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Elven Princess #1
Bound by Birthright
Elven princess Arabella is set to marry the human Prince Phillip but her countrymen do not hesitate to express their anger with her parents' attempt to improve relations with the humans. With death threats plaguing her, Arabella is forced into hiding.
When her sanctuary is usurped by pirates, Arabella goes on the run with humans who vow to help and keep her safe. She finds herself drawn to one of the humans, the dashing Robert, who steals her heart.
Arabella would like nothing more than time to get to know Robert better, but with pirates attacking and her wedding date approaching, time is one thing she doesn't have. Arabella's on a flight for her life and must reconcile with the truth—she can never be with the one she wants.
If only her heart would agree.
When her sanctuary is usurped by pirates, Arabella goes on the run with humans who vow to help and keep her safe. She finds herself drawn to one of the humans, the dashing Robert, who steals her heart.
Arabella would like nothing more than time to get to know Robert better, but with pirates attacking and her wedding date approaching, time is one thing she doesn't have. Arabella's on a flight for her life and must reconcile with the truth—she can never be with the one she wants.
If only her heart would agree.
First published June 6, 2016
About the author
Janeal Falor
36 books817 followersJaneal Falor has published over twenty books including the Mine series, Death's Queen, and Sands of Eppla. She lives in Utah with her husband and three children. In her non-writing time she teaches her kids to make silly faces, cooks whatever strikes her fancy, and attempts to cultivate a garden even when half the things she plants die. When it's time for a break she can be found taking a scenic drive with her family or drinking hot chocolate.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
June 21, 2016
Arabella is the Elven princess and in a time when her people are trying to gain the trust of the humans her parents have agreed to a wedding between Arabella and the human Prince Phillip. This agreement however brings death threats upon Arabella from those that oppose an alliance with the humans.
Fearing for their daughters life Arabella's parents send her off to go into hiding with a group of servants. When pirates show up looking for Arabella she used magic to change her appearance to get away from them. Fearing for their safety Arabella and her group seek the help of a group of humans when the soldiers that were promised to meet them never show up.
Bound by Birthright was a rather fast paced fantasy featuring an Elven princess who needs to go on the run. All set to do her duty for her parents and her people she was planning on marrying a human in an arranged marriage but has hesitations of finding her own love in her life.
Plenty of action in the story as Arabella flees to what she only thinks is safety and then find the pirates after her and needs to flee again. Then a bit of romance in the mix when Arabella finds herself drawn to a human that is part of the group helping to get her to safety.
A lot packed into this shorter read, a bit of a cliffhanger ending with a twist at the end so would definitely be interested in seeing where things go in the next book.
I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
Fearing for their daughters life Arabella's parents send her off to go into hiding with a group of servants. When pirates show up looking for Arabella she used magic to change her appearance to get away from them. Fearing for their safety Arabella and her group seek the help of a group of humans when the soldiers that were promised to meet them never show up.
Bound by Birthright was a rather fast paced fantasy featuring an Elven princess who needs to go on the run. All set to do her duty for her parents and her people she was planning on marrying a human in an arranged marriage but has hesitations of finding her own love in her life.
Plenty of action in the story as Arabella flees to what she only thinks is safety and then find the pirates after her and needs to flee again. Then a bit of romance in the mix when Arabella finds herself drawn to a human that is part of the group helping to get her to safety.
A lot packed into this shorter read, a bit of a cliffhanger ending with a twist at the end so would definitely be interested in seeing where things go in the next book.
I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
August 15, 2016
Thanks to Netgalley and Patchwork Press for giving me this book to review.
Bound by Birthright is a very likeable light fantasy novel. It is very fast paced with action, romance and adventure. However, the insta-love was irritating and for the most part I found the story predictable.
Arabella is naïve, friendly and impulsive and for the most part I liked her but she did act a bit too proper and self-centred and I wished she would realise what it is like for her staff. Robert is protective and hardworking while also being loyal and open minded. There are lots of other characters in this book such as the mothering but stern Constance, the elf hating Abner and Arabella’s maids Jocelyn and Emeline, but I hope they are more fleshed out subsequent books.
I did not expect that ending and it is going to make things interesting in the next book Bound to Endure. I would recommend Bound by Birthright to fans of Cutlass by Ashley Nixon and Of Sea and Stone by Kate Avery Ellison.
This and my other reviews can be found at Amethyst Bookwyrm
Bound by Birthright is a very likeable light fantasy novel. It is very fast paced with action, romance and adventure. However, the insta-love was irritating and for the most part I found the story predictable.
Arabella is naïve, friendly and impulsive and for the most part I liked her but she did act a bit too proper and self-centred and I wished she would realise what it is like for her staff. Robert is protective and hardworking while also being loyal and open minded. There are lots of other characters in this book such as the mothering but stern Constance, the elf hating Abner and Arabella’s maids Jocelyn and Emeline, but I hope they are more fleshed out subsequent books.
