Link to blog: https://thatreadhead1.wordpress.com/2018/12/06/review-the-queens-wing-by-jessica-thorne/
I received a digital copy of this book from Netgalley
This was such an awesome book! It started off so good, and then the sci-fi aspect of it evolved, and it really blossomed! I adored the writing style, the characters, the relationships, all of the original things that this story brought to the table. It isn't often I read a sci-fi story set in space, I'm more into fantasy, but this just really gave me hope XD Blended sci-fi and fantasy together perfectly.
I cannot believe how much I need #2 right now! This book was so gripping and entertaining, and the story just flew by! To be honest the cover really doesn't do it justice. One of the best books I've read in such a long time!! I need more!

The Queen's Wing surprised me - because I went in this book with very wrong expectations.
From the synopsis that I read and remembered I expected court politics, assasination attempts, and intrigue in a magical fantasy world. A strong female character that has a love for flying (and I thought the "flyer" was something magical) and has to leave her home for politics, struggling with finding her place. Thats my jam.
What I received was a SciFi (+) romance (-), full on with a love triangle trope (--), with some aliens sprinkled on top. If done right and how it hits me in the right spot, I love a good alien story.
So this book took me by surprise. I do not know if I might have loved this book if I knew I was getting a romance triangle with a storyline including aliens and mechanical creatures.

Overall the worldbuilding starts out nice but I think it could have gone a lot deeper, taken me in a lot more. The writing style was okay, I liked it enough to enjoy the story, but it did not grip me and draw me in.
I enjoyed getting to know the characters but they still felt a little flat and one dimensional. I did not care much for the romance/triangle but how the triangle trope was stopped still broke my heart.
There is a lot of potential in this wonderful world and with these characters. I would love to see more development and more insight into some of the side characters like Elara.

I think a lot of people might really love this book who would be into the type of book this actually is, not what it is advertised at. I really hope that it will reach them and not turned down due to this almost false advertising.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for an eARC of The Queen's Wing by Jessica Thorne

I absolutely enjoyed this book. The trials and tragedies of war. The strength of character newly found along with bravery. Bel (Belengaria) went from soldier/pilot to Queen in a matter of weeks because of an arrangement between worlds. She manages to save her world, earn her new people's love and adoration, and the love of the man whom she was arranged to marry. Can't wait for the next book.

I had an insanely hard time trying to get into this book. I say trying because I never got into it. The title is a bit misleading. A book being called the Queen's Wings would lead me to believe she's a dragon, fae, or something else mythical. That's not the case. The Queen's Wings is about a girl who becomes princess flying... in her plane. That was definitely a big let down but I still tried. The author spends entirely too much time trying to iterate how much Bel doesn't fit in. After the first few times I'm like "ok, we get it, she's out of place". This book made me want to start watching a movie, reread another book, check my grades, make a grocery list, anything but finish it. I honestly feel like I read it on autopilot.

I ended up DNF-ing this one. I really liked the steampunk aspects, but the writing style wasn't flowing for me. I was beginning to get confused with the world building and it ended up boring me a few chapters through. I think I just wasn't in the mood for reading this, so I may be returning to it at some point in the future.

I couldn't get myself invested in the fantasy world from the get go. I loved the cover and thought the description was interesting but I couldn't get hooked.

I’m not usually one for aliens and space ships, preferring dragons and magic to advanced technology, but I loved this book.
Bel is a typical Vairian citizen- she was born and raised to be a warrior, to fight and fly in defense of the vast galactic empire. All Bel wants is to be a pilot like her mother before her, and she is close to achieving her goal when a bomb is dropped on her plans. Literally. With one attack, the enemy wipes out the leaders of the Vairian people and as the last of the ruling bloodline, no matter how far-flung the connection, Bel becomes royalty. Bartered off in marriage to cement a strategic alliance, Bel travels to the plant Anthaeus to marry it’s king, Conleith. Accompanied by a small troop of soldiers from home and her childhood friend and crush Shae, Bel must learn how to navigate foreign politics and somehow bond with the man she is supposed to marry. Then Anthaeus is attacked, and Bel must use all of her training to keep herself and her people free.
I loved the slow-burn romance in this book. It was woven into the plot and seemed to naturally unfold. I found Bel a sympathetic character. She is a realist and a fighter thrust into the role of a politician and a diplomat. Her learning curve is steep, and I enjoyed watching her fill her new role. Bel holds onto duty even in the face of misery- ahh, I mean marriage- and I appreciated the frank discussions she has with supporting characters when they simply tell her to suck it up- they are raised to join the military, after all. That kind of dialogue is refreshing when a lot of these books have a tendency to be overly broody. I won’t spoil the ending, but my inner romance reader was almost completely satisfied with it. I will definitely be picking up the next book.
I would recommend the Queen’s Wing for fans who enjoyed The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski, Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey, The Winter King by C.L. Wilson and Graceling by Kristin Cashore.

