Girl With Three Eyes

by Priya Ardis

She would hate her third eye less if it actually gave her special powers. But when a killer threatens the kingdom, will she risk her freedom?"...a well-paced story that delights without disappointing" --Kirkus ReviewsSixteen-year-old Kira puts on a show about having empathic abilities, but she miraculously wakes a highborn boy from a coma after a near-fatal accident on mountainous slopes. When his father threatens to expose her "magic" to the queen, she attends the kingdom's most elite academy as a bodyguard.Soon, she's immersed in a strange new life--one of being a simple student trying out for the school's skyboarding team. Her fake life becomes the life she's always wanted, but Kira cannot escape who she truly is. Nothing in the court of the Raj is as it seems...Will she risk her freedom to unmask a killer before the crown falls?If you like strong female protagonists, futuristic fairy tales, and epic tournaments, you'll love this blend of South Asian Indian lore and political intrigue.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Science Fiction Fantasy, Supernatural

350 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 28, 2020

About the author

I love books of all kinds—lately funny ones are my faves. But who couldn't curl up with a good mystery or romance?

My writing comes from a childhood of playing too much She-Ra and watching too much Spock. When Belle gasped at the library the Beast showed her, so did I! Growing up, I spend so much time I spent there, I could have been the phantom of the public library.

I hand-wrote my first manuscript at sixteen, scribbling in long notebooks on train rides while on vacation in India. I'm a longtime member of RWA, SCBWI, SIC. If you are looking for writing help, consider joining your local organizations!

Looking for my books? Catch up with me at my website/blog at http://www.priyaardis.com/

Check out the bestselling YA: My Merlin Series! My Boyfriend Merlin, Book 1; My Merlin Awakening, Book2; Ever My Merlin, Book 3. Merlin returns in Gods of Merlin

If you like middle grade: Girl With Three Eyes is a fairy tale based on Indian lore! She would hate her third eye less if it actually gave her powers.

If you want a STEM chapter book for your kids: Merlin Raj and the Santa Algorithm, is a humorous dog's tale written under a new name D. G. Priya. Find it at Merlin Raj and the Santa-Algorithm, DOGS WHO CODE.

Reviews

[Alaina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for honest review

I devoured Girl With Three Eyes. In it, you will meet Kira and Ajay. They were completely adorable and I couldn't help myself from shipping these two together. If there is a second book, I wouldn't be mad if they were together (or not) but I do hope to see a bit more growth. Or maybe their view on some things to be important or the main focus? For example, the system that was mentioned in this book. I just want more of that in the next one.

Other than that, this book had so many twists and turns in it. All the mystery kept this a page turner for me because I just wanted to know more and see how this was going to end. Ugh, definitely hope there's going to be another book after that ending.

[OutlawPoet · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, you’re going to get 2 points of view on this book – mine, and that of the resident tween.

Mine:

This is a really cute book. It bridges Middle Grade and YA fiction wonderfully. Our characters are 14 – and very 14 at that! Think crushes about cute boys/girls rather than thinking they’re hot. There’s just enough danger and heartbreak! As a long time YA reader, yes it’s a bit derivative in parts. Our girl is definitely ‘The One’ with everything that entails, but she’s also plucky and likable.

One of the best things about this book is the way the author melds Hindu culture into the story. It adds an element that we need to see more of in YA fiction.

When I finished the book, I thought that it might be just the right book for my tween. I handed the kindle to her and asked her to read just the first page.

Well, I lost control of my Kindle until she’d finished it.



The Tween:

I loved this! It was like a Hindu Harry Potter, only the girls were the ones who handled things! It was really cool that the author used Snow Boarding (though it did remind me of Quidditch). I also loved the characters. I’d like another book, please!


So there you have it – high points from Mom and Daughter. Truly a fun read!

*ARC Provided via Net Galley

5/19 Quick update
Although the Advanced Reader Copy mentions the kids are 14, I noticed the summary now says they're 16. I thought that wasn't great since the kids seemed very 14 to me. I was discussing this with my daughter. Though she'd noticed the 14 at first, she'd forgotten while reading and thought the kids are 15/16. So, while aging them up felt wrong maturity-wise to me, to my kiddo (i.e. target audience), the older age is just great.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kira Shine is a 16 year old girl with a gift. She has a third eye, but a literal third eye in the middle of her forehead. With this comes abilities that she her self does not even realize, mainly due to the fact that her drunkard of a father likes to exploit her eye for his own gain.

They are a low born family, and it is just the two of them, Kira's mother dying when she was so small she hardly remembers her. They live in a small northern village, where her father likes to uses her and her eye by tricking the people in the village who come to them for mental healing.

After an eventful day Skyboarding, and a less then eventful one working her shift at the tavern she goes home to work the latest "healing" job her father has lined up for her. Little does she realize that this job will change her life permanently. Whisking her away into the world of the high born, going to school with the children of generals and royalty. All while hiding her eye, her gift, who she really is, what she's really there for. Trying to figure out a mystery and save the kingdom.

The Girl With Three Eyes is the start of a new Young Adult Fantasy series from the author Priya Ardis, coming September 22nd

I can not wait for book 2!!!

Fans of Harry Potter, will enjoy this.

Find my review and extras for the book and a giveaway on my blog I Can Has Books?

*This review is part of Xpresso booktours. Thank you

[Moony (Captain Mischief) MeowPoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this eARC from Netgalley and Vulcan Ink and i must put out a spesial thanks to Priya Ardis for writing this book!
THIS WAS JUST SO GOOD!
I thought it was going to be meh and boring at best, because i felt like the start was just boring? But i did continue and boy, did i get told! It was so good!! Kira have a massive character development where she embraces her third eye, where she finds friends and understands that some are indeed evil but some aren`t. Not going to spoil you on that one - you`ll figure it out for yourself. Hehe. I kind of adored the friendship with Trace, he went from snotty - to nice - to snotty - to nice again. But still, he grew as well as a character and supported and helped Kira along the way. The storybuilding was incredible and i could almost feel like i was there, if i closed my eyes i would be in the moment. It was that good.

I look forward to the next book and it`s curveballs!

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. This a really great fantasy with likeable characters and great pacing. I'm pretty sure I could have read this in one day if I didn't have to work and have other things to do other than reading.

Kira Shine hides away her third eye and has no idea the powers it holds. She lives with her addict father in a small village and after she saves a highborn son she is "recruited" (more like blackmailed) into being his bodyguard by his father and sent away to Raj Academy, an elite academy for highborns. Something dark and dangerous is on the horizon and Kira has to piece together these mysterious attacks and uncover the truth before more students are attacked.

Yes, Kira is the "chosen one" with special abilities. Yes, she has powers she doesn't fully understand and can control. It does sound a little cliché but I really liked Kira and seeing what her powers could do. She is very likeable and capable. She is clever and a quick learner. I was a little worried I would find her annoying and her fellow characters because they are fourteen years old but I actually found them all to be super cute. Like when you were fourteen and had crushes on your classmates and it is all very adorable. Kira is incredibly determined and really only wants to get away from her father and skyboard all day (which is like snowboarding but with hovering boards). I was rooting for her and was glad to be on this adventure with her.

