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The Girl who Stole the Queen's Eyes
Camilla
“What beautiful eyes you have,” is all anyone ever says to Camilla. She feels like no one actually notices the real her. After her eighteenth birthday, Camilla seems to be the only one actually noticing anything at all. There is a castle on the lake, there are some strangers in town, and Camilla suddenly has an unintentional, and unfamiliar control over people when they look into her eyes. Camilla’s mother seems to know more than she leads on but doesn’t want to tell Camilla anything.
Extine
Extine is the Queen of Escana, a kingdom which she hides from the world with the power in her eyes. But when the first-born of the royal family becomes of age, the throne – and the power – is no longer hers. The problem is neither of her children are of age just yet when the queen begins to feel her powers slipping. With the kingdom at risk from being revealed to the world, the queen must turn to dark magic to reclaim her stolen eyes, no matter the cost.
“What beautiful eyes you have,” is all anyone ever says to Camilla. She feels like no one actually notices the real her. After her eighteenth birthday, Camilla seems to be the only one actually noticing anything at all. There is a castle on the lake, there are some strangers in town, and Camilla suddenly has an unintentional, and unfamiliar control over people when they look into her eyes. Camilla’s mother seems to know more than she leads on but doesn’t want to tell Camilla anything.
Extine
Extine is the Queen of Escana, a kingdom which she hides from the world with the power in her eyes. But when the first-born of the royal family becomes of age, the throne – and the power – is no longer hers. The problem is neither of her children are of age just yet when the queen begins to feel her powers slipping. With the kingdom at risk from being revealed to the world, the queen must turn to dark magic to reclaim her stolen eyes, no matter the cost.
- GenresFantasyYoung Adult
245 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 13, 2021
1 person is currently reading
145 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
July 13, 2021
The girl who stole the queen's eyes is a really fun read. It takes place in the present, but it also has a medieval vibe. This book is about family and revenge but also about forbidden love. The writing style was smooth, and the story read easy, which made it a enjoyable read.
June 3, 2021
She raised her hands up to frame the fern when a spark ran up her spine. And not just any spark. The same spark she felt whenever she used her eyes and their power. Yet something was different this time, terribly different.
I had pretty high hopes for this one; the synopsis sounded fascinating and the cover was just perfection. When I first started the prologue was definitely interesting and I really enjoyed the set-up - with the forbidden romance, the child-that-shouldn't-be, and the potentially evil queen, but when I actually got to the "meat" of the story I unfortunately found myself rather disappointed.
While I think the story has a lot of potential, I think that a lot of the characters and plot fell rather flat for me as the story went on. The main character seemed rather bland and uninteresting, with the only things spoken of being her eyes, her crush on Logan, and her visions of this castle no-one else can see; and Logan (whilst sweet) really didn't seem all that inspired as a love-interest, and was just the "nice, attractive, popular jock guy and friend from childhood." The villains (or "villains"?) also seemed to suffer from a lack of development, and much of it seemed to be "being bad for the sake of being bad" and just making rash decisions. There just wasn't really any explanations or examples as to why the characters were the way they were, and I would have appreciated some more solid motivation from well... ANYONE
I didn't feel that the author devoted the time necessary to get you truly involved in the narrative, and I spent a lot of time going "...but why" when plot points were revealed.
Overall I just found the world hadn't been fully thought out (or if it had, that this hadn't been well conveyed to the reader) and I really wish that the author had taken the time to flesh things out a bit more and do some world-building and character-building, because I do truly think that this novel had some real potential. It just didn't do it for me unfortunately :/
I had pretty high hopes for this one; the synopsis sounded fascinating and the cover was just perfection. When I first started the prologue was definitely interesting and I really enjoyed the set-up - with the forbidden romance, the child-that-shouldn't-be, and the potentially evil queen, but when I actually got to the "meat" of the story I unfortunately found myself rather disappointed.
While I think the story has a lot of potential, I think that a lot of the characters and plot fell rather flat for me as the story went on. The main character seemed rather bland and uninteresting, with the only things spoken of being her eyes, her crush on Logan, and her visions of this castle no-one else can see; and Logan (whilst sweet) really didn't seem all that inspired as a love-interest, and was just the "nice, attractive, popular jock guy and friend from childhood." The villains (or "villains"?) also seemed to suffer from a lack of development, and much of it seemed to be "being bad for the sake of being bad" and just making rash decisions. There just wasn't really any explanations or examples as to why the characters were the way they were, and I would have appreciated some more solid motivation from well... ANYONE
I didn't feel that the author devoted the time necessary to get you truly involved in the narrative, and I spent a lot of time going "...but why" when plot points were revealed.
Overall I just found the world hadn't been fully thought out (or if it had, that this hadn't been well conveyed to the reader) and I really wish that the author had taken the time to flesh things out a bit more and do some world-building and character-building, because I do truly think that this novel had some real potential. It just didn't do it for me unfortunately :/
July 14, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!
DISCLAIMER: I did not finish this book so the review is only based on the first 50%
This book tells the story of a young girl, Camilla, who after turning 18, starts to develop certain abilities using her eyes. There is also another plot taking place in a hidden territory named Escana where the queen, Extine, starts losing her powers and starts investing how and why. I don't want to say much more for the sake of those who do not want to be spoiled.
Now unfortunately, I did dnf this book at 50%
I know that I was halfway through and I should have powered through but I just was not enjoying the book anymore. It started out really well and pulled me into the story pretty quickly but also very quickly made me uninterested.
I thought that the plot had so much potential that was wasted on cliche high school crushes and annoying characters. The high school crush was pretty irrelevant and was not interesting to me. The male love interest was pretty bland and didn't have much depth to his character. Not only that but the other characters were pretty annoying to read about for different reasons. Remy came across as really bratty and selfish, her brother was pretty much irrelevant, and the sorceress-in-training (daughter of the sorceress? I can't remember) was pretty dull and just came across as Remy's tail. Extine was very superficial and her actions were a little chaotic but also came across as annoying and unnecessary and I did not enjoy her POV. Finn had potential but I wasn't interested to keep on reading about him. Camilla's mother (already forgot her name) was probably the most annoying character because she continued not to inform Camilla of their past even though Camilla already was picking up on this "secret."
The plot had so much potential but instead of focusing on this interesting hidden kingdom and Camilla's journey of the truth of her heritage, we spent way too much time in the high school setting. Not only that but the plot kind of stopped moving and was more about random, unnecessary actions on all of the character's parts. I had no interest in the love interest and Camilla's little crush on him. Camilla herself was pretty uninteresting as well.
I pretty much lost all interest in the story and the characters. There was no motivation for me to learn what happens in the rest of the book. The main reason for that was the lack of interest for the characters. They all fell flat and I personally can't read a book when I don't like any of the characters. Also the plot was not written to its fullest potential.
DISCLAIMER: I did not finish this book so the review is only based on the first 50%
This book tells the story of a young girl, Camilla, who after turning 18, starts to develop certain abilities using her eyes. There is also another plot taking place in a hidden territory named Escana where the queen, Extine, starts losing her powers and starts investing how and why. I don't want to say much more for the sake of those who do not want to be spoiled.
Now unfortunately, I did dnf this book at 50%
I know that I was halfway through and I should have powered through but I just was not enjoying the book anymore. It started out really well and pulled me into the story pretty quickly but also very quickly made me uninterested.
I thought that the plot had so much potential that was wasted on cliche high school crushes and annoying characters. The high school crush was pretty irrelevant and was not interesting to me. The male love interest was pretty bland and didn't have much depth to his character. Not only that but the other characters were pretty annoying to read about for different reasons. Remy came across as really bratty and selfish, her brother was pretty much irrelevant, and the sorceress-in-training (daughter of the sorceress? I can't remember) was pretty dull and just came across as Remy's tail. Extine was very superficial and her actions were a little chaotic but also came across as annoying and unnecessary and I did not enjoy her POV. Finn had potential but I wasn't interested to keep on reading about him. Camilla's mother (already forgot her name) was probably the most annoying character because she continued not to inform Camilla of their past even though Camilla already was picking up on this "secret."
The plot had so much potential but instead of focusing on this interesting hidden kingdom and Camilla's journey of the truth of her heritage, we spent way too much time in the high school setting. Not only that but the plot kind of stopped moving and was more about random, unnecessary actions on all of the character's parts. I had no interest in the love interest and Camilla's little crush on him. Camilla herself was pretty uninteresting as well.
