ARC Review: The Mirror King

The Orphan Queen: The Mirror King | Jodi Meadows

Published by: Katherine Tegen, April 5th 2016

Genre: YA, High Fantasy

Pages: 544

Format: Ebook

Source: Katherine Tegen Books, via Edelweiss

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.

It has been two whole months since I read this book, and I know only one thing about it: it ruined me. I loved it, so so much, but it ruined me. And I've forgotten everything I wanted to ramble about it. What I did do, helpfully, was make notes, so this review is just going to be my notes, nonsensical or otherwise.

- Hella cool world. (It really is. I love Jodi's worldbuilding. It's unique and detailed and just awesome.)

- Wilhemina continues to be badass. (Seriously. S E R I O U S L Y. Total badass. One of my fave lady characters.)

- Everything that could go wrong DID go wrong. (And it was torture.)

- Tobiah/Wilhemina OTP (It took so so long but we got there. That list at the end!! *silently crying*)

- Loved James, poor James (and THAT plot twist. Hell.)

- The rebellion made things more complicated and interesting, really ramped up the stakes and the whole book

- Patrick's a dick (this was the entire note and nothing more needs to be said.)

- I even wound up feeling bad for the Wraith boy

- Emotional, deep, entertaining, with a compelling world, exploration of the consequences of magic, and characters you can't help but fall in love with

- It broke me (Into tiny, tiny James-shaped pieces.)

- I need so many more books set in this world. So many!!

Characters ★★★★★

Setting/world-building ★★★★★

Writing ★★★★★

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3 Bookish Bookmarks (Free download) + New Blog Design

It's about time I redesigned this blog. It's been around 2 years with my old design, so definitely time for something new. To celebrate Syntax Reviews's makeover, I've designed three bookish bookmarks with quotes from some of my favourite books. Happy downloading!

Comment below or use the hashtag #SyntaxReviews if you download!

Just save the above image, print it out, and cut along the shadow lines for three bookish bookmarks.

And let me know what you think of my new blog design :)

~Saruuh

Reading Round Up (91)

Reading round up is a weekly journal where I record my daily reading progress, my thoughts on each book as I read it, and any books I've acquired during the week. 

14th September

This week I'm reading The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas. Today I read one novella and started another. I didn't mind the second but much preferred the first.

15th September

I read 103 pages of The Assassin's Blade. It's epic, it's painful, it's everything I expected. I also started The Mirror King by Jodi Meadows and thank GOD my precious angel Tobiah is alive, even though everything is going to hell fast.

16th September

I read 54 pages of The Assassin's Blade, and I'm all nah, I will not love Sam. (even though I kinda love Sam...)

17th September

I read 14% of The Mirror King. I had a bad day so didn't read much, sadly. I'm loving this book, though. (But these two need to KISS SOON, and I don't care about fiancees or duty, just my OTP smooching.)

18th September

I finished The Assassin's Blade (136 pages read), and oh my poor, precious Sam. It helps that I knew my baby Aelin unleashes hell for your death.

19th September

I read nothing today. Too busy :(

20th September

I scraped some time to read and read 27% of The Mirror King. Everything is painful. Thanks, Jodi.

Books finished this week: 1
Books DNF'd this week: 0

For review:

I'm weak for Harper Collins imprints.

The Unquiet (4.5 STARS)
A Riddle In Ruby (4.5 STARS)

Reading Round Up (89)

Reading round up is a weekly journal where I record my daily reading progress, my thoughts on each book as I read it, and any books I've acquired during the week. 

31st August

I started The Orphan Queen by Jodi meadows and read 102 pages. I love it so much.

1st September

Annnd today I finished OQ, oops. I read a whole 296 pages in a single day. Did I love this book or did I love this book? (I hated it; it broke me.)

2nd September

At some point my progress and reading got mixed up. Anyway, imagine this was all straight and yesterday I read 112 pages of Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas, which I actually did read - but I can't have read basically all of OQ and HoF as well.

TODAY I read 137 pages of Heir of Fire. This is just as painful as I remembered.

3rd September

I read 92 pages. I love Rowan so, so much.

4th September

Read another 89 pages of Heir of Fire and ouch, thanks Sarah J. Maas. Why am I doing this to myself again?

5th September

I'm almost finished with Heir of Fire (89 pages read) which means I start Queen of Shadows tomorrow. OH GODS!!!

6th September

I finished Heir of Fire and started Cruel Beauty reread (52 pages) because I was feeling REALLY low.

Books finished this week: 2
Books DNF'd this week: 0

For review:

Charlie N. Holmberg, 'nuff said.

