melodicfate's review
3.0
*I received an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.*
This book was interesting. The synopsis mentioned faeries, and a fantasy realm, so obviously, I was going to give it a try. With a lot of imagination and creativity behind it, this was an easy and intriguing read. It wasn't ever boring, and the characters were good, although not fully fleshed out.
There were really two main characters in this story. First, there was Daegan, a warrior for one of the kingdoms. He was interesting, because he really thought out things, and tried not to take orders blindly. I appreciated that about him. The other main character was Kaeleigh, who was just trying to figure out who she was. As an orphan, she never knew anything about her parents. She was a pretty strong character, although she went back and forth between being strong, and being immature sometimes. Overall, I liked them both, and my favorite parts of this book were scenes with the two of them together. However, I also felt like I really didn't get to know either of them. I know Daegan is a strong and protective warrior, and that Kaeleigh hates to show weakness, but really, that's it. Hopefully in the next book, their characters will be expanded upon.
The two main secondary characters were Kaeleigh's friends, Finn and Chel. I really liked Chel. I thought she was a wonderful best friend, and I could definitely see why she and Kaeleigh were close. Finn, on the other hand, I wasn't too sure about. He seemed strong and like a good protector, but there were other moments when he seemed overly jealous. Also, both he and Chel had secrets hidden from Kaeleigh. Granted, Chel didn't know she had a secret at first, but it was interesting to see the three of them try to remain friends.
The plot of this novel was interesting, if a little slower. Daegan was sent to collect a power known as the Sol-lumieth. This power could change the realm of Alandria, which is the fantastical world where this novel was set. Of course, that mysterious great power had something to do with Kaeleigh, which is how she met Daegan. I was interested in the book, although I didn't finish it as fast as I thought I would. It ends on a cliffhanger, and the twist it ends on was something I guessed at.
All in all, this was an interesting fantasy novel. I was interested to learn more about Kaeleigh and who she was. I really liked the way the author built the world of this novel, and I can honestly say that I have never read about a world like it. I don't feel like I have a total grasp on the world yet, but this is only the first book in the series, so I'm sure that will change. I definitely recommend this story for anyone who wants to read a quick fantasy novel that's partly placed in our world, and that has intriguing main characters.
This book was interesting. The synopsis mentioned faeries, and a fantasy realm, so obviously, I was going to give it a try. With a lot of imagination and creativity behind it, this was an easy and intriguing read. It wasn't ever boring, and the characters were good, although not fully fleshed out.
There were really two main characters in this story. First, there was Daegan, a warrior for one of the kingdoms. He was interesting, because he really thought out things, and tried not to take orders blindly. I appreciated that about him. The other main character was Kaeleigh, who was just trying to figure out who she was. As an orphan, she never knew anything about her parents. She was a pretty strong character, although she went back and forth between being strong, and being immature sometimes. Overall, I liked them both, and my favorite parts of this book were scenes with the two of them together. However, I also felt like I really didn't get to know either of them. I know Daegan is a strong and protective warrior, and that Kaeleigh hates to show weakness, but really, that's it. Hopefully in the next book, their characters will be expanded upon.
The two main secondary characters were Kaeleigh's friends, Finn and Chel. I really liked Chel. I thought she was a wonderful best friend, and I could definitely see why she and Kaeleigh were close. Finn, on the other hand, I wasn't too sure about. He seemed strong and like a good protector, but there were other moments when he seemed overly jealous. Also, both he and Chel had secrets hidden from Kaeleigh. Granted, Chel didn't know she had a secret at first, but it was interesting to see the three of them try to remain friends.
The plot of this novel was interesting, if a little slower. Daegan was sent to collect a power known as the Sol-lumieth. This power could change the realm of Alandria, which is the fantastical world where this novel was set. Of course, that mysterious great power had something to do with Kaeleigh, which is how she met Daegan. I was interested in the book, although I didn't finish it as fast as I thought I would. It ends on a cliffhanger, and the twist it ends on was something I guessed at.
All in all, this was an interesting fantasy novel. I was interested to learn more about Kaeleigh and who she was. I really liked the way the author built the world of this novel, and I can honestly say that I have never read about a world like it. I don't feel like I have a total grasp on the world yet, but this is only the first book in the series, so I'm sure that will change. I definitely recommend this story for anyone who wants to read a quick fantasy novel that's partly placed in our world, and that has intriguing main characters.
chrystal0830's review against another edition
3.0
AHHHHHH!!! Why is it that i find books that are not complete! I understand the concept of a sequel but having a book just STOP in the middle of everything is FRUSTRATING!! The story is decently written which is the only thing that has caused me to round up, but still!
owlishbookish's review
3.0
This review appears on Book Brats. This digital review copy was provided free by the publisher. No compensation was received for this unbiased review.