I pretty much lost all interest in the story and the characters. There was no motivation for me to learn what happens in the rest of the book. The main reason for that was the lack of interest for the characters. They all fell flat and I personally can't read a book when I don't like any of the characters. Also the plot was not written to its fullest potential.
May 27, 2021
This book was pretty good. Not my favorite but it wasn’t bad by any means. The narration style was a lot different then what I’m used to but it was interesting to see someone write this way. I thought the concept of the book was cool and I liked that there was two pov’s. Overall not that bad. I probably wouldn’t read it again but I would buy it for my shelves.
June 17, 2021
This book holds a lot of promise and I truly wish that I could give it a higher rating, but the AR copy still felt like a rough draft version. The story plot and characters hold a lot of potential, but there are a lot of open ideas that weren't put together clearly. While reading I had way more questions than normal and they never really got answered. There was also a lot of similes used to the point that it felt forced.
Questions that I kept having while reading are:
-Why is it so easily to go into 'town' (leave the hidden castle/city to the real world)
-Why wouldn't Pearl just tell her daughter everything on her 18th birthday? Especially after weird things begin to happen. She claimed it was to keep her safe, but she would have been kept even more safe knowing everything to prepare her for the possibility of people coming to Escana looking for her.
-There's a hidden castle that's been kept hidden smack dab in a lake, yet the only magic really explored is how the persuasion of the magic eyes hold it hidden. There's so much world building missed on this intriguing idea.
-How are the teens in the hidden castle/city so American teen-like? The angst was too forced and unrealistic. Dialogue between the queen and her kids felt like a lifetime movie.
-Why in the world would the 'transfer' students tell people that they're from Escana?? Make up an identity when trying to be low key, don't specifically tell real name and where you're from. Especially if it's magical.
-There is so much forced wrist grabbing and fingernails being dug in done by everyone, my word.
The reason why I'm so bothered by all of these things is because there is potential here and I would read it again if it gets edited and all of the characters and world building is improved on. The current state just felt like it was published after one or two edits. I hope that all of this is taken as constructive criticism because it's all well-meant. There's a great story in here and don't give up editing it to find it so that it can be truly enjoyed by readers.
(I was given this book as an ARC or advanced reader copy by Netgalley as a kindle book for an honest review.)
Questions that I kept having while reading are:
-Why is it so easily to go into 'town' (leave the hidden castle/city to the real world)
-Why wouldn't Pearl just tell her daughter everything on her 18th birthday? Especially after weird things begin to happen. She claimed it was to keep her safe, but she would have been kept even more safe knowing everything to prepare her for the possibility of people coming to Escana looking for her.
-There's a hidden castle that's been kept hidden smack dab in a lake, yet the only magic really explored is how the persuasion of the magic eyes hold it hidden. There's so much world building missed on this intriguing idea.
-How are the teens in the hidden castle/city so American teen-like? The angst was too forced and unrealistic. Dialogue between the queen and her kids felt like a lifetime movie.
-Why in the world would the 'transfer' students tell people that they're from Escana?? Make up an identity when trying to be low key, don't specifically tell real name and where you're from. Especially if it's magical.
-There is so much forced wrist grabbing and fingernails being dug in done by everyone, my word.
The reason why I'm so bothered by all of these things is because there is potential here and I would read it again if it gets edited and all of the characters and world building is improved on. The current state just felt like it was published after one or two edits. I hope that all of this is taken as constructive criticism because it's all well-meant. There's a great story in here and don't give up editing it to find it so that it can be truly enjoyed by readers.
(I was given this book as an ARC or advanced reader copy by Netgalley as a kindle book for an honest review.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 13, 2021
This was a YA fantasy novel that followed the story of a kingdom that cannot be seen or perceived by the outside world because it has been warded using the power of the Queens eyes. The Queens eyes are magical in that they are able to compel others into the will of the Queen and they keep the kingdom safe and hidden from the outside world (which is our world). Things are made difficult though when the Queen begins to go blind. This is confusing to the Queen because she should only be going blind when her daughter (the rightful heir of the throne) turns 18 years old. She, however, is not yet 18 years old and so the Queen turns to a sorceress for help. The sorceress informs the Queen that her sister (who had run away around 18 years ago) had become pregnant in secrecy and fled the kingdom carrying the heir to the throne, and that child had the powerful eyes that the kingdom needed to return to safety and solitude. This angers the Queen and she sets out to track down her sister and this child and steal back what she believes is rightfully hers.
This story was in all a really fun and interesting concept that I have not really seen used in any other fantasy setting. The concept that someones eyes held power and was passed down from family to family was something that was, in my opinion, very unique and very interesting. However there were some aspects of this novel that I did not particularly care for.
Firstly the main character was not someone I had particularly liked. She fell into the much used “I’m not like other girls” trope. She constantly judged other girls around her for being “all the same” as if she was above every other female in her vicinity. She is portrayed as a girl with no friends, and a girl who does not want the company of others, however she is quick to judge those around her who may also be outcasts (like her), as weird or even scary.
The romance in this was cute and fun to read about but it was also somewhat erratic, as out of no where this popular sporty guy seems to become entranced and in love with the main character. Although I am a fan of this trope and enjoyed how it ended up, I do wish there was more of a build up around why he had fallen in love with her, rather than just him bumping into her and suddenly head over heals for her.
The last section of this book was really good in my opinion and I wish that we were able to see the characters develop a little more, as all of them went from being pretty horrible characters to really kind and caring characters that I eventually fell in love with.
In all I thought this was a fun read and one that went really smoothly. I was able to finish it in a short amount of time and found myself wanting to read more of it!
This story was in all a really fun and interesting concept that I have not really seen used in any other fantasy setting. The concept that someones eyes held power and was passed down from family to family was something that was, in my opinion, very unique and very interesting. However there were some aspects of this novel that I did not particularly care for.
Firstly the main character was not someone I had particularly liked. She fell into the much used “I’m not like other girls” trope. She constantly judged other girls around her for being “all the same” as if she was above every other female in her vicinity. She is portrayed as a girl with no friends, and a girl who does not want the company of others, however she is quick to judge those around her who may also be outcasts (like her), as weird or even scary.
The romance in this was cute and fun to read about but it was also somewhat erratic, as out of no where this popular sporty guy seems to become entranced and in love with the main character. Although I am a fan of this trope and enjoyed how it ended up, I do wish there was more of a build up around why he had fallen in love with her, rather than just him bumping into her and suddenly head over heals for her.
The last section of this book was really good in my opinion and I wish that we were able to see the characters develop a little more, as all of them went from being pretty horrible characters to really kind and caring characters that I eventually fell in love with.
In all I thought this was a fun read and one that went really smoothly. I was able to finish it in a short amount of time and found myself wanting to read more of it!
June 10, 2021
The premise of this standalone book was intriguing, unique, and has a lot of potentials. The world-building was underdeveloped and the characters are not so likable. The storyline could have been broadened by adding a backstory about the Escanian Kingdom and its people, the relationship of the queen to her people, about Captain Finn, and Sorceress Juniper. It would have been delightful too if we were able to read more about Finn and Pearl's forbidden romance.
The story follows Camilla Ward, a high school student living with her mom, Pearl, who works at a diner. People usually notice her beautiful eyes and when she turned eighteen, she suddenly notices things that only she can see.
Queen Extine, the ruler of Escana, a kingdom she hides from the world with the power of her eyes. When a firstborn of the next generation reached adulthood, the power is automatically passed on. When the queen starts to lose her powers, she resorted to dark magic to reclaim her eyes.
About the queen, the leading antagonist, it would have been impressive if her powers go beyond persuasion and hiding the kingdom from the outside world. A powerful, selfish queen should not be temperamental but someone tenacious.
The turning point of the story was a letdown for me but the ending was sensible.
Overall, this was an average read for me but would check out the other works of the author. I'm thankful to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for allowing me to read and express my view of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The story follows Camilla Ward, a high school student living with her mom, Pearl, who works at a diner. People usually notice her beautiful eyes and when she turned eighteen, she suddenly notices things that only she can see.
Queen Extine, the ruler of Escana, a kingdom she hides from the world with the power of her eyes. When a firstborn of the next generation reached adulthood, the power is automatically passed on. When the queen starts to lose her powers, she resorted to dark magic to reclaim her eyes.
