REVIEW: Eden Conquered by Joelle Charbonneau

Summary


Andreus survived the Trials of Succession and has been crowned king. But he is still heartbroken at the death of his beloved and the betrayal of his sister Carys. And things in Eden and with the Council seem… off in various ways. The winds don’t blow, the lights that protect the city seem to flicker in ways that make Andreus nervous. He is starting to wonder if the things he has believed about the people around him were ever really true.

Carys is actually alive and relatively well. She and Larkin and Garret and Erick are in hiding but on the move in search of answers and the truth about what happened to the king and crown prince. Erick and Garret are both working angles, and she’s not sure she can trust either of them. Other than Larkin, there’s no one Carys trusts completely. And throughout her hunt for the truth, the wind whispers to her to let go and loose her powers against her enemies once and for all.

Review


I read book one, Dividing Eden, last year and really enjoyed it. I also read the novellas – Forbidden Fruit and Into the Garden. About half way through this one I stopped to re-read the novellas again. They are really helpful for rounding out the story!

This book was immensely twisty. There are so many schemes and side plots to work through, so many characters pulling strings to achieve their own agendas. It made for an exciting reading experience.

I really enjoyed the core characters, especially Carys and Andreus in this book. I was pleased with how the pieces all came together in the end.

I’ve been a Joelle Charbonneau fan since I first read The Testing (book one in a dystopian trilogy). She consistently delivers a great story! Be sure to read this duology in order and don’t forget the novellas.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Dividing Eden by Joelle Charbonneau

Summary


The kingdom of Eden is in the middle of a war. The king and crown prince are checking on the fighting before the prince’s wedding to the kingdom’s seer. The winter season will be starting soon which means the savage Xhelozi will be hunting the borders. It’s vital that Eden stay strong and keep the windmills collecting power for the kingdom.

But that strength is in danger when the king and crown prince are killed under mysterious circumstances. In the power vacuum, the Council of Elders starts maneuvering for power. Caught in the middle are the king and queen’s twins, Andreus and Carys. They have protected eachother’s secrets – and very lives – since they were born.  But now only one of them can rule. And only by winning a contest against the other.

Secrets and lies abound as the twins and other forces battle for control of Eden.

Review


Wow! This was great! This is a hard book to summarize. So many things are going on right from the outset. And the reader knows early on that most of the characters are hiding things and scheming for their own goals.

The twins at the center of the story are fascinating. On the surface, they are completely committed to one another. Carys sacrifices often to protect her brother’s big secret. And Andreus has her back when it comes to Carys’ secret too. But with the kingdom at stake and other voices whispering in their ears, their bond starts to fracture.

The scheming in this book is tremendous. Even at the end, I am not sure who is completely trustworthy. Secrets have secrets, and I’m confident I still only know maybe 40% of what’s truly going on. I was amazed to realize that while I was totally engrossed from start to finish, I had so many questions! That takes masterful plotting. Charbonneau has done a great job of crafting a page-turning story while still maintaining lots of mystery for the future.

I am looking forward to book 2!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