When I got the publicity email on Silent Orchids, I was immediately on board. Give me a faerie novel and I’m like a pat of butter on a hot sidewalk. We’re talking high levels of happy. The plot synopsis and the cover behind made this one a sure thing for me to read. After having done so, I can say that I liked it, but I do have some thoughts on the matter.
Kaeleigh, the main character, is a bubbly girl who is living on her own after having grown up in a series of foster homes. Though she has been through her share of tribulations, she has escaped it all with a sunny disposition. She has always been left to wonder about who she is and where she came from, however. The former is an admirable characteristic and the latter a completely understandable one. However, there are some moments where Kaeleigh, in her need to stand up for friends or maintain her independent, can-do attitude, becomes more than necessarily outraged. There were a few moments where it was difficult to sympathize with her due to her reactions toward those trying to help or her rage at those who weren’t there to help her when she, in fact, separated herself from them and proceeded to get in trouble. It was a little like experiencing character whiplash and made me prefer the secondary characters much more, namely Chel and Finn.
The world building, once the group reached Alandria, was very vivid. The descriptions of the forest and its denizens made it relatively simple to imagine and drove the point home that the forest, while eerily beautiful, could also be dangerous. The dangers were both creepy and resilient. I must say, however, that I would have liked to see more of it. Just as things were really getting to the point of intense, it just ended. This was another issue that caused me to be snapped right back into reality just as I had gotten immersed.
The last thought I have is in regard to the writing itself or, more to the point, the spelling, grammar, and punctuation. I don’t know if big improvements were made in the final draft or not, so I can’t hold it against the copy I read too much. However, it definitely made the reading of Silent Orchids more difficult than it should have been, so I can’t in good conscience leave it out of my summary. I would love to try it again if it has since been fully edited.
Overall, I enjoyed the story of Kaeleigh’s adventures in self-discovery, as well as learning my way around a new world. Silent Orchids ended on a bit of a cliff-hanger, so I will be looking forward to finding out what happens next. If you like new takes on faerie stories, Silent Orchids is a worthy candidate to check out. It’s always fun to see what someone else’s idea of the fae entails. I think Silent Orchids will prove to be a nice addition to my faerie novel collection.
When I got the publicity email on Silent Orchids, I was immediately on board. Give me a faerie novel and I’m like a pat of butter on a hot sidewalk. We’re talking high levels of happy. The plot synopsis and the cover behind made this one a sure thing for me to read. After having done so, I can say that I liked it, but I do have some thoughts on the matter.
Kaeleigh, the main character, is a bubbly girl who is living on her own after having grown up in a series of foster homes. Though she has been through her share of tribulations, she has escaped it all with a sunny disposition. She has always been left to wonder about who she is and where she came from, however. The former is an admirable characteristic and the latter a completely understandable one. However, there are some moments where Kaeleigh, in her need to stand up for friends or maintain her independent, can-do attitude, becomes more than necessarily outraged. There were a few moments where it was difficult to sympathize with her due to her reactions toward those trying to help or her rage at those who weren’t there to help her when she, in fact, separated herself from them and proceeded to get in trouble. It was a little like experiencing character whiplash and made me prefer the secondary characters much more, namely Chel and Finn.
The world building, once the group reached Alandria, was very vivid. The descriptions of the forest and its denizens made it relatively simple to imagine and drove the point home that the forest, while eerily beautiful, could also be dangerous. The dangers were both creepy and resilient. I must say, however, that I would have liked to see more of it. Just as things were really getting to the point of intense, it just ended. This was another issue that caused me to be snapped right back into reality just as I had gotten immersed.
The last thought I have is in regard to the writing itself or, more to the point, the spelling, grammar, and punctuation. I don’t know if big improvements were made in the final draft or not, so I can’t hold it against the copy I read too much. However, it definitely made the reading of Silent Orchids more difficult than it should have been, so I can’t in good conscience leave it out of my summary. I would love to try it again if it has since been fully edited.
Overall, I enjoyed the story of Kaeleigh’s adventures in self-discovery, as well as learning my way around a new world. Silent Orchids ended on a bit of a cliff-hanger, so I will be looking forward to finding out what happens next. If you like new takes on faerie stories, Silent Orchids is a worthy candidate to check out. It’s always fun to see what someone else’s idea of the fae entails. I think Silent Orchids will prove to be a nice addition to my faerie novel collection.
rayne's review
4.0
I read this book as a part of the Love. magic. Adrenaline! Collection.
Right up my alley - this book has it all. A little bit of love (triangle, even), a different realm and magic!! Really well written, though at times there were some grammatical errors, it didn’t effect the story.
Love the characters and world building. A very strong start to a series that I hope to continue.
Right up my alley - this book has it all. A little bit of love (triangle, even), a different realm and magic!! Really well written, though at times there were some grammatical errors, it didn’t effect the story.
Love the characters and world building. A very strong start to a series that I hope to continue.
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