About the queen, the leading antagonist, it would have been impressive if her powers go beyond persuasion and hiding the kingdom from the outside world. A powerful, selfish queen should not be temperamental but someone tenacious.
The turning point of the story was a letdown for me but the ending was sensible.
Overall, this was an average read for me but would check out the other works of the author. I'm thankful to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for allowing me to read and express my view of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
July 16, 2021
I really liked the premise of this book, and the cover like oh my god can we take a minute? You follow Camilla, an 18 year old girl with vibrant blue eyes and Extine, a queen who’s magical blue eyes keep her kingdom hidden - until the power starts to fail.
It took me so long to get through this book. The Girl Who Stole The Queens Eyes is marketed as a YA novel, but honestly it really insanely middle grade. I’m really sorry to say it, but everything felt extremely juvenile and lack lustre.
The closest comparison I could come to for the writing style of this book, was a Wattpad book that got picked up like a publisher. It just unfortunately didn’t feel or read like a developed final draft of a novel.
This book is Dual POV, between Camilla who’s newly 18 and Extine who I can guess is in the ballpark of her late 30s. I really didn’t understand the voices in this book, all the children (I say that lightly as they’re all 17/18) and the adults read exactly the same. The adult voices read extremely childish, and I felt that the author sometimes focused on the completely wrong thing during certain scenes.
When reading you can tell what the author was going for but the character development and the plot building just wasn’t there. There are multiple plot twists at the end of the book but they were predictable and didn’t evoke any emotion at all.
I really wanted to like this book but I honestly think that only someone considerably younger than me could enjoy it. I just couldn’t read it smoothly, I was constantly tripping over the weak plot development, or the cringe/uncharacteristic things the MCs and side characters were saying/doing.
I really didn’t mean for this review to be so negative, but, if I’m being completely honest with everyone - the only thing I enjoyed about this book was the premise and the fact I actually finished it.
I would definitely recommend this for a middle grade reader. Actually I don’t know, proceed with caution. There are some YA themes re: Romance so I don’t even know where this book falls honestly. Maybe 13-15?
Thank you to Zenith Publishing for providing me with a eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
If you would like to check out The Girl Who Stole The Queen’s Eyes, it’s being published on July 13, 2021!
It took me so long to get through this book. The Girl Who Stole The Queens Eyes is marketed as a YA novel, but honestly it really insanely middle grade. I’m really sorry to say it, but everything felt extremely juvenile and lack lustre.
The closest comparison I could come to for the writing style of this book, was a Wattpad book that got picked up like a publisher. It just unfortunately didn’t feel or read like a developed final draft of a novel.
This book is Dual POV, between Camilla who’s newly 18 and Extine who I can guess is in the ballpark of her late 30s. I really didn’t understand the voices in this book, all the children (I say that lightly as they’re all 17/18) and the adults read exactly the same. The adult voices read extremely childish, and I felt that the author sometimes focused on the completely wrong thing during certain scenes.
When reading you can tell what the author was going for but the character development and the plot building just wasn’t there. There are multiple plot twists at the end of the book but they were predictable and didn’t evoke any emotion at all.
I really wanted to like this book but I honestly think that only someone considerably younger than me could enjoy it. I just couldn’t read it smoothly, I was constantly tripping over the weak plot development, or the cringe/uncharacteristic things the MCs and side characters were saying/doing.
I really didn’t mean for this review to be so negative, but, if I’m being completely honest with everyone - the only thing I enjoyed about this book was the premise and the fact I actually finished it.
I would definitely recommend this for a middle grade reader. Actually I don’t know, proceed with caution. There are some YA themes re: Romance so I don’t even know where this book falls honestly. Maybe 13-15?
Thank you to Zenith Publishing for providing me with a eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
If you would like to check out The Girl Who Stole The Queen’s Eyes, it’s being published on July 13, 2021!
July 11, 2021
*Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an early copy of this book for review, all opinions are my own*
1.5 stars
Unfortunately I didn't like this story, I thought it has a lot of a 2014 book vibes, with annoying characters and with a plot that is based on romance and rivalry in high school.
The author tries to put on a little fantasy but it doesn't develop well.
So the fact that I didn't like any of the characters didn't help me to like the story, as I need to connect with the characters to care about what happening to them in the story.
I don't think it's a bad book, it's just not the kind of book that works for me anymore.
I found the tone of the book very youthful and attitude of the characters something I don't like more in books.
I think I recommend it to younger readers or those that are just starting out in the reading world.
1.5 stars
Unfortunately I didn't like this story, I thought it has a lot of a 2014 book vibes, with annoying characters and with a plot that is based on romance and rivalry in high school.
The author tries to put on a little fantasy but it doesn't develop well.
So the fact that I didn't like any of the characters didn't help me to like the story, as I need to connect with the characters to care about what happening to them in the story.
I don't think it's a bad book, it's just not the kind of book that works for me anymore.
I found the tone of the book very youthful and attitude of the characters something I don't like more in books.
I think I recommend it to younger readers or those that are just starting out in the reading world.
July 16, 2021
I think The Girl Who Stole the Queen's Eyes is a wholly unique story. What a great premise! You have a queen who has these all powerful eyes which she loses once her eldest child turns 18. The only problem is that her daughter is not the eldest child, and the queen's sister had a child no one knew about. It's a unique and interesting story. However, I had some problems with the way it was executed. First of all the dialogue. All the characters sounded the same, and I know a lot of these characters are related, but every single one of them is a stammerer? That just grated on me after a while. Most of the characters are pretty one dimensional, and Extine had the potential to be such a great villain, but constantly fell short in that area. I wanted to love this book, but I really didn't.
September 22, 2021
This is written more for teens, but I actually enjoyed it. Gave me Once Upon A Time (the show) vibes. It definitely reminded me a lot of classic fairy tales. I read it through rather quickly and couldn't put it down.
I really would have liked more information on this magical kingdom and its people. The book really lacked in that department. The storyline was fun and had some great messages, like just because you're different or a "loner", doesn't mean you can't find love. Really fitting for those preteens and teens when they're first discovering who they are.
I would recommend this to anyone under 20 years old who likes adventure, fantasy, and some minor romance.
I really would have liked more information on this magical kingdom and its people. The book really lacked in that department. The storyline was fun and had some great messages, like just because you're different or a "loner", doesn't mean you can't find love. Really fitting for those preteens and teens when they're first discovering who they are.
I would recommend this to anyone under 20 years old who likes adventure, fantasy, and some minor romance.
September 11, 2021
Before I get to the review I’d just like to thank the GenZ Publishing and @storygramtours on Instagram for gifting me a copy of this book <3
The Girl who Stole the Queen’s Eyes is a very unique book and the first of its kind that I’ve read. The story follows a high school girl with beautiful eyes who discovers that her world has been hiding more than she could have ever expected. While the story is unique, there are both good and not so good things about the book.
What I liked;
- As I said earlier it’s a very unique story, the mundane side and fantasy side complemented eachother wonderfully
- The character dynamics. I normally don’t enjoy friends-to-lovers but this was done very nicely in the book. The relationships between mother and daughter and the love story between the parents is one I’ll definitely never forget.
- The double antagonists. Loved this!
- The fast pace. The entire book only lasted like what, a week their time? It was very fast paced and the plottwists were not as predictable as I was expecting.
What I, sadly, didn’t like;
- Lack of character descriptions. While there was some, it was very hard for me to picture each character, even now I couldn’t tell you hair colors for them.
- No explanation on the Queen’s powers or history of the kingdom. Yes we understand HOW they work, but were did they originate from? Why must the Queen always use her powers to hide the Kingdom? Why must the Kingdom hide?
- No big final battle. Maybe this is just me, but I felt like there was no peak in the book. No big battle where the antagonist is defeated, in here it seems they just gave up and let the good guys win. Kinda makes for an anticlimactic read.
I definitely still enjoyed the book, it kept my attention and was very easy AND fun to read, but every book has its flaws so it definitely deserves a 4/5 stars from me.
The Girl who Stole the Queen’s Eyes is a very unique book and the first of its kind that I’ve read. The story follows a high school girl with beautiful eyes who discovers that her world has been hiding more than she could have ever expected. While the story is unique, there are both good and not so good things about the book.
What I liked;
- As I said earlier it’s a very unique story, the mundane side and fantasy side complemented eachother wonderfully
- The character dynamics. I normally don’t enjoy friends-to-lovers but this was done very nicely in the book. The relationships between mother and daughter and the love story between the parents is one I’ll definitely never forget.
- The double antagonists. Loved this!
- The fast pace. The entire book only lasted like what, a week their time? It was very fast paced and the plottwists were not as predictable as I was expecting.
What I, sadly, didn’t like;
- Lack of character descriptions. While there was some, it was very hard for me to picture each character, even now I couldn’t tell you hair colors for them.
- No explanation on the Queen’s powers or history of the kingdom. Yes we understand HOW they work, but were did they originate from? Why must the Queen always use her powers to hide the Kingdom? Why must the Kingdom hide?
- No big final battle. Maybe this is just me, but I felt like there was no peak in the book. No big battle where the antagonist is defeated, in here it seems they just gave up and let the good guys win. Kinda makes for an anticlimactic read.
I definitely still enjoyed the book, it kept my attention and was very easy AND fun to read, but every book has its flaws so it definitely deserves a 4/5 stars from me.
September 3, 2021
I got attracted by the unique premise and the beautiful cover. Really wanted to love this independent book. But the writing ended up quite bland, the characters were not very developed, lots of the situations ended up feeling like events I had already seen before and the dialogues was too on the nose. This is very much directed at teens that haven't read extensively. There was a lot of potential, but I think it needed another round of editing to tighten the intent, infuse more personality and voice of the author in the writing.
June 3, 2021
Extine’s magic eyes have kept her kingdom safe for generations. But the magic is leaving, and Extine? she is going to get them back.
(I was given this book as a ARC or Advanced Reader Copy given through NetGalley as an audiobook for an honest Review. All of these thoughts are mine and at no point was I pressured or swayed in my opinion)
This book comes out on July 13 2021
Triggers:
Dubious consent (off screen/mentioned)
I would rate this a 2.7/5
The premise and world building was wonderful and had so much that I wanted to explore. But I felt that the execution was lacking a bit.
Camilla has been praised for her eyes for years
But after years of that being the only thing that people seem to take notice about of about her. Things are taking a turn. When her eighteenth birthday comes to pass things around her are taking a turn for the weird.
Especially when she suddenly seems to have some type of hypnotic control powers that come over her when people make eye contact with her.
And Camilla’s mother? She seems to know more than she is willing to tell her.
And speaking of weird, the castle that shimmers in view on the lake?
But that’s not all that has taken a turn for the weird. A castle that seems to be appearing over the lake when it wasn’t there before? Yeah that’s weird.
Let’s not also forget the strange new people that seem to be showing up around town? Strangers who seem to want something from Camilla.
Extine’s family have ruled for years with the power of there eyes
Past down from first born, to first born, there eyes have had the power to keep there kingdom hidden from the world for generations. But when the rulers own first born comes of age they lose the power as it goes to the child.
Which is the fate that has befallen Extine at this exact moment. And Extine? her first born has not yet come of age.
And with Extine’s powers slipping her kingdom is on the brink of being revealed to the world. Extine has to do something to keep herself and her kingdom safe.
Which means that she has to find the person who has stolen her eyes.
I Loved the World Building
This book was filled to the brim with world building and lore that I wanted to skin my teeth into. The kingdom that Extine ruled, her family line, the power of her eyes. All of this I wanted to know more about.
I wish there was more of that was explored in this book as I definitely think that it would have added more to the story. Both to make it more immersive, and in knowing why the story was playing out the way that it did.
The characters were interesting but hard to follow
the characters were interesting in concept and had a lot of potential. There storylines being something that I would have loved to follow.
I wanted to spend more time with them in places. Know more about why there are the way there are. (another nod to wanting more world building)
But I felt the character continuity was lacking in places. And that in turn made the dialogue not flow very well and gave me whiplash in places.
Speaking of dialogue
While the story kept me engaged the dialogue pulled me out of the story from time to time and the characters switched personality and mood from time to time.
Some of them going from mad at a character and snappish to a sudden one eighty and moving on.
This book has a lot of potential
I feel like this could be a great book if it got a little more polish and time. There was some great things in it from the world building, to the characters in it.
And with a little more work it could definitely be something work checking out. But not right now.
(I was given this book as a ARC or Advanced Reader Copy given through NetGalley as an audiobook for an honest Review. All of these thoughts are mine and at no point was I pressured or swayed in my opinion)
This book comes out on July 13 2021
Triggers:
Dubious consent (off screen/mentioned)
I would rate this a 2.7/5
The premise and world building was wonderful and had so much that I wanted to explore. But I felt that the execution was lacking a bit.
Camilla has been praised for her eyes for years
But after years of that being the only thing that people seem to take notice about of about her. Things are taking a turn. When her eighteenth birthday comes to pass things around her are taking a turn for the weird.
Especially when she suddenly seems to have some type of hypnotic control powers that come over her when people make eye contact with her.
And Camilla’s mother? She seems to know more than she is willing to tell her.
And speaking of weird, the castle that shimmers in view on the lake?
But that’s not all that has taken a turn for the weird. A castle that seems to be appearing over the lake when it wasn’t there before? Yeah that’s weird.
Let’s not also forget the strange new people that seem to be showing up around town? Strangers who seem to want something from Camilla.
Extine’s family have ruled for years with the power of there eyes
Past down from first born, to first born, there eyes have had the power to keep there kingdom hidden from the world for generations. But when the rulers own first born comes of age they lose the power as it goes to the child.
Which is the fate that has befallen Extine at this exact moment. And Extine? her first born has not yet come of age.
And with Extine’s powers slipping her kingdom is on the brink of being revealed to the world. Extine has to do something to keep herself and her kingdom safe.
Which means that she has to find the person who has stolen her eyes.
I Loved the World Building
This book was filled to the brim with world building and lore that I wanted to skin my teeth into. The kingdom that Extine ruled, her family line, the power of her eyes. All of this I wanted to know more about.
I wish there was more of that was explored in this book as I definitely think that it would have added more to the story. Both to make it more immersive, and in knowing why the story was playing out the way that it did.
The characters were interesting but hard to follow
the characters were interesting in concept and had a lot of potential. There storylines being something that I would have loved to follow.
I wanted to spend more time with them in places. Know more about why there are the way there are. (another nod to wanting more world building)
But I felt the character continuity was lacking in places. And that in turn made the dialogue not flow very well and gave me whiplash in places.
Speaking of dialogue
While the story kept me engaged the dialogue pulled me out of the story from time to time and the characters switched personality and mood from time to time.
Some of them going from mad at a character and snappish to a sudden one eighty and moving on.
This book has a lot of potential
I feel like this could be a great book if it got a little more polish and time. There was some great things in it from the world building, to the characters in it.
And with a little more work it could definitely be something work checking out. But not right now.
September 19, 2021
Family drama and dark magic create the perfect storm in The Girl Who Stole the Queen's Eyes by Marilize Loxton. In the small town of Crystalvale, young Camilla is noticing strange happenings around her. Apparitions of a castle, glowing eyes, and sudden control of the actions of those around her. Meanwhile, the kingdom of Escana, hidden from the world, is beginning to lose its illusion. Queen Extine's power and eyesight are fading. When she calls on a well-known sorceress for answers, they uncover a betrayal that has thrown the kingdom into chaos. With both Extine and Camilla searching for answers, they're on a collision course with each other that will inevitably end in disaster.
The plotline and world-building written here are compelling and unique. A magical kingdom hidden in plain sight, controlled by generational power, ensuring its ongoing protection, creates a full and rich history of the land. There are stories told of the family legacy, making it feel complete and well thought out. The way the town was built around the kingdom made for really high stakes when the illusion began to fall. Readers will be able to feel the fear in both the townspeople and those within the hidden kingdom.
However, there are a few things that make it fall short of being a five-star read. It feels as though the author shows their hand too quickly. Elements that could have been shocking twists are revealed right at the beginning, and it takes away from the mystery of where the plotline will lead. There are a few examples of this happening, but I won't put any because this is a spoiler-free zone.
Another thing readers may take issue with is that some of the characters are almost caricatures of stereotypes rather than being realistic. Camilla has stunning blue eyes, and she is offended when people compliment them. "I never feel like anybody sees the me behind my eyes." She's very insecure about it, but it falls flat of being an issue an 18-year-old would be quite so upset over.
