whalien_reads's review
2.0
As soon as I saw the cover of The Hundredth Queen, I knew I had to get my hands on it. It also didn’t hurt that the synopsis had me hooked from the very first sentence. It gave me a bit of The Wrath and the Dawn and Rebel of the Sands feels so when I was able to snag an ARC from a trade, I was pretty excited to say the least.
Unfortunately it did not live up to my expectations.
I really like the concept of the story and there is so much promise but I just think it was poorly executed. And if I’m being honest, I found it to be boring for the most part.
Full review on my blog!
https://thewanderlustreaderofficial.wordpress.com/2017/06/09/arc-review-the-hundredth-queen-by-emily-r-king/
Unfortunately it did not live up to my expectations.
I really like the concept of the story and there is so much promise but I just think it was poorly executed. And if I’m being honest, I found it to be boring for the most part.
Full review on my blog!
breerashel's review
4.0
I enjoyed the stories of the gods and what the powers are like for the half-demon/ half-gods. It reminded me slightly of the last Airbender with the use of elements and being able to draw on them but with the difference of the powers being within and not necessarily having to draw on the environment to use them.
I loved the authors writing style. She had the ability to draw me into the story without having to write about battles or bloodshed. In this way, the book reminded me a lot of The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Adieh but with a less romantic feel and more of an inner warrior fighting against tyranny vibe.
I could have done without the familiar tropes that are included in the book as well as the romance. I feel like these things just got in the way of the story and didn't add as much. I felt that some of the characters motivations were confusing and I couldn't understand why they made the decisions that they did unless it all came down to power and jealousy above all else. I would have liked to have seen different reasons and explanations of their actions to make them more relatable and three dimensional.
https://fictionedtodeath.blogspot.com/2018/05/the-hundredth-queen-hundredth-queen-1.html
I loved the authors writing style. She had the ability to draw me into the story without having to write about battles or bloodshed. In this way, the book reminded me a lot of The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Adieh but with a less romantic feel and more of an inner warrior fighting against tyranny vibe.
I could have done without the familiar tropes that are included in the book as well as the romance. I feel like these things just got in the way of the story and didn't add as much. I felt that some of the characters motivations were confusing and I couldn't understand why they made the decisions that they did unless it all came down to power and jealousy above all else. I would have liked to have seen different reasons and explanations of their actions to make them more relatable and three dimensional.
https://fictionedtodeath.blogspot.com/2018/05/the-hundredth-queen-hundredth-queen-1.html
octobertune's review
DNF at 33%. I just wasn’t invested in the story that much and kept on picking up the other books I was reading.
jenbsbooks's review
5.0
I had been able to grab this digital download for free (it isn't free any longer, although it is on Kindle Unlimited). This didn't feel like a freebie, as they sometimes do. This isn't available through my local library, but it should be. Great book!
It took an idea many other books have used... some people are gifted with elemental powers. Burner, Galer, Trembler and Aquifier. Controlling fire, wind, earth and water respectively. But this story was completely unique. Set in a fantasy time/place with kings and countries at war, and different gods worshiped and cruel customs. It completely captured my attention and kept me reading all the way through. Moreover, I BOUGHT the next book. I never do that (it was just $1.99, but still, with so many books waiting in my Kindle cloud and library list it's hard for me to justify a purchase).
It took an idea many other books have used... some people are gifted with elemental powers. Burner, Galer, Trembler and Aquifier. Controlling fire, wind, earth and water respectively. But this story was completely unique. Set in a fantasy time/place with kings and countries at war, and different gods worshiped and cruel customs. It completely captured my attention and kept me reading all the way through. Moreover, I BOUGHT the next book. I never do that (it was just $1.99, but still, with so many books waiting in my Kindle cloud and library list it's hard for me to justify a purchase).
jadallo's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
annaka's review
2.0
The main character is incredibly annoying and whining. The book was slow paced and even though it was an audiobook I wanted it to end our get to the point. It's a shame bc the concepts are interesting and I wanted it to be a good test.
rachana's review
I won't be reading this book because it's culturally appropriative. Diya Mishra addresses this in more detail in their twitter thread: https://twitter.com/thedimishra/status/852664798235860992
books_over_everything's review
4.0
Title The Hundredth Queen (The Hundredth Queen #1)
Author Emily R. King
Description from Amazon
As an orphan ward of the Sisterhood in the ancient Tarachand Empire, eighteen-year-old Kalinda is destined for nothing more than a life of seclusion and prayer. Plagued by fevers, she’s an unlikely candidate for even a servant’s position, let alone a courtesan or wife. Her sole dream is to continue living in peace in the Sisterhood’s mountain temple.
