Falling Kingdoms (Falling Kingdoms #1) by Morgan Rhodes → Start Date: December 5th 2014

[Emma]

Join Lienitte, v.v. and myself reading this fantastic looking start to a series.

[(Liene)]

Wow, I checked to see if there was a thread for this buddy read, thinking I'd make one if there wasn't, literally 8 minutes ago and was going to make it if not, and then, here it is. :D

Awesome, thanks for making the thread and I can't wait to read this!! I've seen only good reviews!

[Emma]

That's spooky lol, I just got around to it, I did check there wasn't one :)

[Megan]

this is one of my favorite books! I hope you all like it! :)

[Emma]

Thanks, Megan, really looking forward to it. :)

[(Liene)]

I'm so excited to start this tonight!
I've got about 100 pages in another book left, but I'm free for the next 7 hours, good reading time! :D

[Emma]

I forgot about this will start soon, has anyone else started?

[(Liene)]

I think it's just us reading this. Wasn't supposed to be, but, oh well :D

I have started, I'm 8 chapters, about 30% in.

I like it so far. I just haven't had much reading time. I am reading on a Kindle 2nd Gen, so I had to take a picture of the list of people and the map and stuff, so I don't have to keep going back to look someone up and then trying to find my place again.

(view spoiler)[ I really, really, really dislike Aron. I think that's a given, no way someone could like him.. I don't get why the King and everyone else think he's so wonderful.. probably puts on act for everyone.

I was so frustrated in that first scene where Aron wanted to cheat the wine seller and killed his son... even I was frustrated with Cleo for not telling Aron to just pay the larger price. She might not have been at fault, but she could have stopped it by just paying the bigger price. But well, I guess that was the turning point of the whole peace situation, so it had to happen.
I do like that Cleo at least feels something, not that I wish her to feel guilty, but it's nice to see that she's a person with a heart and with feelings.

I wonder how Lucia is going to react when she finds out Magnus has such feelings for her. She must know something is up, I wish we knew what her secret is. I mean, I'm sure she is the sorceress that was born in the prologue. So she isn't actually Magnus's sister. I'm guessing some kind of relationship will form between them. I'm intrigued to read more, I want to know what kind of danger she is in.
And who are the Watchers? I was really confused at that part. What do they want with Lucia? I'm guessing Sabina took Lucia from her true destiny when she made her own plans with her as a baby, and the Watchers want her to fulfill it?

(hide spoiler)]

[(Liene)]

Chapter 9 (view spoiler)[ I don't want to believe that Emilia is dying of grief. Someone (ARON?!), probably wants to be the king and is poisoning her. If he married Cleo and Emilia dies.. well.. yeah.
I'm probably wrong, but I don't believe it's just grief. (hide spoiler)]

[Emma]

Sorry I have not started yet, but I will tonight,

[Emma]

read the prologue really good so far :)

[(Liene)]

Yeah, that prologue really does draw you in.. :D

[Emma]

Yep, hoping to get a few chapters read tonight, think at 5% just now, so hopefully be a quick read.

[Emma]

Chapter 3 (view spoiler)[ Been to all three kingdoms now, interesting setup. Really intrigued. (hide spoiler)]

[(Liene)]

Chapter 25 (view spoiler)[So many points of view, so many intertwining stories, but somehow, it works and isn't hard to keep up with.

It was soo weird seeing Magnus through Cleo's POV. The way she sees him is so different than how he is in his POV and Lucia's. Makes you wonder, because appearances can be deceiving. Just like Jonas hates Cleo, doesn't know how she truly thinks about all that happened, Cleo doesn't know what's going on in Magnus's head.


Also, even though King of Auranos is not the nicest guy around, I have less problems with him that I do with the other 2 leaders. Maybe I don't remember some stuff, but Magnus's father, wow what a.. eh.
Cleo's father, he seems like a caring person. Ignorant, but caring. Somehow I think he is a good guy. But why would he let the other Kingdoms starve..

10 chapters or so ago, when Lucia said she wants to meet Cleo, I felt sure she would. Maybe she still will. Even though it seems unlikely, maybe some of the main characters will team up at some point. Even though they all seem to have reasons to hate the rest of them..

Theon.. well, I am sad he died. Though I didn't really believe in him and Cleo, just didn't feel convincing to me. Also, I kinda knew he was going to die. I wasn't spoiled, not exactly, but I saw a fan casting video on booktube where someone showed who they imagined the characters look like and she said she's only going to do the main characters in the books, and Theon wasn't on her list. Kinda gave it away even though it was spoiler free. (hide spoiler)]

[Emma]

just finished chapter 5 good, did not expect the hawk people, had to check I was reading the right book. lol

[(Liene)]

Haha, yeah, that threw me a bit too. :D

[(Liene)]

Chapter 31 done now and, well..