I did not expect that ending and it is going to make things interesting in the next book Bound to Endure. I would recommend Bound by Birthright to fans of Cutlass by Ashley Nixon and Of Sea and Stone by Kate Avery Ellison.
This and my other reviews can be found at Amethyst Bookwyrm
July 5, 2017
I got this from Netgalley for an honest review. The stunning cover pulled me in, the description peaked my interest and the authors previous Mine series made this a definite read for me. From the first chapter with that assassination attempt I just knew I was going to enjoy it. This book isnt talked about enough. Its such a great story I dont know why its underhyped.
I picked it up telling myself Im only going to read a couple pages. Next thing I know its a few chapters later and I have no inclanation to put it down. It was so unique but still had all the things I enjoy in a fantasy. I cant wait to continue with this series. I wish I could review all the books. Im happy that I wont have to wait a year for each book.
The writing makes its an easy read and the story is so enchanting that the story just flew by. The best part about reading a book is when you get pulled in so deep you lose all sense of time, and this book did that for me. I thought I could predict certain things but I kept being surprised. It broke my heart in the best possible way.
The characters different personalities were interesting. Robert and the Princess had wonderful chemistry, even though it was a little bit insta lovey I still really enjoyed it. Her servants were also a great addition to the story. Its the first book in a trilogy so I look forward to reading more about the characters developpement.
The story was intriguing and captivating. I love book set out at sea with pirates and chases trying to avoid capture. It reminded me a lot of other books that I absoluetly loved, like Truthwitch and A Court of Thorns and Roses (with the genders reversed). The magic system was really well thought out with different consequences.
The world building was fantastic. There wasnt too much details and descriptions but I could still picture myself there with them. I also really enjoy books with only one persons point of view because I feel like I am that person while reading instead of just watching that person.
I would definitely recommend this. Just be aware that some people feel like the book is too fast pace and doesnt have enough character developpement. However I loved how fast paced it was and I did get more character developpement over the course of the following books. I was more lenient of the character developpement because the books are only 200 and something pages.
Edit: The author was nice enough to send me the sequel Bound to Endure so Ill be having a review up for that soon.
I picked it up telling myself Im only going to read a couple pages. Next thing I know its a few chapters later and I have no inclanation to put it down. It was so unique but still had all the things I enjoy in a fantasy. I cant wait to continue with this series. I wish I could review all the books. Im happy that I wont have to wait a year for each book.
The writing makes its an easy read and the story is so enchanting that the story just flew by. The best part about reading a book is when you get pulled in so deep you lose all sense of time, and this book did that for me. I thought I could predict certain things but I kept being surprised. It broke my heart in the best possible way.
The characters different personalities were interesting. Robert and the Princess had wonderful chemistry, even though it was a little bit insta lovey I still really enjoyed it. Her servants were also a great addition to the story. Its the first book in a trilogy so I look forward to reading more about the characters developpement.
The story was intriguing and captivating. I love book set out at sea with pirates and chases trying to avoid capture. It reminded me a lot of other books that I absoluetly loved, like Truthwitch and A Court of Thorns and Roses (with the genders reversed). The magic system was really well thought out with different consequences.
The world building was fantastic. There wasnt too much details and descriptions but I could still picture myself there with them. I also really enjoy books with only one persons point of view because I feel like I am that person while reading instead of just watching that person.
I would definitely recommend this. Just be aware that some people feel like the book is too fast pace and doesnt have enough character developpement. However I loved how fast paced it was and I did get more character developpement over the course of the following books. I was more lenient of the character developpement because the books are only 200 and something pages.
Edit: The author was nice enough to send me the sequel Bound to Endure so Ill be having a review up for that soon.
August 26, 2016
This book is generic, shoving almost any possible YA tropes in here. MC is an elven princess who really has none of personality. She seems cool and collected at first but then turns into this helpless girl when she meets a love interest. And yes, the romance is insta-love. Admittedly, I can't connect to her, plus the writing fails to pull off any emotion. It's dull as a rock. Sadly it loses the potential to become a great novel.
World-building is one of the weakness in this book. There are no culture or uniqueness, leaving the Elf (and confusing magic system) as the only 'fantasy' element. Twists are not actually a twist. Romance is not worth rooting for. Everything feels so sloppy and juvenile. I like the start because of supposing bad-ass MC. She becomes a damsel in distress too quickly.
All in all, a massive thank you to Netgalley, Chardonian Press and Janeal Falor for providing me a copy of this book for an exchange of honest review!
World-building is one of the weakness in this book. There are no culture or uniqueness, leaving the Elf (and confusing magic system) as the only 'fantasy' element. Twists are not actually a twist. Romance is not worth rooting for. Everything feels so sloppy and juvenile. I like the start because of supposing bad-ass MC. She becomes a damsel in distress too quickly.
All in all, a massive thank you to Netgalley, Chardonian Press and Janeal Falor for providing me a copy of this book for an exchange of honest review!
July 16, 2016
Review Highlights:
Genre: Teens/YA
Age: 14+
Recommendation: Not really. This book is not all that enjoyable.
Type: Series, there are a total of three books a this time. Bound to Endure is available and the third Bound by Love will be available July 18, 2016.
Pages: 242
Pricing: Affordable. The e-book of Bound by Birthright is $.99 cents on Kindle and $.99 cents on B&N. Paperbacks are more expensive, they are about $12.00.
Summary: -weak and annoying heroine -interesting but poorly executed plot -poor editing -very juvenile writing -one dimensional characters
Full Review:
Oh, I am just so disappointed by this book! I really enjoyed You Are Mine by Falor, so I thought this book was a sure thing. The cover is also very attractive and eye-catching. So I was completely caught off guard when I started reading it. The writing is so poorly done! There were a ton of editing mistakes, and the flow of the story itself was very choppy and felt superficial. It felt like someone completely different wrote it honestly.
Bound by Birthright follows an elven princess, who is set to marry a human to improve the strained relationship between the two races. She is sent away after being threatened inside her home in an attempt to protect her. unbeknownst to those in her house, there is a traitor that has sent bloodthirsty pirate assassins after her. Ohh, this was just so weak. Arabella, the main POV is a clueless care bear that has no idea what is going on in the real world. Not to mention she is totally one-dimensional and completely lacking any interesting qualities. The world building and plot are terrible. The ending is awful, I mean I just don't know what else to say. I don't mean to be harsh but really. It is quite bad. I gave it two stars rather than one because I was able to finish it.
I would not recommend this book, if you are looking for a fantastical YA/Teen series I would keep searching.
Disclaimer: I obtained a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion.
Genre: Teens/YA
Age: 14+
Recommendation: Not really. This book is not all that enjoyable.
Type: Series, there are a total of three books a this time. Bound to Endure is available and the third Bound by Love will be available July 18, 2016.
Pages: 242
Pricing: Affordable. The e-book of Bound by Birthright is $.99 cents on Kindle and $.99 cents on B&N. Paperbacks are more expensive, they are about $12.00.
Summary: -weak and annoying heroine -interesting but poorly executed plot -poor editing -very juvenile writing -one dimensional characters
Full Review:
Oh, I am just so disappointed by this book! I really enjoyed You Are Mine by Falor, so I thought this book was a sure thing. The cover is also very attractive and eye-catching. So I was completely caught off guard when I started reading it. The writing is so poorly done! There were a ton of editing mistakes, and the flow of the story itself was very choppy and felt superficial. It felt like someone completely different wrote it honestly.
Bound by Birthright follows an elven princess, who is set to marry a human to improve the strained relationship between the two races. She is sent away after being threatened inside her home in an attempt to protect her. unbeknownst to those in her house, there is a traitor that has sent bloodthirsty pirate assassins after her. Ohh, this was just so weak. Arabella, the main POV is a clueless care bear that has no idea what is going on in the real world. Not to mention she is totally one-dimensional and completely lacking any interesting qualities. The world building and plot are terrible. The ending is awful, I mean I just don't know what else to say. I don't mean to be harsh but really. It is quite bad. I gave it two stars rather than one because I was able to finish it.
I would not recommend this book, if you are looking for a fantastical YA/Teen series I would keep searching.
Disclaimer: I obtained a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion.
December 6, 2019
I was gifted an ebook via Netgalley. I voluntarily read and reviewed it. All thoughts are my own.
I kinda feel bad when I have to write reviews for books that I didn't really care for. I used to read a lot of elf books and have always been obsessed with them and I figured this book would be a new story to love. It wasn't so awful that I couldn't read it, but it definitely suffers from a juvenile writing style. A lot of the descriptions were very basic in the beginning and there were a lot of them that described characters that really didn't matter. There were a lot of tropes going on and they weren't done in a way that made it fun to read the story. I really did not like the MC, Arabella, at all. I did like Constance though and I found the magic system interesting. It wasn't so bad that I couldn't stand to read anymore, but it was definitely lacking in many ways.
I kinda feel bad when I have to write reviews for books that I didn't really care for. I used to read a lot of elf books and have always been obsessed with them and I figured this book would be a new story to love. It wasn't so awful that I couldn't read it, but it definitely suffers from a juvenile writing style. A lot of the descriptions were very basic in the beginning and there were a lot of them that described characters that really didn't matter. There were a lot of tropes going on and they weren't done in a way that made it fun to read the story. I really did not like the MC, Arabella, at all. I did like Constance though and I found the magic system interesting. It wasn't so bad that I couldn't stand to read anymore, but it was definitely lacking in many ways.
September 25, 2019
Once again Janeal has created an amazing world and book with twists and turns you don't see coming. Can't wait to keep reading the series
June 11, 2016
Thank you to Janeal Falor for providing me with an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Find this review and more on my blog The Rest Is Still Unwritten!
Bound by Birthright is Janeal Falor’s latest release and is a fantastically told adventure that is packed with danger and romance and is riddled with magic, pirates and dashing suitors.
For decades the elves and the humans have been at odds with one another; relations between their two people bad at best. To unite the two races and bring about peace, Elven princess Arabella is promised in marriage to human prince Phillip. Yet on the eve of her wedding, the growing unrest between her people forces Arabella and a trusted group of protectors to flee her castle home and go into hiding in order to protect her life from those who see the betrothal as the ultimate betrayal. When her refuge is invaded by deadly pirates, Arabella finds herself going on the run with humans who promise to keep her safe, including the charming Robert who ignites a want in Arabella like never before. But as the danger increases and with lives on the line, Arabella must not only fight for her life, but decide just how far she’s willing to go to protect her people; even if it’s at the expense of her own heart…….
As a fan of Janeal Falor’s previous work, I was really excited to read Bound by Birthright and utterly thrilled that Janeal Falor did not disappoint! I really, really loved this book! With the premise sounding promising, I had high hopes for Bound by Birthright and quickly found myself devouring the novel. Bound by Birthright was a well written, well-paced fantasy featuring a highly likable leading lady and the kind of romance I absolutely love. A fantasy tale through and through, there’s pirates, elves, magic and forbidden romance all woven into a fast paced and exciting tale.
Supported by a great cast of characters, Bound by Birthright is told through the eyes of the elven princess Arabella. Arabella was a true fantasy heroine and someone I liked very much. Having lived the life of a princess, Arabella is understandably soft in a lot of ways, but has a strong fire inside her. She genuinely wants to help her people, doesn’t put herself first and is quick to offer help to those around her. Really, she doesn’t have a mean bone in her body; even as she begins to fall for a man she knows she can never be with. Arabella still wants to do the right thing by her people, even at her own cost. She’s smart and capable and grows throughout the novel.
Nothing seems to go as planned for our characters and I loved the twist after twist Janeal Falor wrote into the story. There was plenty of excitement to be found within this story. Fantastic action scenes, electric chemistry and budding friendships added to my enjoyment and I easily became swept up in the growing romance between Arabella and Robert that wasn’t over baring and was rather the icing on the cake with a fantastic book.
Racing towards an incredible cliffhanger ending that will leave you trying to turn pages in the hopes that there’s more of this delectable tale to read, Bound by Birthright is a brilliant start to Janeal Falor’s Elven Princess series and is something that I highly recommend for this to love well told, exciting and enjoyable fantasy!
Find this review and more on my blog The Rest Is Still Unwritten!
Bound by Birthright is Janeal Falor’s latest release and is a fantastically told adventure that is packed with danger and romance and is riddled with magic, pirates and dashing suitors.
For decades the elves and the humans have been at odds with one another; relations between their two people bad at best. To unite the two races and bring about peace, Elven princess Arabella is promised in marriage to human prince Phillip. Yet on the eve of her wedding, the growing unrest between her people forces Arabella and a trusted group of protectors to flee her castle home and go into hiding in order to protect her life from those who see the betrothal as the ultimate betrayal. When her refuge is invaded by deadly pirates, Arabella finds herself going on the run with humans who promise to keep her safe, including the charming Robert who ignites a want in Arabella like never before. But as the danger increases and with lives on the line, Arabella must not only fight for her life, but decide just how far she’s willing to go to protect her people; even if it’s at the expense of her own heart…….
As a fan of Janeal Falor’s previous work, I was really excited to read Bound by Birthright and utterly thrilled that Janeal Falor did not disappoint! I really, really loved this book! With the premise sounding promising, I had high hopes for Bound by Birthright and quickly found myself devouring the novel. Bound by Birthright was a well written, well-paced fantasy featuring a highly likable leading lady and the kind of romance I absolutely love. A fantasy tale through and through, there’s pirates, elves, magic and forbidden romance all woven into a fast paced and exciting tale.
Supported by a great cast of characters, Bound by Birthright is told through the eyes of the elven princess Arabella. Arabella was a true fantasy heroine and someone I liked very much. Having lived the life of a princess, Arabella is understandably soft in a lot of ways, but has a strong fire inside her. She genuinely wants to help her people, doesn’t put herself first and is quick to offer help to those around her. Really, she doesn’t have a mean bone in her body; even as she begins to fall for a man she knows she can never be with. Arabella still wants to do the right thing by her people, even at her own cost. She’s smart and capable and grows throughout the novel.
Nothing seems to go as planned for our characters and I loved the twist after twist Janeal Falor wrote into the story. There was plenty of excitement to be found within this story. Fantastic action scenes, electric chemistry and budding friendships added to my enjoyment and I easily became swept up in the growing romance between Arabella and Robert that wasn’t over baring and was rather the icing on the cake with a fantastic book.
Racing towards an incredible cliffhanger ending that will leave you trying to turn pages in the hopes that there’s more of this delectable tale to read, Bound by Birthright is a brilliant start to Janeal Falor’s Elven Princess series and is something that I highly recommend for this to love well told, exciting and enjoyable fantasy!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 29, 2016
**Thank you Netgalley and Chardonian Press for granting me access to this title in exchange for an honest review.
Let me start off by saying I went into this one with very low expectations, because I had read Janeal Falor's Ever Darkening and highly disliked it. But the premise to Bound by Birthright really dr.ew me in because it could have been amazing, but unfortunately I was disappointed yet again.
Like I said, the premise sounded wonderful-an elven princess betrothed to a human prince so that their two kingdoms would unite? Heck yes, sign me up. But after reading the first chapter, I knew this book was doomed.
Princess Arabella is practicing her sword fighting skills and is surrounded by guards, and yet a would be assassin decides that would be a good time to try and kill her. Um, wtf?! What kind of rookie assassin tries to kill a target when she is surrounded by ARMED GUARDS??? A real assassin would come under the cover of night when she is most vulnerable. I honestly laughed when I read that scene because it was so ridiculous.
But wait, it gets better. After that, her parents demand that she be hidden so that she stays safe, but they have no way of contacting each other to make sure nothing bad happens. What could go wrong?
Everything goes wrong, and Arabella is an idiot. She constantly wanders off from camp to go and think which almost leads to her getting kidnapped. She's rash, impulsive, and makes bad choices. Not to mention that the scenes are so quick that we barely have time to get to know any of the characters. They all sound the exact same. I will say that towards the end Arabella realized what a spoiled brat she had been and finally decided to act right towards her servants, who were all with her on this journey.
The romance was eye rolling, because as soon as she sees Robert, she's pretty much thinking about him non-stop. Yeah, he's a good guy but come on now. It takes more than being ridiculously good looking to fall in love with someone.
The writing felt very juvenile. It did not read like a Fantasy novel at all. The word "scumbag" was used and it just felt so ridiculously out of place. There were other instances, but that's the one that really stood out to me.
There's also the extreme lack of world building. I want to know more. Why do the humans and the elves hate each other? Nothing is really explained, we are just supposed to accept it.
Then there is the "betrayal." I eye rolled so hard at this because it is ALWAYS someone close to a royal family that does the betraying. Arabella's parents must have been crappy rulers to not see that their own man was planning this all of these years. Were they obviously blind to everything going on in the land? Probably.
The only thing that really saved the book from being a total disaster was the twist at the end. I was not expecting that at all. It's the only thing that might make me want to continue the series, but I haven't decided yet.
Originally posted at The Gilded Pages
Let me start off by saying I went into this one with very low expectations, because I had read Janeal Falor's Ever Darkening and highly disliked it. But the premise to Bound by Birthright really dr.ew me in because it could have been amazing, but unfortunately I was disappointed yet again.
Like I said, the premise sounded wonderful-an elven princess betrothed to a human prince so that their two kingdoms would unite? Heck yes, sign me up. But after reading the first chapter, I knew this book was doomed.
Princess Arabella is practicing her sword fighting skills and is surrounded by guards, and yet a would be assassin decides that would be a good time to try and kill her. Um, wtf?! What kind of rookie assassin tries to kill a target when she is surrounded by ARMED GUARDS??? A real assassin would come under the cover of night when she is most vulnerable. I honestly laughed when I read that scene because it was so ridiculous.
But wait, it gets better. After that, her parents demand that she be hidden so that she stays safe, but they have no way of contacting each other to make sure nothing bad happens. What could go wrong?
Everything goes wrong, and Arabella is an idiot. She constantly wanders off from camp to go and think which almost leads to her getting kidnapped. She's rash, impulsive, and makes bad choices. Not to mention that the scenes are so quick that we barely have time to get to know any of the characters. They all sound the exact same. I will say that towards the end Arabella realized what a spoiled brat she had been and finally decided to act right towards her servants, who were all with her on this journey.
The romance was eye rolling, because as soon as she sees Robert, she's pretty much thinking about him non-stop. Yeah, he's a good guy but come on now. It takes more than being ridiculously good looking to fall in love with someone.
The writing felt very juvenile. It did not read like a Fantasy novel at all. The word "scumbag" was used and it just felt so ridiculously out of place. There were other instances, but that's the one that really stood out to me.
There's also the extreme lack of world building. I want to know more. Why do the humans and the elves hate each other? Nothing is really explained, we are just supposed to accept it.
Then there is the "betrayal." I eye rolled so hard at this because it is ALWAYS someone close to a royal family that does the betraying. Arabella's parents must have been crappy rulers to not see that their own man was planning this all of these years. Were they obviously blind to everything going on in the land? Probably.
The only thing that really saved the book from being a total disaster was the twist at the end. I was not expecting that at all. It's the only thing that might make me want to continue the series, but I haven't decided yet.