That said, I still give The Girl Who Stole the Queen's Eyes three out of five stars. The story was intriguing, and the betrayals along the way created a few visceral reactions. But the fine details and characters holding the plot together didn't always make sense.
It was still an enjoyable read, and it would be perfect for young fantasy readers, especially those looking for a fantasy novel with minimal violence and cursing.
The plotline and world-building written here are compelling and unique. A magical kingdom hidden in plain sight, controlled by generational power, ensuring its ongoing protection, creates a full and rich history of the land. There are stories told of the family legacy, making it feel complete and well thought out. The way the town was built around the kingdom made for really high stakes when the illusion began to fall. Readers will be able to feel the fear in both the townspeople and those within the hidden kingdom.
However, there are a few things that make it fall short of being a five-star read. It feels as though the author shows their hand too quickly. Elements that could have been shocking twists are revealed right at the beginning, and it takes away from the mystery of where the plotline will lead. There are a few examples of this happening, but I won't put any because this is a spoiler-free zone.
Another thing readers may take issue with is that some of the characters are almost caricatures of stereotypes rather than being realistic. Camilla has stunning blue eyes, and she is offended when people compliment them. "I never feel like anybody sees the me behind my eyes." She's very insecure about it, but it falls flat of being an issue an 18-year-old would be quite so upset over.
That said, I still give The Girl Who Stole the Queen's Eyes three out of five stars. The story was intriguing, and the betrayals along the way created a few visceral reactions. But the fine details and characters holding the plot together didn't always make sense.
It was still an enjoyable read, and it would be perfect for young fantasy readers, especially those looking for a fantasy novel with minimal violence and cursing.
July 24, 2021
If you like YA fantasy with a shy, soft-hearted protagonist, family reunion trope, and heroic sacrifice trope, then this book is for you.
I’m not really a fan of protagonists who are shy and who rely on others so much that’s why it took me almost 2 months to finish reading this book. This book isn’t for me. I love the storyline of how a hidden kingdom is ruled by a Queen who has the power to control other people with her eyes.
I think the story has great potential but I just hated Camilla so much. I hate how she’s so meek and how she let’s people walk all over her. I hated that when she discovered her abilities she still allowed other people (aka her aunt and advisors) to decide what is best for her and her kingdom.
I love sad endings, I really do. It’s my favorite kind of ending. But this is just ridiculous. They separated just because other people told her to. Until the end, she’s still just a doormat. I don’t see any character development throughout the whole story.
“Only because of you.”
I absoluteeeely aaaaabsolutely hated. HATED. This line. It’s a stereotypical I’m-stupid-and-meek-can’t-stand-up-for-herself-kind-of-girl-so-I-need-you-to-be-my-strength character. YOU ONLY HAVE TO CONCENTRATE, LITTLE GIRL. YOU WERE ABLE TO LIVE YOUR LIFE WITHOUT DEPENDING ON SOME BOY WHO DIDN’T GIVE A SHIT ABOUT YOU BEFORE, DON’T START NOW.
This was only redeemed for me by the sacrifice Pearl made for Remy. It was heart-warming and unexpected. It was kinda cool of her to do that for her niece.
Remy. I don’t know what to say about Remy. I loved her character from the start. I love how ruthless and ambitious she was. She was theinky character who didn’t annoy me. Sadly, her ending was anticlimactic aaaaaand stereotypical (again) for me. Just because she got her eyesight back she’s suddenly good and thankful for everything? Nope. I don’t believe that for a second. Marilize did her dirty on this ending.
All in all, this is not a book for me but I will rate it 2.8🌟 because I like Remy.
I’m not really a fan of protagonists who are shy and who rely on others so much that’s why it took me almost 2 months to finish reading this book. This book isn’t for me. I love the storyline of how a hidden kingdom is ruled by a Queen who has the power to control other people with her eyes.
I think the story has great potential but I just hated Camilla so much. I hate how she’s so meek and how she let’s people walk all over her. I hated that when she discovered her abilities she still allowed other people (aka her aunt and advisors) to decide what is best for her and her kingdom.
I love sad endings, I really do. It’s my favorite kind of ending. But this is just ridiculous. They separated just because other people told her to. Until the end, she’s still just a doormat. I don’t see any character development throughout the whole story.
“Only because of you.”
I absoluteeeely aaaaabsolutely hated. HATED. This line. It’s a stereotypical I’m-stupid-and-meek-can’t-stand-up-for-herself-kind-of-girl-so-I-need-you-to-be-my-strength character. YOU ONLY HAVE TO CONCENTRATE, LITTLE GIRL. YOU WERE ABLE TO LIVE YOUR LIFE WITHOUT DEPENDING ON SOME BOY WHO DIDN’T GIVE A SHIT ABOUT YOU BEFORE, DON’T START NOW.
This was only redeemed for me by the sacrifice Pearl made for Remy. It was heart-warming and unexpected. It was kinda cool of her to do that for her niece.
Remy. I don’t know what to say about Remy. I loved her character from the start. I love how ruthless and ambitious she was. She was theinky character who didn’t annoy me. Sadly, her ending was anticlimactic aaaaaand stereotypical (again) for me. Just because she got her eyesight back she’s suddenly good and thankful for everything? Nope. I don’t believe that for a second. Marilize did her dirty on this ending.
All in all, this is not a book for me but I will rate it 2.8🌟 because I like Remy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 10, 2021
Could have been amazing, but ended up disapointing...
-I got this book as an eARC with Netgalley in exchange for an honest review-
All her life, Camilla feels like all everyone ever notices are her eyes. But on the day of her eighteenth birthday, everything changes. She discovers that she's able to compell people in a way. And then, she sees a castle on the lake, people disappear and others show up out of nowhere. Meanwhile, Estine, Queen of Escara, discovers that her firstborn isn't the heir to the throne and, as she loses her power, will do anything to get back what was stolen.
I had great hopes for this book given the premise. It sounded really unique and interesting and the basic idea of the story really was. As for the rest... I admit that I was really disappointed by this book. From the very first chapter, Camilla was really cliché and - quite franckly - annoying. The "not like other girls" trope was way too obvious and I really didn't like it. She also kept stammering every time she spoke and it was really upsetting... As for the boy...well cliché too, popular guy who notices the weird, quirky girl... And what was even more confusing was that I couldn't understand Camilla's behavior toward him because she kept pushing him away even though she liked him. But apart from that, I felt like all the characters lacked depth. They didn't really have any personality, the mother acted weird and obvious from the start and I couldn't understand how Camilla didn't figure everything out right away given how obvious everything was. As for the Queen... she was inconstant and even more confusing than all the other characters. The ending was way too easy and improbable and it was another disappointment. Apart from that, it's a quick read but I didn't really like the author's writing either which felt childish at times and just awkward.
In my opinion, this wasn't a good book and I would unfirtunately not recommend it.
"They didn't have to know, not before she had put things right."
-I got this book as an eARC with Netgalley in exchange for an honest review-
All her life, Camilla feels like all everyone ever notices are her eyes. But on the day of her eighteenth birthday, everything changes. She discovers that she's able to compell people in a way. And then, she sees a castle on the lake, people disappear and others show up out of nowhere. Meanwhile, Estine, Queen of Escara, discovers that her firstborn isn't the heir to the throne and, as she loses her power, will do anything to get back what was stolen.
I had great hopes for this book given the premise. It sounded really unique and interesting and the basic idea of the story really was. As for the rest... I admit that I was really disappointed by this book. From the very first chapter, Camilla was really cliché and - quite franckly - annoying. The "not like other girls" trope was way too obvious and I really didn't like it. She also kept stammering every time she spoke and it was really upsetting... As for the boy...well cliché too, popular guy who notices the weird, quirky girl... And what was even more confusing was that I couldn't understand Camilla's behavior toward him because she kept pushing him away even though she liked him. But apart from that, I felt like all the characters lacked depth. They didn't really have any personality, the mother acted weird and obvious from the start and I couldn't understand how Camilla didn't figure everything out right away given how obvious everything was. As for the Queen... she was inconstant and even more confusing than all the other characters. The ending was way too easy and improbable and it was another disappointment. Apart from that, it's a quick read but I didn't really like the author's writing either which felt childish at times and just awkward.
