Scan barcode
A review by kateri
The Queen of Days by Greta Kelly
3.0
Rating: 3.5/5
“And if her heart did not believe her, her head was willing to pretend.”
This is a fun and thrilling read that begins with Balthazar, one of the main characters, arranging a heist at an upcoming ceremony with the help of his crew. He enlists the help of the Queen of Days, a dangerous and mysterious woman who is a well-known thief. Right off the bat, their meeting is strange. She has arranged to meet at an odd location, seems to move about unnoticed, and never reveals her face, instead hiding her identity behind an exquisite mask. I was immediately drawn in when she agreed to help Bal with the heist, but requested an unconventional payment instead of money. As the ceremony unfolds, chaos ensues when the statue shatters and a portal opens, unleashing a pissed off god. The rest of the story is just as dramatic as you'd expect.
“Let chaos reign.”
What worked for me:
One of the strongest points of this book is its world-building. Greta Kelly does an excellent job of painting a vivid picture of the setting, making it easy to visualize and fall into the world. The book does a great job of keeping its world consistent and believable.
The characters are another highlight of this book. Tass is a badass with a mysterious and dangerous vibe that makes her intriguing from the moment we meet her. Bal, on the other hand, has a personality type that I personally find incredibly annoying in a character. With that being said, I tend to appreciate any book that makes me feel so strongly about a character, so this worked for me. And let's not forget Kai and his well-timed sarcasm.
What didn't work for me:
There are so many emotions being thrown around throughout the book. The stakes are high, there are threats everywhere, and most of the characters have complicated pasts. It felt like there was so much room for character exploration and growth, and by the end of the book I was left wanting more - especially about Mira, Kai, and Tass, who were intriguing but felt underdeveloped.
Another aspect that didn't work great for me was the use of both first and third-person POV. While I understand the author's intention in using both (clever, along with the shortening of chapter names) I found it to be a bit distracting and it pulled me out of the story at times. I did eventually get used to it, but I would have preferred a more consistent POV throughout.
Add this to your TBR if you enjoy fantasy heist plots with great world building, adventure, and a hint of mystery.
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing me with this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
“And if her heart did not believe her, her head was willing to pretend.”
This is a fun and thrilling read that begins with Balthazar, one of the main characters, arranging a heist at an upcoming ceremony with the help of his crew. He enlists the help of the Queen of Days, a dangerous and mysterious woman who is a well-known thief. Right off the bat, their meeting is strange. She has arranged to meet at an odd location, seems to move about unnoticed, and never reveals her face, instead hiding her identity behind an exquisite mask. I was immediately drawn in when she agreed to help Bal with the heist, but requested an unconventional payment instead of money. As the ceremony unfolds, chaos ensues when the statue shatters and a portal opens, unleashing a pissed off god. The rest of the story is just as dramatic as you'd expect.
“Let chaos reign.”
What worked for me:
One of the strongest points of this book is its world-building. Greta Kelly does an excellent job of painting a vivid picture of the setting, making it easy to visualize and fall into the world. The book does a great job of keeping its world consistent and believable.
The characters are another highlight of this book. Tass is a badass with a mysterious and dangerous vibe that makes her intriguing from the moment we meet her. Bal, on the other hand, has a personality type that I personally find incredibly annoying in a character. With that being said, I tend to appreciate any book that makes me feel so strongly about a character, so this worked for me. And let's not forget Kai and his well-timed sarcasm.
What didn't work for me:
There are so many emotions being thrown around throughout the book. The stakes are high, there are threats everywhere, and most of the characters have complicated pasts. It felt like there was so much room for character exploration and growth, and by the end of the book I was left wanting more - especially about Mira, Kai, and Tass, who were intriguing but felt underdeveloped.
Another aspect that didn't work great for me was the use of both first and third-person POV. While I understand the author's intention in using both (clever, along with the shortening of chapter names) I found it to be a bit distracting and it pulled me out of the story at times. I did eventually get used to it, but I would have preferred a more consistent POV throughout.
Add this to your TBR if you enjoy fantasy heist plots with great world building, adventure, and a hint of mystery.
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing me with this eARC in exchange for an honest review.