Red Queen Series by Victoria Aveyard - Reading from 'Red Queen (Red Queen #1)' from September 22nd 2019

[Marie-Claude aka MC]

Argh. Thats why I normally dont start a series until all books are out... Even if Im late to the party... At least I don't have to WAIT!!! Lol

[Sadia]

exactly. and the wait is usually worth it..
i have no idea why i started reading it. now i am regretting my decision.

[Emily]

I'm up to chapter 14 and I'm having conflicting feelings about Red Queen. Some elements have seemed cool and fun, others very unoriginal. Some parts I've liked the writing, others not as much. Some parts have been exciting, others have dragged. Mare's reactions to the various situations have seemed insightfully realistic to me, but some of the plot points seem unrealistic. Like that (view spoiler)[almost everyone would believe the story that Mare could have lived for 17 years without ever bleeding and realizing she was a Silver. (hide spoiler)] I'm not loving (view spoiler)[the love triangle/square. For one thing, I'm just tired of them in general, but also, I’m just not feeling any real connection between Mare and either of the princes so far and have found no reason to root for either of them. (hide spoiler)] But I do love books where people have various supernatural abilities, so that aspect's definitely a plus. So yeah, conflicted.
But looks like I have some major plot twists to look forward to from your reactions, so hopefully I'll get fully drawn in.

[Emily]

I know you guys really liked this, but I'm having major issues with it. I'm up to chapter 21, and it has become painful- plot holes and a love square with angsty boys doing things for all the wrong reasons. I'm finding Mare to be a hateful, immature, petty girl who doesn't think through the consequences of her actions. And worst of all, I'm having major issues with the morality of basically all the characters. I understand that characters should be flawed and not perfect, but I want my heroine and hero to be moral, even if they make mistakes.

[Emily]

Finished
1.5 stars rounded down because it was such a struggle for me to get through.
(view spoiler)[So obviously I didn't call it exactly, but I totally had Queen Elara pegged! Maven did have me fooled by the time he betrayed Mare, though; I was convinced of his feelings for her. (hide spoiler)]

[rachel, x]

Sorry I started so late guys! I hope you don't mind me joining still.

[rachel, x]

Megan wrote: "I'm just starting chapter 16 [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I think she might have had them all along but she didn't have enough access to electricity before...? (hide spoiler)]

[rachel, x]

Megan wrote: "I agree [spoilers removed]
I'm really enjoying this book:)"

(view spoiler)[It doesn't really make sense. Why wouldn't he confiscate her to some lowly noble job? :/ (hide spoiler)]

[rachel, x]

Marie-Claude aka MC wrote: "I just finished chapter 16! Oh my. [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I'm not a huge fan of Cal either but I'd like to see Maven and Mare become friends, simply because they have to get married eventually and it would be way too awkward if they hated each other.

I don't quite trust the guard either. I don't think that violence against the Silvers will have that much impact, honestly. But I can also (kind of) see where Cal is coming from. (hide spoiler)]

[rachel, x]

Emily wrote: "So I'm up to chapter 11 and am predicting that [spoilers removed] Put it in spoiler tags in case I'm right (haven't read anything you guys posted above that's in spoiler tags, btw)."

I ditto that!

[rachel, x]

Emily wrote: "Thinking about it more, I'd actually probably want to be a healer. It's not nearly as cool or flashy a power, but to me it's the one with the most serious real life applications- being able to save..."

Either a skin or blood healer would be great. Imagining not being able to be injured!? I'm a terrible klutz so I'd definitely love that power. Otherwise being a greenwarden or whatever Evangeline is would be good.

[rachel, x]

Sadia wrote: "Electrical control, magnetron and healer all have real life application, true... so may be telky.
but I would really really love to be a greeny... It seemed so interesting and happy power."

Same here!

[Emily]

Hi, Rachel. Hope you enjoy this more than I did! How far are you? What are or aren't you liking so far?

[rachel, x]

@Emily I think I am - if you rally gave it one star. I went into expecting to hate and I think I just set my expectations too low. The only things bugging me are the romance (its too lame and cliched) and Mare in general. The actual story isn't too bad (so far) only the rebellion is really poorly construction.

I'm about two thirds of the way through, at about chapter 19.

[rachel, x]

Emily wrote: "I know you guys really liked this, but I'm having major issues with it. I'm up to chapter 21, and it has become painful- plot holes and a love square with angsty boys doing things for all the wrong..."

