womanon's review
4.0
I always love stories set on the high seas and involving pirates, so it was no surprise that I ended up thoroughly enjoying this book. The plot was great, the setting felt vivid, and the romance was sizzling.
bookshelves4paperelves's review against another edition
5.0
So, this is a definite 5 star read for me. From the first chapter I was completely hooked!
The synopsis is what first caught my attention. Who can say no to princesses, pirates and magic? Not me, that’s for sure.
The storyline was gripping and so well thought out, the characters were utter *lip smack* perfection and now I’ve come to the conclusion that I need me a pirate
The synopsis is what first caught my attention. Who can say no to princesses, pirates and magic? Not me, that’s for sure.
The storyline was gripping and so well thought out, the characters were utter *lip smack* perfection and now I’ve come to the conclusion that I need me a pirate
m3l89's review against another edition
3.0
Pirates, princesses and a deadly plague - what more could you ask for in a potential YA fantasy novel?
It took me a while to get into this, as initially I didn’t feel the characters were particularly well written but this did seem to improve as the book progressed. The plot and characters held my attention until the end, as there were a few plot points that I was intrigued about. I’m not sure however if I would read the following books in the series
It took me a while to get into this, as initially I didn’t feel the characters were particularly well written but this did seem to improve as the book progressed. The plot and characters held my attention until the end, as there were a few plot points that I was intrigued about. I’m not sure however if I would read the following books in the series
inked_up_bookshelf's review
4.0
Okay this definitely took me longer than I like when reading a book but HOLY ENDING. Why did I take so long to read
pagesinkedinshadows's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I really enjoyed this book, it was so full of adventure, and heroism. Learning just how far Princess Cali will go to save her people, what sacrifices she will make & what lessons she will learn along the way.
But what happens when all you thought you knew was a lie?
When you make one last sacrifice and you lose something dear to you in the process.
I can’t wait to see what happens next!
But what happens when all you thought you knew was a lie?
When you make one last sacrifice and you lose something dear to you in the process.
I can’t wait to see what happens next!
jale_sellards's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
emgibson77's review
5.0
This was a great story! Full of mystery and intrigue. I loved it. There was so much excitement through out the book, it was so hard to put down!
booksavvyreviews's review
4.0
What I loved:
Pirates, princesses, and a curse! What wasn’t to love and be drawn in by the premise? I wanted to know what was happening next with the characters and storyline.
Right from the beginning, I was drawn into Cali’s plight to save her kingdom and loved ones. She must travel to a magical land that will cost her greatly, but she doesn’t realize how great. With a time limit of only 5 days, she’s tasked with a mighty job of finding a potion, and answer that will heal and help her kingdom.
We are allowed to experience and see the new kingdom through Cali’s eyes, which is seeing it for the first time, and it allows us to learn things with her at the same time. I thoroughly enjoy Bae as a character, he’s mysterious and interesting with more layers than I think we can see during this first in a series, and he’s by far my favorite character. He is the Prince of Pirates, the son of the Captain, and he has more than just a mysterious air surrounding him, he has secrets too, and those drive his actions and his father’s during the book.
What Left Me Wanting More:
The pacing left me wanting a little more depth between the characters. The entire book happens in a week or so, which leaves Bae and Cali’s interactions limited to 3-4 days. I would have loved to see this built up and drawn out a little more to make sense of their connection.
Outside of Cali, Darren and Bae, I felt as though the other characters needed more depth as well. They felt a little stiff for me, and I couldn’t relate or feel for their plight.
Final Verdict:
Princess of Death has an intriguing plot that anyone who loves pirates and princesses will love. With the promise of an action-packed sequel, this novel will surely hook fans of Pearson’s work! A fast-paced page-turner, that will have readers diving for it !
Good Points:
Epic world-building!
A promising series.
Originally posted on YABC: YABC INDIE STAFF REVIEWER | My Website
Pirates, princesses, and a curse! What wasn’t to love and be drawn in by the premise? I wanted to know what was happening next with the characters and storyline.
Right from the beginning, I was drawn into Cali’s plight to save her kingdom and loved ones. She must travel to a magical land that will cost her greatly, but she doesn’t realize how great. With a time limit of only 5 days, she’s tasked with a mighty job of finding a potion, and answer that will heal and help her kingdom.
We are allowed to experience and see the new kingdom through Cali’s eyes, which is seeing it for the first time, and it allows us to learn things with her at the same time. I thoroughly enjoy Bae as a character, he’s mysterious and interesting with more layers than I think we can see during this first in a series, and he’s by far my favorite character. He is the Prince of Pirates, the son of the Captain, and he has more than just a mysterious air surrounding him, he has secrets too, and those drive his actions and his father’s during the book.
What Left Me Wanting More:
The pacing left me wanting a little more depth between the characters. The entire book happens in a week or so, which leaves Bae and Cali’s interactions limited to 3-4 days. I would have loved to see this built up and drawn out a little more to make sense of their connection.
Outside of Cali, Darren and Bae, I felt as though the other characters needed more depth as well. They felt a little stiff for me, and I couldn’t relate or feel for their plight.
