The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
chelseas_reads's review against another edition
4.0
I received an eARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I want to have a proud moment: this is the first book I've finished in one day! (I mean, it's really sad that I can only read a really short book in one day sigh).
This book was fantastic. It was such a quick read (and not just because it's short!), I couldn't stop putting it down! There wasn't a single boring bit. I'm kinda annoyed that it's so short, but then I'm also really happy that what could've been a long ass boring book was cut down to the brief important stuff. Amazing.
A bit problem I had with this book is that it's set over a couple of months, but it feels like days. Originally I thought the insta love was a problem, then I realised it's set over a longer length of time. I think this is because of the shortness of the book, we don't get enough time to connect and react properly.
There was also a lack of world building. I'm not gonna lie, I thought (for some ridiculous reason) that when Adriana gets summoned, that she comes through to present day. But this isn't the case. I was lost for a while as to how the setting is. (not knowing it's a fantasy) I went with medieval type because of the demons and magic, but the horse and carriage thing makes me think it's set a little later.
Okay okay okay so Adriana is this amazingly cool character. I wasn't sure what to think of her at first, but when you finally get to see what she's like, she's intelligent and cunning. But she's also extremely patient. So many YA protagonists lack this. Adriana will stop to watch what's going on around her instead before making a decision on what to do. She's also really easy to connect with and I felt for her when Aldric was such a doofus and a wanker. You know a good book when you want to defend a character and physically fight someone who isn't even real.
I also really like how she's only wanting the throne to keep other prick's away. She's keeping it for her brother or her father. I love this. So many protagonists/villains want it for themselves, and the power and wealth it represents, but Adriana has no interest.
I really loved Keldrin but I don't know what to say about him, so I'll leave this short paragraph confessing my love.
And Aldric's a dick.
I kinda really wanted to learn more about Xander. He's part of the trio, but we don't know anything about him. I'm wondering if this is something that'll come into play in later books? Because he's one of the trio, he can use the fact that Adriana doesn't know anything.
And this last little point, I wish to say thANK GOD THIS BOOK FOLLOWS A DEMON! The protagonist is the stereotypical bad guy rather than a "hero". I mean, Adriana has a lot of potential to be a hero, but she's perceived as a bad chick. I like how this book is different from other YA/fantasy books I've read.
A+ book right here, y'all better be going off to read it right now. I'm gonna read Demon King, the sequel, because I can't get enough.
I want to have a proud moment: this is the first book I've finished in one day! (I mean, it's really sad that I can only read a really short book in one day sigh).
This book was fantastic. It was such a quick read (and not just because it's short!), I couldn't stop putting it down! There wasn't a single boring bit. I'm kinda annoyed that it's so short, but then I'm also really happy that what could've been a long ass boring book was cut down to the brief important stuff. Amazing.
A bit problem I had with this book is that it's set over a couple of months, but it feels like days. Originally I thought the insta love was a problem, then I realised it's set over a longer length of time. I think this is because of the shortness of the book, we don't get enough time to connect and react properly.
There was also a lack of world building. I'm not gonna lie, I thought (for some ridiculous reason) that when Adriana gets summoned, that she comes through to present day. But this isn't the case. I was lost for a while as to how the setting is. (not knowing it's a fantasy) I went with medieval type because of the demons and magic, but the horse and carriage thing makes me think it's set a little later.
Okay okay okay so Adriana is this amazingly cool character. I wasn't sure what to think of her at first, but when you finally get to see what she's like, she's intelligent and cunning. But she's also extremely patient. So many YA protagonists lack this. Adriana will stop to watch what's going on around her instead before making a decision on what to do. She's also really easy to connect with and I felt for her when Aldric was such a doofus and a wanker. You know a good book when you want to defend a character and physically fight someone who isn't even real.
I also really like how she's only wanting the throne to keep other prick's away. She's keeping it for her brother or her father. I love this. So many protagonists/villains want it for themselves, and the power and wealth it represents, but Adriana has no interest.
