Hello & welcome to today's THE ORPHAN QUEEN blog tour! Recently I posted about attending the Austin, TX party and book signing for The Orphan Queen here. Today I'm thrilled to have the chance to share my review for Jodi's newest release, as well as host another giveaway for The Orphan Queen!
About The Book
By: Jodi Meadows
Published by: Harper Teen
Released on: March 10th, 2015
Series: The Orphan Queen #1
Rating: 5 Stars - I LOVED IT
Source: arc from publisher to review / purchased the book
Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | The Book DepositoryAdd it to Goodreads
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.
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.
Oh Jodi Meadows, what have you done to me? Oh my heart! I don't even know where to start. This book is FANTASTIC! As in this book will definitely be on my top ten list at the end of this year. This is a such a fabulous beginning to a series I wish there were more than two books, and a couple of novellas in. Man alive, this book. It has it all. Princesses, a Prince, betrayal, spies, a fallen kingdom, magic, and so much more.
Jodi's writing is beautiful. I love the way she developed her characters, how she crafted her story together. This is a story I didn't want to end. She does an amazing job with bringing together the story's romance, the magic, danger, betrayal, and secretary. This story is one that starts of great, and continues to hook you as it goes along, and then all the sudden you're almost to the end and then bam! Oh that ending. Jodi leaves you with a brutal ending, and makes you wish the second book was already in your hands.
The characters in this book are great. Both the main characters, and the supporting characters. I felt like I got to know the characters just enough to understand who they are, and their roles in this series. Princess Wil, and Black Knife are my favorite, as well as the Prince and his loyal body guard. Wil is a character I loved from the get go. I really enjoyed seeing her take the risks she did for a cause she firmly believed in. More than that, I liked seeing her grow into a character who proved she is the rightful heir of a fallen Kingdom, and seeing how her reflect upon the course of her actions. I'm really looking forward to seeing what she does in the next book.
Another character I liked getting to know was Black Knife. Much like Wil, there's this air of mystery surrounding his true identity. Like Wil, he is driven by this end to protect his those living in the same kingdom from the dangers of the wraiths. I love the relationship that Will and Black Knife have. There's this uneasy alliance they have. Neither can stand the other, yet they have this ability to always end up in the same places. They both are evenly matched when it comes to wit, sarcasm, and being able to disarm each other. Oh yes, I loved their sarcasm. They don't fully trust each other, yet, they trust each other just enough to work together. It's one of those relationships that puts them on two different sides of the law, while at the same time when they discover the secrets behind the masks, and learn more about each other, they have a lot more uncommon than they think. It's that discover of the true characters behind the masks that I loved.
The romance in this book is that kind of slow burning romance that I love. It's the kind that keeps you satisfied, but also leaves you wanting so much more, all at the same time. Yes, it's maddening, and sweet all rolled into one. It was that was for the characters to. I have so much to say about The Orphan Queen, but I can't, because there I'd end up spoiling the whole story. Jodi Meadows wraps up so many secrets, and twists within the story that if I could have slowed down in my reading, maybe I would have caught onto things much quicker and picked up on all the hints she dropped about what was to come. But, I couldn't. I was too caught up with the story to slow down, and try to figure anything out. The story was that good.
I say this with love, but Jodi Meadows is evil when it comes to writing book endings. I will forgive her just as soon as I read her next book. Be still my heart. haha Now that I've caught my breathe after that ending, all I can say is this is my favorite Jodi Meadows book. She has found her niche in writing fantasy, and I hope she doesn't slow down any time soon. In fact, she can hurry and finish book two, I'll be happy. Kidding.... okay, sort of. The Orphan Queen is a fantastic fantasy read! It is full of so many wonderful surprises. I highly recommend picking this book up, whether your a fan of fantasy or not.
ABOUT JODI MEADOWS
Jodi Meadows lives and writes in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, with her husband, a Kippy (a cat), and an alarming number of ferrets. She is a confessed book addict, and has wanted to be a writer ever since she decided against becoming an astronaut. She is the author of the INCARNATE Trilogy and the forthcoming ORPHAN QUEEN Duology (HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen). Visit her at www.jodimeadows.com
THE GIVEAWAY
Thank you to Harper Teen, and The Irish Banana, I've got one copy of The Orphan Queen to giveaway! This is open to residents of the US only.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thank you to Harper Teen, and The Irish Banana, I've got one copy of The Orphan Queen to giveaway! This is open to residents of the US only.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Follow The Tour:
Week 1:
3/9 - Good Choice Reading (Review)
3/10 - The Irish Banana Review (Guest Post)
3/11 - Reading W/ABC's (Review)
3/12 - Icey Books (Quote Candy Wallpaper)
3/13 - Alice Marvels (Review)
Week 2:
3/16 - No BS Book Reviews (Guest Post)
3/17 - Supernatural Snark (Review)
3/18 - Book Shelfery (Q&A)
3/19 - Addicted 2 Novels (Review)
3/20 - Mundie Moms (Review)
Posts
Love. <3 Gorgeous review Katie :D I am so happy that you loved this book so much! I did too. <3 Just so damn good. Sigh. So amazing :) The ending was so evil, yet I really loved it too. I'm not that worried ;p But DYING for book two. <3 Sigh. Thank you for sharing sweetie :)
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