I definitely agree with you in regards to Mare and the love square. It so annoying!

[Emily]

@Rachel- Yes, I rated it 1.5 stars. Unfortunately, I really didn't like it. I had to force myself to keep reading. I just never got sucked in. There were some good aspects, but the bad just overshadowed them for me. If I were to describe it, I would say it was a sloppy combination of parts and tropes from a bunch of different YA dystopian and fantasy books mixed with X-men. But I'm sure that's overly harsh. It certainly seems to click for some people.
A large part of it getting such a low rating from me is that I didn't agree with the ethics. To me, no matter how just your cause, there are still things you shouldn't do.
I agree that the rebellion is very poorly constructed- one of several things that didn't really make sense.

[rachel, x]

I've just finished it and I'm not sure what to think. Very mixed feelings, but I understand both sides.

@Emily Agree with everything you said but I was lucky enough to be able to overlook the flaws and fly through the book pretty easily.

@Victoria I'm kind of the opposite actually! For one I preferred the beginning of this book to the end. I thought it started with great world-building but got more and more ridiculous as the book went along.

I also think (from my experience) that indie authored books tend to be less polished and more cliched than (traditionally) published books. But I know that there are a lot more people Indie publishing as of late and it seems to be getting better.

[rachel, x]

the end - (view spoiler)[I think we all knew that the Queen was going to do that and I didn't buy the Maven thing at all. I don't trust Cal yet either though. I'm actually eager to my hands of the next book. I want to see how this turns out, what will happen to the Guard, Cal and Maven. (hide spoiler)]

When does the second book come out?

[Emily]

February 9th, 2016.
(Not that I care cause I probably won't read it unless I hear great things about it.)

[rachel, x]

Thanks @Emily! That's a long wait...

Personally, I always finish a series. It doesn't matter how much I disliked it, I am too curious to leave it alone. And it might be 100% better than the previous book anyway and I absolutely ADORE it, so I think it worth the risk. Or even if I don't like it least I can say that I read it, it's over and I didn't like for (enter specific reason), rather than be left wondering if I would/wouldn't have liked it.

[Emily]

I often keep reading series even if I didn't love every installment as well. I totally get what you're saying, @Rachel. If the second book were already out, I would probably read it out of curiosity. But by the time it is out and I can get it from the library, I will have forgotten most of this first one (my memory isn't very good) and it's not worth rereading, IMO. If I'm still really curious when the second book comes out, I might change my mind, but I just didn't like any of the characters enough to really care what happens to them. So I guess it's more of an "I'll see".

[rachel, x]

@Emily I hear you. That's why I don't normally start series until they are all published. Shoddy memory and all. How about I'll let you know how it is and if it is any good (or at least better than the first book) I'll let you know? :)

[Emily]

That would be fabulous :)

[[deleted user]]

Going to start this on August 12th

[Ashley]

Starting later tonight.

[Ashley]

Chapter 6: (view spoiler)[ I definitely expected that the prince would be Cal. That's how these things always turn out, right? Also, does Mare have some electricity powers or something? (hide spoiler)]

[Ashley]

Chapter 11: (view spoiler)[ Interesting so far. I can't believe everyone bought that, though. I mean, do they seriously think that she hasn't bled her whole life? Isn't she 16? Most girls would get their period by then and I'm pretty sure a girl would notice if she bled silver rather than red. People actually believe that Mare thought she was a red her whole life? (hide spoiler)]

[Ashley]

Chapter 15: (view spoiler)[ This is interesting so far but I'm looking forward to some action. The book is called "Red Queen"... so is Mare going to become queen somehow, or at least engaged to Cal? If they fell in love, maybe his father could allow it because he did the same thing. (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

Gonna start this later today

[Ashley]

Chapter 25: (view spoiler)[ Cal is just going to let Mare die? Somehow I don't believe that. For Mare to become queen, though, either the Guard has to overthrow the government, or Cal has to die so that Maven becomes the eldest brother and future king. Or maybe if Evangeline dies and Cal chooses Mare instead. I didn't expect Cal to give up Mare so easily. I'm anxious to see how it goes from here. (hide spoiler)]

[Ashley]

Done: (view spoiler)[ I knew that Elara was evil but I didn't think Maven would be like that. I don't know how I didn't see it coming but it really took me by surprise. (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

