Mundie Moms

Friday, May 20, 2016

THE CROWN'S GAME by Evelyn Skye / Blog Tour: Book Review / Giveaway


Hello and welcome to the last blog tour stop for THE CROWN'S GAME! I am so thrilled to share my review and host a giveaway for this fantastic read! 

ABOUT THE BOOK 


By: Evelyn Skye
Published by: Balzer & Bray
Released on: May 17th, 2016
Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks
Add it to Goodreads
Rating: 4.5 Stars - I Really Enjoyed It!
* I received an arc/copy of the book to review from the publisher in exchange for my honest review

Vika Andreyeva can summon the snow and turn ash into gold. Nikolai Karimov can see through walls and conjure bridges out of thin air. They are enchanters—the only two in Russia—and with the Ottoman Empire and the Kazakhs threatening, the Tsar needs a powerful enchanter by his side.

And so he initiates the Crown’s Game, an ancient duel of magical skill—the greatest test an enchanter will ever know. The victor becomes the Imperial Enchanter and the Tsar’s most respected adviser. The defeated is sentenced to death.

Raised on tiny Ovchinin Island her whole life, Vika is eager for the chance to show off her talent in the grand capital of Saint Petersburg. But can she kill another enchanter—even when his magic calls to her like nothing else ever has?

For Nikolai, an orphan, the Crown’s Game is the chance of a lifetime. But his deadly opponent is a force to be reckoned with—beautiful, whip smart, imaginative—and he can’t stop thinking about her.

And when Pasha, Nikolai’s best friend and heir to the throne, also starts to fall for the mysterious enchantress, Nikolai must defeat the girl they both love . . . or be killed himself.

As long-buried secrets emerge, threatening the future of the empire, it becomes dangerously clear . . . the Crown’s Game is not one to lose.

MY REVIEW 

An enchanting read! 
The Crown's Game is a beautifully written story about two Royal Enchanter's forced to face off in The Crown's Game. The catch, only one can survive. Rich with Russian culture, infused with magic, and given a slight touch of romance, this is a book I thoroughly enjoyed reading! 

Skye gives readers a richly imagined story that so incredibly easy to envision. Set in an vividly detailed, alternate Russia, the setting is one that was very bit a character as the wide range of characters in the book are. I loved the outdoor setting where Vika grows up at, and trains. I also love the elements of magic in this story. Though outlawed, magic is something that crown needs in order to keep it's power and control over the country. Hence the Crown's Game and pitting the two powerful enchanters against each other. I enjoyed learning more about the history of the game, and the reason as to why the crown needs an enchanter. 

Both Vika and Nikolai were easy characters for me to like, unlike some of the other characters in this story. There were a few characters I wasn't a fan of, however the two main characters were definitely my favorite. I like the fact that they both respected each other, and the powers they both have. At times it almost seemed like they admired what the other could do. I loved that while they're in the middle of a competition neither wants any part of, they do a lot of dancing around each other, testing each other's powers, without striking the other down. It's through these moments and scenes that things start to develop into something more serious between the two. Sometimes I love those moments more, than I do a full fledge romance, which was the case with this book. 

Vika and Nikolai both have special and powerful magically abilities. I really enjoyed seeing them learn to not only use their powers, but I liked getting to see how they both used their powers differently. Having grown up in different parts of their country, each experienced a different childhood, and grew into their powers in very different ways. While Vika was taught to embrace and harness her magical abilities, Nikolai grew up in an area where his was feared, and looked down upon. Now that each has become powerful in their own right, the Crown seeks to have one of them help rule the country. The catch, only one will be powerful enough to survive the games, and serve their country. 

I loved the way Skya developed their relationship. When these two Enchanters are around each other, there's definitely more than magic and harnessed power that gets unleashed. I loved that these two have a natural, undeniable chemistry between them. I loved the way Vika and Nikolai's complicated relationship formed. They have an immediate chemistry that seemed fitting, and natural for them to have towards each other. It felt believable to me. It seemed like the harder they tried to not like each other, the more they seemed to, despite the deadly outcome for one. I enjoyed reading about it.

I really enjoyed The Crown's Game. There's so much to this book that I found myself getting lost in during the time I spent reading it. I easily got swept away into the world, the chemistry and all that was going on in Vika and Nikolai's world. I really loved that while the two characters are forced into a situation they can't escape from, I love that this a book about choices, love, and sacrifice. I loved how these three things lead to an ending I was not excepting. I can not wait for this book's sequel! 


ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Evelyn Skye was once offered a job by the C.I.A., she not-so-secretly wishes she was on "So You Think You Can Dance," and if you challenge her to a pizza-eating contest, she guarantees she will win. When she isn't writing, Evelyn can be found chasing her daughter on the playground or sitting on the couch, immersed in a good book and eating way too many cookies. THE CROWN'S GAME is her first novel. Evelyn can be found online at www.evelynskye.com and on Twitter @EvelynSkyeYA.



ENTER TO WIN



1 winner will receive a beautiful custom THE CROWN’S GAME necklace (similar to the one in the photo below) made by the lovely Tales of A Ravenous Reader, US Only.


FOLLOW THE TOUR

Week One:
5/9/2016- Dark Faerie TalesGuest Post
5/10/2016- Owl Always Be ReadingGuest Post
5/11/2016- 125PagesReview
5/12/2016- A Backwards StoryReview
5/13/2016- Two Chicks on BooksGuest Post

Week Two:
5/16/2016- The Reader LinesReview
5/17/2016- Once Upon a TwilightGuest Post
5/18/2016- That Artsy Reader GirlReview
5/19/2016- Supernatural SnarkGuest Post
5/20/2016- Mundie MomsReview

Labels