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rachelglazer's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
There are a few familiar beats, and some of the chatacters were underdeveloped, but overall it was entertaining and had enough intrigue to keep me going
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
Minor: Death of parent
LGBTQIA friendlybookishmillennial's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial
This was an absolute blast in a glass! I went in with zero expectations and had such a great time😛 This is the first in a series of at least four books, I zoomed through it because it felt familiar (The Bachelor meets Hunger Games is pretty spot-on marketing) yet stood strong on its own, adding its own unique and playful twists.
I thoroughly enjoyed Lor as the main character (we receive her 1st person narration); she was scrappy, bold, fearless, unimpressed, and to her core, a fighter. She fought for her survival and kept pushing through the trials to hopefully find a way to save her siblings Tristan and Willow in any way she could. Lor logically knew that her odds as the Final Tribute were not in her favor, but that never stops her from fighting tooth and nail to live to see another day in the Sun King’s court. She was also hilarious and I would be friends with her, even if she would be a little abrasive to me & bring me to tears😂
Due to other romantasies, I almost never fully invest in the love interest introduced to us in first books in series. I am glad that I was correct in my predictions about Atlas, but it was still entertaining to watch as that connection built and eventually unfolded in the tumultuous way it did. Lor is not some naive, sheltered, lovesick kid though; she had enough self-awareness and skepticism about people/Fae to recognize that ‘hey, this is probably just lust and passion, but omg, have you *seen* how smokin’ hot this guy is? Don’t mind if I ride that real quick!’ I also generally appreciated that after a lifetime of sexual assault at the hands of the corrupt prison guards at Nostraza, Lor *chooses* to be intimate with Atlas. It’s a powerful feeling to be in charge of your body after it has not been for so long.
I know Gabriel pulled some shiesty bullshit, but I actually thoroughly enjoyed his banter with Lor. I wouldn’t doubt if these two were each other’s best friends by the end of this series! I can’t wait to see him rebel against Atlas; I was going to say, ‘I’d pay money to read that!’ & what a goofy thing to say because I absolutely *will* be buying whatever books are in this series hehehe. Anyway, don’t count Gabriel out, there’s my two cents!!
The magic system is pretty elementary; I’d say this is a fantastic book to recommend to someone who is new to romantasies & any kind of fantasy. It’s so easy to follow! Regarding the mystery of Lor’s true identity and why she is of paramount importance, I think most readers could have guessed something was afoot after reading the title. Though she does not come out as the “Sun Queen,” I pretty much knew she would be revealed as some royalty in a Jon Snow kinda way lol.
Nadir’s third-person chapters were interesting because we were introduced to the Aurora courts & the Princess Amyra too, & this is where Lor is originally from. I thought the format of the Final Tribute being from their rival court was so funny, like those rulers from hundreds of years ago were just men who “like to watch the world burn,” amirite?! Anyway, I can’t wait to see what happens next now that Lor is in the Aurora courts & with Nadir & Amya now!
steam rating: 2/5
This was an absolute blast in a glass! I went in with zero expectations and had such a great time😛 This is the first in a series of at least four books, I zoomed through it because it felt familiar (The Bachelor meets Hunger Games is pretty spot-on marketing) yet stood strong on its own, adding its own unique and playful twists.
I thoroughly enjoyed Lor as the main character (we receive her 1st person narration); she was scrappy, bold, fearless, unimpressed, and to her core, a fighter. She fought for her survival and kept pushing through the trials to hopefully find a way to save her siblings Tristan and Willow in any way she could. Lor logically knew that her odds as the Final Tribute were not in her favor, but that never stops her from fighting tooth and nail to live to see another day in the Sun King’s court. She was also hilarious and I would be friends with her, even if she would be a little abrasive to me & bring me to tears😂
Due to other romantasies, I almost never fully invest in the love interest introduced to us in first books in series. I am glad that I was correct in my predictions about Atlas, but it was still entertaining to watch as that connection built and eventually unfolded in the tumultuous way it did. Lor is not some naive, sheltered, lovesick kid though; she had enough self-awareness and skepticism about people/Fae to recognize that ‘hey, this is probably just lust and passion, but omg, have you *seen* how smokin’ hot this guy is? Don’t mind if I ride that real quick!’ I also generally appreciated that after a lifetime of sexual assault at the hands of the corrupt prison guards at Nostraza, Lor *chooses* to be intimate with Atlas. It’s a powerful feeling to be in charge of your body after it has not been for so long.
