This was a difficult book to rate. Thorne writes an imaginative, original tale that had so much potential, I absolutely wanted to love it. When the focus was on story telling and not internal dialog, I really did love it. I guess the best way to describe The Queen's Wing was exciting, action packed and riveting with some major slows and lows that brought it to a grinding hault. Edit those slows and lows and The Queen's Wing has amazing read written all over it... But as it stands, I'm going to have to go with 3.5 stars.

I received this ARC copy of The Queen's Wing from Bookouture. This is my honest and voluntary review. The Queen's Wing is set for publication November 21, 2018.

My Rating: 3.5 stars
Written by: Jessica Thorne
Series: The Queen's Wing (Book 1)
Paperback: 364 pages
Publisher: Bookouture
Publication Date: November 19, 2018
ISBN-10: 1786816180
ISBN-13: 978-1786816184
Genre: Scifi | Space Fantasy

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Queens-Wing-co...
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-...
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The Queen’s Wing follows the story of 17 year old Bel, who wants nothing more than to fly and fight like her brothers.
But as the only girl in her family, she is destined to be married off to a Prince in order to secure her father’s throne.

Torn between doing what is right and doing what she loves, Bel is forced into a whole new world full of royal politics, assassination attempts and treason.

I thought this book was fantastic. I really enjoyed the story line and the concept was fascinating. Although none of the tropes were original they were well written and perfectly paced.
The characters are well developed and their motivation is clear from the start. I really liked the dynamics between all the characters and the supporting cast were just as interesting as the main protagonists. Bel is a awesome female lead: fierce, stubborn, strong and proud. I also liked her snarky attitude as it felt appropriate for a 17 year old girl.

I particularly enjoyed the slow burn romance between Bel and Con. Con is a little bit eccentric and geeky whilst still being shy and mysterious which I loved.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable read and I didn’t want to put it down!

The Queen’s Wing is a YA romantic fantasy with a strong and determined female lead, two brooding males and a believable love triangle.

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Queen’s Rising will be available from 21st November 2018.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher (Bookouture) for providing a copy. All opinions are my own and provided willingly.

The Queen's Wing was not for me. I did not finish this book, but read it halfway through. I was so prepared to love it! It sounded epic. While it was easy to read and kind of addictive, it was hard to overlook the poor writing style. The sentences were extremely short and often didn't make sense. They chopped and changed and it really interrupted my reading. The world and names were so hard to get used to. Even though it was additive, I think the author tried just a bit too hard to make it epic in every aspect. The characters were hard to connect to and the narrative felt predictable.

The romance was the only interesting plot point for me, and unfortunately that started to dissolve into a bit of a mess. I understand many people will enjoy The Queen's Wing, but I was not one of them, sorry!

Rating 4/5

17-year old Bel is a princess who wants more than the stereotypical lifestyle - her greatest accomplishment would to become a flyer like her brothers. But as a girl and a princess, duty comes before desire and as her family now becomes the direct heirs to the kingdom, she flees to escape only to find her life is in even more danger.

Bel starts off as a very strong heroine with lots of potential. However, when the romance is introduced, she recedes back into a "damsel in distress" character that I didn't like at all. It's like she wanted to be so much more than a pampered princess, but when faced with reality and the opportunities to show she can do just as well as any man, she turns into said pampered princess. THIS was such a huge disappointment. However, the author makes up with it for the world and science she crafts. There is lots of adventure and I loved how she tore down gender roles to reflect that a girl can do anything a boy can. There is good grounds for an even stronger sequel and I can't wait to see how Bel grows into the Queen she is to become.

Overall I’m pretty meh about it. There was nothing overtly bad about it but I just really didn’t care for it. It was hard for me to get into and just felt like it followed the fantasy template a little too well. No recommendation either way for this one.