Final Verdict:
Princess of Death has an intriguing plot that anyone who loves pirates and princesses will love. With the promise of an action-packed sequel, this novel will surely hook fans of Pearson’s work! A fast-paced page-turner, that will have readers diving for it !
Good Points:
Epic world-building!
A promising series.
Originally posted on YABC: YABC INDIE STAFF REVIEWER | My Website
princessleopard's review
5.0
Preface: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book was genuinely enjoyable, which isn't something I get to say very often. The prose was gorgeous. The characters were fleshed-out and likable. The set-up for the plot is a little hackneyed (and it sounds like the same is true for the sequel), but I didn't mind. The world is unique and interesting, from the divided sea, to the little touches here and there (magic, the rove, finfolk, etc.). There is a hateable villain (who will hopefully get more motivation in later books), but the other characters are understandable, even if they're antagonists. And, best of all, while this is obviously a set-up to a trilogy, it tells a coherent story all on its own. We see Cali take responsibility for her actions and her people, and do her best to fix it - and even if the end result isn't quite what we'd hoped for, it still feels as though the journey we've gone on has been worthwhile, and not just empty lead-up to something more fulfilling.
(Also, I really love the names throughout the whole story. They have a really pleasant blend of that elegant fantasy feel without ever quite being overdone.)
I do have a few quibbles here and there - just little things that don't quite make sense, like the ecology between the two lands being so different even though they're apparently only a few days apart (although the timeline might have gotten fudged because magic). There's a love triangle, which I'm not generally a fan of, but it's passable here because both love interests are genuine and likable people, not just cardboard cut-outs or obviously evil. Again, there are a lot of dangling threads, but I'm curious to see if these actually end up being wound together somehow. I would have liked a little more fleshing-out of some of the background characters - Vera is the biggest example, but also Roland and maybe Ayat - but we might get that in the future. Ultimately, it's a little hard to judge the flaws of this novel without knowing what will come next. But I will definitely read the next book, and (hopefully) the third.
This book was genuinely enjoyable, which isn't something I get to say very often. The prose was gorgeous. The characters were fleshed-out and likable. The set-up for the plot is a little hackneyed (and it sounds like the same is true for the sequel), but I didn't mind. The world is unique and interesting, from the divided sea, to the little touches here and there (magic, the rove, finfolk, etc.). There is a hateable villain (who will hopefully get more motivation in later books), but the other characters are understandable, even if they're antagonists. And, best of all, while this is obviously a set-up to a trilogy, it tells a coherent story all on its own. We see Cali take responsibility for her actions and her people, and do her best to fix it - and even if the end result isn't quite what we'd hoped for, it still feels as though the journey we've gone on has been worthwhile, and not just empty lead-up to something more fulfilling.
(Also, I really love the names throughout the whole story. They have a really pleasant blend of that elegant fantasy feel without ever quite being overdone.)
I do have a few quibbles here and there - just little things that don't quite make sense, like the ecology between the two lands being so different even though they're apparently only a few days apart (although the timeline might have gotten fudged because magic). There's a love triangle, which I'm not generally a fan of, but it's passable here because both love interests are genuine and likable people, not just cardboard cut-outs or obviously evil. Again, there are a lot of dangling threads, but I'm curious to see if these actually end up being wound together somehow. I would have liked a little more fleshing-out of some of the background characters - Vera is the biggest example, but also Roland and maybe Ayat - but we might get that in the future. Ultimately, it's a little hard to judge the flaws of this novel without knowing what will come next. But I will definitely read the next book, and (hopefully) the third.
bookwormjourney's review
3.0
Going in to this book, I was really interested by the concept of the book. I like to discover new, original plot lines and this is definitely that. You follow Princess Caliana "Cali" Brahmvir across the boundary with the help of some magic (which is frowned on in her kingdom) to get plants needed to brew a cure for a plague that is overtaking her land. When she's whisked away, she gets caught in the dangers facing another kingdom and the antics of a devilishly handsome pirate prince.
My biggest critiques with the book included how slow it was to get started. There were a lot of unique names for people and kingdoms so it's a lot to take in when you first get started. I will say that it really did pick up when Cali went to Lunae Lumen, the other kingdom and especially when she met Bae, the pirate prince. I don't think this was a terrible book overall, but there were times where I felt disconnected from the plot. Like I wasn't sure where things were going. This is book one in a series, so there wasn't much of a resolution so I may continue reading on to see more of how the story progresses. Again, I was torn between 3 and 4 stars. 3 felt too little but 4 felt too much. Let's say 3.5. I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy.
My biggest critiques with the book included how slow it was to get started. There were a lot of unique names for people and kingdoms so it's a lot to take in when you first get started. I will say that it really did pick up when Cali went to Lunae Lumen, the other kingdom and especially when she met Bae, the pirate prince. I don't think this was a terrible book overall, but there were times where I felt disconnected from the plot. Like I wasn't sure where things were going. This is book one in a series, so there wasn't much of a resolution so I may continue reading on to see more of how the story progresses. Again, I was torn between 3 and 4 stars. 3 felt too little but 4 felt too much. Let's say 3.5. I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy.