Follow Friday

This is a weekly blog meme hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read

 

The Rules:

• The goal is to increase blog followers, make friends and have something to post.
• You create your own post using the post prompt.
• You leave your link and thumbnail in the linky list that links back to your post prompt.
• Once you have your post up and linked, visit other posts and tell them hi. The point is to FOLLOW them not just comment.
• If you see a post that just hit it to the moon, or just want to show appreciation to a fellow blogger friend, like their name on the linky list to show some appreciation.
• The person with the most likes gets chosen as the next Feature (you can be chosen every 90 days unless we are in need of features)
• It is required that if you participate that you have to follow the FEATURE. It is a big no-no to participate and ignore the feature. They are the special snowflake in this little blizzard.
• As a participant it is up to your discretion on how you want people to follow. Please post RSS, GFC etc if you have a follow of choice.

Specific RULES:

• Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
• Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say “hi” in your comments and that they are now following you.
• If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn’t have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followed FOLLOW as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don’t just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don’t say “HI”
• Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don’t just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don’t say “HI”
• If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love…and the followers

   

This week's prompt is: What's Your Criteria of a Misbehaving Author/Reviewer?

MY ANSWER: Oh I somehow don't like this one. But okay, misbehaving author...I guess that might be one who openly replies to reviews that are more negative of their work. I mean, yes, it hurts if someone doesn't like your "baby" and I can relate to that. But I hear of some authors who comment on reviews and they get a tad out of control. It has to be understood, that not every reader will love your book. Not every book is for every reader. And I think sometimes authors might forget this. But thankfully, I only hear rare incidents of this. And it's never happened to me, so I am thankful for that.

With reviewers--my beloved family from the internet--well I definitely deem you misbehaving if you're one of those incredibly lucky individuals to receive coveted ARCs...and then sell them on Ebay or something like that. That's just disgraceful. Trading ARCs for ARCs is fine or for another book, a book for a book always works for me. But to actually ask money in exchange to get the ARC? That's just wrong.

Random Thursday

So while doing some internet surfing one day, I found yet another awesome article featuring a talented artist, Loryn Brantz did whatever talented people like her can do, and re-imagined Disney villains without their makeup! I never really realized how heavily some of these villains lapped on their makeup...but daaaaaamn!!

As I said, Loryn Brantz is the artist with the talents to imagine these pictures below, and the article was written by Kelsey Stiegman! Here's the article should you wish to read it in full.

The Evil Queen

Dang! Look at the before and after of her eyebrows! So intense!

Ursula

Didn't realize her mole was makeup induced! LOL!

Maleficent

Villains are apparently fond of heavy eyeliner and eyebrow pencils!

Review--The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski

Winning what you want may cost you everything you love.

As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions. One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction.

Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin. But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined.

Set in a richly imagined new world, The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski is a story of deadly games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.

I finally picked up Marie Rutkoski’s The Winner’s Curse and I finally see why everyone was raving about it! While there were some parts that tended to drag and I couldn’t truly see what was to come, I found I enjoyed the journey. The tension, there were secrets being planted and pretty soon action took hold of me and it was quite a rush! Even then, the tension and secretiveness didn’t stop and the ending was quite surprising as well!

In this world, we have Valorians and Herrani, the former is the royal sort while the latter are slaves. One day, while in the market square or whatnot, Kestrel buys a slave. She didn’t need one, but there was something about the boy that drew her to him.  And when she takes him home, things aren’t as chaotic as you would think. Kestrel is the general’s daughter and has a pretty high ranking for herself. So her choice was warranted, and what you could say approved.

In this book, we get both Kestrel and her slave, Arin’s point of view, told through third person. And once we get inside Arin’s head we quickly learn that this boy is hiding something. The auctioneer who sold him, Cheat, are in cahoots. They are planning something and it becomes quite evident exactly what that is. But in the meantime, Arin must act ever the dutiful slave.