In my opinion, this wasn't a good book and I would unfirtunately not recommend it.
"They didn't have to know, not before she had put things right."
June 1, 2021
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I like the concept, the magic and the characters. I do have a few issues/points to get across but other then a few, I loved the book.
1. The characters: While I really enjoyed them and I think that a vast majority of the characters were well flushed out, I think that the Queen, Pearl and FInn were not given anywhere near as much depth. The Queen went from full on psycho to full on supportive and caring in a matter of minutes. I feel as though there should have been more development and internal struggle on her end. I know that they showed some. .but I would have liked to see more.
2. Ok. if I know that I have to go blind as soon as my first child turns 18. . .I would NOT get pregnant at 18! I get that for Pearl, it was a mistake, but I mean for the Queen. ANY of the rulers. Especially knowing that it takes place in the present where we have advances in medicines that make it so that they can pick and choose when they have kids. Im not saying I would wait until I am 50 or anything, but certainly not make it so that I go blind by the time I am in my early to Mid 30s. minor nitpick but still.
What I did like. I loved the main character and Remy. I also loved the magic and the fact that while it takes place in hte modern world, there is this entire kingdom that is hidden from us. It gives the world a sense of mystery and wonder.
I also love the fact that they made Logan love her for her. I really feel like there needs to be a second book because the ending just seemed to be cut short. THey resolved a lof of the story lines but so abruptly that you dont really get to see how everyone was affected. I would have liked ot see more of Remy and her character development as well as more of what happens between Camille and Logan.
Overall though, I really did love this book and would absolutely recommend it.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I like the concept, the magic and the characters. I do have a few issues/points to get across but other then a few, I loved the book.
1. The characters: While I really enjoyed them and I think that a vast majority of the characters were well flushed out, I think that the Queen, Pearl and FInn were not given anywhere near as much depth. The Queen went from full on psycho to full on supportive and caring in a matter of minutes. I feel as though there should have been more development and internal struggle on her end. I know that they showed some. .but I would have liked to see more.
2. Ok. if I know that I have to go blind as soon as my first child turns 18. . .I would NOT get pregnant at 18! I get that for Pearl, it was a mistake, but I mean for the Queen. ANY of the rulers. Especially knowing that it takes place in the present where we have advances in medicines that make it so that they can pick and choose when they have kids. Im not saying I would wait until I am 50 or anything, but certainly not make it so that I go blind by the time I am in my early to Mid 30s. minor nitpick but still.
What I did like. I loved the main character and Remy. I also loved the magic and the fact that while it takes place in hte modern world, there is this entire kingdom that is hidden from us. It gives the world a sense of mystery and wonder.
I also love the fact that they made Logan love her for her. I really feel like there needs to be a second book because the ending just seemed to be cut short. THey resolved a lof of the story lines but so abruptly that you dont really get to see how everyone was affected. I would have liked ot see more of Remy and her character development as well as more of what happens between Camille and Logan.
Overall though, I really did love this book and would absolutely recommend it.
July 24, 2021
Thank you, GenZ Publishing and NetGalley, for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The title was so intriguing and unique, and that’s why I asked to read the book. The beginning was so exciting, and I had many questions about the world-building, like what will happen to the queen if her “sight” goes to her daughter? What if she never had kids? Is it okay for her to be blind for the rest of her life? Why even this was the case with Escana?
While the story has many potentials, I think the world-building needs more clarifying and perhaps more details about the back story about the forbidden romance between Finn and Pearl, which btw it shocked me when I read the later twist about Finn and the queen.
I liked Pearl, but camellia... not much. She seemed more like a 15 year-old-girl. I was not fond of Remy at all. While I was reading the book, I was wondering how a terrible queen she would be.
Some random moments drove the plot: just like when Pearl threw the castle drawing in the river and made its way to the castle. What if she didn’t do that? Would the queen found out about Camilla then? And when she found out about her, I didn’t feel that her dad was concerned about his daughter’s safety! The dialogue, too, pulled me out of the story sometimes.
Note: While I was reading about that Camilla (and the others) never heard about Escana, I couldn’t help but wonder: a simple google search would certainly clear out the doubts about this place!
Overall, this was a good fantasy book, and I recommend it to the YA readers who enjoy a good and unique story.
The title was so intriguing and unique, and that’s why I asked to read the book. The beginning was so exciting, and I had many questions about the world-building, like what will happen to the queen if her “sight” goes to her daughter? What if she never had kids? Is it okay for her to be blind for the rest of her life? Why even this was the case with Escana?
While the story has many potentials, I think the world-building needs more clarifying and perhaps more details about the back story about the forbidden romance between Finn and Pearl, which btw it shocked me when I read the later twist about Finn and the queen.
I liked Pearl, but camellia... not much. She seemed more like a 15 year-old-girl. I was not fond of Remy at all. While I was reading the book, I was wondering how a terrible queen she would be.
Some random moments drove the plot: just like when Pearl threw the castle drawing in the river and made its way to the castle. What if she didn’t do that? Would the queen found out about Camilla then? And when she found out about her, I didn’t feel that her dad was concerned about his daughter’s safety! The dialogue, too, pulled me out of the story sometimes.
Note: While I was reading about that Camilla (and the others) never heard about Escana, I couldn’t help but wonder: a simple google search would certainly clear out the doubts about this place!
Overall, this was a good fantasy book, and I recommend it to the YA readers who enjoy a good and unique story.
June 7, 2021
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Girl Who Stole the Queen's Eyes is a YA fantasy following a girl named Camilla who develops a strange power on her eighteenth birthday, and the vengeful queen whose magic Camilla unintentionally stole.
First of all, magical cover alert! I love it so much, I could stare at it all day.
This story sucked me in right from the beginning. The prologue is amazing, and set up the rest of the book perfectly. I enjoyed the dual POVs of Camilla and Extine - I love when the villain is one of the POV characters! I also liked that it gave us a peek into both worlds, our world and Escana, though we really only got to see the castle, and I would have loved to explore more of the kingdom.
My favorite thing about this book was the characters. Each was so well developed, and they all had such distinct personalities it made for a really enjoyable read. I don't know if there is going to be a sequel, but if there is I'd love to see more of Remy, Pearl, and Finn. I felt like the story ended quite quickly and we didn't get to see much of what happened to them.
I also enjoyed the magic system in this book, and the idea of power being linked to the eyes of the queen. The fact that only one person at a time can possess power, and that there is a great price for this power, was refreshing in a genre where magic is often overused and all-powerful.
My one gripe:
Overall, The Girl Who Stole the Queen's Eyes is an intriguing, fantastical story which kept me turning the pages right till the very end.
The Girl Who Stole the Queen's Eyes is a YA fantasy following a girl named Camilla who develops a strange power on her eighteenth birthday, and the vengeful queen whose magic Camilla unintentionally stole.
First of all, magical cover alert! I love it so much, I could stare at it all day.
This story sucked me in right from the beginning. The prologue is amazing, and set up the rest of the book perfectly. I enjoyed the dual POVs of Camilla and Extine - I love when the villain is one of the POV characters! I also liked that it gave us a peek into both worlds, our world and Escana, though we really only got to see the castle, and I would have loved to explore more of the kingdom.
My favorite thing about this book was the characters. Each was so well developed, and they all had such distinct personalities it made for a really enjoyable read. I don't know if there is going to be a sequel, but if there is I'd love to see more of Remy, Pearl, and Finn. I felt like the story ended quite quickly and we didn't get to see much of what happened to them.
I also enjoyed the magic system in this book, and the idea of power being linked to the eyes of the queen. The fact that only one person at a time can possess power, and that there is a great price for this power, was refreshing in a genre where magic is often overused and all-powerful.
My one gripe:
Overall, The Girl Who Stole the Queen's Eyes is an intriguing, fantastical story which kept me turning the pages right till the very end.
June 23, 2021
#NetGalley #Finished
(I was given this book as an Advanced Reader Copy given through NetGalley for an honest review in exchange. All of these are my personal opinions and at no point was I pressured or swayed to give it that way and neither have I pushed it upon anyone else.)
This book started very promising and I genuinely think that the concept is very cool and beside the cover that was what enticed me in the first place... BUT, yes, there's always a 'but'.
