BOOKS | Review: Queen of Coin and Whispers by Helen Corcoran

Name: Queen of Coin and Whispers

Author: Helen Corcoran

Publisher: O'Brien

Date published: June 2020

Genre: Fiction, young adult, fantasy, romance

Pages: 457

Rating: 5/5

This review contains vague and non-specific spoilers.

When teenage queen Lia inherits her corrupt uncle’s bankrupt kingdom, she brings a new spymaster into the fold ... Xania, who takes the job to avenge her murdered father.
Faced with dangerous plots and hidden enemies, can Lia and Xania learn to rely on each another, as they discover that all is not fair in love and treason?
In a world where the throne means both power and duty, they must decide what to sacrifice for their country - and for each other...

- From Goodreads.

I loved the main characters of Queen of Coin and Whispers, Lia and Xania, and thought they both had enthralling storylines. Their romance was captivating and so lovely to read. They faced obstacles and argued with each other, but in the end when it really mattered they did all they could for each other and really loved each other.

Both Lia's and Xania's persepectives felt necessary, important and distinct. The story would not have been as good without both of them so the dual points of view felt beneficial rather than repetitive or unnecessary as it can in some books. It would have been nice to have a couple more chapters from Lia's perspective towards the end of the book. I understood that we did not get chapters from her for a while to build tension but perhaps once everything was resolved there could have been more chapters from Lia as she dealt with the after affects of what happened at the climax of the novel. The rest of the novel was quite balanced in their perspectives but the end was much more focused on Xania so it felt a little strange, although it was nice that the novel started in Lia's perspective and ended with Xania's.

I liked that both Xania and Lia both had parts of their families still alive and supporting and caring for them, while also occasionally presenting problems. In young adult books there are often missing parents or families so it was refreshing to see familial relationships explored in this book. I also liked that Xania had a step-parent who was good and truly cared about Xania as step-parents in fiction can often be bad and it was nice to see a different approach to that.

I did find the political and mystery plot lines a little confusing at times and not always easy to follow and perhaps would have found a map at the beginning of the book to be useful. But by the end and once all of the mysteries had been revealed and solved, I understood better what had happened and found the plot points had been resolved in a satisfying way. I was intrigued for the whole book and never predicted what happened next and always enjoyed reading it.

I thought the structure of nobility with the way the people were organised into steps was unique and interesting to read. In general the world-building and creation of the society they lived in was very well done and fascinating to read about.

Overall I really loved this book and would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a good romance between women with royalty, political intrigue, and mystery. I really felt for and loved the characters, was fascinated by the setting, and thought the romance was very well written. It was a really excellent book, especially for a debut, and I will certainly be looking forward to reading more books from this author.

BOOKS | Review: Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst

Name: Of Fire and Stars

Author: Audrey Coulthurst

Publisher: Baker + Bray

Date published: November 2016

Genre: Fiction, young adult, fantasy, romance

Pages: 389

Rating: 4/5

Betrothed since childhood to the prince of Mynaria, Princess Dennaleia has always known what her future holds. Her marriage will seal the alliance between Mynaria and her homeland, protecting her people from other hostile kingdoms.
But Denna has a secret. She possesses an Affinity for fire—a dangerous gift for the future queen of a land where magic is forbidden.
Now Denna has to learn the ways of her new kingdom while trying to hide her growing magic. To make matters worse, she must learn to ride Mynaria’s formidable warhorses before her coronation - and her teacher is the person who intimidates her most, the prickly and unconventional Princess Amaranthine, sister of her betrothed.
When a shocking assassination leaves the kingdom reeling, Mare and Denna reluctantly join forces to search for the culprit. As the two work together, they discover there is more to one another than they thought - and soon their friendship is threatening to blossom into something more.
But with dangerous conflict brewing that makes the alliance more important than ever, acting on their feelings could be deadly. Forced to choose between their duty and their hearts, Mare and Denna must find a way to save their kingdoms - and each other.

- From Goodreads.

Of Fire and Stars is lovely story with well-detailed world building and a very sweet romance.

I enjoyed both perspectives of each main character. Both were likeable while having flaws so felt well-rounded and real. Their romance built slowly and was not just believable but very sweet and I enjoyed them being together.

The other characters in the story were also fleshed-out and felt real. That, along with the detailed world-building which created an intricate setting, made the story feel very immersive and not at all flat or shallow.

The pacing of the story and the slow build up to the climax of the book was enjoyable to read. I know some people prefer action-filled plots where a lot happens, but I prefer slower-paced stories that focus more on detailed descriptions of the world and thoughtful character interactions and development and I think this book did well on those points. When action did happen in the book, especially towards the end, it was well-written and impactful.

Overall, it was a very enjoyable book to read, that kept me interested and excited to continue the whole way through. There were some points where I was uncertain if I liked the direction the plot was taking, but by the end I was happy with how it went and I look forward to reading the sequel.