I really loved Keldrin but I don't know what to say about him, so I'll leave this short paragraph confessing my love.
And Aldric's a dick.
I kinda really wanted to learn more about Xander. He's part of the trio, but we don't know anything about him. I'm wondering if this is something that'll come into play in later books? Because he's one of the trio, he can use the fact that Adriana doesn't know anything.
And this last little point, I wish to say thANK GOD THIS BOOK FOLLOWS A DEMON! The protagonist is the stereotypical bad guy rather than a "hero". I mean, Adriana has a lot of potential to be a hero, but she's perceived as a bad chick. I like how this book is different from other YA/fantasy books I've read.
A+ book right here, y'all better be going off to read it right now. I'm gonna read Demon King, the sequel, because I can't get enough.
ld277's review against another edition
3.0
*I want to thank NetGalley for giving me the chance to sneak an early peek into this*
actual rating 3.5
It was kinda hard to get into the story right from the beginning, but I'm really glad I pulled through because I actually ended up quite liking it. The idea behind the story was interesting and different than the ones that are out there right now. Demons, mages and summon beasts?? SIGN ME UP! I had some difficulty in warming up for Adriana (the demon priness, helloooooo) because she seemed rather spoilt and naive at the beginning, but I liked her development and her story, and now I can't wait to read how it will evolve further. Also, the other characters: Kaldrin, Sadi, Xander etc. And btw, I'm so glad that there wasn't a love story between Adri & Aldric (because no) and NO LOVE TRIANGLE (hallelujaaaahh)!
I can't wait for the sequel. Kassandra Lynn got herself a new fan and reader!
actual rating 3.5
It was kinda hard to get into the story right from the beginning, but I'm really glad I pulled through because I actually ended up quite liking it. The idea behind the story was interesting and different than the ones that are out there right now. Demons, mages and summon beasts?? SIGN ME UP! I had some difficulty in warming up for Adriana (the demon priness, helloooooo) because she seemed rather spoilt and naive at the beginning, but I liked her development and her story, and now I can't wait to read how it will evolve further. Also, the other characters: Kaldrin, Sadi, Xander etc. And btw, I'm so glad that there wasn't a love story between Adri & Aldric (because no) and NO LOVE TRIANGLE (hallelujaaaahh)!
I can't wait for the sequel. Kassandra Lynn got herself a new fan and reader!
chllybrd's review against another edition
3.0
I gave it 2.5 stars
I was able to get through DEMON PRINCESS but I there were problems. There wasn't much to the world building, everything was a bit vague. A few issues that came up in DEMON PRINCESS weren't resolved or even brought up again after they were mentioned. I also felt that the characters were lacking development.
After all was said and done I was left with way too many questions. I wasn't interested enough to read more.
* This book was provided free of charge from Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I was able to get through DEMON PRINCESS but I there were problems. There wasn't much to the world building, everything was a bit vague. A few issues that came up in DEMON PRINCESS weren't resolved or even brought up again after they were mentioned. I also felt that the characters were lacking development.
After all was said and done I was left with way too many questions. I wasn't interested enough to read more.
* This book was provided free of charge from Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
aly36's review against another edition
5.0
This book was a pleasant surprise! I loved the character of Adrianna! I felt her pain when she got summoned. How rude! It made for a great story I was lost in the pages for hours. I would love to read the next book in the series for sure. I think if this fantasy and demons world is what you like to read, you should check this series out! * I received this book from the author and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
quirkycatsfatstacks's review against another edition
4.0
3 1/2 Stars.
I received a copy of Demon Princess from Reading Deals in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Demon Princess is the perfect book if you’re looking for a nice, quick, fantasy read. In all this book probably took me a little less than two hours to read, which suited my mood perfectly (I imagine all book readers get into that mood where they want to be able to finish a book in one sitting). The cover is lovely, however it’s worth noting that the description isn’t one hundred percent accurate about the situation Adriana is in (read further to see why I say that).