Right away, I could figure out that Arin and Kestrel were bound to have romance, but I was quite surprised by how slow building it was, but at the same time, not. The book moves through time seamlessly, but time does go on. Several smaller events happen, and all the while, Kestrel is trying to fight her growing affections for the slave boy.

I love that Kestrel isn’t your dainty heroine in need of saving. While her father urges her to either enlist in the army or find someone to marry, she rather do neither. She’s not what sure she wants out of life just yet, and I found this decision very realistic. Though, eventually she and her father make a deal that has her needing to make a decision sooner rather than later, but it benefits her to some degree as well. Kestrel may not be a supreme fighter, but she does have some skills and she’s got smarts. Lots of smarts and it’s usually her brain that can get her out of sticky situation rather than her fists and weaponry, but she is prone to using her knife that’s usually always at her side.

In the last third of the novel, we see a drastic change and it led to even more shocking mini events and then that epic ending! One that will change everything these characters know. I was surprised by some of what we saw, and then again, not overly shocked. But it’s the smaller events that gave me the most surprise!

Other characters that brought this story to life were Kestrel’s best friend Jess, who one you gotta love because she has an awesome name (LOL!)! And the fact that Jess is very devoted friend. There comes a time when most of the society kind of gives Kestrel the stink eye, but Jess sticks by her side no matter what and I loved that! Jess had quite the spunky personality as well and always brought laughter and light to situations. Then there was Ronan, Jess’ brother and though we didn’t get as much of him as one could hope, he was still an amazing character as well. He took stuck by Kestrel’s side during her “shunning”. There was that hesitant fear of a love triangle coming up, what with Ronan vying for her affections and Arin just being there all mysterious and treating her like no boy has ever treated her before (and that’s a positive, so don’t think it’s a bad thing). But thankfully that love triangle notion was squashed just as it arises.

I rather enjoyed the pacing to this one as well. While at times, it felt like we weren’t really going anywhere, we knew that something big was on the horizon and I initially thought it would come about towards the near end or the next book, but it actually takes place in this one! And even then the excitement and dangerous moments don’t stop.

I was quite surprised by the topics broached in this book. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that had slavery depicted so vocally in it. While we don’t get many details on the history of that slavery, we get vague notions and it’s enough to give cause to certain events and such. Even the buying of slaves at an auction seemed harsh. I realize these are things that did actually happen in history, but even that always cut me deep when I learned about it in school. Different times and all that I suppose. But I felt like Rutkoski handled this heavy topic with flourish! She really knew how to weave it into the story and make it her own, yet leave some similarities that we can all be familiar with. Again, it’s such a taboo topic almost, but I felt like it was really done well here in this fictional story.

I’m not sure why I waited so long to read this series. I guess I didn’t think it would fit with what I enjoy most in reading. And while there wasn’t anything paranormal or magical about this read, I still found myself enjoying it. There’s a nice dose of political intrigue woven into this one and it wasn’t as overwhelming as previous reads have been. I’m anxious to see where this series will go and I am super glad I have the next two books lined up for reading!

Overall Rating 4.5/5 stars

 

Makeovers All Around!

It seems a set of makeovers is happening over the web! First I stumbled upon the new Rita Repulsa who will star in the Power Rangers reboot movie and then apparently Mickey and Minnie Mouse got new makeovers!! I am put into a tizzy until I see them!

First off, Rita Repulsa. Power Rangers, my beloved 90s addiction (other than all the Nicktoons and Nick Shows) is being "rebooted" in movie format. And while I tend to find it hard sometimes to see my beloved shows being revamped so thoroughly, a part of me does get excited. It's like the book to film scenario. You want to see it, but fear it too because of all the changes and cuts that might be made!

But let's move on...

Below you'll find how Rita Repulsa looked in the 90s, I borrowed this picture from the Rita Repulsa page on Wikipedia. Yes, she has her own page!! :D

There sadly, wasn't any full body shots to get the whole idea of her, but check out how much she's changed in this picture borrowed from the Yahoo article which was borrowed from EW:

Rita actually looks rather villainous now! Like the article mentions, she does kind of resemble Poison Ivy a little bit too. I wonder though if her outfit here is more leotard or will be more gown like, like it was on the show! She actually looks like a more formidable foe now! On the show, I always felt like she was just a loud mouth ranter! LOL! It was Lord Zed who was a little more terrifying to me!