While The Queen’s Wing seems like a steampunk fantasy from its cover and synopsis, I feel it is more accurate to call it science fiction or space opera. The worlds in this novel are planetary kingdoms, and our protagonist, Bel is a recently-crowned princess of a military kingdom that has been given in marriage to a planetary kingdom outside the Empire’s zone, in hopes of making an alliance. Bel’s travel to this mysterious planet with a mystical king-like is fraught with assassinations, and a threat in the form of another planet that wants to steal resources. While Bel is initially reluctant to leave her own kingdom to marry a stranger, and moreover give up on her love, her childhood friend and now bodyguard, Shae, she grows into her role slowly as she comes to admire, respect and eventually love her fiance, Con.

The Queen’s Wing alternates between being sci-fi with its space travel and all, with a touch of steampunk, as is the technology on Anthaeum, and being a political drama in the vein of Jupiter Ascending (movie) or The Diabolic (book). Bel’s introduction to her new subjects is tinged with the prejudice most of the galaxy has regarding her kingdom, that they are barbarians who love war. Bel herself has been raised like a soldier and a lady, which makes her place her duty above her feelings most of the time, and leads to most of the conflict in her personal development. She knows she is the anchor of the alliance, but in her heart also wants to just run away with Shae to some distant part of the galaxy, away from the Empress’ schemes. (Actually, I am hoping we get to see the Empress and her capital at some point during the series because court intrigue is what I am looking forward to) Con’s attachment to his planet develops the fantasy element of the novel, though that could also be argued to be sci-fi; it is both in a way.

The writing of the book was good, and I loved the extent of world building it provided – just enough to not overwhelm you, but also rich enough to fill the necessary background. Only Con’s first marriage was much of a mystery during a significant part of the novel, mostly because I was fretting over his age (it never mentions how long he was married, only that he was very young) but it is explained later on what the nature of the relationship was. Still, with the love triangle, I was worried about more angst coming from Con’s side due to that, that didn’t really need to be there. As for Shae, I was not interested in his relationship with Bel because I am tired of first loves who suddenly vocalize their feelings right when it is most inconvenient for the protagonist.

Overall, an interesting and engaging scifi novel, which I hope to see more of.

As a note, a copy of this novel was sent to me via NetGalley by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.

This truly was a gripping story! The Queen's Wing is just the right amount of action and romance; mixing up quite the selection of genres. So, when you see the tagline: "A completely gripping fantasy romance" BELIEVE IT! I will say, however, that the story is more science-fiction than fantasy. It combines fantasy, science-fiction, steampunk and fantasy.

The Queen's Wing is a fun mix of the above genres and will surely appeal to fans of The Selection (I was getting some major parallels between the two when it came to the romantic plotlines), The Androma Saga and maybe a little of The Winner's Trilogy. Which makes it all the more enthralling to its target audience. It's action packed, driven by romance, and just an all around fun time.

That being said, it won't be for everyone. Like all works of fiction, it has it flaws and there are several kinks that Thorne will have likely sorted out in the sequel. While it worked for me, despite said flaws, I will say you should probably steer clear of The Queen's Wing if you aren't interested in love triangle tropes (there's definitely a big one in this first installment, however it is sorted fully by the end) or in romantic stories in general.

Some of you might even consider the likely endgame relationship to be rushed and a little too instant lovey-dovey. I had no issue with them, and thought they were quite sweet. I was smitten with them, but I did find myself hoping for a little more development and could certainly see why it might feel rushed for others.

I enjoyed the world featured in The Queen's Wing and am looking forward to seeing it built, and in the case of book two: rebuilt, because Thorne has offered us a richly thought out universe that I am looking forward to exploring right along with the characters. I do wish there had been a little more focus on that than there was--some moments felt a little in the dark or underdeveloped, but not enough to really raise any alarm because Thorne will likely continue to develop it as the series goes on--and that the characters were a little more developed, too.