Adriana is the Demon Princess, and being that both her father and brother have gone missing (a fact that we’re immediately told in the beginning – I’m insure if there’s a book explaining their disappearance) she’s set to take the crown and become the Demon King (why isn’t it Demon Queen? I’m not really sure, but they made this fact quite clear). Naturally this is the perfect time for the universe to throw a problem in her way, and thus our story begins!
I mentioned earlier that what happens to Adriana isn’t fully described in the cover; yes, a guy named Aldric does somehow manage to summon her (a fact that shouldn’t be possible) and she does have to hide her identity from him (and the rest of the mage college). But it’s much more than that – she’s effectively his slave during this time. She can’t resist any command he gives her, and he doesn’t treat her humanely (expecting her to eat animal food off the floor and such). Thankfully, while he doesn’t treat her well, he doesn’t take full advantage of the situation either (though some of the mages suggested he do so…so there’s that). The whole situation is pretty upsetting and emotional, on the whole. So I just want people to be a bit more aware of what they’re going into here.
Demon Princess really is a quick read, but considering the emotional roller coaster this book puts you through, I was actually perfectly content with that fact (if not grateful). This prevented me from being upset overly long, which is very much appreciated (and I really did find myself getting distressed for her in a few points).
I think Demon Princess could have benefitted from some further world building. I didn’t really understand how the different kingdoms interact; and it wasn’t until late in the novel that I realized that demons and humans are in the same realm (though I’m not terribly confident about that fact either). Many characters, or more superficially, roles were introduced throughout, but since they’re only being set up (presumably for later novels) I didn’t fully grasp their importance (or why there were so many of them).
I wasn’t sure I was going to like Adriana’s character at first – her emotions seemed really close to the surface more often than not, but she grew on me in the end. I found myself worried about her safety and upset about the conditions she’s put in. I also respected her determination – she was in a situation where I feel like many would have given up hope, but she flat out refused to even consider that idea. I respect that.
The introduction of the trio of guys that could potentially stand against Adraina and the demon kingdom (I’d love a formal title for their team, it would make talking about them much easier) was pretty interesting. Having one of those in the trio also be her love interest? Smart. It should add some conflicts of interest later in the series. Or at least that’s what I’m assuming will happen.
I’m assuming based on all of the groundwork put down already that the future books will do more world building, as well as spend some time fleshing out the secondary characters. If that’s the case I think this series could end up having a lot of potential. I can’t wait to see where it goes from here.
For more reviews, check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
I received a copy of Demon Princess from Reading Deals in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Demon Princess is the perfect book if you’re looking for a nice, quick, fantasy read. In all this book probably took me a little less than two hours to read, which suited my mood perfectly (I imagine all book readers get into that mood where they want to be able to finish a book in one sitting). The cover is lovely, however it’s worth noting that the description isn’t one hundred percent accurate about the situation Adriana is in (read further to see why I say that).
Adriana is the Demon Princess, and being that both her father and brother have gone missing (a fact that we’re immediately told in the beginning – I’m insure if there’s a book explaining their disappearance) she’s set to take the crown and become the Demon King (why isn’t it Demon Queen? I’m not really sure, but they made this fact quite clear). Naturally this is the perfect time for the universe to throw a problem in her way, and thus our story begins!
I mentioned earlier that what happens to Adriana isn’t fully described in the cover; yes, a guy named Aldric does somehow manage to summon her (a fact that shouldn’t be possible) and she does have to hide her identity from him (and the rest of the mage college). But it’s much more than that – she’s effectively his slave during this time. She can’t resist any command he gives her, and he doesn’t treat her humanely (expecting her to eat animal food off the floor and such). Thankfully, while he doesn’t treat her well, he doesn’t take full advantage of the situation either (though some of the mages suggested he do so…so there’s that). The whole situation is pretty upsetting and emotional, on the whole. So I just want people to be a bit more aware of what they’re going into here.