Here's the Yahoo article by Donna Dickens who gives you a little more deets on the new Rita Repulsa!


And just as I finished reading this one, I read one that sent chills up my spine! Mickey and Minnie Mouse were getting a makeover at Disney World/Land. Moreso for their appearances throughout the park (I assume) or shows (again assuming this still happens, it's been over 12 years since I last visited. Something that will be rectified this JULY!!! HUZZAH!!!)

So here's the picture that will reassure you all the change isn't much! I borrowed this from the article by Rachel Paige which was borrowed from @DisneyMoi Twitter account:

Yeah...I breathed a sigh of relief after that headline! LOL!

 

Waiting on Wednesday

I hate waiting...

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blog post by Jill over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights releases we're eagerly awaiting.

Feyre survived Amarantha's clutches to return to the Spring Court--but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can't forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin's people.

Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms--and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future--and the future of a world cleaved in two.

With more than a million copies sold of her beloved Throne of Glass series, Sarah J. Maas's masterful storytelling brings this second book in her seductive and action-packed series to new heights.

Yay!! We're almost there! We're almost there!! I LOVED ACOTAR and SOOOO cannot wait to read this one!!

TITLE: A Court of Mist and Fury

AUTHOR: Sarah J. Maas

PUBLISHER: Bloomsbury USA Childrens

GENRE: Fantasy YA

RELEASE DATE: May 3, 2016

She may no longer be human…but she’s their only hope.

In the concluding book in the otherworldly Taking trilogy, Kyra struggles to understand who she is as she races to save the world from complete destruction.

Ever since Kyra was abducted by aliens and then returned to earth, she has known there was something different about her. Now she knows the truth: she is an alien too. Her alien captors replaced all her human DNA with their own—gifting her with supernatural powers like incredible healing, enhanced eyesight, and telekinesis. But when she’s captured by an unexpected enemy, Kyra begins to wonder if her abilities are also a curse. And is she, as her enemies believe, meant to play some key role in helping an impending alien invasion? Is it programmed into her, something inescapable? Or can she fight that destiny?

No matter what the truth is, Kyra is sure of one thing: She just rescued the love of her life, Tyler, and she is not going to stand by and let anyone hurt him or her friends. Whatever it takes, Kyra will do everything in her power to save the world…even if it means making the ultimate sacrifice. 

Ugh! I am so behind! I still need to read the second book. Definitely plan to binge these two. And it's soooo hard not to spoil myself. I think I just read that first line...but by the time I read book 2, I should already forget about it. I hope! LOL!

TITLE: The Countdown

AUTHOR: Kimberly Derting

PUBLISHER: HarperTeen

GENRE: Sci-Fi YA

RELEASE DATE: May 10, 2016 

 

Teaser & Top Ten Tuesdays

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by MizB of Books and Beat. 

Here are the rules:

1. Grab your current read
2. Open to a page
3. Pick out 2 lines that are SPOILER FREE
4. Name the title, author, etc.

I totally relate to Melanie in this one! Because during school years, I would always try to sneak in some fun reading time amidst all the papers and tests and homework and all that boring junk. The escape from reality helped keep me sane!

"My heart warmed. Even during the chaos of war, Melanie had managed to sneak moments with books. That, I hoped, would never change." p. 304

TITLE: The Mirror King
AUTHOR: Jodi Meadows
PUBLISHER: Katherine Tegen Books
GENRE: Dystopian/Fantasy YA
RELEASE DATE: April 5, 2016

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Each week we will post a new Top Ten list  that one of our bloggers here at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone is welcome to join. All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.

This week's topic is: Ten Books That Will Make You Laugh (or at least chuckle)

*in no particular order

*pretty much with these books, you can bet I was laughing with all the other books in the series as well. But just to simplify things I'll just showcase book 1!

