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larissajay's review against another edition
1.0
I gave Twilight 2*s. That's my feelings on this book.
In Twilight, Bella has 0 superpowers and 0 personality. Somehow our main character (I've actually forgotten her name already. I only know her second name, Weathervane, because it was the most interesting part of the book) has 0 personality but an apparently 100% superpower but was less likeable than even Bella.
Not that likability is the point of storytelling- but you're supposed to like this girl. I think you're supposed to pity her because people think she's oh so low. But I ended up not having sympathy because any difficulty she had was quickly plot explained away (can't read? Here, have a magic ability character that can give gifts like reading away! Wow!) and any growth shoved under a long stream of text.
Also the Patron/Companion idea was confusing. They're wives/consorts/mistresses/concubines but not. Most require magic powers. But not always. But instead of their powers they learn how to dance and speak and manage their patron's affairs like a housekeeper. They're bought and kept. They're HAPPY about this.
Why would a woman with super cool magic abilities (other than our main character whose ability was dull as) want to shackle herself for life to someone she didn't love/need?!? Why do none of them think this is f****d up? And there was a strange competition going on (sending them all into a maze taken straight out of Harry Potter and TGOF) which pitted them against one another when they all had different vying patrons so were not competing?
All in all I forced myself to finish it in case there was an excellent plot twist like the White Walkers coming down from the north and destroying everyone in their wake... but, spoiler alert, none did.
In Twilight, Bella has 0 superpowers and 0 personality. Somehow our main character (I've actually forgotten her name already. I only know her second name, Weathervane, because it was the most interesting part of the book) has 0 personality but an apparently 100% superpower but was less likeable than even Bella.
Not that likability is the point of storytelling- but you're supposed to like this girl. I think you're supposed to pity her because people think she's oh so low. But I ended up not having sympathy because any difficulty she had was quickly plot explained away (can't read? Here, have a magic ability character that can give gifts like reading away! Wow!) and any growth shoved under a long stream of text.
Also the Patron/Companion idea was confusing. They're wives/consorts/mistresses/concubines but not. Most require magic powers. But not always. But instead of their powers they learn how to dance and speak and manage their patron's affairs like a housekeeper. They're bought and kept. They're HAPPY about this.
Why would a woman with super cool magic abilities (other than our main character whose ability was dull as) want to shackle herself for life to someone she didn't love/need?!? Why do none of them think this is f****d up? And there was a strange competition going on (sending them all into a maze taken straight out of Harry Potter and TGOF) which pitted them against one another when they all had different vying patrons so were not competing?
All in all I forced myself to finish it in case there was an excellent plot twist like the White Walkers coming down from the north and destroying everyone in their wake... but, spoiler alert, none did.
butterfly2507's review against another edition
4.0
Ich fand die ganze Idee dahinter so gut. Ist ein bisschen wie The Selection nur mit viel Magie! Bin gespannt wie die Story weiter geht und hoffe dass Ciardis und Sebastian bleiben noch ein bisschen zusammen und überstehen weiter Gefahren! ;)
gcullooo's review against another edition
1.0
What is it about YA novels that requires they go into excruciating detail about every mundane action their character takes? She asked how to get to the courtyard. She was told needlessly specific directions for getting two the courtyard. "Take two lefts and a right and go down the stairs" said character whose soul reason for existing was to say this useless line. She followed the directions and arrived at the courtyard. Holy shit, trim the fat! Paint me a picture, don't write me a diagram.
Anyway, I couldn't get past the first fourth of this book, it was just too excruciatingly boring. Bad Reads.
Anyway, I couldn't get past the first fourth of this book, it was just too excruciatingly boring. Bad Reads.
reasonpassion's review against another edition
3.0
This is...fun. Mostly. The magic is quite interesting, but at times contrived to move the plot along, but the characters are fun so it's forgiven. The female lead is at once strong and still interesting (not always the case in some writing) with characters around her that serve largely to offer up opportunities to show various aspects of her personality. Definitely not a bad way to spend a few hours in entertainment.
booklvrkat's review against another edition
3.0
I actually listened to this story, and my biggest turn off was the reader of the story. It's got some great story behind it though, so I finished.
lavendermarch's review against another edition
5.0
Reread December 10th, 2019
I think this is my third or fourth time reading this book, but it's been roughly three years since I last read any of the books in the series. At this time, it's pretty much completed, so I figured I might as well start from the beginning and see if I can finish all 12 books.
