You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
Just Ella is my favorite in the series still, but I enjoyed this one and was happy to see more of Desmia. I really enjoyed her character growth and the way she was able to see other people in new ways. It was one I probably would have loved when I was younger, but it was still a pretty fun read as an adult.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Like the previous installment, the characters are a bit one-sided. The focus is on one character trait, one flaw, and that one problem gets resolved. However, this story was more intricate than the last two. Clever, I suppose, for a YR novel. A nice, quick, easy read, but no real depth.
AAAHHHHHH. That was SO CUTE.
I didn’t expect to finish this book tonight, I only meant to read 50 pages. But 50 turned into 150 because I COULD NOT stop reading. Somehow, these books are not predictable and are so fun and complex despite any (understandable) plot conveniences. It’s written more as a middle grade series though it’s in an older group of YA, and it was SO FUN. I highly recommend this series for light-hearted romps with serious messages and inversions about princess stories. A high 4 stars!
I didn’t expect to finish this book tonight, I only meant to read 50 pages. But 50 turned into 150 because I COULD NOT stop reading. Somehow, these books are not predictable and are so fun and complex despite any (understandable) plot conveniences. It’s written more as a middle grade series though it’s in an older group of YA, and it was SO FUN. I highly recommend this series for light-hearted romps with serious messages and inversions about princess stories. A high 4 stars!
2.5 ⭐️
Just kind of ... meh. I really enjoyed the first two books of the series, but I just don’t love Desmia as a protagonist. I like her character arc as she is able to see past her sheltered, privileged life to the plight of the poor and the horrors of war, but in general, she just was unlikable. Her weak character and general annoyingness was partly due to years of abuse and gaslighting, but I didn’t feel overly sympathetic to her ... just vaguely annoyed. The romance seemed like it came out of nowhere and was very shallow (as opposed to the romances in the previous two books). Also, Desmia’s extreme phobia of the sky was pretty unbelievable and eye-rolling. However, it was an easy read and entertaining in parts. I liked Janelia, Tog and Herz more than Desmia.
Just kind of ... meh. I really enjoyed the first two books of the series, but I just don’t love Desmia as a protagonist. I like her character arc as she is able to see past her sheltered, privileged life to the plight of the poor and the horrors of war, but in general, she just was unlikable. Her weak character and general annoyingness was partly due to years of abuse and gaslighting, but I didn’t feel overly sympathetic to her ... just vaguely annoyed. The romance seemed like it came out of nowhere and was very shallow (as opposed to the romances in the previous two books). Also, Desmia’s extreme phobia of the sky was pretty unbelievable and eye-rolling. However, it was an easy read and entertaining in parts. I liked Janelia, Tog and Herz more than Desmia.
[b:Just Ella|162719|Just Ella (The Palace Chronicles, #1)|Margaret Peterson Haddix|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327897599s/162719.jpg|2979854] holds a special place in my heart. I've re-read it many times. [b:Palace of Mirrors|2208767|Palace of Mirrors (The Palace Chronicles, #2)|Margaret Peterson Haddix|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348977828s/2208767.jpg|2214543] bored me to death. I have tried reading it twice and still have no memory of Ella even being in it.
Thankfully, Palace of Lies caught more of the spirit of Just Ella than its more recent predecessor.
The story follows Princess Desmia, the princess raised in the palace. She is re-ascending the throne alongside the 12 other princesses of Suala. And then everything goes wrong. Unsure who to trust, separated from her fellow princesses, the girl who has never left the protective walls of the palace must now gather her courage to save her kingdom one more time.
A lot of this book was dramatic and confusing and convenient, but I loved Desmia and I enjoyed her journey. I liked the simple romance. I liked having "closure" to Ella's story. An intriguing new fairy tale has emerged and I am excited to see what Haddix will do with her 13 princess rulers!
For fun, this book described in random memes I found on Pinterest:
I was meaning to read this for the Buzzword Readathon but instead I DNF'd it 5 pages in. I can just tell that I'm going to hate every moment of it. Desmia is obnoxious and annoying and has had no growth since the book before which I also didn't like. Her thoughts about the other characters are so rude and stuck up. I can't do it. This'll just give me the time to read books that I'm actually going to like.
The MC's holier-than-thou routine was incredibly annoying.
I was meaning to read this for the Buzzword Readathon but instead I DNF'd it 5 pages in. I can just tell that I'm going to hate every moment of it. Desmia is obnoxious and annoying and has had no growth since the book before which I also didn't like. Her thoughts about the other characters are so rude and stuck up. I can't do it. This'll just give me the time to read books that I'm actually going to like.