Trace is super snobbish and a total brat at the beginning of the book but he really grows on you. He turns into a helpful ally and friend to Kira. Sarita is so sweet and a really great and loyal bff to Kira. Prince Ajay, you guessed it, is her crush and she calls him "His Royal Hotness" and again, so precious. Ajay is a prince that I can see being a great king when he is older. He cares about his classmates and his kingdom. All of them working together make a really great team.

The pacing was fast paced and I loved that. The writing was smoothed for me. The world-building tied in really well with the story. There is a lot of high tech like skyboards and bio-watches which are like super phones in your arm. Sounds kind of gross but I think it would be cool to have. I think this is a good book for those just starting to read the fantasy genre as there isn't a lot of crazy details to know. Just enough to build a picture in your mind and it goes well with the overall story.

Overall, this was a really enjoyable fantasy and I'm super excited for the next book because I have questions after that ending. Not a super cliffhanger but I want to explore more of this world and see what is in store for Kira and her friends.

*Received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

[Kira Simion]

I'm not saying the main reason for wanting to read is because of the main character's name, but I mean it is a fun little easter egg for me.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Girl With Three Eyes follows the life of Kira, a sixteen years old girl that has an uncommon gift: a third eye on her forehead. She has always lived in a small village with her father, a drug addict. But when she saves the son of a highborn, she is required to be his guard. Kira is sent to the greatest school with a mission: she has to discover who is trying to kill his new friend (Trace)while hiding her gift to everyone else.

I want to be honest, I started this book when I was in a reading slump and I had a hard time starting this book. I even though about not finishing the book. But when I finally started to get interested in the plot, I was glad I had continued it.

The writing helped a lot. It was really fast-paced and easy to understand. Although they were some scenes that were a bit hard to comprehend (i had a hard time understanding the sport, but it can be because my first language is not English!), overall the book was easy to follow and very intriguing. Priya makes really good use of the language and her narrations are marvelous. She knows when the narration needs to be longer or shorter, making everything much more enjoyable.

About the characters, at first, I thought it was going to be a bit cliché: a poor girl discovers she is the one that needs to save the kingdom. But when I started reading it, I soon realized that this was really different from other books. Kira knows what she can do and her weaknesses.

Every character has a remarkable development, as well as with their relationships. At first, Kira and Trace were kinds of enemies. But in the end, we can appreciate how Trace fully trusts Kira and refers to her as her friend. It was a pleasure to read and watch all this improvement. The lack of romantic relationships caught me by surprise. I was rooting for Sarita and Trace! I am waiting for the next book (if there's one) to see more about the characters.

What it really loved was the plot twists. I didn't expect that end! They were somethings that could be predicted, but seriously, some others will blow your mind. You will cry, laugh, and be surprised with this incredible book.

I decided to give this book 3+ stars. That would be a 3,75/5. I enjoyed a lot the lecture of this book and I recommend it a lot. The downside is that I felt it was too short. Some moments were too rushed and, overall, all the plot seemed to go too fast.

[mònica • nightingfae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally published on nightingfae's blog

“You will feel little in life. Somedays you will feel small. But it will pass. Be brave. Be strong. Be my sunshine.”

I started reading this book forcing myself because I was not in the mood to read when I grabbed it, but because it’s an advanced readers copy I had to, so that’s what I did, I forced myself into it. But once I started I couldn’t stop and I ended up reading it in one. Single. Day. I guess this should be enough review for you to add this book in your TBR. But I really want to explain you why I couldn’t let go of Girl with Three Eyes.

Priya Ardis’s writing style is easy, fast, light and completely enough to create a good intricate story, with which you’ll laugh and probably cry too. The most important thing is that you won’t lose the thread of the story and your mind will be blown up with every plot twist –maybe you’ll think some of them are obvious but trust me, there’s a huge plot twist you won’t expect at all.

What I liked the most is that Ardis doesn’t get lost in details, which gives the story a fast pace and won’t let you get bored. But even so, you’ll be able to imagine the really well built world she has created, not only the country, the character’s stories and relations, but the whole society, the different social classes, what they contribute, what they need and what they wish. And for the very first time I’ve seen a fictional monarchy that listens to their subjects, that acts to build a fairer society and that, even the differences between the monarchs and the people, they want to make life easier for everyone. That’s really hard to find, not only in fiction but in real life too, honestly. So I’m delighted to see that Ardis has been able to picture such a fair monarchy, because yes, it is possible to be in power and still be altruistic.

I don’t know how to talk about this part without spoiling any part of the story, so I’ll just say that if you’re looking for a great love story, I’m sorry but you won’t find it here. “Thank Guides!” as Kira would say. That’s really satisfying if you’re not a huge fan of romance–just like me. And because of this, I could fully enjoy the relationships between the main characters, which are real and filled with emotions that go from love to mistrust. Also the fact that they all listen to each other, letting everyone explain why they act as they do, which I think is the basis for any good and healthy relationship.

Listen, future reader, if you loved Harry Potter and always wished you could have gone to Hogwarts, then you’re going to enjoy Girl with Three Eyes so much. Here you’ll find another school with houses, called Mahal, since it’s based in a dystopian South Asia.

Finally, I don’t know if there’ll be more books about Kira Shine and her adventures in Rajekstan, or in the Five Kingdoms, but I really hope there will, because I can’t wait to discover more things about this incredible world.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was not at all what I expected it to be, but I ended up enjoying it a lot! It was a fun story with a good cast of characters and an interesting plot line. I was a little confused throughout about the world itself, and I would have liked a little more information about it.
Kira is the girl with three eyes, and she always thought that her third eye didn’t really do anything. Until she finds out that she’s wrong, and her third eye gives powers like reading and sensing emotions. I wish Kira would have done more of her own research about her eye instead of relying on other people to do it, but I liked her character overall. She was a strong and fierce character who was really loyal to her friends, even if those friendships started out of a blackmail situation.
I liked the different character dynamics and relationships. Trace really grew on me as a character, and I thought Soria and Ajay were interesting characters.
I really liked the ending, and I’m kinda kicking myself for not seeing who was behind everything sooner! The ending set up nicely for the next book, but not in a horrible cliffhanger type of way. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for the next book!

[Jessica (Read book. Repeat) · Rating 3 out of 5]

You can find this review and all of my others over at www.readbookrepeat.wordpress.com

I received a copy of this book from Xpresso Book Tours as part of a blog tour, in exchange for an honest review.

