Friday Reads: The Orphan Queen by Jodi Meadows!!!

As the second entry for this week's Friday Reads I got a recent review that I absolutely devoured as soon as I could, and that I am eagerly awaiting a signed copy (I read my Kindle copy) of the book! It sucks that I cannot attend book events not only not often but nearly never, but it's fantastic that there are bookstores where I can get signed (and personalized!) copies!

This one counts towards my 105 Challenge and my 2015 release category!

The Orphan Queen by Jodi Meadows

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


It's no secret that I love Jodi Meadows and her books since I read Incarnate, so I was super excited to get my hands on a copy of Orphan Queen! I had wanted to read it on release night but I was at work so after a few things here and there, I couldn't read it till the 11th, but I just devoured it!!

Wil is a wonderful character! She's a princess in hiding, she steals to survive and to take care of her band of orphans that are working to get back their kingdom and her crown. She's a thief, a fighter, a warrior and a forger but has issues with her leadership. She also has a secret that would probably condemn her to death in a world where magic is forbidden.

Wil, Mel, Patrick and the rest of the Ospreys are what's left of the noble families of Aecor and after 10 years of hidding, they're ready to start the fight to recover their kingdom and throne. Wil & Mel infiltrate the palace and then Wil starts discovering some information that she didn't have and start asking questions that she isn't sure she'll like the answers to.

The world building is fantastic! We learn about the different kingdoms and their history and the history of the use of magic and the creating of the Wraith. There's the official story and information and then there are many mysteries and half truths that need scratching at before we get a better look at the bigger picture.

The kingdom of Aecor and The Indigo Kingdom were allies back in the day, until the magic and its use got between them, we discover quite a lot about the past and what ties them together. Wil believes on her parents values when it comes to magic and holds a lot of anger and resentment towards the royal family and infiltrating the palace makes her confront those memories and feelings.

I loved seeing Wil on her night escapades and her evolving  relationship with Black Knife, the masked vigilante that roams the city at night, fighting crime and Wraith and capturing magic users. I simply adored Black Knife! He's an impressive fighter and he finds Wil quite interesting, so they both start clashing to end up working together trying to make the lower levels of the city a safer place. Their banter is fantastic and the chemistry is quite palpable between them!

I did have my suspicions on the non-vigilante identity of Black Knife and I was right but it was still fantastic to see Black Knife reveal himself to Wil and then later on for him to realize who Wil really is! The romance is quite subtle and not prominent but still was fantastic and I loved how it changed both Wil & Black Knife for the better!

With the political manouvers, the spying, the infiltrating, the forging, the dancing (both literal and metaphorical) and the dangerous adventures that a future queen embarks on to deserve her throne... This was an utterly fantastic book, with wonderful characters and engrossing plot! The ending is an absolute bloody killer and I am left clutching my heart and very much Impatiently awaiting the release of book two... NEXT YEAR!! GAAAH!!

Very much deserved 5 stars to this one!!



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