Hello there guys!!
This week I'm breaking radio silence to take part in the Blog Tour for Summer Queen by Amber Argyle, organized by the ladies of RockStar Tours!
I'm going to share my review for this books and there will also be a giveaway at the end of the post, but before that, let's learn a bit more about the book and the author!
Pub. Date: June 23, 2015
Publisher: Starling Publishing
Pages: 280
Formats: Paperback, eBook
Synopsis:
Nelay never wanted to be queen. Poised to become the most powerful priestess in Idara, Nelay doesn’t have time to become a pretty bauble for the king. She’s too busy saving her people from the invading army sweeping across her kingdom. But in defeat after defeat, Nelay begins to realize a bigger power is at play than that wielded by mere mortals. Only she can stand between the cinders of her once-great nation and the vengeance of a goddess.
Amber Argyle is the number-one bestselling author of the Witch Song Series and the Fairy Queen Series. Her books have been nominated for and won awards in addition to being translated into French and Indonesian.
Amber graduated cum laude from Utah State University with a degree in English and physical education, a husband, and a two-year old. Since then, she and her husband have added two more children, which they are actively trying to transform from crazy small people into less crazy larger people.
To learn more about Amber, visit her blog at http://amberargyle.blogspot.com.es/
You can find Amber on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, and Pinterest.
Review
Last year I read and loved Winter Queen so I was pretty excited to read Summer Queen and I'm very happy to report that it didn't disappoint!
Nelay is a girl from the desert that could see the fairies and because of a bargain she made is taken to the temple to be trained as a priestess. She becomes a powerful priestess, a strong woman and one that doesn't want to get her choices taken from her. I loved her determination, her strenght, her loyalty to her friends and her family and even with her flaws I simply adored her!
When you love the main character in a book, you are enthralled by the world building and fascinated by the plot, how it moves, and waves and makes small references to what happened in Winter Queen and expanding the world and making it even more complex and not easy to predict at all!
The world building was fantastic and the writing so vivid and visual! I kept feeling like I was in the desert, suffering the heat during the day, shivering in the night while watching the stars in the sky... Tasting the food, fighting the battled, plotting and planning. It weaved perfectly from the desert with its tribes and their culture, to the culture of the cities and their complacency, the court and its luxury and intrigues.
The secondary characters were very well fleshed out, even if some might have seemed two dimensional at first, we discover that there's much more to them than we thought, even if we continue to dislike them on occasion. There are allies, friends and enemies and some of them I instantly liked and others that were like a cactus, prickly outside but squishy inside! (Best metaphor ever!).
I loved this book from start to finish and it felt like it was over too soon! The pacing was fantastic and so many things kept happening and I just didn't want it to end! I cannot wait for the next book! Very well deserved 4.5 stars!
Giveaway
3 winners will receive the eBook bundle of The Faerie Queen Series. International
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Tour Schedule
Week 1
6/15/2015- Curling
Up With A Good Book- Review
6/16/2015- The Mad Reviewer- Review
6/17/2015- Arkham Reviews- Review
6/18/2015- In Love
With Handmade- Review
6/19/2015- In Libris Veritas- ReviewWeek 2
6/22/2015- Mythical Books- Review
6/23/2015- Books Are Magic- Review
6/24/2015- The Bibliophile
Chronicles- Review
6/25/2015- My Bookish Empire- Review
6/26/2015- bookaholics
anonymous- Review
Such a majestic cover!
ReplyDeleteIt really is gorgeous!!
DeleteNelay sounds like a really empowering character who really grew in her strength! Sounds like a really well done world as well. Lovely review Pili!
ReplyDeleteYep, Nelay is a strong character that was a joy to read about! Thank you Jeann!
Delete"There are allies, friends and enemies and some of them I instantly liked and others that were like a cactus, prickly outside but squishy inside! (Best metaphor ever!)."
ReplyDeleteThat IS the best metaphor every Pili! LOVE IT! I do love a good cactus character, give me a squishy inside and a prickly exterior any day of the week and I'll be happy:) I'm thinking I need to read this series my friend!
Yep, Amber came up with the best metaphor ever!! It might be my fave quote of the whole book! ;)
DeleteAnd yep, this is a wonderful fantasy series, with two books and one novella so far, and more to come!
I'm going to have to add this to my reading list, but first I should probably read the Winter Queen. :-)
ReplyDeleteYES!! You must read both if you love fantasy books with amazing female characters!!
DeleteDidn't you just love Scand? He was one of my favorites to write--Jezzel too. Loved your review! Mwah!
ReplyDeleteI loved Scand and Jezzel and Maran and all the cousins!! I simply adored the book, Amber!! Cannot wait for the next!!
DeleteGorgeous post and review Pili :D I'm so glad you loved this book so much! <3 I do think that cover is pretty awesome. But not sure if this is a book for me.. sigh. But I'm curious :) And you do make it sound aamazing. <3 So glad you weren't disappointed by it. Thank you for sharing sweet girl :)
ReplyDeleteIt is pretty fantastic! And I think you ought to give it a try!
DeleteThe covers of the books in this series are so pretty! I liked the previous one too :D Good to see that the characterization was well-written and this one did not disappoint! If there are more in the series, I hope you enjoy them, Pili :) Fantastic review!
ReplyDelete(Cross your fingers that this one sticks this time!)
Alyssa @ The Eater of Books!
It did! YAY!!
DeleteBtw, I'm quite tempted to make this series a Pili-Pushed one, because fantasy + awesome female characters!!