This was a decent start - I've read the first nine books in the series, so there's a lot more coming, but it was fun to see the series begin again. I grew to like both Ciardis and Sebastian more throughout the book, as at first I was a bit taken aback by how young and untested they were. Obviously, they grow a lot during the series, and even just in book one, which is nice. I liked the land wight. Serena isn't my favorite character. Sad about Damias. I look forward to rereading book two in the series. This was a fairly short read, at 240 pages, and is a nice teaser on various threads that continue in the series, such as romance, imperial court intrigue, and magic. 4 stars.
I think this is my third or fourth time reading this book, but it's been roughly three years since I last read any of the books in the series. At this time, it's pretty much completed, so I figured I might as well start from the beginning and see if I can finish all 12 books.
This was a decent start - I've read the first nine books in the series, so there's a lot more coming, but it was fun to see the series begin again. I grew to like both Ciardis and Sebastian more throughout the book, as at first I was a bit taken aback by how young and untested they were. Obviously, they grow a lot during the series, and even just in book one, which is nice. I liked the land wight. Serena isn't my favorite character. Sad about Damias. I look forward to rereading book two in the series. This was a fairly short read, at 240 pages, and is a nice teaser on various threads that continue in the series, such as romance, imperial court intrigue, and magic. 4 stars.
emilyanne3000's review against another edition
3.0
Very unique world
Mostly interesting characters
A plot to enjoy
Setting was the best
Imagination spills out
Villages and towns
Killer libraries
Castles, kitchens, carriages
vivid around me
People weren't formed well
Ciardis especially
Could have been stronger
I did like some though
A select few had fire!
But only a few
Interesting read
Not very recommended
Was not bad, nor great
Well, this was a hard review to write! I didn't feel strongly one way or the other with this book. The ideas and setting were good, but I did not like Ciardis. I know some will though, and I am sure others will find it enjoyable.
The book tells us Ciardis is strong, and sometimes she is. (I do like it when she is feisty!) But not all the time. She cries at a little bullying, nearly in front of the bully! Not a good idea, she should have known that. Other times she is unreasonable. And her dialogue felt incredibly forced. Her personality kind of bounces, with no depth.
As I said in my attempt of a poem, the world and magic was great. The ending was epic too! I loved the setting! Just not my type of characters. And for me, characters are the key to what books I like and don't. Anyone agree with me?
3/5 bookcases
I liked it, kinda. But I won't read it again. I am glad I read it though! For fantasy lovers, I would say give this a try! If you are already reluctant to read the genre, though, I wouldn't,
*I received this book in exchange for an honest review*
Check out my blog! Counting in Bookcases
felinity's review against another edition
3.0
Up until about halfway through I was ready to give this 4 stars, and then any originality seemed to collapse.
The basic story: girl swept from drudgery to a possibly brighter future as a Companion (bad choice of terms for anyone who's seen Firefly) isn't particularly unique. What made it worth reading were the characters and the casual references to other races (pegasi, for instance) in this world which kept jolting me out of a little "BTDT daze" and refocusing on the story.
So, all in all, it's really 2.5-3 stars, but I'm feeling generous. Maybe the second book will improve. It's no Michelle Sagara though.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy from Netgalley, and am giving an honest review.
The basic story: girl swept from drudgery to a possibly brighter future as a Companion (bad choice of terms for anyone who's seen Firefly) isn't particularly unique. What made it worth reading were the characters and the casual references to other races (pegasi, for instance) in this world which kept jolting me out of a little "BTDT daze" and refocusing on the story.