1. OBLIVION by Jennifer L. Armentrout (Lux Series)--Okay, not book 1 exactly, but this is DAEMON'S book! DAEMON'S point of view, which is hilarious! Yes, Daemon was a douche in the first book, but he's still got his moments of nicety. Plus his thoughts are pretty hilarious since he thinks pretty highly of himself. And thank goodness Katy's there to knock him down a peg or two!

2. POISON STUDY by Maria V. Snyder (Study Series)--While this book/series isn't filled with LOL moments left and right, there is Janco. And all you need to know, if you haven't read this awesome series yet, is that Janco brings the humor to the story! And he's hilarious!

3. HEX HALL by Rachel Hawkins (Hex Hall Series)--this one has more of a quirky humor. Sophie's got snark and she's not afraid to use it!

 4. DEAD WITCH WALKING by Kim Harrison (The Hollow Series)--another series that's not constantly filled with laughs, but again, there's that one character who will always make you laugh. And in here, that's Jenks. A feisty and mouthy little Pixie who's Rachel's right hand man. My favorite moments always involved his expletives using Tinkerbell's name in vain!

5. WHAT'S A GHOUL TO DO? by Victoria Laurie (Ghost Hunter Mysteries)--this is an incredibly fun series that I am refusing to read its finale for the moment, because I am in denial with its ending...that has had me laughing more often that not. And that's largely due to Gilley. He's M.J.'s best friends and co-worker in their ghost hunting business and he's terribly funny! Plus he's afraid of ghosts, so why he's in the ghost hunting business is largely due to his devotion to his friendship with M.J. Though he doesn't always make it easy for her!

6. FIRST GRAVE ON THE RIGHT by Darynda Jones (Charley Davidson Series)--okay, you all must know by now how much I ADORE this series! Charley is hilarious!! She can be somewhat serious when necessary, but for the most part, it involves a lot of laughter! I would so be besties with this woman!

7. WICKED by Jennifer L. Armentrout (A Wicked Saga)--with Jennifer, you can always expect to be laughing with someone! True, Ren brought on some laughs because he reminded me of an older Daemon. But there's also Tink! Ivy's Brownie friend/roommate (except he doesn't help with rent/chores/grocery bills/etc). He's quite funny and kind of has a Netflix addiction--if I am remembering right! But yes, more laughs with Jennifer's awesome characters!

8. SOULLESS by Gail Carriger (Parasol Protectorate Series)--Alexia is pretty funny! This is Steampunk so we're in what 1800s? or something like that? She's not the dignified lady she should be, so hence the hilarity! Plus her best friend, Ivy tends to wear outrageous hats and that's funny all on its own!

9. SOME GIRLS BITE by Chloe Neill (Chicagoland Vampires Series)--Merit is the queen of snark! At least in my book! Lol. She's had me in stitches pretty much from the get go. And while she has grown tremendously over the series, her earlier self pops up every now and then. And it doesn't hurt that Ethan is gaining a sense of humor as well!

10. VERONICA MARS AND THE MILLION DOLLAR TAN LINE by Rob Thomas & Jennifer Graham (Veronica Mar Series)--okay I'm probably cheating here, but come on. Who didn't LOL at every episode of Veronica Mars? And to have it made into a book series?! Yeah, there's some laughs!! Although, terribly, terribly, sadly, it seems this series either stalled at 2 books...or even worse, is only going to have these 2 added additions to the series. I haven't heard anything really lately about another and Goodreads remains adamant that there's only 2 and will only be 2. *sobs*

Review--The Mirror King by Jodi Meadows

Wilhelmina has a hundred enemies.

HER FRIENDS HAVE TURNED. After her identity is revealed during the Inundation, Princess Wilhelmina is kept prisoner by the Indigo Kingdom, with the Ospreys lost somewhere in the devastated city. When the Ospreys’ leader emerges at the worst possible moment, leaving Wil’s biggest ally on his deathbed, she must become Black Knife to set things right.