The Wolf Wilder (4 STARS)

Reading round up (49)

Reading round up is a weekly journal where I record my daily reading progress, my thoughts on each book as I read it, and any books I've acquired during the week. Slow review week this week. Next week, it should pick up. I hope.

20th October

Currently Reading: The Madman's Daughter | Megan Shepherd
Current page/percent: page 135
Read today: 32 pages
Thoughts: This is taking SO LONG to read and I thought I'd fly through it. My reading rate has been cut in half by this.

21st October

Currently Reading: The Madman's Daughter | Megan Shepherd
Current page/percent: page 206
Read today: 143 pages
Thoughts: Eh, the Madman's Daughter isn't fit for my mood. I'll finish it some other time.

22nd October

 I read a sample of Orphan Queen by Jodi Meadows (around 100 pages) and really like it. I just wish I had the full book but I understand why Jodi wanted it rationed. I also started Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan (36 pages read.) I'm in the mood for something light and discovered the box set I own yesterday hidden at the back of my bookshelf. I've been meaning to continue this series for over a year now.

23rd October

Currently Reading: Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters | Rick Riordan
Current page/percent: page 144
Read today: 108 pages
Thoughts: These books are hilarious

24th October

Currently Reading: Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters | Rick Riordan
Current page/percent: page 265
Read today: 121 pages
Thoughts: Great ending.

25th October

Currently Reading: Anna Dressed In Blood | Kendare Blake
Current page/percent: page 80
Read today: 80 pages
Thoughts: Suitably atmospheric.

26th October

Currently Reading: Anna Dressed In Blood | Kendare Blake
Current page/percent: page 225
Read today: 145 pages
Thoughts: Shipping Cas and Anna, and sensing that is a heartbreaking move.

Books finished this week: 2

The Body Electric | Beth Revis

Thank you to Beth Revis & Netgalley!!!

I'M HAVING A BREAKDOWN/RELIGIOUS MOMENT BECAUSE OF EVERY SONG ON 1989. IS IT RELEASE DAY YET???? My favourite is Out Of The Woods but every song is a gift.

Reviewed this week: The Orphan Queen (sample review) // Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters

Other posts: Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award

The Orphan Queen (Sample review)

The Orphan Queen: The Orphan Queen | Jodi Meadows

Published by: Katherine Tegen, March 10th 2015

Genre: YA, High fantasy

Pages: 400

Format: Ebook sample

Source: Katherine Tegen, via Edelweiss

Wilhelmina has a hundred identities.

She is a princess. When the Indigo Kingdom conquered her homeland, Wilhelmina and other orphaned children of nobility were taken to Skyvale, the Indigo Kingdom’s capital. Ten years later, they are the Ospreys, experts at stealth and theft. With them, Wilhelmina means to take back her throne.

She is a spy. Wil and her best friend, Melanie, infiltrate Skyvale Palace to study their foes. They assume the identities of nobles from a wraith-fallen kingdom, but enemies fill the palace, and Melanie’s behavior grows suspicious. With Osprey missions becoming increasingly dangerous and their leader more unstable, Wil can’t trust anyone.

She is a threat. Wraith is the toxic by-product of magic, and for a century using magic has been forbidden. Still the wraith pours across the continent, reshaping the land and animals into fresh horrors. Soon it will reach the Indigo Kingdom. Wilhelmina’s magic might be the key to stopping the wraith, but if the vigilante Black Knife discovers Wil’s magic, she will vanish like all the others

Jodi Meadows introduces a vivid new fantasy full of intrigue, romance, dangerous magic, and one girl’s battle to reclaim her place in the world.

The Orphan Queen is what would happen if Snow Like Ashes had a baby with Heir of Fire and something lush and historical. There's a definite similarity to Celaena in Wilhemina, an orphaned queen to a land she was forced to flee when she was young, attempting to reclaim it for her people. I liked the tone and the underlying urgency of Wilhemina's infiltration. Wilhemina is not as hard a character a Celaena (if you'll pardon the continued comparison) so I think more people will be able to connect with her, and there's definitely something alluring in Black Knife (romance hopefully!)

The writing in this book reads effortlessly, the characters are vivid even in the first few chapters, and the world, while feeling much like a lot of other high fantasy worlds, contains several notably unique elements - the wraith (think pollution, but with the power to warp anything it touches) and the glowmen.

Obviously I can't judge the plot or story because I haven't really got into that yet, but I generally love how this book (hopefully this series) seems to explore the consequences of magic.

Orphan Queen is one to watch in 2015.

No star rating since I had only a sample.