Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Winter Queen (Fairy Queens #1) by Amber Argyle

First in a series: Fairy Queens
254p.
Publisher: Starling Publishing
Available Now
Source: ebook from author for review
~Becoming a winter queen will make Ilyenna as cold and cruel and deadly as winter itself, but it might be the only way to save her people from a war they have no hope of winning.~ 
Mortally wounded during a raid, seventeen-year-old Ilyenna is healed by winter fairies who present her with a seductive offer: become one of them and share their power over winter. But that power comes with a price. If she accepts, she will become a force of nature, lose her humanity, and abandon her family. 
Unwilling to pay such a high price, Ilyenna is enslaved by one of the invaders, Darrien. While in captivity, she learns the attack wasn’t just a simple raid but part of a larger plot to overthrow her entire nation.

With the enemy stealing over the mountains and Darrien coming to take her to his bed, Ilyenna must decide whether to resurrect the power the fairies left behind. Doing so will allow her to defeat Darrien and the other invaders, but if she embraces winter, she will lose herself to that destroying power—forever.
This reads more like a fantasy in the way the world is built. Not the kind of fantasy where too much information is thrown at you, but in the way the world is lushly built. You follow Ilyenna who has just become the female aspect leader of her clan. Her job is to rule over the home and hearth and lead her people if the men have to go off to war. There is a political and war-like move within the clans and Ilyenna finds herself dying. She is saved by the fae, but there is a price to pay. The question becomes is if she will pay it by the time winter rules the earth again?

This fantasy was very gripping in terms of the adventure of Ilyeanna doing her best protecting her clan. She is kind and loving and is willing to sacrifice herself for others. I did like her character and found that many of the other women characters were quite strong as she was, but I didn't care for the lamentations that they were "only" women. It was understandable because of their society, but I would have loved it more if they just concentrated and celebrated their strengths as women a bit more. Their actions proved that they were strong.

My only other complaint for this fantasy was the ending... and yet I enjoyed it at the same time. The ending was a bit contrived and a bit too easy. Still, I enjoyed it because it gave me an HEA and a solid ending. No cliffies here! I think this is a good introduction to this world and I'm curious where the story goes next. I give this book 4 stars and recommend it to those that love an older YA (there is mention of rape and sex, but nothing graphic) fantasy.

19 comments:

  1. Ooh, sounds good even if every time I hear mention of a Winter Queen I automatically think of the witch in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

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    1. This has a very different take on it. I think you'd like it.

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  2. If the ending has an HEA, I know I'll like it for that reason alone, even if it is a little too easy. I'll take easy over a cliffhanger any day! I haven't heard of this series before, but I'm glad it's not the overwhelming kind of fantasy, I always struggle with those. This sounds up my alley though!

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    1. Yes, I have to have my HEA. :)

      No epic fantasy and I do think you'd enjoy it. It has lots of PNR in it.

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  3. I'm often conflicted with contrived happy endings. They're kind of lame but if I don't get my HEA I'm mad so I'll take it! lol

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  4. hmmm I don't know, for now I'm really difficult with fantasy. But it's a wonderful cover.

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    1. It's not the epic kind of fantasy people associate with the word. It's more like the PNR/UF kind. Those are types of fantasy worlds. You'll probably get what I mean if you read it. I think you'd enjoy this one.

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  5. This cover is way cool! I love a book with fantasy and fairies. And I need my HEA or something that can give me satisfaction.

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    1. Oh I do think you'd enjoy this one... especially the romance part! :)

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  6. It's so funny, I always think I want a HEA but half the time when I get one, I'm mad because it seemed to easy. :-) Glad you still had fun with this one and that there is no cliffie! Goodness I have been reading a lot of those lately. I need a guaranteed normal calm ending, and this sounds like the kind of book I'd easily enjoy. Lovely review!

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  7. I like HEAs, but I am not a fan of endings that comes too easy

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  8. Just because you're "only" a woman doesn't mean you can't kick that "only" to the side and kick ass at the same time!! Sounds intriguing. I do love a good HEA, even if it's a bit contrived.

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  9. I love that it gave you an HEA but yea I would have been a little perturbed too :)

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  10. Great review and we all need out HEA, and wow no cliffhanger. Fantasy is something I read once or twice a year, unless it is blended into another genre, will keep this one in mind.

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  11. Okay, I'm in love with the cover. And then you had me at fantasy. ;D LOL! Thank you!

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  12. Hmm I do like this blurb and cover. Adding it to the never ending wishlist. Thanks for the nice review :)

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  13. What a gorgeous cover! We may be living in a digital world, but a great cover gets my interest every time. Will it make me read the book? Not necessarily, but it WILL make me pick it up and give it a leaf-through.

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  14. I think I would rather have a contrived HEA than a cliffie but it is funny how we bitch about a too perfect HEA as well, guess we are hard to please!

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