An unusual and intriguing Young Adult Sci-Fi story , The Queen's Wing by Jessica Thorne, is the story of Bel, a minor aristocrat who loves nothing more than flying, taking to the air in her brother's reconditioned plane. When a military strike from a rival planet almost wipes out the entire royal line, Bel becomes a princess, and a prize to be betrothed in order to secure a military alliance. Gone are her dreams of flying, and a future with Shae, a former friend and trainer who is now her bodyguard, instead she is to be married off to the ruler of another planet, where women are expected to be little more than decorative companions, and where a mysterious quasi religious council makes all the important decisions.
The world building in this book is truly outstanding, the author does an excellent job of incorporating it seamlessly into the story in a way that never slows the pace. Bel is a wonderful character, heroic at heart but not without fault, and very believable in her insecurity about her new place in a very changed world. The action and adventure of the plot is matched by a delicately balanced love triangle between Bel, her companion Shae, and her betrothed, Conleith. The slower, more emotional moments provide a welcome moment for the reader to Cath their breath before plunging once again into the action. The book will work as a stand-alone but while there is a well resolved ending, there is also potential for the story to continue, and I for one look forward to seeing what the future holds for Bel.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

I love myself a good story with royalty so.. A girl, living for freedom, who suddenly has to give up everything in order to become the future queen? Yes, please!

I was, honestly, pleasantly surprised with the way I was drawn into the story right from the start. The way Bel shares how her passion is flying - in space, might I add - and her feelings regarding her position in her planet's politics grabbed my attention and didn't let go.

Apart from the setting in space, there are also alien creatures introduced, I guess I should call them. Different races that have a place in the world Jessica Thorne created and I really liked that aspect. Especially since they weren't "discovered" or anything like that.

There are some queer side characters!

During the first part of the novel, I was totally enjoying one of my favorite tropes - sorry - which is the love triangle. Sort of. I was totally rooting for it and then.. something happened to make it all fall apart and things went downhill from there.

To say I was disappointed when that trope disappeared in the most awful way possible is an understatement but it's definitely not all.

There's one other thing I didn't really struggle with at first, but.. half-way through the novel that changed as well. I'm talking about our main character, Bel, suddenly not feeling all that fleshed-out anymore. At the start, she really had her own characteristics and knew what she wanted. She had the background and upbringing that fitted with her actions until.. it didn't anymore?

Then there's this issue I had with the writing. Not the writing in general - I honestly liked the dialogues and a lot of other things but when it comes to the action? Not so much. It wasn't described as I would've liked. Some of the fights and situations Bel found herself in should have been so intense but they weren't.

I also found it a pity how there isn't more insight in Bel's relationship with her lady-in-waiting, Elara. There's some kind of evolution between those two, but it's simply said. You don't actually see it happen and I really, really wish that was different! Not only that, it also happens with Conleith, her husband-to-be!

It's not that I disliked reading it, but there were so many things that could've been better. There's potential, without a doubt, but.. this novel definitely needs a couple more rounds of editing before I could say I truly liked it.

1.5/5!

Can't wait to read the next book in this enchanting, engrossing series! Highly recommend.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author. All opinions are my own.

I can’t wait for the next book in the series. I fell in love with the characters straight away & the action and suspense started immediately which I love.
This is all about Bel, her love of flying and the sacrifice she has to make for her family and people. Her relationships with Shae and Con are both so special that you just love all of them. It details how everything changes which means in turn that Bel’s priorities change.
I couldn’t put this down, it was amazing. This is as good as the hunger games and the divergent series.

3/5

(Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the chance to read an advaced reader copy)

I have to say that the story has become slow in some moments, and the end has been somewhat hasty. The characters lack description, I have imagined most of them as I wanted because we only know the color of eyes in some of them. For the rest, the story is fine, but I expected much more. What I really appreciate is that the author has left aside the love triangle.

Waiting for the second part and see how it continues.

