Red Queen Blog Tour: Review + Q&A with Victoria Aveyard

Today I'm a part of the Red Queen International Blog Tour. <3 And I'm so excited to be a part of this. I read this book a little while ago, and I really enjoyed it. Today I'm sharing my review of it with you, and one exclusive Q&A from the author, Victoria Aveyard. I'm so excited about this book coming out tomorrow. Because I really liked it, despite having some small issues, and I cannot wait to see other people reading this book. And I cannot wait to own the beautiful hardcover that I have pre-ordered :D Huge thank you to Megan at HarperCollins International for inviting me to take part in this blog tour. <3 You can read the first 7 chapters of Red Queen here. <3 And watch an awesome Epic Reads video here :)

My review of Red Queen.

I'm not sure where to begin talking about this book. I have been nervous about reading it for months now, ever since I first peeked at it, and worried for my heart. But then I heard so many good things about this book. How many people loved it. And I knew I had to try to read it as well. And I got to be a part of the blog tour, and was sent this gorgeous print ARC copy, so now I couldn't put it off anymore. So I finally picked up Red Queen. And I'm so glad I did so. I had some issues, but mostly I really liked it.

My feelings for this book are complicated. But I will try my best to explain them all. First I want to talk about all the things I liked about this book. I found the writing to be really good and exciting, it didn't bother me at all. Which is very important for me. I found that I really liked reading from the point of view of Mare, whom I pretty much adored in the beginning of this book. I thought that all the different characters were pretty interesting to read about and I wanted to know more about them all at all times.

Then there is the plot. The story in Red Queen is so exciting. It is different and it was so good. I loved reading about the Silvers and the Reds. How the Silvers have silver blood, how they all have special powers. And how different they all were. And how frightening and exciting it was to read about all at the same time. I wanted to know more. I wanted to read more about those with abilities. Which means I really enjoyed reading those scenes, as I found it to be very interesting and exciting and well done.

I really liked the plot in this book. I liked reading about Mare and how she came to be betrothed to a prince. How she came to hide her red blood. I especially enjoyed getting to know Cal, whom I adored to pieces. I feared there was a love triangle in this book. Or even more boys. And in a way there is, but not the usual kind. Which means I loved it, because there isn't much romance in this book. But there are a few silly boys, like Kilorn, whom I didn't see the point of. Hmph. But yeah. I did like the romance a lot.

There are so many characters in this book. I wouldn't be able to begin to mention them all. But I do want to talk about some of them. I really loved Cal. He was awesome. Then there was his brother, Maven. Hmph. I found him to be obvious from the beginning, but yeah. I just didn't like him much at all. And his mother, the Queen. Shudders. She was pretty awful to read about. Sigh. But I liked Julian. Probably. And I very much liked reading about Mare's family in the beginning of this book. They were pretty awesome.

When I had read about half the book, I was sure this would be a four star read for me, which had me very excited. But then things changed. And I got angry at things. And it made my heart hurt. And because of this my rating of this book is a three star. But keep in mind that the first half of the book was four stars for me, and I really did like this book. And I'm so so excited about the sequel. Yet a bit nervous too, as I worry what will happen. But mostly excited. Because I am dying to know what happens.

But yeah. I should talk a bit about those things I had some issues with. Mare started changing in the last half of the book. She started thinking differently, and it bothered me. It bothered me that she thought she was the most important thing about the rebellion. That she felt like she was leading and being responsible for deaths. She wasn't. Not at all. So that bothered me, her thinking she was much more important than she really was. And that whole trying to save Kilorn thing. But, why? Why did she care?

And then, Cal. She had feelings for him. I know there isn't much romance in this book, which I kind of liked, but there were also some really sweet scenes between Mare and Cal. And I wanted them together so badly. But he is also a Prince. And he has a job to do. And Mare started hating him for one thing. And I didn't understand it at all. She claims he betrayed her. But how? I don't get it. She acted so stupid in the last half of the book. Hmph. But I still liked reading about her. Some things just bothered me.

I just had some issues with things happening in the last half of the book. How Mare acted. How she believed every single thing someone told her. But at the same time, I was interested in this book. Because it was exciting and I wanted to know what would happen next. I really liked reading about the characters and the plot and how everything happened in this world. I loved reading about the different abilities, and what Mare could do, how she trained. It was all pretty exciting. And I enjoyed most of it.

But yes. This must be a three star for me. Because it feels like a lie, if I give it four stars. Because I did have issues with the last half. And Mare made me so angry right then. Hmph. But at the same time I really did like this book. And it was a four star at times, especially in the beginning. Either way, I really think a lot of people will love this book. So you should all go buy it. <3 I read Red Queen from January 27th to 28th. And it was worth it. Red Queen was all kinds of exciting and horrible and awesome. <3

Graceling meets The Selection in debut novelist Victoria Aveyard's sweeping tale of seventeen-year-old Mare, a common girl whose once-latent magical power draws her into the dangerous intrigue of the king's palace. Will her power save her or condemn her?

Mare Barrow's world is divided by blood--those with common, Red blood serve the Silver- blooded elite, who are gifted with superhuman abilities. Mare is a Red, scraping by as a thief in a poor, rural village, until a twist of fate throws her in front of the Silver court. Before the king, princes, and all the nobles, she discovers she has an ability of her own.

To cover up this impossibility, the king forces her to play the role of a lost Silver princess and betroths her to one of his own sons. As Mare is drawn further into the Silver world, she risks everything and uses her new position to help the Scarlet Guard--a growing Red rebellion--even as her heart tugs her in an impossible direction. One wrong move can lead to her death, but in the dangerous game she plays, the only certainty is betrayal.

Buy Red Queen: Amazon - B&N - The Book Depository - Indiebound - CDON

After growing up in small town Massachusetts, Victoria attended the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. She graduated with a BFA in Screenwriting, which is exactly the degree being sought after in a recession. 

She tries her best to combine her love of history, explosions, and butt-kicking heroines in her writing. Her hobbies include the impossible task of predicting what happens next in A Song of Ice and Fire, road trips, and burning through Netflix.

Tour Schedule.

2/2 http://amaterasureads.blogspot.com (Philippines)
2/3 http://staybookish.net/ (Philippines)
2/4 http://ghostgrrrl.wordpress.com (Malaysia)
2/5 http://iliveforreading.blogspot.com (Singapore)
2/6 http://thedailyprophecy.blogspot.com (the Netherlands)
2/8 http://spellsaab.juice.ph/ (Philippines)
2/8 http://defiantlydeviant.blogspot.com (Philippines)
2/9 http://www.carinabooks.blogspot.com (Norway)
2/12 http://www.booksloveme.com/​ (Malaysia)