Scan barcode
lrwlee's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 Stars! Engaging plot. Complex world. Scintillating romance. This is how I summarize The Affiliate by K. A. Linde.
I’m a sucker for a believable romance and this book definitely had that in spades. But there’s more. Linde introduces us to the complex world of Byren that is filled with numerous factions vying for their own gain and thus not friendly to each other…it’s the stuff great stories are made of, right?
The writing flowed and drew me in to the world. One thing...Read full review on my blog at http://blog.lrwlee.com/2016/03/07/review-of-the-affiliate/
I’m a sucker for a believable romance and this book definitely had that in spades. But there’s more. Linde introduces us to the complex world of Byren that is filled with numerous factions vying for their own gain and thus not friendly to each other…it’s the stuff great stories are made of, right?
The writing flowed and drew me in to the world. One thing...Read full review on my blog at http://blog.lrwlee.com/2016/03/07/review-of-the-affiliate/
mccorbin's review against another edition
4.0
Oh, why must I be so confused? I really, really liked this book but I also found it a little confusing at times. Let’s talk about the confusion first and then get on to all the good things.
First, I think it was how the ARC was formatted that confused me the most. Sometimes I had no idea who was speaking in the text and had to read down the paragraph until I found who was speaking and then worked my way up by going back and forth between the two characters and lines. It was quite time consuming, confusing, and I am sure I missed some information between all of it. Also, I felt like there were hardly any answers given in this first book. Granted, it looks like it is going to be a part of a series (which I am excited about) but I really have no idea where any of this is going – I am just excited that it is continuing (I’m invested now!) I guess that could be good in most cases but I finished the last page feeling a little left out of the direction that the book was going in and what was set up in the past. And again, this might be because I missed something important like I stated above.
What I really liked about this is the world that Linde created. On her seventeen birthday, Cyrene is granted the position of an Affiliate…to the Queen. She quickly finds out that this position was not what she expected. While making friends (and enemies) in the palace, Cyrene finds herself distracted by a book that her younger sister gave her on her Presenting day, the murders of two of Byern’s Affiliates, and the attention of King Edric and Prince Kael.
During all of this, Linde takes you on a ride, collecting little bits of information that become useful at times (even though I have so many more questions left!) all while weaving a tale of mystery and murder, history and prophecy, friendship and a little side of romance.
I feel like Linde is setting us up for an even better second book since we know the background of the country, the characters, and what has already went down. I hope the second starts off with a bang and continues to skyrocket with awesomeness.
First, I think it was how the ARC was formatted that confused me the most. Sometimes I had no idea who was speaking in the text and had to read down the paragraph until I found who was speaking and then worked my way up by going back and forth between the two characters and lines. It was quite time consuming, confusing, and I am sure I missed some information between all of it. Also, I felt like there were hardly any answers given in this first book. Granted, it looks like it is going to be a part of a series (which I am excited about) but I really have no idea where any of this is going – I am just excited that it is continuing (I’m invested now!) I guess that could be good in most cases but I finished the last page feeling a little left out of the direction that the book was going in and what was set up in the past. And again, this might be because I missed something important like I stated above.
What I really liked about this is the world that Linde created. On her seventeen birthday, Cyrene is granted the position of an Affiliate…to the Queen. She quickly finds out that this position was not what she expected. While making friends (and enemies) in the palace, Cyrene finds herself distracted by a book that her younger sister gave her on her Presenting day, the murders of two of Byern’s Affiliates, and the attention of King Edric and Prince Kael.
During all of this, Linde takes you on a ride, collecting little bits of information that become useful at times (even though I have so many more questions left!) all while weaving a tale of mystery and murder, history and prophecy, friendship and a little side of romance.
I feel like Linde is setting us up for an even better second book since we know the background of the country, the characters, and what has already went down. I hope the second starts off with a bang and continues to skyrocket with awesomeness.
reading_with_2_book_lovers's review against another edition
4.0
This is book 1 in a new series and even tho i dont usually read fantasy books I highly enjoyed this story.
