The Bridge Kingdom Series by Danielle L. Jensen -> Restarting September 7th, 2024

[Grace]

=> Chp 3
To begin with this is a very interesting premise.
I didn't realise how long the series was before I started, but I don't regret it.

(view spoiler)[I kind of knew that she didn't really kill her sisters. I wonder if they will have a role later on in the book(s).
Why is the kingdom of Ithicana called The Bridge Kingdom? (hide spoiler)]

[Grace]

Okay so it looks like Book 1 and 2 are a standalone duology.

[Grace]

=> chp 13
This is slow-ish in pace but so far I'm not bothered by it.
However (view spoiler)[Why do I feel her father will lie to her about the truth of what Aren is doing just so that she would betray him? (hide spoiler)]

[Grace]

=> chp 29
(view spoiler)[I like the descriptive nature of this but it is too descriptive and it got a bit boring for me.
I don't understand how they fell in love, they're barely together throughout the book and most of their interactions they're not alone but surrounded, there's no intimacy nor privacy, and not even something deep.
At best, they could have developed kindred feelings and friendship + respect. I don't get the being in love from both of them, and I am unable to connect. (hide spoiler)]

[Grace]

Ruthie wrote: "Chapter 4


Only a year??
Her dad is the king of parental unrealistic expectations"

lol was so funny

[Grace]

Hayley wrote: "FINISHED[spoilers removed]"

I agree fully.

[Melany]

Chapter 1
(view spoiler)[well that is a hell of an opening I almost scared dog the rest of the book (hide spoiler)]

[Melany]

Chapter 5
(view spoiler)[I really like it so far I really kind of like how everyone's dark against their will and how messy the political system is. I'm happy Lara didn't kill her sisters, I'm sad that she felt she needs to do this but luckily for her I don't think Aren is going to be anywhere near as bad as she feared or as much of a piece of shit as a father (hide spoiler)]

[Melany]

Chapter 14
(view spoiler)[I feel bad for Lara I can't imagine being so afraid of something and have to do it blind but I don't know how she managed to panic that much and still be able to keep enough of her sense to still be spying couldn't be me (hide spoiler)]

[Grace]

Melany wrote: "Chapter 14
[spoilers removed]"

That was pretty badass. And the way she handles it later is so courageous.

[Melany]

I can't wait to read that

[Jessica]

Grace wrote: "I'm starting this tomorrow"

I've finally started. Sorry for always being late for our buddy reads.

[Grace]

Don't worry at all Jessica, I look forward to your thoughts.

It's hard to put such a fixed schedule on reading especially with life happening, so these are tentative dates

[Melany]

Take your time
Chapter 19
(view spoiler)[I really like how this book is handling Lara both being cunning and intelligent while being extremely naive about the outside world and particularly about the situation she finds herself in. Part of me is getting frustrated with how clearly her father gaslit her and lied to her about the situation but at the same time she was gaslit. And while the process of her realizing her father is a liar is painful as pulling teeth I kind of like that it's happening at a slower pace because it's more realistic (hide spoiler)]

[Melany]

Chapter 24
(view spoiler)[this is the first chapter I really didn't like I feel like I was getting whiplash it felt like her feelings kind of came to a head way too quickly and then she immediately went back to her plan. Part of me again wants to be sympathetic to the fact that she is clearly been groomed her whole life to think these people are the enemy I think the part that's frustrating me is I'm almost certain her father is lying and that the people maybe starving but it's his fault (hide spoiler)]

[Grace]

I agree with you on chp 24, I felt the same

[Melany]

Finished,(view spoiler)[ overall I really like the book and I'm definitely going to continue the series but my biggest complaint is I felt like it had to be like 50 to 100 pages longer because there was like apart around the 50% mark where things started to move way too quickly like the whole going back to her home country plot line happened way too quickly and while I think they had great chemistry up until that point the I love yous from both of them came way too quickly and I think if it had more time it could have been really strong (hide spoiler)]

[Grace]

hear hear

[Jessica]

Chapters 1-9
(view spoiler)[ This set up is really cool. I totally thought she liked all of her sisters at first and I was like damn this is dark I don't know if I can get over that. So I was very happy when it wasn't true. This world is very interesting, with the bridge the reliance on it. Aren tells a very different story of the conflicts and I'm curious to find out what is true. I was also surprised that Lara had never been kissed considering she was taught seduction. Also I laughed when she fell down that ledge. She was way too confident and it was nice to see her taken down a peg, though holy hell I would not want to encounter that snake, no thank you. I'm very interested to see where this goes. (hide spoiler)]

[Jessica]