Originally posted at The Gilded Pages
June 21, 2016
I received an eARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
When I was browsing through Netgalley, I was immediately intrigued by the premise of this novel. An Elven princess off to marry a human prince in the name of duty and diplomacy thrown in with some pirates? It gave room to a lot of things. There was a lot of potential for twists and turns, courting, and over all adventure.
So you can only imagine my extreme disappointment. I only got to about 16% before I put it down. I don't know if I will ever pick it up again for a second try.
At the start things are incredibly bland and just so shallow in terms of... well everything. Arabella isn't a great narrator and while I enjoy straight forward writing, this was so devoid of any description or characterization to draw me in and I wasn't able to create this visual image in my head. There was no depth for me to dive into and it was really upsetting from the start.
Honestly if anything, Arabella felt overly nonchalant about everything and when there are moments when she's expressing any emotion, it feels forced and unnatural. Since I'm an incredibly character driven reader, this was a huge turn off for me.
The other gripe I had was the pacing. Everything was happening too fast. Not in the way where it's overwhelming and adds to a kind of chaos too fast. The plot was moving so quickly I didn't have time to care about anything. It felt like I was just following a map. A happens and then it leads to B. It was a really strange kind of writing and I didn't enjoy it at all.
Sadly this book isn't really for me. I enjoy devouring discriptions and heavy characterization from the start and if there isn't any there within the first 20% I quickly lose interest.
When I was browsing through Netgalley, I was immediately intrigued by the premise of this novel. An Elven princess off to marry a human prince in the name of duty and diplomacy thrown in with some pirates? It gave room to a lot of things. There was a lot of potential for twists and turns, courting, and over all adventure.
So you can only imagine my extreme disappointment. I only got to about 16% before I put it down. I don't know if I will ever pick it up again for a second try.
At the start things are incredibly bland and just so shallow in terms of... well everything. Arabella isn't a great narrator and while I enjoy straight forward writing, this was so devoid of any description or characterization to draw me in and I wasn't able to create this visual image in my head. There was no depth for me to dive into and it was really upsetting from the start.
Honestly if anything, Arabella felt overly nonchalant about everything and when there are moments when she's expressing any emotion, it feels forced and unnatural. Since I'm an incredibly character driven reader, this was a huge turn off for me.
The other gripe I had was the pacing. Everything was happening too fast. Not in the way where it's overwhelming and adds to a kind of chaos too fast. The plot was moving so quickly I didn't have time to care about anything. It felt like I was just following a map. A happens and then it leads to B. It was a really strange kind of writing and I didn't enjoy it at all.
Sadly this book isn't really for me. I enjoy devouring discriptions and heavy characterization from the start and if there isn't any there within the first 20% I quickly lose interest.
July 1, 2016
*I received this book through netgalley in exchange for a honest review*
On the border of liking it and disliking it.
Coming back to review it, I've tipped over into not liking it.
First off, the writing didn't flow well. I found myself distant from the story and couldn't help but look at the words. Conversations felt awkward at times. Personalities were hard to distinguish. There were also weird spelling mistakes...
The sequence of events was a bit dramatic at times and at others just not making sense. Now, an assassin comes for this princess... does he come at night? No. Does he comes when she is alone? No. He comes when she is practicing her sword in a fight against her teach, surrounded by guards. Now, I'd say the guy obviously didn't try hard. I don't see why there was such a great fuss for getting her out of the castle and into hiding. Plus, the good with a sword thing? Brought up again when she needs to make a point but, her self protection shown is very... limited.
I felt no emotional connection to the 'bad guys' (one of which was so ridiculous I cringed.) so, I wasn't sad to see them come or go.
I did like some of the good characters.
Everyone still seemed very... flat to me. I needed more life and more detail given. The story went by very fast.
Twist I didn't see? Yeah but, mainly because things were pushing one way and then turns another way which was barely talked about.
I really wanted to like this book. I tried.
I will say it was easy and fast to read. There is just too much that didn't make sense to me or was too stunted.
Recommend? No.
On the border of liking it and disliking it.
Coming back to review it, I've tipped over into not liking it.
First off, the writing didn't flow well. I found myself distant from the story and couldn't help but look at the words. Conversations felt awkward at times. Personalities were hard to distinguish. There were also weird spelling mistakes...
The sequence of events was a bit dramatic at times and at others just not making sense. Now, an assassin comes for this princess... does he come at night? No. Does he comes when she is alone? No. He comes when she is practicing her sword in a fight against her teach, surrounded by guards. Now, I'd say the guy obviously didn't try hard. I don't see why there was such a great fuss for getting her out of the castle and into hiding. Plus, the good with a sword thing? Brought up again when she needs to make a point but, her self protection shown is very... limited.
I felt no emotional connection to the 'bad guys' (one of which was so ridiculous I cringed.) so, I wasn't sad to see them come or go.
I did like some of the good characters.
Everyone still seemed very... flat to me. I needed more life and more detail given. The story went by very fast.