Sixteen year old Kira is not like the other girls. She has a third eye and not just figuratively speaking, it's a real eye, on her forehead that appears in times of stress, or fear. Her and her drunken father run scams on people wanting their mind illnesses healed. When a high ranking official turns up at their house begging for help for his comatose son, Kira obliges, not realising that this will change her life forever. The high ranking man is amazed at Kira's ability to wake his son, as is she, and when given an ultimatum, she choses to go with the man and attend the Raj Royal school as a secret bodyguard for his son. When she is suddenly thrown into the life she could only dream about, she feels normal, accepted, and spends most of her time trying out for the school's skyboarding team. Though she can't forget what she's there for, as things at the royal court aren't as they appear. Will she risk her freedom to save the court?

This story had a super interesting premise to it and I'm a bit of a sucker for a young adult fantasy story, especially one that sounds so different from all the one's I've read previously. And different it is.

The story is set in what I assume to be a fantastical futuristic version of India. It held a lot of promise, and for the most part, lived up to it. Though I must admit, there was a lot of emphasis and time in the story spend on the sport of skyboarding, which seems to be snowboarding but with engines. I wasn't prepared for this to take up most of the story, and I felt a little let down by it. The world was so full and rich and I feel like so much time could have been spent explaining the world and it's workings better than spending so much time focused on a sport within the kingdom. Though the sport did have a lot to do with the plot movement, I was just hoping for a bit more of a fantasy story, less of a sports story.

The characters are well written and I found myself caring about what happened to Kira and her friends. I loved the character development and the way that the character relationships grew. One thing confused me though. After a certain event happened, Kira is trying to use her third eye to heal someone, and the Prince who up to this point was pointing to a love interest, comes in an immediately is suspicious and calling the guards in. This seemed completely backwards to what the story was showing us in this relationship, and it's just something that has stuck in my mind. It didn't make sense and there was no explanation as to his sudden distrust. I enjoyed the character of the high ranking man's son, he was complex and I really loved his character development.

The story itself was incredibly well thought out, though I had one of the bad guys picked from the start, the other one was surprising though as soon as a group this person is standing with it pointed out, I instantly knew who the culprit was, even though the characters were still trying to puzzle it out as there were a few people standing together. I'm intrigued as to where the story will go from here as it's left open ended for continuation, I would assume.

The world was described so beautifully and I was instantly transported to a colourful and vivid futuristic India and I absolute LOVED it. I just wish more time was spent on the world and building it and the characters up a bit more. Also, at times, sentences seemed a little bit fragmented or as though English is not the authors first language, I feel like another round of editing would have helped smooth out the sometimes stilted narration.

Otherwise, this was a wonderful, fresh addition and good first instalment in to what I'm hoping is a promising series. I'm looking forward to a richer world, more character growth and deeper character relationships.

[Ahana M Rao (Heart’s Content) · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can find this review of Girl With Three Eyes on my blog, Heart's Content!

Received an Advanced Reader’s Copy from the publisher, Vulcan Ink, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! 

I've genuinely lost the ability to compute. When I read the blurb and started this book, I wasn't particularly sure what I was diving into. But my gosh, what a rush. I was the true embodiment of the GIF of that baby who looks like he's going to fall into his book from reading so fast. Truly. 

I enjoyed and loved all the Indian references--*giggle* they were all so cool--and I loved how well it was weaved into the story without seeming to be stressed on and at the same time not getting lost behind the plot line. It was natural and felt real like it would in real life. The culture of the world of Girl With Three Eyes unravelled organically and we start to come to understand everything rather fast and mostly because the script really takes off at one point and you're racing straight into the centre of the world crafted by Priya Ardis. 

Kira, I have to say, had some amazing one-liners that have you cracking up on the spot. She's the protagonist and we see the world wholly from her perspective. Sometimes as I read, I felt gosh, this girl is too young to be going through this and having to think about all this. Her youth, and her maturity despite it, was written well and alternated rather naturally without feeling like the protagonist was too much of either, given that she's only sixteen years old. Kira is caught in the web of her own destiny and is unaware of it and like most people who are adept at acclimating themselves to their environment to survive she's up on her feet and running and working at the task that is handed to her pretty much at gun point.

GWTE has what feels like the makings of a strong ensemble cast and good God there isn't anything better than that. There's this newfound and precious love I've developed for an ensemble cast and how the connections grow between the characters and it isn't any different in this book. The interactions just warm you up especially given the slight edge Kari's power gives the reader. What I love is that each connection in this book has its own pace and each of them have their own connect with one another, as well as with the heroine. Trace, Ajay and Sarita had my heart. The best thing about an ensemble cast is that together they're the strongest and they each bring something unique to the table, which is true to all four of them in this book as well. 

The plot was not predictable to me at all until just before the moment that the big reveal happens and there are a few of them, believe me. This book may take a little bit of time to keep your attention wholly, hold your patience for just that little bit of time and the book does the rest I swear. Five stars for sure! <3

Happy reading lovelies! I do hope you'll are all safe and remain so! 

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy from the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review.

I have mixed feelings about this novel. I quite enjoyed it, however, the world building was terribly weak and the overarching story of this political intrigue and failed coup all seems to hinge on an almost Olympic level competition of......snowboarding and jousting. Ummm, what? It was just really confusing as to why a high school team is so important for the COUNTRY to run well and be strong. It was super hard to even fully understand the sport because there was so much detail when something was occurring, however, not a lot of detail of what the hell this game entailed! Just a lot of confusion. There was a huge build up for the novel, some CRAZY surprises that I did not see (and totally loved) and then it seemed like a simple resolution and wrapped it up nicely, however, still didn't answer a lot of questions. Also, is this supposed to be a series? Duology? More to the story? There were a lot of open questions by the end of the novel and it seemed like it was going to be more open....and then the novel says The End so.....no more?

On a positive note, it was an enjoyable novel and I was never bored. A lot of fun action and the magic was super neat and would have been cool if that could have been more explored and given more answers. As the novel went on it was feeling like this was going to have another novel and hopefully give us more of those answers, the ending leaves that to be determined I suppose.

Overall, I did rather enjoy the novel, it just left a great deal of wanting for me. I have so many questions about so many things with this novel and it felt very simplistic and that makes it a little disappointing. If there was a second novel, I would likely pick it up hoping to get some answers and at the same time I would go in with very little expectations and realizing that the world is likely to continue to be weak but the story a fun, easy read.

[hollie · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, I finished this super quick which, as a fact for me, shows how much I enjoyed this book. I will get into the nitty, gritty in a moment, but this is a definite future recommendation of mine!

What did I like?
I'm not really sure where to start. I have a page of notes about this book on my phone so here goes:
- the writing was amazing. I have never read anything from Priya before but you can sure as well know I will be now. It read well without the overuse of new language from different worlds and bombarding us with info-dumping - this didn't happen. I felt like I was reading a book, not an encyclopedia.
- the plot was fast-paced. *we all jump for joy* everyone who knows me will confirm I can't stand when a book is slow so this was a definite A+ in my eyes.
- talking about the plot, I loved the idea for this book. the premise was gripping, the characters had enough depth and dynamics that I was rooting for them and I liked where the end left off.
- kira was a great female lead. she wasn't overly "strong, I can do anything type" she knew her strengths and she used them well. she also grew a lot as a character sympathetically throughout this book which I really enjoyed reading.
- in my notes, I have referred to Trace being the moodiest insert swear word here ever but his character development in this book alone was GREAT. I really ended up liking him and even rooting for him which I didn't expect to do. I think the budding romance between Ajay and Kira was done well enough, although I felt more could have been foreshadowed to make me believe they work well together as I sort of see the dynamics between Trace and Kira better than Ajay at the moment.