HER MAGIC IS UNCONTROLLABLE. Wil’s power is to animate, not to give true life, but in the wraithland she commanded a cloud of wraith mist to save herself, and later ordered it solid. Now there is a living boy made of wraith—destructive and deadly, and willing to do anything for her.

HER HEART IS TORN. Though she’s ready for her crown, declaring herself queen means war. Caught between what she wants and what is right, Wilhelmina realizes the throne might not even matter. Everyone thought the wraith was years off, but already it’s destroying Indigo Kingdom villages. If she can’t protect both kingdoms, soon there won’t be a land to rule.

In this stunning conclusion to THE ORPHAN QUEEN, Jodi Meadows follows Wilhelmina’s breathtaking and brave journey from orphaned criminal on the streets to magic-wielding queen.

Jodi Meadows’ The Mirror King took me a bit longer to read than its predecessor and I am sad to say that I didn’t enjoy it as much as I had hoped. I liked The Orphan Queen rather well, but The Mirror King seemed to move at much slower pace. And during that time, I felt like not much was happening. I couldn’t see where things were going. Every now and then something exciting would happen but then I felt like we were back to sifting through the mud while trying to reach the other side.

It’s possibly the hype surrounding this duology gave me higher expectations than I would’ve had initially. Before this series didn’t really come onto my radar but then I heard soooo many good things about it, I broke down and picked it up. While I can’t say I am disappointed I did, I can’t say I am glad I did either. Like I said, I enjoyed The Orphan Queen quite well. I had a few minor issues, but not too many. Here I was completely and utterly bogged down by its pace. But if you’re prone to enjoying reads with a bit more political intrigue and focusing on that, then I’d say you would likely enjoy this one more.

We pretty much pick up right where we left off in The Orphan Queen which ended with a doozie of a cliffhanger. Though, naturally, if you think about it, you knew the outcome already and sure enough, you’d be right.

But there’s also other pressing issues taking up Wilhelmina’s time; one is the wraith boy who has pretty much attached himself to her side and the other is trying to reclaim her kingdom from Tobiah’s uncle, and then there’s also the problem that is Patrick still being on the loose and killing in her name. Tension is high and to make it all even worse, Tobiah pushes his wedding to Meredith to an earlier date.

As I said, this read was rather slow for me, but there were still times of great action, they were just too few and far between for me to enjoy. Around halfway, or just past, Wil goes with Colin back to her original kingdom for so long ago.

Chaos eventually ensues and naturally that leads to disaster as there’s still the looming problem of the wraith that needs addressing and dealing with. Then there’s a new mystery surrounding James that pops up and it’s one I didn’t really see coming whatsoever! That was pretty jaw-dropping to say the least.

Sadly, Wil and Tobiah were separated for most of this book. First it was the looming presence of this upcoming wedding and then Wil leaves, so it’s actual distance between them. There were hardly any swoony moments. And when there were, it felt wrong to enjoy them because Tobiah was engaged. I’m not at all a fan of cheating. Even when it came to this particular scenario of arranged marriages, and basically unwanted ones. If you’re going to actually marry, you shouldn’t be kissing the one you’re truly in love with.  It’s a messy situation, I’ll give you that. But I still didn’t care for the way Tobiah handled it.

The ending was one filled with many emotions. Not only do we have an epic battle going on, with the wraith included, but sooo much more happens. My hearstrings were pulling in so many directions. So much chaos and other “stuff” happening, it was a whirlwind of events. This had been what I was looking for the entire 500+ pages. Then those last few pages were just as emotional and endearing as other moments had been. The ending definitely leaves a smile on one’s face for a multitude of reasons. It’s the kind of series finale I always enjoy, one that gives you a happy and hopeful feeling that the characters you’re leaving are a in a good place and that quite possibly, their adventures will continue on without us. That part is a little sad, but I like to think these characters aren’t done having adventures even if we’re not there to read about them.