(view spoiler)[ I dunno. Magnus seems to have 2 personalities. I don't like Jonas, but he seems to be coming round and realizing how stupid the whole thing is. I wonder if he and Cleo end up together, since he seemed to be thinking about her.
That would be an interesting story of how they met.. :D

Still, Jonas said he would gladly kill them all for a chance at a life like theirs. I don't like that kind of thinking, people's lives are worth more than comfort and riches. I don't like how he was willing to have everyone else die just so he could have riches. I understand that he comes from poverty.. even so that's no excuse.

I hope Lucia doesn't turn to evil and do what is wrong.. I can't imagine that she would. I hope she and Cleo and all of the main people meet and decide to turn things around, but it's the first book. I doubt that's gonna happen. :D

Now I see, Cleo's father, King Corvin, really isn't a bad man. He had no idea of what was going on. Even so, he should have been more aware. He was content with life, so saw no need to worry and care for others, thinking they're probably fine too. Ignorance. But still, he's not a bad man. Of course, Limeros and Paelsia won't agree, and the book would be too short, but the ideal would be that Auranos helps them get on their feet by investing in the renewing of the other lands and open borders for real trading and such.

I like Lucia and Cleo. So Cleo is stubborn and always gets what she wants. Still, I like her, she has a good heart and is strong willed. Lucia is a soft, loving person and I like that about her. I'm sure she will become more fierce as well, but I do like that she's the kind of innocent character. I hope the next chapters have her or Cleo's points of view to see where they're at in all this.
(hide spoiler)]

I got into it today and didnt stop to comment and didn't take any notes, so I'm sure I missed something I would have liked to comment on. :D
Probably going to finish tonight, I want to know what happens! :D

[Emma]

OK doubt I will manage to read much over the next few days, would like to have it read before christmas though, hopefully.

[(Liene)]

So I finished a while ago. It was really good!

(view spoiler)[But I did find it to be predictable. It was quite obvious to me that Emilia was going to die, King Corvin was going to die and Auranos was going to be taken, because that just seemed like the likely place for the story to go, for Cleo to become queen.

It seems that Jonas is coming around, though I wish he had done so earlier and had chosen a different path in the beginning.

It is so weird seeing both sides. Well, all sides not just both. Lucia and Cleo are basically against each other, yet both are nice people. They were simply raised on different sides. I want to see what happens when they meet. I want Lucia to see how terrible King Gaius is being and I want her to join the rebels. She is being used!

I don't even know what to think about Magnus. I like the soft side of him, inside. But he is closing that up, hardening himself, so it looks like I'm going to like him less and less. I hate when people lose the good in them.. I don't think being hurt is an excuse to turn hardhearted. Even so, I feel bad for him.

Poor Cleo, she lost everyone! I somehow feel that she and Lucia would make such an amazing team. Well, all four of them would. But Lucia is meant to find the Kindred, it's why the Watchers are watching her. And Cleo has the ring and is descended from the hunter and Eva? I didn't get if both are her ancestors or just the hunter. If it was the sorceress Eva too, maybe she herself has some kind of magic in her?

Cleo and Lucia should team up to find those crystals and use them to restore good. They're under the same roof, I'm sure they'll meet!

I'm starting to feel more certain that Cleo and Jonas will fall in love. In any case, it really does seem that no one is safe. Anyone might die, even the main characters.

It's really interesting to look at all sides of war and conflict. The people are just doing what they think is right, even though they are mainly nice people. I mean, the people, not those two terrible leaders, Gaius and Basilius.

I feel bad for the people of Paelsia. They seem to be genuinely nice people. Jonas was also not a bad guy, he just got that need for revenge in him, but that seems to have died out somewhat when he saw what it all led to.. I justwish he realized that it wouldn't end well a lot sooner!

Magnus, he does seem to have compassion left in him, he just keeps shutting it out, oppressing it. I hope he finds it again!

I am very intrigued to read more!

(hide spoiler)]

It's ok if you read this book slower, we all have other stuff to do :) But I do want to read the next book soon. Especially since the third one just came out! :) Would you like to read Rebel Spring sometime later this month after you're done with Falling Kingdoms? I can wait a while, but not toooooooo long. :D

[Emma]

I won't be able to read it until January sorry, feel free to read it without me though, I might be busy then too, have to look for new job then.

[(Liene)]

Ah, ok, well in any case, I'm very interested in hearing your thoughts on Falling Kingdoms when you read this! :)

[Emma]

I will try my best to finish it before the 22nd, thats when I go away for xmas.