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A review by thebiglittlelibrary
The Traitor Queen by Danielle L. Jensen
5.0
5 ⭐ Enjoyed it even more than the first book!
"There is only one Queen of Ithicana. Just as there is only one King. And if any of our enemies dare come for our kingdom, we will bring them to their knees."
You know those books that keep you up late at night because it has you so emotionally invested? Yeah, well, this is that book. I devoured The Traitor Queen in one evening, and even as I'm writing this the next morning, I can't stop thinking about it!
I LOVED EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS BOOK, except for one thing (which I'll get to later). But right now, let me give you reasons to read The Traitor Queen.
Here's what I liked:
From the beginning to the end, there is non-stop action. Not the kind where there are so many details it bores you to tears. No, it was quick-paced, heart-pounding, and sometimes stressful. I gaped at the page more than once because of the action unfolding. We finally get to see Lara use her deadly training from the compound and realize just how badass she really is!
Lara and Aren's character development and struggles.By changing pov's, we can see how anguished both are at their past choices and how they try to live with themselves and the outcome. I really felt for these two as they sunk deep into desperation, hopelessness, regret, and self-loathing, and wanted nothing more than for them to forgive either themselves or each other.
Lara and Aren's romantic storyline. Lara completely betrayed Aren's trust yet in The Bridge Kingdom, yet no matter the past, Aren can't help but love her - this woman who destroyed his kingdom. Lara spends the entirety of the book trying to make up for her mistake, knowing that even if Aren could forgive her treachery, Ithicana would never accept a traitorous queen back on the throne. It broke my heart to see Lara fighting for a future she can never have.
Just FYI, the romance was slow-burn due to the previous betrayal, and there aren't many romantic scenes (only one true sex scene). The focus is more on Lara and Aren rebuilding their relationship and their emotional struggles, which I found to be more realistic and endearing. Even with everything that happened, they can't help but protect each other
Meeting Lara's sisters! This group of badass women was a great addition to the storyline and added more background and understanding to Lara's character.
The world development. While in The Bridge Kingdom, we only saw Ithicana and Vencia, in this book we are taken on a journey through most of Maridrina (including the Red Desert and Kresteck Mountains) and Valcotta. I loved the different landscapes and learning more about this fictional world.
The last 100 pages. Seriously, I can't remember the last time I felt so anxious while reading a book. So much happens - some of it will make you smile, some of it will break your heart. It's these last few pages that got me extremely emotional and wishing I could live this book. So damn good!
Here's what I didn't like :
The ending wrecked me (in the best way possible), but I needed more! The characters go through such an ordeal, and then it just sort of ends. No epilogue either. It felt rushed when what I wanted and needed was a few more chapters about the aftermath. I thought this would maybe come in the third book, but I've learned it follows the path of two secondary characters from The Traitor Queen. However, I'm hopeful Danielle L. Jensen will figure something out and won't leave us readers emotionally hanging.
Overall, this series has easily become one of my favorites! Danielle L Jensen created such a wonderful world with loveable characters, and storylines.
"There is only one Queen of Ithicana. Just as there is only one King. And if any of our enemies dare come for our kingdom, we will bring them to their knees."
You know those books that keep you up late at night because it has you so emotionally invested? Yeah, well, this is that book. I devoured The Traitor Queen in one evening, and even as I'm writing this the next morning, I can't stop thinking about it!
I LOVED EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS BOOK, except for one thing (which I'll get to later). But right now, let me give you reasons to read The Traitor Queen.
Here's what I liked:
From the beginning to the end, there is non-stop action. Not the kind where there are so many details it bores you to tears. No, it was quick-paced, heart-pounding, and sometimes stressful. I gaped at the page more than once because of the action unfolding. We finally get to see Lara use her deadly training from the compound and realize just how badass she really is!
Lara and Aren's character development and struggles.By changing pov's, we can see how anguished both are at their past choices and how they try to live with themselves and the outcome. I really felt for these two as they sunk deep into desperation, hopelessness, regret, and self-loathing, and wanted nothing more than for them to forgive either themselves or each other.
Lara and Aren's romantic storyline. Lara completely betrayed Aren's trust yet in The Bridge Kingdom, yet no matter the past, Aren can't help but love her - this woman who destroyed his kingdom. Lara spends the entirety of the book trying to make up for her mistake, knowing that even if Aren could forgive her treachery, Ithicana would never accept a traitorous queen back on the throne. It broke my heart to see Lara fighting for a future she can never have.
Just FYI, the romance was slow-burn due to the previous betrayal, and there aren't many romantic scenes (only one true sex scene). The focus is more on Lara and Aren rebuilding their relationship and their emotional struggles, which I found to be more realistic and endearing. Even with everything that happened, they can't help but protect each other
Meeting Lara's sisters! This group of badass women was a great addition to the storyline and added more background and understanding to Lara's character.
The world development. While in The Bridge Kingdom, we only saw Ithicana and Vencia, in this book we are taken on a journey through most of Maridrina (including the Red Desert and Kresteck Mountains) and Valcotta. I loved the different landscapes and learning more about this fictional world.
The last 100 pages. Seriously, I can't remember the last time I felt so anxious while reading a book. So much happens - some of it will make you smile, some of it will break your heart. It's these last few pages that got me extremely emotional and wishing I could live this book. So damn good!
Here's what I didn't like :
The ending wrecked me (in the best way possible), but I needed more! The characters go through such an ordeal, and then it just sort of ends. No epilogue either. It felt rushed when what I wanted and needed was a few more chapters about the aftermath. I thought this would maybe come in the third book, but I've learned it follows the path of two secondary characters from The Traitor Queen. However, I'm hopeful Danielle L. Jensen will figure something out and won't leave us readers emotionally hanging.
Overall, this series has easily become one of my favorites! Danielle L Jensen created such a wonderful world with loveable characters, and storylines.