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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
I love this book
Oh violet I love her so much!! Mattie is the bestie everyone wants nole is hilarious Jordan is a mystery Alex is on my shit list and rafe is every girls dream bad boy lol. Ok so this book had a major twist.... Brandon was a tool from the beginning and clauskank is definitely a thorn that festers and won't go away.... anyway awesome story and Alex is "great"
Oh violet I love her so much!! Mattie is the bestie everyone wants nole is hilarious Jordan is a mystery Alex is on my shit list and rafe is every girls dream bad boy lol. Ok so this book had a major twist.... Brandon was a tool from the beginning and clauskank is definitely a thorn that festers and won't go away.... anyway awesome story and Alex is "great"
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and definitely look forward to going back and reading more from these authors. I was on the edge of my seat wondering where this story would take me the entire read. I am dying to know more about these characters and to see what will happen next. This story was such a roller coaster ride that I need more of.
I sooooo wanted to love this, but meh...
Honestly, Princess Ballot was more of a two-star book for me, but I did enjoy it, so three stars it gets. But (and there were a few buts).. It had a lot of problems. Pacing, some world-building, relationship development, and overall plot problems, to name a few.
Some mild spoilers ahead.
In my opinion, this was a new adult (or just an adult) book with some dystopian elements, coupled with a bit of bullying, and a bit of a love triangle, but sadly no reverse harem, which it would have been excellent for, and which would have made it better for me.
The plot, in a nutshell: Most of the world has been destroyed in wars. There are 50 countries left (made up of old countries), and they're all ruled by monarchs. Violet, a kick-ass 18-year-old orphan girl from New America, gets selected to go to the Arbon Academy, which apparently chooses a charity case student every now and then by doing a lottery. The academy is filled with rich kids, obviously, and a bunch of royals and crown princes/princesses. Violet gets bullied a bit due to her being a poor girl, but she fights back, and is helped by twin royals, Mattie (a girl) and Nolan (a boy). She meets Alex, the crown prince of Australasia, who seems to reaaaally like Violet (a little too much). She starts a relationship with the creepy Alex, while at the same time she has constant arguments with another crown prince, Rafe from the Switzerlands, who is perfect in just about everything he does. The book mostly focuses on a few side plot lines, as well as Violet's relationship with Alex. The underlying issue is, however, that everyone seems to have secrets of sorts, and we don't discover all of them just yet (apart from a few major ones, and a cliffhanger moment).
The biggest issues I had with the book were with how fast things happened, and yet at the same time how talking about things was avoided. My absolute pet peeve: mentioning an issue but pushing it aside with some bullshit flimsy excuse just so the issue can be suspended for a bit longer and then revealed/resolved later. For example, Violet avoids some issues by not asking people about them, because she has just met the people and thinks it might be rude to ask her questions (yet she has no problem with being a bit of a bitch every now and then to total strangers, sooo.. flimsy.) Also, there was way too much emphasis placed on the relationship with Alex, and not enough time spent with Rafe (even more arguments with him would have developed their relationship somehow), and so whenever Rafe supposedly cares about Violet, it seems very out of the blue.
I don't exactly know why the book didn't entirely work for me.. I think it was Violet, for the most part. She seemed oddly angry all of the time, and somewhat horny constantly, and she also wasn't as kick-ass as she was made to appear. There were also things about her that we had to just accept without much reasoning, like her special skills that a poor orphan has somehow magically developed. And actually, there were a lot of things in the book that "just happened" for no apparent good reason. It all felt rushed and abrupt, in a way.
I have a feeling, and a high hope, that the next book will be better.. Unless it, too, just keeps pushing things aside to stretch out the story.
Honestly, Princess Ballot was more of a two-star book for me, but I did enjoy it, so three stars it gets. But (and there were a few buts).. It had a lot of problems. Pacing, some world-building, relationship development, and overall plot problems, to name a few.
Some mild spoilers ahead.
In my opinion, this was a new adult (or just an adult) book with some dystopian elements, coupled with a bit of bullying, and a bit of a love triangle, but sadly no reverse harem, which it would have been excellent for, and which would have made it better for me.
The plot, in a nutshell: Most of the world has been destroyed in wars. There are 50 countries left (made up of old countries), and they're all ruled by monarchs. Violet, a kick-ass 18-year-old orphan girl from New America, gets selected to go to the Arbon Academy, which apparently chooses a charity case student every now and then by doing a lottery. The academy is filled with rich kids, obviously, and a bunch of royals and crown princes/princesses. Violet gets bullied a bit due to her being a poor girl, but she fights back, and is helped by twin royals, Mattie (a girl) and Nolan (a boy). She meets Alex, the crown prince of Australasia, who seems to reaaaally like Violet (a little too much). She starts a relationship with the creepy Alex, while at the same time she has constant arguments with another crown prince, Rafe from the Switzerlands, who is perfect in just about everything he does. The book mostly focuses on a few side plot lines, as well as Violet's relationship with Alex. The underlying issue is, however, that everyone seems to have secrets of sorts, and we don't discover all of them just yet (apart from a few major ones, and a cliffhanger moment).