I might have missed the reason for the kindgom to have the need to be hidden but alright, I guess I could get over that. However what I could not get over was the small character development of the main character Camilla and a complete lack of character development in the villain Remy. Like, I know she's a villain but she could have gotten at least some conscious, like her brother did. She was that kind of a villain that you cannot even like or dislike - and that bothered me because I wanted to feel something when it came to her and it just wasn't there, sadly.
The ending was very faste compared to the slower paced beginning and middle parts. The things went from one side to the other in a blink of an eye and without a real reason or explanation and maybe it would have done better to give some decision in the end time to sink in rather than 'rush' them the way they were.
The real MVP of the story was Logan, though. This character was an amazing refreshment and he was actually a quite the amusing bloke.
All in all, 3/5 - not bad but not going to be a re-read.
(I was given this book as an Advanced Reader Copy given through NetGalley for an honest review in exchange. All of these are my personal opinions and at no point was I pressured or swayed to give it that way and neither have I pushed it upon anyone else.)
This book started very promising and I genuinely think that the concept is very cool and beside the cover that was what enticed me in the first place... BUT, yes, there's always a 'but'.
I might have missed the reason for the kindgom to have the need to be hidden but alright, I guess I could get over that. However what I could not get over was the small character development of the main character Camilla and a complete lack of character development in the villain Remy. Like, I know she's a villain but she could have gotten at least some conscious, like her brother did. She was that kind of a villain that you cannot even like or dislike - and that bothered me because I wanted to feel something when it came to her and it just wasn't there, sadly.
The ending was very faste compared to the slower paced beginning and middle parts. The things went from one side to the other in a blink of an eye and without a real reason or explanation and maybe it would have done better to give some decision in the end time to sink in rather than 'rush' them the way they were.
The real MVP of the story was Logan, though. This character was an amazing refreshment and he was actually a quite the amusing bloke.
All in all, 3/5 - not bad but not going to be a re-read.
June 30, 2021
Upon reading the description for this YA fantasy, I was intantly intrigued. The plot itself is very creative, centering around a young girl's eyes and the power they possess. Once I began to read, I found it harder to put it back down each time.
A story would be difficult to read if you could not feel an emotional connection with the characters. I believe Marileze Loxton did this perfectly. It was like playing a game of Devils Advocate trying figure out who was really in the wrong (SPOILER: Extine and Remy vs. Camilla and Pearl). In a odd way, I almost felt bad for the queen and all that happened to her. But at the same time, I know Pearl only did what was best for herself and her daughter.
The pacing of the e-book was perfect. Each chapter left clues to the reader as to what was going on, encouraging the reader to want to keep going and piece the puzzle together. I enjoyed the overall plot, and the sheer creativity of it all. Its a very unique idea and I enjoyed reading through the novel in its entirety.
My critiques of the story are minimal, with my only critique being purely opinion based. I only wished that (SPOILER) Camilla and Logan had a happier ending together. But again, that is purely opinion based and nothing more.
Overall, I would rate this e-book a 10/10 and a great read. If you're into fantasy with what I like to call a "modern twist" I would definately reccomend. Marileze Loxton is a very talented author and I could only hope there will be more great stories to come.
A story would be difficult to read if you could not feel an emotional connection with the characters. I believe Marileze Loxton did this perfectly. It was like playing a game of Devils Advocate trying figure out who was really in the wrong (SPOILER: Extine and Remy vs. Camilla and Pearl). In a odd way, I almost felt bad for the queen and all that happened to her. But at the same time, I know Pearl only did what was best for herself and her daughter.
The pacing of the e-book was perfect. Each chapter left clues to the reader as to what was going on, encouraging the reader to want to keep going and piece the puzzle together. I enjoyed the overall plot, and the sheer creativity of it all. Its a very unique idea and I enjoyed reading through the novel in its entirety.
My critiques of the story are minimal, with my only critique being purely opinion based. I only wished that (SPOILER) Camilla and Logan had a happier ending together. But again, that is purely opinion based and nothing more.
Overall, I would rate this e-book a 10/10 and a great read. If you're into fantasy with what I like to call a "modern twist" I would definately reccomend. Marileze Loxton is a very talented author and I could only hope there will be more great stories to come.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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June 23, 2021This book was not for me.
#NGL the cover and the description got me really interested but the writing and the plotting didn't click. I got the feeling over and over that not only is the intended audience much younger than me, but also the writer herself! About a third of the way through, I looked her up and indeed, what I suspected is true.
With more practice, world experience, and a very good editor, this author clearly has potential. The world building was interesting (albeit superficial: How do they live and what is their economy like? Why is the kingdom hidden? They've clearly kept up with the modern world, so what are they preserving?) but the characters were very monodimensional, as though viewed from a child's pov -- which is fine if you're a child and you're reading it; it just doesn't work for me. (For instance, without spoilers, two long-lost lovers meet after 18 years and their reunion was the flattest thing on earth, again, filtered through the moments a child would notice. In another scene, someone suffers physical trauma and her daughter's first response is, "Yuck" based on how it appears!)
Again, I felt like some tough love from an exacting editor would have pulled this up a few stars. I'm going to leave off giving any stars because it's a debut novel from a very young writer. I got this ARC from #netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I'm going to leave this here.
#NGL the cover and the description got me really interested but the writing and the plotting didn't click. I got the feeling over and over that not only is the intended audience much younger than me, but also the writer herself! About a third of the way through, I looked her up and indeed, what I suspected is true.
With more practice, world experience, and a very good editor, this author clearly has potential. The world building was interesting (albeit superficial: How do they live and what is their economy like? Why is the kingdom hidden? They've clearly kept up with the modern world, so what are they preserving?) but the characters were very monodimensional, as though viewed from a child's pov -- which is fine if you're a child and you're reading it; it just doesn't work for me. (For instance, without spoilers, two long-lost lovers meet after 18 years and their reunion was the flattest thing on earth, again, filtered through the moments a child would notice. In another scene, someone suffers physical trauma and her daughter's first response is, "Yuck" based on how it appears!)
Again, I felt like some tough love from an exacting editor would have pulled this up a few stars. I'm going to leave off giving any stars because it's a debut novel from a very young writer. I got this ARC from #netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I'm going to leave this here.
July 11, 2021
I found this book to be a fun, quick read. I received a copy from Netgalley, I did not have any expectations about the story. The description and the title sparked my interest. This is the first book I have read from this author. Though the story and the characters were nothing new, it was still an enjoyable read. I think we get the most character development and character insight from the villain of the story and possibly the least from the protagonist. The characters could be fleshed out more, but I think it works for the authors intended audience. It did feel like the main character should be younger based on the story and the writing. If the character had been 16 instead of 18, I feel like the teenage angst, the puppy love, the constant push back with the mother would have fit in a lot better. The concept is not new, just a little different. The writing style is good, though at times it did seem forced, particularly when attempting to add humor near the end. Overall, the story was cute. I read it in one sitting, I think that it would be good for younger readers.
June 9, 2021
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
4.9/5
The Girl Who Stole the Queens Eyes
By: Marilize Loxton
~~~~~~~~~~
Wow!
A tale of forbidden love that forces 2 in love to make a hard decision. Set in Modern small town with a teenage girl, named Camilla, who just feels like something is off ever since her 18th birthday. Her eyes have always been something that everyone has always said “Magical” but now they seem even brighter and have a power of their own. A magical city set back in time, Escana, that is close to becoming seen by a world it was hidden from years ago.
I really did enjoy this book a lot. The writing style of this author was amazing. The attention to details made me feel as if I was experiencing it while reading. I loved the short chapters because it made reading easy and to where you wouldn’t want to put it down. The characters were so relatable for me and I enjoyed reading more and more to see them grow, becoming stronger and better.
Only reason I didn’t rate this book 5 stars is because there were a few unanswered questions. Now if I knew this would become first in a series or even a duology. I would have hope that the next books would give us the details that were not in this one.
I want to thank NetGalley and GenZ Publishing company for the chance to read this book and give my honest opinion of it in a review
4.9/5
The Girl Who Stole the Queens Eyes
By: Marilize Loxton
~~~~~~~~~~
Wow!
A tale of forbidden love that forces 2 in love to make a hard decision. Set in Modern small town with a teenage girl, named Camilla, who just feels like something is off ever since her 18th birthday. Her eyes have always been something that everyone has always said “Magical” but now they seem even brighter and have a power of their own. A magical city set back in time, Escana, that is close to becoming seen by a world it was hidden from years ago.
