Sophie Reads YA: Evelyn Skye

Cloak of Night

Waiting On Wednesday: Cloak of Night (Circle of Shadows #2) by Evelyn Skye

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Cover Reveal

Cover Reveal: Cloak of Night (Circle of Shadows #2) by Evelyn Skye

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2017 Flights of Fantasy Challenge

ARC Review: The Crown's Fate (The Crown's Game #2) by Evelyn Skye

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The Crown's Fate
Series: The Crown's Game #2
Author: Evelyn Skye
Published May 16th 2017 by Balzer + Bray

Goodreads Synopsis
Russia is on the brink of great change. Pasha’s coronation approaches, and Vika is now the Imperial Enchanter, but the role she once coveted may be more difficult—and dangerous—than she ever expected.

Pasha is grappling with his own problems—his legitimacy is in doubt, the girl he loves loathes him, and he believes his best friend is dead. When a challenger to the throne emerges—and with the magic in Russia growing rapidly—Pasha must do whatever it takes to keep his position and protect his kingdom.

For Nikolai, the ending of the Crown’s Game stung deeply. Although he just managed to escape death, Nikolai remains alone, a shadow hidden in a not-quite-real world of his own creation. But when he’s given a second chance at life—tied to a dark price—Nikolai must decide just how far he’s willing to go to return to the world.

With revolution on the rise, dangerous new magic rearing up, and a tsardom up for the taking, Vika, Nikolai, and Pasha must fight—or face the destruction of not only their world but also themselves.
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.

The Crown's Game was one of my favourite debuts of 2016, and I knew that as soon as copies of The Crown's Fate became available, I would have to request a copy as soon as possible, and I dove straight in when it finally got to me! Now, first things first, there is a lot more angst and tension in this book than in the previous one, but there are still some moments of lightness.

Following the death of his father, Pasha is now Tsar of Russia, with his Imperial Enchanter, Vika, at his side. Both are feeling guilty about Nikolai's fate, not knowing exactly what has happened to him, but believing him to be dead. Becoming the leader of an empire might be enough problems in itself, but he also has the fact that his legitimacy is in doubt - should he even be the Tsar, or not? - and Vika loathes him, and everything he stands for. Vika wishes she didn't have the power that she does, and somewhat wishes that Nikolai had won the Game, rather that it being her. And Nikolai, well, he's alive, but stuck in the shadow world, trying to contact the others, but not being too successful. Nothing can ever be easy in a fantasy world, and that is definitely the case with this story.

Now, I adored book 1, and really thought I would for this book too, but it was lacking something. I don't know what, but it didn't have the same feel as The Crown's Game did. I think one of the problems was that the book was a bit too long - a lot of it felt like filler material, and didn't really add much to the plot as a whole. Overall, it was still enjoyable, but if I'm being 100% honest, I can't remember all that much from it, that's how 'filler-y' it was.

The characters all seemed different from book 1, in good ways, and in bad. Nikolai was still an enjoyable character, and his change was down to his death and shadow-ness, which really worked, and made him even more mysterious. Vika got on my nerves a little, but I still appreciated her character, whereas Pasha was extremely whiney, and actually took away from the enjoyment of the book, rather than adding to it. The ending was a little bit of a cop out too, as if it had been rushed, when a lot of the rest of the book had dragged - the pacing was just wrong!

I was a little disappointed in this one, and I know a lot of other bloggers were too. I do think I'll read more books by this author, but I'm not in any major rush, like I would've been.

Dates Read:

April 17-20, 2017

Rating
3 Stars

Circle of Shadows

Waiting on Wednesday: Circle of Shadows (Circle of Shadows #1) by Evelyn Skye

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Evelyn Skye

Waiting on Wednesday: The Crown's Fate (The Crown's Game #2) by Evelyn Skye

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Blog Tour

Blog Tour Discussion: The Crown's Game by Evelyn Skye (+ giveaway)

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Russian History In and Out of The Crown's Game

The Crown's Game was one of my favourite debuts of 2016, and when I heard about this tour, I jumped at the chance to take part. My post is about history, and how the book remained true to the reality.

So, if you don't know anything about me, I completed my degree in History and Ancient History last summer, and am currently training to be a history teacher. During my second year at university, I did a module on Imperial Russia, and it was one of my favourites.

One of the Russian Tsars, Alexander I, is the inspiration for the Tsar in The Crown's Game, as is his real life, and fictional, tsarina, Elizabeth. However, that's where the truth and fiction split. The real life couple had two daughters, though both died as children - this means that Pasha and Yuliana are imaginings of Evelyn's, which I think allowed her the opportunity to develop the family, and relationship further.

