Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
I enjoyed this book from the beginning, but those last 40ish pages really sucked me in and I had to stay up WAY past my bedtime to finish the book because I just couldn’t sleep without knowing how it would all play out!
Fun standalone fantasy novel! (And it is nice to have a standalone every now and then.)
Set in the land of Quadara, where the four regions are ruled in tandem by four queens, Keralee is a thief working under crime boss Mackiel. Her latest assignment is to steal comm chips, which are used to record memories, from a messenger who hails from the most technologically advanced quadrant. When Keralee learns that the chips hold clues to the assassination of all four queens, she must decide whether to team up with the messenger, Varin, or to betray him and continue working for Mackiel.
Interesting world with sympathetic characters and very readable. Looking forward to more from this author. I especially found it interesting to see a fantasy world where one region has major scientific advancements including a cure-all drug and genetic engineering of its populace and a neighboring region literally doesn't use electricity. This was a unique way to play with the fantasy trope that stories so often seem to be set in a pre-Industrial Revolution time period.
Set in the land of Quadara, where the four regions are ruled in tandem by four queens, Keralee is a thief working under crime boss Mackiel. Her latest assignment is to steal comm chips, which are used to record memories, from a messenger who hails from the most technologically advanced quadrant. When Keralee learns that the chips hold clues to the assassination of all four queens, she must decide whether to team up with the messenger, Varin, or to betray him and continue working for Mackiel.
Interesting world with sympathetic characters and very readable. Looking forward to more from this author. I especially found it interesting to see a fantasy world where one region has major scientific advancements including a cure-all drug and genetic engineering of its populace and a neighboring region literally doesn't use electricity. This was a unique way to play with the fantasy trope that stories so often seem to be set in a pre-Industrial Revolution time period.
First of all, a standalone fantasy for once tysm, but also its a murder mystery so it makes sense? 😂
I realllyyy enjoyed this book!! I’ve always been a fan of murder mysteries, but I found myself getting tired of it. However, Astrid does a PHENOMENAL job of capturing the Agatha Christie essence and I’m really pleased with how it all wrapped up. I do think that initially following the timeline was a bit confusing, but I was fine with it once I got the flow of the story going.
I like Keralee’s character and how shes built in her tact, but also in her emotions too. I like that she’s scarred and that you can see the battles and tribulations she does through as a character. I liked Verin’s character too, but like I didn’t feel particularly connected to him. I think he’s a great balance to Karalee but otherwise he’s just there to help drive the plot.
The last third of the book is some REAL interesting stuff. Right when you think the book is slowing down, Astrid said NOPE, new bit for ya and laughed and ran off maniacally. That being said, I know of the reviews that disagree with me, but I didn’t see it coming only because I was really focused on following the characters as they discovered things instead of theorizing. It was a really refreshing way to experience the book, but I definitely see how you could cancel out all other possibilities with the way the killer did it all.
Overall, the story has many layers that were well built, a fantastical element that I’d love to see another story on, and characters that can handle their own. I’d love to see the resolution played out in another book set in this world for sure!
I realllyyy enjoyed this book!! I’ve always been a fan of murder mysteries, but I found myself getting tired of it. However, Astrid does a PHENOMENAL job of capturing the Agatha Christie essence and I’m really pleased with how it all wrapped up. I do think that initially following the timeline was a bit confusing, but I was fine with it once I got the flow of the story going.
I like Keralee’s character and how shes built in her tact, but also in her emotions too. I like that she’s scarred and that you can see the battles and tribulations she does through as a character. I liked Verin’s character too, but like I didn’t feel particularly connected to him. I think he’s a great balance to Karalee but otherwise he’s just there to help drive the plot.
The last third of the book is some REAL interesting stuff. Right when you think the book is slowing down, Astrid said NOPE, new bit for ya and laughed and ran off maniacally. That being said, I know of the reviews that disagree with me, but I didn’t see it coming only because I was really focused on following the characters as they discovered things instead of theorizing. It was a really refreshing way to experience the book, but I definitely see how you could cancel out all other possibilities with the way the killer did it all.
Overall, the story has many layers that were well built, a fantastical element that I’d love to see another story on, and characters that can handle their own. I’d love to see the resolution played out in another book set in this world for sure!
Je ne vais pas mentir, cette lecture a été une déception pour moi.
J’ai certes beaucoup aimé l’univers, et l’histoire en elle même (du moins pour la première partie). Ça commence assez fort, on est embarqué directement dans l’intrigue et les événements. L’intrigue nous tiens en haleine tout le long, on a envie de connaître la suite des événements et le dénouement.
Le dénouement, c’est justement ça pour moi le problème. J’ai été extrêmement déçue. J’ai trouvé ça à la fois trop simple, trop facile, mais surtout ça n’avait pas de sens. Une solution trouvée de n’importe où, qui pour moi n’a pas vraiment de logique, c’est juste une simplicité qui permet une happy ending aux personnages.
Les personnages d’ailleurs. Je n’ai pas vraiment réussi à m’y attacher. Je les trouve plutôt vides. Keralie est sympathique, mais sans plus. Elle n’a pas vraiment de profondeur. Varin, c’est pareil. Pour quelqu’un qui est censé ne pas connaître les émotions, au final, il en développe bien vite et on ne sait même pas pourquoi, il n’y a pas d’explication logique, contrairement au cas de la Reine Corra, qui fait plutôt sens.
Et Mackiel, c’est juste un méchant complètement antipathique. Il est juste méchant pour être méchant. Il est vide, n’a pas vraiment d’histoire et de profondeur. C’est le méchant parce qu’il fallait un méchant et rien de plus, en tout cas selon moi, et je trouve ça un peu dommage.
Voilà, pour la première partie ça reste une lecture sympathique, car j’ai aimé l’intrigue qui nous tiens plutôt bien en haleine, mais j’ai été déçue par tout le reste….
2,5 ⭐️
J’ai certes beaucoup aimé l’univers, et l’histoire en elle même (du moins pour la première partie). Ça commence assez fort, on est embarqué directement dans l’intrigue et les événements. L’intrigue nous tiens en haleine tout le long, on a envie de connaître la suite des événements et le dénouement.
Le dénouement, c’est justement ça pour moi le problème. J’ai été extrêmement déçue. J’ai trouvé ça à la fois trop simple, trop facile, mais surtout ça n’avait pas de sens. Une solution trouvée de n’importe où, qui pour moi n’a pas vraiment de logique, c’est juste une simplicité qui permet une happy ending aux personnages.
Les personnages d’ailleurs. Je n’ai pas vraiment réussi à m’y attacher. Je les trouve plutôt vides. Keralie est sympathique, mais sans plus. Elle n’a pas vraiment de profondeur. Varin, c’est pareil. Pour quelqu’un qui est censé ne pas connaître les émotions, au final, il en développe bien vite et on ne sait même pas pourquoi, il n’y a pas d’explication logique, contrairement au cas de la Reine Corra, qui fait plutôt sens.
Et Mackiel, c’est juste un méchant complètement antipathique. Il est juste méchant pour être méchant. Il est vide, n’a pas vraiment d’histoire et de profondeur. C’est le méchant parce qu’il fallait un méchant et rien de plus, en tout cas selon moi, et je trouve ça un peu dommage.
Voilà, pour la première partie ça reste une lecture sympathique, car j’ai aimé l’intrigue qui nous tiens plutôt bien en haleine, mais j’ai été déçue par tout le reste….
2,5 ⭐️
I liked this more than I thought I would. And it was a really fast read.