I fell in love with this book first for its cover.
I'm pumped to read the second one now.
I fell in love with this book first for its cover.
I'm pumped to read the second one now.
thebooktrollop's review against another edition
3.0
The way this book is written makes time disappear and when I had to pull away for something important, like peeing or little minions, I was dazed and confused. The world of an Affiliate sucked me in like a Dyson vacuum and demanded to be read!
What is going to happen? Who is this consort? The king is married but only by obligation? This kingdom is so fucked up!!!!
WTF happened in the beginning? Who was this person the former king talked to?
So many questions ran through my mind in a whirlwind of trying to solve this riddle. I was anxious to know what was going to happen and why this queen was such a thunder-cunt, but I was patient and waited out my time.
I had read more than 3/4 of the book and was coming up on the end. The sweet ending I had been craving since the beginning. I wanted to figure out the secrets that were wrapped around this plot since the beginning.
BUT...
The book just ends after an obvious secret was revealed and I pretty much figured that secret out from the start!!
SO, WTF?!?!?
I was frustrated by the ending because I feel like the first half of the book was a waste and had no point to it. The back and forth was unnecessary unless it will be relevant in the following books??
I don't know. I am still 100% committed and intrigued by this story, but I feel cheated from book one. I really hope the books to come will solve a lot of my curiosity and back stories I was missing from this novel.
So until then, I can't rate this book. It wouldn't be right to rate because on one hand, I LOVED the world, the drama, the anti-hero, the STRONG heroine but on the other hand, NOTHING was revealed that wasn't already obvious to everyone!!
So I will sit on this series and eagerly await the next installment that will hopefully quench my curiosity!
Until then, I would recommend reading this book because it is the first in the series and must be read in order to know WTF is going on in the upcoming stories.
But, if you are an instant gratifier like myself, I would wait to read this one until the release date for the next book is closer or else you will be like me and grumbling nonsense and being angry at fictional characters...
I don't think talking to characters who aren't your own is normal but I found myself asking Cyrene a lot of questions and she kept silent... jerk!
What is going to happen? Who is this consort? The king is married but only by obligation? This kingdom is so fucked up!!!!
WTF happened in the beginning? Who was this person the former king talked to?
So many questions ran through my mind in a whirlwind of trying to solve this riddle. I was anxious to know what was going to happen and why this queen was such a thunder-cunt, but I was patient and waited out my time.
I had read more than 3/4 of the book and was coming up on the end. The sweet ending I had been craving since the beginning. I wanted to figure out the secrets that were wrapped around this plot since the beginning.
BUT...
The book just ends after an obvious secret was revealed and I pretty much figured that secret out from the start!!
SO, WTF?!?!?
I was frustrated by the ending because I feel like the first half of the book was a waste and had no point to it. The back and forth was unnecessary unless it will be relevant in the following books??
I don't know. I am still 100% committed and intrigued by this story, but I feel cheated from book one. I really hope the books to come will solve a lot of my curiosity and back stories I was missing from this novel.
So until then, I can't rate this book. It wouldn't be right to rate because on one hand, I LOVED the world, the drama, the anti-hero, the STRONG heroine but on the other hand, NOTHING was revealed that wasn't already obvious to everyone!!
So I will sit on this series and eagerly await the next installment that will hopefully quench my curiosity!
Until then, I would recommend reading this book because it is the first in the series and must be read in order to know WTF is going on in the upcoming stories.
But, if you are an instant gratifier like myself, I would wait to read this one until the release date for the next book is closer or else you will be like me and grumbling nonsense and being angry at fictional characters...