My only downside was that I felt this was really short. I felt like I read this in record time (but maybe because I was so engrossed) but I was left feeling like some more fleshing out could have been done, particularly with the world-building element as I still have tonnes of questions. Even though we didn't have any dreadful info-dumps, I don't think I could describe the world Priya has created to you.

Overall, this was a good book. I think it's a decent read for anyone who wants a light fantasy/dystopian book.
4 stars!
I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Girl With Three Eyes is a young adult fantasy by Priya Ardis. I loved Priya's Merlin series, which I read ages ago, so I was super excited to see a new book from her. Girl With Three Eyes is a futuristic fantasy with some scifi like elements. It was a really cool story setup. I was digging the whole thing- the world, the characters and the plot. I am keeping all of the my fingers crossed that there is a second book in this series. It seems like there is going to be one with the way this book ended, so I better be right!

In Girl With Three Eyes, we meet our main character Kira, as she is sent to attend the kingdom’s most elite academy- Raj Academy. The academy setting is really cool. It was a little Harry Potter-esque. All of the students are sorted into houses based on their abilities and personality traits. The school is also very sports centric, with it's own sport called Skyboard. Skyboard is kind of like a snowboarding competition but with hoverboards. It sounds really cool and I loved the scenes describing the competitions.  I love an academy setting in a book. I think it lends itself really well to both secrets galaore and is a really good way to get to know about about the characters as we see them navigate both school and living on their own. I was a little bummed that there was not more romance in this book, but the story is much more focused on the plot/adventure than romance. 

The cast of characters in Girl with Three Eyes was a great addition to the story. There is even a prince at the school! This book read as a younger YA novel, and like Harry Potter I am hoping that we see the characters mature as they get older in the next installment(s). I loved the pacing of the story because everything flowed really well, I was never bored. Priya Ardis keeps the story clipping along at a constant pace and there was is always something happening. Learning about the futuristic world and all of it's technology and cool gadgets was also a lot of fun. The secrets presented themselves along the way, and there is a bit of a quest to save the kingdom woven in throughout the story that added to fun element quite a bit. Priya Ardis does a great job throwing surprising secrets and twists at the reader throughout the book. I think it is impossible to get bored while reading Girl With Three Eyes. There is always something going on, which I really enjoyed.

Bottom line: if you are a fan of fantasy and cool technology, I think Girl with Three Eyes will be a fun read for you to check out. This book was a lot of fun, and I am really hoping that there is a sequel in store for us. I can't wait to revisit Kira and her friends. 

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you Xpresso Book Tours for letting me read this as an E-ARC. All opinions are my own.

First of, I’d say that I’m sure this book is for someone, but that someone wasn’t me. I finished this yesterday (18th May 2020), but I can’t really remember much about the more intricate plot and I had to look through my notes to remember the name of the main character.

We follow a young girl called Kira who, along with other women in her family, possess a third eye that makes her “see things people normally don’t see”. She manages to heal an important person and is whisked off to some sort of privet school where she meets some new friends and rivals as well as get into the school sport. A large part of the plot is that someone is set out to kill the crown prince, one of Kira’s new friends, and she wants to find out who that is and stop them.

This sounded like a fun, new sort of plot point (the third eye thing), but the story is more about sport and the murder plot than the actual development of Kira herself. It said in the description that this was a book for people who enjoy strong, female characters, but I don’t feel I got to know Kira at all from what was said about her and what she actually accomplished in the book. I found her to be like most young protagonists in the many YA-books I’ve read over the last few years.

What I did enjoy was the relatively short chapters, and I thought that the actual text read well, it was easy to understand.

[• Sara Rhodes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Girl With Tree Eyes follows Kira Shine’s story, a young girl with a third eye who doesn’t know it’s real power until she’s recruited as a “bodyguard” by a powerful man, who will change her life completely.

Okay, so I wasn’t expecting much of this book when I started reading it, but oh wow was I wrong. This book is anything but boring. It was so addictive I would start reading it and wouldn’t even notice I’d been reading for an hour.

So first of all, I thought this book would be a bit like Red Queen, and in essence it kinda was, but it ended up being more of a Harry Potter-ish high school kind of drama. And I loved it. There’s intrigue, and drama, and friendship and magic. Everything I can ask for.

If this book isn’t a 5 star for me is because there are certain situations where I couldn’t picture what was happening. As an example, I didn’t fully understand the sport, therefore I just couldn’t imagine how it worked.

It was a completely unexpected story and the cliffhanger at the end made me scream. I need the second book ASAP.

Thanks to Netgalley and Vulcan Ink for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Ana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Girl With Three Eyes was a fast paced YA fantasy novel with Hindu cultural influences.
The plot was fun, with our protagonist, Kira, learning to use the power of her third eye, and becoming the bodyguard of a lord’s son at a prestigious boarding school.
The main character is around 14, so this book sits on the younger side of YA. The worldbuilding wasn’t as developed as I would have liked. For example, there was a heavy emphasis on sport, but I wasn’t clear about how it worked. The romance was cute, and I enjoyed the fairytale aspects of the story.
On the whole, a decent, quick read.

[Alana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was gifted this e-book ARC by Netgalley and Vulcan Ink in exchange for an honest review.

Girl with Three Eyes is the first ARC I’ve been approved for through Netgalley and I was super excited when the email landed! I had no idea what to expect, other than what was in the synopsis. With a reading slump in my rear-view mirror I dove into this on the evening of June 28th and wrapped up the last 13% on June 30th!

From reading the book, I’m pretty confident this is for the younger end of YA, I felt a sort of innocence within it. If it were a film, it would be rated a 12 in my mind. That being said, just because it is more suited to a younger audience doesn’t mean an older reader couldn’t get the same enjoyment out of it. I’m still clinging on to my 20’s and I genuinely really enjoyed reading this, I whizzed through it. If I was actually timed from when I started reading on Sunday to when I finished Tuesday, I’d say I was within the 48 hour mark. It also relit a little of the reading passion I struggled to find earlier in the month.

The story is super easy to read, the plot had a solid pace and plenty going on to keep a reader engaged. From early on in the book we are looking for a saboteur, and I ran through a number of the characters on who the bad guy(s) could be but ultimately didn’t guess right. Which is great, who wants to already know the villain before it’s announced?! Not me, I like to be kept on my toes in that area and felt Priya did a really good job.