I know Gabriel pulled some shiesty bullshit, but I actually thoroughly enjoyed his banter with Lor. I wouldn’t doubt if these two were each other’s best friends by the end of this series! I can’t wait to see him rebel against Atlas; I was going to say, ‘I’d pay money to read that!’ & what a goofy thing to say because I absolutely *will* be buying whatever books are in this series hehehe. Anyway, don’t count Gabriel out, there’s my two cents!!
The magic system is pretty elementary; I’d say this is a fantastic book to recommend to someone who is new to romantasies & any kind of fantasy. It’s so easy to follow! Regarding the mystery of Lor’s true identity and why she is of paramount importance, I think most readers could have guessed something was afoot after reading the title. Though she does not come out as the “Sun Queen,” I pretty much knew she would be revealed as some royalty in a Jon Snow kinda way lol.
Nadir’s third-person chapters were interesting because we were introduced to the Aurora courts & the Princess Amyra too, & this is where Lor is originally from. I thought the format of the Final Tribute being from their rival court was so funny, like those rulers from hundreds of years ago were just men who “like to watch the world burn,” amirite?! Anyway, I can’t wait to see what happens next now that Lor is in the Aurora courts & with Nadir & Amya now!
steam rating: 2/5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Death, Violence, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, and Confinement
booksalacarte's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
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
3.75
Trial of the sun queen- 3.75⭐️ 2.5🌶️
New Adult
High Romantasy
Romantic Fantasy
Dual POV
Bipoc
Fae Courts
Magic
Politics
Feuding Kingdoms
Secrets
Bride Trials
Rags to Riches
Slow Burn
🏳️🌈 Side Character Rep
Tw- adult themes, definitly check the trigger warnings.
The first line- “That bitch took my soap.” I was immediately invested in this FMC. I wanted to know her story, her hardships. The time in the prison made this story unique and compelling. I wish there had been more of the story developed there.
Thank goodness the trials in this book were heavy in the plot and revealed character growth. They took up space and were well laid out. There was a little bit of haziness around the 2nd. I was more than a little turned around on the obstacle course in where the competitors were in relation to each other. But I was relieved for them to be as central to the plot in how they were played out and not just that they happened. It helped with more than just the FMC’s character development, I feel like it really moved the side characters forward as well.
If the secret had been known, I feel like it would have added to the tension and stakes of the plot. Instead I felt left out and that the FMC was untrustworthy.
I found the romance to be very naive right off the bat, making it feel more YA. The FMC’s defined character from her time in prison immediately disappeared once she was in the trials. In the prison she was independent, untrusting, self-sufficient, with feminine rage for days. When she was in the palace, all of a sudden she had absolutely no self preservation or suspicion until further in the plot than you would expect.
I had a great time reading this book!
Thank you NetGalley and Forever (Gran Central Publishing) for an Advanced eReader Copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Abandonment, Cursing, Sexual content, Bullying, Classism, Confinement, Murder, Alcohol, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Misogyny, Torture, and Violence
Minor: Sexual assault, Rape, and Homophobia
readsbyrach's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Reads like ACOTAR, Hunger Games and The Glittering Court fanfic (making the plot rather predictable) with a main character that came off as whiney at times. Unfortunately, the writing isn’t very strong either. Probably will still read the next one to see what happens since it is free on KU. Please check content warnings.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Confinement, and Cursing
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, and Gore
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