I don't think talking to characters who aren't your own is normal but I found myself asking Cyrene a lot of questions and she kept silent... jerk!
mariefun's review against another edition
3.0
Decent world-building, but not very enjoyable relationships. Perhaps I was expecting a YA fantasy romance, but it's just fantasy so far, with a focus on court intrigue and politics. Most of the characters she meets are unkind or untrustworthy. The only romance in this book seems to be with an older, married man. I could get past that if it was actually interesting, but it's painfully slow and barely existant. I got bored toward the end, but I'm going to give the second book a chance, because I think it still has potential with the cast of characters and their motives and desires waiting to play out. I'm just hoping there will be a good romance soon, and that the story will pick up faster.
bellasmom613's review
3.0
I like the way K.A. Linde built the world of Byren. I love reading about civilization that is divided into separate classes and seeing how each of the class affects the way the world works. Although you only really got a good look at the first class in this book, I'm sure i'll be able to read more on the other two classes in the next books.
I will say I was kind of disappointed in the love story between Cyrene and Edric. I wasn't expecting too much given that it's a YA novel, but I was still hoping for something more exciting. The chemistry between Cyrene and Kael was exciting though. I didn't know whether they were going to make out or come to blows. I hope we get to read more banter between the two of them in the next book.
There is a magic undercurrent in this book that brings a little something extra. I liked how it started out slow and kind of slow burned its way into the story. It brings a much needed element of mystery into play.
I will say I was kind of disappointed in the love story between Cyrene and Edric. I wasn't expecting too much given that it's a YA novel, but I was still hoping for something more exciting. The chemistry between Cyrene and Kael was exciting though. I didn't know whether they were going to make out or come to blows. I hope we get to read more banter between the two of them in the next book.
There is a magic undercurrent in this book that brings a little something extra. I liked how it started out slow and kind of slow burned its way into the story. It brings a much needed element of mystery into play.
shannon_cocktailsandbooks's review against another edition
4.0
LIke with Sara J Maas books, I curse not having the next one. Full review to come.
axa_ya's review against another edition
1.0
Stop at page 284
I cant. I just cant. Since the very beginning udah gasuka banget i hate insta-love. Ughhhh benci gasukaa apalagi cuma gara 3-5 kata banther terus jadi cinta PADAHAL The King udah punya istri and expecting! Whatwhatwhat kind of world is this????
Cyrene is a selfish bitj, arrogant, songong, sombong, egois, ga sopan hhhh apalagi nih sifat buruk apa lagi....
I hate this book. I hate i made time to read this book sampe 2/3 lebih nya. KENAPA?????!!!!!! WHY i spent my precious 3 hours to read this rubbish padahal masi ada 1737191 jurnal yang ngantri untuk dibaca why oh why
I cant. I just cant. Since the very beginning udah gasuka banget i hate insta-love. Ughhhh benci gasukaa apalagi cuma gara 3-5 kata banther terus jadi cinta PADAHAL The King udah punya istri and expecting! Whatwhatwhat kind of world is this????
Cyrene is a selfish bitj, arrogant, songong, sombong, egois, ga sopan hhhh apalagi nih sifat buruk apa lagi....
I hate this book. I hate i made time to read this book sampe 2/3 lebih nya. KENAPA?????!!!!!! WHY i spent my precious 3 hours to read this rubbish padahal masi ada 1737191 jurnal yang ngantri untuk dibaca why oh why
shellysbookcorner's review against another edition
4.0
When I first saw that K.A. Linde was coming out with "The Affiliate" I was on the fence because it wasn't my normal romance genre. So I pretty much wrote this book off and didn't even give it a chance in the beginning. For that I truly apologize. This book was so good I didn't want it to end. If you're like me and romance jaded, I beg you to take a chance on this book! It's different from her other books but a good different and the plot keeps you intrigued. Linde's attention to detail in this book was amazing! It felt like I was there in Byern. If you are still on the fence have two yummy guys,King Edric and Prince Kael to drool over! But on serious note all fans of Linde really need to give this series a shot! Don't make the same mistakes I did. Also if you can definitely pick up the audio narration as well. It definitely enhanced the story!
avalinda's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.0