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3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
Unfortunately, this was a big miss for me. The FMC was annoying, the plot felt like it was a direct copy and paste from a couple of the big romantasy novels of the moment, and it just did not inspire me to continue with the series. This is supposed to be a retelling, but I don't think there was enough of the plot for it to be a retelling.
*Thanks to Starwater Press and NetGalley for the ARC in advance of the last book in the series!*
*Thanks to Starwater Press and NetGalley for the ARC in advance of the last book in the series!*
I was lucky enough to get an E-ARC for Queen of Roses and…..my god am I glad I did!
That cliffhanger!!!
That cliffhanger!!!
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
This was a fun read. Lots of questions, good plot twist. Good first book to a series!
3.5 Stars
A Morgan Pendragon retelling with a fae twist.
So much potential! I like the main storyline and the fae twist, but it needs more depth, character development, and some oomph.
***Thank you to NetGalley, Briar Boleyn, and Starwater Press for graciously sending me a copy of the novel to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***
A Morgan Pendragon retelling with a fae twist.
So much potential! I like the main storyline and the fae twist, but it needs more depth, character development, and some oomph.
***Thank you to NetGalley, Briar Boleyn, and Starwater Press for graciously sending me a copy of the novel to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***
Morgan Pendragon is a princess burdened by the weight of duty and sacrifice. Her life, predetermined by birthright and rumours of fae lineage, has been a narrative not of her choosing. Bereft of her rightful heritage as a child and tethered to her brother, the king, Morgan's fate is further entwined with a promise to the goddesses upon reaching maturity. However, when tasked by her brother to retrieve a legendary fae weapon, Morgan sees an opportunity to break free from her predetermined path.
In her quest, Morgan becomes entangled with a group of outcasts, led by a captivating and mysterious warrior. Amidst her struggles to reconcile her desires with her obligations, they uncover perils beyond their imagination. Their journey unveils a slumbering fae kingdom, long thought lost, now reawakening and seeking to reclaim its lost dominion through violence and bloodshed. As Morgan delves deeper into the enigmatic fae world, she discovers the haunting truths within her blood, realizing her existence poses a greater threat than she ever envisioned.
Review:
Briar Boleyn weaves an enchanting and immersive fantasy tale in "Queen of Roses," painting a vivid world brimming with rich lore and intricate characters. The narrative shines through its elaborate world-building, where destiny, secrets, and the resurgence of a long-lost fae kingdom collide in a tapestry of intrigue and danger.
Morgan's journey from a pawn in a predetermined fate to a woman forging her path is compellingly depicted. Boleyn skillfully navigates Morgan's internal conflict, balancing duty against desire, and self-discovery amid the complexities of the fae world.
The ensemble of characters, particularly the enigmatic warrior and the group of outcasts, adds depth and dimension to the narrative. Their camaraderie and individual complexities enrich the storyline, drawing readers deeper into the unfolding saga.
The evocative descriptions transport readers into a realm steeped in mystique and peril. The gradual revelation of the fae kingdom, its history, and the intricate web of lies and mysteries infuses the narrative with an irresistible allure.
It is a captivating fantasy adventure that captivates with its well-crafted world-building, multidimensional characters, and gripping plot woven with suspense and intrigue. Briar Boleyn crafts a tale that resonates with themes of identity, destiny, and the ever-present struggle between light and darkness, leaving readers eagerly anticipating the next chapter in Morgan's captivating journey.
In her quest, Morgan becomes entangled with a group of outcasts, led by a captivating and mysterious warrior. Amidst her struggles to reconcile her desires with her obligations, they uncover perils beyond their imagination. Their journey unveils a slumbering fae kingdom, long thought lost, now reawakening and seeking to reclaim its lost dominion through violence and bloodshed. As Morgan delves deeper into the enigmatic fae world, she discovers the haunting truths within her blood, realizing her existence poses a greater threat than she ever envisioned.
Review:
Briar Boleyn weaves an enchanting and immersive fantasy tale in "Queen of Roses," painting a vivid world brimming with rich lore and intricate characters. The narrative shines through its elaborate world-building, where destiny, secrets, and the resurgence of a long-lost fae kingdom collide in a tapestry of intrigue and danger.
Morgan's journey from a pawn in a predetermined fate to a woman forging her path is compellingly depicted. Boleyn skillfully navigates Morgan's internal conflict, balancing duty against desire, and self-discovery amid the complexities of the fae world.
The ensemble of characters, particularly the enigmatic warrior and the group of outcasts, adds depth and dimension to the narrative. Their camaraderie and individual complexities enrich the storyline, drawing readers deeper into the unfolding saga.
The evocative descriptions transport readers into a realm steeped in mystique and peril. The gradual revelation of the fae kingdom, its history, and the intricate web of lies and mysteries infuses the narrative with an irresistible allure.