Okay, yes! I loved this book! The character development, the amazing writing style, and the way that I was just able to fall straight into the book without a care in the world all were amazing! I could read ‘A Queen’s Wing’ again and again until the second book comes out, because trust me, I will definitely be waiting. I felt that the characters had the perfect amount of tying to the plot, and yet still giving enough space to leave you wondering whether or not they are everything that they make out to be. Unless, of course, they are a Mecha in disguise. Hmm….

However, most will know that I absolutely love the Red Queen Series by Victoria Aveyard . And I did, at more than one point at the beginning of the book, wonder "Am I reading another version of Red Queen Series ?" But fear not! It took me only another chapter or so to realise how wrong I was, how I had badly interpreted this book because this is obviously one of the authors own imaginative writing style. I thought, however, that Bel did not display as many of her fears and losses as much as I would have thought. Yet, on a different note, I was impressed on how Jessica Thorne was able to (in my opinion) show the difference between Bel’s relationships, and what she had wanted, needed and believed in at the time.

This book gave me serious The Selection vibes however, this was much, much better.

This book follows the story of Bel who loves flying and longs to be a pilot like her brothers and mother however after an attack by the Gravians the royal family is killed and Bel’s father finds himself in the role of King. This leads to Bel taking the place of the late princess in a marriage allegiance with Con, the Anthaem of another planet and must give up her dream of freedom to accept this new life.

I really liked Bel as the main character she is determined and loyal and I loved the strength she showed throughout. There is a love triangle in this but it’s one that I didn’t actually mind, and I did enjoy the angst throughout this,

This book is very action packed and is go go go right from the very beginning. I can understand how some people may find that too much happens in this one book but personally I really enjoyed it. This book is really fast paced and there is never a dull moment.

Overall, I really enjoyed this and am looking forward to see what goes down in the next book. I gave this 4 out of 5 stars.

Like a few others have said, the blurb for this book doesn't do it justice. Bel is a minor noble, who grew up loving to fly alongside her brothers. However, when her planet's palace is attacked by a race known as the Gravians, Bel's father takes the throne as the only one who is in line for it, and Bel becomes the Vairian Princess. As princess, she is to fulfill a role that was meant for her cousin, she is to marry Conleith, King of Anthaeus, another planet looking for an alliance with The Empire. Bel travels to Anthaeus with her Vairian guards, one of which is Shae, a man she has secretly loved since childhood. Bel deals with the difficulty of choosing between duty and love, assassinations attempts, learning to be a princess, and constant threats from the Gravians.

The Queen's Wing was a relatively short and easy read. While the plotlines were rather predictable, I enjoyed the story. There was a good mix of science fiction, romance, and action. A book like this needs a good balance and it was definitely struck. I didn't find myself getting bored, but instead interested with the fast pacing of the book.

The princess who doesn't want to be a princess is a trope that I hate that I love and Bel fits this trope perfectly. She continually yearns to be part of the action and flying instead of primping for the next big dinner or ball. She was strong and committed to her cause, but I did find the love triangle a little frustrating. I understand she was trying to come to terms with marrying Con, but the constant tension in her head about how much she wants to kiss and tell Shae about her love did get a little irritating. It might have been because the book was written completely from Bel's perspective, but Con and Shae seemed to fall a little flat in character development.

Overall though, I enjoyed the book. I loved the blend of genres and look forward to seeing what direction the second book is going to take. I'd love to see other characters like Con, Jondar, and Bel's bodyguards to be a bit more developed.

I loved the plot of this story! Sci-Fi, fantasy, steampunk and romance all in one! The story revolves around seventeen year old Bel, who is raised to be royalty. She only dreams of being in the skies flying with her brothers. When her home is attacked she has to become the princess she's been trained to be. She's sent away to marry a prince from another planet.

The writing was great. I hate the love triangle thing, but it doesn't drone on for long, so that was a plus. I enjoyed the book overall, although I would have preferred a longer ending. I think it could have been drawn out a bit longer and made more exciting.