(I sound like I'm ragging on the story when, in fact, I am probably just being greedy. I always want to know EVERYTHING.)

Other little things to note:

-Bel is an awesome lead character. I can see why the story itself will be appealing to Sarah J. Maas fans. While Jessica Thorne is not Maas (this isn't an insult; I just want to make it clear that Thorne has a style that is uniquely her own and sets her apart from her peers) I think a lot of readers will embrace Bel the same way they've embraced characters who are in a similar vein.
-The love triangle is a pretty prominent one on surface only. While the relationships will be very drawn out for the reader, and romance is a really big factor in The Queen's Wing, I think that the triangle is less of a "Team Con!" and "Team Shae!" moment and more of a, "This is sweet, but we know who is probably going to be endgame."
-As a whole, characters like Shae and Elara somehow both tugged at my heartstrings and felt a little underdeveloped. I liked them and thought they deserved better than the events of The Queen's Wing. I knew what was coming. But, I also had something of an indifference when their plotlines came about. It was like, "Oh, that's unfortunate."
-The world really is fascinating. I know, I said this already. It's true, though. I really liked the way that Thorne combined all the genres and these familiar tropes, but made them into her own little piece of unexpectedness. There was a lot to these lands, their technology and other little bits that we see, that felt like something we'd not yet seen.
-I'd like to hear more about Con's life before Bel. More on Matilde. I'd like to see some flashbacks in book two, that focus on his life then vs. now.
-The same can be said about Bel. I feel like there's so much more we don't know about her family, her brothers; life before The Queen's Wing. I want to see her, quite literally, fly. I'd like to see more of a background on her bond with Shae.

Overall, I enjoyed The Queen's Wing and it was the perfect book to curl up with on a snowy day. I am presently snowed in (well, not so much today) and sick, so it was comforting to make some hot cocoa and curl up with this novel. This is the perfectly compelling YA novel you should be looking into this winter.

A very strong female character. She has her own mind and shes not afraid to show it.
I love con too.
Cant wait to read the 2nd book

Actual rating 4.5 stars

Where do I start. This novel was epic. It was supposed to be a romance but it is so much more and I am in love. Having never heard of Jessica Thorne, I was a little worried I wouldn't enjoy it but to be honest, it far exceeded my expectations.

To start, the protagonist is a chick who honestly could function perfectly should the entire male population cease to exist. She's just great. Bel is the perfect mix of strong and soft, feminine but tough, fun but able to reign should it be required. I absolutely loved her and her lady in waiting Elara (quite frankly this woman was manipulative but I loved her SO DAMN MUCH)

The male characters were a little less forward but they all had their strengths regardless of status. I will say however that I wish there was just a smidge more Zander being good brother rather than pushy overbearing monarch.

The setting was so multifaceted but never felt brushed over or like a setting was just there for variety.

The narrative was well thought out and punchy, keeping the reader intrigued at every turn. It was fast paced but in a good way not a GRRM 'just wait, let me go back three chapters' kind of way. I loved the alien creatures overseeing Anthaeum from the safety of a hidden city. I found the Mecha to be an ingenious villain because you never suspect those closest to you right?

Overall I loved it and found it to be almost perfect.

I really enjoyed this book and I look forward to reading book two in this series. Bel is an excellent character and I found her to be relatable and well written. She is strong willed and fun to read. I enjoyed the romance and the action! I found some parts to be a bit predictable but overall its a fun read! I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

I gave it 3.5 stars

THE QUEEN'S WING had me wanting more pretty quickly upon starting to read it.

I enjoyed Bel from the get-go. She has a strong personality. Her determination and strength really drew me to her. She was willing to do what was expected of her, but she was still determined to be her in the end.

The romance wasn't out of this world. There is a bit of a love triangle that puts a damper on some things. Bel and Shae have known each other forever and I'm sure could have had a great romance if they were allowed too, but I felt like I could have done without their feelings for each other getting in the way. I felt like Bel and Con had a great connection when they allowed themselves to actually enjoy and understand each other. I wish they could have come together a lot sooner than they did.

The world was super interesting and I enjoyed the action involved in THE QUEEN'S WING. I enjoyed THE QUEEN'S WING and I already have book two, THE STONE'S HEART on my wishlist—even though it looks like we have some different main characters.