I didn’t have any problems connecting with the characters, the majority were 16/17 years of age. I liked that the main character Kira was represented essentially as a normal girl, ignoring the third eye obviously. Thrust into a world completely different from the one she’s used to, we see her adapt and subsequently thrive. Her mission to keep her classmates safe weighs on her in a way you would expect and based on her background the maturity makes sense. I enjoyed her relationship with Trace which remained love/hate throughout, I say love but not the romance love. More a friendship love, which was different. Usually you’d expect them to be each other’s love interest which isn’t the case here. I’m not entirely sure what footing they ended up on. We do have a cliché-esque love interest but at no point is this acted on which I liked, as again normally a large chunk of the plot revolves around the romance. There was just suggestion of interest.

The story is set in what feels like a slightly more futuristic world to the one we are in now but with a class system where poverty is definitely a thing. I enjoyed the idea of a Highborn and Lowborn society but there wasn’t a great deal of background in the book on how this came to be, was it always like this or did something happen in the past or how it affects society or the economics of the realm. It would have been great to have just a bit more world building in places to explain the political and social climate, and about the two sports mentioned “Skyboarding” and “Jousting”. I feel that added detail would have given a bit more depth to the plot.

The ending… a cliff-hanger… I can’t cope! I specifically stopped reading ToG because I needed to know what was going to happen next and waited until they were all released before reading them beginning to end. I have a hefty love/hate relationship with cliff-hangers, cause now I need to know what’s going to happen in the next book (and there better be a next book!). Which on one side, means I enjoyed the book and care what happens next. On the other side, I don’t know when I’m going to find out what happens next because I don’t know when or if (Wilder Girls did me with a cliff-hanger and there is no sequel) there will be a second book! Oh, the Bookish Horrors!

This is an early copy of the book that I’ve been gifted the opportunity to read before release, with that in mind I did expect some issues within the writing. There were some grammar and continuity issues throughout and if I included that in my rating I would give the book a 3.5 stars out of 5.

Ignoring those issues this book for me was a solid 4 star book and did the unexpected by giving me some of my reading passion back. It’s lost a star because although I loved reading it I just needed a bit more ground work to set up the realm and I’d have adored a bit more time with the characters to get a better grasp of them. Trace, for example, it would have been nice to see a bit more of him as a person rather than just a highborn. There was a section near the end where I felt he was finally being represented as a person and not just a rich kid with attitude.

Overall, I super enjoyed reading this, I need the second one please! It is likely better suited for a younger YA, but I think as an easy YA Fantasy novel most could get some enjoyment from it.

[Jessica Macaulay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This fun YA romp had just about everything I could ask for when your looking for a literary pick-me-up: a strong protagonist with some serious emotional wounds, a sweet n' awkward love interest, a house-based school system, high stakes intrigue, deep friendships, a thrilling new school sport that's a delightful cross between between boardercross and jousting, and more than few characters that you'll love to hate.

All together... Chef's kiss.  

It's pretty clear that Kira Shine is the chosen one from the opening pages - we know that she's low-born, a talented athlete, in possession of magical abilities, and that she has to hide her physical differences from others in order to avoid censure. Then along comes an event that changes everything and BAM! It's suddenly her job to Do The Thing™ and Save The People™ and this book if off the the races. 

I fell in love with Kira's voice in the first few pages as it is both young and believable. Her sayings and internalization are sheltered and more than a little naive - especially when it comes to romance - and this lead to a lot of laughs in those relatable 'I've been there' moments. She's awkward, inexperienced in forming friendships and romantic relationships, but still wants to be part of that world. In short, Kira embodies your average young lady trying to fit into a new setting and navigating some darned confusing emotions for the very first time. 

However, Kira's inexperience in social settings is balanced out by a cast of characters who were raised in the high-class, high-stakes setting of the court and the Raj Royal School. You have Sarita, the loveable general's daughters; Trace, the caustic but potentially loveable rich boy; and Ajay, the gorgeous love interest who just so happens to be a prince. They're all bound together through their involvement with the school's skyboarding team, and ultimately Kira's investigation into a string of assassination attempts. Together they make a balanced and dynamic group of teens, and I can't wait to see how they change and develop as the series progresses.  

But, if the characters doesn't draw you in, Ardis's writing is sure to do the trick. Her style light, imaginative and incredibly fast paced. The world building is both unique and gradual, painting the picture of a fragile empire laced through futuristic technology and myth-like magic. There are unique geographical regions, a defined class society, and the seeds of social revolution shaking the foundations of life as the characters know it. And then there's the matter of the investigative arc, with high stakes and dire consequences, carefully threaded throughout Kira's personal journey. There's an abundance of subtle clues and details that will allow for invested or seasoned readers to predict the ending, but no so many as to give all the twists away. I genuinely can't wait for the next book to be released! 

Finally, there's a lot of YA Fantasy out there that should really be classed as NA or adult - and believe me, I devour it with my whole heart - but Girl With Three Eyes is well and truly a YA book and this fills my heart with joy. The characters in it are in the 13-16 range and the embody the maelstrom of contradictions that come with that age. They are awkward and emotional, keep secrets and make impulsive decisions, and regularly blow inconsequential events out of proportion. But then on the next page they make intelligent and rational decisions, experience deep emotions and empathy, and navigate some very adult problems with an enviable and single-minded focus. In short, they are teenagers. And I'll be damned because they actually act like it. 

The result is that this book is an inviting bridge between the world of MG and YA fantasy. It's chalk full of the tropes that are beloved in the genre - it has a chosen one, an orphan falling in love with a prince, a house based school, complex and magical sports, an outsider protagonist with an impossible task, dramatically dysfunctional families, and more. Some might say that these tropes are over-used, but honestly, we keep reading them for a reason! They're relatable, there's an infinite number of ways in which an author can make them new and fresh (hence my love of this book!), and the fact that most readers enjoy a touch of the familiar when they delve into new and magical worlds. Having these tropes presented in a setting that is free from the adult responsibilities found in the later age ranges for YA helps to build knowledge without being overwhelming, and it's exactly the kind of book I would recommend for Junior High and High School Libraries. 

[Bri Hotchksis · Rating 4 out of 5]

First Impressions:

The Cover:
Bloody eye looking through a crown? Need I say more?! When I saw it, I was left in total wonderment and awe… there was no way I could live with myself without knowing what was going on underneath this captivating yet gory exterior.

The fact that the eye there is supposed to represent a “third eye”, does not elude me as well. The other side of my blog is about all things witchy in nature, and I often talk about how activating your third eye is a necessary task when practicing the Craft. When I saw that eye on the cover, I knew that this would be a match made in heaven.


The Synopsis:

A girl with unrealized magical powers accidentally heals a boy, unveiling an incredible gift that propels her into a new life that she always dreamed of having… but obviously, it comes with a price.

The synopsis gave me just enough where I knew that, if done correctly, the story will unfurl beautifully into one where this girl will awaken this untapped power she never knew she had and totally kick ass.

Who doesn’t love that type of story?! I’ll wait…



See! You got nothing… because EVERYONE loves this type of coming of age story.