Great read.
3.5 Stars

I received a copy of this book from the publishers, in exchange for an honest review.

Space opera meets fantasy in this YA novel about Bel, a girl that dreams of flying but must face her responsibility as heir to the throne after her family are destroyed by conflict.

This was a really interesting concept with the potential to explore a unique idea about fighter pilots in space and the writing flows reasonably well without compromising on the pace of the story. At times I think it struggled to decide what genre it was trying to portray, with a mix of science fiction, steampunk, romance and fantasy all brought to the table. This made the plot a little hectic at times, without any clear direction and the world building suffered as a result as it all felt like a bit too much.

The characters are interesting, especially Bel. I liked this idea that she’s a fighter pilot who just dreams of flying, like her family members. She initially comes across as powerful, different to other protagonists and inspirational in her commitment to following her dreams. However, I felt this aspect of her personality peters out into nothing as it went along, which I found disappointing. This was mainly due to the introduction of the ‘love interest’, and then to make matters worse, the ‘love triangle’.

I didnt enjoy the romance aspect at all. If felt forced and took away from Bel’s otherwise strong personality. I’m not a fan of YA novels centering around romances as often (such as in this case) they add very little to the overall story, and turn the heroine into a bumbling romantic damsel, when she’s been set up to be independent and badass. It spoils the character, and turned an otherwise interesting plot and character into a very predictable YA novel.

I also found the ending rather rushed compared to the pacing of the rest of the novel, although it was wrapped up to my satisfaction without any major loose ends. A really interesting plot with buckets of potential, but I really could have done without the romance.

Bel isn't a princess, she's a distant relative of the King, and is allowed to follow her dream of fighting and flying.
When tragedy strikes, Bel is thrown into a role she never prepared for; but perhaps she is the Queen that the empire needs.

I received a free copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

This story follow Bel, a Vairian noble who had the luck to grow up away from the pressures of court. She has trained all her life, to fight, and most of all to fly. She wants nothing more than to be a hero like her mother, and to spend time with her best friend/crush Shae.
After an attack on the capital wipes out the Royal house, Bel and her family are thrust into roles they never prepared for.
Before she can come to terms with any of it, Bel is shipped off to marry a complete stranger, for the sake of a political alliance. When she arrives at the incredibly elegant Anthaeus, Bel constantly feels like an outsider, and a barbarian.

The first half of this book was pleasant, but felt familiar. Despite the sci-fi setting, it felt like the standard YA story, with a girl who is "different" and pretty-but-doesn't-know-it. There's clearly some setting up of a love triangle, with Shae and Bel's new fiance Conleith. Bel is a duck out of water, and has to suffer the casual contempt of the people she is supposed to rule, along with a few that ramp up their poor treatment of her.
It was nice, and interesting enough, and at first I thought this was just going to be a light read.

The second half kicked off in a way I didn't expect. The universal enemies - the Gravians, and the re-animated corpses that make up their army (yes, you read that right) - arrive and all hell breaks loose.
Suddenly, having a barbarian queen that fights and flies is the only hope Anthaeus has.
The plot keeps you guessing, and is brilliantly original from this point.

This reads as a stand-alone, but I'm happy to see there will be further books in this series.

When all is said and done, by the time I finished the book, I had truely enjoyed it. But it took me a long time to get there. From the blurb and cover I expected a YA romantic fantasy. But what I got was a sci fi adventure. Now aliens are not my usual fare, so I was wary, to say the least. And in the beginning I had a hard time picturing both the characters and the world. But about a third of the way in I became acclimated, and by half way I was all in. This ended up being a great story with strong characters, and I will definitely look for,the next book by this new to me author.

Comparing the blurb, to the construction of the story I have to say in this instance - don't judge this novel by the cover, or the synopsis. 

“We don’t always get what we wish for”, Elara goes on. “But sometimes the responsibility is worth more than wishes. Sometimes we need the things we are given.”