The biggest issues I had with the book were with how fast things happened, and yet at the same time how talking about things was avoided. My absolute pet peeve: mentioning an issue but pushing it aside with some bullshit flimsy excuse just so the issue can be suspended for a bit longer and then revealed/resolved later. For example, Violet avoids some issues by not asking people about them, because she has just met the people and thinks it might be rude to ask her questions (yet she has no problem with being a bit of a bitch every now and then to total strangers, sooo.. flimsy.) Also, there was way too much emphasis placed on the relationship with Alex, and not enough time spent with Rafe (even more arguments with him would have developed their relationship somehow), and so whenever Rafe supposedly cares about Violet, it seems very out of the blue.
I don't exactly know why the book didn't entirely work for me.. I think it was Violet, for the most part. She seemed oddly angry all of the time, and somewhat horny constantly, and she also wasn't as kick-ass as she was made to appear. There were also things about her that we had to just accept without much reasoning, like her special skills that a poor orphan has somehow magically developed. And actually, there were a lot of things in the book that "just happened" for no apparent good reason. It all felt rushed and abrupt, in a way.
I have a feeling, and a high hope, that the next book will be better.. Unless it, too, just keeps pushing things aside to stretch out the story.
This was probably one of the most awful reads I've ever read, next to Paper Princess.. not only was the plot complete bullshit and predictable, no, on top of that, everything was over exaggerated and disgustingly vulgar.. and Violet might be one of the most annoying main characters ever... she literally has no self-respect.. the writing was horrendous and so annoying.. and it hurt my soul how some words were overused and misused.. and the spicy talk and spicy scenes were so embarrassing and just plain cringe..
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Rating 3.5 ⭐
Little happened:
Alex was sus (Violet knew it and pretty much decided to ignore it).
Everyone insisted on keeping Violet in the dark about why they hated Alex, even while that was putting her at risk.
Rafe was an raging asshole for no apparent reason.
Then the book ended.
Still, the melodrama was kinda fun.
Full review for the trilogy on my blog on my blog (http://multicoloredbookreviews.home.blog/2024/04/12/trilogy-review-royals-of-arbon-academyparts-1-3/).
This is the first time I'm rating a book when I'm still reading it!
But damn I fell in love with this one.
Loved the story, loved the characters, but most importantly loved the steeliness of our Violet.
But damn I fell in love with this one.
Loved the story, loved the characters, but most importantly loved the steeliness of our Violet.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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:
Yes
Violet / Violence and Alex and Rafe / Fallen Angel.
Very Little smut.
Love triangle.
Very Little smut.
Love triangle.
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
My emotions rule my reading experience and when it comes to reading I can assure you that love at first sight is totally a thing. I can fall in love with characters within a few sentences. I can fall in love with books within a few chapters. And in this case I can fall in love head over heels with a blurb. So when review copies were available I just HAD to sign up.
And Eve and James wrote a truly amazing book together. In the first place because the book is addictive, very addictive. I started the book this morning on my way to work and I just had to read a few more chapters AT work before I was sort of ready to let the story and the characters go for a little while. And when I picked it back up on the way home again I couldn’t let go until I finished.
Violet is an amazing character and the perfect mix of a pretty girl with girlish wishes and desires and a bad ass attitude and character. The blurb promises that she doesn’t take shit and Eve and James really deliver on that promise. Of course, Violet is flawed. She can be naive at times and she doesn’t always know the right thing to say, but she doesn’t give other characters the chance to walk over her and treat her like crap.
Speaking of the other characters. I love how layered, complicated and unique all the other characters are. Even though we’re introduced to quite a few characters, it’s easy to tell them apart and to get a feel of who they are and what they hide. Of course, there’s quite a lot of mystery slowly being resolved, but the characters feel real and I might have a soft spot for Rafe already, even though he doesn’t seem like my type from Violet’s point of view.
Combine the amazing characters with a gripping plot, that’s progressing and growing and ends on a cliffhanger, and a very flowing and nice writing style and you have a perfect start of a new series. I’m really curious to learn more about this world, these royals and the intrige they’re hiding behind those charming masks. So, I’d say: WHEN WILL WE GET BOOK 2?
And Eve and James wrote a truly amazing book together. In the first place because the book is addictive, very addictive. I started the book this morning on my way to work and I just had to read a few more chapters AT work before I was sort of ready to let the story and the characters go for a little while. And when I picked it back up on the way home again I couldn’t let go until I finished.
Violet is an amazing character and the perfect mix of a pretty girl with girlish wishes and desires and a bad ass attitude and character. The blurb promises that she doesn’t take shit and Eve and James really deliver on that promise. Of course, Violet is flawed. She can be naive at times and she doesn’t always know the right thing to say, but she doesn’t give other characters the chance to walk over her and treat her like crap.
Speaking of the other characters. I love how layered, complicated and unique all the other characters are. Even though we’re introduced to quite a few characters, it’s easy to tell them apart and to get a feel of who they are and what they hide. Of course, there’s quite a lot of mystery slowly being resolved, but the characters feel real and I might have a soft spot for Rafe already, even though he doesn’t seem like my type from Violet’s point of view.
Combine the amazing characters with a gripping plot, that’s progressing and growing and ends on a cliffhanger, and a very flowing and nice writing style and you have a perfect start of a new series. I’m really curious to learn more about this world, these royals and the intrige they’re hiding behind those charming masks. So, I’d say: WHEN WILL WE GET BOOK 2?