Reviews with content warning for Gaslighting - Trial of the Sun Queen

Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Trial of the Sun Queen by Nisha J. Tuli

2 reviews

booksalacarte's review against another edition

Go to review page

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

amanda_reads13's review

Go to review page

adventurous funny mysterious tense fast-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? No

2.5

Lor has spent 12 years imprisoned, though she has committed no crime. One day she wakes up to find herself in a castle far from the prison and her siblings. She becomes one of the ten women who are competing in a deadly contest to become bonded to the Sun King.

This is a very predictable book. I was able to see the big surprise pretty early on. The character and plot are pretty unoriginal. It is basically a mashup of other popular books and characters (think The Selection + Hunger Games + ACOTAR + Red Queen) but not as well written or developed.

This is trying very hard to be ACOTAR. The Aurora= Night court, Atlas=Tamlin, Nadhir=Rhys etc...

Lor started out very independent and strong willed, but ended up being extremely naive. She is supposed to be a strong woman shaped by her tough life, but she just crumbles at the smallest setback.

I found the way that the dual POV was written to be interesting. Lor was written in 1st person where as the Aurora Prince was written in 3rd. It threw me off at first.

Tropes: slow burn, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, fantasy

Content Warnings

More...