Jessica Thorne's novel, the Queen's Wing - is the first, in a series of the same name. Being pitched as a romantic-fantasy novel, the novel centres around 17-year old Bel, who, is being raised as a Princess - despite being on the very-edge, of the Royal Spectrum. But angsty-rebellion to a pre-decided destiny, combined with the need for a plot, leaves Bel, in a tough situation. Convincing her Governess to let her escape - metaphorically of course - Bel gets her chance to fly. Returning, to a city that has been attacked and ravaged, in her absence. Sadly for Bel, this is the least of her worries at this point. 

The attack, resulted in the decimation of the Royal Family, leaving (you guessed it), Bel's father as the new King. Bel, becomes the unfortunate pawn of alliances, and is betrothed, to Con (who is on another planet, weird). Bel, of course, becomes target practice for everyone, escaping multiple attempts on her life in the process. 

I enjoyed this novel - which surprised me after reading the synopsis - she had a innate strength about her, that was established early, and helped to create some authenticity and depth. As the story continued to shape itself, and the creativity of the author was combined with an interesting (if not predictable) story-line, Thorne has effectively constructed a new-world in which, she starts this series on a strong note. 

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. For more, visit https://ljkastermanslibrary.wordpress.com/

Jessica Thorne is a new author for me, so this book was one I anticipated as maybe being an introduction to an author I can follow for a while - and I was right! With it being a YA romance, I wasn't sure what to expect. I am outside the target audience for those books, so occasionally I find myself too jaded to read them. Teenage angst and drama can become too much for me, and I have to put the book down because I can't adequately identify with the characters. In The Queen's Wing, there is plenty of youthful drama, but with there also being a lot of political intrigue and impending war involved, I tended to forget that the characters I was reading about were young! This, in my opinion, is the sign of a good fantasy YA book.

Bel has grown up without the responsibility that would usually come for a girl of her station. Her father, a prince of Vairian, having married beneath him, has raised their family separately from the royal family. Born to fly, she loves to pilot her own flying machine, and when she's not flying, she's dreaming of her future with her childhood friend, Shae, who doesn't know of her true feelings. But politics are volatile, and when an enemy makes a king of Bel's father, her whole world is turned upside down. Now she is Belengaria, Princess of Vairian, and engaged to Conleath of Anthaeus, a widowed king. Torn from her family and facing a future without love, Bel must navigate the treacherous waters of court life while also deciding where her heart's true loyalties lie.

I really enjoyed the characters of Bel and Con, and while Shae was the third in this love triangle, I found myself not so interested in him over time. I became invested in Bel and Con's relationship fairly quickly, especially when Con's personality is slowly revealed and the reader learns about all his hidden depths. Bel went through a lot of character development in this book, which makes me very excited for the next book in the series, now that she has fully morphed from unexpected princess to queen. While she appeared very juvenile initially in her reactions to things, it didn't last very long. Over time I saw her become stronger and put others before herself, and as she got to know Con better, it became clear that her heart would find love there. Shae was definitely a temptation, and I wanted to see a bit more of him than I did. However, his role needed to go in a different direction for the story, and I liked the drama it created later on.

Definitely excited that this is the first in a series, and I can't wait to follow Bel and Con in their adventures together!

**I received a free copy via NetGalley and this is my honest review.**

Oh I did not want this to end one bit! I read it so slowly and savoured every last word. I haven't loved a fantasy romance with an epic love triangle so much since the ACOTAR series. Jessica you are killing me I need book 2 now please and thank you.
Where do I even begin with telling you about the Queen's Wing, first the cover.. could it be any more stunning! The characters, how can you not love Bel, she's loving, loyal, stubborn as they come and willing to give up everything for her family and then for a people on a planet where she doesn't even come from. The scenery, this book is very visual painting beautiful blues and greens in my mind.
The Queen's Wing is a beautifully written story that I very much enjoyed and I'm so looking forward to Book 2.