The relationship between the imperial couple was fraught with infidelity, and Alexander I is well known for having multiple mistresses, and bringing many of them to court. As such his marriage wasn't the best, but they did reconcile towards the ends of their lives. In the book, they both died around the same time as one another. In 1825, Alexander I died of typhus whilst out in the countryside with tsarina Elizabeth. She didn't actually die until 5 months later. Because Alexander wasn't at court when he died, and his body couldn't be laid in state as usual, many believed he was living as a monk in Siberia, sick of the intrigue of court life. We have no way of really knowing if this is true, but I quite like the idea of it all.

Whereas Pasha became Tsar during The Crown's Game, Alexander's younger brothers, Nicholas, became the next Tsar of Imperial Russia. I can't wait to see how Evelyn used the basis of The Crown's Game to develop more of her own spin of Russia, and whether she'll bring in elements of Nicholas' reign.

About the Book:

Title: The Crown's Fate

Author: Evelyn Skye

Expected publication: May 16th, 2016 by Balzer + Bray

Formats: Hardcover, eBook

Find it: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Kepler's Books

The gorgeous and darkly compelling sequel to The Crown’s Game—perfect for fans of Red Queen and Shadow and Bone.

Magic is growing, shadows are rising, and the throne is at stake…

Russia is on the brink of great change. Pasha’s coronation approaches, and Vika is now the Imperial Enchanter, but the role she once coveted may be more difficult—and dangerous—than she ever expected.

Pasha is grappling with his own problems—his legitimacy is in doubt, the girl he loves loathes him, and he believes his best friend is dead. When a challenger to the throne emerges—and with the magic in Russia growing rapidly—Pasha must do whatever it takes to keep his position and protect his kingdom.

For Nikolai, the ending of the Crown’s Game stung deeply. Although he just managed to escape death, Nikolai remains alone, a shadow hidden in a not-quite-real world of his own creation. But when he’s given a second chance at life—tied to a dark price—Nikolai must decide just how far he’s willing to go to return to the world.

With revolution on the rise, dangerous new magic rearing up, and a tsardom up for the taking, Vika, Nikolai, and Pasha must fight—or face the destruction of not only their world but also themselves.

About Evelyn:

Evelyn Skye is the New York Times bestselling author of THE CROWN’S GAME (out now!) and THE CROWN’S FATE (May 16, 2017). She 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 Evelyn isn’t writing, she 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.

Author Links: Twitter | Goodreads | Tumblr | Instagram | Facebook

Tour Schedule:

Jan. 9th - Brittany's Book Rambles: The Crown's Fate Review

Jan. 10th- Sarcasm & Lemons: Fancast

Jan. 11th- The YA Book Traveler: History of Russian Crowns

Jan. 12th- Picnic Reads: Character-Based Book Tag

Jan. 13th- Book Nerd Addict: Inspired Tote Design

Jan.16th- Dazzled by Books: Top 5 Reasons I Love The Crown's Game

Jan. 17th- Rants and Raves of a Bibliophile: Characters Matched to Teas

Jan. 18th- The Book Buzz: New Enchanter

Jan. 19th- The Aus. Library: Famous Russian Fairytales

Jan. 20th- My Thoughts Literally: Character Inspired Dessert

Jan. 23rd- Omg Books and More Books: Books that Characters of TCG Would Enjoy

Jan. 24th- It Starts at Midnight: Virtual Tour of Russia

Jan. 25th- Next Page Please!: Character Blog

Jan. 26th- The Book Nut: Playlist

Jan. 27th- Arctic Books: Make-up Looks

Jan. 30th- Two Chicks on Books: Pinterest Recipe Board

Jan. 31th- Lost in Ever After: Typical Date for Nikolai & Vika

Feb. 1st- Alexa Loves Books: Fashion Book Look

Feb. 2nd- Sophie Reads YA: Russian History In and Out of The Crown's Game

Feb. 3rd- 21st Century Once Upon A Times: Drink Your Way Through The Crown's Game

Feb. 6th- The Eater of Books: 10 Reason I'm Excited for TCF

Feb. 7th- A Thousand Words A Million Books: Top 5 Magical Moves in The Crown's Game

Feb. 8th- Seeing Double in Neverland: Fanmade Bookmarks & Swag

Feb. 9th- A Page With A View: YA Fantasy Books set in Russia

Feb. 10th- Dana Square: Recipe from The Crown's Game

Feb. 13th-YA Wednesdays: Favorite Quotes from The Crown's Game

Feb. 14th- Juniper Reads: Sorting Characters into Fandoms

Feb. 15th- Nicole's Novel Reads: Nail Polish Looks

Feb. 16th- The Queen Reads: What the Characters of TCG would take to a Deserted Island

Feb. 17th- A Perfection Called Books: The Crown's Fate Review

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks so much, Brittany's Book Rambles for including me in this tour!

