I loved how original this book was. The story about bondmates who die at the same time. I never read anything like this and it was just amazing.
The character I liked the most was Ambrose. The way he stood up to his heritage and wanted to be someone else despite the way he was raced. I also loved that he still was such a kind and compassionate person although everything in his life was about violence and murder. I couldn’t read
enough about Ambrose.
This book is definitely one of my new favorites. ‘Avery’ made me want to go home faster and I just didn’t want to do anything else but read. When I was having a bad day I just kept in mind that when I got home I could continue reading about Ava.
I would definitely recommend this book to every fantasy, romance reader out there. This book will definitely won’t disappoint you. :)
Prince Ambrose is the second in line to the throne. He is the youngest son of the barbarian Queen and all his life he has been trained and forced to be a killing machine. But unlike his brother Thorne, Ambrose feels like there’s something wrong in his life. When Ambrose is send on a mission to take a Kaya prisoner to prison his life changes forever.
First things first, I seriously loved this book!! From the very first page I was completely pulled into the story of the Kayan and Pirenti people. I loved the way Charlotte McConaghy wrote this story and the way I was immediately hooked. Although you read about a violent country, this book is full of passion, love, hope and romance. I loved how original this book was. The story about bondmates who die at the same time. I never read anything like this and it was just amazing.
The character I liked the most was Ambrose. The way he stood up to his heritage and wanted to be someone else despite the way he was raced. I also loved that he still was such a kind and compassionate person although everything in his life was about violence and murder. I couldn’t read
enough about Ambrose.
This book is definitely one of my new favorites. ‘Avery’ made me want to go home faster and I just didn’t want to do anything else but read. When I was having a bad day I just kept in mind that when I got home I could continue reading about Ava.
I would definitely recommend this book to every fantasy, romance reader out there. This book will definitely won’t disappoint you. :)
3.5 stars. Told in 4 POVs - Ava whose bond mate Avery was killed at the beginning pursues a quest for vengeance on the Barbarian queen who killed him, Ambrose the Queen's son who captures her, his brother the violent and abusive Thorne and his wife Roselyn the victim who loves her abuser. I found Roselyn & Thorne's story more interesting and compelling as it drew a picture of an abusive relationship from both the perspective of the abuser and the abused. And while the story as a whole was certainly engrossing and ultimately hopeful in that Ava and Ambrose chose to love one another despite their circumstances I was uncomfortable with theme of violence and violence against women that was woven into the interactions and how it was excused by the way Thorne & Ambrose were raised and expected to behave. Their upbringing certainly EXPLAINS why they behaved that way it just doesn't EXCUSE it.
On the plus side I didn't see that revelation about the Queen coming and I am not often surprised in books anymore.
On the plus side I didn't see that revelation about the Queen coming and I am not often surprised in books anymore.
This is the 3rd time I've finished this and I just love it so much.
It's generic enemies to lovers with Soo much character growth that just makes these people so heartbreaking.
I understand the issues with some of roselyn and thorne's love plot but I truly feel that they change and the abuse she suffers at the start is systematic and somewhere inside her she knows it will change.
I'm not justifying abuse (it is wrong and in a real life situation I would encourage them to get support and help) but people deal with their situations differently and while I wished so much for rose to walk away, thorne became stronger because she stuck around.
It's generic enemies to lovers with Soo much character growth that just makes these people so heartbreaking.
I understand the issues with some of roselyn and thorne's love plot but I truly feel that they change and the abuse she suffers at the start is systematic and somewhere inside her she knows it will change.
I'm not justifying abuse (it is wrong and in a real life situation I would encourage them to get support and help) but people deal with their situations differently and while I wished so much for rose to walk away, thorne became stronger because she stuck around.