While I wish I could have loved this duology whole-heartedly, I alas did not. The first book was more enjoyable for me and I had high hopes that The Mirror King would’ve surpassed the enjoyment I had with its predecessor, but it was just not meant to be I guess. Since this is my second flop with the author, I’m wondering if it’s a “it’s not you, it’s me” kind of thing where I just can’t quite get into the writing style. I am likely to try a final time should the next book intrigue me, but I might be more hesitant about which ones I choose.

If you’re a fan of fantasy with a dash of dystopian, because I still believe this is one of those rare dystopians that show a future that lives with past like settings and whatnot, then this would be the read for you. There’s a lot of in-depth world-building to this series, and I think that’s where it lost me. For me I sensed too much focus on all the politics of the world and not enough focus on characters or story-building. But that’s just me. Dozens of others have enjoyed this series, so don’t mind me being the odd duck out!

Overall Rating 3/5 stars

10 Live Action Disney Movies to Come!!

Whoa! Mind blown! I heard about a few of these movies that Disney had in the works, but not all. And I am definitely excited for these!!

I found this article on Yahoo which then took me to Screen Rant! Marc N. Kleinhenz wrote this and I also borrowed the pictures from the article just to give you the right idea of what's going down. I'll basically just tell you what movies are being planned and if you'd like to read the article in full, click here!

1. TINK

Apparently Reese Witherspoon will produce and star in it. Whether or not she's Tink herself is a little unclear. But this one basically might serve as a prequel to Peter Pan. I guess we can think of it as a live action version of the Tinker Bell movies that currently release direct to DVD.

2. Prince Charming

Shockingly this is not about Cinderella's Prince Charming, but his brother. The one we never knew about!

3. Genies

Here's another prequel for us! I remembered reading about it vaguely, in the Aladdin article I shared with you all the past two weeks! We will hopefully learn how all the genies became imprisoned in the lamps. And there's also hush hush of a possible live action Aladdin!!

4. Cruella

I guess this too will be another origin story, like Maleficent. But then I wonder if we were told the story of 101 Dalmatians wrong as well! Not much else is known besides a screenwriter is on the case!

5. Pinocchio

Surprised to see another one being made, but I guess this generation of kiddos might not realize who JTT is!

6. Winnie the Pooh

Another I only vaguely remember hearing about. Might be interesting to see what they do film wise.

7. Dumbo

I remember hearing about this one too, because Tim Burton is at the helm! Definitely makes me wonder what tone this one will take! Bad enough I am brought to tears with the original. Tim will likely have me freaked out!

8. Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers

I so remember this show!! Definitely will be looking out for this one!

9. The Sword in the Stone

I was never a big fan of this one. I think I only watched it a handful of times as a kid. But if it looks good, I'm still likely to see it in theaters!

10. Night on Bald Mountain (Fantasia)

Whoa. Just whoa! Totally didn't know about this one. And according to Marc, he thinks it might be Disney's biggest risk with all the live action movies. I think it would be awesome though!



So what do you all think? Have you heard about any of these? I think I knew about around half. They all sound rather exciting too! I am pretty much all for these live action remakes of the cartoon classics. How about you guys?

And please do check out the full article. There are more details regarding writers and possibly a lead actor, but not many that I really noticed. I think more of the name dropping came from producers and writers and such. But you'll still get some extra deets that I might have left out! This was purely me just letting you all know what's hopefully to come in the years...to come!

ARC Review--The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi

Cursed with a horoscope that promises a marriage of Death and Destruction, sixteen-year-old Maya has only earned the scorn and fear of her father's kingdom. Content to follow more scholarly pursuits, her world is upheaved when her father, the Raja, arranges a wedding of political convenience to quell outside rebellions. But when her wedding takes a fatal turn, Maya becomes the queen of Akaran and wife of Amar. Yet neither roles are what she expected. As Akaran's queen, she finds her voice and power. As Amar's wife, she finds friendship and warmth.

But Akaran has its own secrets - thousands of locked doors, gardens of glass, and a tree that bears memories instead of fruit. Beneath Akaran's magic, Maya begins to suspect her life is in danger. When she ignores Amar's plea for patience, her discoveries put more than new love at risk - it threatens the balance of all realms, human and Otherworldly.