At the same time, the synopsis was still vague enough that it left me wondering what this power would be, and how much danger she will be in because of this power. I was more than intrigued by the possibilities of where this story may head, and it made me want to read it that much more.



It’s Ethnic:

In the NetGalley description, this book was described as Hindu-lore…



My Brain, “Ding, Ding, Ding! We have a winner folks!! Step on down Priya, your book is next on the list for Bri’s June TBR.”



I love reading books from different ethnic backgrounds. There is no better way to get engrossed in someone else’s culture than reading about it in great detail; sensing the authors’ great admiration and pride in representing their ancestry.

You basically receive a free language course while enjoying a good read. There are in-depth descriptions of the colors, sights, and smells. You can almost taste the popular foods of their lands. You can see the people walking around in the local fashions. You can feel the sands of their beaches beneath your feet or the bone-chilling coldness of the snowy mountainous air that surrounds their little snowy villages.

I will always reach for a book that’s written by an author who’s ethnicity is sensed strongly throughout the story-line. Girl with Three Eyes definitely didn’t disappoint culturally.

Overall Impression:

As I’ve stated in previous posts, I’ve never been a huge fan of eBooks, but when I decided to venture into the world of “Blog Tours” I realized that there was no way I could get involved without reading digitally. Soon after this realization, I signed up for NetGalley, and that day I ran across Girl with Three Eyes. The cover made me stop in my tracks and the synopsis sealed the deal.

I had to read this book…


So I requested, got approved, and let me tell ya, I’m so glad I did. I really fell in love with the characters and the story-line had me hooked.



I don’t read middle-grade books, but from my impressions of what they are, I feel that GWTE border-lined between young adult and middle-grade. The students at the school had adorable crushes on each other, embarrassing and overbearing parents, and cliche and not so cliche “teenage problems”, so it was easy to perceive the middle-grade aesthetic more than the young adult. However, there was a seriousness such as addiction, the separation of people due to birthright, suicide, death, and murder that reminded you that the YA still thrived between the lines.



The story flowed very well, and the dialogue didn’t seem forced. Great descriptiveness was felt throughout the entire story-line, and it ended on a cliffhanger that left my mouth hanging wide open and my hand slapped on my forehead. Overall… I would say that this book is a winner in the B+S Archives.

If I had to find one gripe about the book, it would be that the big “climax” almost seemed to fall flat because it felt a bit rushed. The entire time, the story developed steadily and thoroughly, something I quite enjoyed. However, when you get to the “big reveal” and the intense action scene, everything got thrown together. I wasn’t able to process all that happened in the end as well as I was able to process all that happened earlier in the book.

And there were so many big moments in those last pages, a bit of dramatic pause and scene stretching would’ve done the book some good during those times.



The gripe was but a minor one though, and it wasn’t something that caused me to hate it. .. just want a little bit more.

[Tonja Drecker · Rating 4 out of 5]

With more than a couple refreshing twists, this is a grabbing start to what promises to be a delightful series.

Sixteen-year-old Kira is the outcast of her village. Not only is her father a drunkard and her mother deceased, but she's known to be a bit different...although no one really knows how. Kira hides a third eye on her forehead underneath a head band and wishes she'd never been born with such a curse. While skyboarding, she saves a boy from sure death, but soon finds him in coma back at her home. His father begs for her to save him, after hearing about her strange capabilities. To her surprise, it works. And that is her doom. With her father being held, she agrees to become a body guard for the boy, but little does she know the true plot she's about to stumble upon.

There are so many original and unique aspects of this tale, and yet, there are many familiar things as well. The idea of Kira having a third eye gives her a character with an intriguing twist. Not only did I love the tap at the beliefs of a different culture, but it made her interesting to get to know. It was easy to understand why she'd dislike her gift and also simple to see why she wouldn't necessarily fit in. Then there was skyboarding. Kira's hobby reminds a bit of snowboarding, but with a few different twists. I can't remember reading anything like this in a fantasy novel before and really enjoyed it. It also fit well with Kira's personality and kept the entire 'school' theme from going overboard.

While the tale starts out in a small cabin in a forest (a wonderful dive into a rich fantasy), it soon spins into a more cliche situation as she heads off to an elite school with the saved boy to protect him. There's also a bit of a rag to riches theme, but only a hint. This scene change took a little longer for me to warm up to, since it entailed the usual bullying, mean girls, and such. But then, the story saves itself by adding other new aspects like skyboarding competitions and spies with secret plots of treason. It's a mix full of tension and definitely keeps the pages turning until the end.

There's also friendship and romance and family. Kira might be discovering her powers, but she doesn't really have to do anything completely on her own as her newfound friends are right at her side. She also has a couple possible romance interests going on, each bordering on friendship more than anything sure (which I appreciate).

This is an exciting begin to what promises to be an even more intriguing series. It does seem to lean toward the younger side of YA and I think tweens would really enjoy this one, too. At times, I did find myself skipping a few paragraphs and a few 'surprises' were a little predictable, but I still enjoyed the tale quite a bit and am definitely looking forward to seeing where book two will take Kira. Because there is the promise of so much more to come! I received an ARC and enjoyed the read.

[Tonja Drecker · Rating 4 out of 5]

With more than a couple refreshing twists, this is a grabbing start to what promises to be a delightful series.

Sixteen-year-old Kira is the outcast of her village. Not only is her father a drunkard and her mother deceased, but she's known to be a bit different...although no one really knows how. Kira hides a third eye on her forehead underneath a head band and wishes she'd never been born with such a curse. While skyboarding, she saves a boy from sure death, but soon finds him in coma back at her home. His father begs for her to save him, after hearing about her strange capabilities. To her surprise, it works. And that is her doom. With her father being held, she agrees to become a body guard for the boy, but little does she know the true plot she's about to stumble upon.

There are so many original and unique aspects of this tale, and yet, there are many familiar things as well. The idea of Kira having a third eye gives her a character with an intriguing twist. Not only did I love the tap at the beliefs of a different culture, but it made her interesting to get to know. It was easy to understand why she'd dislike her gift and also simple to see why she wouldn't necessarily fit in. Then there was skyboarding. Kira's hobby reminds a bit of snowboarding, but with a few different twists. I can't remember reading anything like this in a fantasy novel before and really enjoyed it. It also fit well with Kira's personality and kept the entire 'school' theme from going overboard.

While the tale starts out in a small cabin in a forest (a wonderful dive into a rich fantasy), it soon spins into a more cliche situation as she heads off to an elite school with the saved boy to protect him. There's also a bit of a rag to riches theme, but only a hint. This scene change took a little longer for me to warm up to, since it entailed the usual bullying, mean girls, and such. But then, the story saves itself by adding other new aspects like skyboarding competitions and spies with secret plots of treason. It's a mix full of tension and definitely keeps the pages turning until the end.