Demon Princess really is a quick read, but considering the emotional roller coaster this book puts you through, I was actually perfectly content with that fact (if not grateful). This prevented me from being upset overly long, which is very much appreciated (and I really did find myself getting distressed for her in a few points).
I think Demon Princess could have benefitted from some further world building. I didn’t really understand how the different kingdoms interact; and it wasn’t until late in the novel that I realized that demons and humans are in the same realm (though I’m not terribly confident about that fact either). Many characters, or more superficially, roles were introduced throughout, but since they’re only being set up (presumably for later novels) I didn’t fully grasp their importance (or why there were so many of them).
I wasn’t sure I was going to like Adriana’s character at first – her emotions seemed really close to the surface more often than not, but she grew on me in the end. I found myself worried about her safety and upset about the conditions she’s put in. I also respected her determination – she was in a situation where I feel like many would have given up hope, but she flat out refused to even consider that idea. I respect that.
The introduction of the trio of guys that could potentially stand against Adraina and the demon kingdom (I’d love a formal title for their team, it would make talking about them much easier) was pretty interesting. Having one of those in the trio also be her love interest? Smart. It should add some conflicts of interest later in the series. Or at least that’s what I’m assuming will happen.
I’m assuming based on all of the groundwork put down already that the future books will do more world building, as well as spend some time fleshing out the secondary characters. If that’s the case I think this series could end up having a lot of potential. I can’t wait to see where it goes from here.
For more reviews, check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
carriaoke's review against another edition
4.0
**I received a copy of this book from Patchwork Press - Cooperative via Netgalley in exhange for an honest review.**
Read the full review on my blog here!
Summarized Review: As soon as I read the synopsis for the book, I was hooked. A demon princess magically disappearing during her coronation? Sold! The reason for 4 stars is that some things are almost entirely untouched and the writing at the start of the book was a tad diminutive. Once Kassandra found her groove, I couldn't put it down.
The protagonist, Adriana, is an unlikely heroine I wasn’t sure I’d like, but soon found myself rooting for whole-heartedly. She was spoiled, yes, but I never felt that she looked down on others the way they looked down on her. I really like that it deals with mages and demons, which are definitely two aspects of this book that I’m eager to learn more about as series goes on. It's different from the faeries and witches that I'm used to reading about in series.
I’ll definitely be picking up the rest of the series! Kassandra Lynn has found herself a new reader in me. (:
Read the full review on my blog here!
Summarized Review: As soon as I read the synopsis for the book, I was hooked. A demon princess magically disappearing during her coronation? Sold! The reason for 4 stars is that some things are almost entirely untouched and the writing at the start of the book was a tad diminutive. Once Kassandra found her groove, I couldn't put it down.
The protagonist, Adriana, is an unlikely heroine I wasn’t sure I’d like, but soon found myself rooting for whole-heartedly. She was spoiled, yes, but I never felt that she looked down on others the way they looked down on her. I really like that it deals with mages and demons, which are definitely two aspects of this book that I’m eager to learn more about as series goes on. It's different from the faeries and witches that I'm used to reading about in series.
I’ll definitely be picking up the rest of the series! Kassandra Lynn has found herself a new reader in me. (:
dani_reviews's review
I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
DNF’d at 25%
Based on the other reviews on Goodreads, I’m in the minority on this, but this book just didn’t work for me.
For such a short book (162 pages), it took me forever to even make it 25%. That’s because I could only read a couple percent at a time before having to put the book down for a while. The story was rushed and underdeveloped in every aspect: plot, characters, world building, etc. The beginning left me reeling because a situation was introduced and not explained before the setting completely changed. I would have liked a bit more build-up of the demon world and who Adriana was as a person, what had happened to her father and brother and so on. All of the characters were two-dimensional, and I felt like I’d had them pinpointed rather quickly. I found myself rolling my eyes at everything. The book was written in first person present tense, which seems to be a trend amongst indie authors but actually works for very few stories. Finally, while the book wasn’t exactly riddled with errors like I’ve seen in other indie books, there were enough awkward sentences and tense problems to make my proofreader soul wither a bit.