It is a captivating fantasy adventure that captivates with its well-crafted world-building, multidimensional characters, and gripping plot woven with suspense and intrigue. Briar Boleyn crafts a tale that resonates with themes of identity, destiny, and the ever-present struggle between light and darkness, leaving readers eagerly anticipating the next chapter in Morgan's captivating journey.
Loved the twists the story kept me sucked in. Thanks netgalley and the author for allowing me to read this can't wait for the next one.
Queen of Roses is a "dark" fantasy story with Faes, magic and familial drama. I honestly didn't find the book exciting, it wasn't a bad story and I did enjoy reading it, but there was nothing that made me feel thrilled or excited.
Overall I found the worldbuilding in the book incredibly detailed and well written; you aren't being bombarded by it but as you progress through the story you truly can make out the magic around the characters and where they are and what it looks like. You get to experience the backstories of their lands and the people, and it helps you connect to the story.
Character development is another story unfortunately, I found that all the main characters we met were quite bland. I didn't enjoy them or their personalities; Morgan was annoyingly boring and naïve, Kairos was just a forgettable character since he didn't have any interesting or notable qualities, and Vesper came up out of literal nowhere which just made me generally dislike him as you can just TELL he is part of the plot twist.
I absolutely HATED the romance in the story - you go in hoping for a slow burn then 80% into the story you get thrown another MMC who suddenly Morgan is in love with. It made zero sense for this plot line to happen, and after Vesper appears it's like Kairos completely disappears.
I found that even though this claimed to be a dark fantasy - there was nothing dark about it whatsoever. There was mention of blood and some fighting, but it wasn't gory or detailed to the point where it should even be considered as a dark story. Unfortunately, I found that after reading this book I was in a partial reading slump and I didn't meet my goal of how many books I wanted to read this week. It's disappointing, but I hoped for a better story than what we were given. I think more work needs to go into character development and even plot development in future stories.
* I usually put notable quotes throughout my review to hype people up, but I quite literally only highlighted about 8 sentences throughout the entire book and they were all plot points. There was literally no quotes that stood out to me in the entire book *
Overall I found the worldbuilding in the book incredibly detailed and well written; you aren't being bombarded by it but as you progress through the story you truly can make out the magic around the characters and where they are and what it looks like. You get to experience the backstories of their lands and the people, and it helps you connect to the story.
Character development is another story unfortunately, I found that all the main characters we met were quite bland. I didn't enjoy them or their personalities; Morgan was annoyingly boring and naïve, Kairos was just a forgettable character since he didn't have any interesting or notable qualities, and Vesper came up out of literal nowhere which just made me generally dislike him as you can just TELL he is part of the plot twist.
I absolutely HATED the romance in the story - you go in hoping for a slow burn then 80% into the story you get thrown another MMC who suddenly Morgan is in love with. It made zero sense for this plot line to happen, and after Vesper appears it's like Kairos completely disappears.
I found that even though this claimed to be a dark fantasy - there was nothing dark about it whatsoever. There was mention of blood and some fighting, but it wasn't gory or detailed to the point where it should even be considered as a dark story. Unfortunately, I found that after reading this book I was in a partial reading slump and I didn't meet my goal of how many books I wanted to read this week. It's disappointing, but I hoped for a better story than what we were given. I think more work needs to go into character development and even plot development in future stories.
* I usually put notable quotes throughout my review to hype people up, but I quite literally only highlighted about 8 sentences throughout the entire book and they were all plot points. There was literally no quotes that stood out to me in the entire book *
What a great story! This is a retelling of King Arthur's Camelot, with fae. In this kingdom, Morgan's younger brother Arthur is king because her father took away her heir status since she is part fae. Most of the kingdom either fears or loathes the fae, whose bloodline is so weak, most don't even have magical abilities. All Morgan wants to do is help the people of the kingdom, but she has been promised to become a keeper of the Three (a temple devoted to the Three Sisters) and eventually she is to replace Merlin as the leader of the group.
Arthur, who is not a benevolent ruler, tasks Morgan with retrieving the legendary Excalibur, which he feels will help him be victorious in a conflict he feels will happen (or he may incite...). He sends Draven, captain of the Royal Guard and another guard to accompany Morgan on her quest. Is this journey a fruitless mission or does Arthur have an ulterior motive?
Such a compelling story! I was absolutely transfixed!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Arthur, who is not a benevolent ruler, tasks Morgan with retrieving the legendary Excalibur, which he feels will help him be victorious in a conflict he feels will happen (or he may incite...). He sends Draven, captain of the Royal Guard and another guard to accompany Morgan on her quest. Is this journey a fruitless mission or does Arthur have an ulterior motive?
Such a compelling story! I was absolutely transfixed!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I enjoyed this retelling of King Arthur with most of the classic characters as women. This book did have several editing errors. Can't wait to see what happens in book 2!
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book really drug on the whole time until the last chapter. I will not be reading the rest of the series.