Twist I didn't see? Yeah but, mainly because things were pushing one way and then turns another way which was barely talked about.
I really wanted to like this book. I tried.
I will say it was easy and fast to read. There is just too much that didn't make sense to me or was too stunted.
Recommend? No.
June 24, 2016
*This book was provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*
I really liked this book. The idea of an eleven princess going into hiding after attempts on her life due to a betrothal to a human was intriguing. The constant action in the book made it an interesting and fast paced read and I really liked the main character Aribella (aka Adelei) especially how she came to realise that elves and humans were so alike and became so dedicated to uniting the two races and stopping a war she would sacrifice her own happiness. The only thing that was a bit strange was the budding relationship between Aribella and Robert. It may just be because of the fast pace of the book, but it seems like they fell in love really quickly. Despite this, I still really liked Robert; he was such a gentleman *swoons*. By the second half of this book I was prepared to give it a 3.5/5 because I just found that Octavian's motives were a bit unclear; sure he wanted power and money but he seems too stupid to have pulled off all he had and Aribella's parents seem really naive. My mind, however, was changed by that shocking ending. I did not see that coming. All through the book I had guessed that Robert may be Prince Phillip; I was close but wrong.
Overall, this was a good book with an intriguing conclusion. I can't wait to get my hands on the next book in this series and continue on Aribella's journey.
I really liked this book. The idea of an eleven princess going into hiding after attempts on her life due to a betrothal to a human was intriguing. The constant action in the book made it an interesting and fast paced read and I really liked the main character Aribella (aka Adelei) especially how she came to realise that elves and humans were so alike and became so dedicated to uniting the two races and stopping a war she would sacrifice her own happiness. The only thing that was a bit strange was the budding relationship between Aribella and Robert. It may just be because of the fast pace of the book, but it seems like they fell in love really quickly. Despite this, I still really liked Robert; he was such a gentleman *swoons*. By the second half of this book I was prepared to give it a 3.5/5 because I just found that Octavian's motives were a bit unclear; sure he wanted power and money but he seems too stupid to have pulled off all he had and Aribella's parents seem really naive. My mind, however, was changed by that shocking ending. I did not see that coming. All through the book I had guessed that Robert may be Prince Phillip; I was close but wrong.
Overall, this was a good book with an intriguing conclusion. I can't wait to get my hands on the next book in this series and continue on Aribella's journey.
July 2, 2016
* I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
This should have been an amazing novel. The premise was absolutely fantastic and I was immediately gripped by the description. However, I was so disappointed with the story I don't even know where to begin. I DNF at 21%, so I suppose I can begin there. Everything that could possible go wrong with this novel went wrong. Terrible editing, a MC that was so inaccessible to the reader that there was no connection whatsoever, the pace was drastically poor and the language itself felt tiresome, sloppy and rather frustrating. I was cringing in places. The positives for me were obviously the premise, it really is a brilliant starting point and I hope with the right direction the author will be able to really connect to the readers in the following books if the series is to continue. I generally did enjoy the character interactions, but also felt as though I was watching what tried to be a grown up Disney film with elves... I'm so sorry I didn't enjoy it as much as i hoped, however, if another book in the series does come out I would very much like to read it... I believe there is definite room for improvement from the author for this series and with some direction, it could become a really great series!
Rating: 1.5
(rating is given based on pace and character formation)
This should have been an amazing novel. The premise was absolutely fantastic and I was immediately gripped by the description. However, I was so disappointed with the story I don't even know where to begin. I DNF at 21%, so I suppose I can begin there. Everything that could possible go wrong with this novel went wrong. Terrible editing, a MC that was so inaccessible to the reader that there was no connection whatsoever, the pace was drastically poor and the language itself felt tiresome, sloppy and rather frustrating. I was cringing in places. The positives for me were obviously the premise, it really is a brilliant starting point and I hope with the right direction the author will be able to really connect to the readers in the following books if the series is to continue. I generally did enjoy the character interactions, but also felt as though I was watching what tried to be a grown up Disney film with elves... I'm so sorry I didn't enjoy it as much as i hoped, however, if another book in the series does come out I would very much like to read it... I believe there is definite room for improvement from the author for this series and with some direction, it could become a really great series!
Rating: 1.5
(rating is given based on pace and character formation)
July 7, 2016
First off I really like the front cover, this did capture my attention and secondly the premise of the book is interesting. An elven princess needing to marry a human Prince for the good of her people! Who due to an assassination attempt is forced to go into hiding. (no more potential spoilers to be added) and adventures then follow.
So the first chapter or so seem good. But then, something goes wrong, and I'm not sure if it's the writing style or an overzealous editor trying to keep the word count down, I don't know? But things happen quickly, too quickly, and feels a tad rushed. For example when the pirate captain enters the story he isn't really introduced to us readers, in my opinion, properly! Half way through a conversation with the recently arrived pirates it suddenly states...`says Captain Smythe`..and your left thinking, who's that? His name isn't mentioned before, we've not been introduced, so your left assuming that most be the name of the pirate captain.