Chapters 10-16
(view spoiler)[ For all the training she had she really isn't doing well at keeping her skills to herself. Maybe don't join the battle like that, just a thought. It worked out that time but I totally thought she was going to get caught. Nana is onto her and I feel like Aren is too smart to fall for this act. This a bit slower and also less romance heavy than than I expected, but I'm enjoying it. I get why she doesn't know how to swim, how would they have taught her, but it feels like a very valuable skill considering where the King intended his daughters to end up. (hide spoiler)]

[Jessica]

Chapters 17-24
(view spoiler)[ Lara just kiss him, I'm begging you. I want them to get together. She had better not send that. I'm worried about what will happen if she does. What she's been told was obviously all propaganda. I'm curious what the King is doing with all of those supplies. It's clear he doesn't care if people starve as that furthers his agenda but I do wonder about this. I want the true unbiased story. I'm hoping that gets revealed this book and if not next one for sure. (hide spoiler)] Also semi-related is anyone planning on reading book 2? I thought we had a series thread but this is not. I can convert it if anyone else is reading on.

[Melany]

I was planning on reading the rest of the series

[Jessica]

Sweet, me too, so done.

[Grace]

I wasn't that encouraged to read book 2 but if you guys want to read it then I'll tag along and maybe listen to it

[Grace]

I wasn't that encouraged to read book 2 but if you guys want to read it then I'll tag along and maybe listen to it

[Jessica]

Chapters 25-32
(view spoiler)[ Oh shit he's sending a letter. This is going to be so bad. I knew when she didn't tell him about the invisible ink that this was going to happen. Also oh my god with that near death experience. Holy drama. I feel so bad for Ahnna, she already feels terrible there was no need for that Aren. (hide spoiler)]

[Melany]

Jessica wrote: "Chapters 25-32
[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[it's even worse because she's right like yes Lara is having a change of heart but Ahnna has every reasons not trust her (hide spoiler)]

[Jessica]

Finished
(view spoiler)[ Well that was bad. Not worse than I expected but very bad. I actually jumped immediately into book two and forgot to write more than this. I agree with you Melany that it all went super fast and would have been better more fleshed out. While I like a fast pace it was a bit whiplash after the slower beginning. (hide spoiler)]

[Jessica]

Chapters 1-16
(view spoiler)[ Wow, this is moving a lot faster than the first book. This is getting good with the Harem helping him out and Keris’ relationship with Zarrah, I'm excited for their books and to dig into that. Lara had an easier time getting Ahnna on side than I would have expected and also with her sisters. I’m glad she found them but Sarhina should not have come along, the others could have handled it. (hide spoiler)]

Chapters 17-27
(view spoiler)[ I’m glad they managed to rescue him but what a dramatic rescue it was. One of them totally should have died, but I’m glad they didn’t. Ending up in the desert and in her training compound was really cool, I wasn’t expecting that. I really hope Bronwyn ended up okay. Hopefully it will be smooth sailing off to Valcotta from here because they have been through it. (hide spoiler)]

Chapters 28-38
(view spoiler)[ Well, I sure was wrong about that oh my god. Lara nearly dyign after being captured as a thief was awful. I knew Aren wasn’t going to abandon her but I understand why she thought so. I liked that he didn’t kill the kid but I’m worried that will bite them in the ass later. But yay Bronwyn is okay and Aren has reunited with Jor. Now time for the hard part of trying to recruit the Valcottans. Given how this is book is going it can’t be that easy. (hide spoiler)]

Chapters 39-50
(view spoiler)[All of the soldiers telling her their stories is awful, she needs to hear it. I know she knows what she did but they need to know it too. Her doing snake island was so bad ass, I totally thought she got bit and it was over but glad to know that wasn’t the case. I wonder if the other ones were this successful or if there will be more trouble getting the bridge back. It seemed too easy and nothing in this book has been easy. I love that she and Aren slept together but damn that it was a mistake was harsh. I totally get where he's coming from but ouch. I really don’t know how they could make this work once they have Ithicana back. There aren’t enough pages left for her to earn back the people’s trust. (hide spoiler)]

Finished
(view spoiler)[ They tried to take Eranhal, there’s the final big battle I knew it couldn’t be over that easily. And wow this was a big dramatic battle fitting the end of this duology. Lara should totally be dead but I loved the drama and hell yes that her father is dead. I'll be starting the next book asap because I have to know what happens next in Maridrina. I'm really interested in Zarrah and Keris and to see how that shakes out. The shark thing felt a bit cheap to me. All is forgiven because the sharks didn't get her, like really, really that was it. There should have been more to that. She should have had to spend time rebuilding their trust not just be shark blessed and all good. That said, other than that I really enjoyed this one. It was very action packed which I always enjoy. (hide spoiler)]

