Queen of Roses by Briar BoleynMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
This book took me a minute, and even though it was slow, it was also pretty fun to read. I find that I do like Arthurian retellings, and the retelling of Morgan Pendragon sounds like a fun, hinged time. But as I read it, it felt like I was reading an actual fantasy rather than a romantasy. Also, I should've looked at the triggers, but I kept reading, and yes, it was slow-very slow, to the point that I wanted to find something else to read. But I pushed through it, and even though it was okay, I still enjoyed myself. I don't know if I am gonna pick the second book up (spoiler alert: I will), but either way, I still enjoyed this book.
What I mean by this book being a fantasy with a romance subplot is, I felt like it was an epic fantasy novel with a romance subplot with Morgan and Vesper and Morgan and Draven. I thought that Morgan would get with Draven after traveling together and him saving her from drinking that horrible tea with the iron in it, but the more they are together, the more I feel like they were going to get together.
The reason they were put together was because of Arthur, who wanted Morgan to get Excalibur from the Lady of the Lake. Even though Morgan wanted to be with her brother Kaye, she decided to go ahead and go with Draven and a man named Whitethorn, who was very terrible and kept making her that godforsaken "medicine" that looked like it was suppressing her fae heritage and almost killed her because Arthur told him to. She also left because of a horrible, disgusting man named Florian, who assaulted her and carved his name into her skin in the most disgusting way possible, and it was a journey to find the sword and bring it to Arthur.
...or so she thought.
Turns out, Pendrath went straight to hell the moment she left. People are dying or starving, Arthur went to war with some kingdom I can't remember, and also Vesper, the half-fae bard, pretty much works for Arthur and helped her get the sword, but then stabbed her and wanted to kill poor Draven after those dead children rose up and tried to kill them. Those dead kids did drag her friend Lancelet away, but we don't know if she's dead or not.
But at the end, which I find that I like, that it turns out...
...ol' Draven is a siabra. I'm guess they're cats?
Cat people?
Cat demons?
Are they like InuYasha?
Will I ever know that answer?
When I read book two I will. Which will be soon. So yes, I did have a good time, and I think I am gonna go ahead and read book two, to see if it gets better.
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