I really did enjoy this book a lot. The writing style of this author was amazing. The attention to details made me feel as if I was experiencing it while reading. I loved the short chapters because it made reading easy and to where you wouldn’t want to put it down. The characters were so relatable for me and I enjoyed reading more and more to see them grow, becoming stronger and better.
Only reason I didn’t rate this book 5 stars is because there were a few unanswered questions. Now if I knew this would become first in a series or even a duology. I would have hope that the next books would give us the details that were not in this one.
I want to thank NetGalley and GenZ Publishing company for the chance to read this book and give my honest opinion of it in a review
July 1, 2021
This was a cute read. I enjoyed the lightness of it, the premise is very intriguing.
Girl grows up knowing nothing about her true heritage? Evil Queen wants to steal said girl's eyes? Okay, sure.
Camilla has grown up in a small, run-down house for as long as she can remember. Crushing on a boy who is 'out of her league'. When he suddenly takes an interest in her, she starts seeing things that shouldn't exist. Things that just don't make sense, and makes her mother act out of character.
All she wants is to be normal, and fade into the background like she always has. When three strangers show up, she's forced to show them around. But something about the strangers don't add up, they act weird, and ask questions that Camilla doesn't have answers to.
Once Camilla learns the truth will she embrace her fate, or will she hide like she's always known?
A tangled web of love, family, and heartbreak. Will love prevail the wickedness of dark magic?
Thank you NetGalley and GenZ Publishing for gifting me an eARC of The Girl who Stole the Queen's Eye's. This review is being left voluntarily, all opinions are my own.
Girl grows up knowing nothing about her true heritage? Evil Queen wants to steal said girl's eyes? Okay, sure.
Camilla has grown up in a small, run-down house for as long as she can remember. Crushing on a boy who is 'out of her league'. When he suddenly takes an interest in her, she starts seeing things that shouldn't exist. Things that just don't make sense, and makes her mother act out of character.
All she wants is to be normal, and fade into the background like she always has. When three strangers show up, she's forced to show them around. But something about the strangers don't add up, they act weird, and ask questions that Camilla doesn't have answers to.
Once Camilla learns the truth will she embrace her fate, or will she hide like she's always known?
A tangled web of love, family, and heartbreak. Will love prevail the wickedness of dark magic?
Thank you NetGalley and GenZ Publishing for gifting me an eARC of The Girl who Stole the Queen's Eye's. This review is being left voluntarily, all opinions are my own.
June 29, 2021
Camilla is always being told she has beautiful eyes. She is told that so often that she doesn’t think anyone notices anything else about her. Things get weird after her eighteenth birthday. There are new people in town, she sees a castle on the lake and she seems to control people who look into her eyes. Extine is the Queen of Escana. She is losing the power that put her on the throne, but none of her children have come of age. If the queen doesn’t get control of her powers, her kingdom will no longer stay hidden. What is the connection between Camilla and Extine? Will Escana stay hidden or be revealed to the world?
The Girl who Stole the Queen’s Eyes is a stand-alone fantasy. When I read the description of this book on NetGalley I thought it would be a great chance to try a new author. The book had everything to make a great book, yet it still fell flat. Now that I got that out there, I still want to say I am glad I read the book. Loxton is a new author and I see a lot of potential in her next endeavor. I look forward to her next novel, whenever it is finished.
The Girl who Stole the Queen’s Eyes is a stand-alone fantasy. When I read the description of this book on NetGalley I thought it would be a great chance to try a new author. The book had everything to make a great book, yet it still fell flat. Now that I got that out there, I still want to say I am glad I read the book. Loxton is a new author and I see a lot of potential in her next endeavor. I look forward to her next novel, whenever it is finished.
May 28, 2021
The Girl Who Stole the Queen's Eyes is a fantastic novel. The story begins with a tale of forbidden love which results with the power of the crown being usurped by an unplanned pregnancy. Fast-forward to the present day we are introduced to the main character, Camilla, a kind and loving girl who feels out of place in her high school.
As the story unfolds we learn that Camilla is the child from the forbidden love that has stolen the crown. On Camilla's 18th birthday her eyes change, she has unbeknownst to her stolen the Crown's power and with it the Queen's sight. The Queen will stop at nothing to get her sight back, even if it means making an 18-year-old blind for the rest of her life.
I loved the concept of this book, the prologue had me hooked from the very beginning. I thought the character development was well done and relatable. My only complaint was that I wish it was longer but that's simply because I devoured it one day.
As the story unfolds we learn that Camilla is the child from the forbidden love that has stolen the crown. On Camilla's 18th birthday her eyes change, she has unbeknownst to her stolen the Crown's power and with it the Queen's sight. The Queen will stop at nothing to get her sight back, even if it means making an 18-year-old blind for the rest of her life.
I loved the concept of this book, the prologue had me hooked from the very beginning. I thought the character development was well done and relatable. My only complaint was that I wish it was longer but that's simply because I devoured it one day.
June 26, 2021
This book is top tier! Loxton did a wonderful job at creating characters and mindsets that the audience can relate to and can be entranced with. The multiple viewpoints was spot on. They were differing voices which was so much fun to read. I feel like all the characters made such a large sacrifices throughout the book. Finn, Logan, Milo, Remy, Camilla, Pearl, Extine, and other side characters as well. They all had hold in how this plot turned out and it was just beautiful. It was flawed like real life, yet it came together in a non perfect way.
I would recommend this book to YA readers that love royal life, complex families, main characters who discover a power, and a real adventure. I loved this journey with Camilla and Extine and all the others. I want to read more about them! I'm going to go have my book hangover now! 5/5 stars!
** Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an ARC, in exchange for an honest review!
I would recommend this book to YA readers that love royal life, complex families, main characters who discover a power, and a real adventure. I loved this journey with Camilla and Extine and all the others. I want to read more about them! I'm going to go have my book hangover now! 5/5 stars!
** Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an ARC, in exchange for an honest review!
July 5, 2021
The Girl Who Stole The Queen's Eyes by follws the story of Camilla who's just turn 18. She supposes her blue orbs are the only thing everyone ever sees. It seems to her that her identity is her blue eyes.
But one day, in a kayak competition, only she is the one who can see a castle on the lake. Was her eyes playing tricks? Perhaps no, when she again sees the castle, visible only to her. And more people follow her, as if she has a control over them. Her mother seems to have some idea, but it's a secret kept from Camilla.
Extine, queen of Escana, hides her kingdom with the power of her eyes. Suddenly, she has gone blind. But that only happens when the next heir turns 18, and her daughter, Remy isn't 18.
The kingdom is slowly visible to rest of the world. And to regain her eyes, she must turn to dark magic. She needs to get her stolen eyes back.
The story has two pov's - Camilla and Extine. Both explain their actions and show their emotions. Extine's character change due to dark magic was clearly shown. And the twist with Finn got me cracking. Camilla felt stupid at the end of the novel, but thankfully she put it behind her. The author somewhere didn't want the novel to have bloodbath, but I craved to see Camilla and Extine fight over the throne. The end was good but wasn't amusing. The sudden change in Extine was not that good.
This book is recommended to those that love low fantasy with hint of kingdoms and magic. And to those who want a quick read.
But one day, in a kayak competition, only she is the one who can see a castle on the lake. Was her eyes playing tricks? Perhaps no, when she again sees the castle, visible only to her. And more people follow her, as if she has a control over them. Her mother seems to have some idea, but it's a secret kept from Camilla.
Extine, queen of Escana, hides her kingdom with the power of her eyes. Suddenly, she has gone blind. But that only happens when the next heir turns 18, and her daughter, Remy isn't 18.
The kingdom is slowly visible to rest of the world. And to regain her eyes, she must turn to dark magic. She needs to get her stolen eyes back.
The story has two pov's - Camilla and Extine. Both explain their actions and show their emotions. Extine's character change due to dark magic was clearly shown. And the twist with Finn got me cracking. Camilla felt stupid at the end of the novel, but thankfully she put it behind her. The author somewhere didn't want the novel to have bloodbath, but I craved to see Camilla and Extine fight over the throne. The end was good but wasn't amusing. The sudden change in Extine was not that good.
This book is recommended to those that love low fantasy with hint of kingdoms and magic. And to those who want a quick read.
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