There's also friendship and romance and family. Kira might be discovering her powers, but she doesn't really have to do anything completely on her own as her newfound friends are right at her side. She also has a couple possible romance interests going on, each bordering on friendship more than anything sure (which I appreciate).

This is an exciting begin to what promises to be an even more intriguing series. It does seem to lean toward the younger side of YA and I think tweens would really enjoy this one, too. At times, I did find myself skipping a few paragraphs and a few 'surprises' were a little predictable, but I still enjoyed the tale quite a bit and am definitely looking forward to seeing where book two will take Kira. Because there is the promise of so much more to come!

[Sasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

BOOK REVIEW 📚 *provided by NetGalley*

...", I marched into the men's dressing room after him. A few boys were milling around, sitting on benches half-naked wearing towels. One whistled and dropped his towel. "Want to see where it really Shines?" My cheeks turned pink."

Kira Shine has a third eye, literally, which her father uses to exploit her healing abilities. She is then whisked away to the kingdom's elite academy to attend school and act as a bodyguard. While she hides her gift and her motivations, a mystery unravels and she must save the kingdom and her friends.

Another really good and interesting read. I really enjoyed this novel and the fantasy aspect was done so well. Also the royalty aspect and the structure/system the author creates was wonderful. The world building was absolutely fantastic. It genuinely reminded me of Harry Potter and Hogwarts because of the unusual sport (skyboarding) and all the houses students were allocated to. It was just more of a modern, female dominated version of Harry Potter. Saying that, this book was very female dominant with empowerment and independence being a huge part of it. The plot was awesome and all the events/mysteries that occurred were very interesting and engaging.

Kira was such an enjoyable, outspoken but in a good way, main character and I loved her confidence and her ability to not care about her lower class or not take crap from anyone for anything. Trace was a spoilt, self absorbed dick in the beginning but he was totally redeemed and I came to actually like him. Ajay and Sarita were also really nice and genuine characters and overall, I enjoyed the friendship building and character development throughout the novel.

The book was based off Hindu Culture and it was so interesting and something completely different. You don't see it represented a lot In YA or fiction, so it was really nice and I definitely learnt some new things about the culture. We do need to see more of it in YA and fiction in general. The only problem I found was that the synopsis says they are 16, but in the novel they are said to be 14. It made mkre sense to me that they were 16, not 14. Anyway, the ending was such a shock, completely unexpected and I can't wait for the next book to be published.

Moreover, this was an amazing start to an up and coming fantasy series which I would highly recommend to fans of Harry Potter and just fantasy in general. Get yourself a copy of this new fantasy series by a new author! 

Girl With Three Eyes by Priya Ardis - 4.5/5 🌟

[Nini · Rating 4 out of 5]

OVERALL RATING: 4/5 stars! This is one of those books that objectively has a lot of flaws, but the story and characters are so good that they don't even matter. The story was entrancing and I was able to read it fairly quickly. It was an easy read, and I found myself getting so absorbed in it that I'd read for hours. I also loved the Indian rep! It's rare that I find an own voices book for that aspect of my identity.
PLOT: 4/5 stars. The plot was dark and twisty, and the stakes for our main character, Kira, got higher and higher. However, there were a few major events (mainly the attacks on the students) that felt a bit repetitive. The other problem was the way romance was hinted at and built up to, but there was no real "conclusion" for that part of the story. I am all fr a YA novel without romance, and especially in a book like this, it wouldn't have made sense to have a proper romance. But the buildup was confusing and misleading. Ultimately, though, I thought the plot was great.
STRUCTURE: 3.5/5 stars. I don't have much to say about the structure. The book was written chronologically, which made things clear and easy to understand. Details were revealed as the story progressed in a mostly natural way. Some of the writing was clunky and, again, repetitive at times.
WORLD-BUILDING: 4/5 stars. There were some aspects of the world-building that felt lazy, such as "ice cream" being called "creamy-ice," but only in very small areas. Other than that I loved the kingdom of Rajekstan. From what I can tell, Rajkestan is a dystopian India, and Ardis struck the perfect balance between it feeling familiar and like modern-day India and still being dystopian and vaguely unfamiliar and distorted.
THEME: 4/5 stars. Absolutely loved the concept and themes of the book, but my enjoyment was hindered by the heavy use of snowboarding terms that I am completely unfamiliar with. It was also unnecessarily confusing to call what were essentially snowboards with engines "skyboards," especially because skyboarding is a real activity.
CHARACTERS: 5/5 stars. Oh I LOVED these characters. I hated Trace, but I loved to hate him. And somehow by the end of the book I ended up kind of liking him?? His relationship with Kira was fun to read about. Trace reminds me a lot of Jacks from the Caraval trilogy. And of course Kira and Ajay! Loved reading their interactions too. I think if I had to pick a favorite character, though, I'd pick Sarita.

[Julia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC for an honest review.

Unfortunately, this book just wasn’t for me. Maybe this is something for younger readers but as it's categorised under Young Adult, I will review it to the standard of other YA books I have read.
There were a lot of aspects in this book that I found jarring or confusing and some parts did not make sense to me. I will touch on them briefly to give you an idea.

But first, what I did like:

The world:
The story is set against a high-tech Indian-inspired kingdom which I thought was so refreshing and different. The skyboarding and jousting were interesting sports that felt new and well-crafted and it was clear that a lot of care went into crafting this world.

The writing:
I found Priya Ardis’ writing very readable. She described the world beautifully and made it easy to imagine. It seems that she had a very specific vision of the world she wanted to create and succeeded in doing so.

What I didn’t like:

The characters:
I think the fundamental problem I had with the characters was that they were so inconsistent. Sometimes they acted like they were 13, then like they were adults (they are actually 16 and 17). And adults around them would treat them inconsistently, too. Our main character Kira regularly did a 180 on her thoughts and motivations and it was confusing to keep up with her. Some of the decisions Kira and other characters make just didn’t make sense to me or felt out of proportion to the stakes in the story (like putting so much of everyone’s focus on try outs for the school’s sports team). I wish the story would have either focused much more on the school internal politics or just on the larger national politics but this balance of the two sadly didn’t work for me.

The plot:
The plot was a mixed bag for me. I enjoyed the “murder mystery” vibe that we got from some parts of the story but coming out of it, there were aspects that didn’t add up for me, that felt too easily resolved or overlooked. I also wished we had focused more on the mystery and less on the skyboarding. I honestly didn’t expect the sport to take up so much of the story.

[Rajiv · Rating 5 out of 5]

[Blog]::[Youtube]::[Twitter]::[Instagram]::[Pinterest]::[Bloglovin]

Holy Rama ! This book was just amazing mix of YA drama, adventure, romance and intrigue and I loved it.

The story is a bit bumpy at the beginning as I had trouble visualizing the setting. However, things were perfect and smooth once Kira joins the Academy and becomes the bodyguard. True, I did get the “Harry Potter” vibe with Kira living a difficult life, moving to an academy with various houses, and discovering her special powers. But, apart from that, this book was fresh, compelling and very entertaining.