#RockMyTBR 2016 Challenge

Blog Tour & ARC Review: The Crown's Game (The Crown's Game #1) by Evelyn Skye

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The Crown's Game
Series: The Crown's Game #1
Author: Evelyn Skye
Published May 17th 2016 by Balzer + Bray

Goodreads Synopsis
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.
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.

Unless you've been living under a rock for the past few months, you're bound to have heard about this book. When I first heard about The Crown's Game, I was in the middle of revising my Imperial Russia history exam, so I knew this would be a book for me to check out. Back in December, I decided to treat myself with about 10 2016 preorders, and this was top of my wishlist, so I've been waiting, not very patiently, since then for my copy to actually arrive, and when Harper mentioned doing a blog tour to celebrate the UK release of the book, I jumped at the chance to participate, so let's get on with my review.

The Crown's Game takes place in a fictionalised version of the reign of Tsar Alexander I of Russia, where magic, though kept secret, is very much a reality. The Imperial Family have always had an Imperial Enchanter to protect their interests, and themselves, and normally only one child is born per generation whom can fulfil the duties of Imperial Enchanter. This isn't the case here, though. Vika had been brought up believing herself to be the only candidate, so when she receives a formal invitation to take part in the Crown's Game to decide the best Enchanter, she's surprised. Nikolai, on the other hand, has always known there was another like him out there, but had no clue whom that would be. When they arrive at the secretive location to start the Game, they realise they've met before, but can't let anything get in the way of the task at hand - the winner of the game becomes Imperial Enchanter; the loser, loses everything, including their life.

First things first, I just adored this book! The writing hooked me in from the very first page, and I fell in love with the characters as quickly. The main characters, Vika and Nikolai, were unique, and their PoVs represented that. Vika was more headstrong, whereas Nikolai was more of an old soul. Pasha too, Nikolai's best friend, and incidentally, the Tsesarevich of Russia. He had absolutely no clue that the Game was afoot, and thought all the elaborate events happening in St Petersburg were birthday gifts from himself, and not something even more important.

The romantic aspect, I loved, but I can see how some would have problems with it. There is an aspect of a love triangle happening, but not a serious one that takes away from, or even replaces, the actual plot line. I felt like Pasha was more in lust, than in love, with Vika, but Nikolai and Vika's relationship blossomed over the course of the book, and it's safe to say I'm firmly for their ship.

What was best about the book was the magic. Because there is normally only one person with the power strong enough to be Imperial Enchanter, both Vika and Nikolai have different capabilities with their magic skills. Vika is more at home with natural magic - stuff like the weather and natural elements, where as Nikolai's magic is more at ease with textiles, making his own clothes, and manipulating building materials, etc. They were like the opposites of each other, but complemented each other at the same time.

The ending of the book was a killer, just be warned. When I got to the final page, and realised that was the end of the book, I couldn't believe it. I was sat on the metro, and I bet I looked very weird flicking through the book trying to find more pages. After such a brilliant debut, I'll definitely be preordering book 2 as soon as it becomes available, and will likely have another killed few months to wait until I have it in my hands, and can read it. I can't recommend this book enough, and I look forward to reading more from Evelyn in the future.

Dates Read:
May 18-21, 2016

Rating
5 Stars

Evelyn Skye

Waiting on Wednesday: The Crown's Game by Evelyn Skye

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Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pick is:

The Crown's Game
Series: None
Author: Evelyn Skye
Published May 17th 2016 by Balzer + Bray

Goodreads Summary
Sixteen-year-old Vika Andreyev can summon the snow and turn ash into gold. Eighteen-year-old Nikolai Karimov can see through walls and conjure bridges out of thin air. They are enchanters, and with the Ottoman Empire and other enemies threatening Russia, the Tsar wants an enchanter by his side.

Two enchanters in the same generation, however, are a rarity. And a problem. There is only so much magic in Russia, and it cannot be diluted. So the Crown’s Game was invented, a duel of magical skill. The victor becomes the Imperial Enchanter and the Tsar’s most respected advisor. The defeated is sentenced to death.

The Crown’s Game is not one to lose.

Of course, they both want to win. Until now, Vika's magic has been confined to her tiny island home, and she’s eager to showcase her skill in the capital city of St. Petersburg. It also doesn't hurt that the competition allows her to express her mischievous streak. Nikolai, on the other hand, is a study in seriousness. As an orphan with not a drop of noble blood in his veins, becoming the Imperial Enchanter is an opportunity he could, until now, only dream of. But when Vika and Nikolai begin to fall for each other, the stakes change.

And then, the stakes change again, as secrets from both their pasts threaten to upset the balance of the Tsar’s—and the Russian Empire’s—power.

The Game is so much more complicated than it looks.

Goodreads

Why I'm waiting:

This book just sounds amazing! Since I first heard about it on twitter, I was desperate to get my hands on a copy, and am so glad there's only a few more weeks left to wait.