Review - Ash Princess

Review:

Review: Ash Princess

 

I received a copy from Netgalley. 

 

This one was a granted wish!! One of my greatly anticipated reads of this year as well. It's not a new concept - surviving princess of a conquered kingdom discovers the means and power to aid a revolution to take back her throne. The way the plot was handled was extremely good. Again not particularly unique, but well written with interesting characters and a narrative that made the story captivating. 

 

Theodosia is the surviving princess kept as a hostage to a cruel Kaiser and his invading court, a reminder to her people now enslaved of the power the Kaiser. Nicknamed the Ash Princess (her mother was a Queen of Fire magic, killed in the invasion) and renamed Thora, she now lives a hard life in the Kaiser's court. While she still lives in the palace she's as much as a slave as any of the remainder of her people. She's punished brutally at the Kaiser's slightest whim and supposed to sit there dolefully and accept everything thrown at her without complaint. She's supposed to be thankful she's there at all. 

 

She's sneered at and ridiculed by the court people. She has guards and a maid who watch her every move and report on her daily. It's a walking nightmare. The magic that was once sacred to Theodosia's people is now almost like an accessory to the people now living in her world. Theodosia's only friend Crescentia is the daughter of the Theyn, the head of the Kaiser's army and punisher.  Crescentia is an airhead, a spoiled court daughter. She's sweet but dim. She's kind to Theo and one of the few people who treat her like a real person. Yet there has to be some resentment there on Theo's behalf - it's just not really something that Cress wants to deal with. (Or at least that's my interpretation). 

 

The Kaiser's heir Prinz Soren has come back to the kingdom and the buzz is that he's ready to settle down and choose a wife, all of which Theo has no interest in. It appears that The o has pretty much given up at this point but there's something deep inside her, a righteous anger simmering beneath the surface. Mourning the family she's lost, of the people who died in the invasion, the pain she suffers daily, and the helpless that she can't seem to do anything about her position. 

 

Until one night when she comes across an old friend, now an escaped slave from the mines pretending to be a palace worker makes her an offer. Help her escape. Theo is given some harsh truths about what is left of her mother's people. They want a queen to rise and take back what is rightfully theirs. And Theo is that queen. 

 

There is a revolution brewing, there are still people loyal to Theo who believe she can be the queen her people need. It's an awful lot of pressure. Theo has to decide what wants. The punishments she is suffering are getting worse and there's also a threat of marrying her off hanging around as well. The revolution needs someone on the inside. 

 

So plots form. One involving the handsome, eligible Prinz Soren, round the same age as Theo. Ditzy Cress is swooning over the prince convinced her position as the Theyn's daughter makes her the most eligible match. Yet it's not Cress of course, who has caught Soren's attention. 

 

And there of course, the inevitable fantasy romance. Theo's emotions are in overdrive, Soren is nothing like his monstrous father - if Soren were king would things be different? The plot continues to twist and turn. The end was pretty damn good, cliffhanger (of course) and I really want to see where this one was going. 

 

It's quiet violent in parts, particularly Theo's punishments. The character building is intense, every character grows throughout the novel, a shock twist at the end changes the boundaries between Crescentia and Theo which could be an interesting plot for the follow up novel to take on. And the twist at the end for Theo and Soren made me grin.

 

I loved Theodosia and how she grew over the novel, she's my favourite type of fantasy heroine. She makes tremendous sacrifice for herself to start to right the wrongs that were done. Her strength and development is brilliant. And this is only the beginning of her journey. 

 

Thank you to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for approving my request to view the title. 

 

 

Original post: sunsetxcocktail.booklikes.com/post/1790949/review-ash-princess

Reading progress update: I've read 109 out of 454 pages.

Third read of this wonderful book. This time I'm listening to it in audio and it may be one I've the best audio books I've ever heard. It's really atmospheric and the narration is amazing. The Southern accents are awesome.

Original post: sunsetxcocktail.booklikes.com/post/1789476/reading-progress-update-i-ve-read-109-out-of-454-pages

More Fall Bingo Stuff

Purple Cover - Mirage by Somaiya Daud

Dual Pov - The Towering Sky by Katharine McGee

Set In Another Country - Wildcard by Marie Lu (Japan)

Fall Release - A Room Away From The Wolves by Nova Ren Suma

Space it Stars - Light Years by Kass Morgan 

Fire in Title or on Cover - The Arsonist by Stephanie Oaks (fire on Cover)

Original post: sunsetxcocktail.booklikes.com/post/1789475/more-fall-bingo-stuff

More Fall Bingo Updates

Middle Grade - The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding by Alexandra Bracken

One Word Title - Shatter by Aprilynne Pike

Gold Copper or Bronze Cover - The Merciless 2 by Danielle Vega

History with a Twist - In The Shadows of Blackbirds by Cat Winters

Myth or Legend - The Forest Queen by Betsy Cornwall 

Killers - Exquisite Corpse by Poppy Z Brite

Set in a School - Blythewood by Carol Goodman

Original post: sunsetxcocktail.booklikes.com/post/1787763/more-fall-bingo-updates

Fall bingo plans

what I have so far...

