Hiya, Ruminative Fam! William Shakespeare once said, “Expectation is the root of all heartache”. The book I’m going to talk about today is the perfect example of that. If you recall my last post (here’s the link), you’ll remember an amazing, action-packed young-adult fantasy novel! As the first book in the series was incredible, my expectations for book #2 were sky-high. Curious to know how it turned out? Read more to know more👇🏼
Once there were ten.
Ten goddess-touched girls were born. Each was blessed―or cursed―with a unique power that set them apart. As part of an ancient ritual called the Culling, they were supposed to fight to the death in the arena until only one survived. That girl would marry the prince and ascend to the throne. Now only four girls remain.
Power in her blood.
Monroe Benson is one of the lucky ones. With fire at her fingertips, she survived the arena and the intrigues of the palace. Now she’s turned her back on her destiny, choosing to throw in her lot with the rebellion seeking to overturn the Erydian rulers. Monroe has never wanted the throne. She knows that her future lies elsewhere, but first she’ll have to convince the rebels to believe her.
A traitorous heart.
Monroe thought Cohen was one of the few good things about the Culling. She believed that he would have made a good ruler, but that doesn’t mean that she wanted to sit beside him on the throne. And now, she finds herself drawn to a rebel leader. A man with secrets of his own. In the end, Monroe will have to trust in more than her power or even her heart if she’s to forge her own path and find her freedom.
Of Princes and Poisons follows Monroe Benson as she escapes the Culling aka Death. Now living in a rebel camp, she struggles to build a normal life and convince others that she’s not a threat. However, as her past catches up to her, Monroe faces a critical choice: save herself or protect the people she loves.
Okay! To start with, the first half was eventful. Monroe’s struggle to live a regular life while dealing with the events related to her “fire ability” was captivating. There was this one scene where she used her abilities to the extreme, and I loved it!
“But as I stepped forward into the ash and wind and blistering heat of my own making, I knew that there was only one level of hell—and in that moment, I was queen of it.”
The representation of past trauma and the healing process, as the girls realized that they now have a choice beyond life-and-death situations, was beautifully done. It made their characters feel real and relatable..
At first, Cohen’s actions were very strange compared to how he was in the first book. But soon it became clear that it was mostly to divert attention from him as the main lead. Yet, I found the justification for making Cohen the bad guy was forced and unconvincing. Cohen DID. NOT. DESERVE. Whatever happened around him😔
The introduction of Callahan and the sudden shift in the love interest from Cohen was very abrupt, and the chemistry between the main characters felt off. While there was some attraction towards each other, the emotional connection was just not there, leaving me wanting more depth in their relationship.
Plus, there was an overload of INFO DUMP and plot-building conversations. As the second half started, the pacing was so slow and I found myself delaying my reading and skimming through many parts. While there was plenty of scheming and planning, there was just too little action and implementation.
“I knew I was little more than a twisted pile of regret and poor choices.”
Around 80%, my interest in the characters and the storyline diminished.. however, that’s when the plot took a sharp turn, becoming more eventful. The final part of the story was packed with unexpected twists, heartbreak, and sadness.
Overall, I’m quite let down by this. It had the potential to be far better if certain events had unfolded differently. However, amidst its adventurous plot and a poignant portrayal of trauma, there were so many exciting events showing Monroe’s abilities in action.
It’s common for the second book to act as a bridge between the first and third. So, I’ll wait for book three to understand Callahan’s actions better, and hopefully, Cohen gets a more compelling storyline than he’s had so far!
Thanks to NetGalley, Wattpad Books, and author Brianna Joy Crump for the e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
P.S. Scroll down for some additional thoughts (SPOILERS‼️)
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SPOILERS START‼️
The plot seemed like karma coming full circle for Monroe! In the first book, she betrays those around her, resulting in Cohen losing a lot. However, in this one, she experiences the same betrayal from someone she loved, losing people dear to her.. it’s really “karma returns back”.
• Furthermore, when Callahan convinced Monroe that “If Cohen wanted to do something about the Culling, he could have” it was the same thing that Callahan himself did to Monroe. If HE wanted to, he could have been honest with her instead of deceiving and betraying her trust.
• I feel so bad for COHEN because he’s repeatedly losing his family members, despite none of it being his fault. Sure, The Culling was undoubtedly strange and unjust, but it wasn’t him who made this tradition. It’s heartbreaking to see Monroe’s response when she says, “He didn’t do anything to stop the Culling”, when he sacrificed his whole family, his identity to save her..
• And Uri… 😔 She deserved so much more. Out of all the characters in the second book, she was the only one I genuinely liked and felt deserved a happy ending.
• Throughout the book, we were told Larkin was the evil and dangerous villain, who needs to be defeated.. only for that event? that abrupt ending?
SPOILERS END‼️
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Thank you for reading, Ruminative Fam!
Let’s Chat: “Have you ever been disappointed by a sequel to a book or movie you loved?”
© Ruminative Philomath (2024) by Deeksha Bhardwaj. All rights reserved.
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