Now, Maya must confront a secret that spans reincarnated lives and fight her way through the dangerous underbelly of the Otherworld if she wants to protect the people she loves.

The Star-Touched Queen is a lush, beautifully written and vividly imagined fantasy inspired by Indian mythology.

I received this ARC from the publisher via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.


Roshani Chokshi brings us a story that's rich in mythology! The Star-Touched Queen is based on Indian mythology, but yet you can see other threads of mythology in it as well. I felt like I was seeing Greek mythology with the Persephone myth as well as a thread of two of the Psyche and Eros myth, which also brings about Beauty and the Beast, just saying! And at times I also felt like I was seeing bits of Bluebeard, which is so not mythology but just a fairy tale like read, but it was just in little ways. Like a moment or two that made me think, Bluebeard.

Needless to say, The Star-Touched Queen is rich in mythology, but yet, there were times I was struggling to follow along. Perhaps its because I wasn't at all familiar with the Indian myth that this is based on. If I had been exposed to it or at least read this particular myth maybe I would've had a better understanding of it as well. But then there was also the use of a LOT of Indian vocabulary that I wasn't familiar with. And the worst part? No glossary! Occasionally, there was a definition of sorts after the word was used, but not often enough. So the characters are throwing out words and I have no idea what they are saying!

The writing as well got a little too flowery or metaphoric like. There would be comparisons going on to a situation and then they really get heaped on you. And again, they just came off too "flowery". I'm all for using metaphors and such, but at times, I felt like they were really overused.

The story is of Maya, who has a cursed horoscope that will basically mean her doom eventually. Her father wishes to marry her off to one of their "enemies" since the kingdom is at war with several other countries and then he even goes on to imply that she should commit suicide to make things better and that war can happen! It was a bit convoluted at times, but it's not long before she is whisked away by a strange man who offers her freedom, marriage, and power. Seeing not other better options she accepts.

The Persephone myth really comes into play at this point. As her new husband, Amar takes her to his kingdom which is just filled with mystery and secrets and this is where I saw the threads of Bluebeard. It's the secrets that really started to weigh on me! There was so much we didn't know and Amar was keeping secrets from Maya. It was a mess!

The latter half of the journey is Maya realizing she made a huge mistake and is trying to correct it and save the man she loves. And along the way, she learns quite a few things.

While this was a read I thought I could totally get into, I felt more confused than anything. Perhaps knowing what Indian myth this is based off of could've led me to find it and read it in order to get more knowledge about the story happening, but I wasn't really sure what myth it could be since I never learned about Indian mythology in school.

In the end, the read was only so-so for me. And it's basically because I had no clue what was going on. Had I any knowledge on Indian mythology, maybe it would've been more enjoyable. But with that lack of knowledge and a lack of glossary, which I felt could've made a world of difference to the story, just made this read too hard to get into. I felt like many times I should stop and start doing heavy research to understand what was going on, but I honestly don't like to do that during a read because I really just want to read the book.

But if you like mythology in general, and perhaps have a stronger knowledge of all the different kinds, then this read might be for you! For me, it was just more confusing and I felt like if I had more background information on this particular myth, I might have enjoyed it more.


Overall Rating 2/5 stars--and do remember 2 stars means it was just an okay read under my rating system!


The Star-Touched Queen releases April 26, 2016

It's Monday! What are You Reading?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. It's a fun meme where we gather to share what we've read last week and our reading plans for this week.


Last Week I Read:  

The Shadow Hour by Melissa Grey (ARC)--Review to come at a later date The Orphan Queen by Jodi Meadows (4 stars)     Currently Reading:  

 The Mirror King by Jodi Meadows     What I Plan to Read this Week:  

The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski     Other Posts of Interest:   Teaser & Top Ten Tuesdays  Waiting on Wednesday  Random Thursday  Follow Friday  Stacking the Shelves