DNF’d at 25%
Based on the other reviews on Goodreads, I’m in the minority on this, but this book just didn’t work for me.
For such a short book (162 pages), it took me forever to even make it 25%. That’s because I could only read a couple percent at a time before having to put the book down for a while. The story was rushed and underdeveloped in every aspect: plot, characters, world building, etc. The beginning left me reeling because a situation was introduced and not explained before the setting completely changed. I would have liked a bit more build-up of the demon world and who Adriana was as a person, what had happened to her father and brother and so on. All of the characters were two-dimensional, and I felt like I’d had them pinpointed rather quickly. I found myself rolling my eyes at everything. The book was written in first person present tense, which seems to be a trend amongst indie authors but actually works for very few stories. Finally, while the book wasn’t exactly riddled with errors like I’ve seen in other indie books, there were enough awkward sentences and tense problems to make my proofreader soul wither a bit.
ania_star's review
5.0
Demon Princess was a total surprise. Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. It seriously such a great book. Adriana is Demon Princess about to be crowned Demon King, after her brother and father went missing. In the middle of the ceremony she vanishes and appears in the different part of the world. Mage in training has summoned her as his beast. She hates being ordered around and forced to do someone else biding, especially because he is not very good at it and treats her horribly. His cousin is one of the bright point in her life, he shows he compassion and takes care of her. They grow closer together, even tough he doesn't know who she is and she knows he will be her biggest enemy.
I love the characters of Adriana, she is apologetically bad-ass, strong with softer side. The world created is very interesting with a lot of room for hopefully a lot more books. :)
I love the characters of Adriana, she is apologetically bad-ass, strong with softer side. The world created is very interesting with a lot of room for hopefully a lot more books. :)
lucilimon's review
4.0
The best thing I could say about this book is that all the characters are plausible and interesting. The world where the story is set is new, appealing and intriguing, and so are the rules. The presence of magic and non-human creatures makes it all the more hooking.
I didn’t expect much about this book and I was kindly surprised, the plot is really interesting and a breath of fresh air considering the amount of books about vampires that flood the libraries lately. It took some time to reach the conflict and the climax, and it actually was shorter and faster than I expected, but it was good nonetheless.
It seems to me like this book was an introduction to what is coming up in the next volumes, it places us in what the main story is going to be and introduces the main characters, their motivations and it lets us see a bit of whom they are. I’m very intrigued to see how it continues and surely will be reading the second book sooner rather than later!
I didn’t expect much about this book and I was kindly surprised, the plot is really interesting and a breath of fresh air considering the amount of books about vampires that flood the libraries lately. It took some time to reach the conflict and the climax, and it actually was shorter and faster than I expected, but it was good nonetheless.
It seems to me like this book was an introduction to what is coming up in the next volumes, it places us in what the main story is going to be and introduces the main characters, their motivations and it lets us see a bit of whom they are. I’m very intrigued to see how it continues and surely will be reading the second book sooner rather than later!
hyzie's review
3.0
I may have accidentally read the entire book in one sitting without even stopping for water because I needed to see what happened. And I am remarkably okay with that, except now I am ready for the next one and it is going to seem like a ridiculously long wait.
I won't say that this book touched me deeply, but I was definitely drawn in quickly and it was hard to stop reading. It was fun, which is sometimes more than I can say about books, even books I genuinely like, and there will always be a place for fun books in my reading.
Adriana, our titular "demon princess", is actually more of a character than simply that, which is refreshing. It is an unfortunate thing I have noticed in YA fiction where once a character is given a "thing" that (s)he is, the author feels like they are done and no longer have to bother fleshing the character out. This is not true here, and it made it much easier to get inside Adriana's head and stay there happily.
