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Monday, March 23, 2015

The Orphan Queen (The Orphan Queen #1) by Jodi Meadows Review


4/5 Stars
Details of the book:
Hardcover, 391 pages.
Published by Katherine Tegen Books, 
an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers
Publication Date: March 10, 2015

Synopsis: Wilhelmina has a hundred identities.
She is a princess. When the Indigo Kingdom conquered her homeland, Wilhelmina and other orphaned children of nobility were taken to Skyvale, the Indigo Kingdom’s capital. Ten years later, they are the Ospreys, experts at stealth and theft. With them, Wilhelmina means to take back her throne.
She is a spy. Wil and her best friend, Melanie, infiltrate Skyvale Palace to study their foes. They assume the identities of nobles from a wraith-fallen kingdom, but enemies fill the palace, and Melanie’s behavior grows suspicious. With Osprey missions becoming increasingly dangerous and their leader more unstable, Wil can’t trust anyone.

She is a threat. Wraith is the toxic by-product of magic, and for a century using magic has been forbidden. Still the wraith pours across the continent, reshaping the land and animals into fresh horrors. Soon it will reach the Indigo Kingdom. Wilhelmina’s magic might be the key to stopping the wraith, but if the vigilante Black Knife discovers Wil’s magic, she will vanish like all the others

Jodi Meadows introduces a vivid new fantasy full of intrigue, romance, dangerous magic, and one girl’s battle to reclaim her place in the world.

This book starts out slow but gradually reels you in. You're thrown into Wil's world with her Ospreys who have been disgraced and barely scarping by and it's Wil's life mission to return them to their kingdom with her seated on the vermillion throne. Problem is once she infiltrates the enemy, she realizes that everything she thought she knew isn't entirely correct. The Orphan Queen is magical, funny, dramatic with a little bit of romance.

Strengths/Likes:

1) Jodi Meadows puts a whole new spin on magic being banned in the YA world. Instead of just banning "flashers" because they are freaks, it is because it's dangerous for the rest of the world. Now that's an interesting twist.

2) I loved the world building and the whole history of the world that Meadows has created. It's very well-detailed to the point where I felt that I knew everything about the whole place.

3) Who doesn't love a Batman character? Although I wasn't shocked as to who he turned out to be, it didn't diminish my like for Black Knife.

4) There is some pretty great snarky dialogue. It's probably my favorite part of the book.

Weaknesses/Dislikes:

1) Wilhelmina is described as being stealthy, well-trained, and able to slip into any role but I found at times that she was acting as if she was just an ordinary girl. It seemed that at times she forgot what was at stake and made emotional mistakes.

2) There were times where I felt that Wil had this secret intuition but she wouldn't share it with the reader. She would think one thing and then act in the opposite manner. I just wish that I understood more of what was going on in Wil's head.  

Favorite Quotes/Moments:

1) "Leave her alone." Mine was a stranger's voice, all deadly calm in the spaces between peals of thunder.

"What are you doing to do?" The man didn't even look amused, just angry at the intrusion as he glanced from my face to the bow and back. "Another fiddler?"

"I've never tried the fiddle, but I think I'd be good at it." I smacked the bow across the man's neck. Wood stung skin with a loud clap. "That was a nice sound. Let me try again."

2) "It's probably the first honest work you've ever done."

"It's not completely honest. Where do you think I go this sword?"

"Will." He dropped back his head in exasperation, and a tiny sliver of his throat peeked between his shirt collar and mask. "Well, you'd better come back alive, and in your right mind, because when you do, I'll be waiting for you."

I lifted an eyebrow. "To arrest me?"

"No. To--" He hesitated. As soft as a breath, he closed his hand over my arm. "To welcome you home."

3) "You're hurt?"

I shook my head. "Not my blood."

"Thank saints." He bumped my arm with his and jerked his chin toward the wraith beast. "Remember the giant cat?"

"With horror." But I knew what he was going to suggest. "This one has no neck."

"Not long ago you claimed you knew which end of your sword to stick where."

Ugh. Using my own words against me wasn't fair. "Taking me out to robberies, bar fights, and wraith houses isn't enough for you anymore? I thought we were happy."

"Only the best for you, my lady."

3) "Well," He gave an exaggerated sigh and spun me. My gown flared, a desert of silk at my feet. "I bear a great burden. As Tobiah's bodyguard and best friend, I know all his worst faults."

Best friend? That made me doubly glad I concealed my real feelings. "You do know how to keep a lady in suspense."

He grinned. "Prepare to scandalized. The prince is a terrible swordsman. He sleeps through breakfast almost every day. And once I saw him chew with his mouth open."

"Just the once, though?"

"He was ten."

I nodded solemnly. "I see. These are unforgivable offenses and I'm deeply scandalized."

A smile lit his eyes. "At last, I'm not the only one to see his true nature."

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