So the rushed style switched me off, as well as not liking the main character in the slightest! A spoilt princess who is quite nonchalant about things, who then suddenly and a little out of character I felt, falls for a commoner human. I don't know. Kind of a nice idea of a story, but never had me gripped.
So the first chapter or so seem good. But then, something goes wrong, and I'm not sure if it's the writing style or an overzealous editor trying to keep the word count down, I don't know? But things happen quickly, too quickly, and feels a tad rushed. For example when the pirate captain enters the story he isn't really introduced to us readers, in my opinion, properly! Half way through a conversation with the recently arrived pirates it suddenly states...`says Captain Smythe`..and your left thinking, who's that? His name isn't mentioned before, we've not been introduced, so your left assuming that most be the name of the pirate captain.
So the rushed style switched me off, as well as not liking the main character in the slightest! A spoilt princess who is quite nonchalant about things, who then suddenly and a little out of character I felt, falls for a commoner human. I don't know. Kind of a nice idea of a story, but never had me gripped.
August 28, 2016
Princess Arabella from an elf kingdom is forced into hiding after an attempt on her life is foiled. The people from her own kingdom and humans from another are enraged with her recent betrothal to a human prince. While on the run, she encounters a handsome human who beguiles her and makes her question her own resolve.
Bound by Birthright has a really interesting premise (and awesome cover). A princess forced into hiding, magic, pirates! What’s not to like?
However, the little to no world building and the minimal characterization for any of the characters left Bound by Birthright floundering.
There is so much you can do with a royalty based story, but we’re once again introduced to a character who doesn’t know how to function on their own. Arabella can fence, but she doesn’t know how to use a knife. Why must all our princesses be so bland?
The pacing was also a little too fast, which is reflected in the characterization and the romance thread of this story. There is no basis for anything. It just happens. Why? Who knows.
This book is too rushed, no foundation, and no chance really to allow readers to root for any of the characters.
Bound by Birthright has a really interesting premise (and awesome cover). A princess forced into hiding, magic, pirates! What’s not to like?
However, the little to no world building and the minimal characterization for any of the characters left Bound by Birthright floundering.
There is so much you can do with a royalty based story, but we’re once again introduced to a character who doesn’t know how to function on their own. Arabella can fence, but she doesn’t know how to use a knife. Why must all our princesses be so bland?
The pacing was also a little too fast, which is reflected in the characterization and the romance thread of this story. There is no basis for anything. It just happens. Why? Who knows.
This book is too rushed, no foundation, and no chance really to allow readers to root for any of the characters.
June 29, 2016
I received this book for an honest review and it was an easy read. It didn’t make me feel anything until the very end. This book is about an elven princess named Arabella who is betrothed to a human prince named Phillip. This book takes a turn for the worst when her life is threatened because of this betrothal. In under to protect her she taken into hiding where it becomes apparent that everything is not as it seems. On her travels to hidden locations she meets some interesting characters such as some pirates and mercenaries. This book had elves, pirates, humans, and magic. It was an okay book I wouldn’t recommend it to my friends because I don’t think they would like it. I didn’t like how it ended it was a twisted ending that totally took away from the book.
July 10, 2016
I signed up for the free copy because I really liked the Mine series by this author and expected this to be at least as good, if not better; I'm not disappointed, but I'm also not entirely satisfied. Some parts seemed to be exaggerated, and I means the ones with Robert and Arabella alone. But, it wasn't a bad book. I think it's a little too soon to judge the story or the characters; there's a lot to discover before anything concrete can be said. The book is really interesting and leaves one very curious about the sequel.
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September 11, 2016I received an ARC of this book. Thank you Janeal! I was a big fan of the Mine series so I was excited for a new series. Unfortunately, this one did NOT resonate with me at all. I am a DNF at 16%. I'm sure the writing style of this one was to strategic on some level but I couldn't get past the fact that, at some points, it felt like I was reading my daughters "Dick and Jane" book. Short, choppy sentences and basic language. I found it too boring to continue.
September 6, 2016
I didn't enjoy this book at all and found myself skimming. Girl falls in love with someone who is not her intended after a perilous journey to meet her husband to be. It could have been so much better but more often than not I found the book boring, hence the skimming.
I wish the author every success with book 2.
I was given a copy in return for an honest review.
I wish the author every success with book 2.
I was given a copy in return for an honest review.
July 6, 2016
This book had definite issues. It was choppy and jumped around a bit. As an overall story, I didn't think it was bad but the choppiness created a lot of confusion.
July 14, 2016
ARC provided by Netgalley for an honest review.
Very juvenile writing, with a protagonist I could not force myself to like. Many plot holes.
Perhaps for readers 11-13.
Very juvenile writing, with a protagonist I could not force myself to like. Many plot holes.
Perhaps for readers 11-13.
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