 

Mystery - While You Sleep by Stephanie Merritt

Witches - Toil and Trouble anthology

Black Cover - Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust

Pretty Spine - The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

Freebie - My BestvFriend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix

Under 300 Pages - A Murder of Magpies by Sarah Bromley

Scares You - Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant

Found Family - The Raven Boys by Maggie  Steifvater

Original post: sunsetxcocktail.booklikes.com/post/1787672/fall-bingo-plans

Fall Bookish Bingo

With the summer card completed I have once again put most of my currently reading on pause and signed up for Pretty Deadly Reviews Fall Bookish Bingo card.

 

Original post: sunsetxcocktail.booklikes.com/post/1787669/fall-bookish-bingo

Review: When Dimple Met Rishi

Review:

I received a copy from Netgalley.

 

Another book I was a little apprehensive about since I’ve seen so many mixed reviews about it. Romantic comedies are not really my thing, but I really wanted to try this one and was so excited when I got approved on Netgalley.

 

Though it took me forever to get around to reading it and the paperback had come out so I wound up buying a finished paperback. I was so pleased at how much I wound up loving this book.

 

I saw a lot of talk on YA book twitter about people complaining when Dimple first meets Rishi she throws her coffee in his face (iced coffee) and how that made her unlikeable. Given the circumstances….I kind of applaud her for it.

 

Wen the novel starts Dimple has been accepted at Stanford and is totally thrilled about it, she also wants to go to Insomnia Con, a special programme/competition for designing an app. Some lady who’s famous to coders in the knowhow presides every year and Dimple is overexcited to go – just one thing to get out the way – convincing her parents.

 

Her parents are nice enough – hard working middle class people. Though Dimple’s mom doesn’t seem to get that Dimple isn’t interested in things like Indian make up techniques or finding an ideal Indian husband). The makeup techniques sound fascinating and learning little bits about other cultures is always really interesting. Yet they relent and let Dimple head for the convention.

 

On the other hand we have Rishi. His parents are very well do to and he’s also on his way to Insomnia Con for one reason only – to meet Dimple. Their parents have been talking…Rishi has his whole future planned, he’s going to MIT but already planning on how he’s going to woo Dimple and has ideas for how they will work together as a couple. While all this probably sounds cringeworthy the thing about Rishi is he’s such a sweetie. He was so nice and such a genuine person. He’s thoughtful and kind. He’s really ready to give this arranged thing a good go.

 

Dimple…not so much. So not surprising when she first meets Rishi and is clueless to everything else going…she is not amused. However, she does thaw towards Rishi as the convention gets going. Dimple is really smart and put a lot of thought into the app she wants to design. She’s creative and witty and awesome. She’s forward in some respects and reserved in other. I really liked her character.

 

Some of the technical side of the app building and the convention stuff was a little over my head as I know nothing about that sort of thing.

 

However the novel was so well written that it was easy to get into the flow and the spirit of things. The spark between Dimple and Rishi is just delightful as they navigate each other and the people at the convention. Dimple has a friend she’s made online Celia who is also attending the convention. They room together – but both are very different. Celia is a flirt and a rich girl who makes friends with a bunch of other wealthy students (who you sort of wonder why they’re there at all) and she wants to include Dimple in their outings. Dimple is clearly uncomfortable.

 

Of course in swoops Rishi to help. It’s so cute how they keep winding up together. Naturally nothing is ever smooth sailing, there are drama issues with Dimple’s own plans for her future and what Rishi has in mind for his. While their personalities, as different as they are fit together, their ideas for the future don’t mix so well. Rishi has an art talent – he’s an excellent artist and has designed a comic series of his own. He’s not interested in pursuing this brilliant talent of his as he’s got it in his head that an art career won’t provide a good future for him and Dimple. She’s pissy that he’s not following his dreams and doing what is expected rather than what he wants. Just as he got involved in her life…she takes things in her own hands for his talent.

 

Drama alert.

 

It was a tad predictable is the only thing that didn’t really land it a five star for me. Though I really really loved it. I loved the characters and the writing and the story and this is now an autobuy author for me. I already have her next book ready and waiting.

 

Thank you Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for approving my request to view the title.  

Original post: sunsetxcocktail.booklikes.com/post/1787360/review-when-dimple-met-rishi