Spoiler
Unfortunately Ciardis' training was mostly skipped over, though that had the potential to be a very interesting insight into their culture, the attitudes of the other potential Companions were on average lukewarm, and any depth in the story just dissolved after she met Sebastian. There were also a few weird things: trying to make a spark for fire by striking flint on a cave wall, for instance, rather than striking it on her metal knife, kicking someone in the chest "in a fit of anger" (totally out of character) and then suddenly figuring things out. The maze, for example, seemed trivially easy to her, and one girl just gave up despite not being in "imminent danger" despite everything she'd lose.So, all in all, it's really 2.5-3 stars, but I'm feeling generous. Maybe the second book will improve. It's no Michelle Sagara though.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy from Netgalley, and am giving an honest review.
iffer's review against another edition
2.0
Eh. That's the short summed up version of how I felt about this book. It wasn't terrible, but it was bland, and potentially even forgettable.
The longer version is that I was surprised at the fact that the writing of this book was solid; I was apprehensive about the quality of it since I got it from storybundle.com as a free book. Sworn to Raise isn't bad necessarily, but it doesn't have any heart or soul. It just felt like a bland, somewhat clever fusing of other fantasy settings and characters.
Ciardis's character development never really solidifies. She starts off like a stock fantasy character, orphaned and heir to great magical power (snooze, and kind of a cop-out since this background provides a blank canvas for the author). The only characteristic that seems wholly hers is that she's sarcastic. Otherwise, it doesn't seem like the author really knows who she wants Ciardis to be, a girl who want to be adventurous, or one who wants to borrow pamphlets on face powder. I got the impression that Terah Edun wanted her main character to be chafing to do soemthing "more" in the world because she's clever and wants to affirm her worth in a world that has always turned its nose down on her. However, this was never well-communicated; I only got this impression because I know what an appealing protagonist is supposed to be like!
The magic in the setting seems like it could be fun and interesting, but I don't get the impression that Edun ever sat down to sort out in her mind how her setting's magic system would work. I wouldn't mind so much if it weren't a novel magic system, but the ad-hoc nature and the blandness of it bothered me. It was like what you would get if you asked a preteen girl what magic she wished were in the world with no consistency or rules to make it believable.
P.S. This was another case of a cover with a white girl on it when the novel text actually describes her as dark skinned. ::Annoying::
P.P.S. The book seemed artificially short, more like it was a novella, or we're supposed to get priced gouged on having to buy more books in the series.
The longer version is that I was surprised at the fact that the writing of this book was solid; I was apprehensive about the quality of it since I got it from storybundle.com as a free book. Sworn to Raise isn't bad necessarily, but it doesn't have any heart or soul. It just felt like a bland, somewhat clever fusing of other fantasy settings and characters.
Ciardis's character development never really solidifies. She starts off like a stock fantasy character, orphaned and heir to great magical power (snooze, and kind of a cop-out since this background provides a blank canvas for the author). The only characteristic that seems wholly hers is that she's sarcastic. Otherwise, it doesn't seem like the author really knows who she wants Ciardis to be, a girl who want to be adventurous, or one who wants to borrow pamphlets on face powder. I got the impression that Terah Edun wanted her main character to be chafing to do soemthing "more" in the world because she's clever and wants to affirm her worth in a world that has always turned its nose down on her. However, this was never well-communicated; I only got this impression because I know what an appealing protagonist is supposed to be like!
The magic in the setting seems like it could be fun and interesting, but I don't get the impression that Edun ever sat down to sort out in her mind how her setting's magic system would work. I wouldn't mind so much if it weren't a novel magic system, but the ad-hoc nature and the blandness of it bothered me. It was like what you would get if you asked a preteen girl what magic she wished were in the world with no consistency or rules to make it believable.
P.S. This was another case of a cover with a white girl on it when the novel text actually describes her as dark skinned. ::Annoying::
P.P.S. The book seemed artificially short, more like it was a novella, or we're supposed to get priced gouged on having to buy more books in the series.
princessleia4life's review against another edition
5.0
A sort of [b:Memoirs of a Geisha|930|Memoirs of a Geisha|Arthur Golden|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388367666s/930.jpg|1558965] meets fantasy. I loved it!