She does not do knee-jerk reactions to things, she's capable of being patient and thoughtful and actually clever, and she's willing to re-evaluate things that she's heard all her life without falling into either the trap of immediately tossing everything (herself and her opinions included) aside OR refusing to look at things that contradict her previous beliefs. Thank you, Kassandra Lynn, for a YA main character that doesn't act like a complete idiot.
Because of all of this, I am significantly more invested in the romance that eventually starts to develop, and I'm much more willing to go along for that particular ride. Bonus points for it being a generally non-creepy romance, of course--I've seen a few too many books where the romance is treated as the pinnacle of the characters lives and is also a deeply unhealthy relationship besides. This does not do that.
I feel like I've spent a lot talking about what this book is not, which is good in that all the things I've mentioned are things I don't want my books to be, but probably not the most helpful in explaining what the book actually is.
It is a good read, certainly, and filled with characters that are different. A few of them fall into the "overly villainous villain" category, but it's the first book in a series and is in Adriana's viewpoint, so that gets some slack. The rest of the crop are interesting, and if we don't get to hear as much about them as would be helpful in fleshing them out, they also seem to be characters that actually have something there to flesh out, so that is a hopeful sign for future books in the series.
I really liked the whole "Wise Man, Savior, Warrior" part of the world. It felt a little like an RPG, but in a good way (is there a bad way it can feel like that, though? Just me?). I'm interested to see where that is going, and what may come of it. I'm thinking prophecies in the next book, maybe? I do love me some prophecies.
I'll be picking up the next book and probably swallowing it whole, as I did with this one.
This book was provided to me for free via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I won't say that this book touched me deeply, but I was definitely drawn in quickly and it was hard to stop reading. It was fun, which is sometimes more than I can say about books, even books I genuinely like, and there will always be a place for fun books in my reading.
Adriana, our titular "demon princess", is actually more of a character than simply that, which is refreshing. It is an unfortunate thing I have noticed in YA fiction where once a character is given a "thing" that (s)he is, the author feels like they are done and no longer have to bother fleshing the character out. This is not true here, and it made it much easier to get inside Adriana's head and stay there happily.
She does not do knee-jerk reactions to things, she's capable of being patient and thoughtful and actually clever, and she's willing to re-evaluate things that she's heard all her life without falling into either the trap of immediately tossing everything (herself and her opinions included) aside OR refusing to look at things that contradict her previous beliefs. Thank you, Kassandra Lynn, for a YA main character that doesn't act like a complete idiot.
Because of all of this, I am significantly more invested in the romance that eventually starts to develop, and I'm much more willing to go along for that particular ride. Bonus points for it being a generally non-creepy romance, of course--I've seen a few too many books where the romance is treated as the pinnacle of the characters lives and is also a deeply unhealthy relationship besides. This does not do that.
I feel like I've spent a lot talking about what this book is not, which is good in that all the things I've mentioned are things I don't want my books to be, but probably not the most helpful in explaining what the book actually is.
It is a good read, certainly, and filled with characters that are different. A few of them fall into the "overly villainous villain" category, but it's the first book in a series and is in Adriana's viewpoint, so that gets some slack. The rest of the crop are interesting, and if we don't get to hear as much about them as would be helpful in fleshing them out, they also seem to be characters that actually have something there to flesh out, so that is a hopeful sign for future books in the series.
I really liked the whole "Wise Man, Savior, Warrior" part of the world. It felt a little like an RPG, but in a good way (is there a bad way it can feel like that, though? Just me?). I'm interested to see where that is going, and what may come of it. I'm thinking prophecies in the next book, maybe? I do love me some prophecies.
I'll be picking up the next book and probably swallowing it whole, as I did with this one.
This book was provided to me for free via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.