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this YA sci-fi book. The "arranged marriage to love" trope is one that I adore so will generally always read anythin with that theme. I loved Bel, the main protagonist. I thought she was relatable, I loved that she was strong yet still vulnerable to the circumstances around her. I cannot wait to get my hands on a print copy of this and I cant wait for more in this series!

My Rating : 5🌟

When a surprise attack on the palace makes Bel the centre on attraction, she has to travel to a distant land and get married to the recently widowed ruler Con. With increasing assassination attempts on her life, she must figure a way out to help both herself and the country with her fiancé & her childhood love..
.

The first thing I loved way the world setting. The different ruling clans with their hard set traits and the advanced technologies mixed with space shuttles and a bit of fantasy, this book was filled with all the things I love! Especially travelling among planets & conquering moons to display their superiority.
.

The second thing was the diverse characters. Though you deal with a lot of same cliché characters, you get a variety of them. Especially the side characters. I can happily say that I loved the side characters more than I loved the main characters. Con & Bel made a really nice complimenting pair, and to be honest I didn’t like Shae as much as I should have.
.

This book had a mixture of everything. I loved the action, following your dreams, really good romance, strong characters, loyal friendships even when everything was at stake, and it made me cry! Not spoiling, but a certain character death had me sobbing! It had it’s fair share of issues, but the positives was just a tad bit more than that, so it’s a 5 star for me!
.

Even if you are not a fan of Sci-fi, pick it up. You will never realize you are in space and all things related unless you pay attention to the names of the planets & moons! If you are looking for a fantasy/sci-fi/romance book with really good friendship, passion, slow paced romance, amazing side characters and some heartbreak, definitely check this one out! I highly recommend it!

This book was a fantastic YA novel. The main character Bel, is everything you would want your protagonist to be; she's smart, and energetic, and loyal while still being flawed. She could understand what was happening around her while still be frustrated with the circumstances. The book involves Bel, a daughter of a minor royal, becoming real royalty with the murder of the ruling family. As such she is then sent to marry the leader of the people on another planet. Once there, there are some culture clashes, and bad guys abound.

I enjoyed this book as it played around with tropes without getting completely caught up in them. There was some amazing world-building and this was a book that dealt with a lot of loss, showing how it affected people differently. Plus the worlds in this book were a ton of fun to read about.

dnf, it's not the book, it's me. I certainly think this queen/princess type stories aren't for me and I should have known better, but I didn't. I would consider picking it up at a different time of the year in hopes that I enjoy it more the second time.

I started read book a few days ago, and I have to say that this book kept me hooked.
At the begining I didn't know what was about the book, but I continue reading and the plot makes to me so interesting.

The book is about of Bel, a girl who lives in a world that is in war with another world. Bel belongs of a noble family, but she loves to fly in war ships and her dream is to dedicate her life to being a military.
But this is interrupted with an attack that destroys the city where their cousins ​​live, which are the monarchs. Bel has to be to be the replacement of her dead cousin and become a princess. As well as, and that leads to marrying an unknown widower who is the highest leader of his civilization however, Bel is in love of another man.
Bel will have to decide if her responsabilities or her love ....

This YA sci-fi story is so much more than an arranged marriage plot line but if 'arranged marriages to love' is one of your buzz phrases for a book, you'll love this one. I really liked Bel as a character - she's really tough and feisty but she's also a trained warrior and the way she thinks and reacts are often what you would expect of someone who grew up like her. She never really did anything out of character and I really enjoyed seeing her character progression from rather reluctant princess to a true queen and leader. She earned the loyalty of her people, and her husband to be's, and it was well deserved.

I definitely think the love triangle plot of this book could be removed altogether as it brought no extra element into it for me, except some eye-rolling at Bel's constant thoughts about how she'd love to kiss Shae. There was no chemistry between them, it was very tepid tap water, and I much preferred the chemistry and dynamic Bel had with Con.

The action in this book was great and I loved the descriptions and scenes, particularly when Bel was flying. The flying machines in this book were really cool, and I loved how important they were for Bel and her country people. Some things seemed to happen quite fast - like the time they were hiding in the forest, I wasn't sure of the timeline - there were definitely parts of the story I wanted slowed down a bit so I could fully immerse myself in the world that I truly loved being in.

The world is honestly really interesting, and I want more of it and for Bel to explore every inch and know all its history as it seems so rich. This book ended in a really nice place but I'm definitely excited for the next one already.

I really liked and enjoyed this enchanting story!! Didn't expect to tear up though.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

4/5