Only just started this

Chapter 1:
(view spoiler)[It's interesting so far, the world and how it works seems interesting. I wonder how she turns out to be silver (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

Chapter 8:
(view spoiler)[This book definately lives up to all the hype surrounding it! I'm loving the plot line and this amazing world. When I read the blurb this was not how I pictures any of it XD But I did suspect that Cal was a royal (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

Chapter 14:
(view spoiler)[Its really good so far and I'm loving learning more about the Silver system. I wasn't expecting Mare and Kilorn joining the Scarlet gaurd but I kind of figured that something would happen to someone in her family. Nothing stays calm for more than a few chapters and the bombshell had to be dropped. I haven't figured out Maven and Cal yet but they seem to be quite honest (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

the whole (view spoiler)[face of the rebelion (hide spoiler)] thing reminds me quite a lot of the hunger games

[[deleted user]]

Chapter 21:
(view spoiler)[I really liked these past few chapters, they were pretty action packed. I like Farley and the gaurd but I'm curious as to who set off the bomb. (hide spoiler)]

[Betwixt the]

@Sarah or @Abbie, can we change the date to November 15th please and thank you?! For Aly and I. :D

[Sarah Elizabeth]

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Date Changed. Restarting November 15th 2015. Happy Reading ☺

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[prag ♻]

Did nobody read this on the 15th? Meh.

I'm gonna be starting in a while.

[prag ♻]

25% in (view spoiler)[This seems like Hunger Games: A revised version, with fancier terms. Seriously.
Mare=Katniss
Kilorn=Gale
Cal/Maven=Peeta
Silvers=Capitol
Reds=Districts
Gisa=Prim
Be a little original, atleast. (hide spoiler)]

*sigh*

[prag ♻]

Around 50%
(view spoiler)[Ohhkaayyy. From the raving reviews, I'd though this would blow my mind, but this is pretty much a copy of every YA Fantasy you've ever read. Hunger games, Divergent, Legend? Same storyline as Red Queen. I don't get what all the hype is about. (hide spoiler)]

[prag ♻]

60% or something, I guess. (view spoiler)[ This book is actually begging for me to make comparisons. The arena fights? Divergent all over again. The only thing even remotely interesting is Kilorn joining the guard and stuff, but again, GALE ALL OVER AGAIN. Ugh. This book is pissing me off. I have a feeling I'm just going to be skimming till I reach the end. (hide spoiler)]

[prag ♻]

Maybe. Just maybe this isn't that bad. (view spoiler)[It seems I was wrong about the princes. I thought Cal would be the good guy, and the love interest, based on their earlier interactions, but he's just like his father. A man born to rule. Maven, on the other hand, is compassionate, strong and a hundred time better than Cal. I'm just not sure if he's hiding something. I have a feeling he is, but I don't know. I could just be trying to read between the lines a little too hard. (hide spoiler)]

[prag ♻]

Oh, come on. (view spoiler)[Just when I warm up to Maven, Mare has to go and kiss Cal, doesn't she? Lol, I'm getting into the story. (hide spoiler)]

[Betwixt the]

Feyde wrote: "Did nobody read this on the 15th? Meh.

I'm gonna be starting in a while."

The other reader wasn't able to start the 15th; I told her to let me know when she could, but haven't heard anything from her yet. So no, nobody started it the 15th, I was waiting for her to be able to. Sorry! XD

[prag ♻]

Elizabeth wrote: "Feyde wrote: "Did nobody read this on the 15th? Meh.

I'm gonna be starting in a while."

The other reader wasn't able to start the 15th; I told her to let me know when she could, but haven't hear..."

Ahhhh, okay.

[Betwixt the]

Alright, FINALLY going to be starting this tomorrow!

[❤ Aly ❤]

I am reading it right now. I apologize for not being able to start. I was trying to finish some other books and I was pretty busy. Sorry!

[Betwixt the]

Aly wrote: "I am reading it right now. I apologize for not being able to start. I was trying to finish some other books and I was pretty busy. Sorry!"

No worries, it's cool!

[Betwixt the]

Pages 1-50:

(view spoiler)[
--I'm going out on a (probably very short) limb and hedging a bet that the "servant" she met in the alley (*cough* I mean tried to pickpocket *cough*) was aaaaactually one of the royal class in disguise. Like...the Prince? Or something? I bet I'm right. (hide spoiler)]