But a visit from the tyrant Rajah Tarek disrupts Kalinda’s life. Within hours, she is ripped from the comfort of her home, set on a desert trek, and ordered to fight for her place among the rajah’s ninety-nine wives and numerous courtesans. Her only solace comes in the company of her guard, the stoic but kind Captain Deven Naik.
Faced with the danger of a tournament to the death—and her growing affection for Deven—Kalinda has only one hope for escape, and it lies in an arcane, forbidden power buried within her.
Initial Thoughts
I really love Emily R. King’s series, The Evermore Chronicles, that will be completed later this year so I decided it was time to read (listen to) her other popular series, The Hundredth Queen. I also was intrigued by the Indian influences in the description.
Some Things I Liked
Indian influences. Saris, Rajahs, elephants, etc. I loved all of the Indian inspired elements in this story. I don’t read too much that’s influenced by that culture so this was a special treat.
Elemental magic. I love a good story with elemental magic and this was so well done.
Enemies to Friends. We see a ton of enemies to lovers romance stories in the YA book world but I really enjoyed the transition of enemies to friends for Natesha and Kalinda. They have both been through so much and it’s nice to see Kalinda learn to appreciate her more.
One Thing I Wasn’t Crazy About
Predictability – I found that some of the plot twists were a bit transparent. I knocked a full star off for that since it’s the first book in a series. If this was book two or three, I’d forgive some predictability, since I would have had time to really analyze the setting and characters, but in book one, it’s hard to forgive.
Series Value
I enjoyed the first book in this series. I actually started the next book right away. There were just enough cliffhangers and plot elements left untied that I was hooked.
Final Thoughts
I liked this book. It’s a solid start to a captivating series. It was a fast read (listen) for me and I finished it in about one day. I like the inspiration and the author’s writing style.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Recommendations for Further Reading
Before the Broken Star by Emily R. King – if you enjoyed the writing style in The Hundredth Queen, definitely check out Emily R. King’s new series, The Evermore Chronicles. Two books are out now with book three releasing in December 2019.
The Tiger at Midnight by Swati Teerdhala – if you liked the Indian influences in this story, give The Tiger at Midnight a try.
Frostblood by Elly Blake – if you enjoyed the elemental magic and world building in this series, definitely check out the Frostblood series by Elly Blake.
Author Emily R. King
Description from Amazon
As an orphan ward of the Sisterhood in the ancient Tarachand Empire, eighteen-year-old Kalinda is destined for nothing more than a life of seclusion and prayer. Plagued by fevers, she’s an unlikely candidate for even a servant’s position, let alone a courtesan or wife. Her sole dream is to continue living in peace in the Sisterhood’s mountain temple.
But a visit from the tyrant Rajah Tarek disrupts Kalinda’s life. Within hours, she is ripped from the comfort of her home, set on a desert trek, and ordered to fight for her place among the rajah’s ninety-nine wives and numerous courtesans. Her only solace comes in the company of her guard, the stoic but kind Captain Deven Naik.
Faced with the danger of a tournament to the death—and her growing affection for Deven—Kalinda has only one hope for escape, and it lies in an arcane, forbidden power buried within her.
Initial Thoughts
I really love Emily R. King’s series, The Evermore Chronicles, that will be completed later this year so I decided it was time to read (listen to) her other popular series, The Hundredth Queen. I also was intrigued by the Indian influences in the description.
Some Things I Liked
Indian influences. Saris, Rajahs, elephants, etc. I loved all of the Indian inspired elements in this story. I don’t read too much that’s influenced by that culture so this was a special treat.
Elemental magic. I love a good story with elemental magic and this was so well done.
Enemies to Friends. We see a ton of enemies to lovers romance stories in the YA book world but I really enjoyed the transition of enemies to friends for Natesha and Kalinda. They have both been through so much and it’s nice to see Kalinda learn to appreciate her more.
One Thing I Wasn’t Crazy About
Predictability – I found that some of the plot twists were a bit transparent. I knocked a full star off for that since it’s the first book in a series. If this was book two or three, I’d forgive some predictability, since I would have had time to really analyze the setting and characters, but in book one, it’s hard to forgive.
Series Value
I enjoyed the first book in this series. I actually started the next book right away. There were just enough cliffhangers and plot elements left untied that I was hooked.
Final Thoughts
I liked this book. It’s a solid start to a captivating series. It was a fast read (listen) for me and I finished it in about one day. I like the inspiration and the author’s writing style.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Recommendations for Further Reading
Before the Broken Star by Emily R. King – if you enjoyed the writing style in The Hundredth Queen, definitely check out Emily R. King’s new series, The Evermore Chronicles. Two books are out now with book three releasing in December 2019.
The Tiger at Midnight by Swati Teerdhala – if you liked the Indian influences in this story, give The Tiger at Midnight a try.
Frostblood by Elly Blake – if you enjoyed the elemental magic and world building in this series, definitely check out the Frostblood series by Elly Blake.