[Melany]

Jessica wrote: "Finished
[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ if it was just a bit slower it would have been a 5 stars for me because the beginning had great build up, it sad because I really like how slowing the author rolled out the unintentional betrayal but I going to read the next book (hide spoiler)]

[Jessica]

Chapters 1-15
(view spoiler)[ I thought this was going to pick up at the end of the Traitor Queen but I'm happy to see how their love story began. It's funny that the letters were actually nothing useful, just sentimental to his brother and I'm glad he got them back. I quite like Otis and how much he and Keris care for each other but I feel like he won't last long with all this hate. Hopefully it's not Zarrah who kills him. (hide spoiler)]

Chapters 16-31
(view spoiler)[ Damn her aunt is harsh with her. I'm wondering if she's going to get disinherited after all of this. I was happy Zarrah and Keris had their night together but oh no this is so bad, she's been caught. This is how she ended up in Maridrina, it all makes sense now. Her reaction upon realizing who he was was so good but then this happened and oh no. I'm really enjoying this one. I was hoping for a bit more of their sneaking around but I'm very interested in what their dynamic will be once they are in Maridrina. (hide spoiler)]

Chapters 32-48
I'm doing a combination of reading and listening and it is so annoying that the audio doesn't have chapters numbers. I also fell asleep listening without turning on the sleep timer so trying to figure out where I was was a time.
(view spoiler)[ Of course Serin blabbed about Keris killing Yrina. Keris really should have told her himself and known this would happen. For a smart guy sometimes he's not very. Zarrah’s strategy of offering information was good and I live any dig at Serin because fuck him he's awful. Considering she's still here and I'm about half way through I'm wondering if this book runs totally parallel to the Traitor Queen and we won't get into a new timeline until the next one. I'm really enjoying getting to know Coralyn more and I hope that she got inches to feature prominently because she is bad ass. (hide spoiler)]

[Jessica]

Finished
(view spoiler)[ KERIS OH MY GOD. I cannot believe he did that, I was not expecting that. Keris no. She is never going to forgive you for that nor will your sister or Aren, fucking hell.
This is my favourite so far and I will be starting the next book immediately. Serin told the Empress, then Zarrah tried to kill her oh my god. This book was so so good and I am now obsessed with series. I love Keris and Zarrah and all the scheming, betrayal and intrigue was amazing. I'm sure he will get her out, but then what. This is even worse than Lara and Aren I don't know how they can ever overcome this, but I am excited to go along for the ride. (hide spoiler)]

[Jessica]

Chapters 1-19
(view spoiler)[ What an interesting start. Learning about the prison has been really interesting but Daria is definitely hiding something. I love that Keris enlisted Lara and Aren and I love their bromance. It's fun to be with these characters more again and have Keris learning about and meeting them, like Nana. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 24
(view spoiler)[ Oh my god Zarrah is with the cannibals and also omg Keris and Aren what a stupid fucking plan. These idiots are going to get themselves killed or need rescuing. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 39
(view spoiler)[ I think the commander is her father. Also damn Zarrah I'm glad you came but Keris was on his death bed, maybe not the time for an interrogation, Lara was rightfully pissed. I like that she and Keris have repaired their relationship. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 59
(view spoiler)[ Oh shit. I like that there were consequences for Keris being an absent king but oh my god this is terrible. Petra is awful and needs to be removed asap. Does Keris even want to be King? Maybe he'll keep Sarhena in charge forever since he's so focused on Zarrah and not on jus kingdom. (hide spoiler)]

Finished
(view spoiler)[ Okay yes loved this so much. This duology is definitely my favorite so far but I'm also super excited to dig into Ahnna's book. we learned some interesting tidbits about Herondale and with Lystara there too stirring up trouble it's sure to be a fun time. I love that Keris gave it up for Zarrah and that they managed to end up together and happy. It was maybe a little too easy to get peace but also I don't care because they are finally happy. (hide spoiler)]

[Jamie]

I'm looking to jump in and read this one with ya'll. I think I'm still within the 2 week timeframe to keep this thread moving :)

[Jessica]

You were and it's good because I finished the Twisted Throne very soon after it came out, but I wrote no notes and it's audio only so I don't really how I am going to make this work, but I'm going to try.

[Jessica]

I am giving up on the 5 points for Twisted Throne because I'd need to do some relistening in order to properly comment. I really loved it though.

[Jamie]

Still waiting on my library hold...

[Jamie]

Keeping thread open...

[Jamie]

another one that is still on my list