There are so many scenes that I just loved. For instance, the part where the old woman warns Kira to “Use the Eye or Die” was intriguing. Similarly, the skyboarding competition, and the events at the villa were so interesting. As the story progresses, you start to realize the conspiracy that is taking place, and how Kira gets caught in it. Moreover, there is never a dull moment as Kira jumps into action almost all the time. On a side note, I also love the innovative Indian terms used for the various houses and characters.

The author also did a wonderful job with the characters. Kira is so cool as the main character. She is mature, kick-ass, has attitude and very likable. In fact, I loved all the characters, like Sarita, Trace, Ajay and even Sir Lyon. What I also loved about the story is how everyone gets together in the bigger picture. None of the characters are left out. Moreover, the story also ends in a shocking cliffhanger that makes you want to read the next book immediately!

Overall, I did not expect to like Girl with Three Eyes so much. This book surpassed my expectations and I loved it!

[Andee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me these ARC for an honest review.

The world building in this book is incredibly solid, and you have a good understanding of how the kingdom works. There is Hindu culture woven in and out of both the school and the kingdom, from the houses they are placed into to the clothing that they wear. I thoroughly enjoyed the workings of the kingdom of Raj. The book is a good meld of that age between middle grade and YA, never going too uncomfortably into the romance tropes to take away from the story. Additionally, the conflicting relationship with a family member as an addict was well done, and the way we unintentionally enable them as well as the way they truly do want to do right by the people they love- it’s just hard.

Also, without spoiling anything, the plot twist during the peak of the book genuinely made the book for me. It was honestly shocking and I didn’t expect it whatsoever- and I’ve read a lot of YA and can predict most twists! The snowboarding (skyboarding) and the tech in a more or less 18th century feeling era was an interesting concept, however, I personally didn’t love it. That’s more of a preference, though. It was well written and important to the plot, I just don’t care for “sports” plot points.

Additionally, Trace, Lord Lyon’s son, was supposed to be the same age as Kira. However, he felt more like a bratty twelve-year-old rather than a popular 16 year old boy. While I understand people being raised differently, and some privileged people seeming “brattier” than others, Trace just genuinely felt so much younger than all the other characters in the book.

Sarita and her mom, as well as the Queen, were my favorite characters in the book- as well as being incredibly well rounded side characters. I feel like that isn’t found often, and I really appreciated it.

Overall, Girl With Three Eyes was incredibly enjoyable, and I cannot wait for the next one to come out. I gotta know what happens with the Oracles!

[Lee Sharp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Priya Ardis for the chance to review this Advanced Reader's Copy. I loved this book!

Kira is the main character, who is the gifted teenage daughter of a drug addled father, who is using magic, drugs, and subterfuge to earn a living for her and her father. Kira is forced to serve as a bodyguard and spy for a noble, during which she is tasked with attending a noble elite prepatory high school.

I have to admit, early into the book, I had misgivings and concerns. OK, of the fantasy tropes, we have a gifted untrained youth who is having to learn to use her powers on her own... Check. Child who wants education and never dreamed of being able to attend such a school as this... Check. Snowboarding variant in for quiddich... check. Can't forget the poorly situated girl in a caste society falling for and securing a relationship with a prince... check. Despite ALL of these themes being used in the book, the reader still finds themselves being compelled to cheer on Kira as she navigates the various challenges and betrayals throughout the book. This has all of the feel of a Disney princess movie, but I still enjoyed it.

No graphic, gratuitous violence; no graphic sexual content. While drug use is referenced repeatedly, it is treated appropriately, as something requiring treatment and understanding, but not something to be glorified or encouraged. Enslavement is repeatedly referenced, as is kidnapping . There are references to a caste system, and economic and social status differences are openly discussed. I think this book offers the reader a chance to frankly compare and contrast this fantasy society with the model and the actual societies in which they are involved.

I would have no concerns about sharing this book with an adolescent. There is plenty of excitement, and the pace does not leave the reader's attention to wane. This will be on my Christmas shopping list for my nieces.

[Katherine Paschal · Rating 3 out of 5]

**3.5 Stars**

Can I just mention how gorgeous the cover is and how it fits the story perfectly? Anyway, there was a lot going on in the story, I am not certain exactly how to classify the genre of the book. There were science fiction aspects to the story with futuristic technology such as a complicated snowboarding boards and ramps. But then it was also very fantasy with magical beings with third eyes,but then there was a royal family, knights and jousting (on a snowboard like thing) which made it feel almost historical. At times I was a little lost with the world building and the amount of details, making me disengage from the story at times.

The book overall had a kind of Harry Potter vibe to it with an orphan child, a boarding school and kids getting sorted into houses (with each house having an animal represent it) based on personality and achievement. There students receive rewards for good deeds and achievements and there is a very popular sport that all the school gets involved in, be it playing or cheering. My favorite part of the story was the found family, where the main character collects the best of people along the way and creates her own support system, with bickering and crushes included. and the ending of the book reminded me so much of the warm fuzzy feeling I get at the end of each HP potter book where the school year might be over but the headmaster and all the classmates reward your hard work (while being injured in a hospital wing).

And speaking of endings, this wrapped up satisfying enough while at the same time hooking my interest with all the loose ends and hints at what is to come. This is most certainly a series and I will look forward to the next book to come out. Girl With Three Eyes is the perfect choice for fans of fantasy, high stress situations be it extreme sporting or dangerous encounters, found families and court politics.

[Mylittlebookshelf · Rating 2 out of 5]

First of all thank you NetGalley and Vulcan Ink Media for the e arc i received in exchange for an honest review.
Where do I begin? Maybe with my confusion. Because this book definitely confused me. To me the world was confusing. In some ways it was like ours is today but then there were elements that were not like our world today. But to me, those elements weren't explained enough, the author didn't go into enough detail.
Also the whole skyboarding thing confused me. Why call it skyboard when it was nothing but a snowboard with an engine? I don't know a lot about skiing or snowboarding so a lot of the terms used to describe the sport, where new to me and i did not know what was meant by a lot of them.
Also the characters. How old were they? The synopsis stated that Kira was 16 in the book she was "four and ten" which to me sounded like 14?
Speaking of Kira, i did not like her, or i didn't get warm with her. She was not the strong female lead i was hoping for, more a child trying to save the world (or actually her friends). Which was way to easy. Not a lot went wrong, which made the story unrealistic. Kira also acted like a child a lot of the time, which to me, 16 year olds, don't do any more, a least not to that extent.
The other characters had depth, even though all of Kira's friends were just as childish. I liked the way friends count just as much as family in this book and how the relationship between Trace an Kira developed.
The writing though, was fast paced and good. I enjoyed reading, not so much because of the story, but because the writing made me want to read.
The plot was exciting but very foreseeable.
All in all i didn't really enjoy this book, but would recommend it for younger readers (maybe 12 to 14 year olds?). Especially one who enjoy sports, because there was a lot of that in this book.